5 Effective Strategies To Drive Productivity

Feeling sluggish at work? Or maybe you’ve noticed a dip in team morale? It’s time to approach productivity in a different way. Instead of bearing down and becoming strict, productivity will actually increase with a little less control and a little more trust. Here are five ways you can boost productivity in your office:

Encourage Short Hourly Breaks

Working without breaks for long periods of time actually decreases productivity, not to mention employee health. When short (10-minute) breaks every hour are not only taken by but also encouraged by, managers and leaders, productivity goes up! Moving the body after periods of stagnation and work actually increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain, and can help break up some of the more monotonous tasks of daily work.

Motivate Your Team

It may seem simple, but motivation and praise for your team or employees actually tend to fall away when larger tasks come up. Take a moment each morning, or at the beginning of the week, to tell your team something good they’ve done recently, and set goals. This will help your employees feel appreciated, and incentivize them to continue to do well.

Email > Meetings

We all have been there–the meeting that could have been an email. Before you schedule that team meeting, ask yourself if it is more of a time-waster than anything productive. And if you’re worried that your team won’t read the full length of the email, you can put a secret message at the bottom that says “Respond with…” to help ensure that you know your team read it all.

IMs and Communications

Save the emails that are just one quick question for another day. Invest in software or apps, like Skye, Microsoft Teams, or Slack, that allow your team to stay connected for quick messages. It helps keep your email inbox clutter-free and prevents the milling about for social butterflies of the office.

Decorate Your Space

Studies have shown that decorated office spaces and cubicles help increase productivity. Not to mention, this could be a great team-building exercise of taking a morning to make something nice to look at for your office. And it can extend to the larger office itself by including plants, decor, and other aesthetically pleasing things. 

The list can go on and on about how you can increase productivity for your business. But the important thing is that you try new things and value employee feedback. If something doesn’t work–don’t force it. Remember, good employees, stay where they feel heard, valued, and respected.