What does productivity actually mean? Henry Ford said, “Improved productivity means less human sweat, not more.” If we look into economics, it’s about how much you are getting out of what you put in. Agriculture is a good example, and challenges the farmer to think inside the patch. Yielding more from an acre of land requires implementing processes and systems to return more crop to earn more money. Just like in the workplace, where productivity is essential to running a business. It’s not about working harder, it’s about working smarter. Here are a few reasons why productivity should be at the top of your to-do list.
8. BETTER EMPLOYEES = BETTER PROFITABILITY
When your staff becomes more efficient there is less labour producing the same amount of goods. Increasing profitability requires each staff member to be up to speed with their job training. To work ahead of the curve, they have to learn ahead of the curve. With classes, training and tutorials available online via audio and video conferencing, anyone can level up their skill set to become faster and better at what they do, and therefore increase their own value while improving overall profitability.
7. OPERATIONAL COSTS GET SLASHED
Cutting down operational costs to positively affect an employee’s workflow can lead to better productivity. By working to improve how an employee approaches a task or challenge, investing in technology that helps with shortcuts and makes menial, time-consuming tasks less daunting means employees can improve processes. Commuting can be cut down (which means more time can be saved) when employees can show up to an online meeting by way of video conferencing. Flex time, four-day work weeks and working remotely can further cut down overhead costs.
6. RESOURCES CAN BE BETTER UTILIZED
There are moments in the day when employees are just coasting, worried that they worked too fast and will be given too much, or they become stressed because they are overworked and behind the ball. By scheduling one-on-one meetings in person or via video conferencing with upper management, human resources can identify where roles are overlapping or gapping, and work to allocate enough resources for the job, look into better role distribution or seek new talent to fit the role.
5. THE IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
When staff isn’t conscientious of their actions, it’s the environment that suffers from a lack of efficiency. Printing reams of paper on one side, ordering take out that comes with too much packaging, harsh lighting that isn’t motion-sensored; these are all a waste of money and resources. Think about a holistic approach to fostering productivity in the workplace by creating an environment that uses as much natural light as possible and a pantry that has healthy snacks for people when they hit the 3 pm brick wall.
4. COMPETITION CAN BE HEALTHY
Better productivity pushes the envelope with your competitors. Producing high quality at a lower cost than your competitor means you can charge your client less or spend more time with them. Providing more value or taking that extra step to add a personal touch, like scheduling a quick video conference discovery call with a potential client, can put you miles ahead of your competition.
3. ENCOURAGES A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
When employees are content, it spills over into how they do work. Being healthy, comfortable and happy in their personal lives means they can produce good work in their professional lives. Having a line manager who allows them share their documents and files through a video conference because they have to drive a sick parent to the hospital makes them feel valued, understood and takes off the unnecessary stress. With today’s technology, everyone can still be productive even when life throws a curveball.
2. IMPROVES THE FLOW OF THE WORKPLACE
When companies take the initiative to implement technology that keeps everyone organized or makes tasks more palatable, everyone benefits and morale is improved. Rather than the traditional thought of productivity as a way to squeeze more out of an employee, it’s exactly what Henry Ford meant when he said that productivity is about less human sweat. It’s about finding ways that enhance workflow, like online meetings instead of meeting in person, sharing documents via video conferencing or recording meetings to share later when someone can’t attend.
1. PROMOTES AND NURTURES ENGAGEMENT
The more engaged employees are in their work, the more productive they’ll be. Feeling like their work life is organized, streamlined and constructively managed leads to increased focus and commitment. There are many factors involved when determining an employee’s level of engagement, but it’s usually linked to the quality of leadership, their overall workload and their perceived value. Do employees feel like a number or a person? Are they getting something out of what they put in? When the effort an employee puts in gets results, they feel motivated to continue and therefore become engaged which in turn increases productivity. Simple economics!
Experience heightened productivity with Callbridge. Meetings with team members, roundtable discussions, onboarding new employees and so much more all become enhanced with video conferencing technology that saves time and pushes productivity. Features like Document Sharing, Video Recording and the Online Whiteboard work to make communication more effective and far more dynamic.
