Technologies And Apps To Improve Your Business’s Productivity
If you run a business, you should make everything run smoothly. Part of that involves productivity for you and your employees. Here are some tools you can use to improve productivity in your business.
If you run a business, you should make everything run smoothly. Part of that involves productivity for you and your employees. Here are some tools you can use to improve productivity in your business.
1. Messaging and Email
One of the best forms of technology is email and messaging apps. You can use an email provider to send updates and memos to your entire team, and you won’t have to schedule tons of meetings. While some meetings are essential, a lot of them can reduce productivity because it forces people away from their desks. But an email message is easy to check and read on an employee’s own time. You can also use a messaging app, like Slack for shorter updates and to easily respond to employee questions.
2. Project Management Tools
Whether your employees work at the same office or remotely, a project management tool can also help with productivity. You can assign tasks to different users, and you can use various things like labels or project status to see how things are going. If an employee is near a deadline, you can comment on their project and ask for an update. Notifications go to the employee’s email, so they can get updates without necessarily visiting the project management app.
3. File Sharing Apps
Another important productivity tool to use in your business is a file sharing app. Google Drive is a popular choice, but you can also use Microsoft OneDrive or Apple iCloud. But the benefit of Google Drive is that you can create documents and let others edit them or make comments. You can also have multiple people edit a document at the same time, which can be nice for some remote or more complicated projects.
4. Digital Time Card
If your employees have to walk to a specific spot in your office to clock in and out, that can waste time. Depending on where your time clock is, employees may need to go out of their way when entering or leaving work. But with a digital time card, they can clock in and out from their work computer. Then, the program can send the information to you or your HR department, and you can enter the times in a time card calculator to help calculate employee pay.
5. Extra Monitor
If some of your employees do a lot of computer work, they may need a second computer monitor. A second screen means you can spread your windows out so that they don’t overlap. So if you need to look at financial documents while writing a new version of your business plan, you can do that. You won’t have to switch back and forth between multiple windows on the same screen. Employees who need to reference an image when designing something can also utilize two screens.
6. Company Cell Phones
If your employees regularly have to work outside of the office, you may want to get them company cell phones. That way, you can easily contact each other or they can contact you. Whenever questions come up or issues develop, being able to talk to the office staff can be great, especially for construction companies. A company phone can also be useful during a work trip or even a quick meeting at a client site since your team can still reach you without you having to give out your personal phone number.
7. Industry-Specific Technology
You may also want to invest in some technology and apps specific to your industry. For example, a construction company may need some architecture and design software. That way, you and your employees can flush out client projects more easily. That way, you won’t need to rely on paper or guessing measurements, so you can make sure your project will work.
Business productivity is essential for business success. If you and your team spend too much time on unimportant projects, you won’t be able to dedicate as much time to the tasks that matter. So keep these tools in mind when investing in productivity.