We talk a lot about increasing productivity while decreasing work hours - not because we're chatty folk, but because It’s something our team is passionate about, and it’s one of the driving forces behind our platforms modern design.
With traditional project management tools, boosting productivity a little bit here and there might seem simple enough, but with a more intelligent client work management platform, you'll be able to reduce work hours in a way that truly increases your team’s quality of life!
In the US, study conducted by the Society for Resource Management found that 95% of HR leaders find employee burnout to be sabotaging their workforce, and that most employee turnover is a result of burnout.
After hearing that, we thought we'd share some helpful ways that you can prevent burnout from affecting the productivity and emotional stability of the people in your office - here goes:
Emotional health matters, but it's often stigmatized. Reduce the stigma by opening up the conversation with your team and let them know that their emotional health matters - just as much as their physical health. Taking time to discuss risk factors and symptoms will increase awareness and squash some of the fear around acknowledging one’s need for emotional wellness and care in the workplace.
As a Manager, you should ask yourself:
We suggest utilizing your calendar to schedule regular one-on-one meetings with your employees. Apart from aiding in smooth workflow, these meetings build trust and carve out time for connection. It also shows employees that you are thinking of them and that their voice is valued. Great work relationships lend themselves to employee happiness!
How is your team’s work-life balance? It’s easy for us all to get caught up in checking email and being available in the evenings and on weekends, however, one thing you can control is the perception of what’s expected. Having a broad look at your employee’s workload will allow you to adjust projects as necessary and ensure that one person isn’t being overworked and clocking in too many hours to enjoy time once they leave the office.
In Eric Barker’s best selling book Barking up the Wrong Tree, he explains: “increasing people’s free time has no effect on their happiness, but scheduling that time in advance makes all of the difference.” This is why we love our Team Scheduling and Project Tracking tools. Just leaving the office on-time doesn’t mean that employees are happy or enjoying their evenings, but scheduling tasks constructively and thinking of the overall big picture in terms of productivity and rest yields great results.
Employee happiness shouldn't be left to chance. Develop a plan to keep the organization on track, improve morale, and promote productivity. It's important to understand that there is no "one-size-fits-all" approach. Before creating your strategy, take the time out to listen to your employees. Identify areas of improvement and gather feedback from your team. Once this step is complete, take the information you gathered from employees and use it to develop a personalized plan that speaks directly to employee needs.
Of course, it's one thing to have a plan. It's another to implement it. Make sure you maintain momentum by making changes quickly to demonstrate your commitment to improving team morale. Change won't happen overnight, but by creating and vocalizing a path forward, you can foster a positive, healthy work environment that team members enjoy.
These tools are simple, easily integrated, and extremely resourceful. If you’re not sure where to start we recommend reverse block scheduling; instead of scheduling time to get through projects on autopilot, schedule time to relax and sit down with your employees. Accelo’s ServOps platform is great for team coordination and collaboration, take a look today by starting your free trial.
