Increasing Your Employee Efficiency

Efficiency is key to business success but what is employee efficiency and why is it important? Employee efficiency is about people getting their work done in a way that doesn’t waste time, energy and resources. Business efficiency is closely linked to productivity and good organisation. When a business is efficient it can reach its goals quicker with fewer hurdles along the way. This article will look at ways to increase your employees’ efficiency in carrying out their roles.

Invest in Your Employees

Investing in your employees is one way to make your business more efficient. Well-trained, knowledgeable staff will be able to carry out their duties more efficiently and by providing your employees with training and the opportunity to upskill you will also be showing them that they’re valued. This means they’re much less likely to look elsewhere for employment and will stay with your company, which reduces staff turnover and consequently the extra time and resources required for recruiting and onboarding new employees. Investing in your employees also means your team can work more efficiently together if everyone has a good understanding of not just their own role but of everyone else’s too and allows more opportunities for delegation and promotion.

Provide Them With Everything They Need to Do Their Job

Your employees will be more efficient if they have what they need to do their job well, whether that’s high-spec technology and electronic equipment such as a work phone and laptop or equipment that will allow them to work efficiently from home. You should also make sure they have any personal protective equipment (PPE) or uniform they need to do their job safely and comfortably, which might mean providing appropriate work clothing if needed.

Play to Your Workers’ Strengths

Utilising your employees’ individual skills is associated with improved job satisfaction so take time to find out where each person’s strengths or areas of expertise lie and try to match them with roles that make the most of these. Employees whose jobs better match their skills tend to be happier in their roles so are less likely to seek alternative employment and will also be more productive than workers who feel that their skills are ignored or undervalued.

Make Them Feel Appreciated

Employees who feel that they’re valued and appreciated in the workplace are more likely to be productive, engage with their work and have better relationships with their colleagues and employers. Show your staff that you appreciate their hard work by taking the time to find out what motivates them and where they see themselves in the future. This will enable you to support and encourage their career development. Recognising people’s achievements and when they have gone above and beyond is another way to show that you value them, so consider providing employee benefits and incentives such as bonuses and commissions to reward those working hard for your business.

Provide Regular Constructive Feedback

Regular, constructive feedback means you can let your employees know when something is working well – or not working and also allows them to improve their performance and work in a more efficient way that benefits them too. Set aside time for formal feedback on a regular basis to avoid a ‘build-up’ of feedback that can come across as overwhelming or overly-critical. Consider not just what you want to say but how you’ll say it so that it will be received in the way it’s intended. You can also give informal feedback as and when things crop up and make feedback a part of performance reviews. Remember, feedback doesn’t always have to be negative – if someone is doing something particularly well, be sure to mention that too!