Running a small business is not easy. As well as keeping an eye on profit margins, you must consider things like quality control, customer satisfaction, and a host of other things that could make or break your business.
Another area that needs monitoring is productivity. If your business isn’t running as efficiently as it should be, or your employees lack motivation, it can severely affect your business operations.
Here are 3 ways to increase your small business productivity.
Training
One of the best ways to ensure your employees are as productive as possible is to ensure that they receive adequate training. If, for example, they are struggling with their workload or aren’t 100% sure of what they are doing, it can lead to mistakes. They may also start to struggle with confidence, which may affect their job satisfaction – all of which can have ramifications on productivity.
It’s critical that all new employees are correctly trained and that you offer ongoing support and training to existing staff. The more motivated they are, the more productive they will be, so it’s something worth keeping an eye on.
Outsource your IT
Technology is constantly evolving, and most small businesses rely on it to function. If you regularly encounter IT issues or spend hours trying to find solutions to ongoing tech problems, it may be time to outsource.
There are many ways to do this, which ultimately depends on the size of your business, and the issues you typically face.
One option is to use an IT service desk which can help to improve processes and identify opportunities to increase efficiency and boost productivity. From setting up passwords, to quickly solving problems that your employees encounter – it could save you a lot of time and make your business far more productive.
Set realistic targets
Regardless of how easy they are to achieve, setting employee targets is something every business should do. Doing so not only allows you to vocalize your expectations of every employee and set out your long-term business goals, but it gives them something to focus on – which can do wonders for productivity.
Once measurable targets are set, it’s always wise to offer some form of incentive. It may be anything from a bottle of champagne to a night out or a monetary bonus being payable each time a new target is met or surpassed. Giving your team a focus and something to strive towards will not only make them feel a lot happier but could send productivity levels through the roof.
It is, however, wise to make sure these targets are realistic. If you ask people to work harder or longer to reach targets that were never achievable in the first place, it could and probably will have the opposite effect. Instead of a loyal, hard-working team firmly focussed on taking your business to a new level, you may end up with a group of disgruntled employees who are less motivated than ever.
