The economy seems to be getting better {right?},but that doesn’t mean that all companies are thriving as they could be.  In fact, some are still laying off employees, while others are looking for ways to better utilize the work force they have left.  The best way to do that is to prioritize efficiency since it’s usually efficient businesses that thrive.  Here is one way to look at being efficient as it interplays with being effective:

“Efficient” is defined as working without waste or using a minimum of time, effort and expense. But, the definition is silent about the goals of the operation. A person can be very efficient at what they are doing but still not get to where they want to be because they aren’t doing the right things. That’s where “effective” comes in. “Effective” means “having the desired result”. Once the desired overall result is defined, the tasks leading to the result can be isolated and these tasks can then be completed efficiently….

The main idea is that being efficient and being effective are not always the same thing and that they must work together to work well.  In terms of your business, your own specific goals will determine how to be effective.  Being efficient is a little more universal.  The sad truth of the matter is that the average worker wastes 2 or more hours  a day because he is distracted.  Distractions come in a  variety of forms, such as conversations, ringing and/or buzzing phones, the clickety clack of high heels down a long corridor, co-workers’  lunch orders, etc..  For any company, large or small, a loss of 2 hours per employee is not exactly efficient.

An excellent option for increasing efficiency, and therefore productivity, is sound masking.  Most people can’t work in ceaseless clamor, but at the same time, they can’t be productive in silence either.  Sound masking is like white noise in that it provides a low-level “hum” that can help workers to tune out irritating distractions that keep them from being productive.

Many companies and small businesses have found that plugging the leak of conversational distractions is more than worth the initial investment.