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Productivity. One of the biggest questions being asked in the corporate world right now. As lockdown has pushed a significant amount of the population into working from home, companies are evaluating how efficient their employees are, and how to improve this.
And with the increasing demands from investors, collaborators and customers for innovation in a company, any good leader knows that the happiness of the team is a key driver for productivity.
Here are some unconventional ways that you can take care of your employees and start boosting that productivity.
ACTUALLY SEPARATE THE BREAK SPACE FROM THE WORKING SPACE
This may not seem like a big deal but it is absolutely imperative that team members have a place separate from their work space where they can hang out, even if it’s just ten minutes away from their desk.
The workplace can be a source of so much stress, and the team's own desks will be associated with that. If you work in a fast paced environment this is even more advisable. Allow team members to check out in order for them to better engage.
CREATING SPACE FOR COWORKING AND FOR INDIVIDUAL QUIET WORK
No one is saying office space is cheap, but whether you’re shopping for your first working space now or if it's time to renew your lease, this would be a great thing to consider.
Different people work in different ways and if you can allow your team to be able to work in an environment that works for them then you will surely get the best out of them. If you work in an open plan office, having designated spaces for talking and banter but also having a space for silent working will be perfect for your employees.
Bonus points for this as it is particularly accessible for employees with disabilities that are affected by their environment.
HUMP DAY HALF DAY
One of the best parts about British universities is the half day on a Wednesday. A designated time for all clubs, societies and unions to meet, it's a staple part of British campus culture.
We’re proposing that you bring this into the workplace.
There are so many things that everyone wishes that they can get done throughout the week but it takes up a chunk of the week. By having a half day midweek your team can do their exercise for the week, clean the house of midweek mess and spend more time with their families -- and they will surely thank you for it,
PILLOW DAYS
Pillow days is a very new concept that a few of the younger companies are trying. It's a designated number of days that each employee has pro-rata that enables them to basically wake up and say “nope, I need to sleep longer today”. These are not booked in advance, so they allow your employees to respond to their bodies' needs. With almost every company only allowing team members to call in sick, this is a completely preventative measure as it allows your employees to prevent themselves from getting sick.
Bonus points if they’re paid days otherwise team members might push through to avoid the cash loss and opt to take paid sick leave once they get ill.
HIRE A HAPPINESS MANAGER
This concept is also very new, but start-ups across the world seem to be looking for a ‘Director of Happiness’ or ‘Chief Happiness Officer’. So what does this CHO do?
According to Mallory Bartz, it is the job of a CHO to create work environments where freedom can exist and flourish. Meaning that employees are allowed to express themselves and have a safe environment to fulfill their personal aspirations.
In the past, it has been the role of HR to manage the relationship between the company and the individual employees. But a Happiness Manager is more employee focused, and is there to implement policy and processes to improve the employee experience altogether.
HIRE A TEAM WORK COACH
Unlike the Happiness Manager, this person doesn’t have to be on payroll. There are plenty of work coaches that can be brought into your company as contractors or as seasonal procedure. Hiring from outside of the company might be preferable as objective support.
Similar to a Happiness Manager, it is the role of your Team Work Coach to work with colleagues in their personal fulfilment and support them in the day-to-day successes of the job.
These are just a few of Sancti’s favourite methods that you could implement in your company, and if you do some research we’re sure there are plenty more that other companies are doing. When considering what you will do in the future it’s important to remember that more than anything, your team wants to know that you respect their time and individuality.