How do you want it… sliced, diced, chopped, you name it! Stress comes in many, many forms. Right now, let’s talk about stress in the workplace.
Being disorganized is a major reason for stress. Most people aren’t naturally organized. So when a company hires employees, unless they train them in proper office organization, they’re doomed to failure in managing their time and productivity. This causes STRESS!
One company had one of our consultants to speak with their employees about better organization. It went very well. One of the employees got help organizing her desk. The other employees watched and undoubtedly walked away with some great tips.
WOW I thought this employer really cares about his people. He was actively finding a solution to help lessen their stress while gaining more productivity. If all employers had one, 1 on 1 time management and organizational training with each employee as they were hired and then had group refresher seminars twice per year, the improvement would be enormous!
It all starts with basic training. Why do we need to learn to better organize our desks, time, and overall office space? How do we manage our schedules? What will this do for the company and it’s employees?
Logically speaking, once employees are better trained on how to effectively schedule their day and manage their time, they will be less stressed and productivity will increase as apposed to those who have not had training.
Many people looking for work aren’t going to take time management courses so they can be better employees. Most of us wouldn’t even KNOW to think that way.
It is now up to employers to take on the roll of educator in time management, workplace ethics, productivity, etc… Recently our company was told of a training needed for a large corporation. When I explained that we help people learn to schedule their time, organize their desks, manage their tasks, etc… They asked us to come on over!
Here are simple tips as a company director, owner, or manager to help you start your employee training.
1. Schedule an hour to have the training.
2. Give an incentive for people to want to attend, such as an extra 15 minutes at the end of the day where you announce for everyone to stop working and start getting their paperwork and desk organized for the next day. (Group mentality goes a long way.)
3. Pick out a volunteer who will be excited to get help organizing his/her desk.
4. Talk with him/her about what is in their paper piles, while the others look on.
5. Take everything that is out of place off of their desk and put it into a box on the floor or to the side.
6. Discuss the types of paper coming in and out so you can help them pick a filing system that works with their personality.
7. Teach them about having an in-box, out-box, baskets or file folders for needs to be done now, needs follow up, etc…
8. Next teach them how to block out time in their day planner for each task. Have them allow more time than they think they will need so they won’t be short of time if their task runs over. (Often, people don’t allow enough time for certain tasks, or take interruptions into consideration.)
9. Have a stack of file folders on hand to use for sorting out the papers. (You can write in pencil in small font on the folders until you can make and print labels.)
10. Now start sorting the papers, discussing possible files that will be needed.
This should get you off to a great start on your own! If you find they need more help, check out the rest of our articles under blog section.
©2003, 2013 Susie Glennan
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