The concept of “productivity” can seem like an abstract thing. There are so many different factors that influence how productive your various teams can be, and it isn’t as simple as plugging numbers into an equation. Often, it’s a combination of small, less quantifiable things that hurt your organization’s productivity.
At Eagle Point Software, maximizing productivity is our bread and butter —that’s the goal of our AEC and manufacturing software training platform, Pinnacle Series. Over the years, we’ve gained a lot of experience and information about the things that may hurt your organization’s productivity. Here are some of our findings!
- Too much multitasking
- How the workspace is set up
- Lack of uninterrupted thinking time
- Repetitive or ineffective training
- Unnecessary meetings
- Improper knowledge documentation/sharing
Along the way, we’ll share how to avoid these pitfalls as well.
Too much multitasking
Many people have an inverted view of multitasking: they think it makes them more productive to juggle multiple tasks at once. However, cognitive studies show that constant task-switching actually harms productivity. Try to avoid assigning employees too many tasks or projects at once so they can dedicate their focus to just one thing at a time.
How the workspace is set up
Whether your employees work in-office or from home, their physical environment makes a difference! For instance, open-plan workspaces tend to be distracting and actually reduce communication between employees.
Investing in ergonomic office furniture can increase productivity by as much as 25%. Natural light and good air quality are two other factors that employees find particularly impactful. Consider revamping your office or giving remote employees a budget to upgrade their home office space to help encourage more creative, productive work.
Lack of uninterrupted thinking time
Sometimes, managers fall into the trap of thinking that if they haven’t scheduled every minute of their employees’ days, they’ll be losing time and productivity. In reality, micromanaging is harmful. Employees need uninterrupted time to think, focus on their work, problem-solve, and innovate. Building free time into their days is also a great way to ensure they can fit in learning and development.
Repetitive or ineffective training
Speaking of training, there’s nothing worse than investing a lot of time and money into training resources that just aren’t effective. If employees are wasting time re-learning things they already know, or are forced to take training that isn’t relevant to their jobs, that’s instant productivity loss. By investing in high-quality AEC and manufacturing software training through Pinnacle Series, you can personalize learning to each employee’s needs.
Unnecessary meetings
Before scheduling a meeting, every manager or team lead should ask themselves: “Could this have been an email?” Or, even better, could it be discussed in a project management area like Pinnacle Series’ Work Groups, so participants can go back and review the content at any time? When live meetings are necessary, they should always have a focused agenda and a defined ending point.
Improper knowledge documentation/sharing
Every time the same problem has to be solved twice, it’s a productivity loss. That’s why it’s key to have managers document best practices and train employees in proper knowledge sharing. In addition to our AEC and manufacturing software training, we’ve built knowledge-sharing capabilities directly into Pinnacle Series! Administrators and specified employees can add and approve custom content on our knowledge management platform.
Current Pinnacle Series subscribers can log in now to try out features like Work Groups and custom content that can boost their teams’ productivity.
Are you ready to get rid of these things that hurt your organization’s productivity? Schedule a demo or pilot with our team to learn how Pinnacle Series can transform your efficiency back to its peak!
