Multitasking is counterproductive
We think we can do it, but we can't. You probably also have members on your team who claim to be able to multitask successfully. It is not impossible, but it would be highly exceptional.
Only 2% of people appear to be able to multitask effectively. For the other 98%, an attempt to multitask results in a productivity reduction of about 40%. Therefore, assign clear tasks to your team members and ensure focus and priorities so that multitasking does not take on a life of its own.
Be flexible in your daily rhythm
Are you a morning person or an evening person? Do you suffer from an “after-lunch dip,” or not at all? The rhythms of the people on your team can vary greatly. As a manager, therefore, do not cling too rigidly to 9-to-5 office hours.
Judge your team members on output. If one of your team members delivers their best work between 9 and 11 at night, who are you to argue with that?
Where possible, also try to take the rhythm of the week into account. Mondays, for example, appear to be less productive than Tuesdays.
Sleep and fitness promote productivity
Perhaps an obvious point, but no less relevant for that. Sleep and fitness have a huge impact on your productivity. Up to 30%, it turns out.
As a manager, create the right conditions for your team. Encourage your team members to exercise together, during or outside working hours. And if one of your employees has just had a baby, do not punish them if they start an hour later to still get the necessary sleep.
Don't have too many meetings
Meetings are absolutely necessary; we all know that. However, in our Western culture, and certainly in large corporations, we turn meetings almost into a sport.
Embrace agile management models that involve fewer and shorter meetings. And, try meeting standing instead of sitting; this enhances the effectiveness of your meetings.
Apply patience to email conversations
Email is by far the biggest distraction in the office. Partly due to our innate curiosity, we find it difficult to ignore a new incoming email. Dealing with email comes at a huge cost to productivity.
That is partly our own fault. We expect each other to respond to emails within an hour.
If not, we’ll be standing at each other’s desks asking, 'Have you seen my email yet?'! Patience is a virtue in this case. Don’t judge your team members on the speed with which emails are answered, but on meeting deadlines and addressing productivity issues.
The manager has influence
You might think that you personally have little influence on the productivity of your team members. Just like a football coach, you can assign the right people to the right tasks, but your influence is otherwise limited.
Naturally, the work needs to be done by your team, but as a manager, you definitely have influence. Not only by maintaining the proper division of tasks, but also regarding your personal relationships.
Research by research firm Gallup has shown that the relationship between an employee and their boss has a clear influence on productivity. When your team members are positive about you as a boss, they work harder, more efficiently, and stay employed longer.
In short, it definitely pays to invest time in building a personal relationship with your team members.
Don't skimp on technology
Engineering and technology make a lot possible. They can enormously increase productivity. At the same time, technical failure is one of the biggest sources of irritation in the office.
A malfunctioning computer is killing your employee's productivity. In short, make sure you don't skimp on technology. Ensure that your employees can work flawlessly and without frustration, whether at the office, on the go, or working from home.
Want to learn more about productivity and working effectively? Then take one of our management training courses , for example the time management training.
