The most important thing to a small business owner is its employees. If your employees are happy, their productivity will increase, and that is exactly what you need to help your business grow.
Making small changes to habits will automatically improve the levels of productivity and office efficiency in your business. This will allow you to get more quality work done in a short time as well as reduce the amount of time spent on unnecessary tasks.
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your employees and ensure that their productivity is kept to a maximum:
1. Be Efficient
Consider how your business is currently been run and, be open to the potential of changing the way you work. Remember that it is equally as important to make short-term and long-term lists as it helps to priorities tasks, especially in a small business.
Find out if there is a better way that staff members could structure their day to enable them to achieve their daily goals, Provide each member of staff with a plan and encourage each to make a list to ensure he or she completes prioritized jobs on time and stays on task all day, resulting in efficient working.
2. Delegate
Delegation has its own element of risk, but increased responsibility is important for improving the morale and job satisfaction of your staff. Give responsibilities to qualified employees that have a proven track record with success in a certain field, and trust that they will perform the tasks well.
If you allow employees the chance to gain skills and leadership experience, it will benefit your company and provide your employees with a sense of achievement and direction in their own careers.
3. Set self-imposed deadlines.
While we usually think of a stress as a bad thing, a manageable level of self-imposed stress can be helpful in terms of giving us focus and helping us meet our goals. For open-ended tasks or projects, try giving yourself a deadline, and then stick to it. You may be surprised to discover just how focused and productive you can be when you are watching the clock.
4. Just Say No To Meetings.
Meetings are one of the things that sucks up our time, yet somehow, we continue to unquestioningly book them, attend them and, inevitably, complain about them. According to Atlassian, the average office worker spends over 31 hours each month in unproductive meetings. Before booking your next meeting, ask yourself whether you can accomplish the same goals or tasks via email, phone, or Web-based meeting (which may be slightly more productive).
5. Quit Multitasking.
While we tend to think of the ability to multitask as an important skill for increasing efficiency, the opposite may in fact be true. Psychologists have found attempting to do several tasks at once can result in lost time and productivity. Instead, make a habit of committing to a single task before moving on to your next project.
6. Reduce Distractions
Social media can be a huge productivity killer, but it is not practical to have a no-phone policy. Instead, try to keep employees focused and engaged while allowing them breathing room.
Encourage employees to turn off their mobiles but take regular breaks during which they can be free to check their phones. This will ensure that the time spent at their desk is more productive
7. Practice Positive Reinforcement
Encourage, motivate, and reward. Tell employees they are doing a good job and give constructive criticism. Most importantly, offer personal incentives for doing the job well – could they get a free holiday or a free takeout coffee for performing above and beyond their roles?
You should clearly indicate success of one employee to other staff to cultivate a sense of fulfilment to motivate others. When you motivate your employees to work harder and receive rewards in return, they are more likely to put increased productivity high up on their to-do list.
8. Take Exercise Breaks.
Using work time to exercise may help improve productivity, according to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. If possible, build in set times during the week for taking a walk or going to the gym. Getting your blood pumping could be just what is needed to clear your head and get your focus back.
9. Be Proactive, Not Reactive.
Allowing incoming phone calls and emails to dictate how you spend your day will mean you do a great job of putting out fires–but that may be all you get accomplished. Peter Daisyme from free hosting company Hostt says, “Set aside time for responding to emails, but don’t let them determine what your day is going to look like. Have a plan of attack at the start of each day, and then do your best to stick to it.”
10. Ensure Employees Are Happy
A stressful workplace will not yield results. Workers that constantly operate under highly stressful conditions are found to be less productive and have higher levels of disengagement and absenteeism. They need to be happy! Showing employees how much the company appreciates, respects and values them on a personal level is gratifying and often overlooked. If you want your staff to work to the best of their ability, try out a few of these tips and enjoy the benefits