How to Fill Productivity Gaps Strategically
Like most employers, increasing your team’s productivity may be a challenge. Of course, you want them to get more done and add additional value to the business. However, you cannot make your team members work harder or expect that imposing strict rules will provide motivation to accomplish more. Instead, you need to find ways that inspire them to want to work harder. Implement these five productivity strategies to encourage your team to get more done.
Set Goals
Involve your team members in creating goals. They will be more productive when they have a say in and clearly understand what they are working toward. Be transparent about your long-term plans and big picture ideas. You will cultivate trust and increase the significance and satisfaction of completing tasks. Involvement in goal setting increases self-motivation and builds confidence in individual and team success. Be sure to set a measurement system for team members to keep track of their own performance. They will be more inclined to collaborate on reaching a common objective. Regularly check in each person about their personal and team progress. Provide rewards for reaching milestones.
Emphasize Relationship Building
Focus on relationship building as part of company culture. Along with your company mission, vision, values, goals, ethics, and work environment, research published in the IOSR Journal of Business and Management shows that cultures emphasizing building relationships and rewarding collaboration contribute to employee productivity. Therefore, hire candidates who will work well with their team and help to energize and motivate others.
Provide the Right Technology
Give your team the proper technology to complete their work. Cloud computing and mobile devices are among the top tools needed to increase productivity. The cloud takes away capital costs and requires payment for only the resources used rather than bulk software licensing. A smartphone provides access to apps and keeps employees connected at low cost.
Cross-Train Your Team Members
Teach your teammates to work in a variety of roles. Diversifying their skill sets strengthens engagement and decreases turnover. Because your staff become adept at performing different functions, they have an easier time taking on new challenges. Team members can step into different positions as needed in case an employee is absent or goes to work elsewhere. They also gain the expertise and ability to train new hires for vacant positions.
Effectively Communicate
Emphasize open communication between managers and teams. For instance, managers need to clearly communicate responsibilities and expectations with team members to create a shared business. Managers also must be accessible to teammates so that questions are answered and concerns addressed. Clear communication helps teams feel directly connected to the company’s mission and goals, which increases productivity.
Fill Productivity Gaps with Marco Management Solutions
Marco Management Solutions, a division of Marco & Associates, specializes in placing qualified finance professionals on a project, interim, or consulting basis. Our consultants develop a thorough understanding of your environment and challenges to implement effective change. Talk with Marco Management Solutions about increasing your productivity today.
