Time is money, and for any company, that means that productivity must be at its best to keep profit margins high. There are some elements of productivity that that need to be seeded in your general company culture. Screening for dedicated, efficient employees with productive habits is an important baseline. Creating incentives for performance and periodic rewards or bonuses will also make sure you have the best possible team at any given time. In addition to dedication and work ethic, however, there are some valuable tools you can use to keep your productivity level up where you want it to be. When looking to expand and/or maintain your company’s productivity, consider these five products that will more than pay for themselves.
1. A Good “Copier”
Copiers are not just copiers anymore. They are printers, scanners, fax machines, photo editors, email senders, and a whole host of other things. While figuring out how to fix a paper jam or tech glitch may be a fun way to haze a newbie, it is also a great way to slow your company’s productivity. Someone needs to take the time to fix the malfunctioning machine, keeping them away from something else they could be doing. People waiting for the machine while it is out of service also develop a certain level of stress and need to spend their time problem solving rather than continuing with their work. All in all, a malfunctioning copier slows your company’s productivity on multiple levels all at once. To keep this from happening, invest in a good state-of-the-art device that will serve all your needs. Train everyone on how to use the machine and have it serviced regularly. This one-time investment could save bundles of time and money down the road.
2. Online Scheduling
How much time do you waste each day sending emails about availability or playing phone tag? Wouldn’t it be easier to schedule meetings and conversations automatically so that all you have to do is glance at your calendar and go through your agenda for the day and know that you aren’t missing anything important? Online scheduling can do this for you. When you invest in an online scheduling program, like Calendly or Time Trade, you have the ability to create personalized links for others to schedule your time. Need to schedule a lunch meeting? Send your colleague a link so they can check your availability and book a time. Playing phone tag with an important client or customer? They can have exclusive access to your calendar and schedule a time for you to call them. Online scheduling allows you to save the time of constant emailing and leaving voice mails. This will make you and your staff far more productive and perhaps a little less annoyed at the same time.
3. Office Furniture
This one may seem unnecessary, but consider it for a moment. Low back pain among employees is costing employers tens of thousands of dollars each year. In addition to the actual cost, back pain and other minor health issues are taking a toll on the productivity of the workforce. You can help solve this problem by investing in some ergonomic office furniture that keeps your team safe and comfortable. Spending a little extra on office chairs, standing desks, and keyboards may actually save you a lot of time in the long run. It also has the added bonus of creating a sleek image that shows you care about your employees, which helps boost your company’s overall reputation.
4. Incentive Programs
While not technically a product, incentive programs will boost your productivity by keeping your employees happy and respected. People like doing a job that makes them feel appreciated, so they will naturally bring their best face to work each day. Here’s the best part: many incentive programs are actually free. Discounted memberships to local gyms and rec centers, for example, require nothing more than a few minutes of your time to set up an account. Then, you can offer these perks to your employees for nothing out of pocket. You can also invest in some prizes and other incentives on a regular basis to keep your staff actively engaged and motivated.
5. Technology
Investing in technology can be expensive. Waiting for a slow computer to load a website or attach a document to an email, however, could be costing you even more. Your company may not need state of the art technology, but you should make sure that your technology always functions at a top level, according to Versatile Mobile Systems. Consider regularly upgrading your office computers and cell phones at certain intervals. This will keep your technology functioning well and, if you do it regularly, the trade-in values will offset the costs of upgrades along the way.
