Workplace productivity driver 5 - Organisation of work

A well-organised workplace is able to get the best out of its staff and technology.

Organising work includes:

Making sure all employees understand their role in helping your workplace achieve its goals
Recognising and rewarding people whose efforts support your firm's goals
Regularly analysing work processes and workflows
Encouraging staff to make suggestions about how the workplace can be better organised
Regularly sharing information across teams, processes and networks

Productive workplaces have structures, processes and systems that adapt as things change. Well-developed systems and processes tend to result in staff knowing what is expected of them with fewer surprises, downtime and late finishes.

Shared information and excellent communication are features of well-organised workplaces.

There is no 'one size fits all' but our 'good employers' have a strong focus on ensuring that the workplace is highly organised, incorporating conditions of work, processes, documentation and communication.

Conditions of work are the result of work organisation:
"Show people how they can advance by taking on more responsibility and linking pay rates to this."
"We offer above-average pay and conditions, but expect above-average people."

Documentation and process management feature highly:
"With a comprehensive policy and procedures manual, someone can step in and run the farm."
"We have a very process-driven approach - this is the standard - we are in the food industry."

And communication binds it all together:
"Communication is the heart of managing people - we meet as a team every Monday - if I'm not there, there is a whiteboard with detailed notes on it."
"Building the team is central - HR systems and processes are largely informal - communication is all about what goes on face-to-face."