The average employee only remains productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes each day. Within an hour, an employee is interrupted about seven times as well. Each interruption steals about five minutes of their working time.
Within an eight-hour workday, an employee could lose up to four hours of valuable work time as a result.
Engaged employees, however, are often more productive, resulting in a 21% increase in profits.
Here are seven simple tips that can help boost productivity in your office. With these tips, you can keep distractions from interrupting workflow. In time, your revenue will rise.
Make improvements to employee productivity with these tips today!
1. Outline SMART Goals
One of the best ways to improve productivity within your office is to ensure every member of your team is on the same page. Start by identifying your priorities and setting SMART goals for the entire team. These goals are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Results-Driven
- Time-Sensitive
Outlining these goals can help your team determine the best ways to remain productive. For each goal you establish, determine how your team will accomplish that goal. Then, create a key performance indicator (KPI) to track their progress along the way.
Consider breaking your larger goals into smaller, easy-to-achieve tasks with deadlines. If your team is struggling to accomplish those smaller goals, assess the situation. What’s keeping them from completing those tasks?
Establishing SMART goals will keep your team motivated. You can build their confidence along the way as they begin accomplishing smaller goals, too.
If there’s a problem that’s hindering their progress, you can take action before their larger deadline approaches.
Employees will feel more compelled to follow the structure you’ve established once you identify how they can best accomplish their goals. You can also create a system of performance analysis to help them track their own progress.
Meanwhile, setting meaningful goals for your team can help drive better performance, improving employee productivity. Without goals, however, your team might question what to do or why they’re doing it. They might not find the motivation they need to remain productive as a result.
Creating goals for the entire team will encourage your employees to collaborate and work together, too.
At the same time, you’ll have an easy way to check in with your team to determine if they need help. Consider offering rewards for a job well done as they begin accomplishing their goals to keep morale up, too!
2. Minimize Time-Wasters
Remember, your team is bound to get distracted throughout the day. If you want to boost team productivity, determine what’s stealing their attention away from work. Then, you can get rid of these roadblocks to keep your team focused.
For example, perhaps you’re setting too many meetings throughout the day. These meetings can keep employees from completing bigger tasks.
Instead, limit how many meetings you set each day. Only require necessary employees to attend each meeting, too. Otherwise, make sure each meeting has a focused agency and a time limit.
Perhaps how your team is communicating is slowing them down. Instead of lengthy emails, consider using a system like Slack. Look for real-time tools that can boost your team’s efficiency.
Maybe a lack of organization in your office is the problem instead. Help your team find new ways to remain organized and efficient. For example, you can switch to cloud computing to make it easier for your team to share files.
3. Utilize Technology
Utilizing the right apps and programs can also boost your team’s productivity. For example, you might consider using:
- Slack
- Asana
- Evernote
- Dropbox
- Todoist
You can also use online time clocks and workforce management software to keep track of your team.
Take a moment to consider what’s causing lags as your team works to accomplish their goals. Then, determine what technology will streamline the process to minimize those lags.
About 75% of global organizations plan to increase their use of productivity tools. About 55% believe technology can positively impact productivity.
Finding the right tools can increase productivity and minimize stressors throughout the day.
4. Motivate Your Team
Your team won’t remain productive if they don’t feel motivated.
Consider sitting down with each member of your team. Ask them what’s important to them. What keeps them motivated?
Consider finding a balance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. You can promote self-reflective benefits to encourage employees to achieve personal satisfaction at work. Otherwise, you can provide external rewards to keep them motivated.
Encourage your employees to keep learning, too. They might feel more motivated if you offer learning opportunities. Your team members will learn how to become more efficient at their jobs, benefiting your business in the long run.
5. Minimize Stress
Stress in the workplace can impact your team’s productivity and morale. During your one-on-one meetings with your employees, determine what’s causing their stress.
Otherwise, too much stress might hurt your employee retention rate and productivity.
For example, maybe you’re setting unrealistic deadlines for your team. Maybe there are areas in the workflow that are causing bottlenecks.
Let your employees know they’re always able to make suggestions. Their recommendations can improve your company culture and office environment, which could boost morale and productivity.
6. Schedule Reviews
Schedule regular reviews with each member of your team as well.
In addition to the SMART goals you set for your team, set SMART goals for each employee. Your team will feel motivated to accomplish goals they want to set for themselves. They’ll start experiencing personal growth as a member of your team, which can keep them motivated.
Meanwhile, you can provide constructive criticism to help them grow.
7. Track and Adjust
Once you begin using these tips to increase productivity in the workplace, track your team’s progress. Determine which changes are helping (or which aren’t). Then, reevaluate.
Continue making changes to help improve productivity throughout every department or for each member of your team.
Amplify Your Efficiency: Boost Productivity in the Workplace Today
Learning how to boost productivity in the workplace could prove invaluable to your business. Start using these tips to boost employee productivity this year. Then, continue making changes to improve your efficiency and ROI.
In time, boosting your team’s productivity can set your business up for long-term growth and success.
Remember, the right technology could make a big difference. We can help.
Contact us today to learn more.
