Time is money. It’s something of a rule. That’s why what you earn isn’t usually as impactful as what you earn in the next month, as that can have a tangible impact on your life right this moment.
Running a business is amount managing time as much as anything else. This means that wasting it is usually bad business sense. But of course, you can’t seek to reclaim every single second. Yelling at your staff to get back to work when they’re thirty seconds over their break time isn’t going to win you any friends.
Not being able to accept the apologetic delay in delivery that might put you a day out is going to sour your business relationships. It’s important to be mindful of how to prevent work time and not to accept exploitation while also being realistic that not everything in the world runs on perfect time.
That being said, there really are ways to prevent wasted work time without tyrannizing your staff, and they’re worth focusing on. In this post, we intend to help you with that approach:
Use Fair, Easy To See Time Tracking Software
Time tracking isn’t there to breathe down anyone’s neck if used correctly, because it’s not about scrutiny for the sake of it. What it can do, if used properly, is help clarify how the day is spent. That’s especially useful for businesses with lots of moving parts or project-based work where hours need to be logged accurately, perhaps with construction time tracking software or one engineered to the needs of your industry.
Try to opt for a system that’s clear, quick to update, and transparent gives everyone a better handle on how their time is being used. It also means no one is left guessing at the end of the week trying to piece together what they did and when or how accountability hasn’t been correctly applied. That tends to be where errors creep in or time just disappears without a trace. Staff are far more likely to engage with it if it feels reasonable, or if this helps you pay better, like if you pay for fifteen minutes over the clock for hourly wages.
Give Estimates You Can Overdeliver On
There’s always a bit of temptation to give the best-case timeline when you’re quoting to seem impressive or undercut the competition. Yet shaving the timeline too much can end up biting you, especially when even the smallest delay throws the whole schedule off and suddenly you’re apologizing rather than delivering, which can happen even if you’ve performed well.
It’s usually better to pad in a little breathing room. Not because the work isn’t going to be done well, but because you can’t predict time, and no one can. You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. If there is a good surprise such as you finishing early, that’s a bonus, but if not you can still deliver on the day when expected.
Work With Local Suppliers Or Trades
Distance costs time in multiple ways, for reasons we don’t need to patronize you with here. However, the opposite is true, and because local trades and suppliers are easier to reach, they can usually respond faster, and they’re familiar with the same weather, traffic, and scheduling issues you’re dealing with. They’re part of the same culture locally as well, which helps. There’s also less chance of crossed wires, and if something needs swapping or adjusting, it’s not a three-day wait and you have less accountability or means of chasing it up, like showing up at the office or warehouse.
Of course, it’s not just about proximity but quality too, and working with people who show up when they say they will, who take the job seriously, and who communicate properly. But when that happens locally, it’s even better, and you can even place your support of local businesses as part of your marketing strategy.
Make It Easier For Work Commutes
Commutes shouldn’t be dead time for staff, as they can bleed into productivity in quiet, invisible ways. If someone’s had to deal with packed trains, slow buses, or stop-start traffic every morning, they don’t walk through the door fully fresh and ready to go. That build-up of stress can lead to poor work or giving them less time to “come to” each day, which generally makes them become less productive.
There are ways to make this easier without reworking everything if you’re mindful about it. In this case you could use flexible start times, for example, which can help people avoid rush hour entirely. A later start might suit someone better, and if the job allows for that kind of adjustment, it’s worth offering depending on their responsibilities. Or if you run an office perhaps you’ll prefer to have them work from 8-4 instead of 9-5 to avoid traffic.
In some cases, support with travel costs or the option to cycle in can be helpful. Even small gestures like a space to park bikes safely, or somewhere to change, shows you’re trying, and companies have won staff wellbeing awards thanks to measures like this. If someone feels their commute isn’t just an exhausting part of their day that no one cares about, that sense of being looked after does start to build.
Embrace Remote Work
For roles where it’s possible, remote work has become less of a perk and more of a practical solution because why wait for everyone to show up to the meeting when you can have it in fifteen minutes? It cuts out wasted time almost by default. There’s no tiresome commute for everyone, no waiting around for the office to open, no traveling to meetings that could’ve been calls. But more than that, it gives staff the room to structure their time in a way that works for them.
Not everyone thrives in a home office, and it’s not a fit for every job, but when it works, it tends to work well. People often get more done in less time, not because they’re rushing, but because distractions can be lower and the general routine of their day makes more sense.
There’s a trust element here too, of course, as if staff know they’re trusted to manage their time, they’ll usually meet that expectation. It’s nice to give your people the benefit of the doubt. They also tend to feel more committed because of it , as you can measure projects by contributions made as opposed to hours spent, sometimes not productively.
Listen To Staff Feedback About Schedule Planning
The people actually doing the work are usually the ones who know where time is being lost, such as in tasks that drag on longer than expected, systems that are clunky and slow, or processes that just don’t make sense anymore. If that information never makes it to the people planning the schedule, nothing really changes and time will slip down the drain, so to speak.
So, why not ask your staff? Ask where they believe that most time is being lost. Perhaps the management communication structure leaves several days before they get back to issues and that’s just not helpful or timely. Or, maybe your morning brief is so long that staff feel like they’re losing the first hour of their day just keeping up on updates that aren’t actually that necessary for their work.
With this advice, you can be certain to prevent wasted work time not through the implementation of many systems or cutting breaks, but by listening and being focused on what helps staff be more productive.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team