While office executives are considered the brains of the workplace, it is the rank and file employee that gets to do most of the dirty work for them. They are the ones who photocopy documents, file folders, take note of transactions, send mail, print papers and all the other mundane office tasks most senior staff wouldn’t really bother with.
With the number of these mundane tasks growing as the day progresses, it’s no surprise when rank and file employees feel somewhat burned out at the end of the day. And because the rising number of these jobs often cause confusion, an effective time management system is definitely in order.
Offices expect maximum productivity from their staff, whether or not they are in the mood to work. Offices expect that at the end of the day all the activities that were supposed to be accomplished are completed and completed well. This is where a time management program is helpful.
It will help employees better space out their time, in order to keep their jobs and their bosses happy.
Below are some tips for a more effective time management system for employees
Tip # 1:
Employees can better manage their time if they delegate the things they can’t perform.
There is no ‘I’ in team, as the saying goes. Thus, whenever an employee finds something that he or she cannot perform during the time given to him or her, he or she should have the prudence to pass it along to other co-employees who have extra time to spare. Assuming too many tasks at once not only hampers productivity numbers, but also compromises work quality. If an employee rushes to finish a certain job just because there’s a deadline, at the expense of quality, then everybody loses in the long run. And more time is eventually wasted.
Tip # 2:
Employees can better manage their time if they are taught to schedule their tasks.
Staff should be told to make a priority list first thing in the morning, so that they know what to first accomplish as the shift progresses. Enough leeway should also be rendered to give way to last minute instructions and changes. These schedules are something that they should stick with. Of course, break times and rest periods should also be included in the schedules. Employees deserve short breaks for working so hard.
Tip # 3:
Employees can better manage their time if they are taught to look things over only once.
This means that anything that can be done now should be done now. If a certain letter arrives that should be addressed immediately, it should not be put aside to be tackled later. This is a waste of time, because when the time comes that the employee will finally decide to tackle the job, he will again have to reorient him or her self with the instructions.
Tip # 4:
Employees can better manage their time if they seek to maximize their productivity.
Based on the Pareto principle, there are activities where we can generate 80% of benefits even if we expend only 20% of our energies and time. Employees should be told to prioritize these kinds of tasks and do all the other things at a later time.
It’s the responsibility of the office to help its employees make the best use of their time. While it’s also the duty of employees to seek ways to perform better, this endeavor is best met if it’s in conjunction with the workplace’s goals. It’s for this reason that most workplaces require their staff to attend stress and time management seminars, at least once a year – to keep the sanity of both the bosses and the employees.
A happy employee leads to a happy work environment.