productivity

Understanding The Average Productive Time Of An Employee

MOMENTUM Business Support Business Support, Home Working
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In today’s fast-paced business world, time is money. It’s essential for small business owners to understand the average productive time of their employees to ensure optimised productivity. The average productive time of a UK employee is a crucial factor in determining the extent to which businesses can achieve productivity goals. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the specifics of how much time an average employee spends on productive tasks and what you, as a small business owner, can do to maximise it.

According to studies, the average productive time of an employee is 2 hours and 53 minutes! This means that the rest of the workday is spent on non-productive tasks such as checking emails, scrolling through social media, and chatting with colleagues. So, where does this leave businesses? It leaves them with an unsatisfactory amount of productive time which deters the growth of their company. If this is a recurring issue, there are some steps you can take to boost employee productivity.

Firstly, start by determining what tasks are critical to your business’s success. By setting clear expectations of what is expected of your employees, you will enable them to remain focused on the essential tasks that drive the business’s success. You can implement this by prioritising individual workloads or delegating specific responsibilities to your team, which can help them stay on track.

Secondly, consider the physical office environment. An office layout will significantly impact employee productivity, and research shows that it can enhance an employee’s mood and productivity. Optimising the office space is key when it comes to creating the perfect working environment. You can provide comfortable seating areas, natural light, and make sure the space is free from distractions like noise to help your team remain focused on their tasks.

Thirdly, adopt technology and automation. There are various software solutions that can streamline the workflows, tasks, and data management like CRM, collaboration tools, project management software, and more. Automating these tasks can create more time for your team to dedicate to other critical tasks.

Lastly, something as small as planning regular breaks can also help boost productivity. Studies show that allowing short breaks for employees can improve their mood, focus, and productivity. Encourage your employees to take intermittent breaks between tasks to refresh their mind and prevent fatigue.

Your team’s productivity is a critical component of your business’s success. Knowing the average productive time of a UK employee empowers small business owners to optimise their productivity and improve their work habits, leading to increased motivation and productivity. By prioritising tasks, optimising the office environment, automating tasks, and promoting frequent breaks, you can maximise the productivity of your employees and ensure the success and growth of your small business.

If you’d like to find out more about our thoughts on employee productivity, or talk about alternative solutions to increase your return on investment when it comes to choosing who can help you with your back-office tasks, get in touch!

T: 01903 688789 E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com

Make Your Team Meetings More Productive

MOMENTUM Business Support Business Support
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Whether you’re an SME or an industry giant, team meetings are an essential part of every business. Invaluable to any workforce, they help to strengthen strategies, as well as the relationship with your team. However, there’s no need to hold them excessively! More thought through and productive meetings produce more benefits while helping to decrease the total meetings volume, ultimately making them less strenuous to attend by your team and even…enjoyable!

So, to help you plan your future team meetings, we’ve compiled a list of our favourite tips to elevate their productivity.

Give adequate notice

No one likes to feel unprepared or make last minute changes to their daily schedule, especially during busier times. Make sure to always give generous notice when scheduling a meeting, allowing your team adequate time to plan and prepare. This goes both ways! If for some reason you know you won’t be able to attend, try your best to let everyone know in advance.

Invite the right people

Keep it small. We’ve all experienced a zoom call with unnecessary numbers of participants, it rarely goes smoothly. Larger groups can make it difficult for everyone to feel involved and when online, are often accompanied by various technical issues. Unless you’re giving a quick group announcement or plan to be the only speaker during the session, try to stick to between 5 and 8 attendees. This applies to in person meetings as well!

Make sure it’s necessary

Before scheduling another meeting, ask yourself “can it be covered in an email?” Of course, this can’t be applied to every scenario, but the likelihood is that there’s a more efficient way of getting the message across. Eliminating time consuming meetings as well as their organising process, your team will be quicker to take action and produce results, as well as appreciating the additional time to do so.

Take notes and log changes

Get into the habit of making notes and writing down any important information, alternatively encourage your team members to do this. Afterall, the chances of remembering every detail are small! Not only is it useful to look back on and review – it also means that you can easily update any missing team members. Transcribing meetings into the written format is a great way of building up strategies and finalising targets, while creating a visual aid for your team.

Keep it short or take breaks

According to various studies, most adult individuals have a maximum attention span of around 20 minutes, after which focus begins to lapse. When compared to the average time of a meeting (50.6 minutes), the figures suggest a decrease in productivity for over half the meeting’s duration. The best option is to keep meetings short, and to the point, keeping them under 30 minutes where possible. In the event of a necessary longer meeting, regular breaks can help to refresh focus, producing better outcomes while maximising time efficiency.

Set a clear meeting goal and agenda

Almost every successful meeting has a pre-established goal and a general agenda. After all, it’s the best way of staying on track and defining clear targets. Doing so ensures that the entire team stays on the same page and thus has a better understanding of what needs to be done. This ultimately creates a better environment for the entire team, allowing for a stronger synergy and higher productivity.

Respect people’s time and individual needs

We’ve all experienced busier periods at work – times when every minute felt invaluable, and any last-minute changes turned the whole week upside down. While meetings are undoubtedly an important aspect of work life, understanding the individual needs of your workforce and acting accordingly should always be the primary focus. Respect the time of your team and allow room for adjustments – not only will this strengthen the bond with your peers, but it will also create an honest and positive environment for your business to grow. Skipping the occasional meeting during busy periods, or rescheduling for more convenient times, will help to promote higher quality results as well as reinforcing a better work ethic.

