Top Motivation Tips to Get More Done
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt unmotivated or uninspired at work or in your personal life. We’ve all been there. It’s normal to hit a wall where you aren’t feeling up to doing much more than binge-watching TV, surfing the internet, or scrolling social media. But unfortunately, your to-do list isn’t on the same page. Sometimes you have to find ways to power through feeling unmotivated and get back on track. With these tips, you’ll be able to jumpstart your momentum and make upward progress. We put together our top motivation tips to help you get more done. Whether you’re looking for personal motivation, remote work inspiration, or you’re a manager looking to motivate your employees, we’ve got you covered. Top motivation tips for work Need some inspiration to buckle down and focus on your own work tasks? Try these quick tips. 1. Create bite-sized milestones to help you achieve your goals When your goals are big (and sometimes unattainable), you may inadvertently demotivate yourself through failure. Break down your goals into bite-sized milestones and accomplishments that allow you to gain momentum over time. Using a framework like SMART goals (where your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound) can help you ensure you’re continuously making progress toward the finish line. 2. Set focused time and stick to it Research suggests that interruptions at work can cost up to six hours per day in time lost. Between task switching and adding more to your to-do list without checking any items off, it’s no wonder interruptions leave us feeling unmotivated and frazzled. Try setting focused work time and sticking to it. Block time off on your calendar (or use the new focus time feature if you’re a Google Calendar user). Silence notifications, change your status on messaging apps, and do your best to stick with the tasks at hand. You can even track your time to hold yourself accountable. 3. Plan your day (including breaks) When you lose steam during the workday, it can feel nearly impossible to jump back into things if you aren’t sure what you should be spending your time on. Whether you prefer pen and paper, your digital calendar, or some other form of organizing your tasks, allocate time to give yourself the gift of a daily plan. And don’t forget to schedule your breaks, just as you would any other task. Having scheduled breaks gives you free time to look forward to, which can serve as a much-needed incentive when the going gets tough. Top tips to stay motivated while working remotely Staying zoned in on your work to-do’s is always a challenge, but that never feels more true than when you’re working from home and surrounded by distractions. Use these strategies to tune out your home-based interruptions and get your work done. 4. Choose a dedicated workspace Curling up in bed with your laptop while working remotely might feel tempting, but getting too cozy can impact your motivation, even if you enjoy feeling comfortable and relaxed at the time. As best you can, designate a workspace in your home to help you set boundaries between work and your free time. If your home is small and you can’t dedicate an entire room to work, try to find an area (such as your kitchen table) for work-only activities. 5. Build a morning routine that works for you A recent study suggests that many enjoy working from home or at least in a hybrid environment, but it can be easy to fall into procrastinating starting the workday. Humans are creatures of habit, and building a morning routine can help you get into the flow and feel motivated first thing. Choose activities that will help you set the tone for the day, whether that’s reading a book over coffee, exercising, or spending some time with your loved ones. 6. Stay connected with others Remote work can feel isolating, and struggling with loneliness can make it challenging to stay motivated. Find ways to stay connected throughout the day, such as collaborating with colleagues and teammates via chat or video call for virtual team building. Consider dedicating time to check in with family and friends on breaks if you work alone or for yourself. Tips to motivate employees In charge of a team? Figuring out how to keep them on task without being a micromanager can feel like a tightrope walk. Here are a few tips on how to strike that delicate balance. 7. Recognize your team One recent study revealed that recognition is the most important driver of great work. Positive feedback feels great, doesn’t it? As a manager or leader, make sure you build in time to celebrate a job well done to keep employees feeling appreciated (and more motivated, to boot). 8. Trust your employees Micromanagement kills motivation, and little-to-no attention can be demotivating to employees. Instead, strive to achieve a happy medium in which you instill trust in your employees while also providing them sufficient support. Allowing your team members to do their jobs and offering a guiding light when necessary will help ensure employees feel valued and spur momentum. 9. Set a combination of team and individual goals Don’t let individual-level goals get lost in the sea of departmental goals or organizational objectives. While businesses need to set goals for their teams, employees likely want to focus on personal growth. Setting individual-level goals tailored to each person can be powerful and motivating. Motivational tips for personal success Of course, motivation needs to extend beyond your professional task list. If there’s a more personal ambition you want to achieve — whether it’s running a marathon or sticking to a budget — here are a few more strategies you can use to achieve those meaningful milestones. 10. Set goals you’re interested in Don’t set goals because you feel you should. Instead, choose goals that excite you and feel relevant to your needs and dreams. There’s nothing more deflating than feeling forced to work on a plan you don’t care about and trying to muster up the motivation to do so. 11. Celebrate yourself Personal success and goal setting can feel isolating, and the reality is that you have to be your own biggest fan. Rather than turning to external sources of recognition, create a reward system for yourself and celebrate your accomplishments accordingly. Acknowledging how far you’ve come will motivate you to keep inching toward your end goal. 12. Surround yourself with the right resources You don’t have to embark on the journey to personal success alone. Whether you need a community of like-minded people working toward the same goals or educational materials to help you succeed, utilizing various resources will help you stay motivated, especially in moments when you feel like giving up. Remember, it’s completely normal to feel unmotivated sometimes — we’ve all been there. Don’t beat yourself up, and instead, try some of these motivation tips to get the ball rolling and get more done.
What is the Employee Lifecycle Model?
