Introduction

Employee Productivity is a vital aspect of human resource management which basically refers to the assessment of the efficiency of an employee or a group of employees.

Employee attitudes toward their jobs and workplaces have a substantial impact on a company’s achievement. Business executives recognize that engaged employees may provide a distinct competitive edge to any firm. This is because happy and engaged employees are more productive and are more likely to stay with the firm for a longer period of time.

Although the U.S.A ranks among the top countries with a productive workforce but in order to compete with other fastest-growing economies like China and India there arises the necessity to employ modern practices to boost employee productivity at the workplace, especially in a post-covid era as the world saw a significant change in the work culture and thus companies were required to adapt to the new normal, i.e, remote work.

With changing times, companies and HR managers are now aware of the fact that remote work is here to stay and they ought to know the techniques for enhancing and analyzing employee productivity in both (on-site and remote) types.

In the following sections, certain aspects of employee productivity and performance enhancement and various other relevant issues are explained as answers to some pertinent questions that you should always know in order to deal with employee productivity for on-site and remote employees in your company.

How do you set employee performance objectives?

Employee performance is crucial to the overall success of the firm, thus business owners need employees who can get the job done. To build consistent and objective methods of evaluating personnel, business executives must first comprehend the primary advantages of employee performance. This assists to determine the corporate organization’s strengths, shortcomings, potential managerial deficiencies and to improve employee productivity.

Although performance appraisals are never enjoyable, they do assist corporate management in determining performance levels for each employee.

Following are some of the effective steps to set up performance objectives and improve staff productivity:

Collaborate with Employees

Setting up objectives and key results is no easy task, but collaborating with employees will make the process a lot easier. Collaboration lets employees discover how their actions contribute to their company’s long-term growth.

Collaboration on performance goal formulation, on the other hand, should not be confined to delegation. When employees are actively involved in creating objectives, both team and individual goals are more likely to be met. If you need assistance, our guide on developing team objectives might assist you.

Align your Objectives with your Company Mission

It would be comical if you run a firm that aimed to alter the data world but did not provide employees with a work atmosphere conducive to creativity, innovation, and change.

If your firm wants to foster open communication and a flat structure, your top priorities should be:

• For managerial positions, strive to become a people-centered leader.

• Take on frequent cooperation activities for teams.

• Individuals should improve their communication abilities.

Personal objectives for each individual should ideally focus on their own growth, while team goals should be linked to the company’s larger aim. Making work more enjoyable for everyone, for example. This decides what our firm stands for and how we do business.

Concentrate on Progress.

Some of your finest employees are just waiting to shine. And if you don’t encourage their development, they’ll move on to flourish someplace else.

Performance targets should not only benefit the business but also assist employees to grow within their organizations, therefore enriching the firm.

Advancement should be the major emphasis of any performance target, especially because career growth chances are one of the top criteria for job seekers when looking for a new position. This data indicates that if you don’t prioritize employee development, you risk losing your top employees to competition.

Determine your Performance Goals using the SMART Method

There is a straightforward method for defining good performance objectives. The secret is to remember the acronym SMART. Each letter serves as a reminder of an important aspect to consider while developing objectives:

Specific:
Set as detailed expectations as possible. This keeps individuals focused on what you require of them.

Measurable:
Make your things as measurable as possible. If the goal can be defined numerically, do so. If not, create as many defining parameters as you can.

Achievable:
Figure out how you’re going to get there because the outcome does not always justify the means.

Realistic:
Make sure the expectations are realistic and within the employee’s control. This will keep staff engaged while avoiding irritation and disappointment, both of which can lead to failure.

Time-bound:
Establish timetables for each aim. This keeps employees focused.


Create Goals that Cascade.

The process of designing objectives and fostering congruence at all levels of the company is known as cascading goals development. Plans at the top level cascade down and affect the aims of all other corporate personnel via cascading goals. When this occurs, you will have quantifiable and attainable individual objectives that are in line with the company’s vision.

How do you motivate employees to increase productivity?

The main element behind greater employee productivity is motivation. It is what motivates your employees to get out of bed in the morning, go to work, and begin churning out products or serving your clients with a grin.

While the link between employee productivity and motivation is clear, knowing how to inspire employees to be more productive is tough. Here are a few ideas to help you encourage your team members and increase their productivity.

