3 Things Making Workers More Productive
Workers say technology is not the only reason they are more productive.
Overall, 70 percent of office workers and managers think they are more productive today than they were five years ago. Workers and managers alike credit mobile technology, collaborative work environments and the ability to telecommute with their improved productivity.
Despite increased productivity, workers and managers say there are a number of ways companies can help improve productivity in the office even more. Respondents say removing technology limitations and creating more collaborative workplaces would help improve productivity at work.
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The researchers also found that too many meetings and the temperature of the office also affects their productivity. Other factors hurting productivity are more difficult to control, though. Workers and managers both say that nice weather negatively affects their productivity as well.
"We're seeing a trend in the right direction, with 70 percent of workers and managers saying they’re more productive now than five years ago," said Tom Heisroth, senior vice president for Staples Advantage, which conducted the research. "Providing employees with the right tools and resources is essential to improving office-wide productivity."
Workers and managers also agree that the rise of bring your own device (BYOD) has positively impacted worker productivity. Thirty-five percent of workers and 54 percent of managers think that BYOD helps productivity. Despite those benefits, BYOD can also bring with it a number of challenges as well. However, companies can take the following steps to minimize the negative effects of BYOD, the researchers say.
Implement a strong password policy on all devices that "times out" every 15 minutes.
Use data wipe software with the ability to "wipe" the data off a device if it's lost or stolen.
Avoid saving data to smartphones and personal devices, relying instead on corporate servers.
The research was based on the responses of 250 office workers and 250 managers at companies in the United States.
Follow David Mielach on Twitter @D_M89. Follow us @bndarticles, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on BusinessNewsDaily.
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