It is not how much time employees spend on projects, but the way they spend or manage their time that has the greatest impact on the bottom line. If employees look at how they are spending their time at work, they will be surprised at how much time they spend on tasks of little importance to the organization. Employees may be running harder, but if they aren't running smarter in the right direction, their contribution is of little consequence. Managers today are looking to hire people who have the ability to sift through the minutia and focus on the mission. Smith encourages individuals in organizations struggling with productivity issues to log their time for a week to identify if the projects and tasks on which they are spending their time contribute to the organization's current strategic imperatives.
Productive employees translate to increased profits.
The cost of inefficiency at the individual level is high. When employees come to meetings late or unprepared, and forget assignments or deadlines, excessive time is wasted. Even desk clutter can get in the way of productivity. While technological advances have helped to simplify our lives, this overload of information bogs down our creativity and efficiency. Consolidating critical information using one company-wide planning system, such as the Franklin Planner or the Palm III loaded with Franklin Planner time management software, will minimize crises and increase individual performance level of employees.