With five days in the average workweek, are you getting the same productivity on Friday as you do on Monday? Most business owners we talk to say productivity declines on a Friday. Don’t think it’s just your business, every company suffers from this issue.
Fridays represent 20% of the workweek. Shouldn’t you get what you pay for?
A study by Red Booth found that Mondays are the most productive days of the week, while Fridays, you guessed it, are the least productive.
As leaders, owners must ensure that employees are driving the same level of results Friday afternoon as they are on Monday morning. If you’re looking to motivate your crew as the weekend draws near, here are three strategies to help you inspire greater results.
Develop a Game Plan
Get together with your key employees at the start of the week and work with them to set goals to be accomplished by Friday afternoon.
If you don’t have time for a meeting, have them email you their plans with a list of deliverables. Their plans should align with your business plan, meaning their projects should lead to or set up accomplishing your set goals. Those working for your key people should then delegate tasks to anyone working under them.
Instill having your key people send you a wrap-up email at the end each day going over any and all tasks they completed. If you prefer spreadsheets, have them record daily tasks in an Office or Google doc to keep track of milestones.
By allowing your key people to develop a game plan for the week, they take ownership of achieving the goals you have in place.
What about those that still find the time to slack off on Fridays? You could be dealing with a quiet quitter, which will require more effort to fix.
Implement a Pay-for-Performance Plan
A pay-for-performance program is an excellent way to increase productivity from your staff.
By linking employee compensation to individual and organizational performance, you can create a powerful incentive for employees to work harder and smarter. Moreover, pay-for-performance programs can help you attract and retain high-performing employees.
Be mindful of how you structure employee compensation, however. Too much emphasis on short-term results can lead to bad behavior, such as lying about what tasks get completed.
Have Them Invest in Your Business Plan
Do your employees understand the goals of your business or the culture you’re nurturing? When your employees are aligned with the company’s direction, they develop a drive to work hard and achieve success.
When staff feels like they are a part of something larger than themselves, they are more likely to be motivated and productive. Allow them to have ownership over their work; this can be done by allowing them to make decisions, giving them autonomy, and trusting them to do their jobs well.
By creating a culture of collaboration and open communication, your staff can feel comfortable working together and sharing ideas.
However, it’s paramount that you implement a ‘trust but verify’ management style. ‘Trust’ your employees to complete their tasks but ‘verify’ they are completed on time and accurately. Having a good balance between the two means holding your team accountable while giving them freedom to do their jobs well.
End the Week Feeling Accomplished
Your staff should leave work on Friday evening feeling like they’ve accomplished something big. Not only does it make them feel great as they start their weekends, but more importantly, it helps your business gain success it would have otherwise missed out on.
With these three tips, you can keep your staff motivated on Friday. Make sure to try them out and see for yourself how they work. Do you have any other tips that you use to keep your team motivated? Let us know in the comments below!
