Efficiency is all about doing more with less: less time, less stress, and fewer wasted efforts.
For this, you need to create systems and routines that make tasks flow easily – and build a work culture that enables your employees to do their best work. Depending on your company, this may or may not include hybrid work – although we’re convinced that the future of work is flexible.
In this article, we’ll give you our best tips on how to boost efficiency and productivity at your workplace, and explain why you should build an office environment that stimulates productivity (in case this isn’t instantly obvious).
But first, let’s start with a simple definition.
How we define workplace efficiency
Workplace efficiency refers to the ability of your team to complete tasks and achieve goals with the least amount of time, effort, or resources. In short, high efficiency equals high productivity – and for this, you need to simplify your workflows and processes and build a workplace culture that empowers and motivates your people to do their best work.
At the same time, you also need to think of ways to minimize inefficiencies and reduce the amount of time your team spends on tasks that are not essential to their roles, such as admin, emails, or endless meetings.
The best 6 strategies to improve work efficiency
So, what exactly can you do to boost your team’s efficiency without adding any extra stress to their workdays? Below, we’ll explore the best 6 strategies you can implement.
1. Embrace flexible work
Flexible management is one of the best strategies for improving team productivity. The autonomy of remote work encourages efficiency because it enables people to work at their most productive times.
By giving your employees sufficient workplace flexibility, you give them a strong signal of trust and show them that you aren’t interested in micromanaging them or in deciding for them how exactly they should be doing their jobs, or when, or where. Instead, you’re providing them with the resources and freedom they need to do high-quality work – and are ready to provide the right conditions for that.
The idea of the manager as an enabler who serves their team is not new; for a deep dive, you can check the book “Work Rules!” by Laszlo Bock, ex-Head of People Operations at Google, where he explains why managers should focus on clearing roadblocks and inspiring their team rather than micromanaging employees or using a more traditional stick-and-carrot approach.
And, although Google’s culture has certainly changed since he left the company in 2016, his ideas are as relevant as always – and the company continues offering hybrid work to its employees.
2. Define and track efficiency and productivity goals
We can probably all agree that measuring outcomes makes much more sense than policing your team. The best way to make sure you’re making progress in terms of team productivity and efficiency is to set objectives and measure progress towards them.
For the best results, set objectives for the team as a whole and for individual team members, and ensure that:
- Work goals are specific, realistic, and measurable
- You track progress regularly (at least quarterly, and ideally more often)
- There’s ownership and accountability at every level
- You have put in place feedback loops and ways to deal with roadblocks
Those goals can be related to overall work outcomes you expect from your team members, or they can also be related to specific efficiency improvements you’re seeing with time.
3. Build a collaborative work environment
To have your team get things done creatively and quickly – which will feel rewarding for them and be beneficial for you as a manager – you should build a culture based on teamwork and collaboration.
Start by creating an environment where team members feel safe sharing ideas, asking questions, and even making mistakes. Clear roles and responsibilities also help prevent duplicated efforts and confusion.
But collaboration isn’t just about the people; it’s also about tools. Invest in platforms that enable your team to communicate easily, share files, and manage projects, regardless of whether they’re working remotely or at the office.
Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams can make a huge difference when used effectively. And, if you’re managing a hybrid workplace, a desk booking app that enables team members to reserve workstations and see when is the best time to come to the office will help everyone be more productive.
4. Identify outdated, inefficient workflows
Outdated workflows are one of the biggest barriers to efficiency. If your team is still relying on spreadsheets for scheduling or spending precious work hours on data entry, it’s time for an upgrade.
Start by reviewing current processes and asking your team for input – after all, they’re the ones who’re using your current systems and dealing with their inefficiencies every day. Once you’ve identified bottlenecks, look for modern tools to simplify or automate tasks.
For example, replacing manual approvals with an automated system can save hundreds of hours in back-and-forth emails, as can using project management software. Integrating AI in your processes in a smart way might also help teams be more efficient – but make sure you know exactly what you’re looking to automate and whether the outcomes are actually better for your team.
5. Invest in modern office management software
The right office management platform can help you boost workplace efficiency in a number of ways – which is exactly why we built Officely. With tools like desk booking software, attendance visibility, and resource utilization tracking, you can create a workspace that works smarter, not harder.
Officely helps your employees plan their days, making it easier to decide when and where to work, and see who else is in the office on any given day. It enables them to book desks or meeting rooms in only a few clicks, directly from Slack or MS Teams.
For managers, it simplifies hybrid meeting planning and provides insights into employee attendance and resource utilization. And for office managers, it takes the guesswork out of managing resources.
By helping your team stay organized on a hybrid schedule and by encouraging collaboration without forcing it, you’ll be able to create a solid balance between flexibility and structure.
6. Help employees beat burnout with balance
Burnout kills productivity.
The best way to avoid it is to promote a good work/life balance, which starts with reasonable workloads and a good variety of tasks and types of work. Make sure your team’s schedules allow time for focused work, collaboration, and breaks.
Regularly check in to see how employees are feeling and whether they have too much on their plates. Proactively adjust workloads when needed; not everyone is confident enough to say “No”, especially if they’re already feeling stressed.
Flexibility also goes a long way. By allowing employees to manage their schedules or work from home when needed, you help prevent unnecessary stress – especially for caregivers.
Why should you improve workplace efficiency?
Improving workplace efficiency means creating a productive and positive work environment where employees can thrive. It’ll also help you cut costs, keep your team engaged, and deal better with change and disruptions – which are all key for building a resilient company.
Employee efficiency = business productivity
When employees have the tools, time, and clarity they need, they get more done – and they do it better. Efficiency helps teams hit their goals faster without feeling stretched thin, giving your business an edge.
In short, achieving team goals should never be about individual employees working longer hours, but rather, about removing the roadblocks that slow things down.
The result? High quality work, done faster, with a team that feels proud of their contributions.
Efficiency in the workplace is linked to cost savings
Every inefficient process, whether it’s a clunky approval system, excessive meetings, or outdated tools, costs you more than just time – it costs you precious team resources that could be better used elsewhere. Or, simply put, it costs you money.
Simplifying workflows helps cut unnecessary costs and free up budgets for better, more impactful initiatives – and for more employee benefits, too.
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