Setting Targets 1

ACTION PLANS Prepared for large or long term projects 2 Tasks should be arranged in the order in which they should be done An estimate of completion time should be given Any notes to explain actions or changes in priorities

3 Action required eg tasks Estimated time for completion Actual time taken to complete Notes Discuss with line manager hotel criteria that should be met 2 hours3 hoursCosts, facilities, distance from airports, train stations, hotels required in each city Research hotel information 6 hours9 hoursAA/RAC Handbook, Internet, Yellow Pages, Telephone Directories Tasks should be arranged in the order in which they should be done NOTE: Order may have to be changed at short notice An estimate of the time required to complete the task The actual time required to complete the task Reminders to “jog” your memory … in effect, brainstorming

Action Plans Plans may have to be amended due to unforseen circumstances A member of staff fails to turn up for work Computer network crashes Line manager changes the deadline for a piece of work 4

PRIORITIES LISTS (To Do Lists) Completed on a daily basis Mixture of high, medium and low priority Ensures flexibility, so that some tasks can be delayed if necessary 5

Personal Development Plan Individual targets will be recorded in a PDP. This is a formal document which is used to record areas of strength and areas for development. It allows an employee to:- Focus on specific aspects of his/her job Identify skills that the employee already has and which can be shared with other employees Identify his/her training needs Expand his/her job role within the organisation 6

7 Areas of strength and areas for development … identified in Personal Development Plan DateAreas of competence identified Areas of development identified Development required Target Date Review Notes AugConstructing Access databases Sorting on 1+ fields Linking databases Advanced interrogation of information Access training at Advanced Level MayCourse attended and skills put into practice STRENGTHS … skills employee already has WEAKNESSES … skills employee would benefit from acquiring TRAINING … Identify training requirements to turn weaknesses into strengths Date by which training should be completed REVIEW … Can be used as part of staff development and review process … STAFF APPRAISAL SYSTEM

8 Setting Targets Targets should have certain characteristics: SSPECIFIC – is the target well-defined and does it state exactly what is required? MMEASURABLE – is the target measurable in quantifiable or qualitative terms? AAGREED – have you discussed and agreed the targets with your line manager? RREALISTIC – do you have the necessary knowledge/skills to complete the target set? TTIMED – have you set a completion date?

9 Monitoring achievement of targets … Control Mechanisms TARGETS should be seen as: An aid to help a worker to receive assistance if necessary An aid to help a worker to achieve targets CONTROL MECHANISMS should establish whether targets are running to the planned schedule: Random or sample checks of work … some tasks checked by supervisor, but not all Double checks … task also completed by supervisor to ensure results obtained are the same Buddy systems … where a more senior member of staff can be called upon for help or advice Gantt charts … planning chart of graph which shows at which stage in the schedule a project is at Periodic method and systems audits … review and amendment of existing systems to achieve greater efficiencies or improved practices

10 Task Management Skills ORGANISATION … looking ahead and planning, monitoring progress and achievement PRIORITISATION … deciding on what is important and what is less so DELEGATION … deciding when it is appropriate to ask someone else to do some of the tasks CONTROL … tackling work calmly and in priority order ASSERTIVENESS … being able to say “NO” when necessary NEGOTIATION … being able to negotiate deadlines and resources RESOURCE MANAGEMENT … using time, staff and equipment appropriately EVALUATION … seeking improvement and identifying causes of any problems

11 Time Management Good time-management techniques should ensure that: The best use is made of the time available Time-wasting activities are minimised More time is made available for important/urgent jobs Problems which can arise with poor time management: Activity panic … jobs left unfinished … running from crisis to crisis as deadlines approach Reactive not proactive … reacting to crisis rather than planning and prioritising tasks methodically and carefully Work overload … being pressed for time … a backlog of jobs starts to build up Stress … feelings of anxiety and not coping … feelings that work will never be completed by deadline … inadequacy

12 Time Management – Time Stealers Lack of forward planning Telephone conversations/interruptions Unexpected visits from colleagues Taking on too much work Taking work home Not assessing priorities correctly Lack of self-discipline/shuffling papers Communication problems Making unnecessary journeys Searching for lost papers/not filing properly Darting from one task to another Not delegating tasks Not allowing time for yourself

13 Benefits and consequences of Time and Task Management BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANISATION Increased productivity Increased quality of work Good customer relations Increased competitiveness in the marketplace Staff have lower stress levels Good working relationships Job satisfaction CONSEQUENCES TO INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANISATION Poor productivity Poor quality of work Increased costs Deadlines not met Unhappy customers and suppliers Low level of competitiveness in the marketplace Stress-related staff absences Poor work relationships Poor job satisfaction