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    Introduction

    In today’s competitive landscape, it’s more important than ever for companies to maximise workplace productivity. Your employees are your best resource for achieving this, however, unlike machines, they can’t simply be turned up or given an upgrade to make them work harder.

    Humans are complex, and all sorts of factors come into play when it comes to their output, including the environment they work in, office morale and the technology they use. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to manage these and improve productivity in the workplace.

    In this Guide to Workplace Productivity, we’ll teach you:

    • How to create the ultimate productivity-generating environment
    • How to boost office morale and make people love coming to work
    • How technology can be leveraged to increase productivity

    Let’s get started!

    Part 1

    Environmental hacks

    Sometimes, it seems like offices are designed for working robots rather than real people. Glaring fluorescent lights, cold, blank walls, uncomfortable chairs… And yet, somehow, people are expected to do their best work in these places.

    The challenges with working from home are different but produce the same results. Employees may find themselves working at the kitchen bench or dining table, surrounded by distractions. Or in an armchair with their computer on their laps and neck craned at an odd angle.

    None of this is ideal for producing our best work. In fact, the environment around us can actually play a huge role in how productive we are. You might be surprised at how effective a few simple adjustments around the office or your employees’ work-from-home spaces can be. After all, a full-time employee could spend up to a quarter of their week, maybe more, in that environment. At the very least, it should be a pleasant one.

    Shot from behind of a man working at a desktop computer. Office ergonomics are an important aspect of an optimised work environment.

    If you want to create an environment that garners higher levels of workplace productivity, there are four steps you can take:

    1. Office ergonomics

    According to Safe Work Australia, the Australian economy would generate an additional $28.6 billion each year if it weren’t for workplace injuries and illnesses.

    Musculoskeletal injuries and diseases account for more than half of serious injury claims (40% for traumatic joint and muscle injuries, such as a sprained ankle, and 16% for musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases, such as tendonitis).

    Poor ergonomics play a significant role in these disorders as repetitive strain and poor posture can cause fatigue and discomfort in the short run, and injury in the long run. Simply ensuring your employees are comfortable can go a long way to helping them operate at their peak.

    Individual ergonomic assessments are the best way to mitigate this risk, particularly when it comes to remote workers, who will have set-ups unique to their living situations. In the meantime, however, here are some quick tips for ensuring your employees’ workstations are properly adjusted.

    Working from home

    With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

    Quick tips for maximising comfort

    1. Ensure chairs have adequate lumbar support at the lower back and armrests that support the arms at all times. Arms should be able to rest at a 90° angle with the wrists straight.
    2. Monitors should be placed directly in front of employees, at least an arm’s length away to avoid eye strain, with the top of the monitor no higher than eye level. The keyboard and mouse should be directly in front of the monitor to avoid having to turn the head.
    3. Feet should be able to rest flat on the floor. If the desk height prevents this, rest feet on a stool or stack of books.
    Side view of a happy woman sitting in an ergonomic office chair at her computer.

    2. Diversity of working spaces

    In the post-pandemic environment, the role of the physical office, and CBDs more broadly, is changing. In fact, many commercial tenants are reducing their floor space to encourage flexible working and save money.

    As more organisations adopt hybrid working policies, employees are more mobile than ever before. It’s no longer necessary to be chained to your desk throughout the day – if needed, people can be easily reached via phone, email, or instant messaging apps.

    By allowing employees the freedom to choose where they work, they can opt for environments that fit the task at hand, enabling them to do their best work. In fact, a change of scenery can be a great way to get a fresh perspective and get those creative juices flowing. Here are a variety of working spaces to make available to your team:

    Quiet spaces

    Silence can be difficult to come by in a busy office, especially if your office is open plan. Providing people with a quiet place to concentrate or take a phone call can be a great way to boost productivity during those times when the office is particularly rambunctious.

    Standing desks

    While there’s been some debate as to whether sitting is the new smoking, it’s generally agreed that sitting for long periods of time is not good for your health. Standing desks give employees a chance to stretch and get the blood circulating, which can provide a mental boost. In fact, one study found standing desks could increase workplace productivity by up to 50%.

    Creative meeting rooms/spaces

    Forgo stuffy old conference rooms and replace them with smaller, more informal meeting rooms or spaces geared towards creativity and quick-fire meetings. Some companies supply whiteboards, others prefer flipcharts or painting an entire wall with chalkboard paint to create a large brainstorming canvas.

    Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when designing your meeting rooms and break-out spaces – after all, if you can provide your employees with engaging and comfortable work environments tailored to different tasks and working styles, they’re more likely to come into the office and use them!

    Working from home

    With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes.

    Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism.

    The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

    High, behind view of a man working at a large wooden desk. He has a laptop and extra screen.

