While no one wants to have to stand over their employees’ shoulders watching their every move, a manager needs to make sure that they’re holding their staff members accountable. You want to give them freedom, while still ensuring that everyone is performing to the best of their ability each day. There are a number of ways to do this without treating your team like they’re children. In order to keep workplace productivity levels high, keep these tips in mind:
Check in regularly
Many times, people become lazy when they don’t feel like they’ll be held accountable for that day’s work. To reverse this issue, check in with your team members at the end or beginning of each day. Ask them about how things are going, find out exactly what they’re working on, and let them know that you care and are involved. When staffers know that their manager is invested in their progress and is aware of what they’re doing, they’re much less likely to slack off and waste time.
Find a way to measure productivity
In order to keep your team members accountable, you need to come up with a system that measures accountability. Maybe each employee needs to make 50 calls per day, schedule three appointments, or send out 100 prospecting emails. The system will vary depending on the type of business you’re in, but it’s important regardless of your industry. An accountability system makes it much harder for an individual to feign productivity and progress.
Fully understand that employee’s job
It’s hard to measure productivity when you’re comparing two very different staff members. While one staffer may have made 30 calls that day, another made three. This may seem like one is wasting time, when in reality they may have had to put more research into each call, thus slowing the process down. Also, realize that a task that takes one person 15 minutes may take another a half hour. This is not necessarily because one person is right and the other is wrong; it’s simply because people operate differently and have varying strengths and weaknesses.
Before assuming that one individual is underperforming, take the time to understand the details of their daily responsibilities. When you have a better sense of their position and how they operate, it makes it easier to analyze whether or not they are truly making the most out of each day.
How do you manage your employees’ productivity without hovering? Let us know in the comments!