Industry and productivity in the workplace are two different things. Even the most hardworking and committed employees can be unproductive, and if a good deal of your workforce becomes unproductive, your company’s output is bound to take a nosedive, which may force you to give up some of your profits.
If you are here trying to understand the causes of low productivity at work, you are in the right place. We did our research and found these six factors to be the most common culprits:
1. Ego Clashes
Due to the increased diversity in the modern workplace, there are many different personalities sharing an office, and this can lead to a clash of egos. These encounters lead to conflicting views and may yield bad blood between individual employees and departments.
2. Injuries and Illnesses
Injuries and illnesses are obviously going to slow any worker down. Some injuries may be picked up in the workplace while others can be due to factors outside the work environment, such as at-home accidents or domestic violence. If you are an employer, ensure to prioritize your employee’s physical and mental health and wellness. If any of them is injured due to non-work-related factors, advise them to consult a personal injury lawyer for the best course of action.
3. Stress
The fast-paced nature of today’s corporate world often requires workers to deliver to the best of their ability to compete favorably. This is good for the company, but it can be detrimental to your employee’s mental health. Stressed employees are likely to be less productive and may struggle to handle tasks that require quick thinking.
4. Lack of Resources
They say a worker is only as good as their tools, and rightly so. If you expect your employee to complete certain tasks and attain certain results within specified periods, you have to provide them with proper work equipment. Without the requisite resources, you will obviously be undercutting their efforts and gradually killing their morale. Always do your research to understand the requirements of specific workplace tasks, and make a point of obtaining them for your employees.
5. Lack of Clear Job Descriptions
Ensure each of your employees knows what their job entails and how to perform specific operations in their job descriptions.
6. Poor Leadership
An organization’s management is charged with two things: supervising tasks and projects and ensuring the workforce is motivated and working as a team. If individuals in the upper echelons are not suited for management, then there is a good chance junior employees will not deliver to expectations. Incompetence and aggressiveness from the management are both heavily detrimental to productivity, so be sure to keep them in check.
Final Words
Enhancing workplace productivity is not easily accomplished. You ought to understand the root of your problem to create a workable action plan. The above factors are some of the most common causes of low productivity. By addressing them, you create a better working environment for your employees and give them the motivation they need to play their roles.