Mark Quadros — June 1, 2020 You have an attractive office on the 15th floor with magnificent views and 50 sincere employees with a great academic and work background. And they turn up for work 9 hours a day without fail.
Your brand is impressive, popular among the masses, and yet somehow the numbers don’t seem to go in your favor.
Why?
You constantly bark orders at your employees, set deadlines, and define goals for them. Everything is done on time and yet… something is lacking.
What is it?
Everything seems fine from above but you need to get down and look deeper to know what’s hindering the growth of your company.
If your work environment:
- Is formal and rigid
- Lacks a positive flow of communication
- Lacks suitable technology
- Suffocates employees without room for innovation
- Is authoritarian and micromanaged
Then there’s a high chance that your company lacks employee productivity.
But wait. Why does employee productivity matter?
Employee productivity is a determining factor in your company’s overall success. In addition to their personal development, a high productivity rate also translates to company-wide growth and higher profit.
In simple words, your company is as good as your employees.
That said, you need to take steps to optimize productivity at every level.
Employee productivity is determined by multiple factors and you need to find the perfect mix that works with your employees.
Companies like Google, Netflix and Amazon have 40% more productivity than others. Why? Where have you gone wrong?
Read on and equip yourself with the best strategies that are proven to help boost productivity in the workplace.
Boost Employee Productivity With These Strategies
Strategy 1: Recruit employees who fit in
Most organizations overlook the first step to enhance employee productivity.
You need to bring in people who fit in with your workspace culture. So it’s important to screen your potential employees thoroughly and recruit the perfect fit.
This is a win-win situation on both sides; by recruiting suitable employees, they get adapted and accustomed to the work environment with ease. In return, this comfort will help them work more productively and efficiently.
It also helps ensure a balanced workplace when each individual is in sync with the organization’s principles.
Strategy 2: Sharpen skills with training
Adopt thorough employee training methods that will help employees perform more easily and efficiently. During the training phase, it’s important to answer every question that comes your way. This helps avoid future confusion and setbacks.
And when you introduce a new tool to your team, make sure they’re given sufficient training on it. The demands of work are dynamic and your employees need to continuously update their skills to meet industry standards.
You can also organize workshops and seminars periodically to make sure they are well equipped.
Keep up with the latest trends by making use of effective employee training software which will also allow you to track the training progress of your employees.
However, training them to perform a task isn’t all you should do. You should also train them how to deal with any complexities that might arise, resolve conflicts with colleagues, and other skills like time management and professional communication.
Strategy 3: Update their arsenal
Technology is advancing by the second so it’s important to make sure your employees have access to state of the art facilities they need to get their job done well.
Providing the latest software will not only boost the performance of your team but also give an edge over competitors.
Furthermore, 56% of UK employees feel that they are not provided with the right technology and this affects their productivity.
Here’s something else that may help to make custom apps.
There are multiple services that design productivity software for companies that match correctly with their tasks. 23% of companies have reported that these custom apps help increase productivity.
Creating collaborative platforms can also greatly enhance team projects by facilitating easy sharing of files, separating tasks, and compiling them. It will also allow employees to communicate clearly and collaborate as a team..
Strategy 4: Support work from home
Shifting to a work-from-home environment is bound to affect your employee in one way or another. It might affect their mental health or upset the work-life balance.
But giving employees the chance to work from home can be influential in boosting productivity and all the statistics point in a positive direction.
Furthermore, studies have shown that remote employees work three weeks more every year over regular office workers.
So, effectively managing a remote team is a great way to boost workplace productivity and keep your employees happy.
Image via Business 2 Community
Strategy 5: Develop insights about your team
Listening to employee feedback is important. And interacting with your team as a member rather than a boss can help. This encourages them to communicate clearly and effectively while helping you learn more about them as well.
It’s important to connect with each individual and always have an open ear for any concerns or suggestions. You should also encourage new ideas and support them in their decisions.
By learning about your employees, you can delegate tasks that best match their skill set. This is a sure way to increase productivity.
But also make sure to step in and resolve any conflicts within the team as positive team dynamics are essential to a productive work environment.
Strategy 6: Drop the authoritarian act
If you think that constantly breathing down the necks of your employees will boost workplace productivity, you couldn’t be more wrong.
In fact, this could cause them to work out of fear or not indulge in the task with interest.
Yes, work gets delivered on time but there will be nothing novel or exceptional about it. And… you’ll have a desk full of mediocre submissions.
Productive teams work best when you avoid micromanaging them and grant them autonomy over how, when and where they work.
If one works better while listening to music, encourage it. If another prefers working at night, let them. Allowing them to choose their working style gives them much-needed freedom in the workplace.
Adopt a leadership style that is best suited for your team and organization. A blend of charismatic and democratic leadership often works best.
Strategy 7: Recognise and reward
Positive reinforcement has positive effects on productivity. By providing positive feedback on an employee’s performance, his dopamine levels increase and he is motivated to work better.
Furthermore, it helps them gain confidence and believe they are capable of achieving more.
A study conducted by Cicero showed that more than 50% of employees felt that recognition and not bonuses was the most important factor that drives productivity.
So schedule regular performance checks or reviews with your employees. Evaluate their work and reward them for exceptional performances. This can also make them more loyal and determined to do their job well.
Strategy 8: Job Satisfaction
Psychology says that job satisfaction and employee productivity are directly proportional. This is backed by several studies that examined this relationship.
In fact, a study by the University of Warwick concluded that satisfied employees are 12% more productive and dissatisfied employees are 10% less productive.
This relation is very simple. When your employees are happy overall, it shows through in their work.
A common mistake that employers fail to notice is overworking their employees which is often a leading factor for job dissatisfaction. So it’s important to listen to employee feedback and take action.
Strategy 9: Offer Perks
What perks do your employees enjoy by being a part of your company? None? Then you really need to up your game.
Top companies like Google and Facebook are popular for their organizational style and the insane perks their employees gain. While you don’t have to beat out Google or Facebook, you can (and should) throw in perks for your employees.
Here are some perks you could include:
- Paid maternity leave
- Free lunch and snacks
- Sponsored trips
- Free transport facilities for work
- Medical facility in the premises
- Daycare facility
- Discounts on company’s products/services
- Recreation centre/ gym
Strategy 10: Be lenient with social media usage
A majority of the world consumes social media multiple times a day. While initially, it was a means of communication, it has since expanded in purpose.
So, don’t ban your employees as they might use social media for various reasons that could be work-related as well.
Many employees work by setting short term goals or time limits after which they take a break, similar to the Pomodoro technique.
For example, they might reward themselves with 5 minutes of time on social media after 25 minutes of work and this helps them work more productively.
What’s your role?
The simplest way to boost employee productivity is putting yourself in their shoes and understanding your own areas that need improvement. This will help you figure out what to do (and not to do) to improve employee productivity.
As a manager, youplay an influential role in maintaining positive morale in the workplace. So it’s important to lead by example and motivate your employees to perform to the best of their capabilities.
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