How to Improve Productivity in a Company
In a competitive business environment, working as a harmonious productive team is not only important but is vital to your company's survival. Since there's always another company around the corner ready to steal your business, it's imperative that all employees work as productivity and efficiently as possible.
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Instructions
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Know your customers. Before you can boost productivity within your company, you must understand who is your customer and what does he demand. Identifying the demographics and desires of your customer base will allow you to prioritize where efforts need to be placed in terms of efficiency importance. Pinpoint exactly who you want to reach so you can create a targeted marketing and customer service strategy instead of blanketing the general masses with your message.
Also, identify how your customers respond to your message---do they prefer email or a personal touch? What is the most important aspect of your product or service to the customer and how do they prefer it to be delivered? You can find out how your audience responds to your message through surveys or having front line employees ask customers.
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Train employee on how to best interact, work and serve customers. Once you know who your customer base is and what marketing medium they respond to most, actively train employees on how to get the most from their sales or service efforts.
Hold several training sessions with employees that describes the customer and the customer's characteristics, why the customer wants your product or service and the best way to reach the customer. Include role play to punctuate your points and provide staff with material to be used for future reference.
Be clear about your expectations during training. Spell out specifically what you want employees to do to be more productive at selling or helping the customer and provide them with the tools and resources to hit those goals.
For example, if you are training front desk clerks at a hotel to increase the number of check-ins during the day update your hotel check-in software and teach staff how to use it. Demonstrate different ways to check in single or multiple guests at once and show employees ways how to maintain the same level of customer service you expect.
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Track productivity using graphs and charts. One of the best ways to boost productivity is to show employees their rate of productivity on a chart. Identify several metrics to plot and designate one employee or manager to be in charge of tracking those metrics.
Use a poster board to create a large, colorful chart that you can hang in the company break room or common area. Another way to track progress is to create and upload a chart to the company's Intranet. Update the chart every week to show progress. Use your internal system to compile tracking data or ask employees to report numbers to his manager and have the manager sign off on the report.
Be sure to only use metrics that you can track. For example, if you work at a bank and your goal is to increase the number of checking accounts, track the number and dollar amount of checking accounts.
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Create an incentive, recognition or reward program for productive behavior. Productive behavior is contagious if other staff members see that employees are being rewarded or recognized.
Launch a program that identifies productive employees and rewards them with items of high value. Before launching the program, poll employees to uncover what motivates them most---sometimes it's a day off from work with pay, gift cards or bonuses. Some employee groups prefer recognition during staff or board of director meetings.
Leverage the incentive to promote productivity. Promote your internal incentive program through inner-company email, the Intranet, posters and signs in the break room and during employee meetings.
After six months to a year, evaluate the incentive program to determine if it had a positive impact on productivity. Ask for employee input and suggestions on how to improve the program.
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Tips & Warnings
Reward, recognize and offer incentives to employees who have taken on additional duties.
Management should lead by example. It sends a mixed message if managers are sitting back and being unproductive.
Improve internal systems and software to assist with employee productivity.
References
- Photo Credit Three office workers image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