    3. Relaxing break areas

    While you might instinctively want your employees on the clock at all times, humans are naturally wired to work better with regular breaks in order to reset and recharge our brains, so we don’t burn out.

    That’s why an inviting break room is essential to the office. Think comfy chairs, plush sofas and an adequately stocked kitchenette where employees can make a cup of tea or coffee. Plus, don’t forget lunch tables. It seems obvious, but many offices don’t have enough places for employees to sit and enjoy their lunch together, forcing them to sit at their desks instead. While this might seem more productive, it’s not great for morale or long-term output.

    In fact, providing spaces where employees can socialise has been found to promote cohesion, leading to a reduction in stress and employee turnover, and an increase in workplace productivity.

    Working from home

    With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

    The destination workplace

    The trend of the destination workplace is on the rise and can combat the 85% of employees who have cited disengagement from their work. A destination workplace is essentially a place where people want to be rather than have to be – a place designed intuitively with inspired spaces where teams can collaborate and make their work commute worthwhile.

    Working from home

    With increased connectivity and changing expectations in the workforce, working from home is easier and in higher demand than ever. While employers may have traditionally assumed that workers are less productive at home, the pandemic has proven that employees can be up to 48% more productive in their own homes. Allowing employees the flexibility to work from home not only improves workplace productivity but also cultivates staff loyalty and reduces sick days and absenteeism. The key is to employ technologies that enable staff to work productively from anywhere. Content Services solutions allow employees to create, edit and share documents efficiently and securely, ensuring they always have access to the right information to do their jobs well. Enabling remote collaboration also encourages more diverse, strategic and innovative thinking as opposed to working in siloed, isolated teams. Plus, it gives employers critical visibility over every single process, and it’s easier for businesses to assess how they can improve operational efficiency.

    4. Turn your office “green”

    While buildings designed with green practices in mind are obviously better for the environment, studies have found they can also have a positive effect on cognitive function, including productivity. Here are some helpful tips on how to “green” your office:

    Be mindful of energy and waste

    Did you know that a printer, copier or monitor in sleep mode uses just 2-5% of the energy of one in standby mode? Programming devices to move into sleep mode after 5 minutes of idle time can, therefore, add huge savings to your energy consumption and power bills.

    Similarly, once you recognise that evenings and weekends combined make up a full 75% of the week, you’ll actually want to start turning devices off at the wall as you leave. Just as you wouldn’t leave the office lights on overnight, neither should you leave devices running on wasted energy.

    Further green office hacks include:

    • Energy efficient lighting
    • Encouraging reuse and recycling of paper waste
    • Choosing sustainable suppliers
    • Ensuring larger waste parts (e.g. toners and cartridges) are recyclable to prevent them from ending up in landfills

    Boost natural light

    Numerous studies have shown that natural light increases attention and alertness, which can be especially helpful for work that is boring or monotonous. Natural light also helps regulate circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep patterns. Research shows that workers in “green” buildings have higher sleep scores than those in buildings that were still considered high-performing, but had not received green certification. And at the end of the day, well-rested employees are less stressed, take fewer sick days and are more productive.

    Bring in more plants

    Your little desk plant may be doing more than just adding to the aesthetic of your work environment. Indoor plants can improve air quality by reducing Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) loads by up to 75% and increasing oxygen to carbon dioxide ratios. They also contribute to improved creativity, mental and physical health and workplace productivity.

    A man working from home with his laptop and notebook. The room is full of pot plants.

    Part 2

    Office morale hacks

    A large factor in what makes employees happier and more productive is workplace culture and how this is reflected in their day-to-day lives. Often, it’s the things you don’t really think about – the things you think are just part and parcel of the normal working day – that can actually have an eroding effect on people’s morale, resulting in low productivity.

    Break the cycle and boost morale with these simple hacks.

    1. Make breaks a part of the culture

    Australians are working hard – perhaps even too hard. Research shows that full-time employees work 6 weeks of unpaid overtime each year. This means that the average worker is losing over $8,000 per year due to the phenomenon, referred to as “time theft”.

    When people are struggling to keep up with their workload, it can seem logical to work longer hours. But all this does is cause extra stress, leading to employee illness and absenteeism.

    Studies have found that working less may, in fact, be the solution. A four-day working week trial has actually been found to increase workplace productivity and staff well-being.

    What’s more, in order to operate at our peak, we need regular breaks to recharge our brains, regain focus and allow new insights to form. Yet, although most people understand this intuitively, one in three people don’t take a proper break from work (and even when they do, many people eat lunch at their desks).

    Taking appropriate breaks not only needs to be actively encouraged – it needs to become an integral part of the workplace culture. Senior members of the company can lead by example, taking a walk around the block, or eating lunch outside or in the breakroom. This can give employees the ‘permission’ they need to leave their desks instead of feeling the pressure to always be ‘on’. Managers can also check in with their employees and encourage them to take breaks when they need to. This will help convey to staff that this is a well-being practice that the organisation is committed to.

