If you are managing people, whether as a business owner or HR leader, multi-tasking is often a given.
Trying to do to much can prove stressful, however it doesn’t have to be this way.
Here’s some very simple ways to lighten the load and manage the workload in your office more efficiently:
Balance Out The Work
One of the ways that you can manage a heavy workload in your office is by making sure that you allocate tasks more effectively, balancing out the workload. In some cases, this means increasing the amount of people undertaking a specific task which means it can be completed more quickly and takes the pressure off a single individual.
In other cases, this can be breaking up large tasks into smaller projects, and allocate each of these smaller projects to different people.
However you manage your workload is up to you, but think about working smarter rather than harder, particularly with unskilled tasks. Shared workloads result in better team dynamics, a happier office and a less stressed manager, it also frees up the leaders time to focus on more important work.
Download Software
Another option to improve the way you manage the workload in your office is to investigate whether software is available. From scheduling social media, to managing finances and even managing people, there is often free or low cost software that will make life easier and will often prove more efficient than spreadsheets.
For legal and accounts professionals, why not take a look at the software for accountants by BTC, designed specifically for making workloads easier in accountancy firms.
Improved Communication
Any busy office will benefit from making sure that communication skills and tools are utilised to their best advantage.
There is nothing more sapping of time, morale and motivation than miscommunication, whether that is people having to chase everyone to find out who is doing what task, or people arguing in the office because they haven’t communicated what their expectations were effectively.
If you have remote workers, make sure there is an online office chat so everyone stays in the loop, and make sure that everyone has access to team emails. Make sure, too, that there is a team diary so everyone knows who is where, when.
Set clear expectations from your team, allocate tasks clearly and encourage open, honest communication.
Set Targets
Setting targets is important to manage the workload in the office. Ensure when you allocate a task, people know exactly what they need to do, what objectives they need to meet and ideally allocate a date for completion so everyone knows what your expectations are.
These are just some of the ways you can effectively manage the workload in an office – but they aren’t exhaustive. The important thing as a leader is to avoid being an island, work with your team and manage a heavy workload together. Do that well, and the office atmosphere will be more positive for everyone, and achieve more.