2022 will demand deeper HR action on employee wellbeing, even more so than 2020. In this article, we’ll explain how the employee lifecycle model can improve the employee experience and why project management may just be the key to perfecting your company’s lifecycle strategy. Keep reading to discover how to help breed longevity, success, and excellent employee engagement with just a few simple tools. The employee lifecycle model explained The employee life cycle is a conceptual framework that explains the various stages of a worker's career. It helps track the employee's progress through various stages and provides employers with an opportunity to analyze data. This tool also visualizes the different stages an employee goes through during their time at an organization, from initial awareness to the day they leave. The employee lifecycle model may also be called the HR life cycle or simply the HR cycle. Different phases & stages of the employee lifecycle model The employee lifecycle model is about more than just the employment period of an individual. Similar to the customer journey, the employee journey from first contact to offboarding has its own unique set of phases and stages. HR personnel and team leaders should get familiar with each one because it will inform how they interact with employees (and potential employees), depending on where they are in the life cycle model. Paying attention to these details will ensure that each individual is valued and set up for success, whether they’ll be working in-person or remote. Here is what they are, along with why they’re important and the actions to take during each phase to ensure success. 1. Attract The first step in the employee lifecycle is all about attracting the right people. Your relationship with potential candidates begins when they first learn about your brand. This is why dedicating a portion of your employee lifecycle model to recruitment and reputation is so important. Not only does this help build a great product and consistent service, but it also helps retain and attract top talent. Action: Evaluate your recruitment materials with fresh eyes. Make sure social media accounts, landing pages, and physical marketing materials accurately reflect your brand while maintaining business continuity. 2. Recruit The creative recruitment stage is the second part of the employee lifecycle. It involves getting people looking forward to employment and developing a recruitment plan. This step-by-step process starts with the job ad, finding creative ways to demonstrate what your company does and what it values, and eventually leading to the hiring of a new employee. An emphasis on career development, brand prestige, and a healthy work environment is hugely important. Action: Map out potential career development tracks for leads so they get a sense of what the next one, three, and five years may look like at your company. Emphasize upward mobility, work-life balance, and companywide culture. 3. Onboard The onboarding process is a process that begins when a new hire accepts an offer of employment. It involves getting used to the organization's systems and expectations. Everything from the first day of the new hire's career to getting them up to speed with the systems, processes, and expectations of their role falls under this category. On average, onboarding may last anywhere from an hour to a week and is often the shortest portion of the employee lifecycle model. Action: Create an onboarding workflow that is easy for the new hire to follow and involves at least one executive-level manager on a personal level to better enrich the process. 4. Retain In this employee lifecycle model phase, employers must develop and meet the needs of the talent acquired in the previous three steps. You can choose to focus on keeping your top performers while improving on the strengths of others. The goal should also be to create a culture that encourages continuous improvement and development at every level. Action: Set up and regularly maintain systems for employee feedback both formally and informally. 5. Develop Now that you’re retaining a high percentage of staff, it’s time to further develop their skills, help them achieve their career goals, and support continued growth in all areas. This can be done through organized programs, scholarship opportunities for those going back to school, in-house mentoring, and skill development workshops. Having a clear path forward for the next few years will also help employees see how their own personal development will influence the success of the entire company. Action: Make a plan for what you’ll do to help employees grow and how you’ll do it. 6. Separate Separation means either one or both parties have decided to call it quits on your collaboration. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! This is an important step in the employee lifecycle and can be helpful if you practice great offboarding techniques. Offboarding is a process that helps an organization improve its employee experience. It’s also a way to build a better relationship with its former employees. As part of a larger strategy, separation and offboarding are often used to shape the last impressions of the employees before they leave. The goal is to make them feel like they are left with a satisfying last impression that may interest them in returning to or recommending your business to other potential employees in the future. Action: Like onboarding, offboarding should follow a template workflow that is easy to follow and loops in someone higher up in the company to help them leave on a good note. Advantages of an employee lifecycle strategy An employee lifecycle strategy makes a company's time with an employee easier and less stressful. It also helps evaluate an employee's performance over time. For managers, mapping out the employee journey helps you improve both your reputation and talent retention. It will also go a long way toward improving employee health and wellbeing while they are with your company. As you know by now, developing and training employees is an essential part of the employee lifecycle. It can help them improve their skills and knowledge, and it can also benefit the business by ensuring top talent stays in your business. Maintaining an effective employee lifecycle strategy can help boost employee engagement and provide them with the necessary training to excel in their roles. How to measure and improve the employee lifecycle It may be challenging to capture data on the employee lifecycle journeys at first. However, key indicators such as average employment duration and anonymous employee feedback surveys will go a long way. Another useful metric is the retention rate. A simple formula to determine the retention rate of an employee is by dividing the number of people working for you by the end of the year. As you measure progress over time, consider documenting your efforts the same way you track tasks for team management. It’s important to describe your HR activities in the form of a flow chart or a chart during the employee lifecycle. Doing so helps map out your employees' journeys and gives you more context when analyzing KPIs. As you map out your HR journey, pay attention to the questions that you cannot answer completely. These will help you identify areas of concern that can affect the employee experience. This list will also provide great ideas for survey questions down the road. How Wrike can help manage your employee lifecycle journey Project software like Wrike can help HR professionals and team leaders improve the efficiency of their work by allowing them to focus on the needs of their employees without sacrificing productivity in other areas. HR project software is commonly used for various tasks, such as planning, onboarding, and employee training. In Wrike, teams can collaborate and communicate across departments at every stage of their employee lifecycle journey. Another advantage of using Wrike is that it can help increase teamwide productivity. It eliminates the need to manually update email chains and other time-consuming tasks, which can easily decrease the quality of life for employees on the job. Agile HR methods are flexible and can help you get started with a project without missing a beat. Wrike's robust project management software can also help you track and manage multiple tasks, including creating one task for each individual. It can also create and track project budgets for recruitment activities and employee enrichment programs. If you’re working as a team to improve your employee lifecycle model, Wrike's ability to create to-do lists with public and private tasks makes it easy to add collaborators while still keeping tasks with the sensitive information in compliance. You can also attach deadlines to individual tasks so that everyone stays on track. Use Gantt charts to map out the tasks and dependencies across multiple projects. For example, you can simultaneously interview multiple candidates while still polishing your recruitment materials for other roles at the same time. Wrike will even help you identify areas of concern that may affect the timeline and resources. If a person or resource is strained, you can easily spot the bottlenecks before they happen, which is especially useful in complex organizations with hundreds of employees to monitor and engage. And as the use of electronic employee scheduling and applicant tracking systems increases, it's clear that project management software like Wrike will be a must-have in the near future. Ready to improve employee wellbeing? Get started organizing your new employee lifecycle strategy today with Wrike’s free trial.
The 10 Best Job Perks That People Really Want
The infographic below lists 10 of the best workplace incentives you can offer your employees, and even names which companies are known for offering them. Perhaps it’s time to examine some other benefits that will help attract and retain top talent.
Employee Engagement Survey: The Productivity Gap
Wrike did an online survey of 5,000+ adults in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Australia, who work full time for an organization with 500+ employees. Discover what drives employee engagement so you can build a strategy that boosts productivity and grows your business.
