Most businesses aren’t run effectively. In fact, most are ineffective. The keys to productivity lie in the hands of the CEO.
CEOs should be focused on productivity. Productivity will increase quality output. It will also lead to more satisfied employees.
Here are five tools to help you improve your team’s productivity.
1. Engagement
Stay focused on the task at hand.
Be engaged with your work. Don’t let yourself get distracted.
Don’t think of your job just as a job.
Find meaning in what you do. Encourage your team to do the same.
If your staff seems unmotivated, ask them why.
Ask what would motivate them to work harder and better.
Reward them when they do a good job.
But don’t be afraid to remind them to get to work.
A bit of chit-chat at the office is good, but you’re not there to have fun.
When employees finish their tasks for the day, encourage them to head home early. Encourage a good work-life balance. But make the boundaries clear.
Discourage multi-tasking.
Multi-tasking is extremely inefficient. It’s better to concentrate on a single task at a time. The brain isn’t designed to do more than one thing at once.
Create an environment that encourages focus and hard work.
2. Travel
Travel can be life changing.
It’s also good for business. You’ll reach a wider customer base and find good employees. Actively seek talented personnel.
See about visiting job fairs or industry events.
Travel frequently and make connections with similar companies.
If you’re smart, travel doesn’t need to be expensive. Stay in business travel hotels that cater to work travel. Use a booking service to save yourself time and energy.
Even if you aren’t going to a conference, travel teaches you a lot.
It gives you a chance to see how other industries are run.
Ask if you can visit your company’s office in different countries and cities.
Maybe they run things differently.
You can learn a lot from travel even if it isn’t directly related to business.
Encourage your employees to travel. See about organizing a work trip.
Everyone loves to get out of the office every once in a while.
Your employees won’t be any less productive on the road.
In fact, they might even be more productive than at the office.
3. Education
Invest in your education and that of your employees.
You don’t need to go to business school to learn more.
The library is a great free resource. There are plenty of books on business.
Learn about every aspect of your industry. See if there is any time being wasted. You could probably consolidate somewhere.
Take the time to learn about psychology.
Learn what motivates your employees and encourages them to work.
Encourage them to learn new things.
The mind is most active when it is learning.
See about organizing classes for your employees.
Hire a language tutor to come once a week to teach your employees a new language. Or see if you can get an art expert to give a lecture.
People are always eager to learn new things.
4. Mindfulness
Mindfulness is an essential practice for productivity.
Most people don’t understand what mindfulness is. It’s a very simple concept.
Essentially, mindfulness is about engaging with the world and reflecting.
Meditation practices are a type of mindfulness.
Other forms of mindfulness include journaling, yoga, and art.
Find something that relaxes you. Create a space for yourself to think.
Set up a space in the office for meditation. Encourage your employees to take short breaks for meditation.
The time won’t be lost.
5. Caring
The days of mean bosses are over.
Employees simply won’t put up with being mistreated.
Your employees, especially your best ones, probably have other options.
They don’t need to work for you.
Show them that you care. Ask them about their family.
If they have something stressful going on at home, give them a day or two off.
They will appreciate the kindness and work harder.
You don’t need to become best friends with your workers.
In fact, you need to make sure good boundaries are in place.
But you need to care.
Conclusion
A good CEO knows how to run a company productively. And it’s not as hard as you might think.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.