March 2020

Typically used during the recruitment process, these assessments allow businesses to clearly judge potential candidates, gaining a better understanding of whether an individual will fit the culture of the organisation or has the experience needed for the role. Psychometric assessments can also be used within existing teams to identify strengths and weaknesses, showing businesses how to enhance productivity by utilising the talent at their disposal. Meanwhile, business leaders can highlight areas in need of improvement, providing the necessary training to ensure the team has the right balance of skills. Embracing a culture of development The UK’s productivity puzzle has left organisations scratching their heads, as they continue to search for ways to improve the situation. While expanding the existing workforce or investing in the latest technology may help soften the blow, these solutions tend to cost a significant amount of money and are not sustainable long- term. Instead, businesses must look closer to home, recognising the potential of their workers and giving them the support and training needed to become effective leaders. Investing in your wider team can unlock a wealth of opportunities for your business, as talented individuals begin to emerge within the group, using their new skills to enhance productivity. For those businesses looking to capitalise on their existing workforce, consult an experienced team of coaches and research the development opportunities available. MARCH 2020 AFTERMARKET 49 www.aftermarketonline.net workforce, noticeable improvements can be made by providing focused training for individuals, giving them the skills needed to successfully complete high payoff activities. Designed to nurture the talent within, personal development courses teach individuals how to correctly prioritise their workloads, utilising their time to yield better results. Nurturing the talent within Not only will personal development enhance workplace productivity, but it will also reduce the need for businesses to recruit talent from elsewhere, saving significant time and money. While some organisations attempt to solve the productivity puzzle by bringing in experienced leaders to oversee daily operations and create strategies for future success, others recognise the potential in their existing workforce and offer the training needed to progress. For many years, there has been a false perception that productivity can be improved by simply working longer hours, however research suggests otherwise. Instead, it is important to discover the strengths of your existing team, using your workforce effectively to accomplish tasks, while offering training to improve key areas. Personal development will not only teach new skills and expand your team’s expertise, it will also inspire new leaders to step forward, drive the business and improve productivity. Adopting positive behaviours While offering personal development and training will give workers the skills needed to become more effective within their roles, it’s important that businesses acknowledge the research in front of them and adopt new workplace behaviours. Although it may seem that being helpful, responsive and visible are positive workplace traits, in some instances they can negatively impact productivity and hold workers back. Of course, there will be times where meetings are necessary or quick responses are needed to meet deadlines, but if there is an opportunity to postpone routine discussions in order to prioritise important pieces of work then this should be the case. Instead of focusing on the hours worked there should be a desire to increase the number of productive hours, giving staff the chance to complete high payoff activities with minimal distractions. Inspiring new leaders When it comes to offering personal development, businesses and individuals can benefit from a range of bespoke programmes, each of which has its own unique focus. For those organisations looking to boost their workplace productivity, there are programmes designed to teach people how to become more productive, making the most of their time and talent to achieve the best results. Refined and improved over time, these courses help individuals understand the true power of goal setting, teaching important communication, time management and delegation skills, all of which are vital to operating within a highly productive team. Other programmes focus on the strategic side of personal development, recognising the need for clear-thinking leaders, who can create effective business strategies and oversee the future success of the organisation. Helping workers become strategic leaders is crucial to long- term business growth, as they begin to optimise internal structures and enhance productivity using newly learnt skills. Proactivity is key While training your team and inspiring a new wave of leaders is a major part of the journey, businesses must recognise the importance of being proactive, looking for new ways to improve standards over time. In recent years, psychometric assessments have become increasingly popular, allowing organisations to uncover the personalities and motivations of new and existing workers. Nick Howes is Managing Director at Leadership Management International UK. The global organisation delivers bespoke personal development programmes to businesses of all sizes. LMI programmes are available in more than 70 countries and in 26 languages, and is marketed by over 500 independently appointed franchisees around the world.