Offices, no matter how high-performing, will always fall into a pattern of doing things a certain way because that’s the way it has always been done. While consistency is great for the entire team, it can allow some poor habits to continue and can exclude a more productive alternative. If you are part of the management team, Human Resources or just an employee looking to level up your own output – here is how you can perform a productivity audit and spot any issues that could benefit from better systems.
Bottlenecks in the office
Bottlenecks are not a good look in the office, and when they become an assumed fact with your employees then you are clocking many hours to the day where no work is being done. The printer is a common bottleneck in the office, and this can be indicative of a poor printing model or one that is not equipped for the volume of staff it services. HP office printers have a great reputation for offering an extensive range of printers with different functions that are fit for purpose. A new printer might make printing and collecting those prints more streamline and without as much waiting and disruption.
Onsite amenities
Equipping your employees with a reasonable number of office amenities is not only a thoughtful gesture, but it is going to contribute to a more productive workplace. If you don’t have a fridge for your employees to put their lunch every day, then you have to accept that they will need to go offsite to get lunch which might equate to less time at their desk. The same goes for having an office coffee machine, as those few trips to the cafe across the road can really stack up to a significant amount of time offsite. If you choose to introduce an office fridge, be sure to set usage rules so that your office fridge remains tidy and doesn’t suck more time away from work.
Modern workflow systems
Don’t expect moderns ideas and innovations if you do not have the systems to match and facilitate this way of thinking. Email is the base level that all offices will have, but there are so many other systems (many of them free) that can make collaboration, brainstorming and task assignment a lot easier. It also makes remote work possible, and also get a snapshot of projects that are in the works. Give your team the tools they require to think outside of the box and replace the need to wander up to a desk and ideate in an unprofessional format.
Assess the flow and need of every meeting
Productivity is not measured by the number of meetings that are slated in the calendar, and in most cases, it can mean the exact opposite with meetings lacking purpose. You should always be assessing whether there is a need to be meeting as often as you do, and also audit the flow of the meeting to see if there are areas you can sharpen or eliminate to make them shorter and get everyone back to work sooner. Is it necessary for the whole office to hear about matters that relate to your small department? Have discussions about your competitors turned into speculation and a general chat about the industry? Sit in on a few meetings and audit what needs to change.
Performing an audit on your operational office doesn’t need to feel like an attack, as the only agenda should be looking at ways to make your office more efficient and a greater working environment for every member of the team. Be sure to ask your team for their ideas, as they may have a line of sight over areas that drastically need a rethink.