Five Ways To Maximize Productivity In The Workplace

Not making use of all your resources will guarantee failure to achieve targets and the only solution is to maximize productivity.

As a manager, you already have many unutilized resources that you can make use of to boost your workplace productivity.

• What is workplace productivity?
• What affects productivity in the workplace?
• Five ways to maximize your productivity
• Conclusion - Maximize Productivity

What is workplace productivity?

According to most references on the web productivity in the workplace is the amount of work done in a specific period of time. In a sense this is true but there is much more to it if you want to achieve maximum productivity.

In general, you cannot have productivity without efficiency. Efficiency is generated by a highly productive environment.

The correct description of productivity should be defined as doing the right thing at the right time and getting the best possible result achievable as a final outcome.

Now the debate will always end up around the term "best possible result" as it will differ from place to place. This is where leadership skills come in to identify the best possible result in order to achieve the organization's goals.

What affects productivity in the workplace?

For a business to survive and grow it is essential to focus on the basics of productivity. Fear not........it is never too late to return to basics so here we go.

Many of us get sidetracked by new developments and negative factors which cause us to forget the basics. When it comes to poor productivity there are three factors that can affect overall workplace productivity.

• The people involved with the organization
• The work environment
• The technological implementation
• Poor work processes
• Leadership

People involved with the organization

People are the biggest drivers of productivity but it does not only include your own staff. Negative productivity influences normally come from outside and must be managed properly for productivity to improve.

The efficiency of your suppliers will play a major role in how you can control your own work processes. The same goes for the type of clients you deal with on a daily basis who basically don't care about your productivity and efficiency as long as they get what they want.

The work environment

Most of the time the second biggest culprit of poor work productivity is a work environment that does not encourage high standards of productivity. In itself, there can be a few reasons why your environment can be deemed unsuitable for productivity.

It can be either physical or mental conditions that will create a negative atmosphere which in turn affects productivity.

It can be as simple as an unfunctional and disorganized workplace or on a more serious note an organizational culture that nurtures negativity.

The technological implementation   

If there is anything that can put a damper on productivity then it is the lack of technology use in the business. Having to still do everything manually while the rest of the industry is using top technology can not be very motivating for your staff.

Most productivity improvements today happen because of technology being implemented so our work can become easier. Without technology, the input effort increases but not in a productive way because time and money are wasted on redundant methods.

Poor work processes

Work processes are another big culprit in your quest for productivity and efficiency. An in-depth look is needed at what you are doing and how it is done. The smallest change in the workplace can make a current process redundant but very few people will ignore it and work around it.

This will almost certainly create a culture of doing what is necessary and not what can enhance productivity. 

Leadership

Very important is the leadership role in the process of maximizing productivity. Not only is it the task of the leadership to encourage productive actions throughout the organization but it is also their duty to identify unproductive behaviour and rectify the situation.

Not taking any action by leadership will cause total disengagement of their employees and efficiency levels will drop as will the profits of the company. Creating an environment where productivity becomes the norm falls squarely on the shoulders of leadership.

Five ways to maximize productivity in the workplace

Planning ahead is the foundation of productivity in all organizations. Having a clear plan of what the organizational goals and objectives are will allow employees to identify easier with their purpose in the bigger picture.

 
It also guides your team in a specific common direction with clear targets to achieve along the way.

Training for success

Training is as essential as the organizational goals and objectives. Staff must be subjected to training in all aspects of the organization, the processes within, and the industry you operate in.

Training has the benefits of installing discipline, improving efficiency, building productive teams, and motivating staff into a culture of continuous improvement. 

Staff sees training as self-development and the extra motivation will guarantee higher productivity.

Employee motivation and inspiration

The motivation of the staff does not have to cost the organization in monetary value. True leadership skills can be applied to engage employees on a productive level.

Targets, self-measurement, and rewards go a long way in motivating staff to new heights. Most employees will be more productive when they have clear set targets which they can monitor themselves and be held accountable for results. 

The actions of top management account for 80% of employee motivation. For most employees, the only motivation to be there is simply to get an income and provide for their families. It is the task of leadership to ensure this changes into a culture of full engagement.

Work measurement for improvement

Measurement is crucial as a support act for productivity. It provides feedback and highlights alternative options to failed processes. By identifying key performance areas employees become more engaged in daily operations which will encourage productive thinking.

Visually it provides the employee with anomalies that must be rectified in order to become more efficient in achieving targets consistently. It forces employees to become innovative in order to increase their efficiency and productivity.

Reward reaching milestones

The reward must not always be seen as monetary action as it can be as small as verbal recognition. Praise goes a long way when teams are competitive and efficient.

The three main types of rewards are monetary, time-based, and verbal recognition.

The type of business and the level of motivation you want to extract will determine the type of reward you can apply.

Always keep in mind that leading your team in the right direction is based 100% on your own motivation and productivity. Lead by example and all will follow.

Maximize Productivity - Summary

It is not hard work to increase your productivity. It only needs a tweak and a bit of focus on one area and you will immediately see the results.

Keeping up with changes in the industry will enable you to keep up with changes inside your own workplace.

The people that work for you are the most important part of maximizing productivity and developing the right environment will nurture a positive culture.