Improving business productivity through efficient, streamlined processes involves optimising the use of resources, reducing operational expenses, and delivering optimal customer services. Studies have shown that companies with high productivity can increase their profit by 21percent. At OneAdvanced, we have years of sector expertise in the sectors we serve. Our aim is to help businesses achieve their full potential by enhancing productivity. Here are 10 must-know tips to increase business productivity you should follow.
Tip 1. Understand the importance of productivity
Value of productivity for your business
Before directly jumping into the process of productivity enhancement, you need to first understand the benefits that high productivity brings to your business. This includes efficient resource utilisation, speedy service delivery, and optimal customer satisfaction. Additionally, increased productivity can lead to lower expenses, enhanced employee engagement, better competitive positioning, and greater innovation.
Realising the importance, 44% of organisations in the UK have identified increasing productivity as their top priority—and for good reason, according to our latest Annual Trends Report. Want to did deeper to know the key findings?
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Productivity’s impact beyond business
Increased productivity doesn’t just benefit businesses—it provides societal advantages too. Paperless workflows reduce your carbon footprint, and streamlined operations contribute to overall societal improvement. Recognising these broader impacts is key to fostering a productive and sustainable work environment.
Tip 2. Set clear goals and objectives
Importance of goal setting
Often, goal setting is neglected in businesses, resulting in a disconnect between departments and teams. Clear goals provide direction, ensure everyone is on the same page, and drive productivity across the organisation. Therefore, once you understand the importance of productivity, establish clear and achievable goals that align with your business objectives.
Implement SMART framework for goal setting
Utilising the SMART framework, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, can help you set effective goals. This means that your goals should be specific to your business needs, measurable through quantitative metrics, achievable with available resources and capabilities, relevant to your overall objectives and mission, and time-bound with a specific deadline for completion.
Tip 3. Audit your workflows and systems
Evaluate
Begin the process by assessing your current workflows to identify areas for improvement. This might involve gathering data, observing daily operations, or consulting with team members to get a comprehensive understanding of how tasks are currently completed.
Map
Next, visualise the processes to understand their flow and spot bottlenecks. Create detailed flowcharts or diagrams that map out each step of your workflow. This visual representation helps highlight inefficiencies and areas where tasks may be getting delayed or mismanaged.
Improve
Finally, implement changes to optimise workflows, making them more efficient and effective. This could involve reassigning tasks, automating repetitive actions, or incorporating new technologies. Continuous monitoring and adjustments are crucial to ensure that the changes are having the desired effect.
If you want to dive deeper into these steps and strategies download ‘Power Your Productivity’ eBook today!
Tip 4. Work smart, not harder
Cut down time on duplication
According to Asana’s report, The Anatomy of Work Index, employees waste more than 10% of their weekly time on duplicating efforts, which is an average of 4 hours 38 minutes each week. These duplicative efforts include tasks like copying and pasting data, preparing paperwork, storing, and/or searching for files, sending emails, and entering data into online systems. Implementing workflow management solutions with automation capabilities can help your workforce spend less time on duplication and focus more on strategic activities. Also, by automatically assigning tasks to relevant teammates and syncing calendars with deadlines, a simple automation tool can simplify your day and boost productivity
Organise your data
According to a McKinsey report, employees spend 1.8 hours daily – approximately 9.3 hours in a week – searching for and gathering information. Cloud-based workflow management tools can help you centralise your data on one dashboard. This means, you can access the data from anywhere, at any time. Also, you can spend less time passing on information and more time for in-depth analysis, which drives high productivity and move the business forward.
Tip 5. Automation is key
Automate your workflows
Another report from Mckinsey & Company reveals that about 60% of all occupations have at least 30% of activities that could be automated. This highlights that automation is the key to workflow efficiency. Automation within end-to-end work processes eliminates repetitive and mundane tasks, boosting productivity by freeing up employee time for more strategic activities. At OneAdvanced, we assist customers in saving an average of 3,300 hours annually by automating their repetitive administrative tasks through our comprehensive suite of workflow automation tools.
Choose the right workflow automation tool
Workflow automation is not just a fashion; it’s a necessity for increasing productivity in the workplace. However, with numerous options available in the market, getting confused about choosing the right workflow automation tool is obvious. Therefore, look for a solution that allows you to automate your specific workflows and integrates seamlessly with your existing in-house systems. Additionally, ensure it is tailored to fit your unique requirements backed by excellent customer support.
