The number one thing that makes or breaks a business is employee productivity. In fact, the most significant predictor of whether or not a company will succeed is whether its employees are performing well and being satisfied with their work.
When running a business, employee productivity is key. It’s simply not economically viable to have unproductive employees working for you, as they take resources to employ. Being unproductive means needing more of them, which therefore takes up more resources, etc.
If you’ve ever wondered why some businesses succeed and others fail, you’ll be pleased to learn that productivity is often the critical factor that separates the two. One of the main reasons why productivity can be so hard to maintain is due to how quickly employee morale can go up and down. So how can you ensure that you have a happy, productive team?
Over the years, many solutions for low worker productivity have been implemented to varying degrees of success, but as society changes, so too do the challenges of keeping an employee focussed at work; where they once needed a better typewriter, they now need a dual monitor mount for their computer.
With this in mind, we have compiled a list of 7 habits that destroy employee productivity that will help make your workplace more efficient.
1. Stone-Age Tech Impact Employee Productivity
With the advent of computers and technology came a new work approach that didn’t rely solely on physical objects like paper, pencils, and typewriters. Many people still prefer writing their thoughts and turning them into emails. Still, some people are finding that this method isn’t effective anymore. They are becoming more dependent on technology to help them through their day. People are finding that their efficiency and employee productivity are greatly improved by using the following tech tools to help manage their day-to-day tasks.
A habit of not moving with the technological times can be frustrating and wasteful of that ever-precious resource – time. Upgrading your employees’ computers and phones allows them to stay at the cutting edge of technology with little technological roadblocking.
2. Efficiency Meltdown
Losing efficiency is like throwing money down the drain. An efficient employee is fantastic regarding productivity, but not all employees are efficient. Try setting individual goals for your employees to find out who may be falling behind, and offer support and discussion in private for those who are.
It is really very important for employees to be able to achieve efficiency. When you have an efficient employee, you will become more productive. More efficient employees produce better work than those who aren’t efficient. Therefore, paying attention to your employees and their performance is essential.
Sometimes, employees feel overwhelmed when working hard and cannot produce good results. They feel discouraged and become less motivated to work harder. You can help them by supporting them and giving them constructive criticism.
You can also help your employees by letting them know how you feel about their work. This can encourage them to work harder and become more efficient.
When you lose efficiency, don’t try to change the whole company. Instead, find out who is the inefficient employee. Then offer the person your support and discuss the problem with them privately. Don’t be afraid to speak up for the person.
3. Ergonomic Office Will Increase Employee Productivity
Ergonomics are important in workplaces because they allow efficiency to flow more easily. Imagine that you have a worker who has excellent work but has to walk halfway across the building to submit each piece of work finished. Creating an ergonomic working environment allows for less wasted time in transit for that worker, and less wasted time overall, meaning higher efficiency and better employee productivity.
An ergonomic working environment means that the workplace design reduces pain and injuries caused by the strain of working. Workers should be able to move around freely without worrying about getting injured.
The employees should have comfortable chairs that allow them to sit comfortably while keeping their legs outstretched. A desk with wheels so the worker can move around freely while doing his job. There should be an office for workers who can focus on their work without distractions. They should have a place to rest if they are feeling fatigued. All of these features are ergonomic.
Ergonomic design is important in making a productive workplace that is comfortable for everyone.
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4. Communication Calamity
Communication is important in the workplace. It doesn’t matter if it is about communication between employees or with a customer or supplier.
If a company fails to communicate well to employees, the result can be disastrous. Communication is a two-way street. The employee’s productivity will drop if a message is unclear or confusing. This causes resentment, which leads to a lack of commitment.
A lack of communication can cause even the most successful businesses to make critical errors from time to time. Making sure every employee knows exactly what they’re supposed to be doing is a good way to ensure everybody’s work gets done while allowing you to identify who is falling behind in their own work and why.
5. The Seclusion Trap
In the old days, a business owner could send his employees to their desks and expect them to get work done. However, your employees are expected to collaborate in today’s business world. If they are in an office, they should be able to see each other working.
Securing your employees used to be seen as a way to increase their productivity, so divided “cubicle” offices became the norm for most businesses. In the modern era, with computer capabilities being what they are, and the whole internet is at your employee’s fingertips, a private cubicle isn’t exactly a sign of productivity anymore. Trying a more “open-plan” style office can help improve productivity.
By having a more open-style office, they can work together better. Employees are more likely to be motivated and be able to get work done if everyone can see everyone else at work.
Undoubtedly, a company’s productivity can increase if an open-plan-style office is used. Your employees will be more productive than they would be if they were working in a cubicle. The open-plan office can create a more relaxed atmosphere, which can benefit your company’s productivity.
6. Management Mayhem and Employee Productivity
Different management styles work for different people. Some people are better suited to autocratic management styles. On the other side, others flourish under a more even, equal approach. Finding out what works for your employees is a huge step in the right direction for productivity. This simply may revolutionize the output of your team.
If you want to change how you manage your company, you mustn’t go with a one-size-fits-all management style. You need to set firm but fair rules and let people make decisions that are in line with those rules. If you make all the decisions yourself, people will lose respect for you. You may also end up being too strict. You have to treat everyone equally, no matter their job title. Everyone has to follow the same rules.
7. Distraction Disarray
Removing all distractions from an office can often be counterproductive to the cause of creating better, more focused, and more productive employees. A series of blank walls and blank desks can make employees’ minds’ wander from the task at hand. This will cause their attention to slip and their work to suffer as a result. Try removing all alluring distractions and replacing them with mentally stimulating but ultimately non-distracting art. This decreases the “de-railers” and adds some tasteful decorations.
Make sure that your employees are not distracted when they are in the office. If they aren’t distracted, they will be more productive.
Putting these tips to good use can result in a more focused, more productive office. Hopefully, they work to your advantage, and everything runs smoothly.
