You’re in charge, which means you have a million and one things to do on a given day. There are meetings with clients, reviews of content and recruitment interviews to take care of before you think about going home. Time is precious and you don’t have much of it.

So, when it comes to connecting with people, it’s easy to pass it off as unimportant. There are plenty of mediums and platforms for them to try – they don’t need you. Anyway, it can probably wait until the morning when you’re in the office. The truth is it can’t because of the culture. Customers, clients and even employees expect to deal with an issue as soon as possible, and when they can’t, they bounce.

Staying connected around the board is essential yet tough as there aren’t enough hours in a day. Thankfully, the good news is you can make the most out of your limited interactions and here’s how.

Stay In The Office

Employees can’t walk outside and start doing their own thing while they’re the clock. If they did and you found out, there would be repercussions for sure. This is important to keep in mind when you are desperate to get out of the office. Yes, the Starbucks on the corner will offer some relief but it might come at a cost.

When they or a client or customer has a problem, your workers won’t know how to get in touch. Sure, everybody has a phone yet subordinates are wary of messaging their boss when the subject isn’t pressing. However, the same doesn’t apply if you’re in the workplace.

Most employees will walk up, knock on the door and ask for a minute. Working from behind a desk isn’t great but it’s a necessity if you want to keep your finger on the pulse.

Tell Them Where You’ll Be And When

Okay, you have to leave because there is a meeting scheduled. Plus, your brain might explode if you don’t get out now. Sometimes, there is no way around cutting out for a couple of hours even with the help of Skype conferences. Bosses that want stay connected should never exit stage left without forwarding their details first.

The things you need to write down and pass on to the relevant people are your cell number, your social media accounts, and the times you’re unavailable. Also, make sure somebody knows who to get in touch with if they can’t contact you and need to desperately. The news might not be fresh, but at least you’ll hear it at the earliest possible time and will be able to react.

Bosses that wait until they get back into the office are behind the eight ball because they’ve wasted time. As a last resort, leave your partner’s number. Usually, people pick up a call from their loved ones over their employees.

Sync Your Devices

Once upon a time, you could only receive messages dependant on the device in your hand. For example, smartphones didn’t get email alerts. You needed a desktop or a laptop. That has all changed now and there aren’t many forms of communication you can’t see via a mobile device. With that in mind, ensure everything from email accounts to social media apps are downloaded onto your cell.

Another cool trick is to have any message come straight to your phone or tablet. Imagine a client or customer doesn’t have your cell number but has your email address and can’t get through due to a lack internet connection. The right business communication software will allow them to send an email which will land on your phone as an SMS.

All you need is a phone signal and everyone will be able to contact you regardless of the mode of communication.

Speak To The Connectors

Connectors are people that others turn to for help and advice. They have the ear of everybody in the office and can disseminate information at will. All it takes is the right message and they’ll spread it like wildlife.

With these people by your side, you’ll be able to connect with the entire office by communicating with a handful of people. As far as timesavers go, this is up there as one of the best. Ask your managers which employees are the go-to-guys and girls and seek them out.

That way, you’ll never be out of the loop.

As long as you have the correct software and the ear of the people, you should always be one step ahead.