Employees are important assets in every company. If they are not productive, then your business won’t be able to keep up with your competitors. You will find it hard to meet customer expectations. In short, your business profitability and success will be at stake.
Employers are always looking for ways that can help them boost employee productivity. But if you don’t factor in employee engagement, then your staff will stay unhappy and unproductive. Soon, they will leave the company in search of a better one and you will have a difficult time filling in the positions of your top talents.
The good news is, boosting employee productivity does not have to be boring. There are unusual ways you can consider that are proven to help improve the productivity rate of employees. If you are ready to step up your game, here are some ideas you can consider.
Install Video Surveillance
Business safety and security are usually the two reasons why employers would invest in a CCTV camera system. They do this to deter malicious acts, to gain evidence in case of crime, and to improve the experience of both customers and employees.
But what many people don’t know is that video surveillance can actually help improve employee productivity. One may think employees will feel pressure knowing their every move is recorded in the workplace. But in reality, this unconsciously helps staff focus on their jobs instead of playing around.
Your team leaders no longer have to make regular rounds just to make sure all employees are not wasting time during work hours. The best way to use video surveillance as a motivation for employees is to make sure you don’t go overboard with your placements. There are areas in the office where surveillance is not necessary, so be sure to take note of these areas.
Allow Pets Inside the Workplace
Some companies now allow employees to bring pets to work. For pet parents, their pets are their stress relievers. If allowing your staff to work from home is not an option, consider allowing them a few days a week to bring in their pets.
Note that there should be a policy in place before you even allow pets at work. For one, you need to consider if any employee is allergic to pet dander. There are also safety considerations as some pets are not well-trained and are not good with other pets, among others.
Discuss with your employees what they think about having pets around in the workplace. If many agree, craft a pet policy that will benefit both the pet lovers and the opposites. Make sure to cover liability issues, what pets you approve of in the workplace, the rules, and responsibilities of the owners, as well as the place where the pets are allowed or not.
Consider Unconventional Desks
Gone are the days when all employees would want to be confined in a single work area. Some want the flexibility to work on other areas inside the office. Others simply want freedom from sitting behind their conventional desks all day.
One solution is to provide your employees with ergonomic desks. This is not to say that you should swap all desks with standing desks. But giving your employees such an option can help improve their productivity.
There are many desk alternatives available in the market. There’s the up-and-down desks, kneeling desks, and even hammocks. Being creative and giving your employees the option to change their usual setup can help boost their productivity levels.
Encourage Self-Care
Rarely do employers tell their staff to prioritize self-care as if it was a part of their job. Many employees are overworked, underpaid, and burnt out. If all your employees hear from you are your demands to finish projects on time, then they really won’t value self-care.
Promoting self-care in the workplace helps boost employee health and wellness. When your staffs are healthy, they will have no excuse not to be productive at work. Letting your employees know you value your health will make them love the company more.
You can encourage self-care by motivating them to take breaks as needed, especially a mental health day. Make sure you delegate workloads effectively and bring in experts they can consult with for free. You can provide healthy food choices in your pantry, offer free gym memberships, a flexible schedule, and don’t forget to thank and acknowledge your staff for their every effort.
Sometimes, the simplest things make the greatest impact. If you want to get something from your employees like better productivity, make sure you are also willing to give something in return. Think about what can keep your employees happy, healthy, and engaged. The more you give and have to offer to your employees, the more likely will they be willing to do more for your business.