Small and big businesses regardless of what industry they are in, try to boost productivity in the workplace to achieve their goals. Whether they are offering financial incentives, recognition across the company, or extra vacation days, companies will go to extra lengths to reach or boost workplace productivity.
Every company has employees that are super stars and their productivity is unparalleled. But, as every company have super stars, they have the super “duds” in it as well. When looking into improving the productivity in your company, you have to take into account that all your employees have to be accountable for the work they do or are supposed to do. The superstars can only take the team up to a point. Dragging the employees that are falling way below their potential is exhausting and mentally exhausting for everyone else.
Metrics that help you measure the productivity of your employees and yourself are widely available for businesses. Every employee believes he is productive, but remember that productivity is a very subjective concept for many of us. We do not measure time or productivity equally. Reading and answering all emails in your inbox may seem like you are productive, even if you do nothing else. For other people answering all those emails is only the beginning of their day.
When measuring the productivity of your employees-and yourself-take into consideration that employees respond differently to what management or they owner tells them. For many employees a job performance review and an unsatisfactory review at that, can be more harmful that no review at all. You have to get to know your employees before handing out advice. Sometimes a pat on the back, or a nice word at the beginning of the day are for many employees enough to continue working hard for you. Recognition that they are doing a good job and that you are aware of it, can increase the productivity of many of your employees.
Most workers across the United States have a life outside work. Families, other jobs, elderly parents, financial problems and a myriad of other issues, are a constant reminder that we are humans and have a limited time of hours every day. Expecting the employee to be a happy and responsive human being every single day is expecting too much. When asking an employee for X, Y and Z, think before and ask yourself if it is too much. I do not believe that you have to hire a slacker and let it be, just think that a happy employee will be a more productive employee for you and your company.
