There is not a single company on the market that does not aim to increase its profitability and results. However, for this to be possible, it is necessary to ensure ways to increase the focus and productivity of employees with the aim of delivering increasingly better results for the benefit of the business.
A major challenge for companies pursuing this objective is that the current market is full of distractions and excess information , factors that end up harming people's concentration and focus. In this scenario, we can include several factors, such as:
- Use of electronic devices during work hours;
- Content available online;
- Distractions in the workplace;
- Constant interruptions;
- Excessive noise in the environment;
- Activities outside your scope of work;
- Delays;
- And many others.
On average, an employee experiences approximately 56 interruptions per day , requiring around 2 hours per day just to recover from these constant distractions. Taking into account that to be productive, workers need to have at least 70% of their time dedicated entirely to their tasks , these interruptions end up representing a major problem for productivity.
To help companies increase the productivity and focus of their employees, we prepared this material dealing with this subject that is always relevant for companies , regardless of their sector or niche in the market. Continue reading!
Productivity in the corporate scenario
The first step is to understand what productivity and focus consist of, which, although they are often confused with each other, refer to completely different concepts. We can characterize productivity as the ability to make, create, produce or manufacture a certain amount of products or ideas in a certain period of time .
It is important to remember that productivity is related not only to the quantity of work performed, but also to the quality of what is properly delivered. Based on this concept, we can understand that a productive person can do more with less time , without compromising the quality of the result.
Following this reasoning, for a person to be productive they need to manage their time and stay focused on what is really important. But how can this time management be done? Learn more about how it works in the video below:
On the other hand, focus consists of a mental state where the person is able to dedicate themselves fully to a task, without external distractions harming their results. In this way, focus is defined by the ability to maintain concentration and direct time and energy towards a specific task.
Now that we understand these two concepts, we can establish a relationship between productivity and focus. This is because without focus and productivity working together, it is not possible for an employee to deliver high performance in their work or activity . It is necessary for him to focus on the activities that are really important for the company and be able to meet demand with excellence.
Even though it has been a highly praised characteristic in recent years, the ability to multitask is not the best solution for companies looking to add more value to their products, services and results. We can see that in practice, focusing on just one task at a time can bring benefits to the company and the employee .
The conclusion of this is that the more focus your employee has, the greater the productivity delivered during the work routine. For this reason, productivity and focus are essential factors that must be guaranteed by company managers.
Even though focus is an extremely personal issue, it is a manager's role to ensure that employees have all the resources and tools to maintain focus on their activities and deliver superior results.
Factors that may be harming employee productivity
As we saw above, there are many factors that can harm the focus and productivity of workers within a company. Here we have separated some of the main reasons that affect the execution of tasks and, consequently, business results:
Excess demand
Excessive work is one of the main traps for those who want to increase the company's productivity. With countless tasks to be carried out in a short period of time, it is very difficult to establish a priority order to focus on what is really important.
This excess demand can also harm the quality of what is delivered, as everything must be done in a reduced time . The more tasks required simultaneously, the more difficult it will be to deliver everything in a timely manner and with the expected quality.
Problems in the work environment
For a person to be able to deliver all the performance and results that the company expects, the work environment must be suitable for this . Excessive work, excessive noise, discomfort (whether physical or caused by the organizational climate) cause performance to suffer.
It is the company's role to ensure that the space where the activities will be carried out is ideal , providing comfort, safety and a good climate among employees so that the activities are carried out as expected and that demand is met.
Distractions on the internet
Although the internet is an essential resource for most companies, it is also a great villain for productivity and focus. Social networks, entertainment pages, personal emails, among other distractions, cause employees to waste a lot of time with inappropriate access and fail to perform tasks that are really important. Check out this infographic about worker productivity in the online environment to understand the impact of the internet on results.
It is important that the company has an awareness policy that helps employees understand the importance of appropriate conduct in the online environment so that it does not harm the interests of the business or the stored information
Communication problems
Communication within the company must always be clear and objective. Employees must be aware of who they should report to and where to look for the necessary information and guidance to carry out their tasks.
It is very important that there is a centralization of who should delegate tasks and clarify doubts to avoid delays and help employees during their routine. Many people giving instructions can cause a conflict of information and harm the smooth running of routine within the company.
Lack of planning
For everything to be done properly and delivered on time, there must be planning of everything that is part of the routine . This plan can be prepared by the employee or their manager, but it is essential that it exists and that it helps the employee guide their routine according to what is really important.
For this planning to contribute positively to business results, it is essential that it takes into account the deadlines and priorities relating to each task to be performed .
How to increase focus and productivity?
Now that we understand the importance of these two factors and how they can be harmed during the routine, let's discover intelligent ways to increase the focus and productivity of your employees and contribute to the company's results.
Provide a suitable work environment
Excessive noise and distractions in a work environment, such as side conversations, constant phone calls, interruptions and other factors, are extremely harmful. Managers who want to increase employee focus and productivity need to start with the macro aspect of the situation: the workspace.
The environment where this worker will carry out their tasks has a direct link with the results, and must guarantee all the necessary resources to optimize productivity and encourage focus. It is necessary to keep employees away from problems and factors that can impact their productivity.
Establish a plan
It is essential for those looking for optimized results to have a plan. In addition to avoiding work overload, planning prevents employees from missing deadlines or carrying out low-priority activities to the detriment of more important tasks.
The more thought this planning takes, the easier the routine during working hours will be. To this end, in addition to determining the tasks that must be carried out according to their respective priority, it is important that the employee has a sequence of everything that must be carried out during the day , including rest breaks, meals, specific times to open the emails and respond to possible messages, among other things.
To help your team add more productivity to their routine and manage their time more intelligently, we have complete material with the main tools that can contribute to the success of your business. Click here and check it out!
Be careful with urgent things
Work is often which can greatly hinder your productivity. With rare exceptions, it is possible to establish a time to resolve issues that are not present in the daily plan.
This way, the employee will not be interrupted continuously and will be able to deliver their activities as expected by managers.
Avoid internet pitfalls
The internet is indispensable, but it is also full of distractions that harm the company's results. To increase employee focus and productivity, it is important that internet access is controlled in an intelligent and strategic way.
With the help of this control, it becomes more difficult for this employee to get lost during their routine in activities that are not related to work , such as accessing personal emails, social networks, messaging applications, e-commerce sites, among others. .
Take a look at this material and check out some more tips that we prepared exclusively for you!
How to increase your company's internet productivity with Lumiun Box
As seen earlier in the text, the main villain of the company's internet productivity are certainly entertainment sites , which are not part of the scope of work . Blocking access to sites of this type on the company's network can be extremely convenient and effective in addressing employee focus and productivity problems.
With Lumiun Box this task is easy and straightforward . With an intuitive panel and no need for technical knowledge , Lumiun Box blocks websites by categories, groups, users and even specific websites, in addition to many other features and benefits.
Take a free, no-obligation demonstration and see how it works in practice. If you want, you can request a free trial and use the product on your company's network, without any commitment.
Don't wait for the goodwill of employees to improve your company's income. Be the protagonist.
Until later!