Employee productivity is one of the hot topics in the business world. Every business is interested in tools, ideas, and opportunities that can maximize employee productivity. While there are many ways to go, there are those that have been proven to work for small, medium and even large enterprises. Let’s look at some of them.
Before you think of investing in training and technology for your employees, you need to start by engaging your employees. Engagement begins by acknowledging that your employees are part of the business and with no employees, you have no business. Employee engagement is a strong predictor of positive organizational performances. It is good to know that when an employee is engaged, he/she becomes emotionally attached to the organization. They carry out their job with great enthusiasm for the success of the business. In other words, they go beyond the employment contract agreement.
With the changing times and diverse market demands, having the right tools and software has an effect on productivity. So, invest in the tech stack that can simplify work and help your employees. By engaging your employees you will be able to know what level of technical support they need. You will also know what tools will enable them to perform better. With this in mind, you can also invest in IT support that can increase employee productivity. There are lots of tools that help your business in different sections. For example, you can improve communication by moving from mail and turn to collaboration apps such as Slack, etc.
As an employer, the workplace culture in your organization can make or break your business. The organizational behavior, work methods, employee interaction, and structures determine productivity. The HR department plays a big role in this. They should enact a climate that ensures employees feel like part of the organization. Managers should also ensure that they invest in ensuring that employees feel valued in all aspects of the business. Once this is done, employees gain a sense of identification and loyalty which encourages them to perform better.
As we have mentioned, managers play a big role in enhancing productivity. The big role involves everything else apart from micromanagement. What most businesses don’t know is that micromanaging is a great threat to productivity. Experts have found that micromanagement ruins employee’s self-esteem and confidence. You should allow employees to take ownership of their time and the company’s resources. Once you have empowered, promoted, recognized and supported your employees, trust them to deliver on the job.
Anything that can improve the skills of your employees is worth investing in. The poor performance begins when employees do not know what they are doing. When they spent so much time trying to solve one task. Investing in training saves time and costs, increases job satisfaction and employee commitment. All of these factors promote productivity.
Everyone talks about the role of communication in employee productivity without emphasizing on two-way communication. If responsibilities and expectations are communicated, employees become engaged and productive. The two-way communication mechanism ensures clear and consistent guidelines are provided to employees, and at the same time respect is sowed. In other words, the strategy allows power-sharing through participative decisions that create a sense of belonging.
Do your employees get time to sleep, exercise or relax? I am sure you have seen companies that have a well-fitted gym, Zumba rooms, and spa rooms and wondered why? Well, if you value productivity you should start investing in the mental, physical and emotional health of your employees. A stressed/exhausted employee cannot be productive. Below are other ways to demonstrate care.
Make sure to encourage your employees to take their health seriously, and do simple exercise like walking, jogging or hiking (for the hikers, you might want to look at these trekkiing poles).
Everyone loves to be rewarded for the good job done. Maximize employee productivity by investing in employee satisfaction. Incentives increase motivation and productivity in the workplace. Employees thrive to do more for the organization when they know they will be rewarded for it. It also fosters commitment. When they receive offers from other companies, employees can show loyalty, even though the offer may be more attractive. Committed employees are always very productive.
To improve productivity you also need feedback which is measured by your performance. Remember everything can be measured. From the amount of time spent in meetings or breaks, emails sent or phone calls made. With such feedback, you can know what to improve on to ensure your company is more productive
Employee productivity is essential for the growth of any business. It begins by assessing your business needs and establishing what works and what doesn’t. Yes, you can start small as you rinse and improve your performance.