There are two ways for which you can define productivity. Productivity in terms of the creation of a product or, productivity in the sense of time used in comparison to gain. A result of increased productivity is that more work gets completed in less time and/or with the same resources (in most cases, the same number of employees). For that reason, productivity is one of the main concerns of any business as it indicates the efficiency of employees in the company. However, increasing workplace productivity is not an easy task as many factors influence it.
If one of your OKRs is to focus on how to increase productivity in an organization, you first want to look at the influencing factors. In today’s blog post, we’ve prepared the most effective methods by which you can increase your employees’ productivity.
- SMART Goals
- Organizational Factors
- Personal Factors
- #8 Health & Wellbeing
- #9 Motivation
- #10 Commitment
Improve Workplace Productivity With Set SMART Objectives
One of the main factors affecting workplace productivity within a company is a lack of vision and guidance. The absence of clear and well-defined goals leaves employees disoriented which as a result leads to a significant decrease in productivity. Therefore, you should first set and communicate the organizational objectives throughout the company using SMART criteria.
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Relevant
T – Time-bound
Employees must have clear and well-defined goals as this will enhance their work efficiency and help them understand their purpose in the company. Specific goals will also prevent them from becoming sidetracked by other tasks that do not contribute to the organizational objectives. For the next part of the criteria, goals must be set in a quantified way so that managers can measure and track their completion. Third, make sure that every goal set is realistic given the company’s position and the market conditions, otherwise, it will be impossible for employees to accomplish them.
Above all, any goal set must be relevant to the business’s operations and contribute to the betterment of the company. Last but not least, it’s vitally important that all goals be bound by time. Setting a deadline makes it easier for employees to stay on track and accomplish the goals most efficiently.
Remember, the best ways to increase productivity are to first recognize the factors that influence it. Let’s dive into the organization and personal factors. 👇
Organizational Factors Affecting Productivity
Setting SMART goals is only the first step in addressing where there may be a lack of vision or guidance issues. The second step is to provide a sense of leadership and mentorship within the company. If you are a leader who understands the needs and concerns of your team, success will be that much easier to achieve. The ability to stimulate creativity and make decisions that positively influence others enables you to get the best out of each member of the team, which ultimately leads to improved work performance.
Are you wondering how to increase productivity through leadership? A good leader sparks a fire within the staff, and boost motivation within the team, and we all know that increasing motivation is one sure way to improve work efficiency productivity. Additionally, good leaders take initiative and influence employees to follow their lead in working efficiently to achieve the company’s goals. Leaders are also highly energetic, self-motivated, and very eager to learn and exert their maximum effort. When leaders exhibit these characteristics, they establish certain standards for employees to abide by. Leaders also change the entire organizational culture by creating a highly engaged work environment. This type of culture encourages employee participation and engagement throughout the whole business. This results in increased levels of productivity at work and among employees.
Training
Employees who are not qualified nor have the necessary skills to perform their daily tasks express incompetence within their position, which inevitably decreases productivity at work. This issue is avoided by introducing training programs for employees. These programs allow employees to improve and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary in their job, making them more experienced performing their tasks. They also enhance the employees’ ability to maximize their full potential. Moreover, training (both theoretical and practical) plays a significant role in increasing employees’ morale and motivation levels. All this tremendously increases employees’ productivity at work.
Workload Management
Planning work well means managing resources in an orderly manner, assigning tasks to the right people and setting specific and achievable objectives. One of the most important and often scarce resources is time. If you want to obtain a maximum level of workplace productivity, work periods and breaks should be distributed in a way that allows your team and/or equipment to perform in the most optimal conditions. You can also use specialized software tools that allow you to streamline your HR processes to ensure that you are optimizing your time in the best way.
On another note, by considering the methodology you use, you could easily boost productivity within the company. If the work is divided by projects, you must analyze which methodology is suitable for its characteristics. Some environments often employ agile methodologies that allow some flexibility adapting to change, while others opt for more conservative methods that ensure greater understanding by all parties involved. Whatever the methodology you choose, it must guarantee productivity and the best possible results.
