Productivity – it’s the driving force behind successful businesses, and one of the biggest concerns most managers have. Keeping a team productive can be a big challenge as many barriers can crop up and ruin productivity. Are you aware of the productivity barriers your team faces? Identifying these roadblocks is the first and most important step towards become a more productive company.
Top 3 Biggest Productivity Barriers
Work Market and KRC Research recently surveyed business leaders on workplace productivity. They found three clear front-runners for the “Biggest Productivity Killer” award:
- High Employee Turnover Rate (44%)
- Lack of Specialized Skills (41%)
- Inability to Find the Right Worker at the Right Time (39%)
Now, this survey focused on the opinions of CFOs and Line Managers from a variety of industries, so the results are really a “big picture” overlook. Beyond staffing solutions, there are other ways to improve office productivity. Some barriers you may notice include:
- Toxic employees
- Lack of communication
- Social media or cell phone usage
- Noisy environment
Pay attention to your team, and ask employees what they consider their biggest distractions. Then, create your own “top 3” list of productivity barriers. Focus on eliminating those barriers first, and then reassess.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Technology can be either beneficial or detrimental to a company’s productivity. The Overload Research Group states that workers in the U.S. waste about 25 percent of their time dealing with “an incessant stream of data.” Yet, modern business cannot function without much of that data. The key is helping employees learn balance.
An article from Mind Tools states, “Given such technology’s addictive nature, policies to control their use at work are rarely effective, as it’s hard to enforce rules about what people can look at on their own devices. It’s usually more helpful if individuals understand and manage the challenge themselves.” With that in mind, help your employees set their own goals to reduce distractions throughout the day. Examples could be:
- Only open my email client three times a day, and check and respond to all messages at those times
- Use the company’s IM program to send quick questions or notes to co-workers, to avoid unnecessary and lengthy conversations
- Install blocking software to avoid wasting time with internet browsing
As the boss, you should set the example by creating a goal for yourself, as well. One that is sure to garner your employee’s favor is this: “I will reduce the need for team meetings by tracking the team’s progress with project management software.”
Let Staffing Partners Help Remove Productivity Barriers
Remember those top three barriers from Work Market’s survey? Staffing firms can help remove all three of those roadblocks for you. Contact Staffing Partners to learn about our Oregon staffing services.
