If you run a small business, there’s a good chance you want to improve employee productivity. Greater productivity means they get more done, which saves you money and increases your bottom line.
There are lots of tips out there to help boost productivity in the workplace – here are some of the best.
Improve the working environment
The office environment can have a huge impact on your employees. A room that’s too hot, cold, stuffy or noisy can all affect the quality of their work.
To combat this, invest in a good heating system, allow plenty of natural light into the office, put up some paintings, improve the ventilation, buy some plants and do anything else you can to make the environment pleasant to work in.
Big companies like Google and Facebook are completely changing what an office environment can be like, and there is no reason why you can’t improve your working environment and enjoy the productivity boost it brings.
Invest in ergonomic furniture and equipment
If your employees are uncomfortable while they work, their productivity will inevitably take a hit. Bad posture can lead to injuries and time off work, costing you money.
It makes good financial sense to look after your employees and ensure they are comfortable, so invest in ergonomic chairs, desks, keyboards and more. Ergonomic furniture is more expensive but it can help improve productivity and save money in the long term.
Incorporate productivity tools
There are lots of tools available to help you create a more productive workplace. For example, you could use communication tools like Slack so that teams can converse in one place and keep on top of tasks rather than everyone sending each other emails.
Other project management tools like Basecamp, Asana and Trello can also help to manage tasks more effectively, saving time for everyone.
You could also use software like Skype or GoToMeeting to hold meetings from anywhere so there is no need to get everyone in the same place at the same time.
Google Drive is a fantastic tool for collaborating on files in real time no matter where your employees are based.
Marketing tools can also help you save time with your marketing activities – for example, a tool like Hootsuite is a great way to save time managing your social media activity.
Allow remote working
Some of your employees might work better from the comfort of their home. Technology has made it easier than ever to work outside the office and your employees might appreciate being able to balance their work lives and personal lives.
There are many potential benefits to working remotely, so this is definitely worth considering as an option. If you allow your employees to work in their preferred way, you can help boost productivity and job satisfaction and reduce staff turnover at the same time.
Try new things
There are plenty of ways you can introduce new ideas to see if they help boost productivity. For example, it’s been suggested that standing up during meetings can make people more productive – you could try holding meetings while going for a walk in the local park!
You might find that providing somewhere for your employees to relax properly in the office with a comfy sofa, or creating an office garden, can help. You might want to set up a place where your employees can meet up to talk informally about projects and brainstorm new ideas.
Don’t be afraid to try out new things – you might hit on something that boosts productivity.
Improve employee productivity in your workplace
As a small business owner, you can save a lot of money by making your staff more productive. At the same time, you can make their work more enjoyable and fulfilling, encouraging them to stay working for you for longer and reducing staff turnover.
So have a think about ways you could introduce changes to your workplace, and start to improve employee productivity today.
