Are you noticing productivity dips within your business on a day-to-day level? It could be down to your company hierarchy. But don’t worry – there’s no need to start firing managers or restructuring your entire workforce; after all, managers are leaders who build strong, confident teams who work together to drive results that benefit the company as a whole.

So, when it comes to company hierarchy, what are the factors affecting employee productivity? Well, it might be a number of things. Common culprits include:

  • Decisions made by management that aren’t communicated clearly to delivery teams
  • Lack of effective communication channels between management and employees
  • Lack of employee input in company decisions, which can lead to stifled creativity within teams
  • A (perhaps inaccurate) feeling that there’s no growth prospect within the team structure

You can disrupt hierarchy without going all Lord Sugar on your management staff. Often, when workplace structure affects employee productivity, you just need to make a few tweaks rather than knocking down the foundations your business is built on. Here’s how:

Recognise (and reward) your team’s talents and leadership qualities

Good management is about discovering talent and recognising leadership qualities within your employees, and helping them polish off those skills to enable them to work towards both company objectives and their own personal goals.

Having something to work towards boosts productivity, so from a managerial perspective, it’s all about making sure your team members know what they’re aiming for and, most importantly, that they have the talent and ability to get there. Let your staff know that their skills are important by giving them clear roles that they can take full ownership of, and give them helpful feedback that not only encourages them but helps them deliver the best possible results.

And hey, who said your employees’ capabilities and talents always need to be recognised in the workplace? Reward their hard work and strengthen inter-team connections by taking them off-site for a team-building experience. But we’re not talking boring, conventional and somewhat forced activities like bowling or trust falls. No, choose something different and exciting that will peak your team’s interest and encourage them to think a little outside the box.

For example, Escape Hunt is an immersive, gamified experience serving areas across the UK. Whether you opt for an hour of gameplay or a bespoke programme devised around your unique business issues, Escape Hunting will challenge your staff to flex their brains and work together to succeed. This refreshed sense of teamwork is sure to bring productivity back into the workplace, and everyone gets to have fun together. What have you got to lose?

Level the promotional playing field

The prospect of promotion is undoubtedly a productivity-booster, but how do you work out who in your team is ready for a promotion, and who needs a little more guidance to get there?  

Not everyone on your team will be super-vocal about their aspirations, so you might need to encourage some of your employees to talk about where they’d like to get to within the business. Regular one-to-ones with your team members to discuss their goals in detail will work wonders for productivity, especially if you can give them specific guidance on how to reach those goals and positive feedback on their progress so far.

Another way to help level the playing field is to share your own story. You haven’t always been in the senior position you’re in now, so reminding teams of this and giving them personal insights into how you developed your career within the company could inspire a wealth of productivity amongst your employees.