Workplace Issues That Affect Productivity

Ideally, all our workplaces would be happy, well-balanced havens of productivity. 

In reality, however, there are a lot of contentious issues that can slow down everyone’s desire and ability to give it their all. 

Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the biggest and most common drains on productivity, so that you can identify them in your own work environment and then get started on bringing their influence to a minimum.

Hostile Work Environment

In high-paced fields where tensions run high, it’s not uncommon for things to start getting toxic, says workplace harassment attorney Jeremy Pasternak. 

Symptoms of the toxic work environment include undue stress on you and your colleagues, and conflicts that can fracture your team into pieces.

When this behavior is fueled by whoever’s in charge — through a combination of favoritism, the team, rampant gossip, etc. — you and your co-workers can get burned out easily, and turnover will likely be high. Productivity, as you might image, won’t thrive here.

Excessive Workload

Even non-toxic work environments can see their productivity levels falter if everyone is overworked. If more responsibility is coming in than the team can handle, the natural outcome is that you and your co-workers get overwhelmed and tired.

In time, a consistent avalanche of work can kill everyone’s ability to concentrate and leave the team feeling burned out about their jobs. Good management can alleviate this, however, by making sure workloads are balanced and responsibilities are shared.

Lack of Clarity and Communication

Making sure everyone understands their responsibilities and what’s expected of them on the job is of the utmost importance when you’re trying to keep productivity high.

When your team knows what they’ve got to get done, they’re able to focus without distraction or wondering if their efforts are a step in the right direction. They’ll also have a better understanding of how their individual efforts fit into the overall team goals.

Poor Tools and Faulty Equipment

Would you try to dig a hole with a hammer? Having the right tool(s) for the job is essential to staying productive, but if your team isn’t equipped with what they need to tackle their responsibilities efficiently, they’ll be stuck spinning their proverbial wheels.

Make sure your workplace is staying up-to-date with everything you need for a job well done, and don’t cut corners on equipment unless you want to pay for it with reduced results.

Stay Productive

Keep these factors in mind as you evaluate ways to keep productivity up at your workplace. Support your team as best you can, and you’ll be more likely to get the best out of them.