Any business that succeeds in today’s world is most definitely looking to increase productivity using technology. If used correctly, technology can make every task simpler, faster and easier to execute, or even execute the task for you.
Here are 10 effective ways to increase productivity using technology. All of which you can implement in your company today.
#1 Have 24/7 Access to Important Information
In a secure way, create a cloud system that allows your employees to gain access to important files to make updates, add files or check on something in your team chat wherever they are in the world. With a secure system in place, you can have quite an advantage since your employees don’t have to wait until they get to the office to make any changes.
#2 Make It Easier to Work Together
A smooth collaboration between your suppliers, customers, partners and employees is a sure way to boost productivity while reducing costs at the same time. With the right systems in place for effective communication, file management, calendar events management and other similar new technologies help easily collaborate on any project while knowing where everyone stands.
#3 Be Available
Depending on your business, quick response time can determine revenue or the speed of delivering a project. If it’s essential for your business to be available, set up a system for it. Whether it’s a universal networked phone that rings multiple phones or an email system that connects with your entire staff, creating a universal system can ensure inquiries are answered in a timely manner. Just make sure you don’t create unnecessary urgency and stress for your team by also keeping in mind that team chat culture matters.
#4 Be Organized
Countless hours can be wasted on menial tasks such as keeping track of hours on a project, tracking mileage and even tracking business expenses while on the road. Often, all of this often also means wasting time of management who must approve and file the paperwork. Consider investing in cloud-based time tracking systems that allow your employees to easily log in wherever they are and update their information.
#5 Keyboard Shortcuts
Instead of highlighting a piece of text, right clicking the mouse, hitting copy, then moving the mouse yet again to click paste can easily waste 20 seconds. Yes, it doesn’t sound like a lot, but if you’re performing a task that takes 20 seconds and should only take two, and you’re doing this 100 times per day, it can really add up. It may be wise to learn the basic shortcuts for your favorite chat for teams and any other software you use daily, such as Word or Excel to help save quite a bit of time throughout the day.
#6 Monitor Productivity and Goals
Online business intelligence tools allow managers track the progress of any goal as it’s being completed by your team. This, in turn, can help managers offer reinforcement, coaching and help determine where the project currently stands to make sure it gets completed on time. You can also encourage the staff by rewarding their successes with monetary or non-monetary incentives.
#7 Be Automated in Some Areas
Find the tools that may be able to automate a process so that you can use your employees on tasks that matter. Tasks, such as scheduling, responding to email or even paying the bills, can all be automated with the help of software.
#8 Track Your Time
The best time management tools run securely in the background on your computer and mobile devices and can create a detailed report, tracking the time spent on applications and websites. Depending on the software you do choose, you can set up alerts if a certain amount of time is being spent on an activity or even blocking websites in general. By cutting getting rid of this wasted time, you can be assured you’re maximizing your work output.
#9 Consider Video Conferencing Tools
If some of your team do remote work, you have to give some thought to effective communication in a remote team. Video conferencing tools like appear.in can be of much help. Instead of flying an employee into town and spending money on food, a hotel room and airline ticket, using the right video conference software will help cut down on your out-of-pocket expenses. Most of the video conferencing great for talking face to face, and even screen sharing, so you can present as if you were in a meeting room in person.
#10 Make Sure You’re Using the Right Technology
Lastly, make sure you’re using the right technology tools as some tools can be a blessing while others can be a curse. Improving your productivity can be done if the right tools are utilized, and to so, determine where you need a productivity boost in your everyday operations and research a tool to help fill the gap.
In today’s technological world filled with thousands upon thousands of tools, you can definitely increase productivity using technology.
