Three Methods to Increase Productivity in the Workplace
Whether you’re running a seasoned company or just starting your business, you’re going to benefit from using methods designed to increase productivity in the workplace. These ideas are rather simple – so simple that they’re easy to skip out on if employees aren’t encouraged to use them and understand why they help them stay on task. Getting every employee on board with these practices to increase productivity in the workplace will ensure more sales and improve workplace culture.
If you’re in the market for more time management tips for your business, contact Wolf Creek Business Growth Institute for business coaching services.
The Formula for Increased Productivity
Before diving into the tips, let’s define the formula for productivity. Knowing the formula will help you improve in each aspect so you can increase productivity more effectively.
Planning + Prioritizing + Personal Accountability = Productivity
Now, follow the below tips that address each aspect of productivity to increase it in your company.
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Track Time and Goals to Increase Productivity in the Workplace
To increase productivity in the workplace, it’s crucial that business owners observe and analyze how their departments allocate time to tasks during a workday. Business owners can use metrics like how long it takes a team to perform repetitive job duties or how many tasks that team completes in a week. After gathering data using these metrics, analyze the data to decide if you need to raise or lower your benchmark numbers or raise prices to ensure good profit margins.
For example, if your writers consistently produce 15 blogs every week, but the company’s goal is 20 blogs per week, you’ll need to meet with both the sales team and the writing team to discuss roadblocks. From there, you can adjust the benchmark, track each employee’s writing time, and come up with a realistic but ambitious goal for each employee to ensure increased productivity in the workplace. At the same time, you can analyze your costs and prices and adjust if needed.
If you notice one team falling behind their benchmarks consistently, it might be time to re-train the team or hire a business coach to get brushed up on time management techniques. Time management skills as well as better techniques help employees plan and keep them accountable for their work, which can increase productivity in the workplace.
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90-Minute Time Intervals Can Help Boost Productivity
One of the best ways to increase productivity in the workplace is by blocking out 90-minute work sessions split up by ten or 15-minute breaks. These 90-minute “sprints” lead to higher outputs because employees are able to focus entirely on one task without distractions. During these sprints, employees are discouraged from performing any other tasks, including checking emails and messages. This allows people to prioritize and dedicate their full attention to the project they’re working on, delivering the best end result possible.
These sprints are followed by 10 to 15-minute breaks that let your employees recharge. Implementing sprints establishes a flow to increase productivity in the workplace without burning out your employees. They’ll have to plan and prioritize assignments. When they go back to work after the break, they’re refreshed and ready to start a new task.
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Set a Meeting Schedule to Increase Productivity in the Workplace
Meetings are notorious for sucking up valuable time during the workday. Instead of calling impromptu meetings or holding meetings in the middle of the workday when people are on task, set a meeting schedule during natural stopping points to avoid interrupting progress.
If you haven’t heard it yet, multi-tasking is a myth and hinders productivity. This includes doing two tasks at once or switching between tasks rapidly. In fact, the American Psychological Association states that having people switch tasks takes a toll on productivity as switching tasks has a real-time cost that adds up. It hinders concentration and creativity, and the work suffers in quality because people aren’t devoting the attention each task needs.
Solidifying a meeting schedule increases productivity in the workplace by ensuring that your employees aren’t taken away from a project to focus on something entirely different in a meeting.
Plan one or two meetings each day to get updates on projects. A morning meeting to get a daily report of projects and goals and an afternoon meeting to reflect on the day’s tasks are perfect for increasing productivity in the workplace without losing time. In the morning, employees haven’t started projects yet, so you have an opportunity to set the tone for the day. And an afternoon meeting rounds out the day perfectly and allows your employees to finish any projects beforehand.
Your employees will know what to expect with a set meeting schedule, and you can all prepare and plan accordingly, guaranteeing more productive meetings.
Train Your Brain to Time-Manage with Wolf Creek BGI
Wolf Creek Business Growth Institute works to provide businesses with coaching that increases productivity in the workplace. If you’re interested in increasing productivity in the workplace with business coaching from industry professionals customized to your business’s needs, contact Wolf Creek BGI today at 225-219-8866.
