Employee productivity can be increased by working smarter, not harder. Frequently, the most crucial factor in the success of your business is making the most of your employees’ time and energy, as well as keeping them happy and engaged in their work environment.
It’s in a company’s best interest to get as much work done with as few resources as possible. Time is money. If you can get twice as much work done in half of your usual time, then you can either hire fewer employees or give your current team more flexibility to take on additional projects. Either way, an increase in productivity will ultimately pay off—and it doesn’t even need to be drastic.
The success of your business hinges on the productivity of your employees. Here are seven tips for increasing your employees’ productivity that you can incorporate into your workplace today.
Make Meetings Worth It
Never let a meeting run longer than it should. If you notice that time is running out, feel free to cut off your participation abruptly and thank everyone for their time. As long as you’ve ensured that all issues have been discussed and solutions are documented in an action item list, there’s no need to waste more of your employees’ time.
Set an agenda before each meeting—preferably one day ahead of time—and send out a short recap via email before closing up shop. It will help ensure that every member of your team has an understanding of what was discussed during their absence; if you really can’t swing a day ahead, at least provide key points within 24 hours after completion.
Reward the Hard Workers
Make sure your team knows that you appreciate their hard work. Whether it’s a shout-out in an email or posting a note on your bulletin board, simple gestures can go a long way in boosting morale and productivity.
After all, if employees feel appreciated, they’ll keep doing great work. If one of your employees consistently goes above and beyond to get projects done, consider offering them more opportunities for growth at work as well. Remember to recognize positive behavior and results publicly, so others know how to be successful at your company as well.
Make It Easy to Communicate
One of your top priorities as a manager is to keep your employees in sync. Whether they’re across town or out of the country for business trips or working from home, you need to be sure they know what’s going on with work and are free to communicate their needs and opinions. It’s tough enough being out of sync, so figure out what technology will be most helpful for keeping your team up-to-date.
Easy communication can prevent distractions by providing your team with instant contact with you and each other. Even if they don’t need to talk to you every day, they should be able to get a hold of you if something needs your attention.
Invest in Your Company’s Environment
Investing in your office to create a pleasant and productive environment that inspires creativity can hugely impact productivity. You might not be too keen to replace all furniture, but you can do small things like creating an inviting coffee area or providing fresh flowers around the office.
You can also think of replacing or improving HVAC systems like heating that directly impact your employees’ experience. Heating systems are some of a facility’s most vital pieces, as they have an immediate effect on staff productivity and retention.
Develop Strong Routine Habits
It’s much easier to be productive when you’ve carved out regular times in your schedule for focused work, self-improvement, and relaxation. Having a consistent routine also makes it much easier to maintain focus during those peak times of productivity since you’re already in your groove.
Habits make everything else easier, too—from building rapport with co-workers to juggling multiple projects simultaneously. If you want to be more efficient and effective at work, start setting daily goals that will help create good habits (like having an established start time), then follow through on them consistently over time.
Let Your Employees Try Something New
While their old tasks might not sound exciting, your employees are more than capable of doing something new. If you want them to be happy and motivated, allow them to try something different. See what they’re made of. Instead of focusing on making your business profitable, focus on using your business as a tool to help others succeed. Just make sure that whatever you try will work in reality; just because an idea sounds good in theory doesn’t mean it works well in practice.
Reduce Distractions for Your Employees
Harvard Business School researchers found that workers were less productive in an open office setup. Fewer distractions could make all of your employees more focused and efficient. If you can’t afford to convert to private offices, consider eliminating external disruptions with tools like Freedom, a free app that blocks websites like Facebook and Twitter when you’re trying to get work done.
Businesses that employ happy, productive employees tend to succeed in other areas, too. While there is no one magic solution, there are many ways companies can boost the company’s output and create a win-win situation for all involved. The strategies listed are just simple ways to reach your goal of increasing employees’ productivity.
