Management and Productivity

Online productivity guide for businesses

September 28, 2022

6 minutes of reading

The online world has provided us with efficient solutions and resources that can transform the way we perform tasks, study, work, and have fun. Nowadays, it's virtually impossible to find a market or industry that doesn't rely on a quality connection to ensure the continuity of its activities. Therefore, online productivity is a fundamental factor for businesses seeking to grow and increase their profitability.

As an indispensable resource, the internet must be a part of employees' routines to ensure all necessary activities and tasks are completed. However, it's a significant challenge for managers to ensure this tool is used correctly and doesn't compromise the company's bottom line.

While the internet offers countless benefits, it's also a place rife with distractions and pitfalls for employee productivity . Unauthorized access can not only waste employees' time but also jeopardize the security of company data, such as:

Social media;
Personal emails;
Entertainment sites;
Stores and e-commerce;
Between others.

It's up to managers to find smart and efficient ways to increase engagement and reduce this type of access. Check out this Estadão article about a very interesting strategy being implemented by companies looking to increase productivity.

What is productivity?

In simple terms, productivity can be understood as measurable quality and performed within a given timeframe, utilizing the available resources. However, it's crucial to separate the concept of production, which refers to the simple act of producing, from productivity.

This is because good productivity is a much broader aspect, and efficient time management is necessary for employees to deliver more results in less time and with the expected quality. In the business environment, productivity is key to achieving the company's goals and objectives. Learn more about the role of employees in business productivity in this article .

In other words: for a person to achieve good productivity, it's necessary to know how to prioritize tasks according to urgency and maintain focus on what's truly important to the business's interests. It's important to remember that, to achieve this, it's not necessary to overwork or perform an excessive number of tasks. You need to know how to use your available time strategically and efficiently, delivering the expected results (with quality and on time).

Better understand the relationship between productivity and time management in the videos below:

Understanding the role of the company

It's equally important to note that, while distractions during routine work can harm employees' online productivity, the company also plays a crucial role in these outcomes . Many tools used daily can end up disrupting employees' routines, such as corporate email, instant messaging, and phone calls, among other factors. Interruptions from colleagues and managers can also have a significant impact on results, reducing employee productivity.

According to several studies, it takes approximately 20 minutes for an employee to fully recover from an interruption. Considering that an employee experiences an average of 14 interruptions per day, productivity can be seriously impacted by this type of issue.

Do you know how to determine how much time your team wastes due to unauthorized internet access? Check out this waste calculator and get more detailed information about your employees' productivity.

How to stay motivated and focused?

Many factors can impact your employees' online productivity , and managers need to be aware of anything that could hinder the delivery of good results. Here are some tips that can help your company achieve the expected productivity :

Encourage engagement

An engaged and participative team is naturally more productive, and the more welcomed employees feel, the greater their willingness and commitment. It's important to value employees' suggestions and ideas; after all, they are the ones involved in the business's daily activities and routines.

Always set deadlines and goals

Contrary to popular belief, deadlines aren't a way to pressure results, but rather to keep processes organized. It's much easier to establish priorities when all activities have a target to achieve. Obviously, these goals and deadlines must be realistic and achievable, as failure to do so can negatively impact employee motivation.

Provide constant feedback

It's not a good idea to only talk to your employee when something isn't going well or when a mistake is made. Maintain a consistent flow of feedback to not only hold them accountable, but also praise their good work and gather suggestions for process improvements.

Use technology to your advantage

Today, there are countless tools that can help increase your company's productivity and help your employees stay focused. Whether it's eliminating excess bureaucracy, automating processes, or more assertively controlling internet access, these tools can be valuable allies in your company's success.

Eliminate potential distractions

As we saw earlier, the internet, despite being an indispensable resource for many businesses, can also be a major pitfall for your team's productivity . Therefore, eliminating distractions in the online world can bring many benefits to your business. To do this, you can rely on a blocking and access control tool to help you keep employees away from unauthorized access and, consequently, prevent low online productivity.

Avoiding Distractions: What Really Hinders Worker Productivity?

The signs of low productivity in a company are usually very clear, such as:

Delay in delivery of demands;
Drop in quality ;
Problems in the organizational climate ;
delays ;
Between others.

But what can lead an employee to experience productivity issues online? The main causes of low productivity include:

Lack of engagement ;
Lack of appreciation ;
Lack of an organizational culture ;
Problems in the work environment ;
Excessive charges ;
Lack of talent appreciation ;
Online distractions;
And many other factors.

Essential tools to increase your business productivity

The importance of the internet in our daily lives is more than evident, and this is no different in the corporate world. However, even though it is a fundamental resource for the success of most companies, the internet is also a dangerous environment.

With so many possibilities and diverse content, it's easy to get lost in your routine and end up diverting your focus to non-essential things, such as social media, entertainment sites, e-commerce sites, etc. For this reason, having a blocking and access control tool can make all the difference for those looking to increase online productivity .

Internet access control in companies is essential for efficient and comprehensive team management. If this is the solution you're looking for, check out Lumiun Box .

See some of the benefits:

Prevents attacks on the company's network and systems by adding a strong layer of protection against various types of viruses and malware;
Helps reduce lost productivity and wasted time during work hours by blocking access to inappropriate websites during working hours.
It consolidates realistic information about Internet usage within the company, offering reports that inform which websites are most accessed, times, website categories, etc.
Helps implement an internet access policy , with customized rules based on website category, security and reputation levels, and schedules.
It has an intuitive and easy-to-use control panel;
Provides a more secure network, preventing unauthorized access and cyber attacks;
Allows for more assertive control of internet access , classifying them according to security levels;
It does not require server configuration or special software, as it is a cloud-based technology;
Access rules apply to all devices that are connected to the company network.