3 Easy Ways to Make Your Employees More Productive
Having the most productive employees isn’t always a matter of hiring those with the best educational pedigrees. People work together for the overall improvement of the company because they believe that they are taken seriously and have something important to offer. Next time you make your way around your office cubicles, envision each employee as a valued contributor to the success of the company. Try these three tips for helping employees become as productive as possible.
1. Walk the walk. If you as a leader practice excellence and empowerment, your managers and employees will learn from your example. If you want honest employees, be honest with them. If you want productive employees, be productive.
2. Learn to take breaks. Get yourself and your employees in the habit of taking a five minute break every hour and a half. Productivity slows to a crawl once you’ve been staring at the same task for too long. Encourage employees to have that cup of coffee or get up and stretch for a few minutes. A refreshed worker is a more productive worker.
3. Encourage trust. Increased trust in your employees’ abilities causes productivity to increase. Micromanaging employees rarely works, because employees learn not to trust their own abilities. Trust people to deliver what they’re supposed to and thank them when they do. Offer constructive criticism when necessary, but never micromanage.
A positive work environment does not depend on having game rooms and scooters like at Google headquarters. Motivated, contented employees can do excellent work in used cubicles outfitted with just the basics as long as they know they are valued as contributors to the company’s success. You can have the coolest workplace ever, but if office morale is at rock bottom, the company will suffer. Make sure employees know that they matter.
