131 Ways to Improve Workplace Effectiveness
Workplace effectiveness is the degree to which employees and teams are able to perform their work efficiently, produce high-quality outcomes, and contribute to organizational goals in a sustainable, engaging way. Whew - that’s a lot of words! It’s essentially about how efficiently and successfully work gets done — not just whether tasks are completed, but how they’re completed and what results they produce.
When a workplace is ineffective, the organization may not meet deadlines, achieve goals, engage employees, or manage costs. One way to measure workplace effectiveness is an employee survey. In my practice, I like to use the Effective Workplaces Index. The Effective Workplace Index (EWI) was created by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) to gauge employee feedback during a time when an increasing number of employees felt professionally and personally overwhelmed. FYI - You can access the survey questions inside the FREE Pay Equity Collective.
The EWI offers a survey for employers to use when tracking what their employees need to achieve the greatest outcomes at work.
“Employees in highly effective workplaces are more than twice as likely to be highly engaged, satisfied with their jobs, and likely to remain with their employers than employees in workplaces with moderate or low levels of effectiveness.” (SHRM)
The seven components of the Effective Workplace Index are Job Challenge & Learning Opportunities, Supervisor Support for Work Success, Autonomy, Culture of Trust/Respect/Belonging, Satisfaction with Wages/Benefits/Advancement, Work-Life Fit, and Co-Worker Support for Job Success. This blog post outlines the actions that employers can take to improve their workplace effectiveness.
FYI - This is a really long list. I encourage you to choose 1-2 practices and implement them over a 3-month period with a pilot team. After three months, review what worked well, what didn’t, and what needs to be changed for organization-wide implementation. Finally, this list is not all-inclusive. You may have practices working for you not listed in here. I love that!
JOB CHALLENGE AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
The best workplaces intentionally design practices that stretch people while supporting their development.
🌱 Job Design and Role Development
Stretch Assignments: Give employees projects that push them slightly beyond their current skill set—something new but achievable with effort and support.
Job Rotation or Shadowing: Allow employees to experience other functions, teams, or roles to broaden perspective and skill diversity.
Special Projects or Task Forces: Involve employees in strategic initiatives or cross-functional teams to deepen problem-solving and collaboration skills.
Expanded Responsibilities: Gradually increase scope of work—such as managing a small team, a budget, or a client portfolio—to encourage leadership growth.
🧭 Learning and Development Infrastructure
Formal Training and Learning Paths: Offer internal courses, external workshops, or online learning aligned to both employee interests and business needs.
Coaching and Mentoring: Pair employees with mentors or coaches who can challenge their thinking and accelerate learning through reflection and feedback.
Learning Communities: Create peer learning groups, book clubs, or discussion circles focused on professional development and knowledge sharing.
🤝 Culture and Feedback Practices
Culture of Constructive Feedback: Encourage regular, two-way feedback that emphasizes growth, experimentation, and learning from mistakes.
Psychological Safety: Foster an environment where employees feel safe to take risks, propose new ideas, and learn publicly.
Recognition for Learning Effort: Celebrate curiosity and improvement, not just end results—reward people for taking on challenges.
🚀 Career Pathing and Growth Conversations
Individual Development Plans (IDPs): Partner with employees to identify career goals, then align challenging experiences that help build needed skills.
Career Mobility Programs: Create visible pathways for lateral moves or internal promotions that allow employees to grow without leaving.
💡 Innovation and Experimentation
Innovation Labs or Hackathons: Encourage creative problem-solving where employees can test ideas and learn rapidly.
Continuous Improvement Projects: Empower teams to identify inefficiencies and design solutions, fostering ownership and applied learning.
SUPERVISOR SUPPORT FOR WORK SUCCESS
One of the strongest predictors of employee engagement, performance, and retention.
💬 1. Regular, Meaningful Communication
Frequent 1:1 meetings: Schedule consistent check-ins focused on employee progress, challenges, and goals (not just status updates).
Active listening: Supervisors practice listening to understand, not just respond—showing empathy and curiosity.
Transparent communication: Share context behind decisions to build trust and inclusion.
🎯 2. Clear Expectations and Goal Alignment
SMART goals: Collaboratively set clear, achievable objectives linked to organizational priorities.
Role clarity: Ensure employees understand how their work connects to the bigger picture.
Progress tracking: Review and adjust goals regularly to keep work relevant and motivating.
🌱 3. Coaching and Development Focus
Development conversations: Make career growth a standing agenda item, not a once-a-year topic.
