Tips for Project Managers Handling Multiple Projects

Struggling to manage multiple projects? It’s not easy delegating work to multiple members of the same team, let alone doing that for various projects. This makes a manager’s job complex and requires that they have superior organizational skills to ensure everything stays on track.

Here are some tips for effective management of multiple projects:

• Involve team members in planning stages:

Managing more than one project at a time means planning different stages of a project together. To reduce the chances of project delays or failure, it’s always best to plan in advance. At the same time, involving your team in the planning stages can ensure they are aware of the important details, which makes it easy to execute work efficiently.

• Maintain regular & clear communication:

Lack of communication is one of the top reasons why project management fails. When managers fail to convey information to their teams, team members are left confused about their goals. Make sure you are maintaining regular communication with each project team and are available to discuss any issues that pop up.

• Set clear expectations:

You don’t want employees feeling confused about who is responsible for what aspects of the project. Make sure you clearly define expectations so employees are well aware of their responsibilities. This not only keeps them on track but also enhances team collaboration. It also prevents time wastage on conflict resolution that arises due to confusion.

• Offer opportunities to enhance employee skills:

One of the best ways to enhance workflow when managing multiple projects is to help employees become better at their jobs. This is possible with the help of employee-centric L&D programs. Thankfully, flexible platforms like Absorb LMS make it convenient to deliver and manage online employee learning initiatives.

• Use the right tools:

This one is a no-brainer. Since you need to manage multiple workflows at the same time, it is crucial to understand what tasks an employee is performing. Using tools like Project Management Software and Time Tracking Apps makes it easy to understand and better control the workflow for smooth operations.

• Seek employee feedback to enhance workflow:

Your employees can make it easy to manage multiple projects by allowing you to understand what’s working and what’s not. They are the ones working on the various aspects of each project on a day-to-day basis. Seeking their feedback will allow you to make adjustments to the project plan and be better prepared for any unexpected issues.

• Prioritize before delegating work:

A manager’s key responsibility is delegating work to each team member based on their skill set and competency. But before you go ahead and delegate work, make sure you prioritize the crucial and urgent tasks to avoid any delays. This allows you to plan your work more effectively and operate in a stress-free way.

• Avoid micromanagement:

Micromanagement is known to kill employee morale as it shows a lack of autonomy. When managers want to continuously seek updates from the team members, it makes them feel like they are not trusted to do their job well. Instead of opting for excessive supervision, set clear goals and tell your employees that you have faith in them to achieve them.

• Set aside time for yourself:

As much as your employees need, so does your own work. To ensure your growth, set aside some uninterrupted time for yourself each day to plan your day and define your own goals. You can do this first thing in the morning to give your day direction and concentrate better on all the projects you are handling.

Conclusion

With these tips, you can avoid unnecessary complexity and shine in your role as a manager. At the same time, make the most of technology to automate tasks and stay on top of things.