Working from nine to two is no longer as common as it used to be. While new tools such as teleworking and coworking are emerging, companies have greater flexibility to adapt each work routine to the different tasks that need to be carried out. This flexibility has been a key factor in the survival of several businesses after the tough months of lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the recovery period, which several companies are still undergoing.
However, having this flexibility does not mean giving workers complete free rein, as Having a work routine is essential in order to optimize the results.
Why are work routines necessary?
When we think of a routine, the first thing that comes to mind is a monotonous and boring process. Wrong! Having a routine involves follow an order to facilitate the workflow and thus carry out tasks, whether by setting up weekly meetings to discuss the company's progress, or even by holding brainstorming.
This is where the organizational skills of companies come into play, and it is important that they use this tool to their advantage. Habits condition our behavior Based on several repetitions, creating stability in the work and improving the learning process. Therefore, if the company wants to promote innovation, it is necessary to create a routine that favors the creation of ideas and teamwork.
Tips for creating productive work routines
Control
The most important thing when creating a work routine is to control it while it is being carried out. We should not implement a routine at the individual or corporate level and let employees carry it out without supervision. This does not mean penalizing those who do not follow the imposed routine; rather, we should provide the necessary tools so that they can carry it out without difficulty and modify those aspects that prevent that workflow.
Flexibility
As we all know, no two people work exactly the same way and therefore we cannot create a routine for all employees and expect to achieve the same results. It is true that we must provide general guidelines to follow so that the company works as a unit, but without forgetting that we must adapt to the most important and changing factor of any organization: the human factor.
I work in a team
Companies depend on the collaboration of several workers with different skills and knowledge to perform multiple tasks on a daily basis. Therefore, any routine must be based on teamwork to accelerate the process, combining all the necessary resources to optimize the productivity and efficiency of workers.
What to avoid in your work routines
As we have mentioned previously, it is very important to know how to adapt to the context in which the company operates and, therefore, we must avoid creating general routines with low participation. It’s very easy to say this, but how can we do it?
First of all, we must think about why workers avoid sticking to a routine. It is true that, depending on the job, there are some routines that are inevitably monotonous, such as assembly lines. However, whether they are repetitive activities or not, We should not create a closed routine, With fixed schedules and very demanding objectives.
Time is a crucial factor that we can use to our advantage, since we must find a balance between demand and time. If we know that a task is very demanding and requires a great deal of dedication, we must create a routine that allows us to complete this task in sufficient time to consult with colleagues and correct errors, thus achieving the best result.
Secondly, we must avoid creating the impression of a lack of speed. Of course we want to work quietly, with time to modify everything necessary to perform a task to perfection, but this does not mean that we have all the time in the world to do so. Therefore, through incentives We can motivate workers to meet the objectives within the time available, thereby optimizing the productivity of the process.
Finally, We should not create closed working groups, That is, not promoting intergroup communication. It is true that to work more efficiently, it is preferable to have all the necessary resources present in a group of people. However, the ability to collaborate with other groups or departments breaks that agonizing monotony and promotes thinking beyond the established norms.
Conclusion
Having a routine is not only not synonymous with monotony, but is a A fundamental factor that leads to success. You don’t need to have a fixed schedule or goals to be a productive worker; what you need is an structure that gives you the flexibility to work without urgency, but that accelerates the process. An structure that rewards productivity and does not penalize mistakes, but provides the necessary tools to modify those aspects that prevent the workflow.