How to Promote Positive Mental Health in the Workplace
Here’s the truth: Our careers and mental well-being are closely related, with 58% of employees saying work has at least a moderate impact on their mental health. Yet, many workers feel like they need to be tight-lipped about this. In fact, that same survey found that nearly 40% of employees said they’re not at all comfortable discussing their mental health at work, and another 26.3% said they’re only slightly comfortable bringing this up. You wouldn’t expect employees to act like everything is “business as usual” if they recently had surgery or had a horrible case of the flu. Yet, mental health issues in the workplace still carry a stigma, which means they’re often swept under the rug. That’s not the right approach. Mental health in the workplace (and remote work mental health) is important, and it’s up to leaders and managers to promote a culture that prioritizes and supports the mental well-being of its employees. How? Let’s talk about it. Why is mental health important at work? Why should mental health issues be a core focus for your organization? Well, to put it simply, because you care about your employees and their wellbeing. Their physical, emotional, and mental health needs to be at the top of your priority list if you want to foster a positive culture and a thriving team. That human-to-human compassion should always rank above financial performance or productivity incentives. However, ensuring the mental health of your employees offers a number of other benefits for your employees and organization as well. As the World Health Organization explains, workplaces that actively promote mental health of employees and offer adequate support are far more likely to: Reduce absenteeism Increase productivity Experience economic gains Especially given recent pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic when 70% of workers admit they feel more stressed than at any other point in their entire career, employers need to follow managing remote employees best practices. How to spot mental health issues in the workplace The National Alliance on Mental Illness shares that mental health conditions run the gamut from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more. That’s why symptoms of mental health problems will vary depending on what an employee is specifically dealing with. However, when it comes to noticing employees who are struggling with their mental health, it can be helpful to look for: Decreased performance and productivity Reduced enthusiasm and engagement Difficulty concentrating on conversations and in meetings Irritability toward you and others Negativity toward their work and responsibilities Consistently low mood — measuring mood changes with an Agile Niko-Niko calendar can indicate this Keep in mind that this isn’t an exhaustive checklist. Indicators can vary from employee to employee, and it’s ultimately not your job to play doctor and diagnose employees. Rather, it’s smart to keep an eye out for these signs so that you know when you might need to offer more support, provide resources, and further promote mental health within your team and company. So, let’s talk about how you can go about making mental health a priority within your organization. Here are five tips to prove to your team that you’re invested in their mental well-being. 1. Offer benefits that support mental health You need to start with the basics. All of the candid conversations and team-building exercises won’t mean anything if the right foundation isn’t in place. But, unfortunately, 18.3% of respondents in one survey conducted by Paychex said their employer doesn’t offer mental health benefits. 28.8% of respondents rated their company’s health benefits and resources as “poor.” As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, supporting employees starts with ensuring your company offers things like: Health insurance with no or low out-of-pocket costs for mental health counseling and medications Free or subsidized clinical screenings, counseling, or coaching programs Employee assistance programs (EAP) Employee support groups Flexible schedules or opportunities to take mental health days Assessment tools, apps, and other mental health resources By making these things available to your employees, you empower them to take control of their mental health — not just in the workplace, but outside of it too. 2. Adequately train supervisors and managers Your company’s supervisors and managers are the ones who are the most in touch with their teams, so they should have their antennae up for any red flags of burnout or other mental health issues so that they can offer support when necessary. Don’t expect them to know exactly what they should be looking for — it’s your organization’s responsibility to provide adequate training. This can include: Pamphlets, books, videos, and other learning materials Seminars or lectures from mental health professionals Roundtables where they can share advice and tips This equips them with the knowledge and information they need to keep their finger on the pulse of their team’s emotional and mental well-being, as well as their own. 3. Make resources available to your entire team Those mental health resources shouldn’t just be offered to your managers — they can be helpful for your entire team. Store them somewhere that’s organized and accessible to your entire staff, so that people can get those resources when they need them. Keep in mind that not everybody will be comfortable approaching a manager or HR representative when they want to get their hands on this information, so it’s best if all of your employees can access those resources on their own without help or intervention from someone else. 4. Remember work-life balance More than 40% of employees admit that they’re neglecting other aspects of their life because of work, which can increase their vulnerability to mental health issues. Yet, 55% of employees agreed with the statement, “I am afraid of getting punished for taking a day off to attend to my mental health.” Obviously, there’s a gap that needs to be bridged here, and offering mental health days is a great place to start in terms of ensuring better work-life balance. One way to do this is to simply offer enough “personal days” for your employees to use. Whether they need to go to the dentist, have a horrible cold, or need a day off to mentally decompress and reset, these days allow them the time they need (without having to give a thorough explanation of why they need time off). If and when an employee explains that they want some time to tend to their mental health, make your best effort to give them the time they need and avoid asking invasive questions or flooding their inbox with requests while they’re out. 5. Have candid conversations As long as people continue to keep their lips zipped about the importance of mental health, there will always be a stigma around it. So, one of the best ways to get your team more comfortable with talking about their mental state is to model that behavior. This will require that you and any other company leaders get vulnerable and open up about some of your own struggles and emotions. However, it’ll send the message that you have an open, honest, and supportive environment where people can bring their whole, imperfect selves to work. Additionally, as a leader, don’t neglect the importance of genuinely checking in with your employees — especially about their obligations and passions outside of the office. 23% of employees say that they think it’s a problem that their managers don’t ask about their lives outside of work. Mental health promotion strategies you can do remotely Maintaining positive mental health on your team is always a challenge, but it becomes extra tough when you’re all working remotely. You lose some connection and a sense of togetherness, which makes this sensitive topic trickier to address. The good news is that all of the strategies we outlined above can be used with a remote team. In addition to those, here are a few other things to keep in mind: Check in with employees frequently: When you aren’t co-located, it’s harder to pick up on emotions and nonverbal cues. Make sure you’re checking in with employees one-on-one more frequently than you would in a traditional office environment. Practice and model good boundaries: Work-life balance is a key part of positive mental health at work, and managers should lead by example when it comes to setting boundaries. They should honor set “shutdown” times, avoid emailing late at night or on weekends, and generally show employees what it looks like to maintain adequate balance. Find creative ways to connect: The sense of isolation that comes from working remotely can exacerbate some mental health problems. From virtual happy hours or trivia contests to Slack channels where employees can share tips and resources, find creative ways to keep your work bonds strong. Don’t be afraid to ask your team if they have any ideas for things you should implement! Creating policies for mental health engagement at work Mental health is crucial, but it can also be a somewhat awkward or sensitive topic for your company to address. You don’t want to turn a blind eye or sweep things under the rug, but you also don’t want to make employees feel like they aren’t valued or noticed. A documented mental health policy is helpful for demonstrating your commitment to employee well-being, while also giving everybody a single source of truth for the steps your company takes to address mental health. At the bare minimum, your mental health policy should include: Your policy’s goals, such as removing the stigma around mental health or fostering a supportive, inclusive culture Your company’s actions, such as what steps you’re taking to prioritize mental health or how you’ll address mental health risks like overwhelming workloads or a toxic work culture Your resources, including links and information about the different programs and options that are available to employees This policy will turn out best if you treat it as a collaborative process and source opinions and feedback from fellow leaders, employees, your HR department, and even mental health professionals you can connect with. Mental health matters at work and outside of work The conversation about mental health in the workplace has been gaining more attention in recent years. That’s for good reason: mental health has a big impact on our work, and our work has a big impact on our mental health. With that in mind, the mental health of employees isn’t something that employers can write off as a personal problem or not their responsibility. Use this as your guide to promote positive mental health in the workplace so you and your entire team can benefit from a more supportive and honest work environment.
