As the economy makes shifts, it can mean hiring can take longer or candidate pools may be smaller than in the past. When faced with these challenges, companies need to find ways to motivate their staff to increase productivity because the company may need to do more with less staff while hiring catches up to workload demand.
 
Other economic shifts can increase costs for things that are not within the company’s control, such as suppliers, shipping and costs of commodities. 
 
Regardless of the factors driving your company to need to do more with less, here are six ways you can inspire more employee productivity.
 
1. Consider non-traditional working arrangements.
Many employees are willing (and even eager) to work from home rather than coming into the office every day. They appreciate the time saved in their commute, the frustration of traffic and the cost of transit. If the work can be done just as efficiently from a remote location, your company can also save money on office space. You can also consider using contract or freelance workers for jobs that don’t require a full-time salaried position.
 
2. Consolidate offices (and office staff).
If you have more employees working online from home, you may find that you don’t need as many brick-and-mortar office locations, or as large of a space if you’re operating a single location. You may be able to reduce overhead by closing unnecessary locations or downsizing your current office. With less office space and fewer employees on site, you may be able to consolidate support staff, as well. You can also utilize the capabilities of your support staff for administrative tasks like payroll, or for internal projects, rather than the face-to-face tasks they may have been handling before (like greeting clients).
 
3. Utilize videoconference for interviews and meetings.
Travel expenses can be minimized by conducting interviews and client meetings via videoconferencing whenever possible. Zoom, Skype and Google Chat are both good free options.
 
4. Switch to VOIP
Voice Over IP systems are a great alternative to traditional phone services. They often have low startup costs, free calling, direct dial lines for every employee, and a low monthly fee, allowing you to cut costs without sacrificing efficiency. The systems often pay for themselves in less than a year.
 
5. Recruit and Hire interns
Internships are a great benefit to employers and young professionals. Interns are often high quality, low-cost talent, and they are eager to receive on-the-job training and experience. When you’re ready to fill a position within the company, you have a ready-made candidate who already knows your company and has (hopefully) demonstrated the talent and work ethic you’re looking for.
 
6. Discuss ways to create efficiencies with your staff
Discussing ways of creating efficiencies with your staff can be enlightening. Often, people on the ground level notice inefficiencies but may not have been vocal about where cuts could be made. Because they may have an inside view on unnecessary spending that you don’t see, they are a great first step in planning budget cuts.
 
When companies start talking about cost-cutting, employees can start getting nervous about their jobs, so make sure you are transparent about why you’re making cuts and that their jobs are secure. Explain that cost-cutting measures can help you keep people on the payroll while still handling work demand. Trust us, they’ll appreciate the transparency and it will keep the rumor mill from getting out of control.