7 Psychological Ways to Improve Productivity in the Workplace

As a general rule, increased productivity tends to mean increased revenues and profits for a company. However, business owners and managers cannot expect their workers to do more out of mere loyalty for their company. Instead, they have to develop ways to improve productivity in the workplace by getting to know their people and what they use as motivation to go beyond their expectations.

1. Make Time for Team Shout-Outs

According to this post from Psychology Today, employees would rather have their boss say something nice to them as opposed to earning a cash bonus. What this means for employers is that they don’t have to spend a lot of money on fancy awards or a large bonus for those who do a good job. Instead, it could suffice to simply say thank you to those who make the business one of the best in its industry.

2. Help Employees Take Ownership of Their Work

A study published in 2016 found that workers were more productive when they felt like either they or their work mattered. Therefore, one of the ways to improve productivity in the workplace is to find out what is important to the employee and find ways to create an environment where those priorities can be met.

For instance, a newspaper could allow its writers to come up with stories that matter to them personally. A sales manager could reward his or her employees with a donation in their name to their favorite charity if they meet or exceed the quarterly new customer acquisition goals.

3. Engage With Employees Whenever Possible

One of the best ways to improve productivity in the workplace is to ensure that employees are engaged. This means being there to answer their questions or to hear their concerns. Employees who feel like their words matter are more likely to take their jobs seriously.

In most cases, job satisfaction was tied to the relationship an employee had with his or her direct manager. Therefore, reviewing management performance at every level can help to get employees excited about their work.

4. Reward the Employee Personally

If you take the results of a Gallup poll seriously, you will make sure to recognize employees directly for their contributions to the company. Among the ways to improve productivity in the workplace is to ensure that workers are noticed when they go above and beyond what you asked of them. When a worker knows that his or her hard work is being seen, it only makes that person want to work even harder to get that next reward.

5. Let Your Employees Take a Break

Employees who are mentally fatigued are less likely to work at their peak capability. According to a study done at Hiroshima University, a worker should have roughly 15 minutes to relax for every hour worked. To help an employee recharge his or her mind, you can create a game room.

Set out a yoga mat for stretching, a ping pong table or some brain booster games that co-workers can play together as a pair or a group. For example, A tic tac toe board is a simple yet effective board game that can be played repeatedly during short breaks. A wooden high rise condo is great for a group play.

There are many other mindless activities that focus on having fun, socializing with others and getting their minds away from work. In addition to helping workers recharge mentally, they can also get to know their colleagues in a relaxed environment.

6. Let Your Employees Work from Home

Those who work from home can actually be more productive than those who work at the office according to research into the topic. There are fewer distractions compared to working in the office, and a person who works from home may feel more comfortable in a familiar environment. Not having to pick out clothes or deal with a long commute can also reduce a person’s stress level, which can help them focus more on the task at hand.

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7. Give Them the Freedom to Perform

Employers should be ready for the challenge of managing a workforce that is diverse in thought, values, and culture. Furthermore, they should be ready to cater to the desires of multiple age ranges as younger workers are changing the way it means to be part of an organization. Instead of a traditional office setup, those in their 20s and 30s may be more inclined to work on a couch from their phones or tablets.

They may also be more comfortable working in a car or on a plane as opposed to being stuck in the office all day. However, employers should be able to cater to older workers who may prefer the older office setup that they have worked in for the past several decades. Ideally, an employer is going to be able to do whatever it takes to get the most out of an employee no matter who that person is.

There are many different ways that companies can get the most from their workers. By remaining flexible and developing a culture that rewards people for their efforts, an employer can increase productivity without having to sacrifice profits or employee morale to do so.

How do you make sure to improve productivity in the workplace at your startup? Do you have any specific recommendation for your fellow entrepreneurs? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.