10 Tips For Improving Employee Productivity

Employee productivity is an assessment of the efficiency of an individual worker or group of workers.

Employee productivity is the driving force of all businesses. The more efficient your workforce is, the more your company will succeed, resulting in a higher return on investment and increased profit

Are you struggling with employee productivity? It might be time to ask yourself: How can I, as a leader, improve employee productivity in my business? 

In this article, we outline ten things you can do to increase employee efficiency in your workforce to save time and money.

Match tasks to skillset

Knowing your employees' skills, working methods, and learning styles is essential for maximising efficiency. Before delegating a task, ask yourself: is this the person suitable for the job I am giving them? If not, look for someone with skills and learning styles better suited to the requirements.

Set realistic goals 

Employees are guaranteed to be more productive if provided with achievable goals to aim for. Conversely, employees will be less productive if a goal is not accurately defined and attainable. Goal setting not only helps employees self-motivate, but it can also help to build confidence in their ability to succeed.

Invest in training and development

Your employees' training plays a massive role in their ability to complete the job efficiently. One of the most critical strategies for boosting productivity is to provide more training opportunities to help them develop their skills.

There are a lot of valuable skills that your employees can develop to boost their productivity. It could be time management, basic team leadership skills, or even Excel training. Remember: The more prepared they are for the job's requirements, the more productive they are likely to be.

Avoid overworking your employees

This one goes without saying; however, it's a common pitfall in some industries, particularly agency work and healthcare. Ensure you provide your employees with a schedule that supports a fair work-life balance, so they always feel appreciated and valued.

Provide incentives

One of the best ways to motivate your employees to be more productive is to give them a reason to do so. Simple things like an extra day's holiday, an extended lunch break, or a gift voucher of their choice are all simple rewards that will pay dividends. 

Celebrate their success

Recognising your workers for a job well done will make them feel appreciated and encourage them to continue being more productive. Always take the time to recognise hard work to establish a more appreciative workplace culture. 

Focus on effective communication

If you're a manager who lacks open communication between you and your employees, you are asking for productivity issues in the workplace. Open a line of clear and concise communication between you and your employees. This can be via email, a 1-2-1, or a staff survey. Not only does this allow you to communicate expectations and responsibilities requirements effectively, but it will also encourage your team members to communicate honestly and openly.

Provide honest feedback

There is no hope of increasing employee productivity if they don't know they're being unproductive, to begin with. Offer constructive feedback where you see fit to allow your employees to learn from past mistakes and develop their skills.

Consider offering flexible working hours

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, flexible working is now preferred and even considered the norm in some industries. Providing a flexible working pattern allows your employees to choose when, where and how they work to suit their needs, offering a more structured work/life balance which is proven to increase productivity.

Use a tool

Providing your employees with the right tools is essential if you want them to be efficient. The same approach should be applied to you, too. Investing in an employee scheduling tool like OptifAI can help eliminate hours of manual scheduling time, allowing you to focus on boosting your employees' productivity.