No matter how big or small, or even the sector in which your business is located, productivity and boosting it will and should be central in all business agendas.
What is business productivity?
First of all, we must discuss what productivity in business actually means. It can be a rather difficult concept to grasp and define, but broadly speaking, it is taken to mean the measure of the amount of output that a business produces per unit of input. Or, in other words, efficiency. So, for any business that wants to succeed and be the best that it can, it must consider the ways in which to boost this.
Why is increasing productivity important?
So, the next question naturally is why you should make it a key area of focus within your business agenda. You should because:
- Increased productivity = increased profitability
One of the clearest and important reasons why businesses should focus on increasing productivity is capital and income. The higher the productivity of a business, the more profit it will make. If it is less expensive to produce goods and services and if a business can produce more units per dollar or pound, then the greater the profit which will be made. As we are all aware, the more money generated, the more successful the business. Therefore, boosting productivity is important, especially in terms of finance and accounting.
- It will result in the optimization of resources
If your business is a productive one, then you can optimize your resources. This means that you are using your resources (which includes employees, machinery, material) to the best potential. Not only will this have positive implications for productivity, but also the business as a whole. For example, in terms of employees, there are many benefits of improving human resource management ranging from resolving conflicts, handling legal concerns, and decreasing turnover rates. Therefore, accessing services like those provided by expert HR consultants Austin, such as Austin payroll services, will be greatly beneficial in making steps to improve productivity.
- It will improve customer service and satisfaction
If the system, or company, runs better and smoother overall, this will result in the customer reaping the benefits. This is especially important in businesses that rely on strong and consistent customer relations. Nevertheless, as all businesses need customers to be successful and turn a profit, this applies to all. At the end of the day, customers massively influence and impact businesses in varying ways. Crucially, it is up to you as the business owner, person, or employee to ensure this impact is a positive one. As the saying goes, a happy customer is a repeat customer.
- It can lead to growth
Another reason why increased productivity is important is that it can enable the growth of employees and the business. As you may be starting to realize, all these points are interconnected. If the business is able to be more productive, it grows. If it grows, more money will be generated. If more money is generated, then resources can be enhanced, and this can improve customer satisfaction. This, of course, is just one example that illustrated the links.
- It can reduce negative environmental impacts
An often overlooked yet vital consideration is that of the environment. If a business is more productive, it can lessen the negative impact it has on the environment. For example, if an employee lacks the ability to work efficiently, they will most likely require more time and energy to complete a task. This will often result in energy in the form of electricity, lighting, heating, etc., being wasted and consumed unnecessarily. This, of course, has major negative implications for the environment, as non-renewable resources are being diminished. However, if this employee learned to work more efficiently (for example, by being better organized), these resources could be optimized rather than wasted.
Similarly, building design can either work with or against the environment. As mentioned above (tip number 2), enhancing resources can enhance productivity. For instance, opting to use the most amount of natural lighting as possible will improve the morale and motivation of employees, save money on electrical bills, and benefit the environment (reduced consumption of fossil fuels).
How to boost productivity
Now that you know why you should do it, you are probably wondering how you actually go about doing so. Well….
Limit distractions
If your business has not done so already, having a policy such as no phones can massively boost the productivity of the workforce. This does not mean having no cell phones at all, but simply restricting their use for break times.
Make the workplace comfortable
For your employees to truly thrive, they need to feel comfortable in their working environment. So, taking a few actions to ensure this is important. For example, you should manage the flow of air and heat within the office space, making sure that it is neither too hot nor too cold. Also, providing comfortable furniture for employees and even a warm and cozy breakroom will likely boost productivity.
Have regular maintenance checks
You should also make sure that the non-human elements of your business are working well and are fully functioning. The form this will take depends on your business. Nonetheless, suggestions and things to look out for include:
- Having sufficient stock supplies (e.g., stationery, paper, food, etc.) to avoid them running out when the business is busy.
- Fixing any faulty or broken wires straight away, reducing the risk and likelihood of power shortages and or workplace accidents, both of which would reduce productivity.
- Having a professional check, the building for any potential dangers (risk assessments)
Be open-minded, critical, and welcome change
Another simple way is by being open-minded to change. If something is not working or reducing productivity, being able to critically think of ways to mitigate this problem is valuable. Do not fix what is not broken, but also consider can ‘this’ work more efficiently if I made ‘X’ change?
