1. Measure Productivity Using the Right KPIs

Before you can improve productivity, you need to know where you stand. That starts with identifying the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), both qualitative and quantitative, based on roles and responsibilities.

Some useful productivity KPIs include:

• Output per employee (tasks completed, sales closed, etc.)
• Project completion rates and timeliness
• Time spent on high-value tasks vs. low-value work
• Absenteeism and turnover rates
• Customer satisfaction (for client-facing roles)
• Engagement metrics 

2. Set Clear, SMART Goals

Once you’ve identified what needs improvement, define clear goals to guide your plan. These goals will shape your strategy, so if they’re vague or unrealistic, momentum will stall before it begins.

Take this common example: “Have better retention rates.”

In this form, it mostly illustrates a want rather than an action plan. Consider using the SMART framework instead, in which goals are:

• Specific – Clear and focused
• Measurable – Tied to data or outcomes
• Achievable – Ambitious but realistic
• Relevant – Connected to business priorities
• Time-bound – Set against a clear deadline

Using this approach, the earlier goal becomes: “Increase employee retention by 10% by the end of the fiscal year by launching a 90-day onboarding program with defined milestones for new hires.”

3. Align Goals with Team Leaders and Employees

Before diving into any productivity plan, bring everyone on board: employees and managers alike. This starts with clear communication and transparency. According to The Alternative Board, 56% of entrepreneurs say better communication is the best way to improve productivity across their business. 

Employees should understand why improving productivity matters not just for the company, but for them as individuals: 

• Less stress
• Clearer expectations
• More recognition
• Better growth opportunities.

Meanwhile, managers play a central role here: they’re the ones connecting strategy to execution and keeping teams motivated and supported. 

4. Monitor Productivity and Take Action

Even the best plans need real-time monitoring: track progress, spot red flags early, and adapt when needed. The goal is not to micromanage, but to stay responsive and support your team while continuously improving the system.

Key practices include:

• Weekly or biweekly performance check-ins
• Real-time dashboards or productivity software
• Open conversations about what’s working (and what’s not)
• Intervening early when someone’s stuck

Best Strategies in Developing a Plan to Boost Employee Productivity 

Once your goals are clear and your team is aligned, it’s time to bring your productivity plan to life. The following strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all, but they create a strong foundation that can be tailored to your organization’s needs.

1. Streamline Workload and Work Systems

Too many meetings, inefficient workflows, and outdated tools can drain time and energy.

Start by:

• Cutting back on meetings: Keep them short, agenda-led, and outcome-driven
• Sending clear summaries afterward: So no one is left guessing
• Providing IT and technical training: Ensure teams know how to fully use the tools at their disposal

2. Foster a Healthy, Positive Workplace Culture

People thrive in supportive, balanced environments, but building such a system requires sustained cultural shifts, both organizational and psychological. Productivity improves when employees feel genuinely supported, not just occasionally encouraged.

This means:

• Encouraging healthy boundaries: No after-hours emails, no calls during vacation, and a clear right to disconnect after work hours.
• Offering mental wellness support: Provide discounted therapy, free sessions, or in-house wellness workshops. A clinical study found that employers saved $580 per employee who actively used mental well-being tools.
• Inspiring positivity intentionally: Use encouraging internal messaging to boost morale and connection.

3. Provide Flexible Working Options

Global Workplace Analytics found that two-thirds of people want to work from home, and 36% would choose it over a pay raise. In the post-pandemic context, flexibility has become a deal breaker not only to employees’ well-being but to their productivity as well. 

Give employees the autonomy to work when and where they’re most effective, whether that means remote, hybrid, or flexible work. Beyond that:

• Offer mental health days
• Make sick leave more accessible
• Give time off for education or development. 

4. Improve Onboarding: Set the Tone from Day One

Strong performance starts with a strong welcome, so this is why onboarding is the first opportunity to set someone up for success. In fact, research shows that effective onboarding can increase new employee productivity by over 70%. 

To build an onboarding process that drives performance:

• Start early: Share a schedule, tools, and goals before day one
• Structure the first weeks: Map out key milestones 
• Assign a mentor or buddy: Social support builds confidence fast
• Connect them to the mission: Show how their role contributes to the bigger picture

5. Create a Feedback-Driven Culture

Feedback isn’t just for performance reviews. Ongoing, two-way conversations help employees grow, feel heard, and stay aligned with expectations.

Establish:

• Regular 1:1 check-ins with managers
• Project-based feedback from team leads
• Peer feedback to encourage collaboration and continuous improvement

6. Recognize and Reward Performance

Recognition motivates. It shows employees their contributions are seen, appreciated, and valuable. There are many ways to recognize employees, and the best programs blend both tangible and emotional rewards:

• Paid recognition: Bonuses, spot awards, gift cards, raises, or even extra PTO days tied to performance milestones.
  
  
• Non-paid recognition: Public praise in team meetings, shoutouts in internal newsletters, handwritten thank-you notes, or a quick message on Slack highlighting someone’s great work.

7. Stop Micromanaging

Micromanagement wears people down and makes them second-guess themselves, as they wait for approval on every small task and slowly lose confidence in their own judgment.

We’ve all seen how that plays out: projects take longer, people stop taking initiative, and creativity fades over time.

Instead, invest in leadership development so managers can lead through trust, not control. Strong leaders delegate, support, and create space for others to step up. That’s when real productivity and innovation starts to take off.

8. Offer New Growth Opportunities

Employees often disengage when work becomes repetitive. It’s no surprise that one of the most common tips for avoiding burnout is to try something new and step outside routine tasks.

Break the cycle of repetition and boredom by giving employees opportunities to grow in fresh, meaningful ways:

• Join cross-departmental projects
• Participate in innovation sprints or pilot programs
• Explore leadership shadowing or mentorship paths

9. Invest in Learning and Development

When you invest in people, they invest in their work. A Better Buys study found that employees who receive professional development are 15% more engaged and have 34% higher retention, a strong signal that learning opportunities fuel both motivation and loyalty.

Start small

You don’t need to launch a full-scale program right away. Even lightweight efforts show your team that growth is a priority:

• Offer free books or paid book subscriptions
• Give access to curated podcast lists or online courses
• Block time for learning during the workweek

Then scale up 

Surface-level learning can only take you so far. To truly boost employee productivity, you need more than scattered resources.

A structured productivity training program empowers employees with the tools, mindset, and skills they need to work smarter and stay engaged long-term. It connects personal growth with business goals.

With the right framework, you can:

• Identify the specific productivity gaps in your team
• Deliver learning that’s practical, relevant, and immediately applicable
• Track progress and measure ROI with real outcomes, not just course completions

When learning becomes part of your culture, not just an afterthought, it transforms how people show up to work. That’s the difference between temporary improvement and lasting performance.

Explore our full guide on how to build an effective productivity training strategy [here] (insert link).

Boost Employee Productivity with Code of Talent

Code of Talent is a smart, scalable microlearning platform designed to help companies turn training into real-world performance. 

With Code of Talent, you can:

• Design personalized learning journeys tailored to each role or business goal
• Deliver bite-sized, mobile-first content that fits into your team’s workday, with no disruptions or wasted hours
• Track engagement and performance with powerful analytics, so you know what’s working
• Foster collaboration and accountability through peer feedback and real-time interaction

Whether you’re onboarding new hires, upskilling teams, or rolling out a company-wide productivity initiative, Code of Talent makes training accessible, engaging, and effective.