No doubt, the employees are the strong pillars of every business, however, there is productivity in business when the entire team is performing efficiently and driving the company’s bottom line.
Therefore, as a business, irrespective of size & complexity, make genuine efforts to enhance engagement to make each employee feel comfortable and satisfied with their job. So, they can give the expected output to push the growth of the business.
Having said that, there are many tactics and strategies to improve productivity in business. This article will shed light on a couple of these.
1. Track the performance to guide accordingly
The management usually tries unique mechanisms to keep a check on the performance of the employees.
Moreover, evaluation of staff performance at regular intervals will pave the way for more effective changes. This is how to improve productivity in an organization.
Knowing where the employee is lacking is necessary to guide them at the right time.
It is done in many ways:
- keeping track of attendance
- Monitoring the daily output
- Check the sales report
- Go through the customer feedback, etc
These parameters present a detailed report on their performance. The manager can invite the employee for a one-to-one session or conduct counselling for all members to discuss the issues.
2. Communicate regularly with staff
Are you approachable to your staff when they need your help?
If not, then this is where you are lacking. It is the company’s responsibility to regularly interact with the staff, allowing them to discuss their issue.
With communication, the management will learn many loopholes in their business model and why the team loses interest in working.
Most importantly, an open discussion can strengthen your bond with the people working with you. Undoubtedly, it is rightly quoted by Brian McClennan that “Communication is what makes the team stronger.”
3. Equip your employees with great technology
Indeed, the staff can work more efficiently if the organization provides the right productivity tools and assistance to carry out their tasks.
But it is necessary to dig into its features and specifications to check if it suits your business model.
Technology is what speeds up work and helps the staff to operate accurately.
Companies can rely on the technology of Desktop as a Service for Businesses to mobilize the complete workspace.
It allows the employees to easily access the applications and data on the cloud irrespective of their location, time, and date. Therefore, opting for the best technological solution is mandatory to make the operation seamless and not complex.
4. Introduce an attractive incentive plan
The incentive program is the company’s most smart technique for motivating employees to work hard and deliver quality work.
No individual would deny extra earnings for a little work effort and dedication. To enhance productivity, give the staff a target to achieve in the respective month or week.
Additionally, circulate the incentive plan among the team to motivate them. Positively, it will create a competitive spirit and buzz to achieve the target to earn.
The incentives should be flexible. For example, If the employee has to give 10 sales for earning 10,000. Then there should be some amount fixed for the ones who give 2, 3 or 6 deals. This way they will not feel disappointed and will stay motivated to work harder next time
5. Offer a flexible working mode to improve productivity in business
The time has changed and also the way of working. After the pandemic hit, working productively from home has become prominent in many organizations.
Though, many companies strictly deny working from home. But this traditional and rigid employment style disappoints the employees and impacts their productivity.
However, the freedom to provide the services from one’s comfort can make the staff happy and more dedicated to the company.
Most organizations have understood the new operating pattern and are successfully offering employees a flexible work culture.
Check, working-from-home productivity for a better explanation.
6. Offer Bias-free work culture
A workplace that has a transparent and bias-free culture can cultivate loyal and productive employees.
The staff member is always searching for appreciation and motivation but is sometimes neglected due to favouritism. The company can enjoy plenty of benefits with a bias-free environment by:
- Helping the employees gain confidence
- Enhancing their performance
- Providing scope of growth
- Motivating them to work hard
The advantages mentioned above contribute to boosting the productivity of the staff. Additionally, organizations can introduce a set procedure and guidelines for promotions or incentives.
However, when the decision on employee growth depends on the manager’s feedback. There is a risk of favouritism, which can impact the deserving candidate’s growth opportunity.
7. Offer learning opportunities
Every day is a new day, and learning never stops. No individual can say they have gained complete knowledge of any field or life. That is why companies can encourage the learning environment in the workspace. This is how to motivate teams to improve performance and enhance their skills.
Unarguably, every person expresses the need to learn in their interview to strengthen their portfolio. So to help them, offer various short courses, educational programs, etc.
It will assist you in making the staff proficient and directly boost their productivity. Not to forget, the skilled staff will contribute to the companies and escalate the scale of revenue.
The only way to fetch the desired result from the employees is to equip them with adequate facilities that will make them happy. Moreover, this approach is one of the creative ways to retain employees and helps the companies to grow.
8. Allocate the duties based on expertise for productivity in business
The employees are always hired based on their skills and expertise.
However, during a staff shortage, you will not receive the expected outcome if you assign a job role different from the person’s qualification. Despite continued efforts, the individual takes a long time to learn new concepts.
That is why managers must consider every employee detail before assigning the job. To keep the productivity level high and create a positive work culture, the staff should not be distracted from their expert skills. Most importantly, this
9. Maintain simplicity
It’s essential to have a productivity strategy, and you can make it as simple as possible. People can stay on task and are better prepared for success when they create a straightforward, targeted plan with clear actions and outcomes.
Create SMART goals with detailed, doable functions so that everyone knows what must be done.
