How Outsourcing Can Boost Office Productivity
Hands up if your to-do list is longer than your arm. Double hands up if you've ever wished for an extra few hours in the day.
As an office manager, your time is stretched thin trying to juggle all your responsibilities - no wonder the coffee machine is getting so much use!
But what if there was a way to reduce your load without compromising quality? In fact, what if you could get an IMPROVED outcome with less time spent or worse - wasted?
Outsourcing.
It’s hardly a new concept, but for many businesses, outsourcing is a strange one. We’re here to tell you it’s not just for big businesses with deep pockets—outsourcing not only gives you time, but it can also save and even make you money.
In this blog, we'll reveal five tasks you should consider outsourcing to supercharge your office productivity (and one might just surprise you!)
Outsource Your Cleaning
This is an easy one. Even if your team were all expert cleaners, it would make no sense to have them wasting your company's time cleaning their own office space. Make the most of their paid time and expertise and instead delegate cleaning to a professional contractor who can not only clean to a high standard but also improve general workplace well-being and productivity.
Many office managers overlook the hidden costs of poor office hygiene or requiring employees to do their own cleaning.
Poor workplace hygiene (we’re talking mouldy crumbs in the keyboard, unwiped high-touch spots like lightswitches, and undiscarded clutter) can result in avoidable sick days, lower productivity due to dealing with mess and an unpleasant environment, and a poor impression on visitors.
Professional cleaning services like LNC Services ensure a consistently clean and healthy workplace - and you know it’s done to a higher standard as that’s their passion and job. No one cleans like a dedicated cleaner who knows what to look out for and exactly how to get the job done to the highest level.
Don’t lose time and energy managing cleaning schedules, supplies or unwilling staff. If you had a stained carpet, dirty windows or frequently messy floors bringing down the appearance of the office, you wouldn’t get results asking an already busy employee to get the job done at the end of the day. Having a reliable, professional cleaning team on hand and already scheduled means your carpets, floors, windows, shared spaces, and work spaces stay clean, pristine and as organised as they need to be.
Outsource Social Media Management
Social media has become a critical part of any business marketing plan.
But how many people sit in front of LinkedIn or Instagram, tasked to find new clients on social media, and don’t really know what they’re doing? Social media management requires specific skills and knowledge that not all businesses have in-house. The truth is, effective social media marketing is a role that demands a wealth of experience and detailed know-how, so not just anyone can do it.
Outsourcing to a social media expert means you get increased engagement, brand awareness, lead generation and a professional to rely on should anything go wrong.
Outsource Website Design and Maintenance
We all know by now that a professional website is essential for establishing credibility and attracting customers to your business. A poorly built and maintained website can look unprofessional and cause your potential customers to try elsewhere.
There are a lot of technical skills and ongoing maintenance required for a high-performing website. Unfortunately many businesses choose to self-build or take the easy route when it comes to their website, and don't get the results they were looking for.
But it’s worth paying for an expert to handle it all, as a properly designed website will bring in more leads and visitors than if you try it yourself.
Plus, you’ll have WAY less stress and headaches than trying to deal with things that are beyond your skill set- plug-in conflicts, server problems. It’s best to have someone knowledgeable to take this on and take your website from a liability to a valuable marketing asset.
Outsource IT Support
Unless all your IT problems can be solved with an ‘unplug and wait’ strategy, having an IT team on call is advisable.
Reliable IT is a backbone for many businesses, so it's a relief to know that someone can handle emergencies and planned maintenance.
Many IT support companies offer packages that suit any budget, so it’s a good idea to evaluate exactly what you need and contact a company before you need one rather than waiting for a disaster. You may have less time (and ability if your internet is down!) to research before instructing someone!
Outsource The Surprising Task: Office Errands
Tasks like booking hotels for conferences, sorting lunch for meetings, ordering stationery, arranging deliveries can take up time and effort from people who have talent better used elsewhere.
A virtual assistant (VA) can help with this and ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day tasks that ordinarily take up most of your valuable time. Now, this might sound like a luxury, but VAs are not only affordable, but a professional one can be hugely beneficial for office managers and management teams.
A VA slots into your business without stepping on the toes of other employees because they can handle it all virtually. Calling around restaurants to book an important dinner meeting at the last minute, making calls to clients (like booking calls and meetings) and creating invoices - your VA could do it all, so you don’t have to.
They can often be hired in hourly packages, too, so you can just use what you need to free up time for yourself or other staff.
Outsourcing Saves…
Smart outsourcing is a strategic move for businesses of all sizes. And it’s easy to get started; simply assess your own non-core tasks and consider your outsourcing options. What could your team achieve with those extra hours back in their day - including you?
To get started with the most important outsourcing task of all,
get a free office cleaning quote
from our friendly, professional team at LNC Services today.
