When it comes to making New Year’s resolutions, here are five worthwhile ones to help you become more organised in 2018.
1. Embrace productivity tools.
Make 2018 the year you embrace timesaving technologies. There’s no shortage of options available. Do some research and see what apps and tools best complement the needs, style and budget of your business.
You can store your data online with cloud providers like Dropbox and Box.com. Centralise team collaboration with project management tools like Basecamp and Trello. Make managing social media easier with tools like HootSuite, Buffer and Sprout Social, and simplify rostering, timesheets, and employee task management with Deputy.
2. De-clutter and refresh.
Put the old adage of ‘clean space, clear mind’ into practice this New Year. Schedule in some time to refresh and get ready for 2018.
This may include to:
– De-clutter desks.
– Tidy up workspaces.
– Organise inboxes and desktops.
– Update calendars.
– Back up data and update software.
– Sort storerooms and shared spaces.
– Move on old, unused odds and ends. (Donate or post anything in good working order on Freecycle).
3. Connect and regroup with your team.
The onset of a New Year usually gets people thinking about what they’d like to do and achieve in the months ahead. Catch up with your employees early on in January and find out what their aspirations are for the year.
Take on feedback about what they desire in a workplace and consider ways you can inspire your team, for example, new training opportunities, courses, conferences, events, mentoring and upskilling. Start implementing these initiatives now – as they can sometimes get put on hold as the year progresses and becomes busier.
Employees that are engaged and feel valued are generally happier and more productive at work.
4. Organise your accounts.
Start 2018 well informed of your financial position. Be proactive and chase outstanding invoices. Pay those you owe. Ensure your employee superannuation is up-to-date. Put together your sales forecast and budgets for the year. Review suppliers and rolling contracts and see that you’re getting the most for your money.
Accounting software can provide you with detailed financial insights and make managing your finances more straightforward. Xero, Intuit Quickbooks, Square are just some examples of those available, all of which integrate with Deputy.
5. Review your communication channels.
Clear internal communication channels are central to efficiency and problem-solving in business. So make establishing them a priority in 2018.
This may include to:
– Develop, implement or update policies and procedures around how to deal with various in-house scenarios and customer queries. For example, who to refer a query onto, what to advise the customer, and how long it will take to address the query.
– Provide in-store and online resources employees can access at any time.
– Host regular training sessions for both new and long-term staff.
– Introduce tools, such as Deputy, to streamline workplace communication. Deputy gives employers the ability to send messages (to individual employees or a whole team) in one easy step. Whether it’s a new roster, a change of meeting venue, or a callout to fill a shift, you can also get confirmation your message was received and correspond with employees without the need for endless text messages, phone calls or emails.
Learn more about Deputy and how it can help your business become more organised in 2018.
