Increasing your organization’s productivity and performance is an active process. Organizations that take steps to increase workforce productivity can uncover process inefficiencies, enabling them to make adjustments that improve operations. If workforce optimization and improved productivity are on your agenda, here are some strategies worth considering:
Implement time and attendance software
Manual time cards are an outdated practice and a waste of time for your employees. Time cards are also prone to mistakes. Automated time and attendance software mitigates the risk of manual errors and speeds up clock-in processes. Automated time and attendance routines also simplify time card tracking and data entry. By making use of an automated system, you are assured of your employees spending more of their time being productive in the workplace, than filling out their attendance records.
Monitor performance analytics
Workforce analytics tools, like those that help you manage time and attendance or streamline scheduling, provide insights into the effectiveness and performance of your organization’s workforce. These tools deliver performance-based insights that allow you to see which of your current processes are working—and which ones have room for improvement. By monitoring these, you will be able to see how your employees are doing with the systems you have in place and how best you can improve these.
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Set Clear Goals and Expectations
If you want to get the best performance and ensure productivity, you must have clear goals, including benchmarks and deadlines. Also, be sure to create detailed and realistic expectations so that employees know exactly how to proceed. Other factors may interfere with productivity, but if you plan properly and communicate effectively, these instances and influences can be accounted for.
Empower Employees to Manage Their Time
Most businesses hire employees that have the education and experience needed for a particular position. In this regard, there is no need to micromanage employees. There’s no reason to put employees on edge by having their supervisors check on them frequently throughout the day. Instead, delegate work they should be able to handle and extend them a level of trust to complete it, with reasonable oversight.
Allowing your employees this autonomy to manage their own time, provided they meet deadlines and expectations, will make them feel valued and trusted and boost morale. In most cases, this will result in greater productivity.
Provide Incentive Through Merit-based Rewards
A little competition is a good thing, and when used appropriately, it can improve workforce productivity. Instead of promoting on a schedule or handing out bonuses just because it’s the end of the year, offer rewards that are based on merit. When employees meet their own goals, help the company to accomplish its goals, and prove their value, they should be rewarded. Creating a merit-based system can help to fuel productivity.
Institute Ongoing Education and Training
It’s one thing to challenge employees to learn and improve; it’s another to throw them into the deep end by assigning tasks for which they are unprepared. Keeping employees challenged, invested, and engaged will promote productivity. The best option to help every employee meet his or her potential is to implement a program of training and education. Whether you offer training that can help employees improve in their current position and eventually move up, or you create an education reimbursement program that promotes additional schooling, investing in your employees is an investment in the future of your company.
Measure Productivity
With the proper HR analytics software, you can efficiently and effectively manage your workforce. You should also take steps to measure productivity to improve performance through analysis and adjustment. In addition to tracking hours and making sure that work is completed on schedule, employers can also use a variety of software and tools designed to manage and track workflow, including project management applications. Such tools can help you understand how and when employees are working so that you can find ways to improve productivity.
How Does Workforce Optimization Benefit Your Organization?
Workforce optimization enables businesses to take an in-depth look at processes to uncover areas that need improvement. By uncovering detailed insights, organizations can achieve both strategic and operational benefits. A more optimized workforce streamlines day-to-day operations. Strategic benefits of an optimized workforce include:
Improved Customer Service – Eliminating process inefficiencies enables you to improve customer service practices.
Increased Customer Retention – Better customer service processes often lead to happier customers—which in turn means repeat and loyal customers.
Increased Employee Productivity and Efficiency – Eliminate unproductive practices from your business and implement new strategies for greater output.
More Cost-Effective Operations – Automated processes increase the efficiency of manual day-to-day tasks and eliminate process-related costs like scheduling and time-punching.
Increased Return on Investment (ROI) – New technology that optimizes your workforce leads to greater customer retention, minimized compliance risks and more cost-efficient operations—resulting in more revenue and increased ROI.
Lindah Mavengere is a Business Consultant at Industrial Psychology Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, a business management and human resources consulting firm.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindah-mavengere-552b32b2/
Phone: +263 242 481946-48/481950
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Email: lindah@ipcconsultants.com
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