How to Avoid Poor Communication Skills at Work
Poor communication skills in the workplace often lead to missed project deadlines, unproductive teams, and client complaints. In this article, we’re giving you a cheat sheet you can use to identify and avoid poor communication skills at work. Help both your teams and your stakeholders succeed with these practical solutions to common miscommunications outlined below. Afterward, keep reading to learn more about how Wrike’s project management tool makes staying on top of communication effortless. What is miscommunication? Miscommunication is a type of communication breakdown that occurs when one party can't provide the proper information to another party for any number of reasons. It’s not always obvious when a miscommunication occurs. Sometimes the realization happens in the moment, so the person can correct themselves. But more often than not, one or both parties don’t realize the error until after something has gone wrong. What are the different types of miscommunication? Mistakes: Think typos, incorrect information, or simply forgetting to CC another team member on an important message. Bad writing: Overly verbose messages and complex words or phrases often create more problems than they solve. Time changes: Employees in different time zones need clarity around deadlines and meeting scheduling that other teams normally wouldn’t. Cultural differences: One person’s email may seem professional and direct to someone from one culture, yet cold and rude to someone from another. Language barriers: If you have native speakers and non-native speakers working together, chances are there will be a mistranslation from time to time. Unspoken expectations: Lack of clear vision or communication of everyone’s responsibilities can lead to finger-pointing down the line. Over- or under-managing: Leaving employees to fend for themselves and micromanaging their every move are both counterproductive to healthy communication. Lack of transparency: Giving team members access to big-picture progress reports and related data is important to effective communication in project management. Assumptions: Even small assumptions, such as thinking an employee will definitely be present and on the clock next week, can cause common project management challenges once you find out you’ve planned a major deadline on the same day as their PTO. Workplace customs: For example, in some offices, the longtime employees know that arriving to a meeting five minutes early is expected, while others may be used to more lax timing. What are the common causes of poor communication? From the top down, good communication is key to attracting and keeping good employees. Unfortunately, many leaders are not as good at communicating as they should be. The good news is that managers can easily adjust their actions to better align with their goals by following this simple communication red flag checklist: Ignoring interpersonal conflicts Whether it’s an office romance turned sour or an environment in which employees simply don’t like one another, interpersonal communication plays a large role in project success. Even if your team doesn’t have natural chemistry, it’s leadership's job to help them get along. Not sharing the big picture It's powerful for businesses to have goals and objectives, as they help employees focus on achieving desirable results. The issue is that many organizations fail to provide clear and consistent direction to their employees. Forgetting to give praise and constructive criticism Feedback is often provided by a project manager to help people understand their performance. It provides vital information to make important business decisions in the future. Top performers regularly utilize feedback to improve their work performance. Point out good behaviors to employees too so that those actions become habits for them in the future. Not prioritizing employee morale When employees lose interest in their work, they are often considered demoralized. This can lead to an employee becoming irritable and unproductive, which can affect companywide performance. Restoring employee morale involves reevaluating the culture and thinking about how to create a conducive environment for employees to thrive. Failing to acknowledge differences As more people choose to work in diverse environments, this has raised the potential for communication issues. For instance, one person from a certain background may relay a message differently to another person from a different background. HR training and mediation are key for solving these miscommunications before they get out of hand. What are the consequences of a lack of communication in the workplace? The consequences of a lack of communication in the workplace are challenging to measure because there are lots of direct and indirect ways it will impact teams. Circumstances matter too. But in general, what we know for sure is that poor communication skills at work are never positive. According to USA Today, “28% of employees cite poor communication as the reason for not being able to deliver work on time”. Imagine creating the perfect project plan, avoiding and minimizing roadblocks, only to discover completely preventable issues such as miscommunication have derailed your team. Removing the possibility of poor communication from the equation improves project delivery, but it also makes dealing with those other issues so much simpler. Another study by SHRM pointed out that miscommunication within projects was one of the most costly mistakes a business can make. Their research showed “the average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication to and between employees”. There may already be examples in your projects of this happening on a small scale. Issues such as incorrect orders, waiting around for other people to make decisions, and even missing a single client email can cost hundreds of dollars for the smallest of businesses. If there’s an issue with your profits, chances are it can be traced back to poor communication in some form or another. And last but not least, one of the biggest consequences of a lack of communication in the workplace is the destruction of employee morale. A Gallup Journal article pointed out that growth and revenue largely depend on communication between companies and their employees. In fact, “74% of employees have the feeling they’re missing out on company news because the internal communication department is non-existent or doing a poor job.” And when employees feel disconnected from a company’s purpose, they are often disengaged, unproductive, and unmotivated. Examples of poor communication in the workplace Poor communication planning Bad business communication occurs when a company doesn't have a system in place to deal with incoming orders. Without communication with the customers, the company is likely to lose business. One-way streets A one-way street in this context is when a member of the team only contacts their business associates when they need a favor or some ideas. This behavior undermines their communication skills and breeds distrust or resentment among the rest of the group. Cold shoulders A cold shoulder is the equivalent of ghosting someone in the workplace. It typically looks like a person intentionally or unexpectedly declining to respond to calls or emails sent by another team member, manager, client, or stakeholder. Passive-aggressiveness Team members who are passive-aggressive deliberately avoid interacting with their co-workers. This behavior can be caused by intentionally avoiding a co-worker or making off-color remarks that undercut someone else’s efforts. Outright aggression Intimidation tactics can create a toxic work environment. Examples include ultimatums, placing blame on others, and threats to an employee’s financial livelihood. Not only is this unethical, but it also leads to high turnover rates. Placing blame on others A failure to accept responsibility for one's actions shows a lack of responsibility. Believing that others are responsible for their actions shows a lack of compassion and understanding. Neither is productive in the workplace. Poor listening skills Leaders and employees who fail to listen to others are not only disconnected from their conversations but are also engaging in poor communications. In general, these behaviors can have a negative effect on how people feel about their colleagues and team leaders. While many of these scenarios aren’t too difficult to avoid, they can add up over time. Some of these