Doing More With Less, or Just Doing Less?
In business, the axiom “Dong More With Less” gets thrown around a lot. Those who have worked for a company that struggled through financial crisis understand this problem firsthand. To contain spiraling costs, the business cuts workers. Those left behind feel an awkward sense of gratefulness and pick up extra duties to keep the business moving along.
According to Ron Rael, CPA, CGMA, founder of the High Road Institute, companies are starting to feel the effects.
“We’ve been running so lean for so long that it’s starting to hurt companies profitability-wise, morale-wise, culture-wise and, more importantly, employees are starting to get burned out.”
When employees are pushed beyond their physical limits, productivity inevitably suffers. Further, there is an indirect cost as medical costs rise to treat the associated illness that comes from 60 or 70 hour work weeks. We know that stress is a major contributor to illness, and excessive workloads are a top driver of stress. Doing more with less almost always leads to just doing less. Simon Sinek shares some incredible thoughts on the chemical and social causes of workplace stress in the video below:
When it comes to stress and a lack of resources, perhaps no industry is hit as hard as the American school system. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, teacher jobs continue to be cut while student enrollment grows exponentially. It’s why OneLink IT has been proud to partner in our local schools, driving events like the #WorkReady Middle School Career Day, the #WorkReady Career Connect for high school students and most recently, the Meadow View School Jog-a-Thon.
As schools attempt to do more with less, they rely on outside funding and volunteers to help educate our children. Studies are clear about better foundational skills leading to a more productive workforce. Organizations must change the way they think about achievement and results if they want to sustain lasting success.
Changing the Conversation: Effective Results
On the surface, “doing more with less” seems a lot like “work smarter, not harder.” But there’s a subtle, yet dynamic difference between the two. The first statement is often reactive while the second is proactive.
Trying to get more done with fewer resources, capital or technology invites a reactive approach. Blame it on the economy, competition, changing customer demands or any of a thousand other reasons that are really excuses in sheep’s clothing. To effectively product results, business owners have to think proactively. They have to anticipate future challenges, chart a course and arrive at an expected outcome. Business doesn’t just happen.
Thinking proactively includes thinking proactively about technology. At a recent Chamber of Commerce event, OneLink IT’s Tim Bess had this to share with local CEOs and business owners:
“One of our biggest challenges is helping small business owners see IT as an investment in their business, not a cost to be contained. Many companies operate on razor-thin margins and view technology as a capital expense that leaches on their bottom line. They’re thinking about this month, not six months out, and so they look for the cheapest, easiest solution, even if that solution will fail in four months. My mission is to get them thinking strategically about how technology can boost overall productivity and significantly drive up revenue.”
Link Source helps customers proactively address their needs at every step in the IT lifecycle. We actively curate a strong portfolio of products and services that are specifically designed to help businesses succeed. Instead of reacting to the rapidly moving environment around your business, we help your business move faster.
Acquisition
- Technology moves fast. We keep your business moving faster with everything from servers, workstations, networking hardware, phones, and internet failover solutions.
Implementation
- Your systems and hardware should be collecting data, not dust. We offer a full range of installation and customization options so that your new technology works the way you want it to.
Productivity
- Agile applications let your team respond quickly. We partner with industry leaders like Microsoft, Google, Amazon and Adobe to ensure your team has the right software to make business happen both on-premise and in the cloud.
Training
- Fast cars need fast drivers. Make sure your software doesn’t become shelfware with our catalog of vendor training courses designed to keep your team engaged and moving forward.
Protection
- Rapid results can take a wrong turn if ransomware enters the picture. Stay protected from threats with trusted names like Symantec, Sophos and McAfee.
Recovery
- Life happens. And so do data breaches. Let our team safeguard your data from disaster with vendors like Veritas, Quorum and Carbonite. Recover your critical data in minutes and ensure your business continues making headway.
Taking Action
Do you worry your business is reactive instead of proactive? Are you constantly focused on the current month instead of looking towards your company’s future? Do your employees have the tools and resources to be productive and effective?
If you’re curious about helping your team work smarter, contact Link Source today and schedule a business analysis!
