The 7 Ways To Make Your Employees More Productive!

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Productivity in the workplace can be measured in many different ways.

For some business owners, productivity is measured in the number of hours an employee works, while for others, productivity can be counted in terms of sales and revenue generated.

Still, for others, productivity means meeting specific goals according to individual projects.

No matter how you measure productivity, the end goal is always the same: getting work done.

In today’s ever-competitive business environment, it pays to be more productive, both literally and figuratively.

Unfortunately, trying to find ways to encourage productivity in the workplace can be difficult, especially if you already have a hectic schedule and tight deadlines.

The good news is that there are some simple steps you can take now to set the stage for a more productive workforce.

Ways To Make Your Employees More Productive!

Below are seven of the best ways to make your employees more productive:

Make Things Challenging

No matter what industry you serve, the truth is that virtually any task can become boring if it’s repetitive and provides no incentive to keep going other than a paycheck.

This is why experts recommend challenging employees by making tasks into games or fun competitions.

Instead of the normal day-to-day routine, consider allowing employees to earn levels or badges for extra effort.

This so-called “gamification” strategy gives workers reasons to be more productive.

Measure Productivity Using Software

As noted above, productivity can be measured in a number of different ways, but if you’re only looking at raw numbers, you could be missing opportunities to boost productivity.

This is why it may benefit your workplace to invest in specialized productivity software that can analyze feedback and trends from employees to shape productivity efforts.

Software not only offers deep insight into data that may not be apparent upon first glance, but it can also provide unbiased interpretation of workplace trends to help you make more efficient decisions.

Set Clear Expectations

One of the biggest drags on productivity in the workplace is the unclear expression of expectations.

After all, if an employee doesn’t really know what goals they are expected to meet, it can be tough to find ways to be more productive.

This is where you really need to sit down and think about what your goals are and how these goals can realistically be achieved.

If you set goals that are wildly out of reach, you and your employees are both going to end up disappointed.

If you don’t communicate your goals clearly while providing a path to achieve these goals, you’ll likely end up with the same disappointing result.

Provide Development Opportunities

It’s one thing to tell an employee you want them to be more productive, but it’s another to actually give the employee the tools and guidance needed to achieve these goals.

Smart employers understand that different employees have different needs, and this is why top workplaces provide ongoing training and mentoring.

Keep in mind that providing development opportunities goes beyond simply having a Monday morning meeting.

Instead, it means evaluating each employee’s strengths and playing to them in designing customized training materials that can help each employee reach their full potential in terms of productivity.

Eliminate Things That Stifle Motivation

In order to be more productive, you have to have a reason to do so.

In other words, you have to be motivated by something in order to be more productive.

Unfortunately, there are plenty of things in the workplace that can kill motivation, and they are often more complex than checking social media during work hours.

Instead, toxic attitudes, demoralizing coworkers and micromanaging can all kill motivation quickly.

When you identify and eliminate these motivation killers, you’re likely to see productivity take off.

Learn What Drives Employees

Speaking of motivation, you need to know what motivates employees in order to know how to shape your productivity efforts.

Some employees really like the idea of permanent remote work or having the ability to telecommute a few days a week.

Others may be motivated by office gatherings and team-building exercises.

To find out what motivates your employees to be more productive, provide them with opportunities to give you feedback on a regular basis.

This can be done through anonymous surveys or through private meetings and one-on-one coaching sessions.

Virtual team building activities also can be helpful to your employees. This method will boost communication skills, and increase motivation and productivity inside your team.

Incentivized with Perks

Offering incentives based on goals is a great way to challenge your employees to get more done in a shorter period of time.

Another great incentive is to offer to pay for a portion of something that has a health benefit; Gym memberships, low-calorie meals to the office, or even a new mattress.

This type of incentive will help with their overall performance around the office.