Ask the management team at any organization, large or small, to list their top 5 business priorities and you’ll undoubtedly find “improve productivity” on that list.
The nature of doing business in the 21st century is focused on finding the competitive edge; therefore, the companies with the highest levels of productivity are going to be the clear winners.
In business terms, productivity can be defined as a measure of the input necessary to generate a determined level of output. In other words: how efficiently is everybody in the organization performing their job?
Measuring business productivity differs from one company to the next, but measuring personal productivity is more clearly defined. So we are going to focus on the management skills necessary to build a more productive workforce.
To improve productivity on a company level, management needs to begin its measurement from the ground up. That means every employee, from the janitor to the CEO, is accountable for the overall productivity of the organization.
So what steps need to be taken to improve productivity on a company-wide basis?
The Big Picture
The majority of dynamic, competitive organizations have a clear vision and mission statement. But often the corporate vision gets lost in the disorder of everyday tasks.
The mission statement needs to be a consistent “call to action”; not merely a plaque on the wall. Employees need to feel that even the most menial jobs are a small part of the bigger picture.
Management must convert policy statements into actionable plans so that all staff are aware of how their input affects the direction and outcome of the company.
Productivity measurement systems ensure that every employee is working with efficiency towards the bigger corporate picture. At the same time, monitoring and feedback is required to short-circuit conflicts that may arise mid-course.
Rapid improvements in technology, products and processes are the hallmark of the corporate and industrial world in the 21st century.
Adapting to a constantly changing environment and marketplace is a critical skill required for an organization to thrive and survive.
Management needs to be aware of the resistance their workforce may feel towards rapid change. Entrepreneurial managers can work to re-channel anxiety into productive creativity, thereby using an ever-changing environment to their advantage.
Observing and interceding to support staff during times of change is an integral component of a leader’s job role. By identifying how staff are adapting to change, management can use interpersonal tools to guide employees through the change cycle into acceptance.
A highly productive organization is the result of a highly productive workforce.
Every member of a team needs to contribute to the overall productivity process.
This means there is no room for people who sit around waiting for direction. A highly organized and well-structured work team knows their responsibilities and understands how their productivity contributes to the success of the company and its goals.
Each employee requires training in plan management techniques. They need to understand the principles of goal setting, time management and prioritizing activities so their time is focused on achieving the critical tasks rather than the trivial demands of the day.
The reality of working in the 21st century has changed dramatically over recent decades. Increasingly, employees are learning to become more empowered to make decisions independently and accept full responsibility for the functionality of individual processes that form a part of the greater picture.
As dynamic enterprises move towards more autonomous decision-making processes to keep pace with rapidly expanding marketplaces, the flow-through effect encompasses increased productivity, a more creative and inventive workforce as well as improvements in the timely delivery of new technologies, products and s
