Multitasking,
considered as the ability to do more than one thing at a time, can seem like a positive trait in the profile of a professional. However, according to a report by The Harvard Business Review, this trend can reduce worker productivity by up to 40%.
The reason is none other than the need to change your mentality to face a new task (even if it is similar to the previous one). If this transition is not facilitated, companies run the risk of seeing their profitability decline over time.
Multitasking Employees: Advantages for SMEs
Having a good multitasking worker implies a series of advantages for companies. Above all, for SMEs.
SAVING
Thanks to them, organizations can reduce operating costs significantly by not having to hire or train new employees.
As is well known, the hiring of new professionals is always a cumbersome process devoid of guarantees. Even the best candidate could create problems in the future.
EFFICIENCY
On the other hand, employees with multitasking skills are able to perform several functions at once, thus raising productivity rates.
Thus, instead of appointing a new person, it is always more appropriate to place trust in someone who is already part of the staff and who can easily perform multiple responsibilities.
REDUCED OPERATING COSTS
Multitasking, of course, not only encourages savings in payroll,but also in operating costs.
What do you mean? By reducing dependence on labour, fewer material resources willalso be required: less investment will have to be made in computers, telephones and furniture, so that these economic resources can be allocated to other more important items.
At the organizational level, having this type of workers makes the organizational chart of the company also much more flexible.
As is known, department changes and transfers are always traumatic for the production process, but this risk is reduced thanks to multitasking.
LEARNING CAPACITY
Likewise, these professionals usually have greater learning and growth capabilities than employees who can only carry out one action at a time.
In this way, multitasking workers will be able to function much better in new work environments and in the face of any paradigm shift.
What Disadvantages Does Multitasking Present in the Enterprise Environment?
On paper, the commitment to the multitasking worker brings a good number of benefits (especially economic) for companies, but there are also many risks if it is not applied properly.
For starters, workers may feel confused when jumping from one task to another without completing any of them. To this we must add the constant calls and emails on the most varied professional topics, which only serve to generate more chaos in the office.
It’s not the only problem. Requiring an employee to perform several tasks at once, even if they are not required to be 100% effective, has a high probability of generating anxiety and stress in workers.
In addition, it cannot be forgotten that multitasking usually leads to distractions on the part of managers, co-workers and clients,who request their share of attention.
The logical consequence of all this will be the feeling of frustration that the worker will experience when completing all his tasks.
This will lead to dissatisfaction for clients and more working hours for the professional, who will end up exhausted and possibly claiming
leave from work
due to stress.
A catastrophe for the company
Poorly managed multitasking causes the workforce to reduce their performance and productivity,aspects that influence the morale of workers and the company’s income statement. And it is that an employee distracted by the multiple tasks he has to carry out will hardly be able to improve his work performance.
To avoid this, it is necessary to train the employee in the management and handling of various responsibilities within the office.
This will increase its production and enable it to meet the various performance indicators expected of it.
Conclusions
Multitasking involves a long list of advantages for companies and employees, but also risks if not managed properly.
Therefore, it is necessary to train workers so that they can manage their tasks according to their importance. Thus, they will put aside the pressure of answering emails or calls that only involve interruptions and distractions. As you complete tasks, the professional will feel increasingly able to manage for himself an agenda in which responsibilities of all kinds are included.
But this also entails a very important commitment on the part of the employer: not to disturb the employee or continuously add unsymity tasks. Especially if a delivery deadline is approaching. Multitasking, well managed, is risk-free.
