One of the most important aspects of the business world is to keep productivity going and meet the demands of the market.
But a time comes when you want to start increasing your profits and take your business to the next level. This means increased productivity to cover the growing demand, but if not done right and properly this business step can cost a company more than just money, but its reputation and place on the market, too.
So in this post, we’re going to show you 12 tips to help you successfully improve productivity and make your business even more profitable.
Tip #1: Get to know your employees
It’s important that you are aware of the significance your staff have for the company and your business achievements. Their dedication and hard work are directly responsible for earning profits from the services or products you market. But giving them salaries and compensation is not the only driving force, it takes much more effort to create a diligent and loyal employee.
One of the solutions is to get to know your employees better and they you through team building events and regular staff meetings. If you run a big company, it’s not easy to get to know everyone, but then at least you can let them know you. Walk among your colleagues, your employees, hang out with them, talk about everyday things, and let them see that you appreciate them by listening to and caring about their stories.
Tip #2: Create a stress-free environment
You can create a recreational area where everyone can go during breaks and play games, have lunch, watch television, read and talk. This is a really popular method of boosting morale and for stress relief in companies today.
Some even go so far as to organise tournaments and competitions inboard and video games, ping pong, and other fun social activities. It’s not crucial that you participate, but by being there and acknowledging their interests you will gain their respect and admiration, and they will appreciate your supporting them.
Tip #3: Change the look
Another thing you can do is make the working area more welcoming and fun, with a new design, colours, and furniture. This kind of effort will require not only money, but time and organisation, but you can ask everyone to participate in deciding on some decorative elements for their departments.
Also, you can ask them to give suggestions for what to do with the old furniture and other things you intend to change before you call a specialised company to take it away for recycling. By including everyone in this process, you will recognise their worth to the company not only for profit value.
Tip #4: Add some fun
Theme days are one of the ways to loosen up the all-work atmosphere and reduce stress. Casual Friday is already well known in the business world, a day when everyone can leave their business attire and uniforms at home, and come to work in what they wear after hours.
But people were inspired by the Casual Fridays’ positive effects, so they decided to have other themes, like Hawaiian Shirt Day or Bring Your Pet to Work Day. This will show that you appreciate all of your colleagues not just as people bringing you profit, but also as human beings and individuals.
Tip #5: Communicate with your colleagues
Communication is the basis of any relationship. Good communication can make that relationship stronger and beneficial for all involved. Be the one to personally tell your employees the company’s goals and objectives, as well as efforts and dedication you’ll need from them to achieve them all.
Also, let them be able to make some suggestions and ideas by organising staff meetings or designating a box where they can insert their proposals to make the company better and more successful.
Tip #6: Rewarding the success
It’s not unheard of to have a reward and punishment system in the company, but it’s debatable how much punishment helps in boosting productivity. While rewards can be a good incentive, if not carefully thought through and designed they can create competitiveness and a negative atmosphere.
So try to come up with something modest and appropriate for the deed you’re rewarding. When it comes to punishment, the best course of action for errors is to talk to people and offer them a chance to learn and correct the mistake. If that doesn’t work, you should consider either transferring them to a new position or parting ways amicably.
Tip #7: Celebrate important dates
The least you can mark in your company’s calendar are the birthdays of all your colleagues, which are accessible to you through their personal information. You can celebrate them with some cake and after work cocktails, or you can just buy a small present at the company’s expense to your employees with a birthday card attached. Whatever you decide, it’s a nice way to show you care and that they’re important to you.
Also, you can celebrate work anniversaries and some general dates like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, New Year or International Women’s Day. Another nice date is the company’s birthday when you can go all out and throw a party, inviting all your employees to come with their plus one.
Tip #8: Find a parking solution
Parking space is something you should think about ahead when choosing the office space. It’s important to have enough space for your employees, or at least for most of them. Being late because they were looking for parking space can create stress and have a negative impact on your employee and your relationship.
If you can’t organise sufficient parking spots, maybe you can promote via a bulletin board, or another form of company announcements shared rides to work for employees who live close to each other. That way they would share gas expenses and still enjoy the convenience of a car ride.
Tip #9: Organise excursions and trips
There’s no better way to get to know your employees, and them to know each other than travelling together. Depending on the number of employees and your budget, you can plan a trip for your whole company which can last for a couple of days or even longer.
This doesn’t have to be lavish and luxurious but is meant to bring everyone closer together and let them have some fun and relax. You can organise these kinds of excursions every two years if annually is too strenuous to your company’s finances. It would be a great idea to organise some joint picnics and activities while there, as well as going out together in the evenings and participating in games and other fun activities.
Tip #10: Be pet-friendly
Allowing your employees to bring their pets to work has shown to be an excellent stress relief and creates a positive working environment. It’s not only beneficial for those who have pets, but also for those animal lovers among their colleagues. Before you decide to be a pet-friendly company though, make sure that your employees are willing to be responsible for their pets and that they’ll pay attention to them to avoid fights and damage to equipment. You can even have a company pet like fish for example, but this obligation should be pretty clear to those appointed responsible for them, so they are always taken care of, even during weekends and holidays.
Tip #11: Consider having a daycare within the company
Daycare is something every company needs but usually many of them decide not to because of logistics and expenses. But don’t let that stop you. Create some proposal which will be beneficial both for the company and employees.
Having a daycare at the workplace is also very important for young mothers or women who want to come back to work but have to take care of their children. Hiring professional staff and designating a space for these purposes may be costly, but if it boosts productivity and brings profit to the company, then it’s a good business decision, as well as an excellent investment.
Tip #12: Bring your family to work day
Instead of the usual Bring Your Family to Work Day, when parents bring their children, create a different and more relaxed concept. For example, tell your employees to bring any family member they want, including their life partners. That way, this day will be fun even for those who don’t have kids, are unmarried or single.
This kind of thinking will create a positive and embracing environment for your employees, as well as make the whole occasion a more relaxed and comfortable tradition. Also, Bring Your Family to Work Day is a perfect opportunity for your employees’ loved ones to meet with their colleagues and get to know their professional life a little better.
Finally
Times have changed, and with them, the management of a company has evolved and become less formal and flexible, without losing the authoritative features and overall principles of business relations. If anything, it has changed the perception of the employer-employee relationship for the better and made it easier for companies to grow and be successful on the ever more demanding market. Has implementing any of these tactics boosted the productivity in your company? Let us know in the comments!
Chloe Smith is a cycling enthusiast, business consultant for Supercheap Storage Gold Coast, and a part-time writer always willing to share tidbits of advice. She believes that passion, courage and, above all, knowledge breed success.
