Advanced Software (return to the homepage)
Menu

LET'S TALK ABOUT

Workplace Productivity

Productivity is all about ensuring everyone in the organisation can deliver maximum value back into the business to drive growth and success. But we mustn’t equate being busy, presenteeism or multi-tasking with being productive – they are not necessarily the same thing.

Each individual needs the time and space to focus on the core of their job role, without unnecessary distractions or interruptions. And they should be empowered with technology and skills to help maximise their efficiency. Ensuring that simple, routine tasks are easy to complete is a huge step forward in achieving workplace productivity.

Explore resources

Productivity image for MyWorkplace

Workplace trends

Stats from the 2021 Workforce Trends Survey Report

32%

say too many notifications from messaging tools is holding them back from being productive at work

26%

turn off their email for one hour to focus on urgent work

69%

say the number of business apps / software has increased during the pandemic

17%

say their productivity is being held back by too many business apps

Additional insights to help you transform

PRODUCTIVITY RESOURCES

  • Workforce Productivity Report

    Independent research and influencer insights into the changing face of business productivity as we get ready for a new era of hybrid working - revealing urgent trends for leaders.

    Read whitepaper
    an image associated withWorkforce Productivity Report Report
  • Resetting the work / life balance

    In this guide, we will take a look at the ways in which businesses are preparing for the next normal of the working world.

    Read guide
    an image associated withResetting the work / life balance Report
  • Top Productivity Tips for CFOs in 2021

    eBook Read eBook
  • The Essential Workforce Planning Guide

    Brochure Read guide
  • Promoting productivity for a hybrid workforce

    Blog Read blog

Expert Insight

“Research shows that offering more flexibility leads to greater productivity. When people feel trusted, they will rise to it and deliver more for their organisations.”  

Marshah Dixon-Terry

Expert Insight

“If people want to use their lunch break time to collect their kids from school later, that’s fine. It’s ok to have a family and also work. For me, it’s all about output, not playing some sort of game, being seen, 9 to 5.”

Alex Arundale

OUR PLATFORM

All your business systems in one, unified platform

MyWorkplace enables your teams to easily access the tools they need. Removing the admin barriers, saving time on daily tasks – and creating space to make a difference every day.

Explore the platform >

 
;

Tips for Productivity

linegraph.svg

5 Tips

for workforce productivity

  • Read tips
      • Align your deliverables to overall business strategy - agree near-term, strategically aligned goals which drive individual and collaborative success
      • Empower achievement - equip people to perform to their full potential by having meaningful coaching conversations
      • Optimise wellbeing and engagement - proactively monitor workplace wellbeing and engagement, and empower people to take practical action
      • Recognise contributions - leverage intrinsic rewards and motivation. Use extrinsic rewards with caution, prioritising fairness and transparency
      • Reflect and revise - build in continuous improvement through deliberate reflection and targeted action planning

scope.svg

4 Tips

for employee productivity tracking

  • Read tips
    • Encourage employees to track tasks and activity using a shared planner or action tracker so everyone has complete visibility of activity
    • Regularly review smaller or manual tasks which can be automated so more time is spent on value-adding work
    • Encourage employees to switch off chat and email notifications for an hour a day for uninterrupted focus
    • Be flexible in work schedules as all employees work differently and work productivity for them will look slightly different to others

cloud.svg

3 Tips

to increase productivity with Cloud computing

  • Read tips
      • Access information anywhere – using Cloud technology, teams can access data wherever they are working, meaning they can work more effectively
      • Get updated information in real time – employees are always working on one central latest version of the truth. Information is updated in real time, so systems are accurate
      • View latest data any time – Cloud technology is available 24 hours a day 365 days a year, meaning you always have access to systems

      To find out more about the productivity benefits of Cloud computing, take a look at our latest guide to Cloud Software Trends

bargraph.svg

4 Tips

for productivity in the workplace

  • Read tips
    • Assign yourself time in the diary to get tasks done
    • Take regular breaks to ensure you feel refreshed and focused
    • Make sure you have time blocked out away from Outlook, Teams and Skype
    • Have a to do list with clear deadlines and prioritisation .

global.svg

4 Tips

for promoting productivity in a hybrid workforce

  • Read tips
    • Working from home can be isolating - hold regular appraisals, feedback sessions and everyday team meetings to bridge the gap
    • Set out objectives and expectations for your team with a clear understanding of the metrics you need in order to succeed
    • Ensure each employee has the right equipment to make working from home arrangements as comfortable as possible
    • Strive for balance between teams by fairly applying company policies between home and office-based staff
    • Find out more on how to manage a hybrid workforce in our whitepaper: Top tips for promoting productivity for a hybrid workforce

genius.svg

4 Tips

to improve on performance at work

  • Read tips
    • Ensure your daily tasks are feeding into wider organisational strategy and goals
    • Plan ahead and organise your diary – are you able to deliver against business expectations?
    • Communicate regularly with your wider team to make sure you align on priorities and activity
    • Try to avoid distractions during working hours and allow yourself space to focus

Frequently Asked Productivity Questions

  • What is productivity in the workplace?

