Are you the traffic jam at your business? Are you impeding workflow or aiding it?
Your employees are much like the roads on which you drive, they’re able to manage standard traffic. Sure, sometimes they can perform under pressure, manage more than expected, and can handle fire drills when they arise, but these shouldn’t be everyday occurrences.
What happens on your way to the office when the unexpected happens? Imagine an accident on your main road to work. How does that impact your drive? Does it slow you down or impact your mood? The same thing happens to your employees when you surprise them with additional work. Just like your route to work, things will go back to normal once the surprise is cleared up, but imagine the impact on your employees if this happens daily or multiple times per week. How would you feel if there was an accident with that frequency on your daily commute? You’d probably find another route.
Overloading your employees with tasks is the same as adding cars to an already busy road. It will slow everything down. People and roads can only handle so much congestion. Constantly overwhelming them with too much will cause them to slow down or even stop the flow for a short time.
How can you fix this? There are a few ways to alleviate traffic problems within your business.
Plan ahead – if you know there will be a heavy workload coming up, plan for it. Much like road construction is communicated ahead of time, detours are mapped out, and personnel are brought in to control traffic. You should compensate your employees for the additional time or hire seasonal help for these short-term workload increases.
Avoid it – take a different route. Maybe you don’t need or want this additional business. Does it fit with your goals and strategy? Will this additional revenue increase or decrease your employee satisfaction? Make sure the increase is worth the cost.
Find a more efficient way to travel – Automate some tasks, redefine how things are done, or find a more efficient way to do things. Document how things are done to make sure the new/correct processes are followed. Contrary to popular belief, traffic lights help traffic flow better, not impede it.
Be cautious of overloading your employees with work while your business is growing. Overburdened employees can create a traffic jam in your business that has the potential to greatly impact your success. Instead, take a step back and find a better way forward.
My goal is to help companies in transition streamline and document their operations so they can grow their bottom line. Contact me today to learn more https://beckinsights.com/take-action
