Discover 5 ways to increase productivity

According to a study published in the Harvard Business Review, employee happiness increases productivity by 31%. The same conclusion was found by the World Economic Forum. In short, the link between happiness and productivity has been demonstrated for a long time. But in concrete terms, what are the actions that work? How do you find a balance between business goals and team needs? Here are 5 things to think about to help you sustainably increase the performance of your business.

Provide clear direction and be attentive to employee concerns.

Low productivity can be explained in several ways: reduced motivation, an unsuitable tool, long processes, poor distribution of work within teams, time-consuming tasks with low added value, etc. 
To find out the reasons, it is essential for employers and managers to regularly examine the effectiveness of employees, either through individual interviews or during collective workshops. 

Based on the observations made, it will then be possible to implement adapted solutions. These can be managerial, organizational, technological, technical, logistical or HR. 

Here are a few examples: 

• Empowering 
  Ensure that employees have everything they need to achieve their goals, and that they can move forward without being hindered by unnecessary processes or validations.
• Trust 
  It's one of the key words when it comes to motivation. Trust unleashes creativity and encourages initiative.
• Automate tasks 
  By reducing the share of time-consuming and low-value-added tasks, you value the work of your staff and allow them to focus on complex and more rewarding tasks.
• Review job descriptions 
  The problem may lie in poorly defined job descriptions. Result: employees do not know exactly their scope of action, their responsibilities, etc. This can cause confusion but also conflicts within teams and finally a drastic loss of productivity.
• Recognize the work done
  Bonuses, benefits, thanks... Recognition by the hierarchy is essential. Without it, an employee can lose the meaning of their work and see their motivation drop.

These fundamentals make particular sense in the perspective of the health crisis we are experiencing, where teams have had far fewer opportunities to exchange ideas. More than ever, staff need deep meaning, trust, autonomy, and recognition!
 

Rethinking the work environment

The work environment, namely the tools, equipment or software used have a strong impact on the way of working and communicating with the company's various partners.

After a diagnosis of the working environment, it is possible to implement various solutions: 

• Equip employees with modern tools adapted to their needs, especially if they are on the move: computers, tablets, mobile phones, etc. 
• Provide recent and powerful software: accounting, messaging, project management software, etc.
• Set up collaborative systems to work as a team: intranet, corporate social network, instant messaging, etc.
   

Creating a positive work environment centered around well-being

In 2011, a study conducted by Swiss Health Promotion and the Swiss Insurance Association showed that employees with high stress levels are up to 10% less productive than others.

To create a work environment conducive to well-being, it is therefore necessary to reduce or even eliminate sources of stress. It starts with the commute to and from work. If it is stressful, this causes mental fatigue for the employee and reduces productivity.
 
You can start by analyzing the source of stress. It may be due, for example, to the fact that your employee uses his/her vehicle to get to your business and is faced with recurring traffic problems. If possible, you can then encourage them to use public transport by financing all or part of their travel pass, for example. 

At tpg, we have set up a digital solution dedicated to managing staff travel passes; this is our Public Transport module of our tpgEvomoov platform. In addition to presenting a financial advantage for your teams, you also and above all allow them to travel serenely.

Other actions are possible to increase the well-being of your teams:

• Organize team lunches and various socialization events within the company, 
• Set up a rest and relaxation room, 
• Offer yoga classes, meditation classes, etc.
• Develop a partnership with a gym to obtain preferential rates, 
• Join a company day care center, etc. 

There is no shortage of ideas and your employees will probably be very enthusiastic about offering them to you. 

Regardless, these measures should promote understanding between colleagues and create a positive environment based on communication, sharing, collaboration and conviviality.