Technological innovations have been changing the landscapes and dynamics of offices for decades now. Business owners and managers are often interested in techniques that reduce the time employees need to perform tasks. Saved time typically equates to more money and greater productivity. Therefore, learning additional ways to save time can help businesses.
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Computer Scanning and Faxing
In some environments, scanners and fax machines have become outdated. It takes longer to use a scanner or fax machine than it does to send an email, particularly when the employees don’t know how to use the technology. Tools such as mFax print driver allow workers to send material in a shorter amount of time and in a potentially more secure format.
Digital Time Cards
Filling out a paper time card, having to get it signed, potentially by multiple supervisors, and then walking the form over to payroll or human resources is a waste of time and money. Plenty of digital timekeeping tools exist. Whether employees are working in the office or at home, they can log in and out of their shifts digitally. Approvals can be completed online as well.
Encourage Collaboration
Moving to a culture of collaboration might initially take some more time as employees get used to the new environment. Ultimately, employees can learn how to work as teams and how to allocate tasks to reduce the time it takes to complete projects. The numerous tools for digital collaboration make this change reasonable and realistic.
Working from Home
Virtual work spaces allow employees to work from home in ways that were impossible just a few years ago. Allowing more employees to work from home can counteract issues with lateness or early departures from the business. Also, some people simply feel more focused and comfortable at home, which allows them to complete tasks in a timely fashion.
Virtual Meetings
Even if employees are working in the same physical space, virtual meetings prevent wasting time on scheduling. Some places of work, such as large corporate buildings and college campuses, make it difficult for employees to quickly drop by another worker’s office. Instead of taking the time to figure out when to get together, colleagues can jump into a virtual meeting to efficiently resolve the issue.
Cloud Storage
Employees no longer need to scan or email files back and forth, as workers can simply access all of the material using cloud-based applications. Establishing a cloud-based system for the office should not take a lot of time, and with the availability of such applications, this shift should not be costly.
Automatic Refills
If the office is always in need of certain supplies, employees can sign up to have automatic refills of the products delivered. Examples of such items include printing paper, ink, pens, staples, and envelopes. To avoid waste, accurate projections should be made regarding how much supplies to schedule for delivery and how often to have the deliveries come.
The ability to cut down on the amount of time that employees take to complete tasks does not mean the company is compromising on quality. Technological advances allow businesses to flourish in an effective and efficient fashion.
