Boosting Employee Productivity
- curranrecruit
- Jul 16, 2015
- 2 min read
Productivity is a key metric for any business – when your employees are more productive, you’re able to cut payroll costs by getting more done in less time; make more money by increasing profit margins; keep customers happy by staying on track, on time and on budget; and benefit from a whole other array of business outcomes (SHRM, 2014). But increasing productivity isn’t as easy as saying “do more in less time”! In this week’s blog we share some ideas on how to increase productivity and keep your employees engaged.
Recognise Performance with Positive Reinforcements
We all work harder when we feel acknowledged, respected and appreciated. As a manager, when you celebrate accomplishments, you demonstrate you care about them. According to an Employee Recognition study conducted by Make Their Day and Badgeville (2013), 70% of workers don’t need monetary rewards to feel motivated. In fact, recognition for a job well-done motivated them more than a cash incentive. Be encouraging to your employees and offer appraisal when appropriate.
Thank employees for doing a good job and let them know that you value them. Should something go wrong or someone makes a mistake, don’t penalize the person. Rather, talk to the person, teach the correct procedures and offer encouragement and/or further teaching when needed. If mistakes continue after interventions, then you may need to evaluate that person to make sure he or she is a good fit for the job.
Share Goals and Objectives
Think of your employees delivering an outcome-based service where you simply define the goals, objectives and what the final product/service is meant to accomplish. Be clear about your expectations of them. By providing weekly, monthly or quarterly goals and expectations, your employees will be able to manage their time effectively, which will ultimately improve productivity.
Offer Them The Support They Need
Ensure they have the resources needed (time, people, budget, and training) to do their work effectively. Do everything you can to support your employees - whether it’s resources, knowledge, information, funding and of course advice.
Be The Boss You'd Want to Work For
The number one way you can increase employee productivity is to increase your own. By modelling excellent behaviour, managing your expectations and leveraging the emotional intelligence you either inherently possess or work hard to cultivate, you can be the manager your employees want to work for rather than just their boss.
Keep an Eye on Metrics
You need to acknowledge that there’s a delicate balance between productivity and quality. The good news is that, usually, an employee who is so committed to quality is likely to be an engaged learner and open to performance coaching. Tune in to this “quality-focused” employee’s careful, deliberate style. Take a deliberate approach to helping them stay on track and on time. In your regular one-on-ones, focus on the goal of seeing how they do their process and adjust together as needed.
We’ve unearthed just a few of the ways to increase employee productivity. What are some ways that help you get the most out of your employees? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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