actions may not be considered offensive or aggressive on their own. But letting them pile up can create hostility among collaborators over time. Even if you can’t micromanage every email, text, and call, you can put tools in place that make communication streamlined and transparent. How to avoid miscommunication in project management Agile development is a favorite among modern software-development teams that want to avoid miscommunication altogether while managing multiple projects. Agile tools such as Wrike help groups work together seamlessly and deliver results faster than those that follow other methodologies. One of the ways it does that is through clear project planning. Wrike enables you to structure and manage your work in Agile using visual data representations such as graphs and charts. Tools like ours will help you prioritize your backlog and set up sprints, manage your meetings, and report on progress. This allows individual users to organize their own personal workflows and prioritize their backlog for sprints ahead of time. Wrike also simplifies the process of updating team members. Its activity stream offers a live feed that shows all project updates. Other features such as automated notifications make keeping up with project developments seamless. Want to improve communication between clients and your team? Wrike’s work-intake forms are designed to help teams organize and manage incoming requests. They also help teams plan and collaborate on shared projects, finding opportunities for overlap whenever possible to save on resources. When it comes to getting work done, Wrike makes it possible for teams to stay organized. Individuals can update their workflows and share them with others. Doing this makes it easy for management to keep track of progress across the entire team. It also clears up any confusion around roadblocks, project updates, and the occasional PTO. Wrike also helps teams communicate with stakeholders. For example, users can submit bug reports to external stakeholders who can help solve the problems. Management can adjust settings into project plans so that partners have a peek into progress without seeing any information that is too sensitive. Even if you only use Wrike’s predefined workflows and dashboards that help monitor your progress, it’s a lot easier to avoid poor communication at work when you use our tool. Ready to streamline operations and improve productivity teamwide? Start your free two-week trial of Wrike today.
3 Advantages of Embracing an Informal Company Culture
Official memos. Oxfords and briefcases. Informal chit-chat in flat grey cubicles. If you’ve ever worked in for company with a strictly formal culture, you know just how drastically things have changed in the last decade. Casual dress codes, flat management organizations, drinking and swearing at work — companies have started to let loose a little in an attempt to adapt to the desires of a younger workforce and bring more fun to the work environment. Creating a vibrant culture that attracts top talent, inspires your employees and grows your company is leading many organizations to bring a more relaxed, spontaneous, and collaborative atmosphere to their offices. And yet finding the right balance of informality and professionalism can be tricky. Instead of simply planning happy hours and installing arcade games in your break room, focus on these three areas where a more informal—i.e., less rigid—company culture really count. Transparency & Honesty What does strong leadership look like? For many, it means looking like you have all the answers, navigating change with confidence, and being decisive when it comes to tough choices. 26-year-old founder Nathan Latka pushed against all that when his company Heyo was approached with an acquisition offer. Instead of holing up with his core executive team, he made the entire process public — not only to his employees, but to the one million monthly listeners of his podcast. To say it was a risky move is an understatement, to be sure. The lucrative offer may have gone up in smoke. But Latka points to some compelling benefits of being so open with his team: for one, they came up with ideas he would never have thought of and challenged his assumptions and blind spots. It gave his entire company the opportunity to learn from the process, and it gave him the chance to lead with questions instead of answers. Even when he had already arrived at a decision for himself, he went into meetings to listen and ask questions. The result: his team was more invested in the outcome, having spent time analyzing the situation and solution from all angles themselves. Plus, other people brought up opportunities he hadn’t thought of and often either changed or deepened his perspective on things. Good leaders know that open communication is essential for a thriving business. 85% of employees are unsatisfied with the quality of communication at work, and 81% say they would rather “join a company that values ‘open communication’ than one that offers perks such as top health plans, free food, and gym memberships.” It’s not always easy to let your team behind closed doors and admit that you may not know the best course of action, but the payoff is worth it. In the end, Latka's deal went through — and he even signed the letter of intent live on his podcast. Flexibility & Accountability You have to be willing to let your culture change as your company grows, and that requires flexibility. This doesn’t mean that you simply let your company culture define itself — you have to be proactive and intentional in cultivating the best work environment for your team. But you also have to be adaptable, and with more of today’s employees working remotely or requiring flexible schedules, that means reframing how you approach company culture (including remote work culture) and how you measure your team’s contributions. As many others have pointed out, the term “work-life balance” creates a false dichotomy where your work and the rest of your life are in competition, on opposite ends of a spectrum. Companies that recognize their workers’ personal lives not as an inconvenience or distraction, but as an opportunity to enhance employee performance and satisfaction, are able to create a culture of flexibility that results in truly engaged employees. When allowed to set their own hours, research has consistently found that workers are not only as productive as their colleagues with standard office hours, they’re happier, less stressed, and far less likely to consider leaving the company. With more team members working remotely or non-standard office hours, this can mean significantly less face time with colleagues and managers—and it can be easy for company leaders to tend towards micromanagement to ensure that work is progressing as planned and priorities are clear across the team. But micromanagement actually dampens your team's creativity, motivation, and morale. Making accountability an intrinsic part of your company culture allows employees to take ownership over their work and results, resulting in greater productivity, performance, and work satisfaction. Personality & Fun Southwest Airlines is famous for its personable flight attendants who crack jokes and sing songs during instructions and announcements—and for its people-first company culture. As Southwest’s president and CEO Herbert Kelleher says, “What we are looking for, first and foremost, is a sense of humor.” A fun atmosphere builds a strong sense of community among your employees, and it helps counter-balance the stress of hard work. Among companies noted as “great” in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, 81% of employees say they work in a fun environment. A fun work environment encourages free thinking and creativity, helps people build relationships across teams and departments, and encourages productive collaboration. How to Get Company Culture Right We asked business leaders and founders their secrets for creating a perfect work environment, from hiring to match your values to inspiring employees. Read their advice, then hit the comments to let us know what you think is the key to a thriving company culture.
4 Ways Leading Teams Avoid Employee Burnout With Wrike Resource
Solving employee burnout starts with equipping leaders with the right tools to help their employees manage their workloads with ease. You need tools to provide visibility into team workload, optimize team performance, and increase resource utilization. Here’s how Wrike Resource can help.
