Tips for repetitive work

Repetitive work can be really tough on employees mentally and physically, so it’s very important to keep teams motivated and engaged in this type of working environment in order to keep productivity at its peak. Here are some tips to help ensure your employees and team members feel fully engaged with their work and valued as an individual.

Simple changes like playing music in the workplace could make a huge difference to employees, improving productivity, focus and morale. Having upbeat music that fits in with the pace of the repetitive tasks can make it more fun – the BBC’s famous ‘Music While You Work’ radio programmes that debuted in 1940 were in fact designed to help war time factory workers become more productive by playing uninterrupted popular music. Another way to enhance the working environment is to make sure it’s well lit, clean and safe. This not only keeps you compliant, but also shows your staff that your care about their wellbeing and safety.

If it’s appropriate and possible, can you add an element of gamification to their work? Instigating targets and challenging teams to compete against each other in a light-hearted way can promote a little friendly rivalry and see results skyrocket. Consider reward schemes like employee of the month and recognise success and achievements of team members who go above and beyond. This creates positive reinforcement and motivates the rest of the team as well, as there is another sense of purpose to their roles.

Being on a production line can seem like you’re in a bit of a bubble with little context or knowledge about the rest of the business and how your work fits in. As an employer, make an effort to communicate more about the bigger picture and the goals and aims of the business. This can be as simple as a note on a bulletin board or a monthly mini-meeting where you address everyone on the production floor and give some key updates. This will help team members feel like they’re part of something larger and create more of a sense of purpose.

Repetitive work can be physically and mentally draining, so prioritising breaks for your employees is really important. Having a clear schedule for breaks helps as this will keep the system fair. If possible, try to make sure there is a comfortable and welcoming space for employees to use at break time to relax and recharge. Giving staff a chance to completely take their minds off their work for a period in the day really helps with focus for the rest of their shift. Consider having charging points available for phones, comfy seating and even video games to help staff unwind.

Creating space for collaborative work, as well as having private rooms for meetings is important in an office environment. Increasing opportunities for creative collaborations will enable employees to spark ideas together and encourage interaction.

Keep your office space tidy and uncluttered, as organisation throughout the business encourages individuals to do the same, which can increase productivity – tidy desk, tidy mind!

Creating an isolated area in the office where people can relax, ideally with a different tempo of music, enables them to take a quick break and refrain from sitting at their desks all day. This change of environment gives the brain and body a rest which can boost creative innovation and productivity once staff are back to work.

Investing in the overall ambiance of your office and creating workspaces which are light, bright, comfortable and inspiring, will improve the overall mood, health, and happiness of employees, motivating them to become more productive and creative on the whole.