One of the biggest concerns you should have as a business owner is maintaining high productivity levels. If your productivity levels get too low, it may result in you losing both money and clients.
Each year, American-based businesses lose about $411 billion due to low productivity.
The key to properly addressing issues with productivity is figuring out the root cause of these problems. The following are just some of the most common causes of low productivity levels and what you can do to fix them.
Employees Who Are Poorly Supervised Are Rarely Productive
One of the first things you need to look at when experiencing low productivity levels is your company’s management. For the most part, employees who are not being supervised properly will not get their work done in a timely and efficient manner. In some cases, the only way to remedy these issues is by replacing some of your managers.
Ideally, you want to put managers in place who will be hands-on with team members. If employees feel like they can’t approach their superiors, they are more likely to take shortcuts with their work. Rather than letting your business suffer as a result of poor supervision, you need to make use of continuous improvement tools and put the right people in key positions within your company.
You Have to Become a Master of Delegation
Most business owners have a hard time transitioning from being the only employee to having a team they need to manage. When you are the only employee your business has, you will get used to handling everything on your own. As your company grows, handling every aspect of running your business will become increasingly difficult.
Not only will trying to handle everything lead to you getting overwhelmed, but it can also have a negative impact on productivity levels. Learning how to properly delegate is the key to making your business a success. Taking control and assigning tasks to your employees is the only way to ensure they are completed in a timely and efficient manner.
Outdated Technology Can Create Big Employee Productivity Issues
As any business owner knows, staying on the cutting edge of technology is a key part of remaining successful. Failing to update the technology your team uses on a daily basis can be very problematic. Oftentimes, outdated tech tools will slow employees down and create a lot of frustration.
While providing employees with these updated tech tools will be expensive, they are well worth the money considering the big difference they make when it comes to productivity.
Your Employees Need to Know Your Goals
If you are like most business owners, you have a laundry list of goals you want to accomplish. Failing to share this information with your team can leave them feeling alienated and rudderless. By involving your team in the goal-setting process, you can make them feel more engaged.
Once employees know what goals you are trying to achieve, they can figure out what their role is in reaching these milestones. Keeping employees engaged not only helps increase productivity, but it will also allow you to keep your valued employees loyal.
Holding Employees Accountable for Their Actions
Employees who are consistently underperforming can drag a small business down in a hurry. While you may not like confrontation, you will have to speak with employees who are not being productive. Failing to address these performance-related issues in a timely manner will only hurt your business.
Having a write-up policy in place can be helpful when dealing with these matters. If you have written up an employee numerous times and they still aren’t pulling their weight, it may be time to let them go. While hiring new employees can be time-consuming, it is worth the effort considering the increase in productivity new team members can provide.
While putting the right team together and keeping them productive will take time, it is worth the energy you invest. Being a business owner will require you to adapt to changes at a rapid pace. Having a cohesive team to help you make these changes and grow can be extremely beneficial. Letting your team know exactly where you stand when it comes to their performance can reduce the amount of confusion around the office.
