HR MANAGEMENT - The Most Effective Methods by Supervisors for Effectiveness and Productivity

The Most Effective Methods by Supervisors for Effectiveness and Productivity

by Diane Bacher , Demand Media

Good managers may increase productivity among employees.

Supervisors can increase their employees' effectiveness and productivity by providing a competitive work environment with clearly defined expectations, comprehensive job training and flexible job designs, and performance-based salaries.

Competition with Clearly Defined Expectations

A competitive environment can increase productivity. Supervisors can motivate employees by setting competitive goals for groups or teams, but they must clearly define targets, deadlines and the pre-determined objectives. According to Stanford University research, performance is based upon the weakest performers. Good management can drive competition by rewarding success, enticing the weak performers to increase productivity to achieve rewards.

Comprehensive Job Training and Flexible Job Design

Supervisors who provide comprehensive training with flexible job design will likely see increased productivity and effectiveness from employees. According to the the Institute of Personnel and Development, there are three main components for successful job design. Autonomy, whereby employees have the opportunity to enact work and take responsibility for problem solving. Variability, whereby employees must rely on different skills to complete the job. And quality assurance, whereby work products are verified against predetermined goals. All of these components are important, but employees must be properly trained and supervisors must oversee schedules to achieve increases.

Externalities

Several external factors affect productivity; according to Stanford University research, productivity is increased when there is a flexible labor market, in which it is easy to hire and fire workers, and geographic and occupational mobility with little government intervention. Though these factors may be beyond a supervisor's control, supervisors who rely on technological innovation along with flexible hours, contracts and pay scales can deal with these externalities successfully to increase effectiveness and productivity.

Performance-Based Salaries

The Institute for Personnel and Development found that employee incentives increased productivity. Supervisors that offer performance-based salaries tend to see increased productivity and effectiveness. Periodic reviews of work with rewards for performance will insure that supervisors attract and retain the best employees. It is important that clearly defined job goals are provided within appropriate time periods to afford employees opportunity for improvement to achieve higher salaries.