Running a small business is a task that has to be performed with the utmost care and precision, only then you have chances to survive in a market full of wolves ready to eat you away. Unlike big business tycoons, the problems of a small business owner are different and they need to be tackled differently. A multinational corporate solution may or may not prove to be effective if applied in a small business. Similarly, their ways of increasing efficiency and productivity may not be equally helpful in small businesses. You need to be a little more sensitive to things when you are running a small business.
I would highly recommend these two articles before stepping towards the improvement of productivity for your startup businesses.
- How to transform your idea into a successful startup
- 5 Ways to Improve the Productivity for your Startup
Overall, we have come up with a few tips which can prove to be quite helpful in increasing the productivity of a small business.
Employees are your backbone
Small-scale businesses particularly depend on the employees for the successful completion of the task at hand. They cannot always afford to get the work outsourced to an external agency. So the first thing is the careful recruitment of employees.
Once you know you have the hired right people for your work, you will not have difficulties in getting the work done on time and with precision and efficiency.
Now when the recruitment has been done, another important thing is to deal with the employees with a lot of compassion and sensitivity. They are your assistance, helping you in laying building stones of your business. Your compassion and sensitivity will act as their motivation to leave no stone unturned in making your business successful. They will write the success story of your business and at times be happy to remain, unsung hero, if you deal with them as you would have dealt with someone from your own family.
Efficiency at work
Another very important point to be considered is to have a continuous watch on how your business is operating. Since, yours is a small business, daily, weekly and monthly reviews are a must. Make short term as well as long-term goals and make sure that they are achieved in the best possible ways in the given deadline. Don’t hesitate in encouraging your staff to achieve the best results for you. Review the staff structure from time to time and hire additional help if your budget and resource allow.
Keeping such tabs on a daily, weekly and monthly basis will instantly tell you if there are deviations from the plan/budget and help you get on track again at the soonest.
Delegation
Most people fail to delegate because they think it is their baby and no one can do it better than them…Yes, agreed to a certain extent. But then, if you want to take your business to greater heights, you will learn to delegate.
Trust your people; give them an opportunity to prove their mettle. Delegating tasks would eventually help your employees grow with your organization and in turn, help them in personal growth…Every employee seeks personal growth and therefore giving them an opportunity to grow with your business not only eases away things for you but also buys the loyalty of your employee and motivate them to stick with you for longer periods.
Keep your eyes open for all efficient and skilled employees and never hesitate in giving responsibilities to them. It is a two-way benefit plan and you will distribute your burden of responsibilities amongst the employees and your employees will get to learn new skills as well as leadership qualities while working for you and your company.
Reduce the distractions during work hours
Having no phone policy is practically impossible in any organization but there is no denial of the fact that social media is definitely a productivity killer especially in small organizations where everything is limited. Always encourage the employees to be focused on their work, but at the same time give them enough breathing space in between where they can catch up with their phone calls and messages. This refreshment break can act as a booster for their quality of work and productivity of the business.
Offering support and setting realistic goals
Often it has been observed that managers themselves are not clear on what the target is the right target for the employees. They are clueless about how to proceed with a task and they transfer all their anxiety and work pressure on the employees. This is definitely not going to help you, your business or to the employees. Be specific and realistic in your goal setting. Set short-term and long-term goals. Don’t hesitate in offering incentives if you feel they will work better with it.
Get funding to improve your business
Often businesses are unable to grow owing to financing constraints. A business when in the nascent stage would need finance to run the company or for buying the right kind of tools and equipment to boost productivity. Lack of finance may act as a hindrance. However, this bottleneck can be easily overcome by opting for a business loan. You can avail of loans on customer-friendly terms and take your business on the path of growth.
Positive reinforcement to Improve Productivity
Last but not the least tip to increase the productivity of a business is to practice positive reinforcement in the office. This can play a very useful tool in getting fidelity of employees towards you and your business. Don’t be a miser in appreciating them but at the same time give a clear and strong signal that their carelessness or laziness will not be tolerated. Create a healthy work environment where everybody is happy to work rather than burdened with work. Take your employees on outings or just for coffee as your work and budget allow. Such outings will help you in building a friendly rapport with them.
Also, Go through one of my best articles will help you in making your product top on google.
Recommended: The Ultimate Guide to Feature your Product on Google
With that said, it is important to maintain a conducive, friendly environment at your organization and treat people as “humans”. This will not only earn you the loyalty of your employees but also motivate them to work harder and better and help your business to scale new heights!