Productivity is something that is often talked about in business but can be hard to handle. How do you make employees more productive without treating them like computers? How do you encourage naturally better productivity without risking people slacking off? The key is somewhere in the middle so here are some expert tips.
Create a good company culture
Company culture is a hot topic that can seem a little abstract for some companies. After all, not everyone company can be like the big tech companies where you can bring your dog to work or use a sleeping pod during the breaks.
But there are ideas that these big companies use that can be applied to almost any size company. And at the heart of company culture is hiring the right people – smart recruiting means bringing in people who will be engaged with the company, what it offers and what it does. This is the core of good company culture.
Train staff on productivity
Some productivity tips work for some people but not for others. Therefore, deducting time to train staff on different time management and productivity approaches helps them to find what works for them. Don’t try to enforce a certain approach but encourage a series of approaches that staff can use to find their own best way.
Create a clear plan
Task switching or multi-tasking is the enemy of productivity but is common if there isn’t a clear plan for staff to follow. By using project management tools, you can lay out who is responsible for what, when it needs to be done and provide the information they need to complete the task. Then they have the satisfaction of ticking off the task and moving to the next one – wholly focusing their attention on each thing. This can make a huge difference in productivity.
Don’t micromanage
Managers everywhere have fallen into this trap – it is easier to just do it yourself or you need to closely watch your staff to make sure they do it right. If this is you, the problem may be that you have the wrong staff, or you need to learn not to micromanage. This makes staff doubt their abilities, frustrates them and kills productivity. Have faith, back off a bit and if things do go wrong, look at training to help remedy them going forward.
Reward employees
A great productivity enhancing tool is to reward employees and there are lots of ways to do this. Maybe you want to set up a formal program of bonuses relating to different productivity goals. Or have an ‘employee of the month’ scheme where you highlight what one person has done – just try to ensure it isn’t always the same person as this can have the reverse effect. Also, try to reward everyone in different ways to best catch their attention.
Naturally boost productivity
These tips and techniques can all help naturally boost productivity. Engaged staff who feel they are valued and trusted, who receive rewards and have a clear plan of what they need to do will naturally be more productive than the micromanaged, multi-tasking, underappreciated employee.
Cintra Payroll is an expert when it comes to HR and payroll. If you need payroll services, get in touch with the team by calling us on 0845 873 5619 or use our contact form and we will get back to you.