Also, read 10 must-read tips to succeed in business as a professional
10. Cut back on things that waste time to improve productivity in business
Innumerable things might divert your attention from work, whether at home or in the office. Successful managers avoid these frequent productivity killers by preparing strategies to deal with them.
Here are examples;
-Meetings:
Be selective about who attends and how many meetings you hold. If a meeting is required, it should have a specific, well-defined agenda, topic-specific time limitations, and finish as soon as a resolution has been reached so that you can do other productive tasks.
-Emails:
There are a lot of quicker ways to obtain or distribute information. Send a fast DM or message on Slack, start a spontaneous video conversation, or even pick up the phone to call. Direct communication using real-time tools is almost always more effective.
-Coworkers:
There are times and places for personal chats, even though you should always try to get along with your coworkers. Create possibilities for group lunches, virtual happy hours, topical chat channels, and other activities that will let individuals connect outside of work hours.
-Inadequate organization:
People waste time hunting for what they need due to disorganization. Beyond tidy workstations and clearly labelled file cabinets, structuring digital workflows can significantly boost productivity. For instance, managing teams with Slack enables you to launch meetings from a single location, exchange files inside projects, pin critical documents for quicker access, and search conversations by channel.
-Social media:
People spend approximately two and a half hours per day on social media platforms, according to GlobalWebIndex’s “2021 Social Media Trends” research. A policy should be set up that specifies when it’s appropriate to use social media and when it’s best to concentrate on work.
– Procrastination:
The only approach to stop it is with accountability and well-defined timelines. Every person who has a deadline for their project should have a follow-up contact to make sure the objective is achieved. Goal-tracking applications like ‘Coach.me’ and ‘ATracker’ are also available.
11. Avoid multitasking
Although many claims to be excellent multitaskers, it’s virtually always preferable to focus on one activity at a time.
Statistics have shown that an individual’s productivity at a business can be reduced by as much as 40% when multitasking. Make sure that every member of the team has an almost equal workload.
Ensure that assignments are given to team members based on their capability, not their titles.
It is also less necessary to multitask or exert much effort when realistic expectations are set.
12. Present a wellness initiative
Both good physical and mental health can increase productivity, which is what is meant by wellness.
People with good mental health are 23% more productive, and physically healthy employees are 17% more productive, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Aside from business, it is vital for individuals to know how to be mentally strong and fearless.
By concentrating on the full person, benefits like weight-loss programs, health exams, or on-site fitness equipment are fantastic methods that help teams increase their overall productivity in business.
13. Pay close attention
Burnout among employees is a significant issue in every sector. Procrastination, lack of drive, and even pain and illness are the results.
Vacations can boost relationships, emotional wellness, cognitive performance, and physical health, according to a 2019 study published in the journal Psychology and Health.
Encourage taking breaks and trips to maintain your mental health. To reduce the stress of commuting, provide remote work possibilities. There are several approaches to increasing corporate efficiency while maintaining effective communication with your remote workforce.
14. Use productivity software.
Technology is quite beneficial to the success of any business at the same time, it could be a major distraction. Apps have the potential to greatly increase business efficiency when properly used. Examples of apps that can boost productivity include;
-Slack
-Todoist
-Dropbox
-Evernote
-Asana
These 24 Amazing Apps will fast-track your productivity
15. Encourage your team
Keeping your employees motivated is one of the most difficult (and crucial) business growth methods. Anyone you ask may have a different answer to the question “how.”
Therefore, it’s essential to understand what matters most to each person you deal with.
Striking a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is the secret to productivity in business.
Intrinsic motivation boosts an individual’s morale and pushes them to pursue accomplishment just for their fulfilment. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, offers external rewards for excellent conduct and achieving goals, and it can be in form of additional vacation days or a workplace party.
16. Ask for feedback and avoid working alone
Simply asking for feedback is the best approach to assessing your skills, flaws, and overall work performance.
No matter what stage of your job you are in — from just getting started to seeking promotion to changing careers — this advice is great.
By routinely asking for feedback, you may instantly identify any errors or performance blind spots and fix them. Additionally, it’s a chance to pick the brains of “experts,” develop new abilities and improve one’s active listening techniques.
For a better understanding of how to enhance work performance, take into account evaluation from your employees. No one is an island of knowledge, so let them watch your back.
17. Honour achievements
It’s simple to become mired in the constant back and forth of your everyday activities. However, recognizing your team’s accomplishments is an important aspect of how to make employees more productive.
Speak up if someone has finished a project early, won a new contract, or created a fantastic campaign!
Ensure that the employee and their team are aware of each victory and its significance.
When workers can see that their superiors are impressed, that inspires them to work harder and this automatically improves the productivity of the business.
18. Make investments in cosy spaces and contemporary workplaces
As a business owner, you should place more emphasis on how to design an office space or a modern workplace. Comfort rather than a rigid structure.
This might entail opening the office and bringing in couches. Others may only need to upgrade their seats to ones that offer better back support.
