Even before the global pandemic shook companies by providing unexpected hindrances for startups worldwide, entrepreneurs faced many new challenges while running a business. Among these obstacles, improving employee performance and productivity were identified as common concerns. No wonder the pms software and agile performance management platforms became increasingly popular amongst startups.
The workforce’s efficiency and productivity are the most critical factors in whether or not a startup succeeds. This does not imply wearing people down to their bones but rather providing them with the most ergonomic and pleasant work environment possible, encouraging innovation, creativity, and teamwork. We have compiled a list of the ten most essential approaches for improving employee performance and productivity in your startups:
Outline your mission and vision
Outlining the objective and vision for enhancing productivity in the business is, at its core, a communication endeavor. It is critical to recognize that this is not merely a communication endeavor but an organizational strategy. When we establish the purpose and vision, we must put ourselves in the shoes of the individuals who will engage with our business in the future. Once your purpose and vision are clear, you can develop strategies, tactics, and plans to attain the goals.
Don’t micromanage the Employees
Improving employee performance and productivity can be almost impossible if your startup is micromanaging your employees. Micromanagement will hamper your employees’ productivity and performance. Instead, explain the organization’s goals and expectations, allow them to develop their ideas, and provide constructive criticism as required. This will improve your employees’ performance and productivity and allow them to attain their maximum potential. Take steps to establish a relationship of trust with your staff. Give them clear expectations and guidelines, but enable them to go above and beyond. This will foster a culture of trust and loyalty, boosting productivity and performance.
Team bonding activities for the team
Team bonding activities significantly impact team productivity and cohesiveness, which is a vital aspect of team success. Team building exercises are among the most acceptable ways to develop excellent team chemistry. In teams with members far from one another, economic and social groups must find additional methods to interact, such as team trips, shared meals, or social gatherings. This might be physical exercise, a game, or good teamwork. Use tools such as okr programs and pms software to establish a culture of collaboration, thereby enhancing the bonding of your workforce.
Rely on digital tools to increase the productivity
Digital technologies help people, especially procrastinators, work more efficiently. However, this does not imply that digital apps render employment obsolete. They compel employees to accomplish their allotted tasks at whatever cost, something procrastinators may not like. Employees cannot postpone their work when such digital technologies are employed in the workplace. Instead, they must avoid all types of distractions to be effective at work. Humans tend to work more when they are constantly monitored.
Invest in employee training and development programs
Employee training and development is one crucial component that can help in improving employee performance and productivity. Multiple benefits can be reaped by providing the employees with the skills and methods required to accomplish their tasks.
When employees are properly taught, and that training is continually updated, they can get better service to your clients and provide a superior customer experience. It also demonstrates your willingness to invest in your employees, which your employees will reward with higher loyalty and improved performance. Poor performance is frequently caused by employees who are not entirely informed of how their duties should be performed. Investing in employee development improves your bottom line. For this purpose tools such as pms software and okr programs are highly relevant in today’s time.
Acclimate the workplace to the team’s needs
The first step in fostering a collaborative culture is to adapt the workplace to the demands of the team. Each team member must have the opportunity to participate and have their voice heard, enhancing productivity and fostering a sense of belonging. Over time, the workplace will mirror the team’s culture, and the team will be better suited to fulfill its goals. The most difficult challenge is ensuring everyone works in a pleasant setting. This necessitates a continual change of concentration between the job and the environment in which it is carried out. This has significantly influenced the capacity to carry out the aims. It has also necessitated that we regularly re-train our workers on how to perform.
Get customer feedback early
Gather customer feedback early in the process to boost organizational efficiency as well as improving employee performance. Workplace observations, employee surveys, and other methods can also be used to get feedback. Maintaining and obtaining feedback is a critical duty for every business’s management team and worthwhile activity for workers and the organization. It is a quick and straightforward approach to getting input on how to improve our internal operations or customer service. It may be used to track your progress toward your objectives, make improvement ideas, and understand what you and other employees think about your employment. As a result, it is helpful since it assists you in identifying areas for development and provides a solution to turn them around.
Establish a positive work environment
The culture of a company has a significant impact on the productivity of its personnel. One of the best methods to improve an organization’s culture is to create a positive environment. This includes showing your workers that you appreciate their perspectives and efforts and providing them with the tools and resources they need to do their tasks properly. This will boost your employees’ productivity and job quality. The productivity of its employee determines any organization’s success. A positive work atmosphere increases employee productivity by encouraging employees to collaborate and offer positive feedback to one another. This pushes people to work harder and better, improving their productivity even more.
Provide a hybrid work culture
Hybrid work culture blends the best of both environments. Work-life balance and work ethic are promoted in hybrid work environments, and they provide the security of a consistent salary without the responsibility of full-time employment. Mixed work culture with structure and a combination of autonomy and flexibility for employees. It will promote an outstanding work/life balance for workers, establish a pleasant work atmosphere, and give staff autonomy and flexibility to accomplish their objectives and achievements.
Delegate tasks effectively
One of the most overlooked productivity-boosting methods is proper delegation. One of the most fundamental parts of delegating is that personal accountability is required. Empowering correctly is making yourself available to your employees and giving them the operational support and resources they need to succeed while ensuring that they fulfill their objectives and are appropriately paid. This implies that the employees are trusted and should be assured that they thoroughly understand their part in your company’s success.
Increasing employee performance and productivity for a startup may seem to be tough. However, when you take the above described tips into consideration, you have a good chance in improving the performance and productivity of your startup.
For more assistance regarding establishing a productive and growing startup, reach out to us today!
Gaurav Sabharwal
CEO of JOP
Gaurav is the CEO of JOP (Joy of Performing), an OKR and high-performance enabling platform. With almost two decades of experience in building businesses, he knows what it takes to enable high performance within a team and engage them in the business. He supports organizations globally by becoming their growth partner and helping them build high-performing teams by tackling issues like lack of focus, unclear goals, unaligned teams, lack of funding, no continuous improvement framework, etc. He is a Certified OKR Coach and loves to share helpful resources and address common organizational challenges to help drive team performance. Read More