Build an Effective Team to Boost Efficiency

There are lots of ways you can improve your production efficiency and one of the most simple and powerful ways is to build yourself an effective team.

Your team is no doubt one of the biggest assets your food and beverage business has. Without them, you wouldn't be able to achieve much day-to-day so it's really important that you look after your people and make sure they are happy, engaged, and motivated. Because after all, happy employees are likely to become more productive and efficient at work.

So if you’re ready to build an effective team to increase efficiency, here are some really helpful tricks to try:

CLEARLY DEFINE TEAM ROLES:

Make sure your employees clearly know and understand their responsibilities and that they are accountable for any work given to them. You can do that by regularly conducting one-on-one meetings where you can discuss their specific roles, the high-priority tasks you want them to concentrate on, and the quality of work you’re expecting to get from them. This way, they will become more encouraged to take full responsibility for their position.

LET THEM EXPERIENCE OTHER ROLES:

It’s great if you utilise your employees’ various skillsets and help them step out of their comfort zone. Unless the task is specialized, you can allow them to take on other duties for set periods of time. Doing this won’t only make them more efficient at work, but will also maximise their full potential and give them a greater understanding of how all parts of the business are run. For example, you could have employee A be part of the inventory management team for a month then let them move to a different task/team the following month.

SET TARGETS:

Think about the goals and objectives that you want your staff to achieve and clearly articulate it to them. Bear in mind that your goals should be realistic and attainable as this will help them become more motivated to work. Employees aren’t going to be interested in working harder and in being efficient if they find your targets impossible to achieve. 

LEARN HOW TO LISTEN:

An efficient team is a team that knows how to communicate effectively with one another. While you want your staff to listen to your directions, you should also learn how to listen to them. Respect their feedback and suggestions, and most importantly, understand their needs. If you let them feel that their ideas are valued, their motivation levels will automatically increase which will eventually make them more productive and efficient.

BRING IN TECHNOLOGY AND TOOLS:

Your employees aren’t robots. If you really want to boost their efficiency, you must learn how to embrace technology. Invest in equipment and tools that will help them get more work done. The more technology you incorporate, the easier it will be for them to become productive! Some of the tools you can add to your operations are POS systems, inventory software, and order management apps.

ENHANCE STAFF PERFORMANCE:

There are many ways to do this.

1. Reward your staff for a job well done

Employees love it when you recognise them. They feel more appreciated and that encourages them to keep on improving their output. With this in mind, you must continually acknowledge all their hard work while giving them the incentives that they deserve. For example, you can provide them with performance-related pay and bonuses or even just take them out to lunch or a drink after work.

2. Make sure they enjoy their work

A happy working environment will definitely push your team to be more productive. Aside from giving them financial incentives, you can also choose to host training, team building activities, and parties that will have a positive impact on how your employees feel about you and your business. 

3. Spend quality time with your people

Get to know what makes your people tick. Chat with them about topics that aren’t really work-related - it could be about their hobbies, their families, or their passions. The thing is, when your team likes you and your type of leadership, they are more likely to work harder for you.

Your employees’ skills and passion are what keep your business’ doors open. If you want to achieve optimal production efficiency, you need to keep on motivating them and continue to build a team that’s strong, effective and always growing.

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