Written by: Jennifer Jank, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Imagine a world where your back office is spinning out of control. Your business is successful enough that you’ve been able to hire some staff. Even though your workers are smart and you like them, they don’t seem to be able to get things done in a timely manner. They’re constantly rushed, and so are you.
You have entered … the Chaos Zone.
But how do you exit? Are you doomed to flail forever? Do you have to keep hiring and firing until you have the perfect team? Not necessarily, but you and your team may need to reorient how you do things.
Clarity
This comes from you as the business owner. You’re the only one who can ensure that your team is clear on the company’s mission, who you serve, and why. Each team member must be clear on their job description and the parameters of their job, and how it serves the overall mission.
If you expect your staff to own their jobs and own their responsibilities, you need to give them latitude for failure. If they’re afraid of making mistakes (which everyone does and will including you) because you come down on them heavily when they do, then they will not take the job on as their own. They’ll wait for you to direct their every move.
Templates and checklists will help them feel more comfortable when they begin. Especially if you give them the freedom over time to make changes as they become more knowledgeable and efficient.
Focus
Is anyone supposed to be able to multitask? If so, everyone’s in for disappointment. The human brain can’t do more than one cognitively demanding task at a time. It can only switch back and forth between them, which is draining.
Help your staff focus by not demanding they answer emails or Slack (or other messaging apps) while they’re trying to focus on a task. Unless it’s an emergency or very important, don’t interrupt them. Let clients and vendors know that the team only reads and answers emails during certain times during the day. Autoresponder emails are a great way to accomplish this.
Working smarter
Give your employees the ability to arrange their work so they can batch tasks, where possible. This may take some strategic thinking, but allow them the time. You’ll reap the rewards of a more efficient workforce.
The human brain can focus for a max of an hour to an hour and a half at a time, so don’t punish them for taking breaks between bouts of concentrated work. In fact, you’ll all benefit from posture breaks.
Stretching and/or socializing during rest time prevents strains and pains that might otherwise keep them out of work. Not to mention, it allows for recharging.
Productivity depends on being able to spend time outside of work with friends and family, doing enjoyable activities and hobbies. Keep overtime to a minimum and encourage your employees to go home at a reasonable time.
The popular myth of high-achieving employees makes it seem like workers are constantly head down at their workspace. Yet the reality is you’ll get more and better results over the long run by allowing them to work efficiently and without interruption instead.
When you have great people, help them be great. Give them the tools that allow them to work with their brains, not against them. Working smarter helps prevent burnout for both you and your staff.
Jennifer Jank, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jennifer “JJ” Jank works with women who are making the leap from employee to an entrepreneur through courses and a book to be published in February 2021. She also helps businesses build their online credibility through eBooks, testimonials, and articles.
JJ holds a BA in Physics from Rutgers University and an MBA in Finance from New York University. She is a Certified Financial Planner ™ professional. Currently, she’s the President for Women Leaders Forum in Coachella Valley and the webmistress for the Palm Springs chapter of AAUW. She is also a speaker on various topics, including personal finance and entrepreneurship.
JJ has been published in Journal for Divorce Financial Analysts and Coachella Valley Weekly, among others.