    Productivity is all about ensuring your employees are delivering maximum value back into your business and not being distracted on a daily basis by things which don’t help drive success.

    The output of productivity is very different for each individual and each business. However, each employee should have the time and space to focus on the core of their job role. In theory this may sound straightforward. However, in practice, it’s proven to be a big challenge for a lot of businesses, as many employees find themselves constantly ‘switched on’, spread too thin and attempting to multitask.

  • What are the essential components of productivity?

    Our Workforce Productivity Report revealed that more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of employees in the UK admitted to getting many distractions and message notifications during work hours. A further 22 per cent confirmed they have so many distractions that their working day is never spent fully on work.

    Contrary to popular belief, being productive doesn’t mean instantly answering every notification that pops up, working overtime and attempting to spin many plates all at once.

    To achieve productivity, employees and businesses must be both highly organised and focused. Ensuring employees have the tools at their disposal to organise their working day and to focus on critical tasks is key to achieving workplace productivity.

  • Why is productivity important at work?

    Productivity is an aspect of the business world that many organisations struggle with. However, it is critical to growth and success. By creating a productive workplace, employees will feel they are having an impact and morale will improve.

    It has been difficult to maximise productivity with working practices completely shifting due to the pandemic. Our whitepaper, Maximising productivity in the New Normal, examines how and why this is so important, as well as offering practical hints and tips.

     

  • What is productivity software?

    Productivity software is any kind of business software which makes it easier for your employees to organise their working day, be more efficient and focus on key tasks and initiatives.

    It can include finance software, employee management software, CRM software, procurement software and much more.

    Many businesses will use multiple different types of software to run their operation, which can be inefficient in itself. The silver bullet for many organisations achieving productivity is a platform which can bring all their systems together in one place.

    Our MyWorkplace platform is designed to enhance workplace productivity by ensuring you can easily access the tools you need with one single sign-on. It brings together all your solutions in one place, making it easy for your teams to focus on the big priorities. Raise a PO, book annual leave, request travel, buy stationery – all at the click of a button.

  • What factors will improve employee productivity?

    Ensuring that simple, routine tasks are easy to complete is a huge step forward in achieving workplace productivity. Many employees struggle trying to multitask at work, navigating between multiple systems every day. Our recent report revealed that 22 per cent have so many distractions that their working day is never spent fully on work.

  • What can managers do to increase productivity?

    Now more than ever managers need to be listening to employees and understanding what is impacting their productivity at work, as well as knowing that people work in different ways and one size does not fit all.

    Providing employees with the appropriate tools and practical solutions to manage tasks gives them the best possible chance of success. Our workforce planning guide shares a range of considerations for managers in ensuring their teams are able to succeed and add business value.

  • What are the common productivity tools in business?

    There are a range of applications that are designed to automate manual tasks and enhance productivity for businesses and their employees.

    These include CRM systems, task management software, file sharing tools, invoice management, finance and HR management, email management and automation. What’s even better is if organisations can centralise and integrate applications to make the user experience as simple as possible.

  • What general strategies would you implement to increase staff productivity?

    Businesses should implement practical strategies to enable employees to manage tasks. Examples of these strategies include:

    • Encouraging employees to switch off email for one hour a day to focus
    • Setting strict deadlines for tasks by using closing down messaging and time-tracking application settings
    • Implementing more daily reminders and software which automates manual tasks
  • How to increase productivity in the workplace

    Having a clear strategy to support business productivity is very important. Businesses should remove barriers to employee productivity which are caused by lengthy admin tasks and ensure employees have the right technology and tools in place so they can work in the most efficient way possible. Forming a relationship with a software provider who has employee productivity and user experience front of mind is key.

  • How to measure employee productivity

    There are many ways to measure productivity amongst your employees. Routine admin tasks should be automated where possible to make up a small portion of an employee’s day and not distract their focus from value-adding tasks. Additionally, getting your employees into the habit of switching off chat and email notifications to gain better focus on the task in front of them could also contribute to improved productivity.

    When it comes to using metrics to measure employee productivity, a platform like Clear Review can help to individually keep track of each employee’s level of productivity and progression. Understanding what helps and what hinders employee productivity should be of paramount importance to employers.

    Clear Review enables regular feedback and reinforces the positive impact of work and completed projects to help employees recognise that their time and effort is valued. Set and track clear and short-term goals, schedule ongoing conversations to discuss individual targets, raise any concerns around tasks and use the time to discuss motivations for career growth.

    By eliminating the once-a-year performance and development review session with each employee in exchange for regular catchups and setting monthly / quarterly goals, managers can keep track of employee productivity while driving success through clear purpose and direction.

Explore workplace topics

Discover more about some of the key business issues affecting us today.

desktop.svg

Hybrid Working

Taking the best from what remote working and collaborative time in the office can offer.

Learn more >

chat.svg

Workplace Wellbeing

People produce their best work if they are comfortable, happy and healthy.

Learn more >

gears.svg

Working Models

What can we learn about evolving ways of work as we look to the future?

Learn more >