7 Interesting Ways to Run an Office Efficiently

Running a business is no easy task, especially if you have grown into quite a large company. On top of establishing yourself and trying to grow the business further, you also need to take care of all of your employees so that the office or workplace can remain as productive as possible. 

Managing an office requires a lot of hard work; however, there are ways to make things easier so that you are all on the same page. At the end of the day, it is crucial that all components of a business are kept to a high standard and gel into a well-rounded entity to make it a success.

In this article, we are going to discuss seven ways to run an office efficiently so that you can create an efficient and cohesive workforce. Sound interesting? Then keep on reading!

1. Be clutter-free

One of the leading causes of chaos in the office or workplace is clutter. Papers, rubbish, and important documents everywhere can cause a lot of stress, not only for yourself but also for other workers. Working in a clean, streamlined workplace helps clear the mind while working at an untidy desk with unnecessary items scattered everywhere makes for an unproductive day. 

Without proper organization, workers cannot locate essential items, and there is no actual space in which to put anything. If anything, it is a waste of valuable time.

The best way to keep things tidy is to declutter regularly, shred unwanted paperwork, and bin the dust-covered plants and chipped coffee mugs. Sometimes items will need replacing, and that is just another cost that you will need to cover. It is all part of running a successful company!

2. Be understanding

We are all human, and sometimes things go wrong. One of the most important ways to manage a company efficiently is to remember to be understanding. Your employees are valuable, and you want to show that you are ok when unexpected things happen.

For example, a study by Harvard Business revealed that 85 percent of people say they trust strangers more than their own boss. Isn’t that crazy?!

Remember, the key to running a successful company is to show that you can relate. Understand that sick days occur, understand that accidents happen, and, most importantly, understand that at one point, you were in their shoes too.

This will really help you connect with your staff and build trust, which, in turn, increases productivity.

3. Organize and label

As mentioned above, an unorganized office or workplace is going to lead to clutter and stress. To keep things in order, try and create designated areas for work desks, reference materials, supplies, and machines. This way, everybody knows exactly where things belong, and nothing important is going to get lost in the office.

Put paperwork into ring binders, label clearly, and place everything on clean shelves that are easily accessible. You might also look into getting some practical filing cabinets and shelving; however, this isn’t always possible depending on the size of the office. 

To make extra space, consider using offsite data storage for old paperwork or facilitate digital filing. It is safe, secure, and will save your employees a lot of hassle.

Try and have everything within easy reach for employees as well; there is no use storing important paperwork on a shelf up to the ceiling! Precious working time is saved when staff is not having to hunt for lost paperwork. 

4. Banish distractions

Distractions are very distracting, and in the workplace, there are plenty of them. Loud noises, gadgets, gizmos, and work gossip are all things that are going to occur. To keep this to a minimum, you want to offer desks that are clean, uncluttered, and free from pointless distractions. 

One main culprit that can cause a significant loss of productivity is unnecessary devices. If staff have lots of tools to mess around with, they will lose productivity. Try and keep things modern and minimal but allow employees to bring in some personal touches such as photographs. You don’t want to make the space too dull and bland!

To keep things rolling, a time-saving trick is to filter emails and only deal with urgent ones. This will allow your staff to focus on what is necessary without getting caught up in spam and other unnecessary content. Try and limit staff sending personal emails and monitor internet usage as well.

Another idea is to remove telephones from desks where they are not needed and utilize a telephone answering service to handle external telephone calls. Having such a service will mean that employees can spend more time on work beneficial to the business, rather than dealing with unproductive calls or even making personal calls during working hours.

A telephone answering service also preserves valuable business time as employers will not have to spend time looking for receptionists, training, interviewing them, and monitoring their work. It’s certainly worth every penny. 

5. Promote collaboration

While allowing individuals to take on responsibility slowly is also good, remember that it is also wise to promote collaboration. Teamwork is extremely important, as it will enable everyone to get along and increases creativity.

Staff can come up with new and unique ideas and collaborate on projects to complete tasks faster. It is incredibly beneficial and a great way to improve efficiency.

To get things started, try, and look at collaboration tools online. Access apps like Google Drive are a great place to start, as individuals can edit and share documents in a matter of seconds. Hubstaff Tasks or Trello are also useful management apps to get you started.

6. Create a good atmosphere

While monitoring staff and keeping things organized is important, it is also wise to remember that having a pleasant and friendly office atmosphere will enhance productivity. If workers are happy, relaxed, and comfortable at their work, they are more likely to work well and to a high standard. 

They will be loyal to the company and want to contribute to success. Staff turnover will be low, and experienced staff time won’t waste time training new staff members. Sometimes, a little bit of fun in the workplace can actually increase efficiency during the day.

To keep employees motivated, offer incentives such as social events or bonuses to keep up staff morale, and strengthen the team’s relationships. 

Some offices even offer fresh fruit and healthy snacks for staff to snack on to fight off hunger pains and prevent drowsiness. It may even encourage staff to eat healthier, which in turn decreases sick days. Creating a fun and happy atmosphere is always going to benefit the business in one way or another.

7. Communicate

One of the most important aspects of a productive workplace is communication. Efficient communication should deliver a clear message in the shortest amount of time while still being understanding to the parties involved.

The information exchanged can be verbal or non-verbal; however, it is always critical in getting the job done. Communication also builds a sense of trust with both staff and clients of the company. 

To keep the ball rolling, try and use effective messaging apps such as Google Hangout and Slack, and have regular meetings before commencing any major projects. Sending emails can also be a useful form of communication if you only need to inform someone of something small.

By ensuring every person in the company knows what their tasks are for the day, everyone is on the right page, and everything runs smoothly.

By reading through the above and following the tips, you will be able to create a productive and efficient workplace. Just try your best to keep things organized, and don’t forget to utilize all of the excellent services and software that are available.

Remember that your employees are extremely valuable, so try and be flexible and understanding. At the end of the day, they are who ultimately run your company! Good luck!