You’re a manager of an office. You want to be more productive and you want your employees to be more productive, but lack an expensive consulting team to come in and dazzle the office with industry tips and tricks. So what is the average office manager to do? How about investing in a commercial coffee maker? No? Okay then, these five easy tricks that anyone can do, can help boost morale and productivity in a small office environment.
THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
A study recently found that the most productive employees work for 52 minutes and then take a break for 17 minutes. Maybe these productive folks are unwittingly following the Pomodoro Technique, a time management system that expounds the benefits of working in intervals, followed by short breaks. There are apps, websites, even timers for sale that all help with the application of this technique. Give it a try!
CAFFEINATE
Okay, okay, we all know that in the office, caffeine is king. But did you know that studies have shown that just 200mg of caffeine can help you identify words and phrases faster than none at all? Most office workers would agree that coffee or tea helps them stay productive at work. Consider a coffee machine for the office break room or a commercial single cup coffee maker to help boost productivity. The health benefits of coffee like enhanced energy levels in the brain, improved concentration and memory retention are essential to productivity. A commercial coffee maker could mean the difference between being in the red or being in the black!
STAY PUT
Common wisdom today tells us that office workers are the most healthy and productive if they move at least 15 minutes per hour. No one wants to sit at a desk all day. However, productivity is lost if the worker leaves the building for a break. So encourage your workers and co-workers to gather in the office at a break room to stretch their legs and minds. Ask your manager about a coffee delivery service or a commercial coffee maker for the team, or institute a “business coffee” status meeting in a room separate from regular offices to get your workers up from their desks.
BOOST TEAM MORALE
Boosting your team’s morale shouldn’t ever be very far down on your list of things to do. Taking a minute out of your day to acknowledge and creatively celebrate your team’s accomplishments will go far in making your team want to be productive. A party or meeting just to tell your team how well their doing will create a marked improvement in productivity. Also, allowing a bit of fun to enter the workplace is essential for a happy workplace. Use your imagination! Some workplaces have rewards when goals are met, like coffee coupons, or movie tickets. The sky is the limit!
TAKE A BREAK
Taking a break to boost productivity may seem counter-intuitive, but it actually is proven that regular breaks can help! If you’ve ever had a problem that you couldn’t solve until you gave up and came back to it, you know the power of taking a break. Breaks can prevent what is known as “decision fatigue” the inability to make small decisions due to being overwhelmed by the sheer number of decisions made daily. Breaks can actually restore motivation as well! If possible, implement a standard break period in your office and see what benefits can arise!
CONCLUSION
It doesn’t take much to boost productivity around your office. Obviously supplying ready access to a good commercial coffee maker is a no-brainer to boost productivity amongst your team, but implementing a few other simple tricks and the changes are noticeable! Trying just one item on this list will impact your bottom line. Have you or one of your co-worker tried one of these tricks? Leave a comment below and tell us all about it!