According to research by The Telegraph, your business could be losing up to 20 weeks of productive work time per year due to distractions – So how do you ensure employees are being more productive?

The ideal workplace is one in which employees work their required hours in an effective and productive manner. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of distractions that can mean this seems like a distant reality. That doesn’t need to be the case, however.

With the right schedules, motivation and work assignments, you can ensure your workplace operates at a much higher level of productivity, while also keeping your employees engaged, energized and more satisfied.

Allow Regular Breaks

We have already mentioned how distractions can cause time to be wasted, so let distractions happen, in a controlled manner.

Research suggests regular breaks, allowing the deactivation and then reactivation of the mind, can help employees to focus and complete tasks at a higher level.

Let employees take short five-minute breaks to check their phone, have a brief chat or check the news. Once those five minutes are up, get them back on it – keeping your employees plugged in for hours on end can cause stress and fatigue, something which surely won’t help productivity.

Stop Employees Multitasking

According to the American Psychological Association, multitasking can take a serious toll on productivity. Make sure you employees focus on one task at a time – giving their full attention to the job at hand.

Encourage Employees to Set Deadlines

Tell your employees when the work is expected by, and then let them set their own personal deadlines to complete it. Sticking to self-imposed deadlines can work wonders when it comes to keeping on top of schedules. It also gives your employees a sense of responsibility and trust.

Recognize and Praise Productive Work

When employees are being productive working to a high standard – praise them!

It’s important to let employees know you recognize their hard work. It’s also important to recognize when an employee is working just a bit too hard. Tell them to take it easy and spread some of their workload to other employees who are less busy. This will help greatly to boost morale and keep top talent happy within the company.

Sounds Great! But How Do I Keep Track?

The answer is in employee computer monitoring. With software such as KnowIT, created by Digital Endpoint, you can track just how productive your employees really are. Using workplace or individual work schedules created by you, you can see how your employees are using their time in the workplace. You’ll be able to see what websites and apps they’re using, how long they’re on them or when they’re inactive of logged off their devices. At the end of the week, you’ll receive a productivity report for each employee that scores them on how effectively they’ve used their time.

To learn more about KnowIT click here.