According to Zippia, employees, on average, waste 3 hours every day on non-work-related activities.
While there are many reasons your workforce may not be as productive as it should be, we’ve listed the top 4 most substantial barriers to productivity.
#1 Procrastination
Procrastination is the avoidance of doing something despite the negative consequences that follow.
Procrastination is caused by various factors, such as the need for perfection, rebellion, avoidance, depression, lack of energy, and many other reasons.
Different causes of procrastination require different fixes.
However, there’s a universal process that addresses most root causes of procrastination:
Remove distractions.
Make a list of realistic goals you want to accomplish.
Add deadlines, but be sure to be realistic about them.
If you feel overwhelmed about a project, break it down into smaller steps and start.
Reward yourself for achieving your listed goals.
#2 Office noise & socialising
Most offices today are open plan, and as such, people are easily distracted by office noise or lured into social office chats.
Socialising at the office is not all bad - it’s one of the best ways for employees to bond with each other, and has its place in increasing productivity, but sometimes office socialising can get out of hand.
Should office socialising happen a little too often, you may want to invest in noise-canceling headphones, shut your office door, or find a quiet space when you really need to buckle down.
#3 Social media addiction
Social media has become entrenched in our daily lives to such an extent that research shows that within 10 minutes after waking up, people check their social media accounts, spending, on average, 2,5 hours every day on social media.
According to Reviews.org, 1 in 3 people are addicted to social media; they have an uncontrollable urge to check their social media accounts so often that it impairs other important parts of their lives.
Logging into social media accounts is time-consuming and can seriously hamper productivity in the workforce.
What is the solution?
For individuals, using software such as Freedom can boost productivity as it blocks certain sites and apps for the time period that is set by the user.
Companies can limit or ban social media use on company-owned devices, or they can monitor usage. Create clear policies on social media usage, such as employees not checking in to social media unless when on a break.
#4 Not using the right tools
If you want your staff to be as productive as possible, empower them with the right tools.
It’s best to ask your employees if they believe they have the right tools with which to do their jobs and get their opinions on what tools they believe could increase productivity.
For companies in certain industries, it is critical to utilise CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or practice management software to maximise productivity.
A CRM helps streamline the sales, marketing, and customer experience processes because all teams have the ability to access customer data at any time, and the system is updated in real-time.
The DataGrows Accounting CRM and practice management software is built for South African accountants, bookkeepers, and auditors, and its key differentiating factor is that it automates all of your South African accounting and tax tasks and deadlines, like SARS submission due dates.