Project managers are under more pressure than ever to deliver operational excellence. There are many changes to get used to in the post-pandemic world. Profit margins are still fluctuating, employees are still figuring out new ways to work, and clients’ hazy futures make it difficult to predict the company’s finances. But after more than a year of turbulence, growth and profitability are more important than ever. Because of this, many people choose operational excellence.
You must have heard about the four-day working week in Iceland and Belgium and how rapidly other parts of the world are following suit. Strategies like these are an attempt at optimizing the workforce. The policy would not have worked if not for higher levels of productivity and reduced stress in the workplace. Because of the rapidly changing trends in the business world, the focus has shifted from quantity to quality.
With the shift to remote work, businesses find it increasingly difficult to keep track of their agents’ productivity. Lack of visibility into agent performance makes it difficult to identify and resolve issues quickly. On the other hand, companies that ask their employees to work from the office face a new challenge: decreased engagement and productivity. Oftentimes, people leave their jobs for greater flexibility and a better work-life balance.
Running a business may have been your life’s dream. Being your own boss, making the decisions, and seeing your vision come to life is exciting and satisfying to say the least. However, properly growing a company can be challenging no matter how solid your product or service is. Maybe you need help with setting up the framework of fledgling departments, creating social posts for a major campaign, or meeting an unexpected client need.
Back in the 1930s, economists projected that technological and productivity improvements would make a 15-hour workweek possible in 40-60 years. Yet, here we are in 2022, sticking with the traditional 40 hours. The pandemic has reignited the debates regarding productivity and the importance of work-life balance. Moreover, many companies have been experimenting with introducing the 4-day workweek and yielding interesting results.
Humans and technology. Hollywood has long explored the relationship between the two, from synthetic intelligence in sci-fi movies like Ex Machina to androids living in alternate realities in HBO’s Westworld. In those films and television shows, technology is often depicted as being wildly disruptive, even malevolent. While Hollywood gives us exaggerated stories for entertainment, it does offer a lens into how technology and methodologies can upend how we live.
If you’re caught short and you’ve got deadlines looming, or a long-time employee has vacated their role, you need to decide whether you’ll outsource or look within for your next hire.
