How Managers Can Increase Productivity in the Workplace

As a manager, getting the most from your team is one of your key priorities. Whether you manage people in a start-up or an ASX200 company, there are common techniques to help your team perform at their best. 

We’d like to share with you our helpful tips for building productivity in the workplace. Some of these insights may seem like common sense, but when we take a closer look, we can often extract more value from them and therefore better understand how we can implement them to improve productivity in the workplace.

1. Offer support

Great managers support their team to perform at their best. A great way to do this is to set realistic performance goals that challenge team members to keep growing professionally. Set clear expectations for performance and review progress regularly. 

Check-in with your team and find out what they need to succeed. Some team members may be struggling with remote working and need additional support. While working with remote teams, we've noticed common challenges include feelings of isolation, dealing with multiple distractions, and a lack of access to necessary information. We address how to manage these challenges in our Remote Program. 

Support your team holistically, not just professionally. During Covid19, many leaders have prioritised the safety and wellbeing of their employees. They offer additional support for employees with health concerns and show genuine empathy for their team. Times of crisis can provide a deep sense of purpose for your team if you know how to inspire them. 

2. Provide flexibility

In the current remote working environment, flexibility has never been more critical. 

Allowing flexible working arrangements for team members who want it will increase morale and job satisfaction. A better work-life balance leads to a happier employee, which is good for retention.

Flexibility over when and where people can work also means that you can attract a wider pool of talent. For example, people with caring responsibilities can better organise their schedules. 

Remote working also has benefits for employees. It can reduce distractions and increase focus, which means more productive workers. 

3. Delegate and mean it

Delegating responsibility is a great way to increase morale and job satisfaction. Be clear on requirements, then let your team do their jobs. A Trinity Solutions study found that 36% of people who experienced micromanagement left their jobs because of it. 

Give your team tasks that stretch them – it will help them to grow their skills and experience and keep them happy. And we know that happy team members are more productive.

4. Provide the right tools and training

Give your employees the right apps, tools and equipment. High-quality hardware and software can make a sizeable difference in productivity in the workplace. If your employees are working remotely, make sure that they have the right communication tools. 

Don't fall for the false economy of spending less on tools but losing people's productivity.

5. Build trust

Great leaders trust their team to take responsibility for achieving their goals. Trust empowers people to focus on results. 

This trust needs to be mutual – your team also needs to trust you, it's hard to motivate your team if they don't. Unfortunately, according to Harvard Business Review, 58% of people would trust a stranger over their manager. To build trust, be transparent and share information. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses as a manager, and ask your team how you can improve. Just by being open to feedback, you can inspire your team to try harder because you are. 

6. Communicate

The only way to find out if your team is happy and motivated is to ask them. Communicate with your team members and give regular feedback. 

Research has found that 79% of people who left a job cited "lack of appreciation" as a reason. So telling your team when they do a good job can undoubtedly have a positive impact. Simply saying 'thank you' for a job well-done shows employees that you appreciate their hard work. Share the successes of individual employees with the whole team. Regularly celebrating success reinforces how much you value your people, and helps the team to bond. If you do need to give feedback, make sure that it's constructive and actionable. 

Communication also helps to build a sense of community in the workplace. The more connected your team feels with each other, the happier they will be.

As managers and leaders, we have to prepare ourselves and our teams to adapt to an ever-changing world. Taking the time to develop your skills is key to ensuring your team performs at their best. 

We have developed tailored programs to help managers and their teams to work optimally. 

Learn how we increase your team's productivity by creating the right conditions and support.