    A man and his dog sit at a piano. The man is joyful as he hugs and kisses his dog.

    Outside of lunch breaks, though, there are a few other break techniques that employees can use to maximise their productivity.

    Break Techniques

    The 90-minute Block Technique


    Professor K. Anders Ericsson and his colleagues at Florida State University studied a range of elite performers, including athletes, musicians, actors and chess players. What they found was that the best performers typically practice in uninterrupted sessions lasting no more than 90 minutes. Typically, they would start in the morning and take a break between sessions. They would rarely work for more than four and a half hours on any given day.

    This 90-minute interval may be effective because it works in line with our “ultradian rhythm”. Over 50 years ago, sleep researcher Nathan Kleitman found that while we sleep, our bodies progress through the five stages of sleep, from light to deep, over 90-minute periods. What is less known is that he also observed that our bodies follow the same rhythm during the day, moving from high to low alertness. This is our ultradian rhythm.

    By mapping our work onto our ultradian rhythm, we can take advantage of our natural periods of alertness to work at a high intensity, and use those periods of low alertness to renew ourselves, physically, mentally and emotionally.

    The 52-17 Technique


    The 52-17 Technique comes from a study by time-tracking software company Desk Time. They collect an astounding amount of data (5.5 million logged records per day) about how people use their time. In one study, they isolated the top 10% of most productive employees to see how these high performers spent their time.

    What they found is that the most productive people work for 52 minutes, then break for 17 minutes.

    The reason these top performers are able to get so much done, according to Desk Time, is because they work with purpose. In other words, during the 52 minutes, they dedicate 100% of their energy and focus to whatever task they are doing at that moment. Conversely, during the 17 minutes, they are entirely switched off from the task, allowing themselves to rest fully.

    A cheerful woman is on a video call. She has two laptops and is working from home.

    2. Stop the scourge of meetings

    Middle managers spend 35% of their time in meetings, while upper managers are stuck in meetings for an entire 50% of their work week. It’s no surprise, then, that two-thirds of employees say that meetings actually hinder their productivity, rather than help them.

    To begin with, a lot of meetings are simply too long, but because calendars automatically schedule meetings in set blocks (eg. 30 minutes), that’s what we go with. Instead of simply accepting the default, encourage employees to ask whether the meeting could be done in 15 minutes – or even whether it's necessary at all. Could a simple email or phone call suffice?

    Asking ourselves these questions can help to eliminate a lot of unnecessary meetings and save time that can otherwise be spent more mindfully. If a meeting is indeed necessary, be sure to issue an agenda beforehand and stick to it religiously.

    And if you’re really serious about stopping the scourge, why not try adopting a meeting-free day? A study by the MIT Sloan Management Review showed companies who designated at least one meeting-free day improved communication, engagement, autonomy and satisfaction among employees, causing an increase in productivity.

    3. Provide productivity-boosting perks

    Perks are a great way to show your appreciation for your employees, thereby cultivating loyalty and increasing job satisfaction. And you might just find they pay for themselves in increased productivity.

    Here are some perks to help you boost workplace productivity.

    Office yoga

    Offering free yoga classes at work can be a great way to get people away from their desks for a much-needed break.

    Yoga has also been shown to improve stress management, increase energy and mental alertness, reduce muscle tension from being sedentary for long periods of time, and generally improve health, leading to less illness and absenteeism.

    Gym memberships

    Similarly, paying for or subsidising gym memberships shows your company cares about the health and well-being of its employees. And employees who look after their health will perform better at work.

    Meditation sessions

    Meditation has been taking the corporate world by storm, with companies like Google, Apple, Nike and Goldman Sachs providing meditation rooms and offering their employees meditation courses.

    Meditation has repeatedly been found to reduce stress while boosting focus, empathy, energy and workplace productivity.

    Employee recognition programs

    A company culture that shows they recognise and value people’s contributions will have higher retention rates and lower costs associated with recruitment.

    Atlassian – among the 25 best places to work in the world – has a system where any staff member can give their colleagues ‘kudos’, which includes a gift and a handwritten card, for a job well done, without needing the approval of management. Around 11% of staff members receive kudos each week.

    They may also be awarded ‘big kudos’ for significant achievements, which may include a voucher for a fine-dining restaurant, a Red Balloon experience or even a holiday.

    Extra leave days

    If you want to take employee rewards and recognition to the next level, why not give them some extra time off?

    In addition to offering free yoga, personal training classes and daily meditation sessions, Australian company Swisse also gives its employees an additional “health and happiness” leave day every month on top of their usual annual leave allotment. According to Swisse, this type of reward and recognition creates an engaged workforce and cultivates a culture of high performance.

