Simplifying Task Management for Small/Medium Businesses

Supervising work projects in a small to medium-sized business can be stressful, particularly when manpower is scarce and not enough people are available to cover all incoming workload. However, with proper planning and organization, businesses can effectively manage both new and old tasks. Let’s talk about how.

1. Assign 2 People per Task

One of the best ways to manage new and old tasks is to assign 2 people to each task. This allows them to work together and help each other out if needed. It also ensures that if one person is unavailable, the other person can continue with the task without any delay. Additionally, this provides a sense of accountability for each team member, making it less likely for them to abandon a task.

2. Hold Progress Meetings and Feedback Sessions

Holding progress meetings and feedback sessions is an excellent way to keep everyone on track and accountable for their work. These meetings should be scheduled regularly and should cover the progress made on each task. This provides a platform for team members to share their progress, raise concerns, and suggest solutions.

Progress meetings don't need to be long or overly complicated. In fact, a 10-15 minute catch-up session can be enough to get everyone on the same page. During these meetings, team members can simply share what's going on with their tasks and how confident they are in completing them on time and within budget. This creates a sense of transparency and accountability, as everyone is aware of what their colleagues are working on and can offer help or support if needed. Regular conversations between teammates also establish trust and encourage better cooperation, which ultimately leads to improved task management and better outcomes. During such meetings, You may discover that one task will take longer than expected, or be surprised to find out that another task is not needed anymore, and 2 other tasks can be combined, etc. By keeping progress meetings short and sweet, businesses can efficiently manage tasks while maintaining effective communication among team members.

3. Reorganize the Workload

When there are not enough people, and everyone is overworked, it is essential to take some time to reorganize the workload. This involves identifying bottlenecks, eliminating unnecessary tasks, and finding ways to optimize processes. For example, implementing automated notifications for order status updates can reduce the time spent on call-backs from customers. Streamlining processes and eliminating paperwork can also save time and improve efficiency.

Taking the time to optimize work may require several hours or even several days, but it will ultimately save time in the long term. One effective way to optimize work is to analyze it by following a process, such as an order, from start to finish. By measuring the time it takes to complete each step of the process, bottlenecks will become apparent, and potential solutions can be explored. For example, if stock availability is an issue, businesses can advise customers at the time of order that certain items are not available and will be delivered later.

Being transparent about stock availability builds customer trust and encourages return purchases. E-commerce companies, in particular, should be honest about stock availability, as customers rely heavily on accurate information when making online purchases. In summary, investing time to optimize work processes will save time in the long term and increase customer satisfaction.

4. Prioritize Tasks

Prioritizing tasks is crucial for managing both new and old tasks. It ensures that the most important tasks are completed first and reduces the risk of missing deadlines. When prioritizing tasks, it is important to consider the impact on the business and the urgency of the task. High-priority tasks should be completed first, while low-priority tasks can be put on hold or delegated to another team member.

5. Use Task Management Tools

Using task management tools can help businesses keep track of tasks, deadlines, and progress. These tools allow team members to collaborate, delegate tasks, and communicate effectively. Popular task management tools include Asana, Trello, and Jira.

I recently started using Trello to manage my workload as I was feeling overwhelmed with the demands of work, MBA courses, and building my own consulting business. Trello has been a game-changer for me as it allows me to see what needs to be done, what is being worked on, and what has already been completed. This visual representation has a calming effect on me as I feel more in control of my workload. With Trello, I can easily prioritize tasks and track progress, which gives me a sense of accomplishment as I complete them. I prefer the digital way of tracking my tasks, as post-its create a messy environment in my office. However, this is my way, and many people love tracking progress on paper with post-it “kanbans”.

Managing tasks at small and medium-sized businesses requires a willingness to step back and evaluate processes to strive for better efficiency. No matter how well managers think they have everything organized, there is always room for improvement. By implementing the above-mentioned, as well as many other effective strategies for task management, collaborating and communicating with team members, and optimizing work processes, small and medium-sized businesses can increase productivity and reduce stress on employees and business owners. It's time for managers to come to the realization that there is no perfection and that there is always an opportunity to improve. Look into the most time-consuming processes and start there. The journey towards better task management starts with taking the first step.