Tip 6. Focus on employee training and development program
Train your employees
Embracing the right digital tools to streamline your work and enhance productivity is only worthwhile if your workforce knows how to use them efficiently. Train your employees on how to use cutting-edge digital tools to gain maximum benefits. At OneAdvanced, we believe in continuous learning and help our customers achieve the same. We not only assist you in implementing digital work management software but also provide the necessary resources, guides, tutorial videos, and other essential materials to train and make your employees efficient on how to fully use the new digital tools. Want to explore how we help our customers in implementing digital transformation tools?
Download ‘Power Your Productivity’ eBook today!
Initiate other skill development programs
Improving productivity is not only about equipping workforce with digital training; there are other necessary skills required to enhance productivity within your company. Initiate a skill development program that encompasses courses on core workplace skills such as time management, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. This will not only benefit individual employees but also improve overall business productivity. Our suite of interconnected digital transformation tools empowers customers, and their workforce to automate their daily and repetitive tasks, freeing up their time to focus on training and development opportunities. We support them in developing a qualified and skilled talent pool within the broader context of organisational progress and innovation.
Tip 7. Address employee burnout
Focus on mental health awareness
According to our 2023 Performance Management Report, the majority (91%) of HR directors considered burnout a pressing matter. Employee burnout—due to work pressure, reduction in salary and benefits, and job insecurity—is a significant contributor to low productivity and high turnover rates. This not only impacts individual mental well-being but also leads to a decrease in overall organisational performance.
A culture of productivity permeates every level of an organisation. Therefore, the goal of every company should be to achieve their best potential. Implementing measures, such as mental health awareness programs and counselling services can support employees in achieving a healthy work-life balance and give them the best opportunity to thrive, thereby can increase employee productivity at work and develop a healthy environment in a company.
Promote healthy work-life balance
A healthy work-life balance is essential for employee motivation, satisfaction, and productivity. Encourage your employees to take regular breaks, use their vacation time, and maintain a clear boundary between work and home life. You can also provide flexible working options like remote or hybrid work schedules to accommodate diverse personal situations while ensuring business continuity. Additionally, create a positive work culture that values and supports employee well-being by recognising, rewarding their hard work, and prioritising their mental wellness.
Tip 8. Foster transparent communication
Leverage open-door policy
Transparency is key to foster a productive work environment. Implementing an open-door policy where employees can freely communicate with their seniors and management without fear of retribution is an efficient way of promoting transparent communication. This enables individuals to exchange ideas, share feedback, and concerns that can eventually improves work efficiency and increase productivity.
Encourage feedback culture
Feedback is crucial for growth and continuous improvement. Develop a culture in your organisation where employees fee free to give their feedback without fear of judgement or repercussions. This opens of channels for identifying areas of improvement, addressing challenges, and developing solutions collaboratively. Furthermore, through regular feedback sessions, employees are more engaged, feel valued, and contribute to organisational success.
Tip 9. Build a culture of productivity
Building a culture of productivity in the workplace is not merely about increasing work efficiency, it’s also about fostering an environment where employees can thrive, collaborate effectively, and achieve their highest potential.
How can OneAdvanced help?
At OneAdvanced, we are committed to build a culture of productivity at our workplace and work diligently to help our customers achieve it as well. We provide our customers with advanced workflow management systems, automation tools, and digital transformation solutions to help them streamline their processes and boost productivity. Our goal is to enable them to focus on what they do best while we take care of the rest.
Tip 10: Measure, analyse, and improve
Set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Establish clear KPIs aligned with your business objectives. These metrics will help you track productivity and identify areas that require attention. Regularly monitor progress against these indicators to ensure your team stays on track.
Analyse data and gather feedback
Collect data from various departments and encourage employee feedback to get a complete picture of your operations. Analysing this information will enable you to make informed, data-driven decisions to optimise workflows and address any inefficiencies.
Celebrate success and boost morale
Recognise and celebrate achievements, both big and small. Acknowledging your team's hard work helps boost morale and motivation, fostering a positive environment that drives continuous growth and productivity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, streamlining workflows through digital transformation tools, automation, and employee training are the essential for improving business productivity. Adopting the top 10 tips mentioned above can help you overcome workflow challenges, drive efficiency, boost employee engagement, and ultimately deliver optimal customer satisfaction.
What else? For a deeper dive into these essential practices, download our comprehensive eBook, “Power your productivity” today and take first step toward a more productive and profitable future!