If you’re running a business, you probably already know that there’s nothing more important to you than your employees. Without them, you simply won’t be able to operate and your business would shut down. This also means that by helping them increase their productivity can be a huge favor for your business. But how exactly do you help your team members get more work done? Here are six ways you just can’t go wrong with.
Discourage multitasking
It’s common for employees to believe that by tackling multiple tasks at the same time, they’re being more productive. However, studies have shown that multitasking actually has a counter-effect and makes you less productive. In fact, multitasking causes additional stress and makes you more likely to make mistakes. This is something your people need to be aware of. Discourage multitasking by only assigning one task to each of your team members and don’t move forward until everything’s completed. Also, highlighting the most important tasks might help your employees get real work done instead of multitasking. Employee scheduling software helps employees stay organized and on task, which further adds to productivity.
Set goals
Ask anyone in the business world and they’ll tell you that succeeding is impossible unless you set goals. After all, how can you expect to move forward if you don’t know what you’re aiming at? The same goes for your employees and one of the best ways to help them get more work done is to provide them with a clear direction they should move in. Clearly defined goals are guaranteed to give your employees an incentive to stay on track and be productive. Reward your employees after a goal has been achieved and they’ll show even more incentive the next time.
Invest in employee training
Obviously, if you want your employees to be more productive, they have to be good at what they do. Sending them on a course from time to time ensures they keep learning new things that can later help improve your operations. Not to mention that being sent on a course makes your employees feel valued, which is extremely important when it comes to productivity. You can even go and mentor new employees yourself. This won’t cost you anything but it’ll help everyone in your company is happy and knows how to perform the tasks they’ve been assigned. What are you waiting for? You can sign them up for a live face-to-face business skills training by providing them the skills they need to quickly adapt, integrate and succeed in diverse business environments.
Get your office design right
The way you design your office is guaranteed to affect how productive your employees are. For example, no one enjoys working in a cluttered workplace and getting rid of everything you and your team don’t use is a must. Another factor that you simply have to consider is comfort. People prefer working in comfortable offices and investing in ergonomic chairs for everyone in your team can be a good idea. Also, you can get rugs and establish zones in your office which should help your team members perform better.
Combat cell phone abuse at work
It’s safe to say people are now addicted to their cell phones and often use them for things other than work. No matter how much time your employees spend scrolling through social media or checking sports results while at work, it’s affecting their level productivity a lot. The good news is, it’s within your rights to limit or completely ban cell phone use at work. The best thing you can do is come up with an office cell phone policy and ensure they only use their devices when necessary.
Eliminate noise
There’s no doubt noise is one of the biggest enemies of productivity. Just try working on an important project right next to a noisy street or a company that uses loud equipment. While you can’t affect what happens outside the office, you can make the noise doesn’t affect your team. For example, you can get noise-cancelling headphones for everyone in your team and encourage them to create work-friendly playlists. Decorating your office with plants can help as well since the more greenery you have in the office the less noise will get inside.
Get to know them
Getting to know each individual in the office can be tough, especially if you’re running a large business. Still, it’s something you simply need to do if you want them to get more work done. Just by asking your employees what’s going in their lives and checking in on them when they seem a bit down can help build better relationships with your employees and help you increase workplace productivity. With this connection, also comes the chance to determine what they like and what motivates them to do perform better. Take a walk around the office every now and then and use that opportunity to chat with your team members.
Final thoughts
Getting the most of the time you and your employees spend in the office isn’t easy. Have these six ways in mind and you should be able to see everyone in the office starting to get more work done.