How Employee Motivation Differs Between Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials & Gen Zers
There are tons of employee motivation theories out there, which makes it tough to know how to get the behavior and engagement you want at your organization. Here are some ideas, examples, and ways both managers and individuals can pinpoint employee motivation.
How to Inspire Disengaged Employees and Manage Detachment
You have a rockstar employee on your team. They always go the extra mile, wrap up projects before the assigned due date, volunteer for new work, and always lend a helping hand. Suddenly, you start to notice that employee pulling back. They stop going above and beyond and barely meet minimum requirements, start missing deadlines, and act bothered every time you interact with them. Why the change? You might have a disengaged employee on your hands. Don’t panic yet. With a solid understanding of disengaged employees, how to identify them, what they cost your business, and how to help get them back on track, you’ll have your top-notch employee back in the groove in no time. What is a disengaged employee? Employees can exhibit levels of disengagement in various ways. But generally speaking, a disengaged employee isn’t enjoying their work, is unlikely to go the extra mile on any project or task, and may actively dislike the company they are working for. Even worse? Disengaged employees are sometimes known to spread negativity amongst other employees — meaning it’s important to nip disengagement and detachment in the bud. How to identify a disengaged employee The first step in addressing the problem is identifying disengagement by spotting the warning signs. Keep an eye out for these red flags and common characteristics of a disengaged employee: Employees withdraw or act disinterested. Disengaged employees may not become disengaged overnight. This change might happen slowly over time, and it starts with signs of withdrawal and general disinterest. Say you have an employee who always used to raise their hand and dive into new projects, but lately, they seem less likely to volunteer or avoid new work altogether. This is a common sign of someone who is becoming disengaged. Employees frequently become absent without prior planning or reasoning. Absenteeism is a red flag when it comes to a detached employee. If you notice that an employee stops coming to work suddenly or starts using multiple sick days back to back, your employee is potentially displaying signs of disengagement (although, of course, remember that they could actually be ill too). Employees miss deadlines and don’t seem to care. Disengaged employees likely aren’t striving for maximum quality and may not care if they aren’t fulfilling expectations. These employees might be doing just enough to keep their jobs or continuously ask for extensions on projects because they aren’t making any progress. If an employee’s productivity is declining, it can signal low engagement. Employees show a negative change in attitude. We all have bad days, but if an employee repeatedly acts out through rudeness, cynicism, or other negative feelings, this change in attitude might signal a larger problem. No matter the cause of the attitude shift, it’s essential to get ahead of this type of behavior before it impacts your other employees, or even worse, your clients and customers. Employees start defying the rules. Resistance to feedback and suggestions and refusing work when it’s assigned can be a sign of disengagement. Defiance could be an employee’s way of trying to feel heard or expressing their anger or boredom resulting from feeling disengaged. Sure, there could be other issues at hand like company-wide changes, for example, but constant defiance is a behavior that you should keep an eye on. How can employee disengagement impact a business? So, how costly is having disengaged employees? Disengaged employees leave their marks on businesses and can cause more of a ripple effect than you might realize. According to a Gallup report, companies with higher employee engagement see better customer engagement, higher productivity, better retention, and higher profitability by 21%. If that’s not convincing enough, another study revealed that disengaged employees in the U.S. cost companies anywhere between $450 and $550 billion per year. And when we look at turnover, a Korn Ferry study revealed that 33% of respondents cited boredom as their top reason for looking for a new job. So, when disengagement is severe enough, businesses have to deal not only with the cost of losing employees, but having to train new hires to replace them as well. How to help and manage detached employees Needless to say, employee disengagement has a big impact on businesses, from cost to culture and everything in between. With an employee engagement strategy and thoughtful plans for managing disengaged employees, you can help your detached employees and your business before it’s too late. Let’s take a look at tips for managing detached employees. 1. Communicate more frequently with detached employees Communication is crucial for creating a high-engagement culture. A disengaged employee may start communicating less with their teammates and manager, but increasing communication is a must to help them get back on track. Using a centralized tool like Wrike can ensure that your teams communicate and connect frequently. Keep in mind that communication is a two-way street, which means if your employee has feedback to share with you, it’s essential to hear them out and make a note of areas of improvement on your side. 2. Identify motivators and create a professional growth plan An employee might be tasked with work that isn’t motivating or exciting, leading to disengagement. Knowing how to motivate a disengaged employee can help you get them back on track. Spend some time with your employee, identify natural talents and hidden motivators, and see if you can squeeze in new work that aligns better for them. Maybe your employee is in a role that isn’t a good fit any longer, but there might be another role better suited for them within the organization. In this instance, you should follow the same process of identifying key motivators and where that type of work might appear within your organization. If a transition plan is needed, consider developing a professional growth plan together. Put that plan into a project management tool like Wrike to keep track of progress and hold each other accountable for the transition’s agreed-upon timeline. 3. Reward positive behavior and improvement Communicating with your detached employee and identifying an actionable path forward together provides the opportunity to see positive behavior change. That change shouldn’t go unnoticed. When you see a shift in behavior and your employee starts to become more engaged, pause and take time to reward the improvement you’re seeing. Consider asking your employees how they prefer to be recognized for their achievements in advance (such as when you onboard them), so you can recognize them in a way that’s meaningful to them. 4. Regularly conduct employee engagement surveys Employee engagement surveys are a useful tool to help you get ahead of disengaged employees by giving them an opportunity to share feedback and voice their concerns. Conduct surveys of your workforce at least annually to gather feedback and address areas of improvement on the business side. Be mindful of any concerns that multiple employees raise. When possible, follow up with employees who seem disengaged or frustrated through their survey results to get ahead of more severe levels of disengagement down the road. Disengagement doesn’t have to be an inevitability When you notice an employee is becoming more detached and disengaged, that isn’t the point of no return — instead, it’s the time when you need to step in and right the ship. Getting disengaged employees back on track isn’t easy, but it’s almost always more than worth the effort. Give all of your employees the transparency and visibility they need to succeed. Get started with Wrike today.
What Is Peer Recognition & Why is it Important?
