5 Ways to Boost Productivity

We all agree: Productivity is a good thing.  Especially with today's economy, employers would love to see their productivity increase in a most cost-effective way.  But, how do you do that without spending scads (a technical amount) of money?  I have the answer!  In this case, answers... 5 Ways to Boost Productivity!

1. Provide Escape.  Windows with a view of the outside world--a breakroom that is conducive to relaxation and/or meditation--perhaps a breakroom that facilitates a team-building environment.  Whatever your industry or business, provide a way for the employees to escape the routine they're in, but keep them in their element.  Sudoku for engineers (we all know they're not creative!); anagram puzzles for the linguists, etc.  Provide something for your employees to do that keeps them engaged, but in a different manner than their work.
2. Play Music.  In the past (even as recent as the 1980's), psychologists insisted there were only 3 modalities (ways of processing the world around you): Auditory, Visual, and TK (or Tactile-Kinesthetic).  In recent years, however, educational psychologists have broken those three down even further--into as few as 8 different modalities.  Music is one of those.  Most everyone functions and performs better with soft music playing.  If you are seeking to energize the environment, play some charged classical music (like Wagner, or Beethoven's Last Night, by Trans-Siberian Orchestra); if you're seeking to inspire, perhaps Bach would be a good choice; for higher cognitive functioning, try Mozart.  If classical isn't your cup of tea, perhaps some soundtracks would be more fitting.
3. Make guidelines, not rules.  Rules were made to be broken.  Guidelines, however, are just that: guides to where the target is.  The more "relaxed" you seem to be, the more your employees will be relaxed--and relaxed employees produce better results.
4. Incentivize.  People are motivated by one of two ways: Intrinsically or Extrinsically.  Intrinsic motivation is something within the individual--"I want to do a good job because I will be proud of my work."  Extrinsic motivation is something that causes the individual to succeed--"I want to do a good job because I will win the $50 spiff."  Money is a motivator--but only for the extrinsically motivated!  When you run contests, try to mix them up--run them against each other within a group and run them against the individual employees.  For example, "The top salesman of the quarter will receive a $100 gift card to iTunes," is a competition among a group; "If you improve your productivity by 10% over last month's, you will receive a free gift of your choice," pits the employee against himself--and is a call for improvement!
5. "Corporate Entertainment."  Some corporations go all-out and spend money on sending their employees to a ropes course or some major event--but you can use corporate entertainment without spending a huge amount!  Once a month or once a quarter, throw an employee appreciation day--make it a pot luck!  Allow an extra hour for lunch and celebrate the work the employees have done. Without employees, a business would not function well, if at all!

Try incorporating any or all of these 5 ways to boost productivity and see how much your employees can do!  For more ideas and suggestions on boosting productivity, check out some of these resources from Amazon.com!