1. Create an ideal environment

A professional environment sets the tone for your employees and can affect their performance. Positive work environments can boost morale and increase engagement, which may cause employees to develop deeper connections to their roles and ultimately lead to higher productivity.

Physical environments are another key factor. A spacious, brightly lit space can make it easier to stay motivated and consistently productive. Look for ways to bring in natural light, invigorating colors and plants, and consider creating flexible workspaces with comfortable seating.

For example, having designated quiet areas for people who get stressed or distracted easily can help employees overcome some of the barriers to efficiency they experience.

Read More: How to Incorporate Biophilic Design into the Office in 10 Steps

2. Make the most of employees’ skills

Employees often have a range of skills beyond the scope of the job they were hired to fill. Learning about their experience, skills and talents can help you better delegate duties. It also gives team members an opportunity to approach their work in ways that utilize their unique perspectives and backgrounds.

Observing employees and asking them about their skills can reveal which attributes are underutilized. You might find that an individual’s ideal role overlaps with various positions. Embracing a fluid distribution of responsibilities can help you use everyone’s skills more efficiently.

3. Establish goals and expectations

A clear, achievable goal gives employees something to strive for as they approach their work each day. Having goals can prevent the sense of stagnation that many professionals experience and may help them avoid career plateaus that reduce efficiency.

Setting clear expectations can help employees understand what you expect from their performance. Consider working with your team to develop SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.

This format can make goals easier to manage. Addressing employee expectations directly is another way to assess performance. For example, your shipping department needs to know your expectations for how long it should take to pack an order so they can aim to meet those averages.

4. Communicate clearly

Effective communication is another critical factor in improving staff performance. Without it, employees might misunderstand tasks or expectations, leading to decreased efficiency.

Try to improve your organizational communication strategies, and encourage employees to ask questions if they need further clarification. Establishing communication expectations and various communication channels can help you manage daily interactions.

Keep in mind that too much communication can also impair worker efficiency. Avoid excess interruptions by limiting communications to important information. With fewer emails to address, employees have more time to focus on their other responsibilities.

5. Automate when possible

With so many automation tools available, it’s easier than ever to reduce the number of repetitive tasks your employees have to do. Automation software has numerous functions, including collecting customer data, responding to customer chats, completing payroll, gathering metrics, managing tasks, tracking time, sending communications and generating reports.

Your employees might still have to do a portion of the tasks or follow up on automated activities, but these programs can save a lot of time. Automation can also improve compliance with various regulations, cutting down on human errors.

6. Keep meetings to a minimum

Meetings have their value, but they’re often best used sparingly. Too many meetings can interrupt workflow and reduce daily productivity, making your team less efficient. Take some time to review your meeting schedules and encourage employees to tackle smaller matters via email.

Establishing meeting-free days, designating certain hours as acceptable meeting times and giving employees the choice to opt out are all ways of improving efficiency while keeping meetings meaningful.

7. Provide tools and resources

Staying on top of new trends, advancements and technology in your field can help your employees stay productive. Proper tools, software and other equipment can make their jobs easier and more engaging.

Replacing older or outdated equipment can prevent interruptions that reduce efficiency. Chat with employees to find out if you’re missing any items that could make their jobs easier.

If your team includes remote employees, don’t forget to ask about their needs. Communication and collaboration tools are crucial, as they can help these individuals stay connected to the rest of the team. Asking your team to speak up if they don’t have the right tools can ensure everyone has the resources they need to be more efficient.

8. Create training opportunities

Extra training can add skills to your workforce that improve overall efficiency. For example, an employee who attends training for a new software program can put that program into practice or teach other employees how to use it.

If employees don’t have the experience or skills to perform one or more of their job duties, a training solution can give them that information. Developmental opportunities double as a perk of the role for employees who are looking to expand their skills.

9. Avoid micromanagement

Avoiding micromanagement in the workplace and letting employees work autonomously can give them a sense of ownership over their responsibilities and boost motivation.

Employees are more likely to develop a better workflow when you trust them to handle their job duties. Less micromanaging can be an excellent way to demonstrate trust and encourage employees to share their ideas, which may improve company processes.

