Firm Management
What to Know When Measuring Your Team’s Productivity
Thanks to the dawn of the digital era and modern technology, the business landscape continues to shape and shift in unprecedented ways. Entrepreneurs across industries leverage various tools to upgrade their practices and systems, ensuring that ...
May. 13, 2021
Thanks to the dawn of the digital era and modern technology, the business landscape continues to shape and shift in unprecedented ways. Entrepreneurs across industries leverage various tools to upgrade their practices and systems, ensuring that progress and productivity are always prioritized.
With the development of tools and platforms come the smartphones and social media world, however, which has effectively blended personal and professional lives. Drawing the line has become rather hard to do, and unfortunately, this is causing a problem regarding employee productivity.
And now comes the new challenge—how can employers effectively measure their team’s productivity daily? While micromanaging is believed to be the best way to do so, it’s important to remember that your employees are people too, and in the accounting landscape where talent is needed, you’ll want to keep them as happy as possible.
To help ensure you get the most out of your productivity measuring plans, here’s a quick and easy guide to follow:
Understand the People: Things to Remember
- Instead of measuring hours and days, measure the tasks at hand
In a highly digital environment, the lines between personal and professional lives are steadily becoming blurred. Overlapping is a reality all employers must face, and the age of micromanaging must come to an end. Forcing your employees to stay away from their personal lives should be out of the question and instead, focus on the tasks. If the work gets done, then you have nothing to worry about.
So long as your accounting workflow is honored, papers are worked on, and clients are happy, you will have had a productive day. Break down the work into tasks, and assign them accordingly until all projects are completed. From there, you can get rid of anything that could cause further stress and issues.
- Allow your team’s results to tell the story of productivity
Anchoring on the first item, it’s best to focus on the results. It’s the most important element that indicates employee productivity. Make sure to constantly ask for feedback among your employees, but never forget about your clients.
Attain as much information as you can regarding the customer journey they’ve experienced. What works will continue to work, and as long as you’re seeing results that keep the company thriving, you’re working with the right people.
- Never lose sight of your company goals
Measuring your team’s productivity is crucial, but it’s important to sit back and remember—what are you trying to accomplish? Keep your goals in mind, as this is how you ensure that the entire team is focused. If you’re hitting goal after goal, and objective after objective, you’re on the right track.
Where Tools Come In
When it comes down to actual measurements, however, you may want to invest in the right tools. A tracking system allows you to keep a tab on your employee’s productivity levels, all without trying to seem intrusive. Here, you’ll be able to use a system that tracks tasks and projects, and not your employee’s day. In doing so, you also see what aspects of the work take too much time, and how you can further improve the practices in place.
Invest in the Best CPA Practice Management Tools
Your ability to measure employee productivity in the workplace is critical to your firm’s success, but remember that how they spend their time doesn’t always guarantee success. The best way to see productivity is by looking at the results—down to the last detail. If it’s promising, with satisfied clients and organized files, you’re on the right track.