According to a study published in the Journal of Labor Economics, happy employees are 12% more productive than their unhappy counterparts. The reason is that happy employees brain function better and they’re more effective collaborators. So, when it comes to practical things to do in order to enhance the productivity of employees. Herewith some ideas to do it.
Enable remote work. Unhappy employees make less productivity, one way to eliminate that stress is offer remote work options. The American Psychological Association estimates “more than $500 billion is siphoned off from the U.S. economy because of workplace stress. Studies have shown that telecommuters experience 25% less stress when working from home. And your less stressed employees will be more likely to finish those projects they need to wrap up well and on time.
Give Employees Time Off. This is almost no brainer. Classic logic dictates that employees should work more in order to be more productive; however, the law of diminishing returns shows that too much input at work will actually have the opposite effect. Give the employees time to rest and relax, and they’ll return prepared to hold that next big project with a refreshed mind.
Enhance Communication. One way is to utilize effective tool for team communication. One tool can be considered is Slack as a productivity tool. Slack is an in-house chat app that facilitates several functions, such as project management and overall company communications.
Revamp Meetings. One survey revealed 45% of senior executives believed employees would be more productive if they banned meetings at least one day a week. Some companies decide to have no-meeting Fridays, which allows teams to wrap up the week’s work without any distractions. Implement guidelines for a more productive meeting instead, if banning meetings once a week goes too far. Some ideas that can be implemented such as get rid of meetings before 9 am or after 5 pm. Employees are often mentally drained and not fully present. During the meeting, state the purpose of the meeting at the beginning so everyone’s on the same page. It is advisable to share a meeting agenda ahead of time so the topics at hand don’t get derailed. Last but not least, keep laptops closed unless they’re absolutely necessary for the meeting. It will encourage employees to be engaged and work through a problem more quickly and effectively.
Offer Healthy Snacks. This is ideas that most employees would love to have! Help care for your employees’ health, and they’ll return the favor by delivering higher quality work. A study shows in the workplace found that employees who eat healthily are 25% more likely to have higher job performance. This can be expanded more, another idea that can be implemented such as subsidize for gym memberships and healthy organic shopping, encourage volunteering and more.
In conclusion, there is no single way to improve your employees’ productivity; rather, many small and supportive ways that build a foundation for a happy and effective workplace. By providing your employees with the support and encouragement they need, you’ll see productivity (and the happiness meter) rise.
