There’s no magic pill for significantly improving workplace productivity. It usually comes down to putting many different pieces in place and then waiting for things to click. At most businesses, managers and leaders focus on the most widely-known ways to enhance workplace productivity, and in the process leave other, often overlooked elements on the side. In this article, we’re going to focus on the elements that don’t get as much attention as they should, but which can, when put all together, have a transformative impact on an organization’s productivity levels.

Create a Productivity-Boosting Workplace

It’s not just how people work that impacts their output; where they work matter, too. Research indicates that employees are happier, more productive, and more likely to stay with an employer if the office they work in is well-designed and filled with natural light. In fact, one report from Harvard Business Review found that having natural light in the office was the single most important office perk to employees. There are multiple ways to increase the amount of natural light that can pour into an office, including ensuring windows are kept clean, adding mirrors, and using neutral paint colors for the walls. Do that, and you should find that the space is brighter — and that employees are happier.

Invest in Training

Employers have long known that equipping their employees with the skills they need to do their jobs can lead to productivity improvements. However, what’s missed by employers is how other types of work-related training can also encourage employees to work to their highest, most productive levels. Sending team members on leadership courses, time management courses, and prioritizing compliance training, such as Title IX sexual harassment and discrimination training, can help employees feel more confident and supported in the workplace, which in turn creates the kind of environment required to work productively. Ultimately, if the workplace dynamics are on point, then team members are much more likely to tackle their work with confidence.

Give Employees as Much Autonomy as Possible

While you’ll have your own demands and requirements from your employees, whenever possible, it’s best to allow employees to choose how, where, and when they work. Many organizations have adopted the hybrid work model to cater to the needs of the employee while also ensuring that the business receives the face-to-face time it needs to thrive. Still not sure about the merits of hybrid work? This article outlines how hybrid work benefits both employees and companies.

Provide a Wellness Stipend

A happy and healthy employee is a productive employee. While businesses can’t force employees to look after their well-being, they can actively encourage it by providing a wellness stipend, which the employee can then use for gym memberships, yoga classes, or any other health and wellness activity. In the process, the employee will be actively investing in their wellbeing, boosting their happiness and reducing stress, allowing them to meet their individual wellbeing needs — and that puts them in a great position for delivering their best at work.

Create a Psychologically Safe Workplace

Psychological safety is a big buzzword right now, and the fact is that an employee needs to feel like they are secure enough to speak up, but also to be autonomous. Workplace productivity can take a dive in the wrong culture, and if somebody feels unable to speak up, particularly if they’re in an environment that’s toxic or there’s even worse behaviors at play, it is vital to focus on psychological safety.

If an employee has to seek the help of a sexual harassment attorney or any legal support, this can potentially end your business. Psychological safety is one of those things that can take a long time to get right, but it’s a combination of really working hard at nailing down your values as well as ensuring that everybody practices what they preach.

The wrong employee who makes others feel uneasy or is a dinosaur in their attitudes could spell a lot of danger for your company.

When it comes to workplace productivity, there are so many variables that we have to ensure that as a business develops, we truly nail down those things that are not just about processes or outcomes, but are about people.