Stretch and skill-building opportunities: Match projects to employees’ development goals.
Constructive feedback: Offer timely, specific feedback that helps employees learn and improve.
🧭 4. Advocacy and Resource Support
Remove barriers: Actively identify and address obstacles that prevent employees from succeeding.
Resource connection: Help employees access training, tools, or people that support their work.
Recognition and visibility: Highlight employees’ achievements in team or leadership settings.
❤️ 5. Care and Well-being
Empathy and flexibility: Recognize employees’ personal circumstances and support work-life balance.
Psychological safety: Create an environment where people can speak up, admit mistakes, and share ideas without fear.
Check-in on well-being: Ask “How are you doing?” and mean it—not just “How’s the project going?”
🤝 6. Fairness and Inclusion
Equitable treatment: Distribute opportunities, recognition, and feedback fairly.
Inclusive decision-making: Involve employees in shaping how work gets done.
Cultural awareness: Show respect for diverse perspectives and communication styles.
🧩 7. Accountability and Modeling
Follow through on commitments: Build credibility by keeping promises and following up.
Model learning: Admit mistakes and share lessons learned—this normalizes growth and humility.
Hold everyone accountable: Apply standards consistently, including to oneself.
AUTONOMY
When people have ownership over how they do their work, they’re more motivated, creative, and committed to outcomes.
🎯 1. Empowerment Through Clear Goals and Trust
Set direction, not prescriptions: Leaders define the what and why of work, but give employees freedom in the how.
Outcome-based performance management: Evaluate results and impact instead of micromanaging activities or time.
Trust by default: Assume competence—grant autonomy first and adjust if needed, rather than requiring people to “earn” it.
🧭 2. Flexible Work Design
Flexible schedules and locations: Allow employees to choose when and where they work, as long as goals are met.
Choice in task methods: Encourage individuals to use tools, workflows, or creative approaches that suit their strengths.
Self-scheduling or shift swapping: In operations or service roles, give teams control over scheduling within boundaries.
💬 3. Inclusive Decision-Making
Employee input on decisions: Involve employees in setting priorities, designing processes, and solving problems.
Collaborative goal setting: Invite employees to shape their own performance objectives and success metrics.
Team charters or norms: Let teams define how they collaborate, communicate, and hold each other accountable.
🌱 4. Supportive Leadership and Culture
Coaching over controlling: Leaders act as guides who ask questions and remove barriers rather than dictate actions.
Psychological safety: Foster an environment where employees feel safe to take risks and make mistakes.
Recognition for initiative: Celebrate when people take ownership, experiment, or propose new ideas.
🔄 5. Systems and Processes That Enable Independence
Clear boundaries and resources: Provide access to information, tools, and authority needed to act independently.
Transparent communication: Make data and context widely available so employees can make informed decisions.
Simplified approvals: Reduce unnecessary layers of permission and bureaucracy.
🚀 6. Growth and Mastery Opportunities
Skill-building and cross-training: Confidence fuels autonomy—invest in developing employees’ competence.
Job crafting: Let employees shape aspects of their role (tasks, relationships, or goals) to better align with their strengths and interests.
Project ownership: Give individuals or teams full responsibility for delivering outcomes from start to finish.
CULTURE OF TRUST, RESPECT, AND BELONGING
Signals to employees they are valued, safe, and included.
🤝 1. Transparent and Honest Communication
Open decision-making: Share context, reasoning, and updates behind organizational choices.
Frequent check-ins: Regular one-on-ones and team meetings that encourage dialogue, not just announcements.
Admit mistakes: Leaders model vulnerability by acknowledging errors and lessons learned.
❤️ 2. Recognition and Appreciation
Celebrate contributions: Recognize both small and big wins publicly and privately.
Personalized acknowledgment: Tailor praise to individual preferences and strengths.
Value effort, not just results: Show respect for the process and learning journey.
🌱 3. Inclusive Practices
Diverse representation: Ensure diverse perspectives are included in decision-making.
Equitable opportunities: Offer fair access to promotions, projects, and development resources.
Cultural awareness: Respect different backgrounds, experiences, and communication styles.
💬 4. Supportive Leadership
Active listening: Leaders ask, listen, and respond thoughtfully to employee concerns.
Mentoring and coaching: Provide guidance that prioritizes growth and well-being.
Empathy in action: Recognize personal circumstances and provide flexibility when needed.
🔄 5. