There are times when even the most committed worker in the workplace can become unproductive. Though it happens at times, the problem arises when the productivity level of the firm drops to a great extent.
In the absence of productivity, there can be a lack of output, performance and of course profits. Plus it affects the morale of the employees as well.
In that light, a few things must be understood. If you are a business owner or entrepreneur, you have to know the underlying cause for the lack of productivity among your employees. And then go on to boost that productivity to some extent.
While there can be other reasons for the loss of productivity, these are the top five ones:
Not Being Appreciated: A Major Strike To Productivity
As a business owner, you might think that it’s an employee’s job to come to the office daily on time and give their report on the job done. However, that is not simply how you can state your employee’s job role.
Though the most successful employees are intrinsically motivated, they need to feel valued in the workplace. From time to time, employees want to be appreciated for the work that they do.
Recognition leads to overall job satisfaction and thereby enhances productivity. However, monetary recognition is not the only form of recognition. A simple “thank you” can do the trick at times.
You can try other means of recognition such as a mention in the monthly newsletter, mention on social media posts, employee of the month benefits and such. To make them feel appreciated, you can also get your employees, recognition certificates. Creating an appreciation certificate won’t take much but it goes a long way to motivate your employees.
No Growth Opportunities
Many a time, employees working in an organization get frustrated and lose their interest in the job if they feel that their capabilities are not being utilized. This can be very deluding and can lead to a lack of productivity on the part of the employee.
When there is no chance of growth in an organization, employees can feel unmotivated, and in worse case scenarios they call quits on the company.
If you wish to cure this problem, then make sure that you check in with your staff regularly, and do not hold back for the annual review. If a certain employee feels that his capabilities are not being used properly, ask them what you can do to help.
However, be honest about the growth opportunities in the firm. Additionally, evaluate the skills and interests of the employee and provide them with constructive criticism.
Not Having Defined Goals:
Do your employees know their individual goals while they work? Are they aware of what the company aims to archive as a whole? Are you using the right metrics to measure the goals of your employees? These are some crucial questions and must be looked into.
Specific goals in the organization set the bar on what is to be achieved, it provides the staff members a given target to aim for plus it gives the organization a specific metric to measure the performance of the employees.
The following tips might help you in goal setting:
Giving Importance While Goal Setting:
When you set the individual goals for the employees in the company, make sure these goals are linked to the overall goal of the company. This makes the employees feel that they are a part of the company’s plans and that their work is crucial.
Get Your Employees Involved In The Process of Goal Setting:
When employees have a choice, it increases their sense of autonomy and control. As per a study of the employee burnout rate in an esteemed organization, more employees have control and autonomy, better are their level of satisfaction working in the organization.
Do Not Set Unachievable Goals:
Unattainable goals always affect the morale of employees and have quite the opposite effect. In such cases, employees feel stressed out and discouraged.
Poor Work environment:
Though for many, looks is not a matter of concern, when it comes to the question of the work environment, it is a matter of great concern. In fact, it affects the performance and productivity level of each employee.
If the workplace is shabby and does not look very sparkling and decked up, employees can feel gloomy. Believe it or not, people like working for places which are decorated smartly. After all, they are going to spend hours of their lives in that office, gradually their work will become a part of their life. Thus, they will want to show off their workplace to their acquaintances, friends, and family. If the place is not up to the mark, it can affect their performance.
In addition to that, the work culture also plays are a very pertinent role in the workplace and by turn in determining the level of employee productivity.
No Flexibility/No-Work-Life Balance:
Of course, hard work and complicated projects are likely to come by in your firm. It is okay to get your employees to work on them for long hours. It’s natural. However, it should not become the motto of your firm. Staying for long hours in the office, having zero work and life balance is not healthy and badly impacts the productivity level of the employees. In other words, if the employees feel that their freedom is being strangled, they will not wish to work for that firm.
For your employees to remain productive at work, they should be allowed to have a life outside the office. As per Critical Metrics, “ Prevent your employees from burning out by ensuring that they’re not only meeting their goals at work but that they also have the time and energy to meet their personal goals.”
But how can you achieve all this? How do you ensure that your employees have a greater work-life balance? Maybe you can offer them flexible hours of work? A daycare facility in the office premises? Or can you get your employees to work from home? These will keep their work-life balance intact and make them more productive at work.
Use these five tips to motivate your employees at work, and increase the growth rate of your firm.