Owning a workplace sounds fun, but only if you know what it takes for its perfection. No matter how successful your business is, you must not underestimate how a workplace improves employee engagement and productivity.
According to a study, happy employees are 13% more productive. So, how can you make your workplace a happy place for employees?
5 Best Tips for a Workplace that Can Boost Efficiency
Here are five productive ways to make your workplace more efficient:
Organize Your Space
Here is a simple rule of thumb: the more chaotic your workplace is, the lesser the productivity. A study says that an average worker wastes 4.3 hours weekly looking for papers and other needs, adding frustration and losing creativity.
Here’s what you can start with:
- Keep a filing system to put things in their proper place.
- Use color-coded folders or drawers to avoid confusion.
- Keep the work area clean and put away all unnecessary items to prevent accidents.
- Ensure a logical flow to keep all belongings in one spot.
- Hire a housekeeper or a helper if you need help in organizing from time to time.
Try organizing as much as you can to avoid any work clutter and low productivity.
Eliminate Distractions
Whether working in an office or struggling to work from home, distractions will always find a way. Yes, it is impossible to remove all distractions, but you can always reduce their frequency.
If you own a workplace, start with a no-disturb policy (like switching off phones, maintaining optimum silence, limiting unnecessary movement, etc.). You can try installing soundproof walls to maintain silence or just keep your doors closed to limit even the tiniest distraction.
Work alongside people who are more productive and focused.
For workers working remotely, distractions are even more intense. Either you will have a kid shouting or a friend waiting outside.
To overcome such distractions, try following these hacks:
- Make sure you have a separate room for work and acknowledge your friends and family not to disturb you during working hours.
- Work like it is a 9-5 office job; close the door, put cell phones away, bring in food, etc.
- If you are a parent, try adjusting your work timings while your kids are at sleep or school, or hire a nanny for them.
The best you can do is to work in chunks, like giving yourself a 60-90-minute break to stay focused and avoid having brain-fogs.
Update Workplace Conditions
Aside from the physical modifications of ensuring your workplace is safe, here are some simple ways that can help you upgrade your workplace conditions.
First Aid Training
Depending on the size of your business, having one or more employees trained in first aid by someone like Safe Haven Training can really give you and the rest of your staff peace of mind. Those who undertake a first aid course will be confident and capable enough to deal with emergencies like workplace injuries.
Once trained, they will be able to provide basic medical treatment or CPR, in case a fellow employee has a stroke or other medical emergency.
Improve Layout Design
As employees spend at least half of their day at work, the workplace layout must feel welcoming. The look or design of the work environment has a massive impact on employee productivity. Ensure your workplace has the right colors, brightness, minimalistic appearance, etc.
We advise you to let your employees have some control over the workplace’s design and layout. Such workers are shown to be 32% more productive and happier than those who are not.
Also, work on your workplace ventilation, space, and temperature to make the environment more adaptable.
Practice Technology
It is 2021, and we are all aware that workplace integration has become a necessity. A study reveals that 40% of employees leave their jobs if they lack digital tools and services.
Therefore, building a smart workplace can help bring in more creativity, innovation, and professional development.
Proper Sewerage and Cleanliness
Now whether working on-site or remotely, the importance of maintaining your sewerage systems is hardly discussed. Employees are likely to run away if they do not get clean water, filters, and improved sanitary conditions.
To maintain your workplace and sanitary cleanliness, it is essential to have a crystal clear and filtered water supply. So make sure you filter your water through proper treatment, especially if it’s well-water.
Equip Your Office With Right and Smart Tools
A minute loss of network connection or an hour looking for a comfy spot in a workplace may sound small to you, but in reality, such small things add to frustrations leading to further decline in productivity.
To avoid the daily annoyance and save more time, ensure your workplace has all the right tools beforehand.
Start With the Basics
Instead of planning for secondary needs initially, ensure your workplace checks all the basics first:
- Good quality furniture for comfort
- A high-speed internet connection
- Kitchen supplies for motivating food and coffee kick
- Stationery and communication systems
- Printers and photocopiers
- Computer softwares, etc.
Add more according to your workplace preference.
Adopt a Smart Workplace
Sticking to the basics and not integrating your workplace with smart technology makes your work lag behind. To boost productivity, make your workplace smart with automation.
You can start with smart access control and security systems like:
- Walkthrough doors
- Two-factor authentication criteria
- Cloud-based security system, etc
Choosing the right and smart tools for your workplace saves time, energy and focuses productivity.
Stop Multitasking and Start Delegating
Getting more work done in a shorter span is what it takes to achieve higher productivity. But, unfortunately, no matter how good you are at multitasking, you’ll never reach the level of a delegator.
To convert your overall hard work into smart work, start delegating by following these steps:
- Sort out the tasks and responsibilities you need to delegate.
- Next, identify who can work on which type of task.
- Then, clearly define the task to your employees.
- Next, delegate or transfer the work to the responsible person.
- Lastly, monitor the delegated tasks carefully and evaluate to make any changes.
Conclusion
No matter how strong your business is or how productive you are, never neglect your workplace. With these five easy tips, no one can stop you from creating a healthy workplace that reflects efficiency.