Ways to improve your IT Teams productivity

IT productivity is a reference to the connection between an organization’s technology investments and its corresponding efficiency gains, or return on investment.

With capital and labor frequently being scarce resources, it’s important to maximize their effect as a driving element in IT productivity. Information that reflects IT productivity can be estimated and measured to distinguish where IT frameworks apply their most prominent influence; that data is then directly linked to an organization’s resulting benefits. The CIO is generally responsible for deciding and advancing the business worth of the IT department, pushing for enhancements and supporting IT productivity.

IT productivity should enhance an organization’s growth and promote economic well-being. Investments that can contribute to IT productivity gains include hardware, software and expansion of the labor force.

Now, let us look at some of the ways to improve your IT teams productivity –

1. Set goals and be Agile –

   Have the team laid out objectives for the quarter and break the work into smaller parts that they can then self-allocate and manage.

2. Communicate goals, expectations and roles from the get-go –

   Provide your team with background information and the strategic vision behind [each] project, activity, task, etc. “Not only does providing more background and information motivate employees more, [it makes them] feel more engaged.”

Everybody in the group should know what the objective is that they are going for and what achievement looks like at the end of their journey.

It is critically important that every member of the team know and understand what they are a part of and why they exist as it relates to your organization.”

3. Provide tools and infrastructure that promote collaboration and efficiency-

   

   If you want to get the most out of your IT team, invest in the proper tools. Deploy incredibly secure, yet user-intuitive solutions that will cut down on manual hours and improve accuracy in identifying network problems.

4. Streamline workflow and reduce unnecessary tasks –

   Eliminating unnecessary steps keeps employee momentum moving forward, making us faster and more agile in responding to customers. If a task to be done does not obviously and directly contribute to the goal at hand, see if it can be simplified or omitted, and “ask the team for suggestions on ways to streamline the processes and what still-necessary tasks could be done by others.”

5. Hold regular team meetings but beware the excessive meeting trap –

   “We’ve found that by sharing the big picture [at month to month and quarterly meetings] it provides the entire team with a better understanding of what we’re attempting to achieve and encourages everyone to work together to achieve common goals.

Simply be cautious about falling into the excessive meeting trap. Plan regular team or department meetings for either once a week or once a month, and ensure that the day and time are reserved on everybody’s schedule.

6. Reduce reporting and don’t micromanage –

   If more than 10 percent of their day is spent reporting on the work they are doing, something is fundamentally wrong,” he says. “Constantly review and refine reporting to keep your metrics optimized.”

7. Provide real-time feedback, both positive and negative –

   Address issues or regions that need improvement secretly, and right away. Real – time performance feedback engages people to take responsibility for work, fabricates trust and tells them where they stand at all times.

8. Turn off distractions –

   Shut out working times department wide where instant messenger is wound down and gatherings are avoided. Having hours at a time of uninterrupted work can cause team productivity to soar.

9. Implement a smart pay-for-performance program –

   

   As a component of the pay for-performance program, individual employee objectives are attached to the Management by Objectives (MBO) program, which offers quarterly rewards for accomplishing the set goals.

In addition to individual objectives, colleagues additionally have shared goals, which encourage collaboration and teamwork. Representatives work with their supervisors to define their objectives, and, as such are occupied with the process and highly motivated to accomplish them.

10. Offer development opportunities –

    Give employees a chance to step up and take on a new challenge or increased responsibilities. “Not only does the individual benefit from the development opportunity, it shows the entire team that there are learning and advancement opportunities available, it also illustrates that as a leader, you’re willing to take chances, and that you trust employees will try their best to be successful.”

11.   Nourish them. Literally – There’s a reason organizations like Google offer representatives free food. “Try to keep your team well snacked. Sometimes we all just need a little snack break, whether it’s a piece of fruit or an espresso, to keep us going through the day, And “it is much more convenient [and productive] to be able to grab something in the office instead of walking down the street.”