Organizational success hinges on numerous factors. However, employee productivity is one of the leading drivers of success. Despite the emergence of cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, AR/VR, and AI, a massive chunk in every organization is still people.

The transformation of the workforce accelerated throughout the world in 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic and the following physical distancing restrictions compelled people globally to work from home. However, it wasn’t easy for employees to work at their full potential in these unprecedented times. Being subjected to countless distractions and lack of proper communication robbed the workforce of their focus and thus resulting in low productivity.

Today, offices are reopening worldwide with employees returning to their workplaces. But accomplishing the same productivity employees once had appears to be a challenging task for many organizations.

In simpler terms, employee productivity is an engine upon which an organization prospers. Efficient employees know the art of making the right decisions and actions at the right time. Therefore, without further ado, here’s a list of simple yet effective strategies to boost employee productivity:

Encourage ongoing training

Employees who don’t know how to perform their work duties well are often the leading cause of low productivity. It may be because these people lack vital hard skills, or their current skillset has become outdated. Or perhaps they are unable to make the most of the available resources. And this eventually leads to disengagement and frustration at the workplace.

To overcome this problem, encourage your employees to advance their education and participate in professional development opportunities. Fortunately, with the advent of technology, employees have it easy. Individuals thriving to excel in their career can opt for an online masters in business to remain abreast of the latest business practices. Such academic opportunities instill the relevant skillset and expertise crucial for ensuring a successful career.

E-learning makes it easier for working professionals to knock down geographical barriers and attain a perfect work-life balance. And so, employees can become well-versed in their job roles and help your organization achieve qualitative outcomes.

Map out clear goals

To boost employee productivity, you need to have a proper strategy to drive motivation. Merely telling your employees to get productive at work won’t do any good. Instead, you must take a proactive approach, inspire the workforce, and steer them in the right direction to maximize employee productivity.

Therefore, outline clear-cut and realistic plans and convey them to your team members. Communicate to them your expectations and let them know how their efforts can contribute to the organizational objectives. A pro tip is to develop SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) goals.

It’s entirely up to you which set of goals you would like to go for – team goals or individual-based. The former promotes teamwork and helps build stronger bonds between the team members. In contrast, the latter gives room for improvement to employees since such goals align with their strengths and weaknesses.

Communicate effectively

Effective work collaboration equates to increased productivity and efficiency. And such kind of collaboration often stems from excellent communication and constructive feedback. So, if you wish to bring the best out of your employees, ensure effective communication to mark your success.

Other than emails, try to come up with other means of communication. For instance, you can either leverage business communication software such as Microsoft Teams or Slack. Or you can opt for social media platforms for quicker communication.

Another excellent option is to arrange quick informal, in-person meetings to resolve matters that otherwise would have taken a better part of your day. Apart from this, go the extra mile and host gatherings occasionally to build a productivity-rich team.

Provide incentives

Identify employees who perform exceptionally well at their jobs and appreciate them. That way, you can boost workplace morale and make the employees feel valued and appreciated. However, ensure to take into account individual preferences when deciding on an incentive. For example, some may prefer a public appreciation, while others may wish to receive some bonuses.

However, it is relevant to note that incentives don’t only encompass monetary rewards. Instead, you can choose to offer your workforce time-based incentives. For instance, reward your employees with an early day off or some extra vacation time in place of a bonus or salary increase.

These gestures can yield ripple effects. First, the employees can get appropriately rewarded for the hard work and endeavors they poured. Second, these employees can set a good example for others. And lastly, the vacation time can give employees a break from work, which, in turn, will lead to less stress and enhanced productivity when they join back.

Offer flexible work schedules

There’s no denying the fact that our brains give peak performance at different times of the day. And sticking to the conventional 9-5 daily grind may not be ideal for everyone. And let’s admit it – the key to disaster is to consider your employees as robots. Such behaviors lead to exhaustion and burnout, and your employees may lose the zeal to work.

Therefore, don’t mandate your employees to follow this work schedule. Instead, try to provide them with the flexibility to select their working hours. For instance, allow your employees to work in two different time blocks that equates to 8 hours. That way, employees can also squeeze in some time for short breaks. Moving away from the desk can help the mind get off things and recharge.

Another best approach is to choose the job positions that are eligible for remote work. All you need is to specify the availability hours for workers and ask them to log their time to measure productivity.

Avoid unnecessary meetings

Undeniably, meetings are a crucial aspect of the business world. These meetings may help you keep tabs on the employee’s progress. Besides, you can’t even imagine not hosting your Monday morning staff meetings.

However, time spent on pointless meetings becomes an impediment to employees’ productivity. That is because employees step out of their work zone only to receive information that you could have easily communicated via email. Not to forget how some employees have to dedicate a considerable chunk of time to prepare for the meetings beforehand.

Therefore, ensure that the time you take up from your employee’s schedule is worth the energy. Prepare the agenda for the meeting well in advance and limit the number of employees. You don’t have to keep all the people in the loop at all times. Instead, sending a meeting summary can suffice. Also, don’t forget to set a specific time frame for your meetings.

Final Words

Undoubtedly, your employees pour in consistent hard work to meet organizational goals. But the attainment of such objectives should not come at the cost of sabotaging employees’ well-being. Rest assured, you can avoid compromising their well-being by implementing the right strategies.

For instance, appreciating and incentivizing employees can enhance personal fulfillment and increase workplace productivity. Likewise, an employee-centered workplace can substantially improve the branding of your business. Not only this, but such an environment also allows your business to function at peak efficiency.

Remember, employee productivity strategies serve as an ally for you to cultivate a competent and adept environment. Therefore, knuckle down to the tactics discussed above and turn your ‘to-do’ into ‘done.’