Every manager wants to ensure that their office is running as efficiently as possible. For the most part, how productive any given company is comes down to the work ethic and abilities of the managers, and the individual employees themselves. However, there are a variety of programs, tools, and technological applications out there that can boost your office productivity and the efficiency of each individual.
Related:7 Ways To Stay Productive At Work
Below we have listed four of the best tools that will improve office efficiency:
1. Producteev
Producteev is a task management program that can help with the administration and delegation of group or office-wide projects. This software helps you easily assign tasks to employees and receive real-time updates regarding developments. Produkteev can breakdown projects to ensure they are easily viewable by each member of the team, and a comprehensive overview of developments can be gauged. Produkteev will regulate and organize work-flow, and is accessible on Android phones, computers, and laptops.
2. datapine
datapine is a program that allows you to report, view, and share data throughout your office efficiently and hassle-free. The program specifically excels in generating charts and graphs, and allows you to edit, send, and work on these easily. Through simple instructions, datapine helps you to build charts and share them via interactive dashboards. High-standard charts can be created quickly through simple-to-use drag and drop functions. The Cloud infrastructure allows all team members to view the updated charts and graphs from wherever they are at any time.
3. Boomerang
The functions of Boomerang are perhaps more simple than the two tools listed above, but like many of the best tools throughout history, its use and value stems from this simplicity. Boomerang can be installed with any Gmail account and acts as a personal task manager. The program will keep track of the emails you send and receive, and ensures that nothing slips through the cracks.
For instance, you can set up the program to notify you whenever an email you have sent hasn’t been replied to after a few days. Indeed, in such an eventuality, you can even arrange for a specific follow-up email to be sent out after a designated time period. Additionally, you can schedule initial emails to be sent out at certain times. This comes in handy if you want to ensure that your message is found towards the top of the inbox or if you are communicating with offices abroad. The reason this program is so handy is partly because, once it has been implemented, you become aware of how much was falling under your radar before without you realizing.
4. Ergonomic Technology
This fourth recommendation sits apart from the other three, but is no less vital or valuable when you set out to improve your office efficiency. Today, it is commonly accepted that happy employees are productive employees. Though office socials and a good coffee machine go some way to keeping your colleagues content, something as simple as ensuring that they are comfortable at their desk is even more important. Conducting a little research into ergonomic technology will show the methods you can deploy to ensure that your employees aren’t straining their bodies and putting their health at risk by simply sitting at an uncomfortable chair.
This post was originally published at an earlier date.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
