Have you ever missed a task your boss assigned you because it got ‘lost in your inbox’? Or, perhaps you’ve emailed important information to a colleague, only for it to go completely unnoticed?
Email communications are one of the most widely used methods of communicating internally with our colleagues, and externally with our customers and suppliers. The appeal is obvious; they’re easy to set up, highly accessible and facilitate instant communication.
But, is it possible companies can better utilise their resources when managing their projects? In this blog, we dive into why so many organisations struggle to efficiently manage their workflow with emails and whether alternative tools to project management could work for you.
Why We Struggle To Manage Workflow With Emails
Competing for Attention
Flagging an email as “high priority” can only do so much. If you’re sending an urgent task brief via email, chances are you’re competing with an endless list of other unopened emails in your employee’s inbox. There’s newsletters, calendar updates, invoices and a whole lot more being pumped into that inbox, every day. When you think about it, it’s not hard to imagine why your employee is missing a task that’s likely been sent to an overwhelmed inbox.
You Can’t Track Task Progress
Has the project been started? Has it been opened? Does your colleague understand the brief, or are they waiting for more information?
When we assign tasks over email, we can’t track progress. We don’t know if the assignee has started that task, or when it will be started. Ironically, the only way to know is to send another email.
You Can’t Track Who’s Doing What
Scrolling through an endless list of sent items is a time-waster that no one wants to endure. When you solely manage your workflow with email, it can make it incredibly hard to stay on top of what tasks you have assigned to who or what your assigned deadlines were.
You Have Limited Control Over the Task Process
How often do you assign tasks that only require contribution from one employee? For project managers that generally assign tasks with multiple contributors, managing workflow with emails can be a hindrance. Specifically, email workflow management makes it difficult to track when the next person in line has started their share of the job.
Project Management Software
Noticing problems with how they manage their workflow, countless organisations have adopted a project management software to assign tasks. A few benefits of project management software include:
Improved Team Collaboration
Project management tools help ensure tasks are fully planned and prepared before the first employee begins work. This allows all employees to view their responsibilities and deadlines with ease. This means if an employee thinks they may have an issue completing part of the task, they can flag this early.
Clearly Defined Task Roles
Project management tools make keeping track of who’s doing what simple. If you’ve forgotten which employee you assigned a specific task to, you can check this with ease. Plus, your employees understand how their role plays into the bigger picture of the task.
Well Defined Goals
Your project is bound to be far more successful if your team understands its purpose. Project management tools encourage transparent goal setting. Everyone on the team understands what the company is working towards, and their unique role in making this happen. This is an excellent motivator for teams.
As well as task goals, WorkPlan Learning empowers all members of your team to set their own strategic goals to assist their personal development.
Tasks Are Easy To See
When you keep your task management in the one place, your assigned tasks are far less likely to go unnoticed. This is because tasks will no longer be competing with a massive list of other unopened emails. Rather, they will be listed in a central location where you employees know they are to access their tasks.
WorkPlan Learning facilitates seamless management of workflow. Every person, both within and outside your organisation, is empowered with the ability to create and share ideas, skills and knowledge. Your team has full access to collaborative and interactive learning opportunities. Project managers can efficiently assign tasks, create events, encourage learning, track strategy and report on progress with ease. Discover how WorkPlan Learning can empower your team here. Contact us for more information.
ALSO READ: WorkPlan – Get everyone in your business on the same page
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