Productivity and Simplification of Business Processes

Name: Productivity and Simplification of Business Processes
Author: Susan Sherman

Learn how to simplify work processes to amplify productivity

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Course: On-Demand

(gentle music) Productivity can be defined by ratio of output and input. This ratio can be visualized as productivity equals a unit of output divided by a unit of input. The less input it takes to produce work, the higher the rate of productivity will be. There are two kinds of productivity. Workforce productivity is the amount of goods or services employees can produce in a given period of time. Individual productivity is the amount of work an individual can accomplish within a given period of time. For most organizations, higher productivity means lower operational costs, more efficient and effective delivery, lower prices, higher market share, and more profits. The following traits and tools can drive productivity in business. Investing in people, organizational culture, streamlined work processes, networking, collaboration, leadership competency, innovation, technology, employee engagement, strategies and goal setting, feedback and recognition. The following elements can decrease productivity, multitasking, noisy distracting workplaces, stressful situations, frequent meetings, micromanagement, lack of training, unclear expectations, high turnover, resource scarcity. Achieving high productivity is the result of many interacting forces. Motivation is the internal desire to accomplish something important to us. Managers and leaders should understand motivation theories and their related strategies. In order to promote success in performance, it's important to understand employees, including their social, physiological and psychological concerns. There are many formal theories of motivation. Let's discuss three of the most well-known motivation theories and their application in the workplace. Let's begin with Maslow's theory of the hierarchy of needs. Maslow's hierarchy of needs is based on American psychologist, Abraham Maslow's idea that an individual's most basic needs must be met before they can be motivated to achieve at a higher level. There are five levels within the hierarchy. Physiological needs must be met for survival, such as food, water, shelter, and rest. Safety needs are about protection, such as financial security, health care and job security. Belongingness involves building positive relationships and having a support system. Esteem is met through accomplishment and recognition. And self-actualization is the desire to achieve the most you can. To get the most out of your team, support your employees in other aspects of their lives outside of work. For example, try to offer certain benefits or working hours that will better accommodate employees to enjoy their lives outside of work. Next is Herzberg's two-factor theory. This theory developed by Frederick Herzberg is also known as the motivation-hygiene theory. According to data collected by Herzberg, there are two drivers of employee satisfaction, motivating factors, such as personal growth, job satisfaction and recognition, and hygiene factors, which are maintenance factors that don't necessarily motivate, but the absence of any can lead to employee dissatisfaction. This can include benefits, salary or job security. Leaders should pay attention to both types of factors. You as a manager will need to identify which hygiene factors, if any, are lacking and contributing to job dissatisfaction. Open communication can help you gauge the strength of these hygiene factors. Make sure to foster supportive relationships with your team by focusing on working conditions and a fair wage, this will help you motivate employees to ensure that they feel appreciated and supported. It's also important to focus on recognizing individual and team accomplishments, upholding a comfortable, yet productive working environment and promoting opportunities for career growth. Finally, Vroom's expectancy theory. Victor H. Vroom, a business school professor at Yale School of Management proposed a theory that people are motivated to perform a certain act or behavior based on the expected outcome for that act or behavior. The idea is that behavior results from conscious decisions to maximize satisfaction and minimize loss or dissatisfaction. For example, employees will work harder if they expect a reward, such as a bonus or being considered for a promotion. There are three elements to this theory. Expectancy, which is the belief that your effort will achieve a desired performance. Instrumentality. The belief in a reward for achieving the desired performance. And valence. The extent a person values a given outcome or reward. Make sure to set challenging, but achievable goals and reward employees with the outcomes and benefits they actually want. The key is to not assume you know what's best for your employees or what they desire, instead, schedule regular meetings to get feedback from your employees about how to better meet their needs.

Beginner Provider : Susan Sherman 5 Lessons · 26m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

In this module, you will learn how to recognize distractions and bottlenecks, simplify work processes, and measure productivity. The more simplification you can achieve in your workplace processes, the more productive your teams can be. These lessons will demonstrate how to drive productivity and apply theories such as Maslow’s Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs.

What You'll Learn

Identify distractions and bottlenecks that reduce workplace productivity
Simplify work processes to make teams more productive
Audit team organization, technology, and habits
Measure team productivity
Apply motivation theories including Maslow's Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and Vroom's Expectancy Theory
Recognize the traits and tools that drive productivity

Key Takeaways

The more simplification you achieve in workplace processes, the more productive teams can be.
Driving productivity involves recognizing distractions and bottlenecks, simplifying work processes, and measuring productivity.
Specific traits and tools can be used to drive productivity.
Productivity efforts can be informed by motivation theories such as Maslow's Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and Vroom's Expectancy Theory.
Auditing team organization, technology, and habits is part of improving productivity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

This module covers how to recognize distractions and bottlenecks, simplify work processes, and measure productivity, including lessons on defining productivity, defining simplification, auditing team organization, technology, and habits, measuring team productivity, and identifying distractions and bottlenecks.

What productivity theories will I learn about?

You will learn about Maslow's Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and Vroom's Expectancy Theory.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in business process, business process improvement, business process management, productivity management, productivity improvement, and team processes.

What are the learning objectives of this course?

The objectives are to learn which traits and tools drive productivity and to understand Maslow's Theory of the Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory, and Vroom's Expectancy Theory.