Maximized productivity is one of the most desired, yet difficult tasks to master. If you’re overwhelmed with the number of tasks you’re responsible for and are losing control as a result, you’re not alone. “As many as 1 in 5 adults might be procrastinators,” says Larry Kim in a contribution to Inc. “…Whether your tendency to put things off is driven by anxiety, fear, or some other demotivator, it can be remedied.” While you may be quick to blame a lag in productivity on inefficient processes and organizational structure, there’s a misconception that motivation is purely defined by these factors alone. To maximize productivity in your workforce, human resources must focus on cultivating a culture of productivity.

Simple hacks for boosting your workforce productivity

1. Invest in your company culture and your employees will invest in you

The reality is, much of an employee’s productivity, or lack thereof, is often a direct reflection of a company’s culture. Spend time investing in the source: your process for recruiting and hiring. Who you hire can really make all the difference. When you have a team of productive, positive and diligent employees on board, you know each professional is truly passionate about his or her position and your company mission. In turn, you will spend less time micromanaging and more time scaling the business.

2. Emphasize further career development and training

“Employees’ spirits can easily fall if their day-to-day responsibilities are monotonous or if they don’t feel valued by their supervisors,” writes the staff at HR World. “Over time, this can translate into an unmotivated and unproductive staff. Therefore, it’s important for your company to make sure that employees are interested in and appreciated for their work.” Challenge your employees by investing in their future and setting them up for success. One way to accomplish this is through further career development and training. When training opportunities are made available, your employees can gain confidence in your dedication to their future and thus perform more efficiently and effectively with the knowledge they gained.

3. Great leaders build great teams

The problem with management today is that it often contributes to the lag in productivity. Whether it’s dictating processes or assuming its teams are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities on every deliverable, both examples can lead to a decline in team productivity. And that’s the clear differentiator between management and leadership. “Management consists of controlling a group or a set of entities to accomplish a goal,” says Vineet Nayar of the Harvard Business Review. “Leadership refers to an individual’s ability to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward organizational success. Influence and inspiration separate leaders from managers, not power and control.”

Fortunately, there’s a way for HR to mitigate this issue. By identifying inefficiencies in the leadership team and its processes, HR can help to shape leaders that will lead their teams by example. Below you will find a few examples of how HR and the leadership team as a whole can boost productivity across the board:

• Provide flexible options and encourage your employees to take breaks
• Acknowledge your employees’ performance and offer incentives for excellence
• Set goals for your team members and encourage them to do the same
• Make sure your staff has the tools and resources it needs in order to perform efficiently and effectively