Measure Current Performance

Measure and assess your employees’ current production rate to discover if you are increasing the rate at which work is done. Utilize a cutting-edge project management application to track task completion and learn what it takes to deliver high-quality products and services. Productivity may be measured at both the individual and team levels to have a better understanding of the present state of affairs. After that, you’ll have a starting point for implementing staff motivation tactics.

Focus on Company Culture When Onboarding

One of the most essential things to look for in new hiring is a great cultural fit. This can safeguard the organization against turnover costs as well as regular and unplanned recruitment charges. Employees that fit the corporate culture are far more aggressive on the job and connect with their colleagues much sooner.


Reward Employees

Rewarding employees is one of the most effective methods to demonstrate appreciation and boost job happiness. Consider providing additional incentives to your employees to boost loyalty and morale:

• A customized Prepaid Visa card that allows employees to receive their own incentive

• Subscription to a gym that promotes self-care on a monthly basis

• A stipend or discounts in a chain bookshop

• Weekly movie tickets or box office discounts for two people

• An extra day or two off from work to unwind

One or more of these incentives has the potential to improve team chemistry and enrich the lives of your employees. It should also not always be about money.

Emphasize Personal Development

Employees must be viewed as individuals rather than as a fixed resource that must be constantly nurtured. Training can not only increase their present skill set, but it can also drive them to learn new ones. They speed up the company process and boost efficiency and production by eliminating the need to delegate work that they can complete on their own.


Stop Micromanaging

Avoid micromanaging because having to consult with upper management for every assignment can severely demotivate people by reducing their self-esteem. Each person is motivated to finish their work in the most effective manner when they are assigned a position. And, by having a project in the first place, they are far more likely to get further associated with the organization, increasing their loyalty.

How to motivate employees through performance appraisal?

Establishes Clear Goals

Employees perform at their best when they understand what they are working towards/striving for. And how their efforts contribute to the company’s success rather than accomplishing extraneous chores. The Performance Appraisal process may be used by management and staff to examine job descriptions. The assessment process might establish performance indicators that are properly aligned with the objectives of the company.


Enhances Employee Accountability

Managers examine the strengths and problems of the whole review period during a performance review. Such discussions give employees information about their performance. Employees are more aware of their strengths and places for growth as a result, and they are able to deal with challenges more effectively. The first step toward better work performance is raising awareness. Employees that are informed hold themselves more accountable for their actions and become more productive.

Motivates Employees

Supervisors and managers can formally acknowledge employees for their hard work through performance reviews. They might motivate employees to work toward company goals by recognizing and acknowledging their efforts. Consider incentives like promotions, increased salary, learning and training programs, bonuses, and so on when appraising personnel. These small bonuses are terrific motivation. Furthermore, engaged employees are more loyal to their employers.


Boosts Employee Productivity

An appraisal is a method used by managers to assess employee potential. A company may adopt strategies to improve its performance if supervisors and managers are aware of how its personnel is currently performing. During performance assessments, supervisors should evaluate the employee’s performance. Employees will understand that their efforts are critical to the company’s success, which will boost productivity.

Identifies Areas of Training and Development

An employee’s career growth is critical to their professional advancement. Nowadays, many employees fail to identify their own talents and qualities. Employees benefit from performance evaluations because they learn more about how they perform and contribute to the business. A manager can also determine whether or not staff are functioning at or above their targeted level.

How often should performance feedback be given to employees?

There has been a recent shift away from yearly evaluations, as managers seek to focus on recent occurrences. A lot may happen in a year, and events from the previous year are frequently difficult to recollect or are simply forgotten. Employees and bosses are less likely to bring up concerns that occurred 6-12 months ago. In the end, they are no longer relevant or have been resolved.

Most businesses do performance evaluations every 3-6 months as a general rule. This keeps staff focused and motivated while also ensuring meaningful and timely feedback. It is also advantageous since concerns may be addressed early and corrections made accordingly.

Furthermore, certain employees may require more regular reviews than others. For instance, if an employee is on probation or to verify that new staff is on track.

Are performance reviews mandatory?

The short answer is no. There is no law that forces employers to evaluate their employees’ performance. As a result, employers may opt-out of this traditional appraisal strategy in favor of a more frequent feedback option. Regardless, the majority of firms recognize the importance of monitoring and managing employee performance and employee productivity. If their employer requests it, an employee is required to engage in a performance review. This could be specified in their job contract.

How to ensure employees are productive when working from home?