At work, money doesn’t buy us happiness. Statistics show there is only a loose connection between the money we earn and job satisfaction. But it is possible to boost job satisfaction through one powerful variable: peer recognition. In fact, peer recognition is so powerful that it can deliver half the engagement of a salary increase at just 5% of the cost. Clearly, peer recognition resonates with us on a deeply emotional level. But why does it create such high job satisfaction, and how can you make it work at your company? What is peer recognition? Let’s start with what peer recognition isn’t. Peer recognition isn’t employer recognition. Employer recognition programs are rampant. As far back as 2012, some 75% of companies already had a program for recognition in place. Peer recognition is different. Peer recognition is the validation and encouragement you receive from other people, especially those you perceive to be credible, such as colleagues. And it’s this distinction that leads to feelings of acceptance and significance. Why is peer-to-peer recognition important in the workplace? Peer-to-peer recognition satisfies a different need than salary. A salary is important for practical purposes: feeding a family, maintaining a home, or saving for retirement. Recognition, on the other hand, hits employees’ emotional needs: the feeling that comes with having a positive impact on the world. Congratulations from the company is a nice benefit. But peer-to-peer recognition tends to have more credibility because it comes from colleagues and friends who understand our situations. Consider the benefits that come with peer-to-peer recognition: Employee engagement: Any form of recognition can help with employee engagement, even if it comes from management. A compliment on recently completed work not only reinforces good habits, but it lets employees know that their work was noticed — and therefore brings social context to that work’s meaning. Concrete productivity results: According to one study, peer-to-peer recognition programs are over 33% more likely to create better financial results for the companies that create them. Employee retention: Peer-to-peer recognition does more than provide emotional validation. It provides emotional depth, especially in deepening the relationships at your company. This leads to longer employee retention and better job performance, keeping employee morale high. In other words, peer recognition for one employee can improve morale for all employees. How to create a peer-to-peer recognition program While employee recognition programs are common at over 75% of organizations, only about 41% have peer-to-peer recognition programs. Why the disconnect? Many companies don’t know how to make recognition feel more organic at the employee level. It’s easier to initiate an employer-led recognition program and call it a day. But what if you do want to go an extra step and include employees in the selection process of these recognition programs? Set your goals and track your results: What is peer recognition without a goal to start with? You need to begin with clear, definable objectives if the program is going to be a success. Try working from an objectives and key results (OKR) template to bring clarity to your planning in the early stages. Involve your employees: You can’t do this in a vacuum. You’ll need a communication plan. But the more you do, the less it becomes a peer-to-peer recognition program. Involve employees at every step. If you’re creating an award, for example, let employees handle the nomination and the voting. Avoid ritualization: An “employee of the month” program is great, especially if you have employees who regularly vote on it. But if participation is low, chances are that the peers at your company won’t value the award as highly as you’d like. Make sure that every peer recognition you hand out is the result of honest feelings on behalf of employees. Announce the program and get out of the way: Whatever style you choose — such as an anonymous award nomination process — make sure that people know about it. Then, get out of the way. Let employees take ownership of the rest of the process through nominating and voting. The more you try to steer employees one way or the other, the less it will feel like peer-to-peer recognition. Peer-to-peer recognition examples and ideas Let’s get concrete about the ways you can thank your team with a few peer-to-peer recognition ideas: JetBlue’s internal award nominations JetBlue created a program in which employees could nominate a co-worker for their day-to-day contributions. Any example of extra effort was welcome. Once JetBlue selected a winner, the company would then share the news via its internal newsfeed and provide the winning employee with award points they could use toward prizes like dinners and travel benefits. The program succeeds because it’s organically peer-to-peer. Colleagues do the nomination. Colleagues get the rewards. And colleagues read about what the winner did to earn it, reinforcing the idea that extra work at JetBlue does not go unnoticed — either by management or peers. JetBlue recorded 14% increased engagement as a result of its recognition practices. A dedicated Slack channel for peer-to-peer recognition Heather Reid, a resource manager, recalled one company she worked at that used an open Slack channel expressly for the purpose of peer-to-peer recognition. Whenever an employee wanted to compliment another, they simply turned to the Slack channel for it. Reports Reid: “It worked like magic for us and encouraged a supportive, appreciative, and closely knit group.” It’s a testament to the power of peer recognition that there were no financial incentives here and no prizes. There was simply a centralized location for employees to compliment each other. Sometimes, that’s enough. How to encourage peer recognition The easiest way to encourage peer recognition is to create an award program where employees submit the nominations. But as Heather Reid’s example demonstrates, it can be simpler than that. You might start small and create a forum where workers can praise each other. Failing that, consider moving on to incentives. You can still create peer recognition meaning with programs that involve prizes from leadership or even corporate points, as shown by JetBlue. The important thing is that the process of highlighting and selecting the right employee to award should be left to their peers. It creates a different dynamic at work when you feel welcomed, appreciated, and recognized. And although effective leadership can accomplish a lot, there’s nothing that can quite replace the feeling of being honored by your peers. Employees can’t recognize each other if they don’t know what other people are working on. Boost transparency and get started with Wrike today.
A Beginner's Guide to Ethical Leadership
Making decisions can be tough when you are aiming to do the right thing and make ethical choices in the face of complicated issues. Even though it’s challenging, being an ethical leader is crucial to having a fair and functional business. In this beginner’s guide to ethical leadership, we’ll discuss the primary theories and why it matters. We’ll also provide traits that an ethical leader should have and give examples of being ethical at work that you can use in your day-to-day life. What is ethical leadership? In the world of business, ethics are becoming more prevalent. This is why it is very important for leaders to develop their skills and knowledge in this area. Knowing how to behave in the workplace can help you become a great leader. Ethical leadership is about a) being a leader who prioritizes ethics in decision-making and b) putting people in positions of authority and responsibility who will promote and demonstrate ethical conduct. There are many benefits to ethical leadership. Ethical leaders can help create a positive environment for employees and the organization. Positive working atmospheres help employees feel valued and included in the workplace. Ethical leadership can also involve the management of team members' conduct and collaboration. This can be done informally and formally using a written code of conduct. When employees get along well with one another, it can help build a stronger team. And in general, a positive attitude at work can help improve the overall health of an organization. It can even create a healthy work environment where people can develop their individual and collective goals. All of this comes from the actions of one or more individuals who lead with strong moral codes. Why does ethical leadership matter at work? Ethical leadership is very important for company-wide success in many different ways. It can help create a positive culture within a company. Leaders can help investors feel good about their organization. They can also help customers feel loyal. As a side effect, good press is likely to come from ethical leaders in an organization, especially if this is demonstrated through business continuity. Even partners and vendors can trust and work with an organization that has ethical leadership. In other words, everyone benefits. There is an immediate difference for companies that prioritize