A company isn’t a soulless corporate entity. Behind the fancy logo and branding colours, there’s a human presence helping to keep the company running effectively (or not) from day to day.
This shines a light on why, if you want your company to thrive, you must do what you can to enhance the performance of its workers. These are essentially the cogs of the much larger machine you could call your business. So, how could you get those cogs whirring particularly smoothly?
Optimise the onboarding process for new employees
This process is basically about welcoming new people to your established team. And ideally, you want every new member of it to ‘hit the ground running’, so to say.
An Entrepreneur article advises that you ‘send a warm welcome (either personally or via email) to them’, adding: ‘Always ensure that the new employees are provided with the necessary gadgets and resources to work with from their very first day.’
The ultimate objective here is to make every new person feel as comfortable as possible as soon as possible.
Prioritise diversity and inclusivity in your workforce
As revealed in statistics shared by CIO, employee performance in diverse organisations is 12% better than in businesses lacking inclusivity efforts. And inclusive teams perform as much as 30% better in high-diversity environments.
Making sure that diverse candidates are all considered fairly can unlock access to greater talent; especially as over 76% of jobseekers claim to take the existing workforce’s diversity and inclusivity into account when assessing companies and job offers.
Assign employees to jobs that work to their strengths
Naturally, everyone wants to do well at their job. So, when they aren’t doing well despite their best efforts, and there seems to be a tough learning curve to deal with, frustration can too easily start setting in.
This possibility is why, when allocating tasks, you should make sure each one is given to an employee who at least has the relevant skills for it. It can become a major drain on your firm’s overall productivity if workers too often have to familiarise themselves with the basics of a task before they can even start it proper.
Keep communication channels open
These include channels not only between the management and employees but also within the employee base itself. So, don’t be afraid to keep your office door open – perhaps even literally – and provide your workers with such intuitive communication tools as phone, email and videoconferencing apps.
The ready availability of this software would be especially crucial if your company still has any employees continuing to work from home.
Suitably incentivise your staffers
Providing appropriate incentives to employees can truly motivate them to double down on their productivity. Furthermore, incentives don’t have to be limited to occasional bonuses or pay hikes.
Other examples of employee rewards you could consider include life insurance, with 61% of employees having expressed their belief that they would benefit from this cover. Alternatively, you could provide workers with gift vouchers for spending on, say, books and electronics.
Boosting productivity through thoughtful workwear
Incorporating the right workwear is another powerful strategy to bolster team morale and productivity. This might seem simple, but the psychological and practical implications of well-designed workwear cannot be underestimated. When employees are provided with comfortable and appropriate workwear, they feel protected and safe, which directly translates to increased productivity. This is particularly crucial for roles exposed to challenging environments where protective clothing is essential. Ensuring that your employees’ workwear is comfortable and fit for purpose helps them perform their tasks without physical discomfort, increasing their motivation and productivity.
Moreover, quality company workwear aids in fostering a sense of unity and a stronger team identity, subtly reminding employees of their shared goals and objectives. This can significantly enhance communication and teamwork, sparking a collective drive towards success. Additionally, high-quality workwear can boost an employee’s self-esteem, making them feel more professional and confident. When employees feel good about themselves, their motivation to excel at work is amplified, which can even translate into increased sales and overall productivity. The key here is to choose workwear that your employees will genuinely enjoy wearing – think about the fit, design, and material to ensure it doesn’t irritate the skin but rather instils a sense of pride. So, just as you would carefully consider the tools and resources your team needs to excel, remember that the clothes they wear can also play a significant role in enhancing performance.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.
