As a business owner, offloading company tasks and responsibilities to others might feel challenging, especially if you were once a small business owner who managed all aspects of the business solo. But automation and task delegation are essential to scale a business and are vital for perfecting your time management skills as a business owner. One of the essential parts of task delegation is selecting the best employee while providing clear instructions and feedback.

Still trying to figure out where to start? Read on for more information on how to delegate and why it’s key for scaling your business. 

How to identify tasks to delegate

For many entrepreneurs and business owners, it can take a lot of work to release some of the responsibility and delegate tasks to employees. However, delegation can be a game-changer for you and your staff. Not all jobs are suitable for delegation, so it’s important to identify the right ones and assign them to the best people. 

Here, we’ll explore how you can identify which tasks you should delegate and how to prioritize them. Before delegating, ask yourself these questions:

• Can someone else perform this task as well as or better than me?
• Is this task crucial to business operations, or can it be delayed or removed?
• Does this task spark joy, or does it feel like a chore?
• Does this task require specific skills or expertise, or can it be done by someone else? Can they be trained if not?

How to categorize your tasks

As a leader or business owner, it’s vital to prioritize big-picture tasks and ideas so the rest of your team can prioritize business growth. One way you can systematically categorize your skills and tasks is in the following four categories:

• Tasks you’re good at and enjoy doing
• Tasks you’re good at but don’t enjoy
• Tasks you’re not good at but enjoy doing
• Tasks you’re not good at but don’t enjoy

By working through this quadrant, you can identify which tasks you can pass on to others, which tasks can be offloaded entirely through automation, and which tasks are more important for you as the business owner to manage.

Tips for prioritizing tasks for delegation

Once you’ve identified tasks that can be delegated, you need to prioritize them to know which will significantly impact the business. Below are some task prioritization tips:

• First things first, start with your low-value tasks. If you have junior-level employees, this is an opportunity to use their skills or teach them something new so they can take over the more mundane tasks. These tasks can include data entry, administrative and scheduling tasks. 
• Next up, delegate your time-consuming tasks. If you notice you can’t complete more important tasks because you’re stuck with tedious projects, it’s time to delegate to other staff members. A few examples might be social media management, emails and market research. 
• Finally, take a look at your growth-related tasks. These tasks are related to growing your business – specifically marketing, sales or product development and research. If you have a team of seniors (for example, senior programmers), you can delegate these tasks to them. 

At the end of the day, the best thing you can do is make sure your task delegation is proactive and not reactionary. Rather than micromanaging your team, you can empower them to take matters into their own hands and participate in the planning and execution process. 

How to choose the right people to delegate to

Task delegation is only effective when you choose the right people for the job. Your delegation success depends on your team members' experience, skills and willingness. Not only is task delegation essential for you, but it’s an opportunity to educate and train your employees for career and goal development. Here are a few things you can look at before delegating tasks:

Evaluate their work ethic

Although skills and experience are necessary, attitude and work ethic are fundamental for an employee’s success. When delegating tasks, look for employees that have an open-minded mindset, are motivated and enthusiastic and want to achieve goals.  

Consider their communication skills

To delegate successfully, you need to have clear communication with your staff. Select employees that have a proven track record of good communication skills. You can trust they’ll feel comfortable and confident approaching you should any questions or issues arise. 

Look into their time management skills

When business owners and managers delegate tasks, time management is directly linked. There is only so much work one person can do, so you want to invest more time in high-value tasks. When choosing an employee, ensure they can manage their time effectively and have the allotted time to complete the job.

Offer support and extra training 

Even if the employee you’re offloading to has the necessary skills, it’s vital to offer supplemental training if it’s crucial to the task. Take the time to explain and provide instructions, resources or tools. This not only helps your staff but helps you in the long term.

Set clear goals and expectations

When delegating tasks, establish your expectations and what’s needed. This can include basic instructions on performing the job, the deadlines and milestones. Don’t forget to check in on your employee(s) and let them know they can come to you with any questions or concerns. 

Why offloading tasks is vital for scaling your business

The more you delegate monotonous tasks, the more you make yourself obsolete. The bigger your business grows, the more challenging it is to manage everything yourself. By outsourcing and delegating tasks, you ensure your company will run smoothly. While it may seem counterproductive, many leaders and business owners don’t do much of the execution – that’s why businesses hire employees. 

On top of that, when you trust your employees and give them chances to succeed, you not only help grow your business but also have a higher chance of employee retention.

With QuickBooks Advanced, you can customize and automate your workflows to stay on top of who’s doing what and when. With technology, you can improve productivity with cloud collaboration with less room for human error. 

Solutions that grow with your business

Delegating isn’t always easy, but it’s an essential skill that should be implemented into your workflow so your business can move forward. With QuickBooks Online Advanced, you can improve your financial performance and operations, among many other benefits. Learn more about how QuickBooks Online Advanced is built to grow with your business here and how you can get started with a consultation today! 

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