In the present era, almost 16% of companies in the world are working 100% remotely. Moreover, 74% of workers say that having the option to work remotely would make them less likely to leave a company. The fact more amazing to know is that 99% of people would choose to work remotely for the rest of their life, even if it was just part-time.

The remote work model has some amazing benefits and challenges, both for businesses and employees. In the case of employees, factors such as increasing employee engagement and employee productivity in the workplace are some of the major challenges HR managers need to tackle during the course of their work.

Following are some of the effective ways in which remote workforce productivity can be ensured:

Reinforce Company Culture

When working remotely, employees might face issues such as low morale and dedication due to a lack of direct communication with their peers and superiors who would work as guides and motivators in a face-to-face setting in the case of in-office work but still they work hard to attain the desired results and demonstrate a passion to the company’s core values. Such types of employees should be rewarded and appreciated on a regular basis in order to boost employee morale and productivity and dedication to their work.

Streamline Processes

Working with the right tools for communication and collaboration with superiors and peers is a must when it comes to remote workforce productivity and employees must be trained prior to starting with such platforms use. Also, it is important to keep in mind that there should be a limited number of software platforms for which a particular employee is responsible to be working as using too many types of software may hurt employee productivity and eventually your company’s productivity.

Have fun working

It’s obvious that if employees are made to work too much may increase a sense of boredom hence there should be a small session of interactive activities by which employees are directed to solve a problem or do a new task in a fun manner which would help in increasing employee engagement and productivity in their work and on the personal level improve their emotional and mental well-being.

Be flexible and patient

Not everyone in the company is used to remote work culture from the start and it may require some time to adjust to it. In such cases, HR managers need to have a patient and flexible attitude by which employees won’t feel forced or pressurized to accomplish any task. The open-minded attitude of superiors is the key to increasing employee productivity.

Onboarding and Training

When managing employees remotely, new employees or the existing ones who have been assigned remote work should be provided training and coaching from time to time under the guidance of an expert so that are able to discuss and sort out any issues they are facing during their work and also acquire relevant skills in the process.  

How do you give an employee a performance improvement plan?

One of the most awkward conversations a manager should have with an employee who is failing to fulfill standards, misrepresenting fundamental beliefs, or exhibiting inconsistent performance over time. The employee may be embarrassed or hurt, while the boss must give harsh reality. However, they are unavoidable when performance is poor and steps must be done to improve it.

It is important that the employee realizes they have the potential to improve. Instead of making employees feel like they’re being laid off, stress their opportunities for advancement. They must understand what needs to be improved and when. Make it obvious that while they are ultimately responsible for their progress, they have your support and resources.

Consider the following five suggestions as you develop your performance improvement plan and prepare for your conversation:

Be Specific and Objective:

Explain clearly why the employee’s productivity and/or behavior isn’t up to the standards. Bring instances of good performance, preferably from past projects the employee worked on. Prepare to answer queries and explain why the employee’s performance falls short of the goal.

Align on Plan

Create agreed expectations that are acceptable to both parties. Include the employee in the planning process, giving them a say in their future. Employees have increased consent and are more inclined to face their issues head-on when they agree on a plan and comprehend the goal.

Acknowledge all potential outcomes

Be honest rather than threatening your staff. Outline the probable good and negative repercussions of the employee’s activities. This realization will not only provide transparency, but the potential should encourage progress.

Follow up regularly

Regardless of their performance level, all managers and employees should have regular talks. However, when performance is low, these discussions become much more critical. We recommend meeting with the employee every two weeks to assess progress and discuss what’s working and what isn’t.

Remember to coach your personnel rather than regulate their performance. Employees should be able to control their productivity and performance, and it is their responsibility to assist and motivate them. In your follow-up conversations, provide your employees with appropriate instruction and feedback.

Document the conversations

It’s easy to forget what was said and when, so make sure your interactions are documented in a central spot that both of you can access. This makes your expectations specific and obvious and allows both parties to reflect on and measure progress based on the dialogue. With an excellent one-on-one tool, any potential misinterpretation or missed facts are reduced.

How do you maximize/ increase employee productivity?

Business leaders that are devoted to increase employee productivity of their workforce do not have to approve large increments or costly rewards. At the same time, it is also evident that happy and engaged employees are more productive as they show up frequently and stay longer. Employees that are disengaged are a drain on businesses. While employee engagement is critical to increasing employee productivity, there are also some additional factors that should be considered in order to maximize employee productivity in the company.

