How Can You Be More Productive In Business?

November 6, 2019

When it comes down to it,  business is all about the profits. You might have chosen to start a company for other reasons too which were not directly linked to money (such as more flexible working hours) but unless you’re turning a profit, your venture can’t continue. Because time is money in business, making the most of your time and working efficiently is crucial- here are some of the ways you can go about it. 

Consider further employee training

Your staff are vital to the success of your business, if you want to improve productivity then ensure that everyone in your company is doing the best job possible. There’s lots of types of training that most employees in the workplace would benefit from, from health and safety training to computing and managing the software that you use. When employees know what they’re doing and are good at their job, you can expect your business to run more efficiently. As well as training new employees it’s worth considering top-up training once a year (or as needed) for your existing employees too. As businesses usually need to change slightly over time to adapt to customer demand, it can mean roles within the company that your employees are doing can change also. Regular training ensures everyone knows exactly what they’re doing. 

Improve your business technology

Technology is vital in the workplace. So much of what we do is now conducted online, and so the right hardware and software will keep things running efficiently. Slow and outdated systems and poor quality devices will slow down your workers, wasting time, and slowing productivity. Purchase up to date computers, printers, phones, and everything else your office uses daily. Spend money on updating your systems with relevant software- you could even have bespoke software created specifically for you. While this can be a significant upfront cost, it will most definitely save you time and money in the long run. Business software is something that modern companies have to be comfortable with if you want to be efficient and keep up with your competitors. However, newer software can be completely integrated, effectively linking a number of your departments seamlessly. This is useful as it prevents issues like clashing files and formats, to communication issues and errors. It generally helps you to be more productive in the running of your company. 

Conduct regular audits

There’s always going to be an element of trial and error in business but this needs to be done in an efficient way. From A/B testing to figure out which ads perform best, to market research to find out if your company or products need any tweaks. The important thing is you’re conducting this properly and then analysing the results. Consider ebecs: Microsoft Power BI consultancy if you want to understand and analyse your data and are sick of trawling through spreadsheets. Install Google Analytics, and sales analysis software so you can keep track and ensure any changes that are being made are actually working. 

Make your office more efficient

Your office is at the heart of your business; it needs to function well for your company to stay productive so be sure not to overlook this area. Place desks close to windows so that your workers will all benefit from the natural light which is a natural mood booster. Invest in functional desks and chairs so that all of your staff are comfortable, avoiding neck and back strain. Even the colour of the walls can help- neutral tones are inoffensive and will help the space look bright and airy. Touches of blue and green too can be a good move as according to colour psychology these can help with productivity in the workplace. 

Reward your employees

All of us like to be recognised for our hard work, a little recognition really can go a long way to boost mood and productivity of your employees. Take the time to praise and reward individual achievements and let people know they’re doing a good job. Give employees the opportunity to earn rewards for things like hitting sales targets and other goals. Many people report feeling unhappy at work because they feel their hard work goes unnoticed, so be the kind of boss that appreciates what their workers do. Simple acts like offering the occasional free work lunch, fun team building days, and an office party at Christmas are all ways to show you care.

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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