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Increasing Productivity in the Workplace

Increasing Productivity in the Workplace

There are only so many hours in a day and they need to be used efficiently. This fact is easy enough to recognise, but making your workforce more productive is often easier said than done.

Employee productivity is a pain point for many businesses. From training to making changes to your physical workspace, here are some of the strategies you can implement to increase employee productivity in your business.   

Encourage Autonomy

A lack of management can have a significant impact on productivity, as can managing employees too closely. Most people do not respond well to being micromanaged and see it as a lack of trust in their ability to perform their duties, affecting their motivation and productivity. Encouraging employees to take ownership of their duties and work autonomously can boost productivity as it allows individuals to decide how to best make use of their time and reduces their dependence on senior members of staff, freeing up their time to focus on their own tasks.

The best way to avoid micromanaging is by setting out clear instructions and deadlines, then taking a step back to allow employees to complete the work. Unless productivity levels drop, there should be no reason for a manager to keep such a close watch over employees that it affects their speed and efficiency.

Invest in Training

Ongoing employee training is not only important to ensure that staff continue to grow and develop no matter how long they stay with the same company, but it also helps them keep up with the changing nature of their role.

Training is often billed as an initiative designed to benefit employees, but the ongoing up-skilling of staff will positively impact the company too because if individuals are better equipped to carry out their daily tasks, they become more productive. A company’s commitment to training and development shows that they value the development of their employees, which can motivate staff morale and prompt them to invest in the business too by improving their work. 

Equip Employees with the Correct Tools

From construction sites to digital ventures, employees need the correct tools to help them complete their work to the best of their abilities. Frequently used workplace applications like Slack, Basecamp, and Harvest are just a few examples of tools that can improve productivity by simplifying processes and accurately tracking how individuals use their time. These digital tools can do a world of good for any business, but they rely on staff members regularly using them. Otherwise, what could be an asset, may not reach its full potential.  

To create any meaningful impact on workplace productivity, investing in new digital tools must go hand-in-hand with staff training. Once a company has decided to pay for any kind of software that is designed to improve productivity, it should also invest in a digital adoption platform to support the adoption of these tools, such as the solutions offered by AppLearn. These purpose-built solutions enable employees to successfully utilise the digital tools at their disposal, ensuring that they improve productivity rather than lower it.

Create a Productive Workspace

A study on indoor air quality, published by Harvard, found that when employees were tested in a “green space” their performance on cognitive tasks improved 61% when compared to their performance in a standard office environment. Something as simple as improving air quality in an office by adding plants, for example, can significantly improve workplace productivity.

Other physical changes that can positively impact productivity include the lighting in an office. Although natural light is the most efficient at increasing productivity, along with boosting mood and energy, artificial lighting can also be tailored to create a better work environment.

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