With a busy small business, you have a lot to do. Most of the tasks in your small business falls on you. Though you might want to do all the work yourself to make sure it is done the way that you want it, this can lead to burn out. Instead of working until you fall asleep in the midst of handling your accounts receivable, you should delegate tasks to others in your business. This can save you time, money, and energy. You get to focus on the important parts in your business like providing services to your clients and expanding your client base. If you need to change up how you delegate so that you’re getting the results you want, read these 5 simple delegation tips for your small business and put them into practice.
Explain the Duties Well
Your employees and independent contractors cannot read your mind. They also can’t always look at a task and do it how you’d like it to be done. It’s important to take the time to explain how these tasks should be completed. Lay out the details. Make the tasks they need to do completely clear. Be sure they realize they are responsible for a task. Encourage them and answer any questions they may have. Encourage them to come to you in the future if any questions arise or if they believe that they have a better way to complete the task. By taking the time to explain, answer questions, and document procedures in writing, you make sure that your employees and contractors know what needs to be done.
Grant Authority
In your business, you are the final authority on any matter. Any person you hire or contract with to delegate to will need your authority to take over the tasks and to make decisions where necessary. If you don’t make it clear that they have the authority to take over a task and make decisions, they may get confused on what they can and cannot do. This places a problem in their path to getting work done. Verbally explain and document in writing the authority level that your employee or contractor has regarding their duties. Give them passwords and usernames, a budget, and decision permissions if they need them. This helps you delegate and helps your business thrive!
Emphasize Clear Communication
You may delegate a lot to your employees and contractors. It’s important to be sure that they understand and agree to what you’re giving them to do. You wouldn’t want a miscommunication to happen when an employee or contractor didn’t have time to complete all the tasks assigned to them. A task that doesn’t get finished is a delegation failure. Don’t fail. Be sure to check in with your employees and contractors. You also want to be sure that they have enough time to finish their tasks. Emphasize that they can come to you with any question or suggestion to get their tasks done effectively. Listen to them and give them leeway to use creativity in their completion of the task. Use clear communication in your delegation and be ready to listen.
Check Their Work
Checking their work might seem like a big hassle. It’s important to do so that you can catch problems as they happen and fix them. This helps you know if they need more training to complete their delegated task or if it needs to be delegated to another person. This is about checking for quality.
Outsource to Experts
If you are currently a one-man (or woman) show, you may find outsourcing your work to be a great way to delegate. Instead of hiring an employee and having to pay an employer tax, provide an office and essential equipment, go through a hiring process, and train your employee, you can outsource your work to a qualified professional who specializes in fulfilling your business needs. Delegating to a business who helps you with your needs can be the right move for your business. For instance, outsourcing customer service help and client intake can give you ‘round the clock coverage. Compare this to hiring an employee for customer service help, as your employee will only be available within business hours. Outsourcing can help you delegation in positive ways!
Employees too Hard to Find? Consider Outsourcing to Clients ARM
If you live in a rural area or small town, you may not be able to find the help you need. Outsourcing can help you, and who better to outsource to than Clients ARM? We have over 30 years of experience and we provide top-notch quality services including accounts receivable management, billing, customer service, and much more! If you’re ready to delegate and don’t have the time to hire, contact Clients ARM. Don’t wait! Contact Clients ARM today to receive a free consultation to find out how we can help you!
