Five Ways to Drive Operational Efficiency

There is a lot to be said on ways to drive efficiency from an operational, manufacturing point of view – but it’s not the only way to make improvements. By investing effort into your employees, there are many ways to drive efficiency in favour of your profit margins.

Today we will look at five ways to drive efficiency in your employees, but there are many more.

 People like a challenge. If you give a person an attainable goal and set them to it, they will strive to meet it. In business, different employees have different tasks they need to complete but sometimes these tasks or assignments can be too vague, too big, or too unrealistic. By organizing an employee’s objective to clearly define what is expected from them, their responsibility in the task and the end result expected, you help to keep them productive and effective. It’s also important to note that explaining the impact that a person’s job or task has on the business can reinforce the importance of their job. Having attainable goals that produce effects in the short term will motivate your people.

 Who doesn’t like to be rewarded? Offering an incentive is a great way to encourage productivity, and it’s not all about money. Although a healthy annual bonus is one way to drive efficiency, smaller gestures more often can work wonders too. When an employee does a stand-out job, tell them. Tell them in front of everyone, or privately, or even hand-write a note. You can offer extra paid days off for meeting goals or even treat them to a meal. Showing appreciation is great for morale and the welfare of your employee base. Letting people know you appreciate them will go a long way, and it will ensure that the hours they spend at work are spent productively.

 Don’t inundate your staff with menial tasks if you have major projects or bigger goals they need to focus on. Secondary work duties should be assigned based on workload responsibilities. If you want an important project or job done, make sure you are providing people with the time and opportunity they need to do it. Look at the smaller tasks that you need accomplished and choose the appropriate people to handle it, or consider if it’s a task that can be dropped entirely – or achieved in another way.

 Personal development is a huge bonus for employees, especially if they get a certification out of it. Allow them opportunities to expand their qualifications in ways that will be meaningful to your business. This could be advanced software courses, seminars, mentoring, etc. When you invest in your people you will drive efficiency because they will want to invest in you too.

 It may seem crazy but people who telecommute are often more productive than those who don’t. We waste a lot of time in our days commuting to and from work. Considering traffic, it can add an extra hour onto your workday. Imagine if your team didn’t need to commute. If you don’t need to wake up at 5am, to leave at 6 or 7 and be at work for 7:30-8am, you can get a longer rest time, but you allow you also save money on transiting and on childcare. Parents can be home to get their kids to the school bus and pick them up. They can work when they are motivated to, and they don’t have the stress of the office environment to contend with. If telecommuting is an option for your business, you should consider offering it in certain positions where it would be appropriate.

 To find ways to drive efficiency in your business, you only need to think of yourself as an employee. What would you appreciate? What would have the greatest impact on your life, or provide the most meaning? Let us help you find even more ways to be productive.