Ensuring productivity is at its highest throughout the workforce is extremely important and impactful to a businesses performance, which is why it should always be a top priority to make sure that employees have the best support and materials that will allow them to be the most productive they can possibly be. 

Since employee engagement and retention is key to business success, organisations are always asking how to increase productivity and work efficiency. Increasing employee productivity doesn’t always mean spending a lot of money. It is important to start with the small things as these will build your success. Rewarding employees for small wins or mini-milestones will encourage them to go the extra mile at work and will inspire a more productive workforce. Ian Edwards, COO and co-founder of rewards and incentivisation platform, BeeLiked 

Set goals

It is important to sit down and set goals with your employees as they will be more productive if they know what they’re working towards. Ian explains “Employees feel more fired up and motivated to achieve if they know what’s expected of them. Make sure your organisation’s mission and goals are clearly communicated. Encourage employees to use their available productivity tools to carry out assignments and meet targets.” This is the perfect time to introduce and discuss rewards for when employees achieve the goals set for them. A great way to do this is to create a playful rewards program that shows appreciation for the little wins and targets met. The great thing about rewards programs is that they can be ongoing which motivates employees to continue to work productively develop. 

Provide feedback 

Providing detailed feedback to employees provides them with the information they need to improve and will make them want to try harder to achieve their goals. Positive feedback also motivates employees to keep up the hard work and go above and beyond in everything they do. 

Ian explains “Offering constructive feedback is an incredible way to foster employee growth, improve trust and communication and strengthen bonds. To ensure feedback is given and received in the most productive way possible, be sure to avoid giving unsolicited advice, be specific, practice empathy, encourage a two-way conversation and focus on performance, not personality. Instead of waiting for quarterly or yearly reviews, make feedback a regular part of company life. And always be sure to follow up to see if an employee is putting the feedback into action or needs further guidance.”

Create a more productive working environment

A very important factor to increasing employee productivity is ensuring that everyone is working in an environment that encourages productivity. With people returning to work after months of remote working, now is the time to improve the office. Ian explains “Keeping the office clean, sprucing the workplace up with new paint and fixtures, bringing in more natural light, removing clutter, and setting a congenial tone that reflects your organization’s culture are all small steps that make employees feel more comfortable and relaxed which, in turn, makes them more productive. Employment productivity can only be achieved if employees feel they work in an environment which meets their needs and allows them to work at their best capacity.” 

Use productivity apps 

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to consider what else can be introduced into the workplace to increase productivity amongst employees. A great initiative that can be introduced is the use of productivity apps. These are tools employees use at work to make tasks easier and streamline workflows, playing a key role in productivity and work efficiency.

There are thousands of productivity apps available for personal and business use, but the best ones aim to help employees get organised, improve habits, and increase focus. An example of one of the best productivity apps is Google’s ‘G Suite for Business’ which contains Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, Meet, and more. It also includes shared calendars, video and voice conferencing, and a team messaging app. It’s all designed to make work more collaborative and productive to achieve great results.

Provide incentives and rewards 

Employers are constantly being reminded to reward employees for their hard work and include incentives to encourage them to work harder. Employee incentive programs keep employees engaged and motivated, and celebrating achievements through rewards will make employees feel appreciated for the hard work they’ve put in, and will inspire them to work harder. Employees who feel appreciated are healthier, experience less stress, and have fewer sick days. 

Gamification is a great way to reward employees and also gives them an incentive to be productive at work. Organisations can use entertaining games such as Spin the Wheel, which employees can win prizes from every time they reach a goal or target set for them to achieve.  

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which methods will work best for your business to encourage productivity, but the key thing to remember is that when employees feel recognized for what they do, their happiness increases and they will inherently work harder for the business to produce great results.