7 ways to increase productivity in the office
According to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, productivity in the UK is far behind other developed countries. In fact, compared to the other nations in the G7, the UK was 20% below the average, so it needs to increase productivity in the office.
This is a major problem for businesses across the country who are not getting as much out of their workers as companies around the world. Interestingly though, there are plenty of steps that an office can take to increase productivity levels of staff.
Here are seven ways to get workers motivated and working hard, provided by Liam Houghton – a business blogger with London office space specialist Stuart Neils:
- Take your lunch break away from your desk
Some people think that the best way to be productive is to be at your desk for as long as possible. This means that many opt to take a working lunch and shovel down their food while reading through emails. Unfortunately this is something of a false economy. Going through the whole day without a proper break from work will actually make it harder for you to be productive. A lunch break away from your desk allows you to return with energy and enthusiasm.
- Keep hydrated
It’s no secret that drinking plenty of water is good for you. Staying hydrated at work keeps your mind alert and active. It’s a great idea to bring a water bottle with you which can just sit on your desk for you to sip whenever you need it. That way you can fill it up a couple of times during the day and make sure you’re getting enough water.
- Stay comfortable
Comfort is vital for a productive workplace. There’s nothing that will throw you off your stride like feeling uncomfortable. This is why it can be a great idea to put money into a better quality of office furniture and good quality furnishings in break out rooms and the canteen. It might seem like an unnecessary expense for a business if you already have chairs and desks, but putting money into new high quality furniture will not only improve the look of your office but it will also help staff to get more out of their time at work.
- Manage your time
Good time management might seem obvious but so many businesses work without keeping track of what their workers are doing. You need to be aware of how long tasks generally take you so that you can ensure you aren’t wasting time or spending too long on something. You can then break up your day into chunks so you can get everything done efficiently, becoming more efficient is a great way to increase productivity.
- Invest in team building
When the members of a team get along and work well together, you are more likely to see a good level of productivity. You could use team building as a way to complete training sessions together or simply use the time to build camaraderie within the unit. It’s usually the case that if the whole team is aware that they are all working towards a shared goal with individuals they like, they will work harder.
- A clean office is a productive office
An untidy office that isn’t clean not only looks unprofessional to any clients or partners who come in to visit but can also contribute to a lack of productivity. That means it’s a great idea to keep the whole area clean either through hiring professionals or simply staff taking more care in the workplace. Professional companies normally would be the best idea, as they are able to provide a range services. On Idealcleaning.co.uk, for example, different services such as IT equipment cleaning, and general maintenance are listed which obviously wouldn’t be provided if cleaning was a task assigned to employees. Employers should provide plenty of bins, storage space and cleaning equipment to make it as easy as possible for staff to clean and keep things neat – no-one likes to work in a messy environment.
- Learn to delegate
One unexpected problem for productivity is through employees trying to do too much. This might seem counterintuitive but often staff members will see their heavy workload and think that the answer is to plough through it, when the truth is they actually need to delegate. Delegation has a variety of benefits. There is the obvious fact that sharing around a workload allows it to get done quickly but it is also the case that team members will feel better when they are trusted to complete tasks. Trust fosters a great team atmosphere and can really increase productivity.
