Managing and maintaining a productive workforce is vital. However, productivity isn’t necessarily about working harder, but instead working smarter.
Studies show that happier employees are more productive and engaged. There are many ways you can foster a healthy workplace culture that breeds job fulfilment, development, and efficiency.
In this article we explore five effective ways to increase productivity, that benefit employers and employees alike.
Show support and appreciation
Your employees are your greatest asset. Without them, success wouldn’t be possible. Recognising and acknowledging the value they represent in your business is essential.
Whether it’s a simple “thank you”, a reward, or an office party thrown in their honour, everyone likes to feel valued. Employees who feel appreciated at work experience lower stress levels and report fewer sick days.
By showing support and appreciation for your employees, you’re not only enhancing productivity, but improving employee satisfaction and their overall wellbeing and health. This reduces workplace burnout and fatigue, and increases motivation, engagement, and staff retention.
Offer training and upskilling opportunities
As technology rapidly evolves, so should employee skill sets. Upskilling is critical with the adoption of new digital advancements to ensure your team is operating at maximum efficiency.
Invest in regular training for your employees, to equip them with new skills and processes that will empower them to better perform their jobs. Self-development leads to employees feeling stimulated and motivated at work, so they’ll be more engaged performing their day-to-day tasks. In fact, The International Journal of Business and Management research indicated that 90% of employees surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that training and development programs improved their job performance.
With so much change, it’s important that people don’t get left behind. Combat this by providing ongoing support and refresher training sessions. This will leave your team feeling confident, supported, and self-assured.
Keep open lines of communication
In almost every aspect of life, communication is key. Without clear communication channels in place, businesses and relationships can quickly fall apart.
As a manager, it’s your responsibility to set and communicate the expectations you have for your employees. Through setting goals and introducing accountability, you’ll likely be met with a productive workforce.
Providing clear and constructive feedback, is another vital part of a successful communication strategy. It nurtures employee growth, builds confidence, and maximises productivity. This helps reinforce the right behaviours and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Communication also goes both ways. So, listening to your staff and creating a safe environment where they can approach you is equally important. You can learn from each other, identify areas of improvement and work collaboratively as a team to solve issues. Not only will this make your workforce feel more appreciated, but you can gain invaluable insights from their feedback.
Set goals and celebrate achievements
Setting clear, specific, and defined goals is an incredibly effective way to increase your team’s productivity at work. Employees generally feel more driven and engaged if they have realistic targets to strive for.
When your team accomplishes a set goal, make sure this is celebrated. Celebrating both the big and little wins, creates happier and more fulfilled employees and a more positive workplace environment.
Consider establishing an employee incentive or rewards program to keep your team focused and motivated in the long-term.
Invest in new equipment and create an inspiring working environment
Creating a more inspiring working environment can have a huge impact on overall productivity levels. Who wants to work in a dark, cluttered and unkept workplace? We certainly don’t!
There are so many simple steps you can take to improve your worksite, but here are a few starting steps:
Remove clutter and encourage tidiness
Increase the flow of natural light, or improve electrical lighting to maintain a bright and stimulating environment
Create a comfortable and quiet space for employee breaks where staff can relax
Maintain and service your equipment to ensure it’s performing at optimal levels
Invest in new equipment, tools and technology that will help employees better perform their jobs.
Increasing productivity is a collective responsibility that should flow down from management across every level of the business. Empowering workers to become more engaged and motivated is key to maintaining a productive workforce. Additionally providing your team with the right tools, resources and knowledge will allow them to work at optimal capacity.
Learn more about how we can support you by sourcing reliable and productive workers to excel your business.