According to EY-Parthenon, workplace productivity in the US is at the lowest reported levels in 75 years. This is an alarming revelation, especially considering today’s discouraging economic and market conditions.
Demotivation, burnout, poor incentives, and a variety of factors are behind this trend that is costing businesses money, resources, and growth opportunities. Clearly, improving employee productivity is critical for any company to drive business success. But how can you boost your team’s efficiency and output? Here are ten proven steps to adopt.
1. Train Employees
When employees lack the skills, knowledge, and competence to carry out tasks, productivity will naturally suffer. This is why regular training is essential to help them achieve their work goals and output. In fact, training can improve productivity by as much as 10%.
But when overloaded with work, many employees are reluctant to take part in L&D programs. In situations like this, traditional classroom teaching will not work. Online training programs, gamification methods, and LMSs are better options for introducing self-paced learning and making knowledge more accessible.
2. Integrate Technology
Tech tools could help speed up work by eliminating time-consuming and repetitive tasks and streamlining processes. So, investing in them and introducing function-specific resources could make a notable impact on your employees’ overall output.
For example, Sprout Social can help your marketing team schedule social media posts and minimize many of the manual tasks. PhoneHistory can allow sales teams to build verified lead lists while FreshBooks automates invoices for your finance department. There are many similar tech resources to cut down your team’s workload and achieve noticeable productivity gains.
3. Introduce Flexi-Work
Flexible work arrangements can impact productivity in several ways. For example, according to research by Ergotron, remote working options help employees improve work-life balance and reduce stress by minimizing meetings and their exposure to office politics. Work-from-home can also eliminate time spent in traffic and associated stress, allowing teams to spend that time on critical tasks instead.
Even flexible schedules can lead to a dramatic improvement in the morale and performance of at-office staff by enabling them to organize personal and work responsibilities more effectively.
4. Encourage Time-Off
Excessive workloads can eventually lead to burnout, preventing employees from performing at an optimum level. This is why taking time off from work to unwind is crucial for your team to rest and recharge.
So, build a work culture that encourages work-life balance. And establish generous policies that allow employees to take regular breaks.
5. Improve Communication
Miscommunications and misunderstandings are major hindrances to work progress in many organizations. But when you define responsibilities and requirements, employees are in a better position to deliver what is expected of them. Ensuring you are accessible to them when they require clarifications and guidance is also important.
When selecting communication mediums, assess the type of channels that will work best for your team. Some may prefer face-to-face engagement, while a quick call or a message on Slack may work better with others.
6. Minimize Meetings
Workplace meetings consume four to ten hours of around 68% of employees’ time each week. However, a majority of them are not spent productively. So, rethinking why and how meetings are conducted in your organization is critical for boosting output.
Consider how you can replace meetings with an email or conference call. If you must conduct them, set a time limit and invite only those essential to attend. Establish an agenda and focus on arriving at outcomes and decisions to utilize time effectively.
7. Avoid Micromanagement
When you exert excessive control, it can create unnecessary stress for employees, hampering their work progress. It can also increase your workload and leave you tired, frustrated, and severely stressed, which can all take a toll on your personal well-being.
You can minimize the need for micromanagement by delegating tasks with SMART goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Reduce overlapped responsibilities and set KPIs to ensure clarity in desired deliverables. And use regular check-ins to assess how your team is progressing and where they may need your support and advice.
8. Set Up R&R Programs
Demotivation is one of the biggest causes of poor productivity. An effective solution to tackle it is an impactful reward and recognition program.
When teams are fairly incentivized for their contribution, they will be more inclined to work harder and smarter to deliver results. Similarly, recognizing employees and celebrating their achievements can go a long way in boosting their morale.
9. Improve Health and Safety
An unsafe work environment can risk your employees’ health and well-being. The result is usually higher injuries, increased absenteeism, and reduced productivity.
Some of the simple steps you can introduce to foster safety include providing ergonomic equipment and furniture, setting up sufficient lighting and temperature controls, and keeping offices free of clutter. Even introducing greenery into workspaces could have a significant impact on your workers’ mental well-being and productivity.
10. Infuse Fun
Light-hearted fun is essential to de-stress and relax. It can also foster team collaboration, minimize conflict, and create a sense of community. When employees are at ease, they tend to enjoy their work better and give their hundred percent to the task at hand.
Regular celebrations, games, get-togethers, and after-work drinks can all effectively lighten the mood and create a more fun and engaging workplace.
In Conclusion
Reduced productivity of one or more employees can negatively affect your customer experience, hinder team collaboration, and impair business progress. So, prioritizing productivity makes every sense if you want your enterprise to scale and remain competitive.
Training employees and equipping them with the right skills and technological resources can have a direct impact on their output. Improving communication, minimizing meetings, and creating a safe work environment are equally important.
Don’t forget to initiate measures to ensure their mental well-being and create a happier, more enjoyable, and rewarding workplace. Introducing flexible work arrangements, encouraging regular time off, establishing an effective reward and recognition program, and setting up fun and engaging team activities are essential in this regard.
