7 Strategies to Boost Productivity in the Remote Workplace
Productivity levels in the workplace are incredibly important, no matter the industry. Low productivity levels often result in low profits, making them important to tackle.
However, it can be difficult to know how to encourage employees to work harder, especially in remote-work environments. To boost your workplace’s productivity, try the following tips:
1. Create a Healthy Work Environment
Creating a healthy work environment will help employees concentrate better. Setting the perfect room temperature, providing ample lighting, and installing ergonomic chairs and desks are all musts in traditional office settings. You do not want your employees to harm their physical health, which may lead to resentment toward their work or their management.
When employees are working from home, however, arranging the right environment can be a major challenge. Your company may want to provide guidelines around setting up a healthy remote work environment, along with an allowance for each employee to buy quality chairs, desks, or other equipment they may need. Your employees will use this furniture for eight hours a day, after all.
2. Offer Rewards and Time Off
Children work harder when they know there’s a reward in store, and so do adults! Set goals for employees and offer incentives for those who reach them. Rewards might include days off, restaurant vouchers, or even extra cash bonuses.
There are plenty of apps and programs out there to help you gamify work. With these, it’s easy to keep track of productivity levels. Additionally, gamification can make even menial tasks feel enjoyable.
You can also encourage your team to consciously take time off to rejuvenate and come back to work refreshed. Taking conscious breaks is sure to boost productivity, and you can monitor your team’s time-off through HR systems like Freshteam.
3. Focus on Team-Building
Being part of a cohesive team can help greatly with productivity. If your employees don’t like each other much, they won’t feel as committed to their jobs.
Organize team-building activities with fun games or team outings. In the current environment, weekly or monthly virtual game sessions or themed parties are proving to be big stress-busters for many teams. Your employees will love having a chance to relax, and they will be able to forge new bonds with their coworkers.
(Still sorting through Excel sheets for team details? Freshteam helps you easily identify different teams through organizational charts.)
4. Provide the Right Tools to Your Employees
If you want your team members to work well together, you may need to give them a little push. Providing them with collaboration tools is the first step.
Give your employees a hassle-free way to send each other messages and ask questions, which in turn gives them more time to focus on work instead of chasing people down. Recruiting might prove to be particularly painful now, as remote collaboration on interviews and feedback poses a challenge. Freshteam provides several collaboration tools that can help interviewers and recruiters more easily discuss candidates while hiring remotely.
5. Encourage Training and Education
Education can help inspire employees, while training will help their confidence. There are plenty of ways to educate or train your employees, like inviting them to attend conferences or offering subsidized classes. Nowadays, virtual conferences and webinars make a plethora of useful content easily accessible. Employees will appreciate the break from routine and enjoy learning something new, and training them will help them update their skills and make them more efficient at their jobs.
6. Recognize Important Milestones and Achievements
Hard-working employees won’t be motivated for long if their hard work is never recognized. That’s why you should take the time to formally recognize or thank employees at the end of your weekly meetings. Make note of their special milestones and make them feel appreciated as a vital part of the team. Freshteam makes remembering birthdays and work anniversaries easy by displaying them on your personal dashboard.
Recognition may seem like a minor gesture, but your employees will certainly appreciate it. Being recognized for their achievements and milestones keeps employees satisfied and encourages them to keep working hard.
7. Value Employee Contributions
Your employees deserve to have their voices heard. When people feel that their opinions matter, they feel more committed to the company.
Allow employees to contribute their ideas, either in meetings or through suggestion boxes or anonymous surveys. These opinions might be minor, such as asking your employees what color they would like to have the office repainted. On the other hand, they might be major, like asking about their preferences on working from home in the current scenario. You don’t have to implement every suggestion, but the insights might surprise you.
In conclusion, when your employees are comfortable in their workspaces and feel valued, they will find it easier to concentrate, stay motivated, and produce high-quality work — even while working remotely. A strong culture of open communication and teamwork will ensure collaborative tasks go smoothly. Most importantly, take the time to listen to individual employee feedback and celebrate your team!
Freshteam by Freshworks has useful tools and features to ensure your team has a hassle-free experience transitioning to remote hiring and to help team members bond while working remotely. You can check it out for yourself for free here.
There’s no question that productivity levels are important in the workplace, but they can be difficult to tackle. Encouraging employees to work harder is a delicate process, but it’s one that can be accomplished with the right tools. If you need help getting started, we have a few suggestions for online classes and resources that can help remote workers feel more productive. Check out our blog for tips on how to increase productivity in your team, and sign up for our newsletter for updates on new employment and talent acquisition articles and resources. What strategies have you found most effective for increasing productivity among your employees?
This article by Freshteam is built on the original article that first appeared on the Freshteam blog.
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