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The future of employee productivity is already here, significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted a swift transition to remote work.
April 2020 Gallup data revealed that 62% of employed Americans surveyed have worked from home during the crisis, twice as many as in mid-March. The necessity of social distancing accelerated the widespread adoption of remote work.
key predictions regarding employee productivity
Here are 5 key predictions regarding employee productivity:
1. Remote Work is Here to Stay
This has become evident now. A recent study by Robert Half found that 60% of professionals who transitioned to remote work achieved a better work-life balance with no commuting, and 74% wanted to continue working from home even after quarantine measures were lifted.
Employee productivity increased by 47% in March and April 2020 compared to the same timeframe the previous year, despite pandemic-related lockdowns and the rise in remote work.
One of the most significant advantages companies are experiencing with remote work is access to a broader talent pool unrestricted by geographical limitations.
As remote work expands, companies must empower their workforce to enhance productivity using the right tools, forecasts, and support.
2. Productivity Will Be Data-driven
Like many other key performance indicators in business, employee productivity will increasingly depend on data-driven insights. With traditional supervision methods becoming less viable, new metrics will help determine performance levels.
Companies have access to various data sources indicating workforce productivity and effectiveness, including work-related emails, calendars, calls, chats, and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) data; they just need to collect and track it.
Employers can understand how employees allocate their time and identify improvement opportunities by collecting peer feedback, management evaluations, and productivity data. Tools such as InterGuard, ActivTrak, and Time Doctor can assist in measuring employee productivity and attendance.
3. Employees Across All Positions Will Work Toward Business Goals
The responsibility for meeting business objectives will extend beyond sales teams to encompass all employees. Once employers can better track productivity data, they can establish appropriate benchmarks for various organizational roles. With less in-person interaction, employees will need new ways to demonstrate their engagement in tasks that align with organizational goals.
These benchmarks should be tailored to each department to facilitate meaningful comparisons, presenting a challenge in identifying appropriate metrics that capture employees' contributions in traditionally less quantifiable roles, such as finance or engineering.
Effective metrics may include activity levels on critical business applications—such as the number of emails sent and received, time spent on the document and email creation and editing, CRM updates, and the volume and duration of phone and video communications.
4. Honesty Will Foster Trust
Companies should avoid intruding on their employees' privacy through spyware, and employers must be honest when tracking their employees. Employees should ask how they’re being monitored and measured.
Trust is fundamental to successful working relationships, especially when working remotely. However, cultivating that trust will be difficult if employees feel that their employer is violating their privacy.
5. Competition Will Be Encouraged
To create a productive work environment, companies should conduct friendly competitions aligned with company goals, offering incentives for winners each week, month, or quarter. For example, reviewing weekly metrics can encourage team members to be more efficient and continuously improve their performance.
This is especially important for younger generations entering the workforce, who are accustomed to measuring their performance numerically and are motivated by results.
Just as social media engagement influences content creation, employees will prioritize tasks that positively impact their standing, especially when their efforts are visible to others. Additionally, incorporating lighthearted competitions unrelated to work can enhance team bonding, such as:
- Competing in online video games.
- Hosting an hour-long trivia contest (which can include general knowledge relevant to the industry).
- Playing "Two Truths and a Lie," where employees share two true statements and one lie about themselves, prompting others to identify the lie.
Conclusion
Employee productivity has transformed rapidly sooner than expected, often catching many employers off guard. Monitoring, measuring, and managing employee productivity helps companies integrate their workforce to adapt quickly and continue contributing to the organization, regardless of future challenges.
