Productivity means different things to different people. For managers, it’s about spending more hours working. For employees, it’s about getting more work done in less time. For others, it might be about finding the right balance and wasting less time.
Employees often slack off when there is no system of accountability. Distractions also influence productivity. At my home, Spectrum double play deals make me ditch plans with my friends even on the weekends. I just stay home and watch my favorite shows instead of going out. Of course, it’s a positive distraction when you’re looking for an excuse to stay at home. But things are different in the workplace.
Productivity refers to the amount of result-driven work one is able to complete in a given period of time. Want to make sure your employees get more work done in the 8-hour workday? Have a look at these tips for help:
#1: Start Monitoring
A monitoring tool or software can come a long way to ensure your workforce is not wasting time. It will let you track the work hours and see what your employees do with their time. You will be tracking things like how many tasks each employee is closing in a day, how they are performing and how they are working with other team members.
If you want to track emails, that’s possible too. Using tools like EmailAnalytics, you will know how many emails your employees send in a day, who are the top senders, recipients and more.
#2: Delegate
Sometimes, increasing the responsibility of some key members can boost productivity too. It improves morale and job satisfaction. When you assign more responsibilities to employees with a proven record of success, they will certainly perform the tasks well.
Your employees will gain a sense of achievement, improve their skills and gain leadership experience. They will perform better and it will eventually improve their productivity.
#3: Get Rid of the Distractions
Figure out the productivity killers around you. It could be chatty co-workers or social media. You cannot stop employees from interacting or introduce no phone policy in the workplace.
To reduce distractions, encourage your employees to turn their phones off. However, allow them to take regular breaks for checking their phones and chatting. Let them know that you want to ensure the time spent at their desks is productive.
#4: Use the Right Tools and Equipment
To make sure your employees perform their duties well, you must offer them the right tools and equipment first. If they have to wait hours to get the paperwork print, this will break the entire work tempo.
By using the latest equipment and programs, you don’t just make your workforce productive, but it shows that you are an organization that keeps up with the industry trends. You will be doing yourself and your employees a world of favor by using the latest tools and software.
#5: Improve Workplace Conditions
The condition of the workplace has a huge impact on employee productivity. Too hot and too cold environments distract employees. They will be spending more time adjusting themselves to the environment than focusing on the work.
To prevent this, make sure the heating and air conditioning system is working before the season sets in.
#6: Let Them Know About Your Goals
Your employees cannot be efficient and focused if they are not aware of your company’s goals. They will be less productive if the goals are not clearly defined.
Before assigning any task, make sure you clearly communicate the outcome. Tell them the impact of this assignment on the company goals. If it’s time-sensitive, let them know.
Make sure your goals are SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely). Before you assign the task to an employee, it must meet the SMART requirements. If it does not, then tweak it so that your employees can perform it efficiently.
#7: Offer Rewards
There is a positive correlation between monetary rewards and employee productivity. That’s right, if you appreciate your employees by giving them bonuses, raise, performance-based incentives, they are likely to become more productive.
Such little things don’t just improve productivity, they improve employee morale too. Your employees feel appreciated and hence, they outperform.
#8: Make Sure Your Employees Are Happy
Happy employees are productive employees. If your workplace is stressful, your workforce will never perform well. There will be high levels of disengagement and even absenteeism.
You need to show them that their company appreciates them, respects them and their values. Go the extra mile to ensure their happiness and your employees will spend extra effort being productive.
What is your plan on getting rid of distractions and boosting workplace productivity? Try these tips to come up with an actionable plan. I know I should minimize my distraction. One way could be to ask my Spectrum customer service Hawaii to change my cable package. There is so much to do here!