Let’s face it: The success of your company does not solely rely on your sales. In fact, you are less likely to generate sales and make your business grow if your employees are not productive.
So how can you encourage your employees to be productive? It all boils down to engagement.
According to a Gallup study, highly engaged employees are 21% more productive. And productive employees are more innovative and proactive. That said, here are six tactics that can help you improve your employees’ productivity:
Provide the Right Tools and Equipment
According to Kenneth Jackson, “Providing employees with the right tools and equipment is important so that they can perform their duties efficiently and on time.”
There is nothing more counterproductive than malfunctioning equipment and looking for tools in order to get a task done.
It will be a waste of time for employees to have something printed if you are still using an old model of printer. The same thing goes when an employee must scour the supplies section just to procure a ream of bond paper.
The time an employee spent on waiting for the document to print or walking to the supplies section could have been used to get things done. That way, he or she could have produced more output for the day.
Reduce Distractions
Technological innovations, while beneficial, have also brought upon us a lot of unnecessary noise and distractions. According to a Udemy 2018 Workplace Distraction Report, some of the reasons that an employee gets distracted are:
- Chatty co-workers
- Office noises
- Overwhelming changes at work
- Social media
- Smartphone use
Keep in mind that the key to a productive employee is to be focused at work. That said, here are some ways on how you can reduce distractions in the workplace:
- Implement some ground rules: Depending on the nature of your business, you may discourage the use of smartphones or social media. Or it can be something like respecting every employee’s personal time by not sending work-related messages on a weekend.
- Keep meetings to a minimum: Believe it or not, some employees find meetings to be a waste of time. If it is something you can discuss on a group chat or via email might as well course the communication through these channels. Otherwise, make sure the meeting has a purpose and a defined time-frame.
- Provide alternative workplace options: Some employees feel productive in absolute silence, while some find it stifling. Make sure you have space where your employees can work productively depending on their character.
- Offer remote working options: There are cases when an employee cannot concentrate because something personal is bothering him. Offering remote working options allow an employee to work while attending to personal matters.
- Provide time management training: This can be something as simple as how to use technology efficiently at work. Or you may ask a consultant to analyze and find ways on how to streamline your processes.
Give Your Employee a Clean and Comfortable Workplace
Workplace cleanliness is something that business owners and company managers tend to overlook.
At Maid Sailors, my NYC office cleaning company, we believe that a clean office is not just for hygienic and sanitary reasons. It can also affect your employees’ health and productivity.
For one, maintaining the cleanliness of your office can reduce the cause of distractions in the workplace. Thus, your employees can concentrate and focus more on their tasks.
It also prevents the spread of ill-causing bacteria, making sure that your employees are healthy and well. And when they are healthy and well, there is less absenteeism in the office. This means that more people are working, which could help generate revenue for your company.
Motivate Your Employees
As mentioned earlier, the most engaged employees are the most productive. One way to do that is through gamification.
As the word suggests, you need to find a way on how to make a task enjoyable. That way, your employees will not feel that they are doing the same thing every day; thus, boosting their motivation.
According to Susan Culp, “Tasks like weekly reports or idea boosting for future projects and KPIs can be turned into a game to make the work more appealing, enjoyable and exciting. This one is the kind of motivation that would also motivate and give employees with tedious tasks a way to see it as a challenge.”
Basically, you are incentivizing your employees for a job well done. And by doing so, you make your employees feel that they are appreciated.
Ask Real-time Updates
Asking for feedback and real-time update allows you to know whether there is progress among your employees or they are stuck with whatever ideas they have. That way, you can give ideas on how they can move forward or where they can ask for help.
Meanwhile, asking for real-time updates also allows you to be mindful of how you delegate tasks among your employees. Sure, some tasks that need to be done in a short amount of time can help with time management. However, juggling a lot of tasks can be stressful and overwhelming to your employees.
So do not hesitate to ask for a status report. That way, you can ensure that your employees are making progress with their tasks.
Never Micromanage
Micromanagement is when a manager observes closely or control how employees work. No wonder it has a negative connotation.
While some managers would opt for it to ensure that every task is done the way they want it, it hampers on an employee’s productivity.
Thus, it is not advisable to micromanage your employees. That is because it can lead to a lot of dangers that are detrimental to the success of your business. Otherwise, it can lead to a high turnover rate and will prevent your business from growing and expanding.
To sum up: Improving the productivity of your employees is all about giving them a conducive space where they can maximize their potential in providing results for your company.
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