The world is changing the way it works, and companies are doing the best they can to build a workforce that works effectively. Various studies have reflected these changes and the global productivity rate has gone up by 47% as people continue to work from home. However, the scenario is not necessarily the same in all cases. Most companies are refraining from the idea of “working from home.”

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So, here comes the big question: What can leaders and managers do to increase the productivity of their employees?

Employee Productivity & Its Importance

Employees’ productivity, sometimes also referred to as workplace productivity, weighs the efforts of an individual. Every company aims toward its success and growth. The success of the company is primarily outlined by the productivity of the employees. The two factors that help in analyzing the ratio of success are:

• Productivity – The total amount of work that has been done.

• Effectiveness – The total effort put into the work to complete it.

For some people, spending a lot of time to complete a given amount of work is considered to be more effective. On the contrary, the other bunch finishes the task at hand in a little span of time, and they are more productive.

Due to increased productivity, the business: 

• Expands and makes more profit,
• Stays competitive,
• And meets the demands of its customers.

10 Ways for Productivity Improvement

To improve efficiency and increase productivity amongst employees, here are 10 best tips:

1. Tasks And Skill Alignment

When you are well-versed with the skills your employee poses, it significantly helps in improving efficiency. For instance, a creative thinker is a great pick to pitch in front of clients. However, they can struggle if they are put against something that is more detail-oriented and strict.

Expecting greatness from your employees is alright but only to a certain extent. Before handing out any task to them, think about whether they are the right fit. This will not only help in increasing productivity but will improve efficiency too.

2. Proper Training

When one is aware of the expectations that are being set for them, they are given the relevant training to excel in the task, it automatically boosts their confidence and increases their efficiency. Training your employees well and keeping everyone up-to-date is the way to help them grow and keep them motivated throughout the timeline they are working in the organization.

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3. Communication

Every employee knows how significant it is to have better communication. The key to a productive workforce starts from here. Thanks to technology it keeps everyone connected just with a simple click of a button or a tap. According to a recent study, it was discovered that emails take up to 28% of the employee’s attention and drains his/her time. Instead of doing everything entirely through emails, one can opt for social media networking tools such as Trello or Slack for project management and discussions to increase productivity.

4. Hearing Out Opinions

In any organization, the final decisions always come from the ones who are sitting on top of the chair. That doesn’t mean the input of everyone else can be excluded. Employees should be encouraged to share their input and genuine thoughts on a subject. Additionally, they should also focus on what they should do. Engaging is a must if you want productivity improvement.

As an employer, if you start valuing the opinions of your employees and consider their suggestions before jumping to a final decision, it will make them feel wanted. Moreover, they will feel themselves to be a significant part of the team.

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5. Important Feedbacks

There can be no growth amongst employees if they aren’t aware of their inefficiency. This is where performance reviews and metrics come into the picture. It helps in getting appropriate feedback from employees and employers to measure performance. Further, these reviews are extended in the form of 1:1 meetings to help them understand how their performance has been thus far and what improvements they can inculcate.

As an employer, it is your duty to understand and ask your employees what you can do that will create more room for them to grow. Similarly, employees can give feedback to their employers to give them an overview of the areas they need to work on. This feedback could be a positive or a negative one depending on how you want your employer to take the necessary actions on the feedback.

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6. Questioning Sessions

Productivity improvement has plenty of layers to it. As an employer, it is expected of you to let your employees ask questions. Due to this, there is often a negative impact on efficiency. An employee may have the thought of doing something wrong instead of asking you a question. An employer has to know the pain points and resolve them. 

Bring up the questionnaire, and assist them in understanding the importance of asking questions. Whenever your employees knock on your door, welcome them as well as their questions. Be concise and direct with the answer. Being heard will automatically increase productivity at the workplace.

7. Victory Celebrations

The reason why productivity takes a backseat in many cases is that no one knows how to maintain the same. When an employee sees that their employers are acknowledging their contribution, it will give them the confidence boost to upscale themselves, and do better next time. Celebrating even a small turnover could be of great value.

When employees are patted on the back, they begin taking up more interest in their workspace. Encouragements act as incentives and accelerate the productivity of the employees. 

Conclusion

Employees who know at the back of their mind that their organization thinks about their betterment are more satisfied and fulfilled. Also, this directly increases productivity and improves efficiency. Employees should be given equal attention by their employers, and for employers, the same needs to be done by their supervisors. Having a work environment that makes everyone feel wanted is the right way to start from.

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