Connect with us

Business

Increase employee productivity without financial outflow

How other people see your company depends a lot on how they see your employees.

Published

on

employee

It’s a race to the top. Every company wants to achieve maximum productivity to secure its future. However, the line between time constraints and employee satisfaction is often hard to tow.

Time is money and there are only 24 hours in a day, with an average third dedicated to working. This leaves the employer with only one solution that can make everyone content – increase the productivity of the worker and make his one working hour worth at least two. This leads to the crucial question: how to improve the productivity of employees without spending too much?

Make them feel appreciated

One of the more widespread ways to create an environment in which an outstanding employee will feel appreciated and create a positive competitive environment to boot is to organize “employee of the month” recognition. This can take the form of a photo portrait on a board or some other kind of visual representation in a place through which employees have to pass.

Of course, it is your prerogative to tweak this system and add some treats and perks for those who had been given “the employee of the month” title more than once. What motivates workers the most is the bonuses that take the form of monetary boosts, which leads us into the next point.

Don’t be arbitrary about raises

It goes without saying you’ll give a raise to the employee who deserves it. However, based on this merit alone, the system can appear arbitrary, and you would have a lot to gain from thinking of a firm and well-established system of raises that will be transparent to all employees.

For example, this can take the form of milestone raises. An employee who had pulled himself or herself up the learning curve of the first four-month period is given the first milestone raise. Of course, the length of the learning period can vary based on the job, as well as the size of the raise.

The learning period can vary based on the job, as well as the size of the raise.

The learning period can vary based on the job, as well as the size of the raise. (Source)

Just keep one thing on your mind – the best course of action is to land on a single, unchangeable “unit” of a raise, i.e. the amount of money associated with a single raise is always the same. Then you can distribute the milestone raises temporarily – the next one at the end of the eighth month of the employment, then on the twelfth month, etc.

The system, of course, should not be time-constrained. Milestones can also be achieved based on the number of closed deals, finished projects, the size of the projects, etc. Just have your system etched in stone and have all your employees well-informed about it. It will surely contribute to the increase in productivity.

Make sure they are comfortable

You’ll find a lot of advice around on how to improve your workplace and make it feel more comfortable. This, in itself, is not the issue. The only important question you need to ask yourself is what sort of workplace aesthetic makes peace between your brand of work and the sensibility of your workers, because most of the time, the brand has to win. If your employees are on average whimsical and vibrant, you can’t make your law firm look like Disneyland.

This discrepancy can be dampened by literal comfort. If you are buying for a lot of people, the question of affordability is only reasonable, but thankfully you can find affordable and comfortable office chairs in Sydney, ergonomic work desks, and find the best way to avoid cluttering it all up in the office.

An element that can add a lot to your office, and it’s fitting for any type of business, is enriching your work environment with office-friendly plant life. They will enliven the space, improve the visual and air quality of the office and most of them are really not that hard to manage.

How other people see your company depends a lot on how they see your employees. For an office full of happy campers, you need to work out how to make all of them feel as comfortable as it’s possible and, as the boss, be as transparent and approachable as possible. This sort of attitude and overall office climate don’t cost a dime and they are guaranteed to lead to an increase in productivity of your employees.

DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation in writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.

Andrew D. Wittman, PhD, is a United States Marine Corps infantry combat veteran, a former Police Officer and Federal Agent. As a Special Agent for the U.S. Capitol Police, Wittman led the security detail for Nancy Pelosi and has personally protected Hillary Clinton, Tom Delay, Trent Lott, King Abdullah of Jordan, Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Sir Elton John, as well as Fortune 20 CEOs. As a security contractor for the State Department, he taught high-threat diplomatic security to former Navy SEALS, Marines, Rangers, and Special Forces. Wittman is founder of the Mental Toughness Training Center, a leadership consultancy specializing in peak performance, team dynamics, resolving conflict in the workplace and is the author of the new book, “Ground Zero Leadership: CEO of You” (2016). He holds a Ph.D. in Theological Studies, is a guest lecturer at Clemson University and co-hosts the radio call-in show “Get Warrior Tough”.