Time is a precious commodity in the workplace. Companies that make the most of time generate more revenue, generally have more productive employees and in the end, they are more profitable. One of the primary goals of each company should focus on effective time management. Improving productivity is a big task for any management position. Motivating employees is a feat within itself; teaching them time management as well as giving them an insight into how to manage themselves is another additional task. Here are a few tips from some busy entrepreneurs and team managers that will not only boost productivity and organization, but help the team thrive.

You need to keep track of the
time spent on your team. 

Time expenses can really add up. There are several tools that can help you with that, let’s face it, tracking time can consume a lot of it, which completely defeats the purpose. Efficiently tracking time means everything from time for running reports and assessing them, to managing assignments so you can find the weak points, and correct them.

These specialized products are very helpful as they give you the chance to see what everyone is actually working on which helps with project time calculation as well as payroll. The biggest obstacle with this, however, is adapting to the new technology. Many people have problems with adopting new tools and relating to change. There is a definite up-side when you factor in the amount of effort that you will no longer have to put in when it comes to managing your employees.

Managers and Employees Must Embrace New Technologies

You need to learn to accept new
technologies and guide your employees to do the same.

It is by far easier to introduce tools when you’re dealing with new recruits than it is to give existing employees another thing to incorporate into their to-do list. So it is vital to be enthusiastic about any new tools you introduce to the team. It is also will make sense to integrate the new system in baby steps so as to not overwhelm anyone. Explaining it fully before expecting them to use it consistently will alleviate much tension as well as ensuring the team feels fully comfortable with the new processes. It also helps to talk directly to each individual about the possible benefits they will personally experience from implementing this new habit. It will then look more like a perk as opposed to a chore.

Don’t forget the best way to lead is by example. Be an active user of whatever it is you want your team to be utilizing. They will not intentionally use a technology that they are aware that you don’t even care to become familiar with. The best first step to better time management is to be aware of exactly where your time is spent, and these tools can help include your team in this analysis instead of them feeling like they are being baby-sat.

Management Style Awareness

This is important for more than just workplace harmony. In order to be the best leader possible, you need to be able to step away from your role at times and see if your approach to things is truly effective. At times it can be difficult to accept constructive criticism but getting feedback from your colleagues is crucial to your personal growth and ability to be a good leader. You need to be willing to take notes on their opinions and apply them to your regular habits. Think of ways you can improve the work environment, and even consider gaining additional skills or a new way to approach any existing issues that have yet to be resolved.