Slumps happen in even the most profitable of companies with some being a slow season while others being due to employee motivation. There are tactics that will help improve productivity in the slow seasons as well as getting stagnant employees as motivated as possible.
Being proactive about productivity is important as stressing this on a daily basis can help reduce the odds of a slump happening. Management styles differ immensely when it comes to motivating employees so as a founder it is important to realize which departments need a stern talking to and which department needs a pump up speech. The following are ways to improve productivity after a slump.
Optimize Processes During Down Times
There are processes that are done on a daily basis that can be made faster. For those people who sign into what seems like hundreds of accounts per week this can take hours as remembering each password or username can be a nightmare.
Finding some kind of SSO software or single sign on software allows you to sign into all of your accounts at once. These types of changes or automation of a process can help streamline productivity and eliminate wasting of staff time. Make these changes scalable though as during the busy times of the year these systems will be tested to the maximum.
Reorganize Employee Teams By Their Leader’s Managing Style
Most offices have teams of employees that are led by a manager or team leader. Each of these leaders will have their own strengths and weaknesses as managers. Pairing up the right employees with the right managers can be discussed among the managers.
Some managers have a more hands off approach letting the employees do as they will as long as they are hitting production numbers. Those people who work independently with little instruction can be put onto this team. For those people who need someone reminding them a few times a day will need someone who is more hands on.
Follow Up on Old Leads For Sales
The one part of the sales process that far too many people do not try to do is to follow up. Of course there are follow up emails that are automated after a pitch has been done or a newsletter that goes to the potential sale. This means following up by calling the client and trying to schedule another call.
If a lead didn’t need your services a few months ago and told you to call them again it is never a bad time to do so. There is a chance that you reach another person who has taken over a position and would love to hear what your company has to offer. Companies pay for leads so follow up until you are given a hard no by a client.
Caffeinate The Staff
Productivity can be impacted be caffeine and free coffee or energy drinks in the break room is looked at favorably by staff. This can help your staff avoid that lull after lunch where plenty of people’s productivity decreases. There is a fine line between too much caffeine and the right amount.
Another tip is to provide lunch as this can control what people are eating and can keep them from making unhealthy choices that will make them tired. Keeping people in the office for lunch also improves productivity as some people will simply eat at their desk to avoid dreaded small talk with certain coworkers.
Offer Work From Home Days For The Most Productive Employees
Working from home is one of the most coveted aspects of a job. Offering work from home days or permanent work from home privileges to those hitting a certain number in production can help motivate employees. This can be revoked if a person fails to hit their numbers for a month.
There will be those employees who will be immensely productive at home as it eliminates distractions of coworkers and meetings that can be recapped in an email. This will also reduce the amount of office space needed so it can save money on rent if you choose to downsize as you have a multitude of employees working from home.
As you can see there are plenty of things that can be done to help spur productivity. Take the time to implement these changes to see how it impacts your company’s productivity. This could help take your profitability to the next level!