ethical leadership. Leaders can also help boost employee morale by encouraging them to be ethical. This helps them feel more motivated and inspired at work. Leaders who are ethical can prevent ethical issues from happening in the long term, which is crucial for business longevity. Doing so can help organizations develop loyal and satisfied employees. Examples of great ethical leadership include resolving disputes, providing a space of non-judgment where workers can honestly discuss issues, and making a conscious effort to provide equitable treatment to everyone involved. Understanding ethical leadership theory Ethical leadership there is often referred to as the ‘4 V’ model. The four V's are: Values Core values based on morality that drive decision-making. Vision A big picture idea of what will benefit everyone involved. Voice Having your own unique sense of self while leaving room for others to do the same. Virtue Behaving in a way that aligns with all of the above. In order to learn how to put the 4 V model into practice, its creators advised students to “develop a value system [that] includes ego development, self awareness training, moral development, social perspective taking, and service learning.” The most challenging part of ethical leadership theory is that it's difficult to measure. That's why it's so important to build self-reflection into your ethical leadership practice. Radical honesty with yourself and others is the only way to improve over time. Ethical leadership theory also depends on a certain level of selflessness from the person or people practicing it. They must always strive to see things from other people's perspectives and often put the needs of others above their own. When faced with moral dilemmas, ethical leaders must forget about company objectives and remember that we're all human. Their decisions may even negatively impact the bottom line at some point. However, ethical leaders understand that revenue may ebb and flow but their actions have a lasting impact on the lives of the people they interact with. What traits do ethical leaders have? There are a number of basic elements that ethical leaders follow in their work. Developing these traits can help you become an ethical leader: Leading by example Leaders should have the same goals and expectations for their employees as they do for themselves. Having the same expectations can help both individuals and businesses thrive while keeping everyone on the same page and ensuring fair treatment all around. Ethical leaders help employees to do their daily tasks by showing them how to be ethical and moral. Being adaptable Good leaders are able to adapt to the changes that are bound to happen in the future. This is the trait that will allow them to excel in today's fast-paced world. Good leaders are also to motivate and retain their employees by creating a positive environment when faced with adversity. Treating everyone equally Not showing respect to others can create a hostile work environment. It can also lead to resentment and make people think they are being treated differently. By working to uncover unconscious bias and understanding the valuable role each individual plays, leaders can ensure they’re always treating their colleagues with fairness. Being a good listener Having good communication skills is very important for leaders to make sure that their organization is a place where people can trust and be honest. Without communication, issues can easily go undetected. Prioritizing self-care Leaders and operations management face stress every day. But no matter what, it is not acceptable to take it out on your workers. Taking advantage of a power dynamic can create tension and frustration in your employees. Leaders who are ethical can manage their stress in a positive and productive way through healthy coping mechanisms. They also encourage others to do the same while making changes that help everyone reduce stress as much as reasonably possible. Managing conflict A moral leader is someone who is capable of solving problems in a way that's fair to everyone. They also take care to ensure that everyone is focused on positive interactions after disputes are resolved. How to become a moral leader By simply making a choice to become a moral leader, you are one. From here on out, the goal is to improve your leadership abilities whenever you are faced with ethical dilemmas. Becoming a moral leader is all about finding your personal ‘why’ statement. Why is morality important to you? Why is being a leader important to you? How does being a moral leader benefit those around you? This is also a great way to tie in your life's greater purpose to your work. If you're serving something higher than yourself, you'll be able to take things less personally and resolve issues in a way that takes your core values into account. Being immoral also means being curious about other people's perspectives. This means remembering that your core values might not be the core values of your employees. That is why developing emotional intelligence is key. Besides practicing the above traits and doing some introspective work, there are no barriers to you becoming a moral leader. You can start demonstrating behavior you'd like to see in the workplace through your daily actions. You can also be open about your journey, especially the struggles. This will inspire others to learn from their mistakes and become more forgiving. Long term, employees will become more likely to take creative risks and reach stretch goals since they’ll be unencumbered by limiting beliefs. Set aside some time for self-reflection daily and weekly. As you journal, don't shy away from challenging situations. Instead, embrace them with openness and see every challenge as an opportunity to improve the lives of others. A great way to become an ethical leader is to start rolling your sleeves up. If your employees need help, an ethical leader is never above lending a hand. Ethical leadership relies on the understanding that all efforts are a team effort and no one is better than anyone else. And finally, don't forget to accept feedback. Ethical leadership thrives on input from others. If someone offers constructive criticism, make sure you take it and apply it to the next situation you find yourself in. Conclusion Ethical leadership is working with others in a way that demonstrates a strong moral code. It has a large impact on the world around you. The ethical leadership theory has four distinct components that are difficult to measure but can be developed over time. Above all else, modeling the right behavior is the key to becoming an ethical leader.
Uncovering the Hidden Costs of Unengaged Employees
The signs of unengaged employees can be a gradual, subtle process and cost billions of dollars a year in lost profits and wasted resources. Read our list to discover the hidden costs of unengaged employees and how they can directly affect your bottom line.
6 Simple Workplace Productivity Tips (Video)
If you're feeling burned out, low on energy and ideas, and your to-do list is taunting you, then it's time to take action to get your productivity back. Watch this video for 6 very simple, no-sweat life hacks that will recharge your mind and morale. Why These Productivity Tips Work Here's the science behind these tips: 1. Sitting by a window keeps you focused 15% longer It's all about getting some sun! A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory reveals that people exposed to natural light experience an increase in energy, creativity, and productivity. People working in natural light keep at it 15% longer than the average worker under artificial light. Everyone needs a window seat! 2. Indoor plants improve creativity and health According to a 2013 study, indoor plants improve creativity by 45%, also sharpening focus and concentration. Even better: they reduce fatigue, coughs, and sore throats by more than 30%, according to the University of Agriculture in Norway. 3. Looking at photos of nature sharpens focus by 20% A study at the University of Michigan showed that looking at photos of nature, improves memory and attention scores by about 20% — that's not the case when viewing urban photos. 4. Eliminating browser tabs cuts down on distraction Can't stay on task with (2) new notifications staring at you from your email tab? Use a browser add-on or extension that forces you to focus on one tab at a time, such as TabZolo. You'll eliminate the temptation to check those distracting notifications. 5. Going for walks can lessen fatigue According to research from the University of Edinburgh, going for walks when you're tired — especially in places where there are lots of plants — can decrease brain fatigue, frustration, and give you a boost of much-needed energy. 6. Listening to ambient music or white noise increases focus by 35% You already know that putting on headphones blocks out extra office noise. But when you make your music choices, remember that listening to ambient music or white/pink noise at low levels has been shown to improve your focus by 35%. Need More Productivity Tips? For a mega-list of ways to increase focus and engage your creative brain, look at our list of 44 productivity hacks.