Productivity is one of the most vital parts of running a business, as without it no work can get done. Even if your employees look like they are keeping themselves busy, a study from the Harvard Business School suggests they may not be as busy as you think they are. How does this work? And can Phoenix IT companies like MyTek really can help resolve this issue? Yes, Phoenix small business software really can provide the IT support Phoenix businesses need.
The study conducted by the Harvard Business School showcased that employers lose $100 billion each year to time spent by employees remaining idle in the office. Even the researchers were shocked by the sheer magnitude of this number. Professor Teresa Amabile and Professor Andrew Brodsky expected significant loss from idle time, but were floored by the actual sum.
Phoenix Small Business Software Provides Solutions for Poor Task Allocation
For the purposes of the study, idle time is defined as time when an employee is ready and able to work, but something keeps them from being productive. Some of the primary causes of this idle time range from poor task allocation to equipment management availability, with everything in between. This is where the benefits of engaging Phoenix IT companies like MyTek come in. Cloud based solutions and small business software designed to improve project management and increase effectiveness of workplace communication and collaboration can dramatically decrease idleness of employees. Additionally, MyTek provides the IT support Phoenix businesses need to resolve the equipment management availability.
IT Support Phoenix Businesses Need to Increase Employee Productivity
One method of research used by Amabile and Brodsky involved running a series of experiments that tested the effects of being idle. The subjects would copy over sentences (including typos) without having access to the Internet or their phones. The researchers found that participants would draw out their tasks to fit the time they had to complete the task rather than just complete it as soon as possible. On the other hand, if they had the chance to use the Internet or their devices, they would instead complete the task as soon as possible so they could get to something less menial or more enjoyable. Going slower didn’t result in fewer errors–only more time spent on the task. The researchers dubbed this tendency to slow down the “deadtime effect”, noting that the “deadline effect” is different in that it causes an increase in productivity as the deadline draws near. Phoenix small business software provides cloud based solutions that can be accessed from a desktop computer, a tablet, and even a mobile phone. This type of IT support Phoenix businesses need can insure that there is never a good reason for an employee to not have the tools they need to get the job done and enjoy the task more. As one of the leading Phoenix IT companies, MyTek helps our clients save time and money by maximizing employee productivity.
Fighting This Trend Using the Right Phoenix Small Business Software
According to the research, Amabile and Brodsky found that some strategic “leisure time” (time spent not working on something productive) was beneficial to keeping idle time to a minimum. If you can promote transparency and base evaluation of employees on outcomes rather than the road to those outcomes, managers can make the lives of employees much easier while still benefiting from all the work being done. Thanks to the increased productivity such a policy can bring about, management can obtain a better perspective on how long specific tasks can take to accomplish.
Allocating strategic “leisure time” can be beneficial, but transparency and evaluation can be implemented using the right small business software. For example, Microsoft’s Office 365 software includes tools like Planner, where project management, task assignment, and deadlines can clearly illustrate the progress of employee’s tasks as well as bandwidth for additional workload to avoid unrealistic expectations, that can lead to procrastination and other non-productive workplace behaviors. Consequently, tasks can be allocated more efficiently, allowing employees to get more done throughout the workday without sacrificing quality.
What are some methods you’ve used to improve productivity in your workplace? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to our blog.
Keep Your Business Productive – Start With a FREE Business IT Assessment From MyTek, a Leader Among Phoenix IT Companies
We genuinely care about helping your business succeed, and we put our money where our mouth is to prove it. MyTek is so certain that we can help make your business more effective with robust IT support Phoenix businesses need, that we offer a complimentary on-site business technology assessment that includes a custom Business IT Roadmap for the future growth of your business. There is absolutely NO COST or obligation, and this is a $500.00 value. Unlike other Phoenix IT companies, our business is built on our clients’ satisfaction, so we don’t require contracts going forward. We partner with you to make your business better. Interested? E-mail or call us at / 623-312-2444 to take advantage of our complimentary IT assessment or go HERE to find out more.