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Boost Your Team’s Productivity

If you were to take a quick, informal poll of your team right now, everyone would probably tell you they are extremely busy. However, being “busy” doesn’t always translate into actual productivity. Here are some simple strategies you can use to boost productivity on your team today.

Set Formal, Attainable Goals

How often do you set formal goals for your team members? If your company is like most, you only have formal “goal” conversations once a year during performance reviews. A more productive approach is to set monthly goals for each employee, and check in regularly to track progress. A simple way to do this is to set large, overarching goals for the year and break them down into smaller goals. During monthly one-on-ones, managers can offer support, learn what types of tools the group needs to achieve their goals and provide constructive feedback.

For Every Meeting, State an Objective

Meetings can often be the least productive part of an employee’s day. If you find your group tends to have meetings about meetings or meetings that lack direction, it’s time to change your approach. Make sure every meeting has a stated objective. The person running the meeting should be the one to set the objective and facilitate the conversation so the gathering stays on track.

Hold a Morning Huddle

Gather the group together for no more than 10 minutes each morning. Set a timer and end the huddle when the time is up, without exception. Brief on the progress of open projects, have team members update you on what they need from other people in order to achieve their goals for the day, and get everyone thinking about how to have a productive day.

Set A “Call First” Rule

There is a reason most people have an overflowing email inbox. Email is easy, and it tends to be our default method of communicating with co-workers. During normal business hours, set a rule that team members should call each other or visit each other in person, before sending an email. This will speed communication and force people to get to the point quickly, and can eliminate a lot of the miscommunication that comes with text-based inquiries, updates and requests. There will be times when communication must be documented, and in those cases, they can follow up with an email recapping the personal conversation.

Rethink Instant Messaging Programs

Instant messaging platforms have become a trend lately, as they are even more convenient than email, but they also cause constant interruption and can quickly get the team off track. If possible, ban IM platforms from the group. The exception to the rule would be Slack, a platform that allows group conversation across several channels, sorted by project. The platform is set up so employees can check conversations at pre-set intervals, rather than getting bombarded with IMs throughout the day.

The best productivity tips in the world won’t help you if you don’t have the right team in place, and building strong teams starts with hiring. If you are looking for talented, productive engineers to drive your business forward, contact the engineering recruiting experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today.

About PEAK

PEAK Technical Staffing is a leading provider of engineering staffing services, offering contract staffing, contract-to-hire and direct hire solutions throughout the United States. With nearly fifty years of technical recruiting experience, we find solutions that meet more than just your technical requirements.

We work closely with you to make sure that every candidate fits your company’s unique needs and culture.

If you are looking for skilled, experienced engineering professionals to help your business succeed, contact the recruiting experts at PEAK Technical Staffing today.

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