Equipment
Lack of proper equipment is crucial for how to improve productivity at work. Tackling this issue is rather simple, but could be very costly and capital intensive. It is, however, an essential step in increasing employees’ productivity. Without the proper equipment, even the most qualified workers will not be able to perform their tasks effectively. Providing better equipment includes, but not limited to, faster and better performance computers, especially for those who work in programming and design fields. It also includes providing employees with advanced programs and communication apps they need in carrying out their tasks and to facilitate communication throughout the organization.
Most importantly, using a program that manages your employees’ documents, prepares reports, and has a time tracking feature that allows you to efficiently manage your employee’s working hours and vacations is a time lifesaver. You can obtain all these features and more through Facotrial’s HR management software.
Empowerment
One of the worst things you can do when managing staff is micromanaging them. Employees might interpret this as a lack of trust, leading to deteriorating employees’ morale. It also leads to the absence of an innovative spirit within the organization.
On the other hand, delegating tasks to employees and empowering them with decision-making power tremendously increases their levels of productivity at work. The reason lies in the fact that autonomy allows employees to make decisions much faster and complete their tasks much more efficiently.
Let’s talk briefly about incentives..when rewards, based on performance are introduced, an increase in productivity is often seen. When an employee knows that if they meet a specific target they will be rewarded, their motivation and productivity increases!
Performance Reviews
Managers use performance reviews to evaluate their employees’ level of productivity and degree of contribution towards achieving the organization’s overall goals. Similarly, you can use performance reviews to increase employees’ productivity at work. These reviews help employees identify their areas of weaknesses and strengths, allowing them to constantly improve and develop their skills, which in turn results in an increase in the level of productivity at work.
Workplace Environment
A healthy workspace and productivity are directly linked. When an employee has a favorable space to work in, one with good lighting, low noise level and visual order, their productivity is likely to improve. Providing a workplace environment that supports the health and wellbeing of employees is key to productivity improvement in the workplace.
Moreover, improving the work environment by adding some benefits and perks around the office tremendously increases employees’ productivity. For example, offer free food, a coffee machine, and fruits. Additionally, nice decorations, plants, and lots of natural light also help! Finally, organizing events, weekend activities, or after-work drinks. All that contributes to raising the employees’ motivational levels, increasing their productivity at work.
Personal Factors to Increase Productivity at Work
Employee’s Physical State
Above everything else, the physical state of your employees has a massive effect on an individual’s productivity. In order to complete any tasks effectively, your staff must be in good health. This means it’s important they are getting adequate sleep, eating well, and do not suffer from any illness, etc. Providing your employees with access to health insurance is a good way to support them in staying healthy.
Motivation
Equally as important as the physical health of an employee is their mental health. Focusing on various ways of motivation certainly increases productivity in the workplace. The first is to offer your employees a comfortable workplace. If you want to read more about this, you can scroll back a bit to the section on the workplace environment.
Motivated employees work harder and achieve better results. They are often more satisfied with their role and feel good about coming to work. For more information about various methods of motivation, refer to the article, “Intrinsic Motivation: Non-financial Motivators for your Employees.”
Commitment
The level of investment one feels within the company is a major determining factor when it comes to productivity. If an individual feels identified with the company he/she works for and sees their work appreciated and rewarded, the employee is more likely to maintain a high level of commitment to their work. The result? Fewer days missed greater punctuality and an increased sense of responsibility. In addition, the more an employee feels like they belong within the company culture the more likely they are to commit to their role, which inevitably improves the overall workplace productivity.
You’re right. I think the lack of goals is a significant factor in my productivity. My biggest problem when I set a goal is that I can’t keep that goal until the end. The SMART approach seems to help me set more specific purposes, and I will try it
Exactly! If we aren’t working towards an overall goal or objective, it’s difficult to maintain focus.