subject: Five ways time is wasted at work [print this page] 1. Social Media websites. It's not uncommon for employees to own a social media profile on a popular network like Facebook and Twitter. But if they have access to the web through their job, it's important that they don't waste too much time updating and checking them. Although some companies allow them occasional access, or don't actively govern their employees' web usage, there are inevitably some members of staff who will abuse this trust. You could set up a ban or even a filter to stop this from happening, but that's unlikely to make your staff feel trusted. Instead, why not send a memo round the company warning people that if they do take advantage of your trust, then it could result in a blanket ban for all?
2. Daydreaming. Anyone who watches TV comedy Scrubs will know that some employees are quite prone to spacing out and daydreaming during the working day. If you have any staff that stare off into the distance for prolonged periods of time, then maybe that's the case. If their job involves an element of creativity, however, they may just be thinking about ideas. Otherwise, move their desk to where you can see them and, more importantly, they know you can see them. They'll soon become more focused if the boss is likely to catch them out.
3. Socialising with colleagues. Like with social media websites, all employees are likely to want to share information and their colleagues are often their friends, too. It's important to foster good relationships between employees as it leads to harmony and, ultimately productive working partnerships. However, if you feel there's more 'what did you do last night?' chatter going on than actual work, it's important to put a stop to it. There's normally one or two employees who are worse at this than others, so keep an eye out and have a friendly word if you think it's too much. If it keeps on happening, you may need to take sterner action.
4. Turning up late. Depending on the nature of your business, you may have strict 9 to 5.30 hours or have a flexible approach. If it's the latter, and staff make up the time they miss at the end of the day, then that's no problem. Equally, if you have a company that occasionally requires staff to work over their allotted hours, you may be okay with them turning up a little late every now and then. However, if their work requires a 9am start and they are repeatedly late, you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. Talk to the employee about why it keeps happening and let them know it can't go on.
5. Phone calls. Although answering the phone is an essential aspect of many organisations, in terms of how they function and communicate with clients and suppliers, there are always several calls a day that are not essential and can eat up a lot of your time and that of your employees. You could hire a receptionist, if you don't already have one, or even a personal assistant. Alternatively, you might want to consider employing a outsourced contact centre or inbound call centre to significantly reduce your telephone answering requirements.
