It goes without saying that productivity is one of the most important aspects of a thriving business. To put it simply, the amount of output from your team has a direct impact on both revenue and cost, so it is not something you want to take lightly. Every business owner should be focused on the overall maintenance as well as the improvement of productivity at their workplace. However, this is often easier said than done.
Despite productivity being on the minds of business owners around the world, it can be a difficult thing to actually implement. One of the reasons for this is that the implementation process is a constant balancing act. For example, you don’t want to increase the speed of production at the cost of your employee’s safety or the quality of the product. This article has been put together to highlight four straightforward ways to approach the aforementioned implementation process in order to increase productivity at your place of work. So, in the spirit of productivity, let’s get started…
A Holistic Approach
Yes, you are running a business, but never forget that your employees are the lifeblood of your company. Your staff are directly responsible for how productive you are. Make sure that the conditions in your workplace are up to scratch.
We are talking about providing them with the right equipment to do their jobs properly, adequate pay and healthcare as well as a comfortable place to relax during their breaks. It will be impossible to increase productivity if your staff are unhappy and we recommend that this is your first port of call.
Order Management
A lack of organisation is one of the biggest downfalls of small and medium businesses. It is the reason so many fail before they have even had the chance to get going. The reason that organisation is the root of many a downfall is that there is a lot to manage. When it comes to order management, we suggest taking advantage of the fact you are living in the digital age and let technology do the hard lifting for you.
We suggest managing orders in WooCommerce as it makes life easier for both you and your customers. This is one of the best tools when it comes to keeping track of your business dealings. It means that you can optimize your sales and manufacturing orders all in the same place. It even allows you to establish a clear line of communication with your customers, ensuring that you never mismanage an order again!
Online Presence
It is clear that technology has had a profound impact on the world over the last three decades and the business world is no exception. You will know as well as anyone that a business’s online presence is of the utmost importance. Let’s get something straight, we are living in the digital age, if you are going to buy a new product or sign up for a new service, you are going to look online.
Firstly, you will need an official website and a social media presence. Our advice is not to dismiss this side of your company as unimportant. Yes, you may want to put all your focus into the actual product, but for many, this will be their first impression of what you do. Make it user friendly, make it informative and make sure that you are easy to find. If you do this, you have the perfect foundation to allow you to get on with ensuring that you can give your clients what they want.
Direction
This will seem obvious, but we have to mention it. The reason we have included this is that despite how obvious it may seem, a huge proportion of businesses fail to clearly establish it, the objective.
In order for a company to be productive, never mind measure or improve it, they need to know what they are trying to achieve. This runs straight through the heart of the company, from the factory floor all the way up to the CEO’s office.
Without a direction, without a goal, without an objective, how are you meant to move forward. Set realistic goals and ensure that every member of your staff knows their roles, these are essential aspects of increasing production at the workplace. Removing any feeling of uncertainty is a great way to reduce wasted time. In addition, if you know what you have to do, you are able to get on with it. Again, we know this sounds simple but don’t underestimate providing a strong rudder for your operation.
The methods mentioned in this article are not rocket science, nor are they anything ground-breaking, but remember, they don’t need to be. If you focus on the four points discussed above, then you are well on your way to creating the ideal conditions for an increase in productivity. From here, we hand over the baton to you…
