Strategies to Boost Employee Productivity in the Workplace

Employee Productivity March 19, 2021

Hanh Truong

Introduction to Employee Productivity

Many management teams have been focusing on improving employee productivity and engagement in their workplace, especially since 42% of the United State's labor force is currently working remotely from home.

Distractions may occur, at home or in the office, therefore, strategies must be developed and implemented to ensure employees can reach their work goals and efficiently complete their responsibilities.

What is Employee Productivity?

Employee productivity is often defined as the level of work or output that a worker completes or produces during a specific time frame. Managers will usually look at how long it takes their employees to finish their key tasks to better understand productivity.

When measuring employee productivity, it is also important to consider the value and quality of the output, as well as how much of it was produced in a short amount of time.
To effectively quantify this, management teams should -

1. Set Goals - Performance objectives should be established at the start of each quarter so that it will be easier to monitor progress.

2. Measure Quality of Work - It is key to focus on quality over quantity. This will prevent deadlines from being pushed back due to inadequate work and ensures that output is useful and valuable.

3. Measure Amount of Work Completed - At this stage, managers should identify the number of tasks that the employee completed during a specified time frame and assess whether it meets the established goals.

Tips to Increase Employee Productivity

Boosting employee productivity will help a company streamline its workflow and ensure operational goals are met. For retail businesses, it will also maximize sales and enhance profit margins, since staff will be more proactive in their customer service.

Organizations that are interested in reaping these advantages and increasing their workforce's productivity can implement these best practices.

Improve the Workplace Environment

Employees will be motivated to thrive when they are working in a comfortable and accommodating environment. Management teams should look into establishing areas for employees to work silently, as well as rooms for them to freely take calls and collaborate with their teams.

If an organization has employees working remotely, executives should make sure that their staff has all the office tools and supplies they need to complete their tasks. If possible, the company should offer stipends so that employees can purchase equipment to set up their home office.

Allow Employees to Have Flexible Schedules

Managers should establish key work hours and allow staff to design their schedules around those times. This will allow employees to balance their time and to allocate their most free and productive hours towards work.

For example, if a person has to pick up their children from school in the afternoon, they can designate time in the morning for all calls and meetings.

Optimize Meetings

Having an overload of unnecessary meetings can cause fatigue among employees and will take up valuable time they could be spending on work. Team leaders and managers should only schedule meetings to discuss important and timely matters.

It is also helpful to create and share agendas that clearly define what the meeting will be about. This will allow team members to identify key questions to ask and comments to include during the meeting.

Communicate Deadlines and Expectations

Upper-level teams should set deadlines and expectations for their subordinates to meet. With a thorough understanding of their responsibilities, they will be able to manage their time and work efficiently to achieve the set standards.

Encourage Employees to Take Care of Themselves

Employees will work more productively if they have a work-life balance and are able to take care of their mental and physical health. Employers should encourage staff to take time off and focus on their self-care.

Modern companies have been funding programs for their staff members, such as free meditation classes and discounted gym memberships, to promote and prioritize wellness.

Practice Time Management Skills

Businesses can enhance employee productivity by teaching employees effective time management techniques. This is important for teams that may be working on multiple projects and need direction on how to complete them in a timely manner.

The 2 key methods for managing time that many companies will use are the Pomodoro and time-blocking techniques.

The Pomodoro Technique - This technique involves setting a timer for 25 minutes to focus on one specific task. After the 25 minutes are done, 5 minutes should be allocated for a break. For every four 25-minute sessions, the breaks should be a few minutes longer.

Time Blocking - This method of time management entails dividing the day into blocks. Each time block is then dedicated to a specific task or project. Time blocking will help employees focus on key responsibilities for the day and will ensure they stay on track.

Employee Productivity - In Conclusion

By following these proven strategies for employee productivity, more quality output will be produced and organizational objectives can be met.

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