Reducing Interruptions at Work – How to Keep the Flow

Terri Griffith, of the Harvard Business review wrote a great article about finding flexibility and reducing distractions in the workplace. It is absolutely true that every employer demands maximum productivity from his or her labor force. The employees also wish to deliver their best and achieve the set objectives while aiming for a promotion or pay rise. These goals are easily achievable if the staff can secure an uninterrupted progression of ideas and actions that ensure maximum output. The concept of flow can therefore not be over-emphasized in maximizing on efficiency in any working environment. With the modern technological advancements that have been witnessed in the workplace, notifications and alerts have definitely become a distraction in working environments. Phone calls, emails and text messages top the distracting notification list. Apart from employees being disciplined in dealing with such notifications, the team leaders should create an enabling environment that facilitates the achievement of workflow among employees. Common complaints in most work environments involve the presence of excessive meetings and unnecessary work related e-mails. Team leaders should schedule such meetings in advance and communicate most issues during these meetings to eliminate the need for constant e-mailing afterwards. Such meetings should have a specific agenda and be in accordance with their appropriated time. The employees should be encouraged to adhere to a consistent work timetable for this is a sure way to make staff members fully apply themselves in their work. Like the analogy of skiing on a mountain, there is no room for interruption and the developed flow ought to be maintained for as long as it’s humanly possible. Colleagues asking questions of their fellow workers have also been cited as a major interruption in most workplaces. This distraction mainly arises when employees seek explanations and clarifications for confusing tasks encountered in the course of their jobs. This necessitates the employment of techniques that ensure every member of staff is empowered to tackle most problems on their own. When handling specific software to perform official duties at work, employees need to be able to access real-time assistance in accomplishing any task without the intervention of other workplace personnel. One such ingenious and interactive solution is the WalkMe application software. WalkMe enables managers to overlay guiding instructions to key business process in enterprise software. These step-by-step instructions steer the employee, through the simplest to the most complex tasks without seeking any assistance elsewhere. The use of this powerful tool requires little training since it is self-explanatory. Employees are also provided with a chance to constantly learn how to maneuver through the software, hence retaining such skills thus reducing errors as time goes by. Complex office tasks are simplified, making it easier for every employee to develop workflow without disturbing others. The way companies are run has changed a lot over the past years. People now have a more clear understanding of the causes of work related distractions and consequently developed better techniques to combat this problem. Modern tools such as the WalkMe platform are a testament to the evolution of workplace practices and hold the potential of realizing the perfect workflow.