Employees and productivity are undoubtedly linked. If a company is running well, it is likely that little thought will be given to the productivity of the staff. But in times of crisis in which companies may have to take a step further, it is important that everyone is in top shape.
We would like to give you 5 tips for increasing productivity. Also for the self-employed, the tips offer handles to make optimal use of the working hours in a day.
Use Gamification to Motivate Employees
Motivation is one of the most important factors when it comes to productivity. An effective way to motivate employees is by using gamification techniques. This technique uses rewards, leaderboards or rankings, challenges and other game elements to make repetitive tasks more attractive and fun. Activities such as filling in reports or contributing to ideas for projects can be made more interesting.
Also read: Gamification At Work: The Future Or A Fad?
By using this technique, staff members will be motivated to work more efficiently because they can earn something when actively participating, for example, an extra day off or even a bonus. To create personalized overviews to keep track of the mutual positions, an online printer such as helloprint.co.uk can easily be used.
Hand Over Tasks and Responsibilities
As a manager, ensure that employees are given responsibility and avoid micromanagement. Most of the times when inquiring among operators it appears that the majority feel more motivated by autonomy than by financial rewards. Employees who feel that they are being held responsible for their work will have a better mentality about delivering the best possible end results.
In addition, it is important to set clear goals so that the staff knows what to achieve and unrealistic productivity requirements are avoided. Short-term goals are effective to encourage employees to manage their speed in performing tasks and achieving goals. It is important to give feedback, so they know whether they are on the right track. Good management can improve employee productivity and help maintain it.
Provide Insight into Work and Time Use
In the current market, it is often no longer enough to look at what an employee has produced physically since many activities lead to ideas or proposals and not to a real physical product. It’s more important than ever to measure productivity in the right way. Quality is just as important as the quantity. In addition, it is important to measure how much time is spent on daily tasks as answering emails.
Also read: Output Over Hours
Many people think that at the end of the day they know how much time they have been spending on different tasks, but studies suggest that only 17% of employees can accurately measure the passage of time. By using time registration tools it can be seen which projects have been worked on and how much time this actually cost.
Satisfied Employees are More Productive
Practice shows time and time again that satisfied employees are more efficient. People who are dissatisfied with their job or who feel undervalued will often do their work on autopilot, without actually being involved in the end result. Respect, trust and a positive corporate culture contribute to a better productivity of the employees.
As a manager, it is important to put yourself in the shoes of the staff members and to think about how you want to be treated yourself and what you would improve. This can vary from courses for self-development to offering a healthy breakfast or fresh fruit on the work floor or the possibility to play sports during working hours.
Regular Breaks Provide New Energy
To increase productivity, regular breaks are needed to help improve concentration. Taking short breaks during longer tasks helps to maintain a constant level of performance. Working on a task without pauses leads to a steady decrease in performance.
Pauses of 15 to 20 minutes every two hours are sufficient to reset tired brains and then start fresh on a new task or continue with an on-going task. Complaints such as a headache and back pain can also be prevented this way.
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