Self help and motivational specailist

          Low productivity is destructive to any business.    This is the reason why managers must be trained to identify when their staff are feeling unproductive so they can be effectively motivated.

           The best step in increasing productivity is for the managers to create a work environment that inspires high productivity.   The managers are the persons who can best draw productivity out of their subordinates.   Most times, all it takes is a lively exchange of ideas, words of compliment where they are due  and making the employees understand the importance of their work and making them aware of the significance of the roles that they play in the growth of the company.

          The signs of an unproductive workplace are manifest in the following:

• Meetings that do not have a definite agenda and do not start and finish within schedule;
• High employee turnover because people do not feel included, valued or not apprised of their personal roles and functions;
•  The office is a complete mess.    This includes incorrect information channeling, incorrect handling of phone calls and phone messages, improper handling of mails and faxes and poor time management;
• Lack of work focus due to irrelevant chatting with co-workers, social media, internet and other forms of interruptions.  Thus, there must be a firm internet policy in the workplace.

           Lack of leadership in the office is also a sign of unproductivity.   This includes not providing the employees with direction, support and encouragement to achieve their objectives.   This is why managers should have sufficient training so as to counter unproductivity and find staff solutions to motivate the  staff to group together their efforts towards the growth of the company.

          Employees feed on incentives and respond well to positive energy.    To reverse low work productivity, a manager should resort to staff motivation and take the following steps:

• Reviewing company goals and objectives and sharing them with the entire team.   Reward high performers through verbal recognition and with other possible incentives.
•  Cut meeting times into half to allow the employees to give time to complete their work within their own set time frame.
• Create guidelines for office environment that everyone respects and understands.
• Reduce internal communications and provide guidelines for frequency i.e. email and internet chatting.

           Low work productivity has a fatal effect on the company  however, if the manager can readily see the signs of unproductivity before it gets worse, immediate changes may be made to turn unproductivity around. Incentives such as improved training, holiday time and rewards can also help increase an employee’s sense of job satisfaction. This will in turn make the workforce happier, healthier and more productive.   Staff management would surely then be a success in these areas.

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