We’ll help you dispel some myths about workplace effectiveness, and give you tips for making your employees more productive.
The internet is great for funny memes, but not always the best for truthful, concise information.
Despite the popularity of funny memes, there is no consensus on productivity tools or how to make your team more successful. There are many conflicting strategies, ideas, and recommendations.
As a small-business leader and project manager, you need reliable information on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to workplace effectiveness–whether your company works fully remote, in-person, or a hybrid of both.
Let’s take a look at some common workplace myths and see how they have been disproven. We’ll also discuss the best way to cut through the noise and build an effective workplace.
Myth #1: Open offices make offices more productive
The myth: If you have a lot of laptops set up on long tables, you can save money on office space. Your employees will also be buzzing, working together on the next billion-dollar unicorn.
The reality: The most productive workplaces have a balance between open spaces for collaboration and private spaces for concentration. Open offices are not practical for protecting your employees’ health, as evidenced by COVID-19.
According to a Harvard Business Review study in 2019, face-to-face meetings dropped by 70% when open offices were introduced. Open office floor plans discourage employees from switching to electronic communication, instead of improving collaboration and communication.
Our recommendation: There is a happy medium between tech wizards who write code in Silicon Valley utopia and worker drones who labor in Dilbert-esque cubicles.
People enjoy privacy when they are doing work that requires concentration and concentration. However, they also appreciate open meeting space when they are working with others.
Both are required.
Even after COVID, tables and rows can be used as long as they are spread out. Employee safety and productivity can be improved by creating barriers and providing quiet areas for employees to use when they need to work head-down. Remote work is a great option if your office space is not large enough to accommodate dedicated quiet rooms.
Myth #2: Remote workers tend to be less engaged
The myth: Remote workers are spending their days in bathrobes binging Netflix rather than working.
The reality: A July 2020 Capterra survey of individual contributors found 84% of employees are satisfied with remote work. Remote work also allows employees to be more productive and have a better work-life balance.
Our recommendation: Remote work is not about making employees accountable for every minute of their time. It’s about whether they are getting the work done.
Employees can be held accountable by setting goals and tracking their progress. To keep your employees engaged, you can also set up a proactive strategy. No matter if you are working remotely or in-person, the standards should be the exact same.
It can be fun to keep employees engaged as a small business owner. It will not only make your workplace more productive and pleasant, but it can also help you retain employees.
Our article on remote skills is what small businesses such as yours are prioritizing.
Myth #3: The more work employees do, the more productive they are.
The myth: If an employee is able finish their work, b