The importance of time management in the workplace
An employee may have the exact skills, knowledge, and experience your organization needs. They may be smart, hard-working, and enthusiastic in their role. They’re all great traits to have, however, each can be severely impacted if the employee lacks one other crucial skill: time management.
The importance of time management cannot be understated. An employee may deliver great work, but if they’re constantly missing deadlines it’s going to have a major effect on your business and the relationship with your clients and customers.
What is time management and why is it important?
The concept sounds simple, but what is the definition of time management? It’s organizing time by thoroughly planning workloads so employees can ensure they meet deadlines. Time management isn’t about working harder, it’s about being smarter so employees don’t overwhelm themselves and put themselves under unnecessary pressure.
By managing their time well employees will meet deadlines, improve their efficiency, be more productive, and deliver better work. They’ll also have a greater level of job satisfaction because they’ll feel less stressed, which will aid them with career progression and ultimately lower your business’s staff turnover.
What are some of the benefits of good time management?
We briefly covered some of the benefits of time management skills above, but there are so many more benefits, both to the employee and your business.
Increased efficiency and performance
Poor time management leads to employees feeling overwhelmed, whereas those with strong time management will have improved efficiency, which in turn leads to better performance.
Delivering work on time
This is the most obvious benefit of effective time management, but it’s also one of—if not the—most important. Time management helps employees meet deadlines, which is critical when it comes to meeting client expectations.
Less stress and anxiety
When employees experience stress and anxiety, not only do they miss deadlines and deliver poor quality work, but it also impacts their health. As an employer, you have a responsibility to ensure the mental health of your employees is an important consideration. Employees who experience stress are more likely to take sick days and find alternate employment.
Higher quality of work
With good time management employees have the time they need to deliver work that isn’t just on time, but also of a higher quality.
Boosts confidence
When employees are on top of their workload it gives them a boost in confidence and allows them to trust their own abilities. This in turn also helps to reduce stress and anxiety due to the body producing dopamine.
Decreases procrastination and downtime
When employees know how to prioritize it reduces procrastination and encourages an “eat the frog” mentality. This reduces downtime and helps get things done.
Improves work-life balance
A good work-life balance not only benefits the employee, but when an employee feels rested and has the opportunity to recharge they’re in the best position possible to deliver their best work.
Make better decisions
When employees have time to focus and work thoroughly it prevents the need for them to make decisions under pressure. Instead, they can make informed decisions based on all the knowledge they need to make the best call.
What techniques can you use to improve your time management?
Time management isn’t necessarily a skill that comes naturally to employees. However, it is something that can be taught, so employees can learn new organizational skills that can be effectively put into practice in the workplace. For example, time management courses provided by Go1 teach a range of techniques, including:
List your tasks
Making a list of your tasks helps you to visualize what you need to do. It can also help to make separate lists - one which only focuses on today. That way, employees will see a much shorter task list and are less likely to feel overwhelmed.
Prioritize
Prioritize tasks in order of importance and length. Ensure important tasks are done early and try to get unpleasant tasks finished rather than put them off.
Delegation
Managers should ensure they’re being a leader rather than a boss, but managers should also effectively delegate tasks. By taking on too much responsibility managers face being snowed under, and should ensure they don’t play the role of martyr unnecessarily.
Scheduling
There are plenty of time tracking and task management tools available which means you can use technology to help. Time tracking software allows you to see how long it takes to complete certain tasks, which can help with future planning.
Remove distractions
Organize your workspace, put your phone in your drawer and close all social media tabs. Distractions can have a huge negative impact on productivity.
Don’t multitask
Working on multiple tasks at the same time can lead to mistakes, miscommunication, and the feeling of being swamped. Sometimes it’s unavoidable, but where possible make sure a task is finished before moving on to the next.
Take regular breaks
Taking time away from a screen is important because it allows for a moment to rest and recharge. Taking a break and coming back to work can also offer a new perspective on something, which can improve productivity.
The above are just some of the techniques employees can use to utilize time better. For more information check out our blog on how to improve time management skills.
What tools can I use to help with time management?
We mentioned above that using technology to help schedule and track time is useful, but exactly what time management tools for work are most effective?
- Time tracking software
- Calendar
- A task manager
- A screen break reminder
- A to-do list
- Habit tracking software
Improve the time management of your teams today
Time management is a critical skill to ensure your business delivers quality results on time, every time.
Go1 offers a range of effective and affordable time management courses, including:
For more information on Go1 and how we can help your team with time management and other important skills, book a demo with a member of our team today.
