The key to editing productivity is simple: first determine how much time a task should take; then, communicate your expectation to the employee assigned to the task.

But how do you know if one’s level of productivity is appropriate? According to research, almost any amount of time spent on a page is acceptable!

Why is this? Because there are so many variables involved in a magazine’s production process, including:

1. Page size

2. Type and graphic sizes

3. Percentage of in-house and outside material

4. The number of editors involved in the review process

Calculating Your Editorial Hours per Page

1. Add the number of editors on your staff. (Part-timers count as a fraction — e.g., 0.5 for a 20-hour-per-week editor.)

2. Multiply that number by 2,080 (i.e., 40 hours per week multiplied by 52 weeks). This is your annual editorial staff time.

3. Count the number of editorial pages you have published in the last 12 months.

4. Divide your annual editorial staff time by the number of editorial pages you published in the last 12 months.

Keeping Your Employees Productive

There are three simple aids to minimize miscommunications:

1. A job description (i.e., function, supervision, responsibilities, authority, and expected results).

2. An editorial guide/plan that highlights objectives, decision-making protocol, responsibilities, deadlines, approval procedures, in-house style, etc.

3. An employee handbook that discusses new hire policies, basic responsibilities, paid and unpaid time off, performance reviews, raises/bonuses, rules, and disciplinary action.

Essentially, in order to keep your staff efficient and productive, you need to assess how much time assigned tasks should take, have on hand up-to-date documentation of company procedures and job descriptions, and offer effective editorial leadership.

For more information about this topic, read our special report, Editorial Productivity.