Marcus Richards
Managers are always looking for ways to improve the output and cohesion of their teams. Whether it’s scheduling or improving the office policies, there’s always something that would help them get more out of the employees.
Unfortunately, not all methods are made the same. In their strides to increase productivity, some managers take things too far, implementing practices that usually backfire. All of this culminates in high employee dissatisfaction and, eventually, turnovers.
In this article, we’ll separate the wheat from the chaff. We’ll focus on various practices that make sense and will provide a boost to your productivity in the long run. Not only will they improve performance, but they will also help employees develop their skills and stay with your company longer.
Improve recruiting
Everything starts with recruiting. Although skills are vital for having a better output, businesses often put too much emphasis on them. Instead, they should try to build teams around people’s character and how well these individuals can cooperate with others.
According to limited data, 50% of the global workforce will need to develop new skills by 2025. This isn’t a stretch, given how impactful the AI-powered technology has been. So, when that moment happens, you want to have people who are flexible enough to take that next step but also help others get there.
Introduce good policies
As an employer, you need to create a quality frame for all employees. Unfortunately, most companies don’t spend much time on office policies. Instead, they simply copy-paste what other brands are doing and hope for the best.
Ideally, you should create a set of rules that would work specifically for your business. Every industry has its peculiarities, and something similar can be said for companies. Make sure to introduce policies that would encompass all your employees and also create a safe environment where they can thrive.
Keep your offices tidy
You don’t have to be an extremely clean person to desire a clean office space. It’s a basic prerequisite for business of any kind, helping employees feel more comfortable and more at home. Clean offices are especially important for businesses where cluttering is commonplace.
There are numerous benefits of professional office cleaning that go beyond working in a tidy environment. Most notably, regular cleaning can significantly reduce the number of sick days. On top of that, it can also boost people’s morale, leading to better performance. Clean offices also make an impact on anyone who might visit you, thus increasing the number of sales.
Simplify scheduling
Scheduling errors can cost you a lot of work days. These types of issues are noticeable during summertime when everyone’s on vacation. Scheduling is also important when people start getting sick and can’t show up to work.
Nowadays, companies use various apps to improve their routines. Among others, this type of software can help track time spent at a desk, which is vital for remote offices. That way, you can make sure they’re not slacking off. By having scheduling flexibility, you also allow employees to work during the time when they’re most productive.
Delegate duties
Bottlenecks are one of the biggest productivity killers. They’re most common for large companies that have several departments and numerous teams. In most cases, these bottlenecks occur because employees don’t know when they need to take on an assignment. As you can presume, this usually occurs due to poor communication between teams.
When delegating duties, you need to put people in a position to succeed. Ideally, you should give employees tasks they can finish quickly and with minimal effort. That way, you can optimize their skillset, which, in turn, will result in higher productivity. Create a flowchart that will detail every minor task while putting optimal people in charge of each.
Avoid micromanagement
Many managers have an aggressive, hands-on approach. As they try to improve every single process, they become overbearing to their employees. Instead of focusing on the task at hand, your teams will start doubting themselves, taking into account your reaction before they do anything.
Micromanagement will significantly hinder their productivity. So, the best thing you can do is put the right people in the right position and just let them do their magic.
Use SaaS
It’s hard to imagine an efficient office that doesn’t rely on SaaS for its daily operations. These tools can help you execute all previously mentioned tasks, including team communication, scheduling, management, and task delegation.
If you wish to increase overall company efficiency, you should definitely get a few top-tier platforms. Aside from streamlining processes, they also reduce human errors.