If you’d like to find out more about improving the productivity of your team meetings, or require any additional business support, get in touch! E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com   T: 01903 688789

How To Stay Consistent

MOMENTUM Business Support Business Support, Health & Wellbeing, Home Working
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No matter what your goals may be, consistency is always the best strategy to get you there. It reflects discipline and dedication, as well as promoting productivity- ultimately helping you build that pivotal momentum. Though it comes with its own challenges, it is the fastest route to success. Consistency holds strong importance both in and out of your working life, so we’ve prepared some beneficial tips to help you achieve it.

Adapt a positive outlook

Your mindset can have a huge impact on your daily approach and willingness to work. Therefore, adapting a nurturing approach for your wellbeing can go a long way when pursuing your goals. Don’t be too hard on yourself or be afraid to put your needs first, good physical and mental health is a key influence on consistency. Make sure you look after yourself with a balanced diet, good sleep, and downtime. It will set you up for a more productive working routine and help you reach your targets while avoiding collateral burnout.

Be around likeminded people

Don’t tackle everything on your own, surround yourself with likeminded, positive people. A supportive network of friends and colleagues plays a major role in having the confidence to go after what you want, while providing motivation and reassurance in times of stress. It also promotes sharing your aspirations with others which is a great tactic for maintaining drive and holding yourself accountable. Make realistic commitments and put them out into the world, a trusted network will help you get there and push you over the finish line when you’re lacking stamina.

Work during your most productive hours

Picking the best time to work is important for making your output consistent. You may be an early bird and have more energy in the morning, or conversely, you may be a night owl and have higher energy levels later in the day. Knowing when your energy levels are high and thus knowing when you put out your best work is key to consistency. Once you know when your best work is made, it’s easier to plan your day around it and get things done. Getting into a routine ensures that your body knows when it’s time to work and when it’s time to rest, so that you’re always ready to put out quality content.

Plan your workloads

Spreading your workload is important. When we try to do more than we are designed to do, our anxiety levels begin to rise, and the quality of our work suffers. Do a little every day and micro-manage your tasks, every dedicated minute is progress no matter the scale. If you ever find that you have too much to do and not enough time, ask for help. Consistency often comes in the form of being proactive and knowing when to seek a helping hand. If it is business support you require, then outsourcing or delegating may be the key to achieving consistent high-quality content.

If you’d like to find out more about how you can be more consistent or need that extra helping hand to get you over the finish line – we would love to help! Get in touch:

E: makeithappen@mbsmih.com   T: 01903 688789

Be Your Most Productive Self At Work This Summer!

MOMENTUM Business Support Business Support
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It’s July, which believe it or not… means Summer is here in the UK! We’ve had a few lovely spells of warm weather recently and more are upon us – which can mean a drop in productivity levels whilst at work. 

Here’s some of our advice to be your most productive self at work this Summer!

Do Your Most Important Work Early

Aim to tackle the most important items on your to-do list when your energy levels are high, first thing in the morning when you start work. As the day goes on, your dreams of being at the beach or in a swimming pool may make you less productive – meaning your more important tasks may be left unfinished or delayed.

Take Lunch Breaks – And Switch Them Up! 

Make sure you give yourself a lunch hour to break up your day and restore your motivation for the afternoon! Why not try having something different to look forward to each day when you take your lunch break? This can really help revitalise your mood. You could try reading a book outside on Monday’s, going for a stroll to the park on Tuesday’s… and so on! 

Work Or Take Meetings Outside

Getting outside for meetings or to work from not only provides fresh air, it also provides fresh context. So if your job role allows you to do so, make the most out of working outdoors during the summer months. A change in scenery can get your creativity juices flowing and reset your mind. If you can’t do this, at least make sure you get outside during your lunch breaks, as above.

Keep Hydrated

When you’re dehydrated, you lose a large amount of water from your body, resulting in feelings of tiredness or and light-headedness to name a few. Factor that in with the added heat during summertime, you’re not going to feel your best! Always keep a bottle of water by your side and re-fill throughout the day to ensure you’re keeping hydrated.

Enjoy your summer and remember to take time for yourself! What are your Summer productivity tips? Let us know by giving us a tweet @mbsmih.

RISE AND SHINE YOUR WAY TO A PRODUCTIVE DAY

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Whether you run a business, are self-employed or you’re an employee, the way you wake up in the morning can make or break your day. To get the most out of your day, it’s important to wake up early with a positive mind. Check out some of our top tips for maintaining an optimistic morning routine.

Don’t hit the snooze button – It can be very tempting to hit the snooze button and give yourself an extra 10 minutes in bed. By doing this you’re not only delaying the start to your day, you’re also delaying the end to your day.

Don’t check your phone for emails or messages as soon as you wake up – If the first thing you do is reach for your phone to check emails/messages… then stop! You may find yourself problem solving first thing, which in turn could put a negative stamp on your day ahead. You will be much better equipped to deal with any issues once you’re up and ready.

Go to bed early and get up early – Not only is an early night good for health reasons, it is also good for the mind. A good early night will help you rise earlier and create that 25th hour in the day we all long for. Early risers are known for their positivity, productivity and determination to solve problems.

Eat a decent, healthy breakfast – A well balanced breakfast is often seriously underestimated. Not only will it kick start your metabolism and give your body energy, it will also help you think straight. No one wants to start their day with hunger pangs and feeling sluggish.

Plan the day ahead – The morning is a great time to review what you have to do and plan your day. Working out what you want to achieve with a positive mind-set will help you reach your goals to their full potential.

Exercise – Morning is the best time for a workout as it helps boost brain endorphins, gives you more energy and lowers stress levels. All these things combined will make for a more creative and productive day.

At MOMENTUM, we believe a morning routine is brilliant for saving time and making your day more successful, however workloads can be too much no matter how many hours there are in a day. Our virtual PA services are extremely flexible and we can offer daily or ad-hoc support in a wide range of other services too:  https://momentumbusinesssupport.com/services/