Jason Kulpa on Fostering Employee Productivity

While there are many ways to accurately and efficiently foster employee productivity, there are also just as many ways to botch this process. Productivity can be a delicate trait to hone at first, and your approach will almost exclusively depend on the unique strengths and weaknesses of the employee in question. Avoiding common pitfalls will make this process much easier — especially if you have just stepped into a managerial position.

That said, here are several mistakes to avoid en route to creating stronger employee productivity.

Being too formal all the time
As a manager, there is a time and place for formality; it is the backbone of your company, the foundation that all workers must adhere, in some capacity, to keep the workplace exactly that: a workplace. That said, too much formality can be detrimental to employee productivity if unhealthily implemented. Make sure you take time to humanize interactions with your direct reports; ask them about their lives, schedule bonding activities when appropriate, and maintain a demeanor that will keep them feeling comfortable and supported. If you can achieve this type of relationship, everything will likely go much smoother for everyone involved. Work is work, but that is not to say work has to be cold and emotionless.

Not being transparent
Perhaps a subsection of the previous point, transparency is a huge variable in any healthy manager/report relationship. By not being forthcoming about important feedback, you jeopardize the growth of your employees while creating an unnecessary divide that may create additional issues in the future. Specifically, be as direct as possible about mistakes, conflicts with office policies, and general areas of improvement; these are the talking points that will make your workers stronger and more cognizant of what it takes to succeed in their role. You will create another layer of approachability along the way, too.

Forgoing individualization
Individualization is one of the most important factors to consider in employee development, so forgoing it essentially chalks up to lazy management. As previously mentioned, the pursuit of employee productivity encircles the process of constantly pushing the envelope and testing employee thresholds. In this same sense, push yourself as a manager to learn as much as you can about your workers, and tailor your development plans based on this information. During new employees’ first weeks of work, schedule one-on-one meetings to tease out immediate strengths, weaknesses, concerns, fears, points of confidence, and any other relevant factors that will help you individualize their work experience. Not only will this approach help with productivity, it will generally help your employees feel supported at a personal level from day one.

About the Author

Jason Kulpa is a San Diego, California-based entrepreneur, marketing expert, and philanthropist. He is also the founder of UE.co, a leading marketing and sales platform originally launched in 2008. Jason's years of experience have shaped him into a respected leader and innovator -- both in his field of expertise and in his community. He was named "Most Admired CEO" by the San Diego Business Journal in 2014.

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