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5 Creative Ideas to Increase Team Productivity

By: Jamie Cohen

Managing team productivity is one of the most important aspects of growing a business. Efficiency and productivity are crucial to business success. Our article on managing employee performance covers the basics of managing your team. Here, we focus on creative and innovative ways to increase team productivity. One way is by maintaining a positive work environment. A positive work environment can help stimulate employee creativity and lead to innovation and company success.

Here are our top five tips for boosting team productivity and creating a productive, welcoming work environment.

Team Productivity Boosters at a Glance

    • Encourage Office Socialization
    • Boost Communication
    • Create a holesome, Welcoming Work Environment
    • Reward Your Employees
    • Give Credit Where Credit is Due

Encourage Office Socialization

You may see socialization in the office as counterintuitive to productivity. However, employee communication and connections can improve your team’s productivity. Creating a healthy, welcoming work culture can impact your employees’ performance. When your team is connected, it becomes easier for information to pass between departments. Open communication between departments is vital to healthy productivity in the workplace.

One way to encourage office socialization is using communication platforms like Slack. Slack has apps to improve office socialization. For example, the Slack app Culturebot offers a unique virtual water cooler functionality that supplies conversation prompts to the chat. Not only can this solve the issue of a silent Slack channel, but the added connections can go a long way to boosting employee productivity and morale.

Another way to encourage office socialization is to allow for collaboration before and after meetings. Employees socializing with one another before and after meetings can help stimulate discussion. This collaboration can lead to inspired innovations for your business.

It is always a good idea to steer conversations back toward work discussions once the meeting begins. However, encouraging communication can increase team productivity and workplace satisfaction.

Boost Communication

Open communication in the workplace can directly impact your employee’s investment. In a previous article, we covered how setting employee goals can boost employee retention and stimulate growth. Similarly, according to TrainSmart, a leading innovator in education, open communication can help you avoid office conflict, encourage innovation and idea sharing, and catch issues before they become catastrophes.

Keeping your employees communicating with you and their coworkers can help increase productivity. Communication can also stimulate business growth. This communication allows your employees to grow into tangible assets to your company. A good small business is open to input from its dedicated team members. Asking your employees their thoughts on business directions can provide new insight into avenues of revenue. It can also offer innovative and exciting new ways to build your office culture.

Create a Welcoming Work Environment

While this can tie back to the physical workspace, it can also apply to the workspace’s atmosphere on an emotional and social level. Your office space should provide comfortable workspaces for your employees. It should also allow open communication and honest discussion to flourish.

An oppressive, awkward work environment can cut productivity. It can also lead to office drama and miscommunication. Fostering an environment where employees can collaborate across departments can stimulate productivity. In addition, employees comfortable approaching one another for feedback, either in person or across platforms like Slack, contribute to a healthy, stable work environment.

Reward Your Employees

Rewarding your employees includes things like raises, flexibility, and more. Be sure to invest in your employees, as they are one of the most vital assets of your company. Work without recognition soon stagnates, while empty praise can lead to missed deadlines.

As covered in our blog here, rewarding employees for work well done is the key to making them your greatest asset. Rewards come in half days, added vacation opportunities, advancement within the company, and more.

Another way to reward your employees is by giving them more say in their official roles. While you hire employees for a specific position, allowing your employees to set their own goals and target particular projects within your business can lead to marked increases in productivity. When employees have a stake in the outcome of their work, you’re likely to see a noticeable improvement in productivity.

Give Credit Where Credit is Due

There are some similarities between rewarding your employees and giving credit. However, there are also some key differences. While it can be tempting to treat your team as a unit, remember that your employees’ unique talents set your business apart from the rest.

Be open to noticing your employees’ strengths, and praise them accordingly. Everyone likes getting noticed for their accomplishments. A boss who allows their coworkers to stand in the spotlight garners respect and loyalty from their team.

Being willing to admit your mistakes can foster a positive, productive team. In addition, balancing personal growth with workplace goals can encourage employees to do their best and give them a sense of fulfillment. These are critical aspects of building your team’s productivity.

America’s SBDC is here to help you and your team succeed. To grow your small business, check out the other articles on our website. To improve employee management, technology development, business planning, and more, contact your local SBDC.

jamieCohen
About the Author: Jamie Cohen is a professional content writer passionate about digital marketing and entrepreneurship. Jamie has been building online businesses for over the last decade. But, life isn’t all about internet marketing for Jamie. Instead, taking trips to the dog parks with his two Boston Terriers occupies most of his time.

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