3 areas to focus on to boost performance

Many factors can influence the effort that employees put in at work. However, there are three main areas of focus, according to a recent report.

Three Cues to Unlock Employees’ Optimal Performance by Gartner discussed the best methods for getting the most out of your workforce.

According to the report, only 41 per cent of workers are reaching optimal performance levels. Workers who don’t reach these heights are reportedly affecting the whole business as they’re less likely to contribute, which affects innovation, and are less likely to promote the company, which affects growth.

These issues aren’t purely the individual’s fault. Gartner revealed that just 29 per cent of leaders believe their organisation fosters the right environment to get the best performance from employees.

By increasing focus on path, pace, and progress, businesses can better encourage performance from their workers.

Gartner said this could be achieved by:

• Enabling autonomy
• Encouraging wellness
• Inspiring performers

The report also highlighted the three areas that are negatively affecting employee performance:

• Excessive workloads
• Fatigue
• Futility

This is where the three focuses come in:

• Path: Give employees guidance
• Pace: Focus on wellbeing by setting reasonable expectations
• Progress: Reward those who put in the effort

Gartner said that getting this right could dramatically increase performance. According to the report, employers who don’t guide their staff will only see a quarter of them reaching optimal performance.

Meanwhile, those guiding their workers can see the number of optimal performers double. Furthermore, proper guidance can increase attraction and retention.

Diversification of teams can also be a great way to help drive business performance. Salesforce discussed the benefits of diversity, noting that diverse workplaces are much more productive.

In fact, a report from McKinsey found that gender-diverse teams were 15 per cent more likely to outperform, and ethnically diverse teams were 35 per cent more likely to outperform.

The report said: “While correlation does not equal causation (greater gender and ethnic diversity in corporate leadership doesn’t automatically translate into more profit), the correlation does indicate that when companies commit themselves to diverse leadership, they are more successful.”

With these indicators in mind, leaders may benefit by taking advantage of the data. Guiding staff, prioritising employee wellbeing, rewarding those who perform, and diversifying staff are all great ways to ensure that teams perform to their best.

A productive workforce will reap the benefits across the business.