National Productivity Week has got me thinking about what productivity actually means to employees and their employers. How does it feel? What does it mean if we think about productivity from an individuals perspective?
For employers, leaders, and founders, is it that nagging demand of doing more, more, more with what you’ve got? Or is the excitement of finding new ways to automate standard activities, so you and your teams can focus more time on adding value?
For employees, is there a feeling of expectation to do more and give more? Or does it mean new ways of working within a positive environment that gives you opportunity to thrive?
At Happy Business it's always people first. We talk about improvements in productivity as an outcome from happy, engaged teams. The starting point is nurturing a positive, supportive culture with a clarity of vision that allows for collaboration, clear communications, inclusivity and defined (shared) goals.
From that the benefits follow and flow – fulfilled leaders, founders and their teams. And for a business? Improvements in productivity, reductions in employee turnover, increased customer satisfaction and a healthier workforce.
This week I attended a fantastic event (thank you for sharing it with me Jaime Tinker) which underlined the direct benefit of a happier, healthier workplace. I learned that in 2022, in the UK, 185.6m working days were lost to illness, and productivity of course was affected – by absence but also presenteeism. The stats around this impact vary – Saïd Business School suggests a happier workforce are 12% more productive, and the The Productivity Institute posits it is the driver for prosperity and inclusive growth.
So, my reflections? Productivity is a great measure, and productivity improvements are essential for businesses, but fundamentally the changes businesses can make to achieve those improvements are the real wins to strive for – a team of healthy, happy people.