Learn how to increase productivity in your office and start improving your company’s culture at the same time with the easy to implement tips below.
Encourage Communication. Do you encourage your employees to communicate with you and each other? Company culture with strong inter employee relationships thrive. So ask yourself, does your culture seem open, and create an atmosphere for your employees to mingle outside of the sphere of their work tasks? Do you encourage company gatherings with a monthly happy hour, or annual picnic? Does your team collaborate and brainstorm problems and solutions? Do you provide an outlet for active positive and negative feedback? If the answer is yes, then keep up the active encouragement of communication! If not, then it may be a good idea to suggest some ideas to your peers and maybe even your boss. Unsurprisingly, communication plays a direct role in employee retention. A Watson Wyatt study found that companies with strong communication practices had a turnover rate 50% or more below their industry average.
Be Mindful of the Senses. The way an office feels, and even smells, can affect your performance. Natural light increases energy and 
creativity. The color of your office makes a difference as colors invoke emotional reactions. Even warmer temperatures in the office have been shown to reduce typing errors, according to a study by Cornell University. More research by Takasago Corporation has proven that scents like lemon, jasmine, and lavender lessen typing errors as well.
Promote Health. Promoting a healthy lifestyle for your employees will not only improve their productivity, but also help shape the company by creating a positive company culture. A healthy lifestyle – ongoing physical exercise and healthy eating habits improve overall health and also helps your brain stay sharp. Promote exercise by creating a changing room for employees to freshen up after biking to the office, an area to do get up and move around after working on the computer for 2 hours, or a pre-stretch before work in the morning. You can promote healthy eating habits by bringing in community fruit for the break room, or designating a 15 minute break for a ‘healthy midday snack’.
Update and Unify Technology. Outdated technology is oftentimes the biggest factor that decreases employee productivity. For most businesses, internet and computers are utilized for most of the workday. How long does it take your employees to start up their device? How fast is their internet connection? How many bugs do they get in their software? When was the last time their RAM was increased? If your technology is more than 6 years old, we recommend a complete overhaul. This may seem expensive, but in the long run, will save you money with increased productivity. Ensure that the technology your employees use is optimized for best speed by keeping it updated and regularly maintained. Click to find out more about PGH Networks Managed Services or Data Security.
Virtualization unifies the technology your businesses uses, integrating your phone, video, and data networks in one place. This increasing your speed, agility, and efficiency all while decreasing operational costs.
Proactively improve the work culture of your company and in doing so, promote a positive company that’s more aware of its employees, who will in turn, respond with an increase in productivity, creating a win-win situation for all parties involved. Here’s to Boosting Your Business’s Productivity!