A different angle today on workplace productivity. There are many areas we focus on with leaders regarding workplace productivity. I have spoken in the past about leading with Optimism, Creativity, Authentic Communication and Humanity. This is all great, but the reality (which I was reminded of this morning as three employees walked into my office to complain that they were “freezing”) is we need to start with Maslow. Maslow stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others. Our most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates our behavior. Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what motivates us, and so on. Well … at the very bottom of the pyramid is food, water, warmth and rest. Esteem needs and self-actualization are levels four and five. So “turn up the heat, Dave…please”.
Thus, all these great leadership techniques are important once basic “survival needs” are met.
Today I want to focus on our environment. How do we help enhance (or at least not detract from) workplace productivity by building a better environment? The need to enhance employee productivity is a reality none of us can ignore. If you run a team you'll want to run away from doing the mundane and routine when you can. However, it's inevitable that you'll encounter factors that lessen employee motivation and dampen productivity. How do we limit these motivation killers? First, we need to identify them. Then work to reduce or eliminate these … and also add some other productivity boosters.
Great leaders will find ways to carefully observe their work environment in search of these problem areas affecting employee motivation. Some examples include (but are not limited to): toxic and/or abrasive personalities (we all know these people), lack of cultural vision and inclusivity (we read about this all too often lately), poor communications (we notice this daily?), autocratic and dictatorial management styles (uuugh), and lack of recognition/appreciation (a simple “thank you” goes a long way). Addressing each of these requires diligence, understanding and inclusiveness. Much of these improvements require paying attention to the “small stuff”.
For example, this big body of mine (self-awareness) truly does not get cold very often (I often wear shorts outside of work in the winter). That said, it is not about me, so if the team is cold – I need to make a change. So, I did some research and the recommended comfortable working temperature is between 68 and 70 degrees F (20-21 C). An environment that’s too hot or too cold (Goldilocks?) distracts from concentration, as employees will spend more time walking around buzzing about the temperature to get their coats or maybe an electric fan (no personal heaters allowed!).
Another example, having discussions about our environment. I met with the team yesterday “TMZ style” – I stood at one end of the work space and everyone was at their desks and we had a relaxed 60-minute discussion about the work environment. Teleworking, “Fun” Wednesdays, air temperatures, noise, music, television stations, birthdays, fat foods and getting fit, etc. A great discussion. And great for each employee to express their thoughts and see what is important to others (some like music, some like quiet; some like chatter, some like quiet; some like the television sound on, some like quiet – you get the idea). In speaking about music, I reminded them if we did a survey to determine what type of music we listen to – it is more about what music you do not hate versus telling me what music you love. Office space, windows, temperature, and music are never easy topics – very individualized. My view is that part of solving this is actually finding something that works for most AND also the mere fact that we, as leaders, recognize and discuss it with the team is also part of the victory.
Employee productivity is a little like breathing. It’s vital in keeping your company alive and thriving. And when all is going well, you probably don’t think too much about it. But when things get distracting, or there’s a major obstacle, operations can quickly grind to a halt. So “turn up the heat, Dave…please”.
What is the moral of this story? It all starts with engagement with your team. Disengaged employees can drag a team down. But engaged employees show up more often, stay longer, and are more productive overall. One of the best ways to encourage productivity is to encourage individuals to take ownership over how they manage their own time and resources. This is a wonderfully self-correcting process: we want people on our team who are self-starters and are able to operate independently. Granting the team freedom over when, how, and where they work creates proof of their work ethic in a way that trying to control them cannot. It sounds counter-intuitive: manage less and get better results. But science backs up this premise. Most people are more strongly motivated by autonomy than financial rewards. Experts say that workers who believe they are free to make choices in the workplace — and be accountable for their decisions — are happier and more productive. Autonomy can take many different forms. Organizations may let employees set their own schedules, choose how to do their work or even elect to work from home. No matter how autonomy is defined, when people feel they have latitude the results are impressive. Potential benefits include greater employee commitment, better performance, improved productivity and lower turnover (Concordia University).
Also, when your team is stressed, productivity drops. That said, the right kind of stress is actually motivating and good for productivity. The aim is to combat the bad stress before it happens. How? By encouraging your team at all levels to care for their mental, physical, and emotional health. That means doing all the things necessary to foster a healthy, communicative company culture. Role model good behaviors in these three areas. We have to model self-care by showing—not just telling—employees that you value things like good sleep, work-life balance, family time, friend time, and taking time for exercise and vacations.
One last piece which I am a big fan of is teleworking. That said, there is a balance and a self-awareness needed to understand when your clients need you in the office, when our boss needs you to be at the meeting (not just “in” the meeting) and when your peers need you present for certain events or meetings. Remote workers are more productive, they log more hours, take less sick leave, perform better, and in general are more engaged at work. Unsurprisingly, companies are catching on. From 2012 to 2016, Gallup reports the number of employees working remotely jumped from 39% to 43%. And a Global Workplace Analytics survey found remote work has seen 103% growth among corporate telecommuters over the last decade. This is not without downsides which include new communication styles (how do you say hello every morning to your teleworkers?) and how do you handle “innovation sessions”? Remote work allows employees to create a more seamless work-life balance. Rather than meander from meeting to meeting, engage in long conversations over the water cooler or take multiple coffee breaks to pass the time, employees who work from home can set their own schedules and avoid numerous office distractions. The key to successfully implementing a remote workforce is to offer the structure and resources necessary to keep remote employees connected to the business and engaged in their projects. AND…be very specific about their goals and objectives and manage that versus managing their “time”.
As Dann Albright recently wrote in his blog: “In the end, it all comes down to this: happy, engaged employees work harder, smarter, and better. Those on our team who hate their jobs and feel disenfranchised or underappreciated may go through the motions, but burnout is all but inevitable. When ingredients like open communication, a focus on self-care and autonomy, and the basic human needs of trust and respect are baked into our culture, the result is better employee productivity. While creating a company culture that fosters positive morale isn’t always easy, the important thing is to just start. So, open up those lines of communication, let go of micromanaging, recognize what your employees are doing (tell them about it), and show you care. Many of the strategies above might seem counterintuitive—but it’s been shown over and over again that happy, engaged employees are more productive. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars on high-end perks to foster this engagement, though. All you need to do is put yourself in your employees’ shoes and ask yourself how you can improve your work culture so it’s more conducive to productivity. Put in some time and effort in the coming months, and you’ll start to see employee productivity on the rise.”
So “turn up the heat, Dave…please”.
Together. We. Win.
Dave Harmon
People Division
“Kindness is Currency”
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/davidharmonhr
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