Even though most entrepreneurs dream of including their businesses in the list of Fortune 500 companies, very few of them try to look beyond scaling their business. Sometimes, simply investing more is not the right solution for solid growth.
If you really want your company to grow over the short- and long-term, you should be focusing on making sure that its operations function efficiently and that productivity is optimized.
Greater productivity means that you can produce more with the same number of workers. In other words, achieving greater sales with the same running and operating costs, which result in larger profits.
Improving productivity is mainly about tweaking procedures and operational systems to ensure that everything goes smoothly without delays.
Here are some helpful strategies that can maximize your workplace productivity for good:
Cut Down Unnecessary Hassle
Is it that your employees are trying to work extra hours, but projects always get delayed? Well, it might not be because your workers are not giving their full, but because they always get tied up or trapped in unnecessary complications.
Imagine how much time is wasted in transferring heavy files from one person to another through a hard drive? And what if somebody ends up misplacing the hard drive? These are many small obstacles that combined can undermine the whole system and reduce levels of productivity.
You and your management team need to look out for these hurdles and find ways to either avoid them or deal with them more quickly.
For instance, with the Firmex Virtual Data Room, you can store all company files so that authorized personnel can store, access, modify, update, or view them. This seemingly minor change can have a significant impact on productivity.
Ideally, you should get the whole workforce involved in identifying potential problems and offering solutions.
Use Right Equipment and Tools
The kind of tools and equipment your employees use to handle operations and accomplish tasks may determine how efficiently and smoothly everything runs.
Sometimes, it is simply a question of adopting a proper division of labor, i.e., individual employees are in charge of specific tasks. You also need to make sure they have the right or best tools, especially if your competitors have them.
Improve Environment and Work Conditions
Don’t underestimate the effect that the working environment has on employees’ work rates, absenteeism, loyalty, motivation, and morale. Where your personnel works often determines whether your company succeeds or fails in today’s fiercely competitive marketplace.
Your working environment includes tools, air quality, temperature, noise, light, toilets, equipment, furniture, rest periods, and where you take your breaks and eat. It also includes all the psychological aspects on how people’s work is organized as well as their mental and emotional well-being.
Some productivity killers are less obvious, i.e., harder to detect. Sexual harassment and bullying, for example, can quickly damage morale. Make sure you have a harassment and bullying policy and that everybody knows what it is.
Set Achievable Goals
Don’t overburden your employees by setting unrealistic goals for them just because you want to hit big as soon as possible. Being an employer, you should be aware of your employees’ limits and strengths. Make sure their goals are compatible with their skills and overall abilities.
Remember that a happy workforce is a hard-working and loyal one. If you want your business to grow and be profitable, you need to care for and get to know the people who work for you. Without their support, you won’t achieve much.
Interesting related article: “What is Motivation?“