10. Offer incentives

Everyone can use a little extra motivation at work. Feeling like someone notices their efforts can boost employee morale. Simple things, such as acknowledging a person’s efforts and successes, can motivate them to be more productive.

You can offer incentives in the form of benefits, such as extra paid time off, cash bonuses, casual days and free meals. Creating a formal incentive program can show employees that their contributions to the team will be recognized and rewarded.

Another way to incentivize employees is by promoting from within. Seeing current employees get new opportunities can motivate other staff members to improve their performance so they can earn similar opportunities.

11. Give and receive feedback

Employees who receive constructive feedback about their performance know what they’re doing right and where they have room for improvement. Regular performance reviews help your staff get feedback, but reviews are typically infrequent.

Improving employee performance can be more effective when you give continuous, informal feedback. When you notice an employee doing something more efficiently than others, point it out to them. If they’re not meeting your expectations, clearly explain what they can do better.

Effective feedback is a two-way street. Employees might have valuable suggestions for speeding up processes or eliminating productivity roadblocks. Taking these ideas into account can help you improve employee efficiency in ways you might not have considered.

12. Offer flexible work options

Offering flexible work arrangements lets employees decide how they work most efficiently. For some, that might mean working from home to cut their commute and eliminate distractions in the office. For others, it might mean shifting their working hours slightly to fit the hours when they’re most productive.

Being flexible with employees can also reduce the stress that sometimes comes with the standard 40-hour workweek. An employee who gets to the office an hour later can get their child to school worry-free and still fulfill their professional duties. Happy, less-stressed employees can focus on their responsibilities and may provide a higher quality of work.

13. Prioritize satisfaction

Employees who feel valued and are generally happy with their responsibilities are often more productive. Conducting employee satisfaction surveys can help you gauge the current happiness levels and get suggestions for improving how your employees feel about work.

Employee satisfaction can also improve retention, which affects productivity. If you have a low turnover rate, you can keep things consistent. Employees become more comfortable with their duties, and colleagues learn to work well together. One way to boost employee satisfaction is by addressing burnout. Encourage your employees to use their PTO and completely disconnect from the office when they’re away.

If an employee seems overwhelmed, try reaching out to discuss their workloads and see if they need to be adjusted. Some employees might need additional mental health support to overcome burnout, which is one reason many employers offer mental health benefits.

14. Work on team building

One employee’s performance is deeply connected to the organization’s performance as a whole. For example, a software tester relies on a software developer to get the new program out quickly. The developer relies on clear, detailed bug reports when the tester finds issues.

Incorporating team-building efforts into your company’s goals can help develop those relationships. When employees feel like a team, they can work more efficiently together. They can learn how to interact with colleagues to get things done faster while also building deeper connections that can contribute to greater engagement and satisfaction with the workplace.

Why employee efficiency matters

Worker efficiency is another way of talking about productivity. It refers to the amount of work your employees can accurately complete within a given time frame. A highly efficient workplace means you’re getting a lot of value out of the efforts your employees put into their work, which is a sign your organization is operating to the best of its ability.

When your employees are efficient, projects meet deadlines consistently without sacrificing production quality. There’s not a lot of wasted time or resources when everything is done efficiently. High work efficiency can help you improve your bottom line due to higher revenue and less waste.

FAQs about employee efficiency

How do you measure employee efficiency?

There are several ways to measure employee productivity. Productivity formulas are common methods that use calculations to compare a company’s input and output and determine how well resources, including labor, are utilized. Gathering 360-degree feedback is another option that involves conducting individual performance reviews based on input from an employee’s peers, clients and managers. The right method varies from business to business, and you might need to try several before settling on just one.

How can I help my team avoid toxic productivity?

Placing too much emphasis on efficiency may cause some employees to push themselves too hard, leading to burnout and other health concerns. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this type of toxic productivity, including:

• Encouraging employees to find a healthy work-life balance
• Utilizing your own sick days and PTO to lead by example
• Delegating responsibilities thoughtfully to prevent individuals from having too much work to handle
• Discouraging employees from working or answering emails outside work hours
• Acknowledging an employee’s improved efficiency to show that their efforts have not gone unnoticed