By preventing the aches and pains that come with using a computer, you may improve everyone’s health and productivity. Using the air-conditioning system, you can also maintain a suitable temperature level in the office.
You can include flowers and paintings in your workplace. Apart from the fact that they add beauty to the environment, they also add a natural spice of comfort and relief.
19. Open workspaces
Workers were confined to cubicles or tethered to their desks for many years.
Now that circumstances have changed, it’s time to consider whether adding additional open workspaces to your business might be beneficial.
This entails that workstations become collaborative workspaces, lounges can be used for conference meetings and luxurious lounges replace cubicles.
In essence, it is implementing the strategy that has been so successful for businesses like Google and Facebook.
You provide employees with the opportunity to do what makes them most productive by allowing them to move around and work from where they feel most at ease.
20. Activities to develop teamwork
Spicing up your team’s workday can enhance the results of their effort, whether you organize a holiday staff dinner or play a game of workplace table tennis.
Any chance to get your team together and talk about their shared interests can do wonders for the relationships among your staff members. The collaboration will afterward be encouraged once everyone is back at work.
When problems arise between your team find possible solutions to solve the problems. You can also check here for common team problems and solutions.
21. Create a short list of tasks for business productivity
Staying productive requires creating a to-do list. Different approaches are effective for various people:
Some people utilize smartphone apps, while others choose journaling by hand. You can use any method to construct and manage your to-do list, just make sure it is brief, practical, and adaptable.
Don’t overload yourself with a big list; doing so can exacerbate feelings of exhaustion and anxiety. Instead, only include the things that can be completed that day.
Because it addresses the past, present, and future, a to-do list is fantastic, according to productivity expert Mark Ellwood, author of The Poetic Path to Getting More Done. Consider your top priorities.
It doesn’t imply that you complete such activities first, but rather that you plan for them beforehand and schedule your time accordingly. If you want to make sure that your remote workers are productive, then create a to-do list.
According to Ellwood, Identifying priorities that have an impact on long-term outcomes is the best when searching for a straightforward method to organize your to-do lists.
Divide those priorities into tasks that are urgent and should be done right away. Include any additional demands for the day, like completing timesheets. Other tasks shouldn’t take up your time, therefore eliminate or assign them.
Ellwood advises prioritizing what you want to do a month from now and then breaking those goals down into small bits that can be completed in a single day.
For instance, if you need to hire new staff by the end of the month, you can start by breaking it down into easy daily activities like examining a few resumes or scheduling an interview.
With this, you can be sure that you’re making progress.
According to Ellwood, the sense of accomplishment can contribute to preventing moments of impossibility.
22. Examine the current setup
Reviewing the current setup is necessary to enhance working conditions and boost productivity. The current setup can be in terms of system and performance.
Therefore, one way to assess corporate productivity is through the performance of your business team members. To increase productivity in your firm, you need to make adjustments to your routines and procedures. This will allow you to eliminate superfluous activities and do more high-quality work.
As a result, you should think about how your company is presently running and be open to modifying how you do things in order to improve your business productivity.
23. Establish personal deadliness to increase productivity in business
A moderate level of self-imposed stress can be beneficial in terms of helping us focus and achieve our goals, although we typically associate stress with being unpleasant.
Give yourself a deadline for any projects or chores that have an open finish, and then attempt to stick to it. You might be astonished to learn how attentive and effective you can be while the clock is ticking.
Make sure the deadlines you set are realistic without mounting pressure on yourself. You can use phone apps to monitor your progress and notify you when a project is due.
24. Let go of the fantasy of perfection
Entrepreneurs frequently obsess over trying to complete a task perfectly, yet nothing is ever flawless. Finish your assignment to the best of your ability and move on rather than waste time pursuing this illusion.
It’s best to finish the task and get it off your plate; you can always go back and make changes or improve it later, if necessary.
Don’t expect a hundred percent in every task, just do your best.
Also, read 2 Top Tips for Entrepreneurs to be Successful
25. Drink plenty of water
The secret to productivity, vitality, and mental clarity is drinking enough water throughout the day. It also aids in reducing cravings for unneeded junk food.
Oftentimes, dehydration is the cause of feeling lethargic. It won’t help to grab a coffee or energy drink; water will. It’s also free!
Life is in the water! We all know that, but you might be surprised to find that even a small amount of dehydration 2% can significantly impair mental abilities. According to a study, dehydration can alter how well people complete cognitive tasks, which can affect their capacity for short-term memory and mathematics.
Therefore, the next time you feel thirsty, be sure to give your body the nutrients it requires to function.
Business owners and employees should ensure water is provided in offices and during meetings. Water should not be substituted for coffee, tea, or carbonated drinks.
Final thoughts on productivity in business
Well, Investment is not only the money spent on the infrastructure, facilities, etc. It also includes nurturing the resources and contributing to their development.
The staff is the actual asset of the organization that can take the company to new heights. They can help you achieve business goals effectively due to their knowledge in the same field.
This is one of the importance of business knowledge in your field.
So, consider every suggestion to make the employees productive mentioned above to benefit your company.
