How can organisations enhance employee productivity?

Times are moving on from where all employees worked for was solely their salary each month. Employees are, on the whole, more invested in their roles and companies, and want to feel they are valued and a critical link in the business chain. A recent study by Deloitte University Press found that almost 80% of executives worldwide rated the employee experience as important or very important. This is not surprising when you consider its impact. When the employee experience is great, employees are happy, engaged, and able to get their work done efficiently.

Employee productivity is important in every organisation, no matter how big or small, local or global. Employees are a company’s biggest asset, so when they are thriving, so too will the business. When your teams are able to make substantial gains and improvements in a short space of time, it will ultimately impact the business’s bottom-line as well as improve their morale and motivation levels. It’s a win-win for both parties.

Here at London Corporate Training, we understand how business critical it is to have soaring productivity levels, both for the employer but also for the employee. There are many ways in which you can increase employee productivity, some are easy things to implement, whereas others come with time and resources. By offering ongoing training, developmental opportunities and areas in which your team can continually grow will only bolster your competitiveness in the market.

Corporate Training

One of the most worthwhile methods of investing in employee teams is through corporate training programmes – be it in person or virtually. Corporate training and development opportunities will help improve your teams’ knowledge and skills and by extension their work performance and productivity levels. These developmental courses, hosted on a variety of topics and designed for various sectors, empower employees and businesses to grow, instilling them with essential skills and knowledge, as well as the personal growth, needed to reach their potential.

There are a plethora of different courses which range from formal to informal training; in-class to virtual sessions and one-off to multiple class programmes. Dependent on the objectives and needs of the organisation, management can enroll their employees on courses which they can do at their own pace or within a dedicated period, in-house or outsourced. Some training programmes offer analytics and bespoke reporting options so you can track the progress of your employees and see their growth.

Varying employee experiences keeps them interested, expands their knowledge and capabilities, and creates happier, more motivated workers. The more motivated workers are, the more engaged and productive they are. Hands-on training is another very valuable developmental tool in order for your team to gain real experience while learning at the same time. The more skilled people are, the more productive and smarter they can work. In addition, cross-training also opens the door for employees to take on tasks within other roles and even side-step in their careers should they wish to.

Employee Flexibility

Employees have different times in their days where they are at their prime, so often, a 9-5 schedule may not always bring out optimum productivity. As people’s schedules differ, especially post pandemic with hybrid working, offering flexibility will ease the pressure off them so for example, they can take their children to school or they can miss rush hour traffic and so on. There are so many ways to offer this type of flexibility, be it coming in an hour earlier and leaving earlier, working from home one day a week, or doing shorter hours. According to a study by Workplace Trends, 75% of employees rated flexibility as their most important workplace benefit. This flexi-working will also prevent employees from calling in sick or using other such excuses to avoid coming in. Whichever arrangement works best for the business as a whole will be meaningful and valuable for each and every member of the workforce.

Employees should not feel judged for taking advantage of flexible working, but rather feel comforted knowing they are supported which will result in productivity. Productivity improves by 20-25% in organisations with connected employees who are engaged with their work and how they are treated, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.

Employee recognition

One of the most simple, yet much needed, human necessities is to feel appreciated, recognised, and acknowledged. A lack of recognition and appreciation has serious negative consequences and can create a wave of disengagement, disloyalty, and decreased productivity levels. Employees are craving this encouragement and acknowledgment, especially while trying to work in a normal capacity, while the external world is still uncertain. So, whether it’s informal recognition such as taking the time to say a simple “thank you” or “well done” via Zoom with the team, or a short video which can be emailed out, or a formal reward and recognition programme, they both can do wonders.

Employees will feel motivated and passionate and their drive to do more and more will duplicate. Showing this simple appreciation will harness a great sense of warmth and passion which will be injected back into the business. Invest the time and effort, as the rewards speak for themselves.

London Corporate Training offers a diverse range of online and in-person training courses and seminars which have, time and time again, helped enhance productivity levels of its delegates. The more engaged and productive your employees are, the more they will contribute to the business and the more your business will flourish. Without a proper HR plan for productivity management and improvements, companies may struggle with the lack of unproductive teams, whereas by having some measures, such as corporate training programmes, in place in order to motivate and ensure employee happiness, there is greater potential for overall success.