When the success (or failure) of your business depends on the employees in your care, then you need to ensure they are working as productively as possible. If they aren’t pulling their weight, for whatever reason, then you, as the leader, need to take steps to put things right.
In this article, we will look at two of the key factors behind employee unproductivity. If any of them relate to your business, then now is the time to take action to ensure your business doesn’t suffer as a consequence.
#1: The internet
The internet is a wonderful thing, especially when it comes to aiding your business. You can market your business for free on social media, for example, and you have the capacity to research your nearest competitors to get a handle on what they are doing to attract customers to their side. However, the internet can also be a hindrance, especially where your employees are concerned. If they are spending too much time using social media for personal reasons, or are browsing the web for requirements that aren’t work-related, then their workflow is going to slow down.
Tips: Other than standing behind your employee’s watching their every move, there are other things you can do. If you’re technically minded, you can actively remove access to certain websites from your office computers by removing or changing host files. There are some tips on how to do this here; https://setapp.com/how-to/edit-mac-hosts-file. If that sounds a bit too fiddly for you, you might install website blocking software on your computers instead. This will limit access to certain websites for a required length of time and will curb your employee’s temptation to browse the net. You might also install screen recording software on your computers, as this way, you can find out how efficiently your employees are working, and get a better grasp on what they are up to during work hours. Research your software options online.
#2: Staff morale
It’s understandable that when your employee’s morale is low, they might not work to the best of their ability. You might also experience more sick days, be they genuine because of stress and low moods, or because they just can’t face coming into a work environment that is causing them unhappiness. In both cases, your business is going to suffer, so, as the leader in charge, you need to take action.
Tips: For starters, look at your leadership style. Could you be causing low employee morale in your workplace? If you are constantly berating and criticizing your employees, then you might be the thorn in both the side of your employees and your business. The same is true if you overwork your employees, or offer them little encouragement. Here are some useful leadership tips, https://gordontredgold.com/10-things-great-leaders-say-that-create-engaged-teams/; add the linked examples to your vocabulary, and watch as your employees become better engaged at work.
Of course, you might not be the problem at all, though you still need to get to the root cause of where low morale is stemming from. There are some very useful tips within this article, https://www.snacknation.com/blog/low-employee-morale/, so consider the suggestions within, and then speak to your employees for further insight. By detecting any problems early, you might be able to correct low morale before it spreads, and consequently, improve productivity within your business.
Finally
For the sake of your employees and your business, consider the issues we have raised within this article. If any of them have related to your situation, take the necessary steps to improve employee productivity. And if we haven’t related to your situation, but you know of other reasons why your employees are unproductive, then look for solutions to improve their work performance. The survivability of your business might depend upon it.
