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Numerous studies have indicated that forcing workers to put in more hours in the workplace doesn’t necessarily lead to greater productivity.
In fact, the Swedish government ran a study in 2015 to determine if workers could be more productive if they were allowed to work fewer hours for the same pay. What they found was that workers who were given fewer hours at the same pay were considerably more productive and also provided a higher quality of work. Not surprisingly, they were also happier and healthier.
In other words, it just may be that fewer hours on the job would improve workers’ productivity.
As a business owner, you understand that a productive team is beneficial for your company. Greater productivity saves money. It reduces costs. It gives better results with less effort and using fewer resources. Here are some tips that can help boost productivity in your workplace.
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5 Fundamental Recommendations to Improve Workers’ Productivity
1. Set Goals
Without a doubt, goal-setting is fundamental to being productive at work. Moreover, it is not enough to set long-term goals. You must also set short-term goals, even daily goals. This will help team members meet the final goal. To get help with goal-setting and other productivity issues, turn to the professionals at Klaxoon.
It is normal for everyone to lose concentration during the workday. But with a clear goal, workers can get themselves back on track. Without goals, though, team members won’t know what steps to take next. Distractions will prevent them from reaching the day’s objective.
But with a clear system, workers will achieve their daily objectives. In the process, this will increase their motivation and, consequently, their productivity.
2. Do the Most Urgent Tasks First
Employees must avoid being distracted by tasks that have little relevance to the job at hand. If you see they are wasting time on tasks that aren’t necessary, gently remind them about the day’s objectives. Leaving everything to the last minute is also a big mistake. It leads to wasted time and inevitably results in poor performance.
The toughest tasks, those that require more effort, are the ones that workers should focus on early in the day. Also encourage team members to improve their skills with focusing and concentrating.
3. Offer Flexible Schedules
Some companies have begun to realize that Friday is one of their workers’ most productive days of the week. Some business owners speculate that this is because the working day is foreshortened on Fridays in their companies. In other words, employees spend fewer hours at work on Fridays. Surprisingly, they also get more work done.
Flexible scheduling is also beneficial for improving productivity. Workers focus their energy on their workday tasks during their shorter working times. Then they focus their efforts in a concentrated way.
Nonetheless, transitioning your company toward this way of working may require some training for your team members. Look to the professionals at Klaxoon to help you implement these initiatives. They are experts at training workers to be more productive in less time. What’s more, they are also specialists in project management.
4. Take Advantage of Pareto’s Principle for Greater Productivity
This rule is based on the observation that 80% of the value of an outcome is derived from 20% of the effort put into it. By taking advantage of that all-important productive 20%, workers can achieve better results in a shorter period of time.
5. Improve Communication
Poor communication within the company leads to problems, delays in work product, and wasted time. Provide adequate communication tools as well as team training to develop team members’ communication skills. Better communication in the workplace will help your team to avoid misunderstandings and lead to clearer communication among your company’s departments.
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Improve Your Team’s Productivity Using These Tips
To improve productivity in your company, utilize the tips we offer here. Train your team members to set daily goals and complete the day’s most urgent tasks first. Offer flexible schedules and take steps to improve company-wide communication. Then take advantage of the fact that 20% of your team’s efforts will result in 80% of the work product.
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