The more goods and services you produce, the higher the profit. That is the importance of productivity. It’s making use of your precious time to achieve your goals. Here are some effective ways that can help your company stay productive:
1. Get the right tools
The purpose of business tools is to help companies improve their efficiency. They can perform various tasks accurately and faster, getting more jobs done. Regardless of your business, there will always be the right software and tools for you.
In a food business, for instance, an all-in-one food processing machine that can carry out multiple tasks is a good investment. It can maximize your employees’ time, allowing them to do other important tasks.
In the fashion business, getting laser etching machines can be considered cost-effective. They are used for engraving brands and logos on clothes and crafts automatically, which can help you deliver products more quickly.
Basically, by automating most of your business processes, you can improve your company’s productivity in no time.
2. Use tracking apps
Tracking apps enable you to monitor your employees’ activities. When jobs get tedious sometimes, particularly on a lazy afternoon, going on social media, playing online games, and watching on YouTube, can be tempting. But doing that during office hours can reduce your business productivity.
To ensure that your employees only do such activities during break time, you can look for tracking applications and install them on your employees’ computers. This is legal. You just have to explain to your employees the purpose of the application. In fact, it’s already been a practice in some companies.
3. Reduce distractions
Research shows that smartphones remain the number one distraction in the workplace. Well, it has always been tempting to check your smartphone from time to time. But you can reduce this distraction by telling your employees to keep their phones off during office hours. You can also ask them to put it in their lockers, then encourage them to check it during break time. That ensures that they spend the time on important matters only. This will surely boost your team’s productivity.
4. Use communication apps
Communication apps are created to make the conversation easier. It keeps everyone in your team connected wherever they are. They come in handy particularly, at this time of the pandemic where most companies allow work from home set up.
Emails could usually get the job done, but here came Skype, Telegram, and Slack that allow instant messaging. File sharing, project management, and real-time communication have become easier. Organizing a conversation is also made possible. For instance, you can create a group chat exclusively for a department, unlike in emails, where one can easily get lost in a thread.
5. Ensure a good working environment
Maintaining cleanliness in the workplace is essential, as it eliminates any unpleasant smell that can distract employees from their work. The same goes for temperature. If it’s too hot, your team will end up fanning and complaining, reducing productivity. The ideal room temperature is 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If not considered a distraction, you may also play mellow music that improves employees’ focus and concentration.
6. Practice positive reinforcement
Using positive reinforcement motivates your employees to perform their best. Give them a token of appreciation or incentive for their hard work. Promotion is also one good example of positive reinforcement. After all, giving a deserving employee a raise has always been a good practice. This encourages others to improve their performance and productivity as well.
7. Set realistic goals
Setting realistic goals serves as the measure of your employees’ performance. It is the basis of whether our team is hitting their metrics or not. Provide specific expectations to supervisors and team managers that they can disseminate to their subordinates. This allows your employees to stay in line with your mission.
8. Value your employee
Herbert David Kelleher, the CEO of a billion-dollar airline company, said that “employees should always come first.” According to him, employees are part of delivering a fun and wonderful experiences to customers. In other words, they are your brand ambassadors. Therefore, they should be considered as the company’s most valuable asset.
Studies show that when employees are put first, they naturally take care of the business, taking the initiative to solve the problem before it escalates. It’s no wonder why retention rates are 18% higher in companies where employees are highly valued and appreciated.
Increased productivity often results in bigger revenues, business growth, and improved cash flow. And by doing the best practices, you can achieve more in less time.