Some Ways to Improve Productivity

Introduction

1. Clarify Purpose, Direction & Priorities

Why it improves productivity: Reduces cognitive load, confusion, rework and competing priorities.

Actions

• Establish a short list (3–5) of organisational priorities.
• Communicate them repeatedly in simple language.
• Cascade goals so every team sees how their work links to strategy.
• Use KPI or a similar framework to focus effort.
• Remove or pause low-value projects.

2. Strengthen Leadership & Culture

Why it improves productivity: People work harder and smarter when they feel safe, supported and valued.

Actions

• Train leaders in coaching, rather than command-and-control.
• Build psychological safety; encourage speaking up, reduce fear.
• Recognise performance frequently (weekly micro-recognition beats annual awards).
• Reduce micromanagement by giving autonomy over how to deliver.

3. Improve Work Design & Process Efficiency

Why it improves productivity: Removes waste, speeds cycle times and stops people doing unnecessary work.

Actions

• Map key processes and remove bottlenecks (Lean/Six Sigma style, etc).
• Standardise repetitive tasks.
• Reduce bureaucracy (forms, approvals, reports, etc).
• Introduce digital workflows and automation where it fits.
• Review meetings, eg remove or shorten; create “meeting-light” days.

4. Build Workforce Capability

Why it improves productivity: Skilled employees complete work faster, with fewer errors and less supervision.

Actions

• Targeted skills training: digital skills, communication, analysis, etc.
• Cross-training to reduce dependency on single experts.
• Create short “learning bursts” rather than long workshops.
• Use job aids and templates to reduce time spent reinventing the wheel.

5. Increase Employee Wellbeing & Energy

Why it improves productivity: Fatigue, stress and burnout directly reduce cognitive performance, creativity and decision quality.

Actions

• Encourage recovery cycles (breaks, micro-pauses, realistic workloads, etc).
• Improve ergonomics and work environments.
• Promote flexible work and work-life boundaries.
• Ensure leave is taken, not banked.

(Neuroscience note: Productivity rises when the brain is not in a chronic threat state. Cortisol overload reduces prefrontal functioning.)

6. Enhance Communication Quality

Why it improves productivity: Miscommunication is one of the biggest timewasters in organisations.

Actions

• Standard templates for updates, briefs, decisions, etc.
• Clear protocols: who needs to know what and when.
• Use asynchronous communication (message boards, shared digital spaces).
• Adopt structured conversation methods (ToP, Ladder of Inference, etc.) to avoid confusion and conflict.

7. Strengthen Collaboration & Teamwork

Why it improves productivity: Reduces duplication, work fragmentation, and inter-team friction.

Actions

• Cross-functional teams on major projects.
• Shared digital workspaces (Teams, Miro, Notion, Confluence, etc).
• Align incentives so teams collaborate, not compete.
• Conduct regular retrospectives to refine workflows.

8. Optimise Technology Use

Why it improves productivity: Smart use of tools speeds up tasks; poor use slows everything down.

Actions

• Conduct a “tool audit” — remove redundant apps.
• Provide training in the top 10 daily tools (most staff use <50% of capabilities).
• Automate repetitive tasks (chatbots, scheduling, reporting).
• Ensure good data quality to avoid rework.

9. Improve Decision-Making

Why it improves productivity: Faster, clearer decisions reduce delays and frustration.

Actions

• Clarify decision rights (who decides, who consults, who informs).
• Use decision frameworks (RAPID, DACI).
• Set deadlines for decisions and revisit only with new data.
• Document decisions in shared spaces to avoid confusion.

10. Strengthen Performance Management

Why it improves productivity: Feedback loops help people correct course quickly.

Actions

• Shorter performance cycles (monthly or quarterly rather than annual).
• Real-time coaching conversations.
• Clear metrics that employees can influence.
• Early intervention for underperformance.

11. Foster Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Why it improves productivity: Small improvements compound into major gains.

Actions

• Give staff time to experiment (eg, 2 hours/week).
• Capture and implement improvement ideas.
• Run improvement challenges or hackathons.
• Celebrate incremental changes, not just big wins.

12. Shape a Low-Friction Organisational Environment

Why it improves productivity: Friction, eg bureaucracy, uncertainty, noise, interruptions, etc steals time and energy.

Actions

• Simplify workflows.
• Reduce interruptions (no-meeting hours, focus time).
• Make information easy to find.
• Improve workplace layout and digital navigation pathways.

Summary

An organisation can improve productivity by:

1. Clarifying priorities
2. Strengthening leadership and culture
3. Streamlining processes
4. Building capability
5. Enhancing wellbeing
6. Improving communication
7. Increasing collaboration
8. Using technology better
9. Faster decision-making
10. Better performance systems
11. Driving innovation
12. Reducing organisational friction

(main source: N. A. A., Abdelwahed et al, 2023)