
Post-COVID-19 our daily lives have changed considerably. The past months have brought many challenges; hybrid work culture, work-life balance, and employees’ well-being gained humongous buzz. Over a period of time, the role of HR has evolved exceedingly, and now there lies greater responsibility on the shoulder of HR to connect the dots. Improving and measuring employee productivity at the workplace is a big task in the kitty. There are four pillars of productivity – Time, Energy, Concentration, and Knowledge and each contributes to success in divergent ways.
Here are the top 5 ways to improve employee productivity:
Set Clear Goals and Expectations
It is of paramount importance to productivity to set clear goals and expectations, does make SMART goals, and ensure expectations are clearly, concisely, and regularly communicated to employees.
Understanding – What, How, and When is necessary to be effectively productive in the workplace. Also, providing feedback on progress help exceedingly to modulate the progress and transform the strategies, if needed.
Set Processes
Processes play a pivotal role to increase the level of productivity resulting in higher production which has a direct impact on organizational performance. A process-driven Organisation ensures consistency and a good process is like a checklist that ensures the right things get done at the right time and at the desired pace.
Good processes, therefore, provide a way to communicate and apply consistent standards and practices within the business/departments. The process defines things like what activities are to be done, who performs them, what is the purpose, how it is performed, and then who is responsible for them. Once worked through, it provides an efficient way of performing the task faster and in a consistent way.
Relax & Focus
Relax & Focus is the key to improving productivity. If you are relaxed, you are more focused and do things better and faster. The idea is to achieve success by identifying and focusing on the one most important task or goal at a time. Focusing on a single “one thing” allows you to minimize distractions and achieve greater results in less time.
The concept of ‘Flatter Management’ applies here wherein the 1-3-5 rule as strategy proves to be more productive at the workplace. Follow simple formula- pick one major task to accomplish as ‘Diving Goal’, three medium tasks can be taken as ‘Swimming Goal’, and then five tasks as ‘Activities’. This concept sets the accountability of each team member to be successful in realizing desired results.
Bridge the Gaps
Bridging the skill gaps between ‘as is’ and ‘desired’ are very important to be successful in this overwhelming world of competition. Regular performance reviews and identifying real-time training needs can be helpful to taste the flavour of success. It can help employees move to an in-demand position and be better equipped with performing the tasks at hand.
Manage Time Effectively
To manage time effectively 4-D’s – Do, Defer, Delegate and Delete are more realistic. Knowing how to manage your time properly is important as it brings a number of great benefits to your work routine and life overall.
Time management helps you achieve what you want faster when you understand the importance of time management, you gain the motivation to stop sitting around and pursue your goals. When you properly manage time, you get done and also save more time for activities you truly enjoy.
Time management helps you waste less time and avoid more friction and problems. And there is no worry about missing deadlines.