Today, there are more women in the workforce than ever before and that number continues to increase every year. Subsequently, the amount of female executives is also on the rise, but it is still small, especially in male-dominated industries.
However, despite all the progress, the workplace is still tough for females, especially for women who are on top, meaning that sometimes they have to work twice as hard to prove that they are capable of being in the leadership position they were put in.
It is understandable that sometimes being a leader is stressful and tiresome, particularly when trying to balance family and career while facing challenges in the workplace. This is why it is important to have all the leadership qualities needed to gain the respect of your company’s employees and for always delivering amazing results. Productivity and effectiveness are two such skills and they can greatly help women showcase just how skilled and capable they are, as well as prove that the position they have been put in is well deserved.
So, if you are wondering what you can do to gain or improve this, here are some ways you can do it to become a true boss lady no matter the industry you work in.
Contents
1. Set Up Clear Goals & Expectations
Setting up goals on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly level will ensure everyone knows their responsibilities and what is expected from them. As a leader, it is your job to set these goals and expectations and make sure that everyone agrees with them.
You also need to explain and check if everyone understands what needs to be done, not only to avoid having to repeat yourself over and over again, but also to avoid errors, issues, and failure.
2. Value Employee Engagement and Know Your Team
Being a boss means having people working for and with you at all times. This is why having equally productive employees is very important. To avoid creating a negative working environment, engage your employees and value what they have to bring to the table. Recognize their successes and enable them to have a good work-life balance. Provide room for professional development opportunities and give frequent feedback, no matter if it is positive or negative.
Get to know the people you are working with early on, pay attention to their experiences and learn about their skills and capabilities. The more you know the people around you, the more effective you can be as a manager and leader. This also helps establish great communication and teamwork between you and your subordinates.
3. Cut Meetings Short
As their boss or manager, it is understandable that everyone would like to talk to you about any problems they are having. However, listening to every single person is completely unproductive and ineffective.
When it comes to group meetings, focus on the largest issues at hand and discuss the crucial points that will help your goals advance. Keep them as short as possible and you will be surprised how much time you will save by doing this.
4. Utilize the Industrial IIoT
Technology can greatly help you boost your productivity and also help you save time which you can use to complete other tasks. The industrial internet of things or IIoT for short is a software tool that can be used to improve productivity and effectiveness. It is optimal for numerous industries from manufacturing and warehouse management to hospitals and retail such as in pharmacies, restaurants, and many more.
The IIoT solutions offer you a chance to utilize some of the best technology and software solutions to monitor all aspects of your shop floor operations. This will not only increase productivity but safety and security as well. For example, working in the manufacturing industry can be quite a handful, especially if you are in charge of a factory and overseeing its production shop floor.
According to ripplesiot.com, IIoT offers solutions in a single box that will give you access to fully integrated workflow and asset monitoring, inventory and equipment tracking, inventory optimization, realtime analytics, workforce and contractor tracking, and much other useful software.
Wireless indoor air quality solutions enable you to monitor the air quality within your building and depending on the size, it can work as a large network or standalone unit. These systems allow you to keep track of CO2 and dust levels, volatile organic compounds and help you eliminate any harmful substances. Thanks to an interactive dashboard you will get alerts if the levels exceed limits and these solutions can greatly aid in improving the wellness of your employees and their productivity too.
For retail businesses, these solutions monitor temperatures in freezers and fridges, power outages, and staff attendance. One can receive notifications via SMS or email on unusual conditions, break-ins, door openings, and much more. They can even be utilized in smart hospitals for enhanced productivity, efficiency, and patient experience.
5. Place Value on Transparency and Feedback
Never admitting you are wrong or that you have made a mistake will do nothing for your company and the relationships you develop with employees. Do not be afraid to admit when you are incorrect or if there is something you do not know. Promoting the culture of learning can greatly benefit you and your employees and it might inspire them to do their best work.
Holding weekly one-on-one sessions will eliminate any room for miscommunication and will offer you to monitor your worker’s and goal’s progress. Make them short, but allow your employees to ask questions or bring up any issues or worries. Let them give you feedback on your management style if they have any to offer.
6. Manage Your Time Effectively
Doing several tasks at once might not be the best. Not only can it be stressful but it can result in mistakes and doing the work poorly. Manage your time well and separate tasks you need to complete throughout the day based on their importance.
Complete the most important ones when you are the most productive and do not forget to take breaks. Once again, utilizing management software and tools can save you a lot of time, so never overlook its importance. To avoid forgetting certain responsibilities, always write everything down.
Conclusion
Although women continue to have to prove their worth when placed in leadership roles, the growing number of female executives suggests they are doing an amazing job. This is why mastering productivity and effectiveness in the workplace is significant and it can be achieved by working hard and being smart about business. Do not hesitate to use technology to improve workflow and allow it to help you become the greatest boss lady you can be.