Tips for Employers on How to Increase Productivity

A successful business is one that has a high level of productivity. Unfortunately not all businesses have a high level of productivity and many times end up shutting down. To help understand what contributes to a lack of productivity for many businesses and for tips for employers on increasing productivity, I have interviewed psychotherapist Robinson Arteaga.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.
"I'm a counselor by training and applying my field to the business world is a passion of mine. I first took an interest in psychology as it applies to business when I was beginning to run my own practice as opposed to working for an entity that employed me. Although I felt prepared in the theory and practice of psychology I felt that my formal education did not prepare me well enough to begin to understand what it means to run your own practice. The more I dove into the best practices the more I came to understand that psychology is applied in the workplace especially as it relates to productivity."

What contributes to a lack of productivity for many businesses?
"According to my experience and research the biggest contributor to a lack of productivity is not hiring the right people. As a practitioner of psychotherapy I know that motivating someone to make any changes in their life is something that I cannot give them. I can merely offer a different perspective and suggest different tools I have seen work with other clients of mine. However, I can drag the horse to the water but I can't make the horse take a drink. The same goes in a work environment having the right people on board makes the biggest difference."

What are some tips for employers on increasing productivity?
"To go with my previous answer, employers should make certain that when they are hiring an employee that they make sure they are the right mutual fit for each other. That means having several interviews and making sure that the person is not only looking for a paycheck but that their values are aligned with that of the company.

Another essential tip for the employer is to have a clear mission statement that is more than something that is written and put away in a handbook. The mission statement for a company should be a living, breathing document that guides every decision a company is making. So I recommend that when dealing with a difficult employee, the business should question the actions of the employee and challenge them on how those actions pertain to the mission statement of the employer. If an adjustment cannot be made the effort should be placed to get the right person to advance the goals of the company.

Finally, another way employers can help the increase in productivity is to have continual supervision of their employees. As essential as this sounds, it is all too common to see that productivity drops when management is not overseeing the work of their people. Weekly reports or status update meetings are highly recommended to keep abreast of the work of your people. The businesses that fail are those where management work on autopilot."

What type of professional help is available for employers that are having a difficult time increasing productivity?
"There is a great deal of options in terms of professional help for employers. There is leadership training, marketing workshops, time management experts , team building coaching, etc. the list can go on and on. The important issue for an employer to keep in mind is to identify what aspect of their business needs help so that they may laser in on the needs of their business in order to see quicker results."

Thank you Robinson for doing the interview on tips for employers on increasing productivity. For more information on Robinson Arteaga or his work you can check out his website at www.PeopleTeamBuilders.com .

Recommended Readings:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6201914/balancing_the_demands_of_work_and_family.html?cat=72">Balancing the Demands of Work and Family

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5961860/how_to_create_balance_between_your.html?cat=5">How to Create Balance between Your Work & Personal Life

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/5594512/how_to_avoid_work_burn_out.html?cat=5">How to Avoid Work Burn Out