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How to Optimize Your Office for Maximum Efficiency
Business is cutthroat. How do you think CEOs got to where they are? Freebies and flexibility? Nope. It’s a dog eat dog world, and if you want to make it to the top, you can’t be afraid to bite.
If it sounds harsh, it is. For maximum revenue you need maximum efficiency—out of your staff, out of your technology, and out of every process in place that impacts your bottom line.
Now, take that last line with a grain of salt. Bringing down the hammer on your employees will make everyone want to up and quit, which could seriously stall business if not halt it altogether.
That said, we’re not encouraging you to go full Big Brother mode by spying on internal conversations and derailing workplace comradery with fearful intimidation tactics. On the contrary, we’re offering ways you can optimize office efficiency by giving your staff the best equipment and providing them with the smoothest workflow so that their environment is productive and positive.
Keep these tips in mind when you want to increase your bottom line without increasing employee resentment as a result.
- Ditch the Headache-Inducing Tech
This suggestion always makes business owners scratch their heads a bit. “My goal is to save money by improving efficiency, and you’re suggesting I spend more on technology?” Why yes, yes we are.
Why? Because every second your employees spend on programs to start (or restart after crashing) and the never-ending pinwheel to load is a second that can be spent on driving business growth. Supply them with the essentials they need to get the job done right the first time, in less time, so they can whiz through tasks and knock out assignments faster than ever.
Not all offices are one in the same, so the equipment you need will vary on a case-by-case basis. Maybe you need to equip your graphic designers with 4K laptops so they can render images in pristine detail without overloading their disk space or perhaps you can install more RAM on every computer to rev up the processing power at every desktop.
And guess what? Not only will this free up frustration from the employees who want to toss their tech against the wall each time they see the Blue Screen of Death, and will help them perform their jobs faster with greater accuracy, but it will also help you narrow down the top performers from the weak ones. If you’re track time on task execution, there will be no room for explanations regarding “delayed loads” or “unexpected crashes”.
Note: Keep in mind that efficient office equipment goes beyond computers and laptops. Not enough conference lines? Upgrade your communication package so that more people can take sales calls at once. Inefficient file sharing? Invest in a better cloud storage system that makes transferring documents a breeze.
- Put the Right Platforms in Place
A painter is only as good as their canvas—and the same applies to your employees’ work. If you want the best outcome, put the right platforms in place. The right solution depends on the industry you operate in. Here are some examples:
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- Grammar-checking software can streamline proofreading and editing processes while identifying mistakes that may fall through the cracks.
- Productivity tools such as Milanote and the Fonebox answering service make it easier for your team to collaborate, communicate, and keep track of which projects to prioritize first.
- Speech-to-text recording devices can accurately transcribe meeting notes, saving the time required by someone else to do so by hand or keyboard.
Research which types of software platforms you can benefit by; they’re sure to improve your bottom line despite the small upfront cost. Remember that proper platforms aren’t just “digital” though; optimize workstations so that employees are more comfortable, less distracted, overall happier at the office.
- Go Green in More Ways than One
Activists encourage business owners to “go green” in order to reduce their carbon footprint, and while we’re all for saving the environment, it turns out that some of these simple strategies can make your profits greener, too.
Make it a habit to turn off lights as you exit every room and switch to paperless documentation whenever possible. Can you allow employees to work remotely? Doing so will cut down the gas cost to commute but will also significantly reduce overhead costs as well.
Set your office up for success and watch your company’s efficiency soar to new heights!
