It used to be so simple in the eighties! We all knew where we were with the white board and black magic markers. There were forty seven yellow post-it notes around every monitor. Each person had a scribbled to do list covered in a few doodles. Of course the dream was shattered when some bright spark introduced pink and green post-it notes and blue and red markers. It was clear that things were about to get complicated and technical and technology would be the answer. There are a million ways a manager can use technology to give employees the tools they need to manage their time more effectively. This does not mean using word to scribble a to-do list! These days one task might have four relevant emails, two phone calls and three meetings just as a start. How can you allow your team to consolidate everything they need to complete a task and plan their projects and working day?

The trick is to start simply, with the packages available to everyone already. Begin with Microsoft Outlook which most offices use as their standard email package. Each person has a calendar view where time can be allocated in different categories as in or out of the office. There is various functionality available and it worth examining this carefully if you plan to use it as a time management method. It is particularly convenient that individual calendars can be 'shared' to give the entire team access to everyone else's daily schedule, while still allowing them to add 'private' events. The advantage to time management is that staff can see when people are in, out, busy and free and plan tasks around those time blocks accordingly. If one team member needs to book a meeting then they will not have to make several phone calls and interrupt everyone's concentration. Instead, they can check the calendars in a side-by-side view and pick a suitable time for all staff.

Another useful component to Microsoft Outlook for time management is the task list functionality (learn how to by attending one of our time management Outlook training courses). This enables staff to consolidate all the things they need to do. Tasks can be added with reminders set to pop up at particular times. This will ensure employees have a convenient and simple way of taking responsibility for their time management. They can automatically be reminded about a task or part of a task so deadlines will not be missed. Emails and documents relevant to the task can be added to it as a way of monitoring and consolidating information relevant to the task. This ensures that staff have all the information to hand and will improve the quality of their work and reduce simple mistakes. Time is managed more efficiently when everything is conveniently located in one place. Emails can even be dragged directly into the task list where outlook will automatically create a task for it. There is a variety of simple functionality available such as start date, due date etc. Microsoft Outlook can therefore enable users to manage their daily working lives effectively.

It is common for some employees to spend a large amount of time away from the office. If possible, issue staff with phones or PDAs which contain task list and calendar technology. Ensure that these staff members realise the importance of their colleagues being aware of their schedules. It is possible for technology such as blackberry phones to be used to log in to the company network. In this way, even absent members of staff can follow the same simple time management procedures you have given to everyone else.

Once you have given individuals a method of organising their time, it is necessary to consider how a team's time as a whole will managed. When a new project comes in, what technology can be used to help you see who is working on what as whole, without having to delve into individual calendars? I once worked at an office where Microsoft Project was used to create a system called 'The Planner.' All team members were added to the programme. As a start, all personal holiday time was entered so nobody wasted time attempting to get staff members to work when they were not available. Time conflicts were avoided since all project work along with the amount of time estimated to complete it was also entered. Managers could view a simple report showing who was working on what and when they would next be free. Time could be planned out a long time in advance allowing greater organisation of resources.

In an international company, a big part of time management is coordination between time zones. Be aware of the different time zones of each office you need to liaise with and plan tasks and meetings accordingly. If a meeting between staff in two time zones is necessary then consider the best possible time for both parties. Sometimes clients will be in a different time zone to the employees working with them. In this instance, technology must be used in order to allow staff to manage their time. There is of course the simple and safe method of a clock on the wall with a label! There are various web sites which give time zone maps and information. Consider all the options with your team to see which one they prefer.

Using technology to give people the means to manage their time is not solely about using technology for the sake of using it. It is true that people used to survive with a simple hand written to do list, but the way in which we work has moved on. A company can save vast amounts of money on stationary when everything is made paperless. It can also prevent mistakes and allow staff to work more efficiently with each other, thus significantly increasing productivity. While the need to keep up with this modern approach is ever more vital, it is not necessary to have the latest state of the art technology available. In fact, the established methods can be better since many people will already be aware of them and may have used them to some extent. The transition is therefore less complex. The technology itself will be tried and tested and you will be able to use it without worrying about bugs and teething troubles.