The aim of every business is to create a productive workforce, but how can this be achieved and maintained?
Perks
While all employees are paid a basic wage, many work to live instead of looking forward to the start of a new workday each morning. Giving extra perks can increase employee loyalty and productivity.
Working from home
Allowing staff to work from home is a sought-after perk, not just in the current crisis, but for any number of reasons. Single parents, or individuals with caring responsibilities for family members, will work harder to support a business which also supports them.
People with health difficulties may find it easier to work from home, if the job is something they are capable of, but the traveling part is an obstacle.
With more businesses increasing their online presence, a lot of work is able to be done online.
Change the competition
Many organizations offer awards, such as employee of the month. This type of reward may be great for certain companies but may not work well for others. Larger businesses have too many employees to accommodate all the staff. Some workers who do not win may feel unappreciated or even start to resent their co-workers. Rather than having the desired outcome of working harder to achieve this title, some people can become despondent – and this can lead to them becoming less productive.
If you want to give your in-house or online workforce some competition, there are more creative ways to make it happen. For instance, if your team works remotely, you could play team-building games like online escape rooms, virtual murder mystery parties, or trivia. Implementing interactive events such as these is an effective way for employees to compete, collaborate, and boost workers productivity.
Not every month’s productivity can be greater than the month before it. You might consider focusing on different aspects. One month the target could be making higher profits, while the next is improving customer service. The team objectives need to be challenging but attainable, to maintain a higher level of productivity.
Alexander Friedman also has plenty of actionable ideas for how sustainable growth can be achieved, which could also be useful for increasing and maintaining your workforce’s productivity.
Support your workforce
Other than working from home, you can support your employees by offering flexible working hours, a supportive and encouraging team for them to work in, and opportunities to progress. This goes back to the idea of inspiring loyalty and making their employment feel like more than just a job. Regular team-building activities and social outings can make it easier for different personalities to work together. Full-time work takes up a big part of the waking day and to ensure everyone is more likely to produce results to the best of their ability, they need to feel supported by their employers and other members of their team.
If someone is good at talking to clients on the phone, while someone else has a talent for resolving email queries quickly and effectively, it makes sense for them to swap tasks.
Trying new things
Even for someone who enjoys their job, doing the same tasks can get repetitive and be uninspiring at times. It is a good idea to motivate your workforce and raise productivity if someone is feeling this way.
This can involve anything from holding a scheduled meeting outdoors, or in a local coffee shop if the weather isn’t great, taking regular breaks to allow your employees to take their mind off the task, or allowing music in the office. Listening to music may sound like a distraction, but depending on the style of music, it can help with focus. Better focus often means a greater level of productivity. Classical and nature sounds are usually best, but it’s important to note that some people may find it more distracting than inspiring.
Reduce distractions
Other than music, which can distract some people but inspire others, there are other distractions you can remove.
Allowing the use of mobile phones only during breaks is another way to increase productivity. These devices are one of the main distractions, with many people scrolling through social media and checking messages almost absentmindedly. This can affect how much work gets done and how focused your staff are on their work. You could even set targets for your team to achieve, to earn an extra ten-minute break to check their phone.
