All businesses should have one thing and one thing only at the top of their list of important assets, the employees. Without the employees, there is no company, and without the company, of course, there is no business. This is why keeping the employees happy is the secret behind the most successful businesses. However, in order to do this, the right moves have to be made with the goal of increasing the productivity of these happy employees. This is not always that easy to do and it can actually prove very hard to increase the volume of your business and make it grow. In this article, we will go over the changes you can introduce into your company and make the employees happy while increasing productivity in the workplace. People who are genuinely happy to be there will do quality work left and right and the success of the whole operation will be noticed.
Table of Contents
1. Efficiency
Start things off by taking some time to observe how your business operations are going at the moment. Make it known in the workplace that you are willing to listen to suggestions and change important things in the right direction. Both short- and long-term changes are crucial, especially in a smaller business with fewer workers who have closer relationships with one another. Efficiency changes range from everyday things like structuring responsibilities and making more effective schedules, to doing things both easier and better. Prioritizing is also a big deal, but it should be discussed with everyone so that all the staff is on the same page. One way to efficiently keep track of how long it takes the employees to do their work is Traqq, so give it a shot if you want a convenient and free time tracker to boost productivity.
2. Delegate
Now we know that delegation is risky, but when employees get new and larger responsibilities, it is one of the best ways to increase morale and job satisfaction. If you do it right and award the best employees with better positions and more decision making, your company is going to prosper from it. Pick out the most hard-working and the highest qualified employees who have a strong track record, and trust them with the new tasks. You will be surprised by how much good this kind of delegation can bring.
Furthermore, if you recognize some employees are better suited for other positions but lack training and skills, allow them to gain these new skills and train them in leadership. This will show everyone you are willing to help them, so of course, they will want to help the company and expand their careers.
3. Distractions Reduction
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Distractions in the work environment are arguably the worst thing that can happen to a business. However small or insignificant they may seem, when added up between multiple employees and across a certain time period, they can hurt productivity and revenue. There is no place for modern distractions like social media for example, or unattended coffee, smoking, or lunch breaks. Keeping employees from their phones is not advised, but many other tactics out there truly work. For example, you could ask the workers to turn off their devices while they work but increase the break times slightly. This will make them work harder and stay focused during their office hours because they know they can only relax while resting. Desk time will be more productive, and the breaks will be more satisfying.
4. Tools and Equipment
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Your employees cannot be more productive without the right and necessary tools and equipment. You cannot expect them to perform better in their important duties and be efficient if they lack the tings that allow for all that. For example, wasting time while waiting for slow technology to load, print, or process is extremely counterproductive. If you ever notice that desktop computers, laptops, printers, scanners, or any other devices in the office are holding the staff down and slowing the operations, it is time to invest in some new gear.
Modern software and hardware are immeasurably better and faster than the old, and higher-quality models are available every year. If you compare an average PC of today with the one from a few years ago, you will see how quickly technology advances. Every contemporary office should have the right tools for business, including fast computers and near-top-of-the-line printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines. Some devices combine all these into one giant time-saving marvel of technology.
5. Workplace Conditions
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Similarly to the right gear, a healthy and comfortable working environment is key to productivity. For example, a too cold or too hot office is counterproductive. Try keeping the temperature around 70 F, or 21 C. It can be very hard to focus and concentrate when the temperature is off. Air-conditioning and heating both ensure the health and well-being of tour staff, who will recognize your efforts and see you care about their satisfaction. Pair this with comfortable ergonomic chairs every three to four years and your employees will adore you.
6. Offer Support and Goals
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When a manager has no goals set in place, and when they are missing a clear and concise mindset of where they want to take the firm, employees can recognize it as poor leadership. This has the potential to lead to low motivation and an overall lack of will to succeed and improve, and that is the last thing a place of business needs. To combat this, as a leader, it is a good idea to introduce incentives and talk with your workers about what you expect from them, and the company. Start by offering achievable goals, which you can then expand and improve until you all manage to lift the company to new heights. Clear goals and a long-term plan are highly effective in increasing workplace productivity.
7. Positive Reinforcement
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Tightly connected to much of what was mentioned earlier, encouragement, motivation, and rewarding of your staff goes a long way. When they do something good, let them know. If they show continuous progress, praise their work and let them know you and everyone else appreciates it. Constructive criticism is good and important for everyone. After a highly productive quarter, you will have the resources to treat them to extra vacation days or to give out larger bonuses. All good bosses care about their workers, so why not treat them to coffee or lunch every once in a while, or introduce casual Fridays or monthly office parties? Whatever you do, remember that the satisfaction of your employees and their productivity go hand in hand, and there is no one without the other.
