Just because your employees are working long hours, it doesn’t automatically mean they are productive! Long hours can be detrimental to productivity which is why it is essential to ensure that your team isn’t getting overtired.
Covid 19 has also meant a lot of staff working from home so it’s important to use employee tracking software so that you can be sure that they are doing the work that they should be doing so be sure to check that out.
It’s far better to have them working less but being more productive during that time than working overtime and getting nothing done. What are the best ways to make those hours they are working much more productive, however? Find out more below.
- Accountability
If you can ensure that your employees are given real responsibility in their work, no matter what position they hold within the company, you will find that they become more productive and more satisfied with their role. They will be more careful about what they do, and they will do it to their best ability if the responsibility for the task’s success lies with them alone. They will feel a sense of ownership, making them happier to work harder for the company since they feel appreciated and respected.
- Find Out What They Need
If you want your staff to be as productive as possible, they need the tools and equipment (as well as the training) to do the job to the standards you want. Therefore, asking your staff what it is they need to help them be more productive and work more efficiently is a useful thing to do. However, once they tell you what they need, it is vital that you follow through and provide it for them by offering different tools and conflict resolution training. It could be a budget-friendly PCB design software program, or it could be something much more expensive. If it is going to get results, you will need to offer it.
- Don’t Micro-Manage
It is essential to manage your employees, but it is just as important not to micro-manage them. It can be difficult to distinguish between the two, but when you are micro-managing, the danger is that your staff will become too reliant on you making their decisions for them. For this not to happen, you need to be able to trust your employees to make the right choices and to get the job done in whatever way works for them. Don’t step in to change things just because it’s not the way you would do it. If it’s working, leave them to it!
- Offer Rewards
An employer who is quick to offer rewards and praise when one of their employees does a good job is an employer whose staff will be much more productive and keen to impress. The rewards don’t have to be large ones; you could offer an extra vacation day, or a gift card for their favorite store, for example. If the job was a particularly high-value one, then perhaps a monetary bonus is acceptable. It’s not necessarily what the reward is, but the fact that you are offering it will get results. If your employees know that their hard work will be acknowledged and rewarded, they will be more motivated and more productive, and their morale (and that of the whole team) will be vastly improved.
Image Credits: Increase Workplace Productivity from garagestock/Shutterstock