Workday Prism - An Expert View
22 Oct, 2024
Every organisation wants their employees to be on it when they are at work. This is a given. In this short and snappy article, we will be outlining 10 ways in which you as a company can help promote productivity!
Sunlight
Nobody wants to be working in an artificially lit box for 8/10 hours a day!
Studies at Oxford University have shown that employees who sit near a window and get exposure to natural light are more alert, happier, and harder working than those who sit in the middle of an office under artificial lighting.
Think of the natural world. Plants that have exposure to sunlight flourish and grow, whereas the plants sat in the dark corners begin to wilt a little. Let your employees grow!
Health
Obvious right? But overworking your team can have a negative impact in the long term. Stress, tiredness, and anxiety can affect their health and if they are not 100% well it will affect their productivity. Allow short breaks and think about implementing fun, stress-relieving activities.
Oxygen
Yes, it helps keep us alive, but it also makes us more productive. It assists in boosting memory, increasing energy and stabilises the nervous system. So, crack open a window and consider getting a plant or two for the office.
Encourage Creativity
Giving your employees the opportunity to be creative promotes working without boundaries, it removes the fear of failure, creates emotional investment and it is a force to be reckoned with for ideas! Giving your workplace a creativity boost will certainly help with productivity!
Physical Activity
Both physical activity and a good diet are renowned for increasing brain function and productivity throughout the day. I’m not suggesting forcing your employees to do a 2-hour gym session before work and make them eat carrot sticks all day (!) but allowing them the freedom to stand and move around will have a significant impact on their motivation. Also, offering healthy food options in the office will help.
Why not have a weekly team get together to partake in something physical? This could help build your team’s morale and engagement – this might also encourage some healthy competition?!
Web-Surfing
This could be a bit of a taboo subject. But research has found that employees who have the freedom to web-surf whilst at work were significantly more productive and effective at completing tasks than those who did not. It could also help lower levels of mental exhaustion, boredom and increase levels of engagement.
Encourage Your Team to Take Breaks
As an employer you want your team to be focused on the task at hand. Not encouraging breaks can have a detrimental effect on your team's health and wellbeing – keeping them busy can create fatigue and ultimately cause burnout.
Remember, an employee has the right to a 20-minute uninterrupted break if they work 6 hours a day. (UK)
Use 90 Minute Time Cycles
This way of working may not suit every business. Divide your tasks into 90 minute sessions each followed by a break. The idea is to work on a task for 90 minutes, giving 100% effort and then have a short break to recharge.
This creates a routine for your workers, they are more likely to be productive for the full 90 minutes if they know they have a short break at the end of it. It would also decrease the chances of burnout.
Avoid Unnecessary Meetings
How many times have you walked out of a meeting and thought “well that could have been put in an email!” Chances are your employees are thinking the exact same thing.
Think of the time spent in that meeting that could have been used to get things done, so think before you go to the calendar and invite everyone!
Forget About Perfection
It’s unrealistic to think that everything about your business is perfect.
Stop putting unnecessary pressure on your employees, this reduces productivity immensely and will have a negative effect on your business. There will always be competitors throwing spanners into the work, so concentrate on being consistent and delivering what your market wants.
After all, “no-one's perfect”!
Everyone wants a productive team – whether you agree or disagree with some of these ideas, I urge you to at least try them and see if your office productivity changes! You might be pleasantly surprised!
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