Avoiding Productivity Drains

If you have noticed a dip in productivity among your employees, there may be some surprising reasons why. Often times, a low productivity rate is automatically linked to a “lazy” or under-performing employee. However, there are many things you, as a leader, can do to increase your team’s productivity.

We have put together a list of some of the most surprising productivity drains employees face:

• Group Emails – Email is an important tool when working. However, many employees are often facing full inboxes and feel the pressure to respond immediately. One major problem employees face is large group email replies. If it is not necessary to place everyone on an email, avoid doing it. Replies from multiple employees on the same email string will clog up the inbox and distract the employee. Establish guidelines on when and how employees should manage email so you can ensure maximum efficiency and productivity.
• No Breaks – It is important that employees get breaks. This downtime, spread throughout the day, recharges an employee and actually helps them to be more productive. You could consider promoting breaks so employees can easily access snacks and stay hydrated. This break time can also allow employees to socialize and even bounce ideas off one another.
• Too Many Meetings – It is important to avoid cluttering up your employees’ schedules with too many meetings. According to an article from LiveCareer published in July 2022, the average worker spends at least three hours a week in meetings and 71% of those meetings are considered unproductive. Your employees can enjoy greater productivity by being left alone to work. To maintain good productivity, check in with properly structured status updates.
• Limit Overtime – Having a large amount of overtime is not good for an employee or a business. Overtime can create added stress on the employee’s personal life. This can influence his or her performance at work. Mandate that extra hours only be required when absolutely necessary.
• The 8 to 5 Mandate – Why make employees work during the busiest 8 to 5 window if your business does not need it? Employees who work 8 to 5 waste time in traffic and can become extremely frustrated, causing productivity in the office to decrease. If the office does not need everyone from 8 to 5, consider staggering employees so they can avoid the stressful rush hour.

Wondering how to avoid productivity drains?

• Implement a Chat App: There are many instant messaging applications available for office chat that can eliminate long email chains. Instead, shoot a quick instant message to clarify a task or to ask a question.
• Get the Most Out of Your Breaks: Encourage employees to go for walks during their breaks. Doing so can increase attitudes and the amount of exercise happening. This releases endorphins and rejuvenates employees.
• More Reps/Less Weight: No, don’t actually bring weights into work. Implement weekly or daily team huddles or one-on-ones. This way, you get caught up and keep employees engaged during a short period instead of having monthly meetings with more content to go over.
• Flex-schedule Options: Implement a flexible schedule option. Let employees choose their 8-hour time slots or even the location of their work- whether it be at home or in the office. This way, employees get the work done in whatever way works best for them.

The team at Optimum Employer Solutions is here to help your employees become more productive at work. We offer a range of training classes that can help your employees learn skills for better productivity, resulting in a better workplace for all. Feel free to reach out to one of our representatives to get more helpful tips on office productivity!