Employee productivity should and can be maintained and monitored. It is a management function directly tied into employee morale. Employees’ success depends on management support, which in turn yields expected progress, profit, and success.

Employees must be motivated to produce. Old school thinkers believe salary and promotional opportunities create motivation, while new thinking has led many managers to understand that other factors are more motivational in the workplace.

Project Completion

Employees feel good about themselves and their work when a task is completed. If it is completed properly, efficiently, effectively and timely, it is management’s responsibility to encourage the employee to continue on this path and not to veer from it. The power of praise should not be taken for granted. A simple “great job” more often than not is enough to boost employee production. If results are less than par, a talk with the employee is in order, and hopefully this will resolve any issue.

Explain the Job

The job description has the information. But it is up to the manager to explain the particular nuances of the job to the employee, upon hire, throughout the employment, and in particular when and if issues arise. When shadowing is beneficial, provide that opportunity. Training also does the trick.

Provide the Necessary Tools

Be sure to provide your employees with what they need to get the job done. Some obvious tools are a computer, phone, training, and supplies. But there might be things not readily recognized that are needed, such as re-training, or perhaps allowing fellow employees to mentor. An open door policy is a good motivator and allows employees the freedom to remark about their jobs and enter information and input regarding the job as they see it. Valuable feedback can be gathered with such a policy, as well as through an employee survey.

Goal Setting

Employees need to know their jobs. Yes, they read their job descriptions upon hire. They understand the “other projects as required” statement. But it is up to human resources and management to remind employees about the goals. The employee may understand his/her tasks and have the ability, experience and tools to perform them. But management must reiterate the ultimate goal for the completion of these tasks on a routine basis. Remind employees that their individual goals are tied directly into the business plan’s goals.