Effective visual management is vital to increasing productivity in any work environment. It requires an upfront investment of time and money, but the advantages it provides are well worth the trouble.

If you’ve ever spent an afternoon looking for a misplaced tool or trying to decipher someone else’s handwriting, you know how frustrating lack of communication can be. When everyone on your team shares a language, it’s much easier to convey information and get things done.

One of the biggest causes of this problem is the lack of a central location for information, which is where visual management comes in. In just about any office environment, there are dozens of ways that people can get distracted from their work. In these cases, the fastest way to get back on track is usually to go talk to whoever has the information. If this person isn’t around, however, your productivity can suffer greatly.

One of the simplest ways to avoid these kinds of communication problems is through a system of visual cues that convey important information. Using posters, bulletin boards and other media can quickly mitigate common issues that stem from lack of communication, and maximize productivity in all parts of your business.

To get you started on visual management , here are 10 steps towards better productivity:

1. Whenever possible, replace written instructions with visuals.

2. Loose papers are the bane of good communication; keep them organized at all times.

3. Ensure all team members are using the same visual language to communicate.

4. Introducing VoIP Systems into your software will help everyone stay on the same page and practice clean communication.

5. Allow everyone on your team to contribute relevant visuals; this helps build buy-in throughout the organization.

6. Make sure everything posted is concise and easy to understand at a glance.

7. Clear out old visuals that are no longer relevant to save yourself time searching for information.

8. Ensure all team members can easily find the visuals they need using labeling systems.

9. Make sure only authorized personnel have access to your visuals, to maintain security and accuracy throughout information sharing.

10. Keep track of your visuals using an index, so they’re easy to access when you need them most.

This is just a small sampling of the ways that visual communication can reduce downtime and boost productivity in almost any workplace.

When looking for digital visual management platforms, try contacting an IT Company, they will be able to help you find the right software. With the right software, productivity will sky rocket!

Other Tips for Increasing Productivity

1. Always keep desks as clear as possible .

2. Give employees the tools they need to succeed, and let them do their jobs without micro-management .

3. Ensure everyone has a voice in your business by encouraging them to share ideas with the team instead of just one person.

4. Make sure all distractions are eliminated by closing the door, putting up a “Do Not Disturb” sign or simply staying off social media.

5. Encourage team members to work on their own time, but also stay accountable by asking if they are working when you walk by.

6. Encourage collaboration whenever possible, through simple things like walking around the office instead of sending emails, or hosting a team happy hour to keep morale up.

7. Encourage employees to do their own personal work during downtime instead of looking for distractions.

8. Don’t be afraid to say no.

9. Be sure that employees can easily identify what’s important and what they should work on next by creating visual cues.