How Team Productivity Can Increase With Ownership?
There have been lots of talk about how ownership helps build a better workplace where employees feel engaged and motivated with their work.
But what if I tell you it also improves team productivity as a whole? Wondering how effective it really is?
Let me give you an example.
We launched Brutask’s website in just a matter of a couple of hours instead of letting it stretch for days or months on end, all because of ownership.
Let’s take a look at the behind-the-scenes of this brilliant feat of our team.
How ownership helped us launch Brutask’s website in a couple of hours?
When we decided we wanted to launch our website, we thought of trying out something new for a change. Instead of multiple rounds of approvals and edits, we decided to scrap numerous steps and instead gave out individual responsibilities to quicken the website launch. The designing was carried out by one person, the illustrations were crafted by someone else on the team and content was being written by yet another person. Everyone was given complete ownership and autonomy for their individual roles.
The result was nothing short of spectacular. In just a couple of hours, the website went live and it surpassed everyone’s expectations. Let’s understand why this happened and how ownership played a crucial role in our team’s productivity.
Inculcated accountability
Everyone on the team started seeing their work differently as they knew they would have to give their best, now that those multiple rounds of approvals were scrapped. This inculcated a sense of responsibility and accountability in everyone. They reviewed their work multiple times and made sure errors don’t surface during the launch.
Improved employee engagement
We saw a difference in how everyone on the team was pumped up for this task. By giving ownership, it showed that we trust and believe in their capabilities to come up with innovative illustrations, designs, and content for our website. This in turn helped build self-esteem in everyone and it did wonders for our team even in further projects.
Reduced miscommunication and errors
Multiple rounds of approvals and a lack of accountability often led to miscommunication and errors. A team member may say that they didn’t know Task A was their responsibility or a comment may have missed someone’s notice and the result was utter chaos. This led to the entire team working on dousing fires then working on the task at hand. By giving ownership to everyone on the team, we curtailed the chances of this happening.
Improved productivity
The proof of this was right in front of our eyes. In 2 hours, Brutask’s website was launched. Never before had we achieved this short timeframe that too with quality work. Thanks to Ruttl, we could always come back and edit some things if we needed to, in just a matter of a few seconds.
How to encourage ownership at your workplace?
Now that we know the varied benefits ownership can bring at your workforce, let us look at the three ways you can encourage it amongst your employees:
Help them understand ‘Why’
There’s a quote that says, “We tell unimportant people how to do things; we tell important people why we do things.” Are you letting your employees know why their person’s work is important? Why a quick website launch is important for the team? People are more engaged in their work when they know why something is important and they believe in it. As a manager, let your employees know the same. When they know what they are doing and why, they’re bound to be dedicated and work on it more confidently.
Avoid micromanaging
It makes no sense to say you’re giving your team ownership and autonomy when you’re micromanaging every single detail. It gives a signal to your employees that their work is not optimal and thus they feel that they require guidance and approval at every stage to make sure they’re on track. Instead, assign work in a way that gives enough space to your team members to think creatively, make decisions, and find solutions to their problems.
Create an open environment
Ownership is a two-way road. If you want your employees to take ownership of their work, create an environment where they can easily share their ideas and recommendations with you. They are the ones actually working on the front line and thus are likely to have valid ideas. By listening to them and showing them that their ideas matter, you build trust and encourage them to take ownership.
With these three strategies in place, you’re likely to build a great culture at work and achieve amazing results like we did.
To see how Brutask has shaped up into a simple and effective productivity tool, subscribe for a free trial here: https://brutask.com/
