JJ's (July 2012) Tips in this issue: 1. Increasing Productivity ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use the following tips as training tools. Present this situation to your group and brainstorm solutions together, or submit your own situation question to be answered in an upcoming newsletter. ------------------------------------- What are some of the current ways to increase productivity in the workplace today? --------------------- According to Prevention Magazine, June 2012, having at least one friend in the office increases a worker's productivity. It stated that researchers report that loneliness in the workplace decreases productivity. Loneliness is not just a personal problem but an organizational one too. Work family camaraderie is as important as family camaraderie to accomplish projects together and have fun in the process. If you have loners in either family, draw them out of their caves with your friendliness. Notice the interests you have in common and build your friendship on them. Everyone likes to think they are interesting to others and people value their friendship. One of the reasons friends are more productive together is they assume there will be cooperation even when they have different points of view. They give the benefit of the doubt and continue to discuss the situation until a conclusion is reached. It is much easier to jump to a conclusion and be angry with strangers than with friends. Friends collaborate naturally, whether they are talking about where to go for lunch or how to accomplish a workplace task. Together they communicate openly to progress toward their goal. They know that extra input on a subject can often spur more creativity, excitement and productivity. When managers have empowered their staffs with training and coaching to think on their feet and make educated decisions, productivity increases. This frees the managers to do more than just putting out fires every day. Too many managers take the power and authority back when they don't agree with a decision made by a front line person. Instead, this is an opportunity to coach them to make better decisions the next time. Also listen to their opinions because they see and feel what internal (co-workers) and external customers are experiencing. Their feedback can change management's thinking and help the teams be more productive. This is called full-circle management where everyone on your big company team feels they are part of the decision-making process. It has proven to increase cooperation and productivity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "[All] change, even very large and powerful change, begins when a few "I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EVALUATION OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT Have you had an Evaluation of Your Environment lately so you could receive suggestions on improving it? (It's like the doctor's check up, you often don't know you need it, until after you've had it.) http://www.jjlauderbaugh.com/about.html **************************************** JJ Lauderbaugh, CMC JJ works with companies that want to give exceptional customer service to increase sales,
and with Directors and Call Center/Help Desk Managers who want to improve human
performance. ---------------------------------------------------------- Reprint permission is granted when the following credit appears: jj@jjlauderbaugh.com _______________________________ |