A business is only as good as its people – its human resources – and if a company wants to grow and expand it needs to make sure its people are as productive and happy as they can be. It is actually possible to raise productivity without lowering staff morale and there are even some ways to motivate staff to work harder and more effectively – and enjoy it!
Here are six ways to oil the wheels of productivity
Boost internet speeds
If your employees are waiting for files to load or for messages to send, then time is going to be lost and frustrations will rise. You need to have the right sort of plan for your enterprise, but of course it has to be cost-effective. Shop around for custom packages for SMEs and start-ups that deliver high speeds, keeping you in budget and on time.
Don’t skimp on software and new devices
Spend as much as is practical here. Update servers, PCs, buy company tablets or similar devices and phones for your employees to use in and out of the office. Portable devices help employees to work faster and more effectively. Keep track of employee performance with monitoring programmes from companies like Cascade. HR software like theirs can point out to you when and where targets are being missed, or when staff members are taking too much time off. You should also consider going paperless, at least partly, as this can save time and money, increasing your profits.
Communicate more
A common gripe for staff at UK companies is that they feel managers are unapproachable and that their voices are unheard. If you encourage employees to have their say and to make suggestions for improvements – and listen to them – you’ll raise morale significantly. Talking builds trust, helps teams to work together to meet deadlines and occasionally leads to amazing ideas and innovations.
Make the workplace functional
So, we have email, remote working, instant messaging and so on, but sometimes, good old-fashioned face-to-face is the only way to go. Turn your attention from the new-fangled communication app for a few minutes and look at your workspaces. Can they be redesigned or re-jigged to foster group meetings and brainstorming sessions?
Spend some money on training programmes
It shouldn’t be just managers that go on team-building weekends. Make sure all your employees get some career development opportunities so that their new skills feed back into the workplace. Knowing that their employer values them enough to invest in them builds loyalty in the long-term.
Implement a feedback system
Part of investing in employees is letting them know how they’re doing. Make sure that they get regular feedback – whether weekly, monthly or quarterly – a scheduled appraisal meeting lets your staff see how well they’re progressing and what, if anything, they need to work on a bit harder. Regular, constructive feedback helps staff to meet personal goals and in turn helps the company to meet its own targets.
The above post was a collaborative post.
Thanks for all these awesome tips. I liked the idea of implementing feedback because I truly believe that knowing how you are doing can be a great motivator. Great and helpful post!