Business owners are often so busy focusing on the next task that they fail to organize their business in a way that makes it easy to operate. With all the overlapping tasks and responsibilities, it’s easy for any business to become unorganized.
A disorganized business is hard to run because there’s no clear way to find the information you need, or someone always has to ask where something is because it’s not obvious where that information should go.
However, an organized business is much easier to run, because everything is properly labeled and stored in the correct locations or recordkeeping systems. In this article, we will focus on getting your business well organized so you can focus on other things. Read on to learn more…
What Is Organizational Efficiency?
Organizational efficiency is the measure of how well a business is organized and arranged. For example, if there is a clear system where employees can find information or locate tools or supplies, this is an example of a high level of organizational efficiency within a company.
The greater organizational efficiency of a business leads to an increase in productivity and an improvement in its ability to meet customer demand. It can also make the day-to-day operations of a business run more smoothly, which can reduce team member stress and frustration.
Organizational efficiency is achieved when each person has a clearly defined job description, and the company has the necessary equipment and supplies to complete its tasks. There is also a system in place for filing information about customers, vendors, and suppliers and tracking purchases and payments.
Organizational efficiency also requires that employees have the space to work in an ergonomically correct environment and that tasks are done in an efficient manner.
Why Is Organizational Efficiency Important?
In an ideal situation, a business would be able to take on any task that is offered to it while still meeting all its other obligations. In reality, a business has a finite amount of resources and time.
The more time and resources are spent moving between tasks or looking for information, the less productive a business becomes.
Organizational efficiency is about streamlining processes and creating systems that make it easy for employees to do their jobs correctly, without the need for multiple people to get involved.
Efficient task management and recordkeeping mean you can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time on revenue-generating activities.
Getting Started: Knowing Where To Start
The first step in getting your business well organized is to identify the key areas of your business that cause the most frustration. The areas of your business that are causing the most frustration are the ones that need to be prioritized first.
Once you know what needs to be done, the next step is to figure out the best way to approach those tasks. You don’t want to jump in and start making changes without first thinking them through. Changes made without careful thought and consideration are often misguided and contribute to chaos.
Establish A Clear Folder Structure
Once you have decided on the key areas that need to be organized, the next step is to establish clear folder structures for each of those areas. It is important for the folder structures to be clear and easy to understand by anyone who might need to use them.
Let’s say you need to organize your internal records so that each team member has a folder where they can record their hours, wages, and any deductions made from their pay. You can create a folder structure that is easy to understand by using team member numbers.
Each team member’s folder could start with the number “1,” followed by the team member’s name. When you need to add a new folder, you would start the folder name with the next number in the sequence.
For example, if the next team member has the number “2” and their name is Joe Smith, the folder name would be “21 Joe Smith.” This folder structure is easy to understand and remember, and it is easy to add new folders if needed.
Define Which Jobs Should Be Automated
As you go through your business, take note of the tasks that are taking up an unreasonable amount of time. Identify jobs that can be completed using automation.
For example, if you have a team of salespeople who spend a lot of time entering data into an internal CRM system, it might be worth exploring the option of getting sales automation software that the salespeople can use to track their activities.
Automated tasks are often expensive upfront but can pay for themselves in the amount of time and effort they save in the long run.
Define Which Tasks Should Be Rotated
Some tasks are better suited to a rotating schedule as opposed to being automated. These tasks may be essential but not suitable for automation, or they may be something that only needs to be done once in a great while.
One example of a task that might be better suited to a rotating schedule is the weekly review of your insurance policies. This is an important task, but it is something you only need to do once a week.
In situations like this, consider rotating tasks among employees to keep things fair and to help avoid burnout.
For example, you might have one team member who reviews your insurance policies every week while another team member is responsible for updating your social media accounts every two weeks.
For tasks that are best done on a rotating schedule, make sure to include those tasks in your team member’s weekly or monthly checklists so they don’t fall through the cracks.
Takeaway
Organizational efficiency is the measure of how well a business is organized and arranged. For example, if there is a clear system where employees can find information or locate tools or supplies, this is an example of a high level of organizational efficiency within a company.
The greater organizational efficiency of a business leads to an increase in productivity and an improvement in its ability to meet customer demand. It can also make the day-to-day operations of a business run more smoothly, which can reduce team member stress and frustration.
Organizational efficiency is achieved when each person has a clearly defined job description, and the company has the necessary equipment and supplies to complete its tasks.
There is also a system in place for filing information about customers, vendors, and suppliers and tracking purchases and payments. Organizational efficiency also requires that employees have the space to work in an ergonomically correct environment and that tasks are done in an efficient manner.
