Today, as the workplace becomes increasingly digital, the most common productivity barriers come from clunky, disjointed internal systems or processes and the way we measure and track productivity. In the energy sector, work is largely project-based which makes managing productivity even more challenging, particularly if the internal systems and productivity measurement are not aligned with or supporting the project goals. Here are three common productivity pitfalls we face in the energy industry and how best to avoid them:

Data collection and project reporting are outdated

According to data from The State of Workflow Automation in 2018, managers spend upwards of eight hours per week on inefficient data collection. Using outdated paper forms or other manual tools that are no longer fit for purpose in a modern business is still a barrier holding back many businesses from making progress on projects, processes and business improvements. Inefficient data collection will result in inaccurate or unusable data at all. Giving these processes a digital update will significantly improve results.

Repetitive tasks aren’t being automated

Statistics suggest 90% of employees are being burdened with boring and repetitive tasks which could be easily automated. Not having set document templates, manually correcting errors from team members or needing to double and triple check data all wastes valuable time and impacts productivity. By automating smaller tasks that are frequent within the business and even centralizing internal documents will free up a lot of employee time.

There is a lack of project and team oversight

No clear oversight of overutilisation or underutilisation of a project team, a lack of clear sight of overall project performance or of asset utilisation and availability are all common productivity pitfalls. Project management is already complex, particularly within our sector, but becomes even more challenging without clear oversight that enables efficient and thorough management over all areas and assets.

Work management software is an ally for the busy energy sector worker at any level. Improving productivity through digital transformation is a pathway to more efficient and higher-value project work, while alleviating the pressures of repetitive tasks and barriers slowing down day-to-day work.

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Read more to find out more about how using a work management solution such as Proteus to help you avoid productivity pitfalls, or get in touch with our team today.