Whether your business operates in the online realm or in a brick and mortar setup, you need to be sure that you are getting the best return possible from your employees. Every business benefits when their employees are happy, motivated and performing to the best of their abilities and your business is no different. Tracking your employee’s progress allows you to gain valuable feedback and insight that you can use to improve your business moving forward.
As important as it is to track your employee’s progress in the workplace, it is also key not to overstep the mark. If you are constantly breathing down their necks, looking over their shoulders and watching every little thing that they do, you can be sure they will feel untrusted and become frustrated. Micromanaging your team in this way will typically cause more harm than good and is not advised. As a business owner, you need to find the right balance between monitoring your employee’s progress and supporting them in their roles to ensure you get the best results possible.
Let’s take a look at some useful tips that will help you to track your employees without the need to micromanage their every move.
Use The Right Software
There are software packages available nowadays that will help you to streamline and improve just about every aspect of running your business. Using the right systems, you can track your employees work hours and compare it to the work that they complete in the day to monitor their performance. Timesheet software for small businesses can be immensely helpful in this regard and should not be overlooked. Not only will it help you to accurately track the hours that your team members work but it can also save you time when it comes to payroll to ensure you are always up-to-date with your obligations.
Set Clear Expectations
If you want your team to work well under their own initiative, you need to clearly outline what you expect from them. Both short and long-term goals should be shared with all of your staff so that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same objectives. When you set clear expectations for your team, you keep them accountable. Expectations can be in relation to when milestones are completed, work hours, communications, and anything else that you deem to be critical to the success of your business.
Empower Your Team
When your team feels that they are trusted and that they are accountable for their work, they are more likely to work harder and excel in their roles. Let your team take ownership of their tasks and do your best to step away. If it is your first time taking the reins off, you need to be patient and expect that mistakes will be made. You need to assume a more supportive role and be there to help your team when they need you. Make sure that you maintain an open-door policy and that you provide your employees with the support, guidance and advice they need to succeed in their roles.
Allow Your Staff To Become The Dream Team You Have Been Searching For
As any business owner or manager will tell you, relinquishing control of your employees for the first time is a daunting prospect. If you are used to managing your team closely, it can be difficult to let go. However, if you have trained your staff well and you instil trust in them, you can be sure that they will excel in their role and become the dream team that you have been searching for. What’s more, when your team trusts you, it’s easier for you to monitor their progress from afar, as they will be more open and forthcoming about their progress, as well as any problems they are facing.
