Ways to Measure and Improve Employee Productivity

The definition of productivity has changed significantly since the early days of corporate America. Clocking in and out on time, meeting deadlines and showing supervisors respect used to be enough to qualify. Today’s corporate landscape, however, is far more complicated. Measuring and improving productivity, therefore, must be approached in a more complex way.

Traditional Markers

In the past, productivity was determined by basic principles that, while valid, left little room for different personalities, challenges and ways of working.

• Deadlines
  Meeting assignment deadlines is important, of course. However, pushing too hard for employees to finish on time no matter what can result in shoddy work. When employees feel like they do not have enough time to finish a project, they may skimp on quality and even accuracy to throw it together.
• Internal Reaction
  The reaction to the finished result was also long lauded as a key marker of productivity. If managers and peers approve, the finished product is considered a success – at least initially, before it gets put into action. The drawback? People’s opinions can be subjective even in the workplace. Completed assignments that earn rave reviews from co-workers may not necessarily perform well.
• Budget
  Adhering to the bottom line is critical in any business. Naturally, work that comes in under or within the budget has a major advantage. Sometimes, though, exceeding the budget a little is okay if it yields a high return on investment.
• Quotas
  For salespeople, meeting sales quotas is absolutely essential if they expect to succeed and generate an income. The trick, in this case, is making sure that salespeople have the resources they need to meet their quota. The onus is not solely on them. The same holds true for call volume such as the number of calls that can be completed by technical or customer support teams within a given time period.
• Customer Satisfaction
  Any company that has tasted success knows that customer satisfactions surveys are the beacon to light the way for longevity. Customer satisfaction surveys with high ratings have become a hallmark of success. The caveat? Your surveys may not ask the right questions to get the insights you need.
• Resolved Tickets
  Resolving service calls in a timely manner leads to satisfied customers and enough satisfied customers leads to long-term success. While this is true, just because a service call was resolved in little time, it does not necessarily mean it was resolved to the customer’s liking.

Modern Markers

The new measures of productivity excel at identifying key employees who will propel the company in the right direction, finding and leveraging the strengths of all employees and target problem areas.

• Commitment and Ownership of the Task
  While they are technically two different characteristics, a solid commitment to the task at hand and the willingness to take on new challenges, roles and responsibilities go hand in hand. Think about the type of person you want on your team. Being committed to every single assignment ensures it will not only get done on time, but it will also get done well and accurately. An enthusiasm to go above and beyond the call of duty is a sign of an employee who will go the distance for your organization.
• Dedication to the Success of the Team
  A dedication to teamwork is another valuable asset that employees demonstrate through a cooperative nature with co-workers, a willingness to engage with other departments, a willingness to add a skill or acquire knowledge for the sake of the team and an enthusiasm for improving company culture and morale. These characteristics are a clear indication that these employees dedicate themselves to strengthening and unifying the whole, as opposed to focusing solely on their own benefit. They will put the team first, ahead of their own interests.
• Value Seeking
  When an employee devises an idea to save time and/or money, especially if it is not in their job description, you can be certain they are committed to the welfare of the company. An employee that goes above and beyond in this way is one you can count on when you need creative solutions and someone who is willing to put in extra time and effort for the sake of the organization.In the same respect, an employee who finds opportunities to save time and/or money, or is able to generate more time/money/space through vendor partnerships, technology, efficiencies, etc. is also someone who is demonstrates stewardship of the organization’s people, time and financial resources.
• Communicative and Responsive
  A weak link in the chain of communication can prove disastrous for your company, especially if a project needs to be expedited quickly or a customer demands an immediate response. You need team players who are consistently available and responsive via phone and email – and, if worse comes to worse and they are stuck in a meeting – via text message. Responsive employees are worth their weight in gold for this reason.

Employee productivity can make or break your business. When it comes to measuring and improving productivity, think beyond traditional measures and expand your corporate system to include modern measures. The difference will show in your company’s elevated success and strengthened longevity.

For more information about how Gavel International can help your organization through outsourced meeting planning, event and travel incentive programs, contact us.

SOURCES:

1 http://blog.cbinet.com/blog/bid/350112/Proving-the-ROI-of-Strategic-Global-Meetings
2 https://www.bain.com/insights/outsourcing-aims-higher/
3  https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/process-and-operations/us-cons-global-outsourcing-survey.pdf