Project managers are responsible for keeping track of the tasks assigned to team members, measuring progress against set goals, and updating stakeholders on how work is progressing. Managing all these tasks manually can be very taxing, especially when multiple projects are going on simultaneously. That’s where a project management tool comes in handy.

But what if the senior executives aren’t on board with the idea of deploying a project and portfolio management solution? In this guide, we discuss why project management solutions are important and how you can convince your boss to get one.

Why is Project Management Important in a Hybrid Work Environment?

A hybrid work environment is exactly what it sounds like – hybrid.

Instead of working in the office every day, employees are given the freedom to work from wherever they’d prefer. However, when employees are not physically present in the office every day, it can be difficult for management teams to supervise them or oversee their performance.

With a project management solution, monitoring employees and their work becomes straightforward.

For example, an employee who may not be assigned to a particular task may instead choose from tasks available in the system. A PPM solution automatically tracks all progress, ensuring no one falls through the cracks or misses deadlines.

Why Do You Need to Use Project Management Tools?

Why use project management tools when you can also handle tasks manually? That’s one of the objections to come up when you have to convince a senior executive that the organization needs a project management tool.

Here are some benefits of using a project management tool rather than doing things manually or on a dozen different platforms:

• Smooth Collaboration: A project management tool lets teams communicate, collaborate, and share files easily. It helps them keep track of revisions, upload new versions to the system, and delete old ones without worrying about losing or overwriting any data.
• Integrations: You can also integrate project management with other applications used by employees to streamline business processes even more. For example, if an employee is creating a sales order, they can import it to the project management tool and update the status as soon as it’s done.
• Continuous Project Monitoring: Project managers are able to keep stakeholders up-to-date on how work is progressing by sending out updates via email or using features such as chat and video conferencing.
• Data Sharing: A project management tool lets you share and access information in real time with everyone in the organization or certain groups.
• Simple Resource Management and Allocation: Proper resource allocation is vital, especially in small organizations. A project management tool makes it easy for managers to assign tasks and track the progress of every team member. Plus, they can allocate resources based on availability, skillset, past performance, and more.
• Saving Time: Lastly, you can also save time by using a single platform instead of tracking things on multiple platforms where information isn’t always updated or maintained properly.

Steps to Convince Your Boss You Need a Project Management Tool

Senior executives may think using a project management solution creates more work for your office because employees have to input all tasks, deadlines, and deliverables into the system rather than just clocking in and out every day.

However, it’s only when you start using a solution that you realize the convenience it brings. It also helps keep the budget in control and save time. Here are some ways to convince your boss that a project management software is a necessity for your company:

Exhibit Its Value

Show the value of using a project management tool by highlighting how it prevents employees from straying. If you have people working remotely, give them tasks to do and show how they can easily log in to the system at their own convenience.

If budget’s an issue, highlight the cost savings you’ll get from using a PPM solution instead of other alternatives.

Make Problems Known

Regardless of how big or seemingly trivial the problem is, it’s important to let your boss know about the problems you’re facing so that they can take action.

For example, if employees are using a communication tool but the app doesn’t have a specific project management feature, use this situation as an opportunity to pitch your idea for a project management solution instead.

Another issue may be that projects aren’t always aligned with business goals because the information isn’t shared across departments or the teams involved.

Show your boss that project management solutions can help streamline business processes and improve productivity.

Create a List of Benefits

Think about how employees waste time when they’re not using project management tools. For example, do they forget to complete tasks or lose track of deadlines often? Do they turn to colleagues for updates instead of going to the source of the problem?

Once you’ve determined what’s causing workflow issues, create a list of benefits that can be achieved by using a PPM solution. Doing this will be helpful when you’re pitching your idea to your boss.

If employees constantly forget to submit their timesheets because they’re too busy with work, for instance, show how a PPM software can help them easily submit timesheets even using their smartphones.

Get Everyone On Board

You need a group of project managers or employees in the organization as your allies. They can back you up when you’re pitching your idea to senior management.

That way, you’ll have a ready group of supporters for your initiative when convincing your boss that it’s time to use a project management tool.

Have an Implementation Plan Ready

Go to your boss with a pre-curated implementation plan so that all they have to say is ”yes” to your request. When everyone knows what to do, it makes onboarding smoother and quicker.

Now that you know why project management tools are important and how you can convince your boss to deploy one in the company, it’s time to take action.

A project management tool is helpful regardless of the size of your company or the specific position you hold because it boosts productivity while helping teams function better.

Offering the perks of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, BrightWork 365 is a reliable project and portfolio management tool that facilitates collaboration in a work place, helps teams generate data-driven insights, and do more.