{"id":18658,"date":"2022-02-18T19:02:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-18T19:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.openbusinesscouncil.org\/?p=18658"},"modified":"2022-03-10T09:10:24","modified_gmt":"2022-03-10T09:10:24","slug":"disorganization-in-startups-the-biggest-productivity-killers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.footballthink.com\/disorganization-in-startups-the-biggest-productivity-killers\/","title":{"rendered":"Disorganization in Startups: The Biggest Productivity Killers"},"content":{"rendered":"
Startups aren\u2019t immune to common productivity killers that plague businesses across America. In some instances, small businesses won\u2019t have the cash flow, experience, or ability to get organized, but that doesn\u2019t make a lack of work-life balance acceptable or profitable. Disorganization in startups: the biggest productivity killers .<\/p>\n
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Disorganization in Startups: The Biggest Productivity Killers<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Startup productivity killers don\u2019t just take up your business’s time; they also suck up your money too. If there\u2019s room for improvement in your workplace, here\u2019s what you can do.<\/span><\/p>\n Newly formed startups are mostly made up of independent contractors and a few in-house employees. That isn\u2019t a problem in itself, especially if you use collaboration and video conferencing software to <\/span>stay on top of your remote workers<\/span><\/a>. But what happens if you don\u2019t?<\/span><\/p>\n If your employees aren\u2019t speaking to each other, it\u2019ll be impossible to reach deadlines, even when everyone is operating on different projects. This is a major problem for teams that have a workflow. The minute someone drops the ball, the less time you\u2019ll have to complete the project.<\/span><\/p>\n Trust is another factor that makes communication difficult. If an employee doesn\u2019t know what to do and no one is collaborating, the team will start to point fingers and resent each other.<\/span><\/p>\n What To Do:<\/b> Employers should use project management software to help their employees understand what they\u2019re responsible for and when a project is due. Then, encourage communication by setting the bar yourself. Don\u2019t punish others for speaking out.<\/span><\/p>\n Every startup has the goal to make more money, but you need to separate your tasks into smaller parts if you want to reach the finish line in one piece. At the same time, you can\u2019t pull the rug from under your employees and expect them to shift priorities at your say so.<\/span><\/p>\n Without a North Star metric or a singular goal, your employees won\u2019t know what they\u2019re working towards. A lack of communication also plays into this problem, but if you don\u2019t know where you\u2019re going or what you\u2019re doing, you won\u2019t be able to communicate your needs at all.<\/span><\/p>\n What To Do:<\/b> Employer review websites like <\/span>JobSage<\/span><\/a> consider purpose and growth as one of the main reasons employees stick around. To reduce turnover, employers should create a goal the whole team should reach and keep it static. Call regular meetings to keep the team on track.<\/span><\/p>\n Workplace management can quickly get out of hand, and usually, the employees have to pick up the pieces. Startups may grab any means of employment they can without considering if they have the resources to accomplish it. If their employees can\u2019t keep up, they\u2019re punished.<\/span><\/p>\n The problem may even exacerbate if there isn\u2019t a \u201cpriority schedule.\u201d It\u2019s normal for businesses to switch around projects for high-profile clients, but if it’s at the expense of other clients or your employees, it\u2019ll lead to burnout and lost wages. A more straightforward schedule is needed.<\/span><\/p>\n What To Do:<\/b> Disorganization is easy to solve if employers set their expectations. If your employees know what you want from them, they\u2019ll be able to consistently check off tasks on your to-do list. Discourage emergency projects from your clients by charging an extra fee.<\/span><\/p>\n Startup owners often have a hard time trusting their employees, and that\u2019s understandable. You worked hard to grow your company, and you\u2019re scared that giving up control will tank what you made. However, micromanaging your employees will <\/span>actually make that fear a reality<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n If you use control as a management style, your employees push back by quitting or becoming dependent. Employees who stay in this environment aren\u2019t going to step outside the box, come up with innovative ideas, or trust their employers. They\u2019ll head right for the door when they can.<\/span><\/p>\n What To Do:<\/b> Employers should recognize that micromanagement hurts their entire company. You\u2019ll either lose money or become stagnant. It’s better that you coach your employees and let them come into their own. If they make a mistake, retrain and encourage their improvements.<\/span><\/p>\n When we think of remote work or startup culture, our minds go towards flexibility. However, there\u2019s nothing flexible about receiving a text message on the weekends about an urgent meeting on Sunday. Your employees shouldn\u2019t expect they\u2019ll be bothered on their off-time.<\/span><\/p>\n Just because startup owners expect themselves to work at all hours, it doesn\u2019t mean they should push that burden towards their employees. What\u2019s more, they shouldn\u2019t ask their employees to be at their beck and call. It isn\u2019t fair to them, and it isn\u2019t fair for you.<\/span><\/p>\n Both you and your employees should be able to recharge after a job well-done. If you don\u2019t, the organization will experience higher rates of absenteeism, illness, and disengagement.<\/span><\/p>\nHow to Solve Common Startup Productivity Killers<\/span><\/h2>\n
Zero Collaboration and Trust<\/span><\/h3>\n
No Direction or Goal Setting<\/span><\/h3>\n
Complete Lack of Planning<\/span><\/h3>\n
High-Levels of Micromanagement<\/span><\/h3>\n
Little to No Work-Life Balance<\/span><\/h3>\n