How to improve your productivity and efficiency...

Essentially, one of the best ways to succeed and prove to your employer that you are a valuable employee, is to improve your productivity and efficiency - Simple...

But what is productivity, and how do I improve it?

It’s a measure of how much work can be achieved within, for example, a typical working day:

• I.e. if there are eight working hours in a day, you need to be doing something ‘productive' for all eight of them. If you're just sat around waiting to be told what to do next, your employer is likely to think you're not very productive
• As our old boss used to say "if you've got time to lean, you've got time to clean" In other words, if there is nothing to do, use your initiative and at least get the brush out and do some tidying-up (we've all had to do it when we started our apprenticeships!)

Your level of productivity is also closely linked on how efficiently you work. The more efficient you are, the more productive you will become...

What is efficiency, and how do I improve it?

In simple terms, efficiency is a measure of how effectively you do a task: 

• E.g. If the recommended time for, let's say servicing a car or fitting a sink unit, should take 2-hours, and you take 4-hours, your efficiency is 50% (2-hours / 4-hours x 100 = 50%). Alternatively, if you take 1¾ hours, your efficiency level is 114%

What level of efficiency should I be working at? - Typically the level is down to your experience. For example, most employers would not expect a first year apprentice to be operating at 100%. The general guidelines are as follows:

• First year apprentice: 25 - 50%
• Second year apprentice: 50 - 75%
• Third year apprentice: 75 - 95%

Can my efficiency level be too high? - The simple answer is YES! If you are doing a task much quicker than the recommended time, you're probably cutting corners or not doing it right. Remember, even the most experienced guys will typically only operate at 115% tops!

To improve your level of efficiency, just follow these top AZ tips:

1. Plan ahead - before you go rushing in, take a couple of minutes to plan your course of action. Time spent doing this will pay dividends in the long run.
2. Don't be afraid to ask - if you're not sure what you're doing, or where to start, always ask! Your employer would always prefer you asking first, rather than just rushing in and making a mess of things - trust us!
3. Know your targets - If you don't know how long the job should take in the first place, how do you know if you're being efficient or not. When you're assigned a task, ask your supervisor how long it should take to complete, then aim to do it within that time.
4. Have the right kit - having the right tools and equipment is essential! If you're trying do a job with a badly fitting tool, you're going to make a real mess of it and lose time - Click here to get the right tools at the very best price.
5. Be organised - having the right kit is one thing, but knowing where to find it quickly is another. Have all your tools and equipment organised in a storage unit; that way you can always put your hands on exactly what you want straight away. Additionally, any empty space left over at the end of the job will quickly tell you if you have left something behind. Check out our highly discounted tool organisers and storage systems by clicking here.
6. Review and seek feedback - when a task is complete, have a think if you could have done it any more efficiently. Try talking it through with your supervisor to see if they can add anything, or give some advice on where you can improve. Additionally, show them these top-tips to check that they agree; feel free to let us know if they want anything adding so we can pass it on to others like you - just see Contact us. 

In summary, EFFICIENCY is about working SMARTER instead of just harder!

Follow the advice above, and your Boss will see you as a really valuable employee, prepared to keep investing in your future career!

Well done again and good luck...