Declining employee productivity results from either lack of skills and job knowledge or low morale and overall employee dissatisfaction. Increasing productivity first requires that you determine the cause of declining productivity. Next, approach the issue with an action plan that stresses additional training for employees or employee focus groups designed to improve morale and engagement.
Instructions
1. Examine employee records pertaining to skills, job qualifications and work assignments. The purpose of this is to ensure you match the right people to the right jobs. Employees whose skills are poorly matched to their work assignments aren't nearly as productive as employees whose skills meet the qualifications necessary for their job duties and tasks. Make notes throughout your review; you might need to reevaluate your staffing models.
2. Interview individual employees. Ask questions to be sure they understand the duties and tasks for which they're responsible and that they have the proper tools to do the assigned tasks. Get specific answers to your questions through understanding each job -- you will have to study the job descriptions for this. Enlist the help of department supervisors and managers, who are ultimately responsible for their employees' productivity. Create a list of employees who indicate they lack the sufficient tools and expertise to do their jobs. This list will help you create a needs assessment for job skills training.
3. Review performance appraisals to determine if supervisors and managers previously detected productivity issues. Note individual and departmental goals that were unmet, and determine if the unachieved goals are issues that can be resolved through job skills training or disciplinary action. Maintain separate notes concerning disciplinary action. If employees lack the skills and expertise to do their jobs, that could be an indication your training and development opportunities need to be revamped.
4. Schedule all-staff meetings or department meetings to discuss concerns about productivity. Encourage employees to participate in the discussion by asking questions such as: "What can management do to improve your productivity?" "Are your work schedules maximizing your ability to complete your tasks?" and "How many employees would be available or willing to work mandatory overtime?" These kinds of questions elicit responses that shed light as to whether your current staff can reasonably meet business demands. Employee responses will also tell you whether you need to reassess your workforce planning to determine if you need to hire more workers.
5. Draft a summary of your observations and notes. Based on your summary, determine if your best course of action is to focus on training for improved job proficiency or to conduct employee focus groups to determine levels of morale, satisfaction and engagement. With the right resources, you can develop a two-pronged approach that features both skills training and employee counseling.
Tags: skills training, disciplinary action, duties tasks, employee focus, employee focus groups, expertise their, expertise their jobs
