Archive for December, 2010
More Timesheet Advantages From Time Management
Effective time management is a really great way to improve productivity in a company. Its also often one of the simplest and cheapest ways to gain efficiency and save money. One of the most effective time management tips is to introduce time sheets for employees.
Payroll mistakes can be difficult to correct and when they happen they can make employees pretty upset. However when you have a good time sheet system in place you will find fewer of those errors go undetected before checks are printed.
If employees are challenging their pay and feel that they were cheated they can see a copy of their time sheet. That way whatever errors may be present can be worked out after all the employee will have agreed the timesheet previously with their manager.
Time sheets are a far more effective way of dealing with payroll errors than some form of appeals procedure. This is especially true when it is a temporary member of staff working through an agency.
Time sheets can also be very effective in defending your position to any agencies. They will have been completed by the employee so arguments will be less. Being able to supply a time sheet is going to make your role in such disputes a simpler and easier one.
By working in this way time sheets can save you time. You will spend less time in disputes and less time trying to remember what actually happened. This regained time will be great. Youll not only have more time but happier employees since the number of disputes will diminish.
Your supervisors will also find it is much easier to keep track who worked what hours with time sheets. They can also use them to approve time off document time off through injury and more.
If you have a computer program that is customizable then you should include an area for comments. That way employees or supervisors can write any pertinent information that they need to clarify. This can prevent confusion and help things to run more smoothly.
For example you may have an employee that shows a two hour lunch break on their time sheet. Since they shouldnt only be taking one it stands out. However you notice they have a note at the bottom explaining that on that date they were at a community luncheon to promote the business. Something that is great for the company.
Time sheets are a very effective and essential part of any successful business. They will help to ensure the hours employees put in are going to good use. They will also help to reduce common mistakes in the payroll department.
Getting the most out of your time sheets is important. The data on them can be very informative to your overall business functions. You can find ways to cut down on expenses as well as where employees may need more training. For example if a certain type of job is taking longer than it should find out why. It could be that many of your employees havent learned the most time efficient way in which to complete it.
Using time sheets effectively can give you extra time and happier employees.
If youd like some more thoughts tools tips and techniques on time management then visit my web site www.timemanagementhuddle.com. The site has lots of information and free tools to help you tame time.
About the writer: Alan Orr is a senior director and author. He’s worked with some of the biggest companies in the world in very senior roles e.g.British Airways Nokia. Time and project management have always been an area of great interest and expertise. Visit his website at: www.timemanagementhuddle.com
Modern Tactics In Business
Today there are many challenges facing global businesses as they continue to adapt to changes in the business environment and satisfy market demands at the same time. This challenge is compounded by the fact there the different barriers to entry that exists between countries in the past are now becoming nonexistent. It is no wonder then that a lot of businesses are now just struggling to survive. But you can also look into these challenges as opportunities instead of threats.
For example it is now possible to export your products to different countries without dealing with the trade restrictions that were present in the past. In addition you can even put up a manufacturing plant in another country and nobody will stop you. As you can see there is a free movement of goods and services in todays business. It is only to be expected then that modern businesses will put a lot of emphasis on developing their brands.
And in line with this you can see that the brand packaging the graphics and the content of one brand are the same throughout the world albeit it is written in different languages. However their message is the same so if one brand is promoting wellness in America then you can expect that they will promote the similar concept in Asia. They will not deviate from their core strategy. Even their promotional efforts will have some similarity even though it will be adapted according to the local taste.
Establishing a global brand that can be recognized everywhere is quite hard though because of the sourcing of the raw materials the pricing and the distribution of the products. Sometimes the same product will also costs more in country than it does on the other because of currency fluctuation and the differences in the standard of living. So the challenge is keeping the product consistent both in quality and in price in these different countries.
In line with this it is important for modern businesses to communicate effectively with their partners in different countries. Every significant development in one country should be reported because this can likewise affect the profitability of the whole company. Some of the tools that can be used for effective communication include the email video conferencing and even telephone calls. This will enable the upper management to manage the whole businesses effectively in their main offices.
And with the nature of the global business environment today it is important to innovate on products and services to keep up with the competition. Businesses can constantly improve their operations by adapting the best practices they discovered in some countries and integrating these practices into the way the company do business throughout the world.
About the writer: Cherie Ang is the owner of SGProfitSite.com. To find the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home visit: http://www.SGProfitSite.com
Micromanagers And Their Fading Bottom Line Or Where Did The Productivity Go?
I recently received this email: “I work for City Government and the City Council has been throwing the word “Micromanage” around in the Council meetings. Since there is an election coming up they all seem to have their own idea of what the word “Micromanage” means of which some are way off base. What is micromanaging and what is not?”
Micromanaging has become a hot buzzword. I use it my clients use it and now government is beginning to use it. As stated in the above the term can be misused. Perhaps it is time to better define the concept.
Micromanaging is usually synonymous with the “old way of doing things.” “Dinosaur” managers use the micromanagement approach. The term essentially means to supervise every small step in the workflow process hence the ‘micro.’
This method worked fairly well in the ‘old’ production days when assembly line workers were uneducated and unskilled. These workers normally did one routine step and that was it. They made few or no decisions. They had a minimum production quota.
Their breaks were monitored their lunches were monitored and of course the time clock was monitored. Time was viewed as what was ‘bought’ by the company.
Close supervision or micromanaging ensured that production levels were met. Management literally had to tell employees what to do and watch them to make sure they did it.
This system worked well when workflow was simple. As the business world became more complex micromanaging became less effective. Time was not what the company bought and the worker sold. Productivity became the key.
As processes became more complex workers were required to gain greater skills. Skilled workers became more in demand and could go elsewhere if not treated properly. Skilled workers eventually found micromanagers offensive and more importantly optional.
After 2000 it seems companies became more results oriented. In an increasingly competitive business environment they had to. As time became even less of a factor in the results equation motivation and innovation began to be understood as the real forces in productivity results.
Workers became employees and then associates and team members. Employees began to be viewed as assets and not just expenses. Employers began to understand that employees could provide the greatest competitive advantage as well as the number one management headache. In short employees could make or break the company.
Managers began to understand that good management meant maximizing employee productivity and this could no longer be accomplished by micromanaging. Managers began to understand that knowing their people and helping them do their best was the best way to reach superior production levels.
Instead of being an obstacle managers began to understand it was their job to remove obstacles and time constraints have been one of the last obstacles to fall.
Today’s managers understand they must constantly assess and improve their workplace processes. They understand that accountability is much more than putting in time and punching the clock.
They no longer insist on telling their employees how to do something because often the employee knows more about what they are doing than the manager.
Also managers have learned that employees can not only solve workplace problems but also can create and innovate. The employee that creates and innovates does not appreciate being treated like the assembly line worker of the past. Many skilled employees feel their micromanagers do not appreciate their contributions.
Micromanaging was a process that worked reasonably well when the work was simple and the bottom line was simple. As work became more complex micromanaging lost its effectiveness. In today’s workplace micromanaging is responsible for many bad bottom lines poor performances and bankruptcies.
With all the negatives what’s to like about micromanaging?
About the writer: Jack Deal is the owner of JD Deal Business Consulting Santa Cruz CA. Related articlesmay be found at http://www.jddeal.com/blog/management and http://www.freeandinquiringmind.typepad.com
