Working as an HR leader means you probably have a lot on your plate. From managing PTO and employee requests to healthcare benefits and more, there always seems to be something that needs your attention.
The reality is that it can be difficult to find ways to save time without sacrificing quality care for your people. But have no fear, the Healthee blog is here…
While it may seem daunting at first, using tech to your advantage is going to save you a lot of time (and energy) in the long run. With a digital workspace, you can have a general overview of your tasks and projects at any given moment and identify where you might be able to delegate or cut down on certain processes.
Plus, it will allow you to access files and documents from anywhere at any time, which can be extremely helpful if you find yourself working outside of the office.
There are many different tools and resources available to help you manage your time including calendar apps and easy-to-use project management software.
Want to see how much time you’re spending on specific tasks each day? Project management software with a time tracker feature is one of the best practices to stay aware of how much time you’re spending on each project so you can start to prioritize and time block effectively. Which brings us to tip #2.
This might seem obvious, but in the hustle and bustle of everyday work, prioritizing your tasks is often the first thing that goes out the window. Take a few minutes each day to map out your tasks in order of importance and experience the utter joy of clicking off tasks from your to-do list with gusto.
One way to do this is by using the Eisenhower Matrix which helps you sort your tasks into 4 different categories:
Once you’ve sorted your tasks into these categories, you can start to work on the most pressing items first and move down the list as needed. This system allows you to see where you can delegate some of your less important tasks to free up time in your day instead of multitasking everything at the same time.
Once you’ve identified your priorities, it’s time to start scheduling and time blocking.
Time blocking is the process of taking your list of tasks and assigning a specific amount of time to each one so you can work through them systematically. This is different from traditional scheduling because it allows for more flexibility and doesn’t involve setting specific appointments or times for each task.
Time blocking is an effective way to increase your productivity because it allows you to focus on one task at a time, without getting sidetracked. It can be helpful to set a timer or use a time-blocking app for each task so that you stay on track and avoid getting bogged down in the details.
Plus, by scheduling breaks into your day, you can avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
And time blocking is easily adaptable to changing circumstances. If something unexpected comes up, you can simply adjust your schedule accordingly without having to completely start from scratch.
In school we learned not to have other people do our work for us. Yeah, that’s not how things work in the real world though. In fact, delegating tasks and projects is an important managerial skill and the better you can get at it, the higher you can rise.
If you’ve put some of our previous suggestions in place, you should now have a good idea of which tasks can be successfully delegated or outsourced.
When delegating tasks, it’s important to be clear about what you expect others to do and provide them with enough information so they can successfully complete the task. Additionally, you’ll need to follow up with the person periodically to ensure that the task is moving along smoothly.
While task delegation may seem like it creates more people to have to check up on, it’s important to learn how to trust others to support you when you need it.
Outsourcing is another option to consider if you have tasks that need to be completed that don’t require your personal involvement. Administration, compliance, payroll, and recruitment can all be outsourced potentially.
This doesn’t mean that you’re shirking your responsibilities but, rather, that you’re taking your role as a leader seriously enough to make time to focus on urgent and important issues that may arise and improve productivity in the workplace.
One of the most time-consuming tasks that HR Leaders deal with is answering questions on health benefits (especially around Open Enrollment season). Health benefits are often confusing and difficult to understand, which can lead to a lot of time spent answering employee-related healthcare questions. And because you probably want to maintain a good SLA, health benefits questions can interrupt the other tasks that you carefully time blocked.
Instead of spending time with each employee one-on-one to explain their health benefits and plan options, you can use an AI-powered communication platform like Healthee to tell employees what is covered, where to get treatment, which plan would work best for them, and how to save money on care. Healthee has the capacity to read and understand any insurance policy and explain it in easy-to-understand ways. This way, you can ensure that employees are getting the information they need in a way that they can understand without you having to spend your most valuable asset – time – going over the same details with each one.
If you’re ready to start enjoying your lunch break in peace, Book a Free Demo With Us, to see how Healthee can help you take your time back.
It's that time of the year again, open enrollment. And now is the time to send an open enrollment email to employees to ensure they are aware of their benefits and actively engage in the open enrollment process.
Transform your enrollment process from stressful to seamless. Here’s how to unlock the advantages of benefits open enrollment software.
HR teams constantly spend time handling employee benefits inquiries – learn how HR automation can eliminate the busy work.