    Staff events

    Organising staff events is another great way to reward your employees for their hard work, while also fostering social cohesion and team building, both of which will encourage more collaboration and increase workplace productivity.

    It can be as simple as taking your team out to lunch, or as elaborate as organising a go-karting tournament – whatever you decide to do, just make sure that it’s fun!

    Create a culture of learning

    A culture of continuous learning enables organisations to upskill and reskill their employees for current and future skill gaps. This type of culture fosters open mindsets and independent thinking that encourages people to react with the speed, agility and flexibility needed to seize new business opportunities.

    Part 3

    Technology hacks

    While technology makes so many aspects of our lives easier, too often, it can also work against us. Could technology – or lack thereof – be having an impact on your organisation’s productivity?

    These workplace hacks might just transform the way your team functions.

    1. Audit workplace devices

    Technology is crucial to the smooth operation of any workplace – and this is never more apparent than when it is not functioning properly.

    We’ve all had experiences with printers going on the fritz, photocopiers malfunctioning or computers running painstakingly slowly. Not only are these experiences extremely frustrating for your employees, adding more stress to their day, but dealing with malfunctions can also take up a significant amount of time, making them real productivity killers.

    Your employees need the right tools in order to do their jobs properly, and they need those tools to operate well. So if you’ve been putting off upgrading computer equipment, printers or other devices because “they work just fine”, consider what those devices are costing you in lost productivity.

    A woman stands near a window in an office environment. She is holding her phone but looking away.

    Additionally, many studies have found that technology adoption and digitisation can increase economic output and workplace productivity. So while upgrading devices like printers might seem like a significant upfront cost, the return on investment will make up for this in the long term.

    Start by completing an audit of the computers, printers and other devices necessary for daily operations, and assess their age and functionality. Ask your employees directly how they think the devices they use every day are performing, and what technology they think might make their day-to-day work lives a little easier.

    You can also bring in professional support to help implement or manage your tech stack. For example, Kyocera offers managed print services where we take responsibility for the smooth operation of printers and multifunction devices in your organisation. This includes remote monitoring capabilities that identify if there is an issue – often before you do – meaning higher device uptime and increased productivity, while you don’t lift a finger!

    A businesswoman leans over the shoulder of a seated businessman to show him something on her phone.

    2. Adopt collaboration tools

    According to Atlassian, the average employee receives 304 business emails every week, checks their email 36 times an hour, and spends 16 minutes refocusing after handling incoming emails. They also field 56 interruptions and spend 2 hours recovering from distractions every single day. That’s a lot of lost productivity right there.

    Online collaboration tools like Basecamp, Slack and Confluence can help. These tools allow you to keep all projects in a central location so that team members can easily keep track of where projects are at and avoid wasting time searching through inboxes and files for documents. It also helps to simplify workflows as team members can manage their daily tasks by assigning to-dos, which helps prioritise their work and stop the barrage of emails.

    The in-built reporting tools in these apps can also be useful for managers, particularly those managing large teams. With the ability to quickly generate detailed reports, less time is spent reporting on results and more time improving them. This is also an excellent way of quantifying productivity – something that can be particularly challenging when it comes to knowledge-based work. However, it is essential if you are serious about improving workplace productivity. This way, you can tell if all the initiatives you are implementing are actually paying off!

    3. Adopt automation tools

    According to a 2019 McKinsey Global Institute report, automation is estimated to raise productivity and economic growth by up to $4 trillion by 2030. But unlike some people assume, this growth is predicated on people working alongside automation. In other words, it’s not necessarily about machines taking away human jobs, but actually enhancing them.

    For example, invoice processing can be automated to reduce time and labour costs, allowing staff to work on more strategic tasks. Similarly, law firms can use artificial intelligence to capture and retrieve critical information quickly and efficiently. This automated feature saves legal staff from spending hours manually trawling through hundreds of pages of documents, allowing them to focus on higher-value work.

    By automating the more repetitive and mundane tasks, your employees are free to concentrate on the fun and strategic tasks – the stuff that actually gets them out of bed in the morning.

    Conclusion

    By creating an environment that promotes comfort and well-being, using morale-boosting techniques to make employees feel valued and appreciated, and ensuring they have the right technological tools to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, you can get your office running like a well-oiled machine.

    Be mindful, though, that what works for one business may not work for another. So before unleashing a slew of productivity hacks upon your organisation, consider your company culture and how these techniques might complement it.

    And be sure to put your employees at the heart of any productivity initiative by simply asking them what techniques they think will be the most beneficial. The techniques that will have the most effect are most likely to be the ones your employees are the most enthusiastic about.

    Are business silos holding your organisation back from maximum agility and productivity? Download our Breaking Down Silos ebook to learn how to overcome collaboration challenges and accelerate business growth in your company today.

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