Whether you’re a business owner or a manager of a team, you can expect that you’re not only responsible and accountable for your own output, but also that of your whole team. And the higher you climb the corporate ladder or the more you expand your business, the more personalities and projects you’ll be handling. While this may seem like an uphill battle, there are many tools available that, when used well, can help you run your business or team efficiently.
Types of Organization Tools for Management
Project Management Apps
When you’re in charge of multiple activities all at once, it may be difficult to stay on top of everything. An easy-to-use project management app can help you and your team track your progress. Most project management apps allow you to group certain tasks under an umbrella project and then assign them to a specific person. This allows you, as a manager, to have more visibility on the project’s status and reach out to members of your team who may need a little reminder or coaching to help move things along. There are many project management apps to choose from, like Trello, Asana, GanttPRO, and more. While these apps’ interfaces may vary, here are some common tips to make the project management apps work for you and your team.
SIMPLE STEPS FOR BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY WITH A PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOL
- Properly label projects for easier reference.
- Add sub-tasks per project. These will act like building blocks that need to be stacked or completed to fully finish the project.
- Input a due date per task and sub-task so members are aware of the deadlines.
- Assign, mention, or @ a team member for accountability on a specific task.
- Track the progress of a project in the format you’re most comfortable with (examples: list, board, calendar, etc.).
- Encourage the team to update the app to ensure accurate progress updates.
- Evaluate the team’s productivity and capability to meet deadlines so you can adjust accordingly for future projects.
Customer Relationship Management Tools
The competition for customers’ attention and money is getting fiercer by the day, so it’s important to always get a competitive advantage when you can. Instead of laboring over creating a manual client database, why not invest in a fully integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that can help you do that and more? CRM tools help you with managing the whole customer lifecycle, not just following leads. An effective CRM tool will not only help you identify sales opportunities but also keep track of every customer interaction. Thanks to technology and continuous efforts to provide data-driven solutions, CRM tools can also provide actionable data insights in the form of custom tables or charts that you can use as references for your next sales strategy.
Cloud-based Workspace for Collaboration
It’s getting more common for businesses to experiment with different work arrangements, from hybrid work to having a fully remote and distributed workforce. Whichever type of work arrangement you have, it’s best to invest your time and resources in a cloud-based workspace like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. Keeping your work files saved in the cloud means data is more accessible. You and your team will be able to access these files wherever you are, allowing for more flexibility. Cloud-based workspace can help you ensure business continuity, especially in cases where employees can’t physically report to the office due to road closures, bad weather or even lockdowns.
Cloud-based workspaces also allow for virtual collaboration since multiple members can work on a single file, say a sales presentation, at the same time. There’s no need for one person to collate all decks via email and input them manually in a single presentation.
Human Resources Management Systems
Employees are essentially a company’s best assets, which is why it’s important to have an HR management system that not only allows you to be organized but is also easy-to-understand and accessible for both manager and employee. Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) are made up of different applications that will help you manage all employee-related processes, such as:
- Recruitment
- Time/Attendance Recording
- Leave Management System
- Employee Engagement
- Performance Reviews
- And many more
Having the right suite of HR management applications will help you manage your workforce better and make sure you’re compliant with labor regulations in your area. These applications will also help automate a lot of tasks, so you don’t have to spend your valuable hours doing things like manually computing hours worked and corresponding compensation.
The more your team or your business grows, the more you’ll see the importance of these tools, especially when you feel like you are being pulled in different directions. With proper research and consultation with industry experts, you’ll be able to find the right set of tools you can use to lead your team to success.