Creating a more productive workforce begins with providing the right tools to employers such as effective time management skills.
Whether you are an employer or an employee, learning the skills to improve time management can go a long way in having a productive workday. With the right skills, you can improve the quality and quantity of your work, become well organized, and enhance your professional endeavours.
Benefits of Improving Time Management Skills in Your Employees and Leaders
Time management skills can benefit you in the workplace and can also be used in other avenues of your life. Below are some of the main benefits of improving your time management skills and those of your employees.
Reduces Stress Level and Anxiety
Following effective time management skills can help reduce stress levels and the risk of anxiety in the workspace. These skills can reduce procrastination, increase the chance of meeting deadlines, and induce self-confidence. Control over how you or your employees spend your time during the workday lowers anxiety created by constantly worrying about being productive. Leaving tasks to the last minute can have an adverse effect on a person’s mental, emotional, and physical state, all of which indirectly affect their productivity.
Improves Productivity and Work Quality
Using proper time management skills in the workplace can, directly and indirectly, correlate to your employee’s goals. As a leader, it is essential that you make each employee’s work responsibilities clear. When people know what is expected each day (e.g., what deadlines need to be met), they can set their priorities accordingly and plan their day effectively. As a result, you and your employees can produce much higher quality work when you don’t feel rushed.
Establishes a Better Work-Life Balance
Your employees likely take their work seriously and take pride in delivering their best. If they cannot finish their work by the end of the day, it could make them feel stressed or unproductive when they go home. Having effective time management skills can improve work productivity as well as create a calming work-life balance. Leaving work each day knowing that they delivered their best and used their time to the best of their abilities gives your employees a sense of accomplishment that carries over in their home life.
Increases Focus and Time Freedom
Poor time management skills directly affect a person’s ability to focus on the task at hand. Constantly “watching the clock” creates a snowball effect and can actually result in a person being less productive. If your employees can stay focused on a specific task, they will be able to complete it much faster. This focus allows employees to better manage the ebbs and flows of a typical workday and take breaks when necessary or switch tasks if something else is more time sensitive.
Makes Tasks Simple and Easier
Having the right tools to produce quality work can help make it easier to tackle the hardest tasks. Without the worry and stress of constantly running out of time to complete projects during the day, your employees can become more confident in their responsibilities. Furthermore, they can learn to prioritize the day’s work assignments, improving their time management.
Ensures Career Growth
Lastly, improving your time management skills can help you and your employees further develop other important soft skills needed for career growth. These improvements can help open doors to future endeavours within the company while also ensuring you have a reliable team in your workspace.
Ways to Improve Time Management Skills in Your Employees
Without proper time management, the company risks a large employee turnover, lower productivity, and missed deadlines. To enhance time management skills for employees, an employer has a wide selection of tools and methods they can use to support their employees.
Plan and Organize the Work Structure
Time management requires a few essential organizational tools, including a well-structured workforce. Employers must supply employees with the resources they need to be productive in their roles. Requiring the workspace to be well-maintained, coordinated, and efficient can increase productivity while supporting time management.
Set Timelines and Deadlines
Timelines and deadlines are essential tools for a successful day. You should clearly express the urgency of a project to your employees and set a realistic deadline for when that project needs to be completed. Understanding each employee’s productivity will also help management know which person’s skillset is best suited for the job.
Ensure Effective Employee Communication
In all workplaces, communication is key for a productive day. As the employer, having an open line of communication between you and your employees can benefit the entire workspace. Use available resources such as communication skills workshops and software to introduce new ways to open the lines of communication with your team.
Find Employees’ Productive Hours
Each employee likely has a time of day when they feel most productive and efficient in their role. For some, it might be first thing in the morning, while for others, it might be mid-day after a nutritious lunch. The key to success is discovering when this time of day is for each of your employees and using it to your advantage.
Use Time Management Tools to Track Time
There are various time management tools to help employees and those in leadership positions better track their time, such as log sheets and schedules. By assisting employees to better understand how to use their available time, it can improve the quality and quantity of the work produced.
Organize Time Management Workshops for Employees
Invest in your employees by organizing a time management workshop to create strategies for better time management. Planned activities can also further your employees’ education, empathy, and other soft skills required for a happy and productive workforce.
How Can TSSG Help to Improve Time Management Skills in the Workplace
For comprehensive online time management skills training, contact the experts at The Soft Skills Group. We provide various workshops for various business groups to gain access to resources, tools, and methods to improve the workspace atmosphere. Book an online soft skills training workshop today!
