Even with a perfect work environment, it can be tough for a boss to keep all their employees on task and motivated. From mindlessly browsing the internet to spending too much time around the water cooler, there are a million time wasters in the modern workplace.
Location makes a difference for keeping employees on task. It could be as simple as having an office or not. Believe it or not, many companies, especially startups, opt for not renting an office space for their employees. Instead, they require their employees to work from home. Gathering employees together for official meetings in a home is not very professional and it provides a casual feeling to the business. Instead of meeting in a home, try finding a conference room or meeting room to rent in a building. According to Davinci Meeting Rooms, there are many independent office operators that can rent offices or meeting rooms to a business for a few hours or even a few days. A business meeting room provides professionalism to your company meetings and helps to keep your employees in the right frame of mind for staying on task.
Bosses in the workplace need to connect with their employees emotionally. It sounds corny, but complimenting employees about their work ethic, positive attitude, or what they add to the office. Engaging employees with meaningful connections isn’t something that often happens in most workplaces, but it is essential to keeping employees engaged in not only their work but the business as a whole.
When employees feel like they’re only a cog in the machine, it is easy to feel like their work doesn’t matter. Of course, workers who feel like their contribution to the business is meaningless aren’t going to work hard. They’re going to either slack off or quit and find a job that gives them meaning. Make sure to hold regular meetings where the boss reminds everyone of their small but significant work that affects the lives of others. It is common to share with employees when the company met revenue or growth goals, but that often isn’t as meaningful as the idea that their work has a positive and noticeable difference in the world. If you need to, sit down and talk to your employees. And if there is time in the day, have them take an aptitude test, personality test, or some other kind of assessment that shows you where their attitude is and how they feel about things.
Another approach is to ensure that employees are taking enough breaks and breathers. While it may seem counterintuitive to allow more breaks when trying to increase productivity, but employees who work hard constantly throughout the day with few breaks can quickly burn out and become frustrated with their work. Allow employees to have 10 minutes each hour to stretch their legs, or to color in order to release stress, or enjoy a cup of coffee while having a conversation about something other than spreadsheets or powerpoint presentations or expense reports. Vending machines are also a useful addition to break rooms. Offer caffeinated beverages and healthy snacks in your vending machines for maximum benefit
However, sometimes employers need a more hardline approach. According to Pro-Vigil Video Monitoring, remote surveillance is one solution that many companies have picked due to its many advantages when combined with new technological advances. Live video surveillance is becoming more and more common in the workplace, as it allows bosses to monitor what employees are doing, even if they’re not physically present. Not only that, employees will make sure to stay busy as it isn’t known when someone is watching the live video feed.
Another more direct approach is to install internet blockers. If employees are spending all day on Facebook or Twitter, blocking the websites will send a clear message that it isn’t a productive way to spend the workday. Internet blockers are also easy to install and maintain, making it a cost-effective solution. The Guardian names five of the top blockers: Freedom, Anti Social, SelfControl, Cold Turkey, and TrackTime.
The workplace is often rife with distractions and disengaged employees, but by engaging both direct and indirect methods, the workplace can operate at maximum efficiency once again.
