4 Things That Decrease Workplace Productivity

It’s not how many hours you’re at the office that counts; it’s the amount of quality work you produce during those hours that matters. Studies have shown that the average amount of work conducted by an office worker on any given day is around 2.5 hours worth. Yet they’re there for nine hours, so what gives?

It’s that they’re not working productively. It’s important to be aware of the things that can decrease workplace productivity, and take steps to overcome them. But how?

We take a look at a few productivity-sappers below. 

Too Stressful

Humans can handle stress, but not too much of it. If there’s too much pressure, then there’ll begin to shut down — and this is a physical response, not a mental one. It can’t be controlled. As such, one of the best ways to improve the quality of your staff’s work and boost productivity is to work on minimising workplace stress.

• If you’re in charge, then make sure that you focus on your employee’s wellbeing as well as their work output. It’ll help to keep everyone happy in their work. 

Grim Offices

Humans will always reflect their surroundings. If they’re in nice, bright, relaxing spaces, then they’ll feel good — if they’re in dark and dingy spaces, then their mind will shut down a little. So it’s worthwhile looking at your offices, and making sure that they’re feeding your employees with the things they need to be at their best.

There can be a big difference in the output of workers who work in a clean and spacious worksite, and the ones who work in dark and cluttered offices.

To make sure your office is kept in good condition, look at working with a company that offers janitorial services. You may also want to look at getting more light into your office, too — people work better with natural light. 

Just a Number

It’ll come as a shock to some employers to realise that their employees are not just robots, who are there to do whatever they say.

Studies have shown that employees who feel valued and treated with respect by their boss work much harder than those who are just told what to do. So take the time to get to know your staff, and show a genuine interest in their lives, professional ambitions, complaints, and so on. 

One Bad Employee

Everyone who’s in your office contributes to the overall atmosphere of the space. If there’s one bad employee who either doesn’t pull his or her share of the weight or who causes personal troubles, then productivity will begin to nosedive, especially if it’s a small office. As such, it’s important that you’re only hiring team members who you know will be pleasant to work with.

You’ll also want to work on building relationships between your staff, as well as mediating any problems.

You can create a sense of community and build friendships by hosting after work drinks, going on team building weekends, and providing a space in the office for people to talk. 

© New To HR