Encourage Learning Opportunities

According to a National Center for Education Statistics research, employees’ productivity is directly aligned to access to continuing education. Employers can provide internal cross-training and staff development, as well as tuition aid for individuals pursuing a Master of Business Administration.

Provide Employees With Technology

Employees who lack the necessary tools for the task are observed to be increasingly irritated and less productive. With the growth of Cloud computing and mobile devices, the obstacle of corporations being able to buy new technology and equipment is becoming less of a concern. Giving workers the tools they need to thrive is an excellent first step in increasing employee productivity.

Emphasize Company Culture

A company’s culture is made up of various crucial components, such as the work environment, vision, ethics, and goals. Employee productivity rises in work cultures that prioritize connection development and reward cooperation, according to studies. Adjust your recruiting methods and verify that new recruits will work well with others to energize and motivate your staff if you are wondering how to enhance workplace productivity.

Strengthen Communication Tools

Businesses that lack open communication between management and employees invite workplace productivity challenges. Managers should be available to their staff and convey expectations and tasks efficiently. Employee productivity rises as a result of employees feeling personally linked to the organization’s vision and goals.

Identify and Align Goals with Performance

Company leaders should check in with their staff on a regular basis to discuss their objectives and personal development, and then praise them for a job well done. Setting goals helps employees become more self-motivated and confident in their abilities to achieve. It can also motivate employees to work together and as a team.

How do you motivate a non-productive employee and improve employee productivity?

It looks to be an unappreciative response. You went above and beyond to hire employees with the necessary skill sets, experience, and personality attributes. You must now accept the fact that many employees fall short of your expectations. Boredom and poor performance start to spread throughout the company, and there is an urgent need to prioritize employee productivity and fix the problem as quickly as possible.

Find The Underlying Cause

It’s all too tempting to focus on the symptoms rather than the sickness itself. If you overlook the problem and make unfounded assumptions, you may lose a valuable employee unnecessarily. Effective leaders recognize that negativity and poor performance may have underlying causes. You can’t blame your underperforming staff for a lack of dependable processes and performance management tools.

Get close to your people before blaming them. Set up a meeting. Approach the meeting with a polite demeanor and offer specific examples of poor performance. You might be surprised to learn that it’s all about being overworked, underpaid, or undertreated. It is your obligation as a manager to investigate these causes and provide effective remedies.

Set Clear Expectations

Motivating unproductive employees involves making your staff feel and perform their best. Set goals for improving performance. Create standards and a timeframe to assist staff in reaching the end objective. As you go, attempt to discover where they are falling short and provide support.

The specified goals should be feasible, especially when working with unproductive (and hence uninspired) staff. Periodic check-ins and progress tracking will aid in making additional modifications to performance objectives. If an employee fails to display excitement and advancement, the consequences should be obvious.

Create Competition

You may foster a competitive attitude in the office, which is one of the most entertaining methods to encourage underperforming staff. It’s firmly ingrained in our psyche to love overcoming a challenge, and when we are prompted to do things differently, we frequently expose the player within us. Creating rivalry across departments or within a team is a wonderful way to motivate staff.

Provide Encouragement

Encouragement may be as large as a raise in pay or as tiny as a motivational speech. Employees frequently believe that their efforts are in vain or that no one cares about their achievements. It is critical to assist them to understand how important their participation is. Positive labeling will provide your staff with a reputation to which they dream of living.

Utilize Employee Feedback

Some employees just want to build a name for themselves, and mediocrity is not an option. Allow those employees to speak up, and make sure you attend to their special requirements. Listening to your workers’ ideas and including them in decision-making are effective ways to enhance their self-esteem.

Allocate Time for Having Fun

Friday happy hours, whether it’s a longer lunch break, a trip out with coworkers, or potlucks, may enhance relationships and influence how people work together. It’s also the quickest and best way to make new connections and develop your professional network.

Conclusion

Achievement of the desired level of employee productivity would definitely require an investment of time and effort from the side of concerned managerial personnel. On the other hand, rather than expecting overnight results, organizations adopt a patient approach and constantly make improvements( like building an employee-centric culture in the company) to the strategies based on the results.

At the end of the day, no matter what outcomes you get while implementing the above-mentioned employee productivity improvement measures but personal experience would also be the decisive factor in repeating any method or modifying any of them in the future.