Success in business is generally tied to employee productivity, and it’s quite easy to see why.

The premise is that when productivity in the organization is high, there are no project delays or issues about work quality that might hinder the company from meeting its goals, as well as its customers’ expectations.

Productive employees work efficiently because they feel empowered in critical areas such as product knowledge, organizational workflow, and the like. Workers in a highly productive setting are also engaged and motivated to generate deliverables that drive revenue for the company.

Workplace productivity has a positive impact on the business.

Here’s what statistics say about how important productivity is for enterprises:

• Companies that boost their hiring of talented managers and double the rate of employee engagement achieve an average of 147% higher earnings per share than their competition.
• Companies score an average of 18 percent more on customer retention rates when employees are highly engaged.
• Increasing employee engagement investments by 10 percent can result in increased profits by $2,400 per employee per year.

Workplace productivity, as we know it, is the amount of time or cost that’s spent on doing something. For productivity to happen, workers need to be given the right tools they need. And the current technological shift has a lot to do with how modern-day employees are hitting their productivity numbers.

The role of technology.

Technology has proven to be the ultimate tool of the trade for many workers who rely on computers, the internet, email, and other collaborative tools to perform their tasks faster and better.

And yet, there’s a disconnect somewhere if we look at the data released by the U.S. government that suggests that overall labor productivity has increased only by 1 to 2 percent per year throughout the technology boom over the last few decades. This is bad news for companies, as it could mean that they are not getting as much ROI as they would want from their technological assets.

Adjusting your HR activities.

Perhaps what this number tells us is that there are several other factors that affect productivity gains. This is where your role in HR becomes very crucial.

While much of your mandate is about establishing and enforcing policies and procedures related to people management, there are also expectations for you to utilize these elements in enhancing individual and team performance. The key is to make sure that all of your HR activities are aimed at driving productivity as a precursor to business growth.

To make the most out of your efforts in bringing about productivity in the workplace, you could examine the various factors that create an impact on your employee’s’ performance.

For example, the tenet is that highly skilled, efficient, and innovative employees are the building blocks of productivity. But without great managers, even the best employees may struggle.

Your employees need leaders and managers who will help set goals and execute plans.

As HR managers, you can take an active role, together with team leaders, in becoming a mentor for your employees. Thus defining the direction, purpose, priorities, and roles of your workforce.

It’s also your role to help your employees enhance their technical expertise and communication and other relevant skills so that they could stay competitive among their industry peers.

Your HR team could develop systems that encourage and facilitate continuous learning and knowledge and skills development. You could, for example, organize in-house training and sponsor formal short courses to help them update their skill sets, which could help them advance professionally.

Communicating with employees is yet another HR function that you could focus on.

Your employees may feel frustrated if there’s a lack of communications or feedback system in the organization. This does not only make them feel unimportant or unvalued. It also increases the chances of your employees committing errors or inconsistencies at work.

You should not be surprised by how much pro-employee programs can motivate your employees to become more productive as well. These include a fair, clear, and competitive bonus or incentive program that rewards them with monetary and non-monetary benefits. As these can help you increase employee excitement, engagement, and loyalty.

Last, but not least, a work-life balance program also needs to be at the core of your employee productivity framework.

The majority of the factors that influence productivity are inherently organization-based. However, there are also outside considerations that are at play here. Including personal or health issues that could negatively affect your employees’ ability to perform their roles with a high degree of consistency and efficiency.

About The Author

This article was written by Alex Wortley.