8 Tips to Reduce Chaos in the Workplace

8 Tips to Reduce Chaos in the Workplace

Chaos in the workplace can be very overwhelming, especially when you are the business owner.

“I never get any peace.”

“If I am not here the whole thing stops working.”

“There is too much going on for me to get things done.”

If you have said any of these things, it sounds like you are running a chaotic workplace.

But don’t worry!

Our business advisors prepared a list of 8 Tips to Reduce Chaos in the Workplace, so you can finally get a little bit of peace and quiet.

1. Communicate Effectively With Your Employees

“Communication is the real work of leadership” – Nitin Nohria

Your employees seem to always have questions or need your help. You don’t have the time to address every one of them – you have more important matters to deal with! So what can you do?

Try and set up new ways of communicating with your employees so you can answer their questions pre-emptively.

Hold more frequent workplace meetings (groan) and explain what is going on and what needs to be done in the near future. Keep employees in the loop about ongoing projects, goals and deadlines.

If you are repetitively asked the same question, perhaps you can update your work manual or direct them to a resource that can help them.

For more information on how communication can help your business, watch this video.

 

2. Create a Positive Work Environment

Does your workplace look like this?

You want to have a positive and harmonious workplace, not a crazy zoo.

Disgruntled employees and conflict are a great combination for creating chaos in the workplace.

Here are a few steps you can take to set up a more positive work environment.

• Give positive feedback when someone does a good job
• Use employee motivation tools
• Have an outlet where employees can address their concerns
• Deal with conflicts early, don’t let them build

Maybe someone just needed to tell the panda he was doing a good job, or address his continuous complaints about the bamboo shortage.

3. Be More Productive

Once you have set your workplace up for success, it is important to look at what improvements you can make to your actions.

You, and how you manage your time most likely cause some of the chaos in the workplace you experience.

Take proactive steps to get the most out your day.

• Plan your day around what needs to be done
• Do the important tasks first
• Set up ‘do not disturb’ hours, so you have some uninterrupted work time
• Don’t overwork yourself – take breaks and keep your mind fresh!
• Make sure to read the checklist below

The Ultimate Productivity Checklist: How to Become More Productive

4. Invest In Your Employees and Delegate Tasks

Still feel like you have too many responsibilities? Get your employees to help!

If you have hired the right employees, then they are generally pretty good at their jobs. But could they be doing more?

Try giving them some of the workload, and see which tasks they can take over. It will take up some of your time to show them how to do new tasks, but it will save you time in the future.

If your end goal is to have more free time, then you will need a few people to step up, so things don’t fall apart when you aren’t there.

5. Automate your business system

Being a business owner is filled with daily tasks and responsibilities. But how much time do you waste because of a slow approach?

While it may take some time to change your system, the amount of time you save in the long run will be much greater.

Replace your complicated processes with simpler ones, using an automated business system.

Online software, such as WorkflowMax, allows you to streamline your company’s systems in one program. Some of its functions include:

• Payroll
• Generate quotes
• Staff scheduling
• Invoicing

Read more about Automated business systems

6. Define Your Business Hierarchy

A clearly defined business hierarchy is a great way to reduce chaos in the workplace.

If you feel like every employee is always coming to you for questions, then try putting someone in the middle. Kind of like a meat shield.

If you choose the right people to work below you then chances are most problems won’t even get to you.

Building your team will allow you to distribute some of your responsibilities, and can help identify where you should be spending your resources.

Maybe some areas of your business are being overloaded. Are you neglecting important roles, or simply taking on too many responsibilities yourself?

Read more about How To Build Your Management Team

7. Leave Your Finances to the Experts

Managing your finances can be one of the most annoying challenges for any business owner.

Your work life is already chaotic; you don’t need to be burdening yourself with more work!

Managing your payroll, keeping track of records and doing your tax return are just a few of the annoying jobs you could pass on to an accountant. Get back to your other important jobs.

They won’t just help you save time either; they will also provide you with timely and useful information for decision-making and saves you money in the long run.

If you feel like finances are making your life harder, or you never have enough money to pay your own wage, getting in touch with an accountant who understands your struggles will help make things easier.

Read more about Why You Need An Accountant For Your Business

8. Have a Business Plan

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

You need to have a business plan that clearly outlines the goals of your business.

A business plan gives you direction, helps your employees know what needs to be done to get there and keeps everyone on the same page.

If you want to reduce chaos in the workplace, setting the right goals and having a plan to achieve them is the answer.

This starts with small goals, such as increasing profits or reducing debt by a certain amount.

But try and also think about what you want in the long term. What do you want to get out of the business – both professionally and personally?

Once you know this, it will become easier to identify what the necessary steps are to accomplishing them.

The best and easiest way to set the right goals and achieve them is to talk to a Business Advisor. Find one that is willing to share the risks with you to avoid unnecessary expenses, and see what they recommend for your business.

So, those are our tips for you to reduce chaos in the workplace.

Maybe if you try some of these you can make your workplace a little bit more peaceful, and get one step closer to relaxing on a Riviera 50 at Rottnest.

If you want more information about reducing workplace chaos or you want to see how a Business Advisor can help your business, come talk to the experts at Quarles. It won’t cost you anything!