5 Ways to Boost Workplace Productivity

Workplaces are evolving. Automation, remote technologies, and many other factors are shifting the way we navigate workspace environments. Understandably, companies are scrambling to adapt to the changing times. 

Successful leaders understand that productivity is about working smarter, not harder. Covering more ground at work is down to your approach and mindset. Whether you have to streamline communications or inspire positivity to raise your team’s spirits, you can make it work.  

By boosting productivity, you will be setting your business up for future growth and increased success. In order to ensure that your company will thrive in its industry, you will need to find ways to maintain a positive and productive workplace.

Here are some excellent tips and strategies to help you boost workplace productivity and maximize efficiency.

1. Reward Employees

One of the most time-tested ways of incentivizing employees to go the extra mile is to reward them for their efforts. 

Recognition isn’t always monetary. Sometimes, a simple “job well done” is enough to make a feel appreciated and driven. 

Think about your employees’ needs and preferences. For example, some employees love public praise. They would prefer a collective clap a lot better than a private thank you. This kind of familiarity with your people will help you develop an intimate and impersonal rewarding system.

Besides simple gratitude, here are some more creative ways of encouraging your workforce to be more productive. 

• Take them out for a treat: An affordable lunch in a nearby café or a cup of coffee over a heart-to-heart conversation can make a world of difference. 
• Paid time off (PTO): Instead of a direct raise, you can give your workers paid time off. Employees love unscheduled paid leaves. When they come back to work well-rested, you can rest assured they’ll put their heart into their work. 
• Lazy Monday Coupons: These are great because we all hate Mondays. After a long weekend, employees lose the tempo to perform optimally. Cutting some slack by allowing them to arrive late on a Monday can make them feel looked after.   

2. Delegate Responsibly

Delegating seems straightforward, but it’s more challenging than you think.

You have to hold back the urge to partake in every little thing. While you should never compromise on the quality of your work, micromanaging every detail can waste valuable time.

Instead, delegate responsibilities and trust your team to get the job done. Not only will this fast-track your work progress, but it will also empower your employees to take leadership positions.

By showing the trust you have in your employees, they will be encouraged to match your expectations.

You hired them ? it’s only fair you push them to prove their skills. 

3. Find the Best Person for the Job.

To maximize efficiency, you need to know the tasks your employees excel at. For this, take some time out to know them better. When you understand what sets them apart, you can better match people to responsibilities. 

For example, fluent and creative communicators are the best choice for reaching out to clients. However, when it comes to analytical and technical tasks, they don’t fare as well. 

Knowing these little details can help you get the best out of your employees. 

Before assigning every project, rethink your choices. Is the employee you’re tasking with a particular job best suited for this opportunity? If the answer is no, turn to someone whose skills and styles are consistent with the project’s needs. 

4. Streamline Communications 

Whether you’re in a relationship or a workplace, communication is critical for productivity. 

Technology has placed everything at the ease of a few clicks. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t make things better. Even technologies require fine-tuning to provide maximum output. 

Many people still rely on email to communicate when they have so many other faster communication channels. Instead of email, use social networking tools, such as Microsoft Teams and Slack. These products are designed to outrun traditional communication tools.

In some cases, you can also encourage your employees to use a more conventional form of interaction, such as phone calls. Having a quick chat over the phone can resolve issues that would take hours via email. 

5. Set Clear Goals

You can’t have a productive workforce if you don’t set clear goals. If you don’t have a defined rubric to achieve milestones, your employees will use trial and error to perform simple tasks. This will reduce productivity, complicating your progress as an action-oriented company. So, make sure you let your workforce know precisely what you expect and how to reach there.  

One time-tested technique of crafting defined goals is SMART. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Before assigning a task, make sure it fits the SMART criterion. 

For example, if you’re a freelancing writing firm and you want a blog written, make sure your set realistic and defined expectations for your chosen writer. 

What is the blog about? Is there any particular format the writer has to follow? When’s the deadline?

The more your employees know about the subtleties of the project, the better their grasp on things. 

Takeaways

Creating an atmosphere of trust, respect, and recognition in the workplace can change the whole mindset of your workforce. Cater to your employees’ needs, and they’ll unleash their true potential.

By creating an environment where productivity thrives, you are also building up the prospective success of your business. When planning for the future business direction, you may require a business valuation.

These are needed in situations such as pre-sale, succession planning or for taxation purposes. If you need a valuation, ensure you find an expert team of business valuers who will be able to provide you with an accurate value based on your standing in the industry. The value of your business is impacted by many small factors, some external such as the current market conditions, and many internal. The productivity of your workplace can have an influential impact on the success and value of your business as a whole.

This article was contributed by Jennifer Anderson.