Running an office means constantly pushing your team to go above and beyond for the company. Of course, expecting too much or making heavy demands can easily backfire. When productivity has slowed, you must take direct actions that will benefit your business without taking a toll on your employees. Consider these suggestions and formulate a strategy that makes sense for your needs.
Encourage Breaks
Burnout is a major problem in modern offices. When your staff feels like they need to get a lot accomplished in a single day, they may start to produce work of a lower caliber or make more mistakes. To avoid this, encourage breaks throughout the workday. Even when deadlines are looming on the horizon, having employees step away from their desks at least once every hour can have a positive impact on productivity. Rest is vital for the mind, as it allows a person to momentarily leave a problem that is causing distress and come back feeling rejuvenated.
Though a break is good by itself, it is better when there is a concrete activity involved. By suggesting employees take a quick walk around the office or step outside and get fresh air, you are helping your team renew their senses and return to work with greater focus.
Invest in Better Software
In many cases, a lull in productivity stems from using the wrong software. When employees are dealing with outdated applications that take forever to load or are laden with bugs, it can prolong simple tasks. Think over what daily processes are taking longer than necessary and look into possible solutions. When your staff is working on multiple projects at once, investing in the best project management software can make for a sensible answer. Seek out cutting-edge programs that boast practical features so you can improve how your team tackles heavy workloads.
Pinpoint Employee Strengths
Office management often struggles with delegating tasks. In most cases, this is because leadership is not paying attention to the strengths and weaknesses of each team member. To improve productivity, you must become more aware of where your employees excel. Beyond this, focus on which tasks each team member likes to tackle. Someone who loves organizing spreadsheets will be more productive at completing a task in Excel than someone who dreads looking over endless rows and columns. What’s more, an employee whose skills and interests are recognized is likely to have a stronger desire to contribute to the company.
Communicate Clearly and Frequently
According to recent workplace studies, employees tend to be the least productive when they are uncertain of what their responsibilities are. Typically, this stems from a lack of communication. Management needs to be clear and concise when articulating the goals of a specific project. What’s more, communication needs to be consistent. Don’t assume that the entire team will remember what was discussed in one meeting. Send regular emails and check in with staff at least once a week in order to guarantee everyone is on the same page.
A slump in office productivity is not going to correct itself without intervention. Consider what actions will benefit your team most and put together a plan to encourage a more substantial daily workflow.
