Productivity is a big concern for UK businesses – growth has flatlined since the financial crisis, and the future’s looking less than inspirational. Predictions from the Office for Budget Responsibility show it could be another decade before the country reaches annual growth targets of 2%. Various factors have contributed to this sluggishness, many of which – like political uncertainty – are out of businesses’ hands altogether.
But this doesn’t mean employers can’t strive to boost efficiency at a company level. Small changes make a big difference. From shaking up internal practices to investing in productivity-boosting digital platforms, there are plenty of ways to improve employee productivity.
- Using a hosted phone system to work anytime, anywhere
The flexible working revolution means staff increasingly want – or even expect – to be able to work from home or on the road. This is a great way of building a culture of trust, and keeping employees motivated by accommodating a work-life balance.
But it’s not just staff who stand to benefit. Any employer looking to improve employee productivity should be empowering their team to work when and where they want to. This is especially important for small teams, who need to be more agile in their approach to communications.
Whether it’s a two-hour train journey back from a client meeting, or working from home to deal with a broken boiler, there’s a lot of potentially lost hours in modern life for companies who don’t give their staff the tools to work flexibly. Traditional platforms like fixed desk phones are still important – but to really maximise productivity, you and your team need access to mobile devices.
A hosted office phone system like Gamma Horizon combines fixed and mobile telephony, making it an ideal platform for workers on the move. Interoperability means employees can move seamlessly from device to device, working efficiently in whatever way suits them best.
- Scale up, roll out
Whether you’ve got two employees or 20, it’s likely that growth is a big priority for your business. Unfortunately, rapid growth can hinder productivity, as you and your team spend time adapting to the changing landscape and tools of your business.
If you really want to improve employee productivity during times of change, it’s important to minimise disruption by investing in easily scalable digital platforms. Gamma’s Horizon is designed to scale as you grow, with plenty of support (including 24/7 UK assistance) available along the way.
It also allows you to introduce new features with minimal effort – which is just as well, given that we’re always innovating to help you improve performance. When new features and upgrades are developed, they can be rolled out immediately. All of this means that your business will never outgrow your platforms, so you won’t face productivity-busting tech changes in the future.
- Tools that teach you to get better
If you really want to up your productivity, it isn’t just a case of having the best office phone solution – it’s about being able to analyse how your tools are being used to see what’s going on in the business and spot areas of inefficiency. Advanced management reporting is therefore an essential feature of a hosted phone solution, allowing you to measure how many calls you’re receiving and how they’re being handled. This data is invaluable for improving employee productivity and all-round business performance.
It can even be integrated with a wall board to give your business the power of real-time statistics. If used successfully, this is a great way to improve efficiency and boost productivity: it empowers you and your team to instantly develop your customer service, managing calls more effectively and analysing patterns as you go. You don’t just need tools – you need tools that teach you to get better.
Push for growth: improving productivity with Gamma Horizon
We know devices and software play a big part in how employees are able to carry out their jobs, so we’re always striving to develop our technology. Likewise, the process of maximising employee productivity has no end game – there’s no magical point to aim for at which you’ll reach peak efficiency.
But as a smaller business, we know you’re used to pushing for growth. As you grow, move forward with an eye on how you can maintain and improve productivity. Obviously, no one individual can tackle the UK’s wider productivity crisis, but there’s always room for improvement at your business’ level. Considering a hosted office phone system is a surprisingly easy place to start.
Learn more about how hosted telephony can improve employee productivity with Gamma Horizon