How to Improve Productivity in the Office

We are slowly but surely resuming regular life as COVID-19 rates continue to decline. The last year and a half has derailed and disrupted the ways we do business in every conceivable way. It’s going to continue to leave a lasting impact for years to come.

One thing that’s for certain is that we don’t know what the new normal‘s going to be. While remote work has become far more commonplace than it was before lockdown, it’s becoming obvious that the traditional office isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. At best, a hybrid workplace is more likely.

It remains to be seen how employees will adapt to returning to the office after working from home for over a year. Their rhythms and routines are going to be disrupted. You might need to put some systems in place to help improve productivity while everyone’s adjusting.

Here are some tips on how to improve productivity to make everyone’s transition as positive as possible!

Improve Productivity Tip #1: Bite-Sized Chunks

Believe it or not, researchers from the University of California at Irvine discovered that employees are actually happier doing busy work. Why on Earth would someone be happy filling out questionnaires or entering data when they could be doing something of value? It’s because there’s a definitive end in sight and the objective is clear.

Larger problems and ongoing projects are great for a challenge and to prove what we’re capable of, but the fact of the matter is that they’re exhausting. Problems that require intense focus and concentration for long periods of time leave us exhausted with our heads full of fog.

So our first tip on improving productivity in the office as employees return is to break down assignments into small, actionable chunks. This is good practice for management and worker alike. It will get you in the habit of thinking in a systematic way as well as in the practice of setting realistic goals.

Having a thoughtful structure to your workday gives you the opportunity to intersperse tasks that require a lot of concentration with lighter activities, so you can make the most of downtime. You’ll get more done and feel less burned out at the end of the day!

Improve Productivity Tip #2: Delegate Responsibly

We’ve all had to get in the habit of effective organization and communication over the course of lockdown. Productivity tools like kanban boards have become our best friends so that we know precisely who’s working on what. Why not keep those tendencies going as we return to the office?

Delegating tasks well is rule number one of effective management. It’s also essential for having happy, healthy employees. While workers may feel happier when they’re working on busywork, doing work that has value adds meaning to our life.

We all like to feel we’re living up to our potential. Delegating duties to the right people ensures that everyone is working on the tasks they’re most suited for.

It’s also a way to boost company morale. By paying attention to the daily duties, you’re able to assess each individual task and each individual employee. Maybe someone’s more of a people person while another employee excels at analytical tasks.

Have the people person send out the daily lead generation emails then. Not only will they enjoy doing it, but they’ll also probably be good at it! Proper delegation means that each person plays to their strengths, making your workplace happier as well as more productive.

If you’re serious about boosting productivity in your workplace, a dedicated productivity booster like Hub Presales Solutions is guaranteed to streamline the process and make the most of your efforts.

Improve Productivity Tip #3: Take Breaks

We’ve all gotten into different rhythms since we’ve been working from home. We’re used to being able to eat an apple when we feel like it. We’ve grown accustomed to being able to stroll to the toilet when we need to.

It’s going to take some getting used to, climbing back into the saddle at the office. We should’ve been taking more breaks on a more regular basis even before the pandemic, though. Here’s our chance to put some new healthy practices in place.

This is just our chance to make healthier choices.

We can’t work well when we’re hungry, tired, or dehydrated. We can only focus for so long before our vision starts to get fuzzy around the edges. We start making clumsy mistakes that could easily be avoided.

With all of that in mind, you can’t make your employees take breaks. One thing you might try is to set up some sort of centralized reminder on your office network. Once every hour or two you might have a notification pop up, reminding your workers to get up, stretch, get a drink of water, or tend to their physical needs whatever they may be.

Taking the time and effort to set up these protocols will help make the transition back to the office as smooth and pleasant as possible. It’s going to be jarring enough to get used to getting dressed and driving in traffic, so why not make the transition in the office pleasant?

Looking For More Entrepreneurial Tips?

Owning your own business is exciting and rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming. There’s a lot you have to know when you’re in charge of everything!

Whether you’re looking for tips on how to improve productivity or advice on how to file taxes, you’ll find what you’re looking for on our pages. Browse the rest of our site today and get empowered!