5 Things I Learned About Productivity From My Employees

Every company wants to maximize employee productivity because it directly translates into better business results. As a result, productivity is often seen as something that management must manage.

This usually manifests itself in various initiatives and policies imposed from above – management is inspired by the latest trends or research results in the field of productivity and quickly picks up on new trends, implementing them throughout the organization.

Anyone who has been through this process (myself included) will tell you that it rarely works. Why? Because productivity techniques and methods are almost never a one-size-fits-all solution. Productivity is a highly individual and context-dependent aspect of work that varies from person to person and role to role.

So rather than trying to impose some big-picture view of what productivity looks like, I believe that entrepreneurs should take the time to observe and understand the work patterns of their teams, and then respond appropriately by engaging with individuals and building on their strengths.

That’s just what I did — and here are five things I learned about productivity from my employees.

Related: Why Greece’s Six-Day Workweek Could Be Harmful to Productivity

1. Different people thrive at different times of the day

I am a morning person, and I was taught in my formative years that this was a key characteristic of a hard worker. It is still a popular narrative that you will see everywhere from LinkedIn posts to inspirational posters.

But the fact is that people’s productivity is greatest at different times of the day. I may be most productive at 9 a.m., but others can get the most done in the afternoon, when I’m already exhausted.

That’s why I encourage every business owner who can to take advantage of flexible working hours, namely by giving team members the ability to choose when they start and end their workday. In our case, people can start anytime from 9 to 11 a.m., which has a positive impact not only on overall productivity but also on employee satisfaction.

Forcing people to work in an unnatural way just doesn’t make sense.

2. Peak creative hours? Lunchtime

At DeskTime, we offer free lunch in the office, so the cafeteria is one of the few places where the team regularly meets. Work is rarely the main topic of discussion, but when it is, challenges are addressed in a much more creative and honest way than in any conference room.

Of course, it’s not just about the food, but rather the informal setting shared with the extended team. The lack of hierarchy, lack of etiquette and lack of pressure means that ideas that might otherwise be suppressed in a meeting can come out in full force – and are often exactly what’s needed to make progress on the challenge at hand.

In other words, there are many ways to maximize productivity, and as a team leader, you should ensure that productivity increases on all possible levels.

Related: 5 Insights I Learned Growing My Business from a Startup to a 500-Employee Enterprise

3. Clear expectations lead to higher productivity

Productivity at work is the efficient use of time to solve a problem. It is no wonder that if employees have to spend a significant amount of time understanding the tasks they are supposed to perform, productivity suffers. Simply put, if employees do not understand their tasks, they cannot perform them effectively.

That’s why one of the biggest factors in increasing team productivity is strong leadership combined with clear communication. When everyone is aligned on goals and expectations and fully prepared to achieve them, the workflow becomes much smoother.

No matter how much you focus on individual achievements, you will not be able to improve them if the underlying system is not working.

4. Regular breaks increase productivity

I learned this from my team over a decade ago when I observed that people who stopped for coffee every hour, played table football, and generally took breaks performed just as well—if not better—than those who didn’t.

Today, the science behind the value of taking breaks is well-established. We even did a study at DeskTime that found that the most productive people work for 52 minutes, then take a 17-minute break, which led us to create the viral 52/17 rule.

Yet I still regularly encounter business leaders who are determined to maximize productivity by maximizing time spent at their computers. People simply don’t work that way.

Related: 5 Essential Things Leaders Can Learn from Their Employees

5. Be careful what tools you use

Almost every business software promises more efficient ways to work that should lead to better productivity. It’s easy to get carried away by the hype, constantly reimagining workflows and fantasizing about how you’ll use technology to solve productivity problems and other challenges.

Don’t get me wrong—that’s what a leader should do. But always remember that your goal is to minimize overhead and friction for your employees.

It takes time to learn the tools and resources and integrate them with existing systems. Also, while the tool can take care of some of the processes for employees, employees now have to take care of the tool. Sometimes it’s a trade-off that only looks good on paper—if employees hate using something, it can backfire, no matter how much fat it trims.

In other words, getting feedback from your team on whether a productivity technology is actually increasing productivity is always worth it. And if it isn’t, ditch it.