As the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, you notice the overall productivity of employees in the office has begun to decline. Although this is a quite common occurrence, slumps such as this can have an overall negative impact on a company. Whether it's just one or two employees or several people, a decrease in productivity can mean extra work and a heavier burden on others. In addition, it can bring down the mood in the office as your employees struggle to find the motivation they need to get their work done in a timely manner. Fortunately, there are ways to increase employee productivity.
Keep Goals in Mind
Almost everyone likes to have a goal to work towards. When employees begin to slack off, it may be because they do not have a specific goal in mind. This is even true if a worker does have a goal in mind, but the grind of daily work has pushed that goal to the outer stretches of that person's mind. Whatever the case may be, having an attainable goal to work towards can go a long way in terms of increasing employee productivity and even morale. In fact, you can help the employee set a few goals, if necessary. Be sure to include some short-term goals that the employee can easily accomplish, as well as long term goals that he or she must steadily work towards.
Encourage Social Interactions
It can be tough to get stuck in a grind, which can lead to a decrease in social interactions. Even if it is a busy time of year at your company, encouraging social interaction goes a long way towards boosting employee morale. This might include rearranging the work space so that the desks and chairs are more visible to one another. If you would rather not change the setup, or you think this arrangement might be too distracting, you can implement more social interactions throughout the year. Some examples include hosting birthday parties and holiday celebrations, where everyone is encouraged to join in. You don't have to spend lots of time and money on such an event, as the act of being together is sure to make your employees generally happier.
Cut Down on Travel Time
If you notice that your employees are becoming less efficient, the key may be to reduce their travel time. In some instances, the more an employee travels, the more time he or she might spend in the office. Although it isn't always possible to avoid travel, it is a good idea to ensure that the travel is productive. One way to resolve this problem is to use technology to communicate rather than having a worker travel to an offsite meeting. There are a number of programs available to make audio/web calling easier and free, such as UberConference, Google + Hangouts etc. If you use the latest technologies and encourage your employees to do the same, you might just find something that makes all of you happy.
Reward Good Health
In general, an unhealthy employee is more likely to be less productive than a healthier employee. If you want to increase the level of productivity in your office, start by rewarding good health. Employees who are in poor health are not only damaging their bodies, but they can be harming the business, as well. Common health problems such as hypertension and gastrointestinal issues can be linked to unhealthy behavior, but these problems can be resolved by focusing on achieving good health. A good way to begin is to provide educational material or health-related seminars to teach employees more about how to become healthier. Providing ways for employees to make their own meals, such as with a properly equipped kitchen, can lead to positive health changes as well.
Encourage, Reward, and Recognize
No one likes to work without hearing encouragement from time to time or being rewarded or recognized for his or her hard work. A lack of reward and recognition can easily lead to a decline in employee performance. You can start by offering words of encouragement, but actions such as paying for holidays or conferences can go a long way as well.
There is only so much you can do around the office to boost productivity, and it doesn't hurt to bring in an outside professional to help with this process. One example is to hire motivational speakers for corporate meetings. There is a good chance that the employees will feel more energized afterwards, which can lead to better performance.
It's time to take action if employee morale is dragging. Simple steps can go a long way towards boosting productivity, and creating a more positive mood around the office.
What’s your thought..?
For any businesses it is important to have their employees motivated, empowered and productive. But how do they deal with the randomness and unproductive attitude of workers? How do you deal with the same? Share your experience with us…!
