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Work-related stress and burnout are becoming increasingly prevalent. As a business owner, it’s incredibly beneficial to explore ways to reduce the risk of health issues and boost morale. One way is encouraging employees to manage their time more effectively by improving efficiency and productivity. If you’re an employer, there are several steps you can take to embrace smart working and support your staff.
Investing in technology
Technology has the potential to save businesses vast amounts of time, effort and money. If your employees have access to cutting-edge software, innovative programs and machines or gadgets that process jobs much faster than humans, they will be able to complete tasks quickly and easily. By investing in technology, you can also offer your customers and clients a superior service and you can maximize your chances of converting leads. With features like virtual payments, 24-hour chat options and customer service lines and online ordering and reservations systems, your business doesn’t have to close when your employees clock off. You can continue to engage with clients, to take orders and to accept payments without expecting your team to work through the night. Technology streamlines processes and it also reduces the workload for employees, enabling them to focus on core tasks within their contracted hours.
Embracing flexible working
Flexible working is becoming more commonplace. More people are working from home or working remotely than ever before, and this is a system that benefits both employers and employees. Employees can enjoy a healthier work-life balance and they are able to manage their schedule in a way that often increases productivity and output. Home workers often like to start early, for example, and they might have already completed a number of tasks by the time they would usually be turning up at their desk. You can cut out the cost and time involved with commuting and adapt your working hours to suit you. For employers, having remote and home-based teams can cut expenses dramatically and improve performance. Happier, healthier employees are likely to be more productive.
Outlining clear objectives
Confusion and a lack of clarity throw a spanner in the works when it comes to tackling projects and working through tasks. Team leaders and managers should always outline clear objectives, taking time to ensure that every single person understands what they need to do. If you arrive at work or you head to your home office on a Monday morning with a list of things to do and clear instructions, you’ll feel much more confident in your abilities to cross off those jobs and you’ll be able to work faster and reduce the risk of making mistakes.
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Smart working involves promoting flexibility and making changes to improve efficiency. Working smarter can improve performance and results, but it can also enhance customer service and be hugely beneficial for employee health and wellbeing. Investing in technology, laying out plans for more flexible working and communicating with employees to present clear instructions and guidelines can all make a positive difference.