To ensure that work is completed, deadlines are met and workflow is steady throughout an office, employees must be productive. There was a time when this meant employees should work at full capacity constantly and that they must prioritise their tasks above all other responsibilities.
Fortunately, this is swiftly becoming an outdated idea. Today, many bosses are encouraging their members of staff to be creative, sociable and happy as well as proactive, accurate and productive. These new work environments that avoid an uninviting, bureaucratic setting or situations where employees feel overwhelmed often result in a significantly more productive atmosphere!
To ensure your office is a constructive and dynamic workplace, check out these 10 things you’d never find in a productive office:
1. They Avoid Progression
As I mentioned above: times are changing. Employees can no longer be viewed from a head office as stock-humans that must dedicate all of their attention to work between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
For productivity to flow, trust to build and overall employee happiness to flourish, you must encourage it. By following these steps you can begin to evolve, progress and improve.
2. Leaders Set Unclear Expectations
When it comes to working with others, be it in an office or everyday life, it’s important to remember that your group is not comprised of psychic super beings. If you are unclear about your expectations your team will have no real idea of what they’re supposed to be achieving.
Be sure to set clear, attainable goals for both the team and the individuals within it. Be accommodating to each individual and make sure you are fully understood by all before sending them on their way.
3. Nobody Plans Ahead
It’s far easier to plan ahead than to regret a project’s flaws in hindsight. Worse still, trying to work out a plan whilst in the middle of a task can completely drain your productive energy and focus.
Make sure you construct a few guidelines and goals before beginning an assignment and you’ll have it done in no time.
4. Delegating Is Discouraged
Have you ever wondered why potential employers always want to know whether you work well in a team? Well one of the reasons could be because they expect you to delegate work to increase productivity. Each individual in an office has different skills that are better suited to different tasks, so it makes sense to assign tasks to those best suited instead of becoming overwhelmed and disheartened.
5. Multitasking Is Encouraged
Whilst delegating is a great idea, multitasking isn’t. Switching and sharing your attention between tasks may mean you get more done, but it doesn’t necessarily guarantee a satisfactory level of quality. Focus all of your attention on one task and your dedication will show though.
6. There Are Interruptions And Distractions
Whilst were on the topic of focus: nothing is more detrimental than being constantly interrupted or distracted. Whilst you’re working, close your email and other tabs to ensure you are 100% disruption free. If it’s an employee or manager that’s causing the interruptions, it may be time to hold an interruption intervention.
7. Breaks Are Few And Far Between
If you’ve ever seen a movie or TV show set in an office then you’ll know those who have breaks around the water cooler are often seen as slackers. Meanwhile, those who skip their breaks are depicted as productivity champions who are more dedicated to their work than their social lives. This could not be more wrong!
Breaks are a fantastic way to allow employees to decompress their brains, relax, get their thought juices flowing and most importantly: enjoy work. Walk around, grab a coffee, go on social media or call someone: these are not time wasters! When you return to your work, close your tabs and put your phone away you’ll feel refreshed and ready for another focused, productive few hours.
8. Games Are Forbidden
Speaking of breaks: what could be more fun than a game of pool or ping-pong? Games areas are becoming more and more popular in work environments, particularly in the tech industry and in start-ups. Allowing games into your office will encourage bonding, develop team dynamics, relieve stress and advance activity.
9. Working From Home Is Not An Option
Another idea that’s becoming more popular is telecommuting. Many employers believe working from home will lead to a decline in productivity, when really many employees will work harder in order to disprove these misconceptions and maintain the privilege.
Working from home has never been easier, with new video conferencing apps, chat tools and task sites being developed almost every day.
10. No Flexible Work Times
For decades now, a 9 to 5 day has been the usual and for most this just isn’t beneficial. Modern life and workloads can be unpredictable, meaning some people may need to come in earlier or work later into the day. To accommodate this, try trusting your employees with their working hours. For example, if somebody stays late on an evening, why not allow them to come in later the next morning.
Featured photo credit: Workspace Desk from Above via picjumbo.com
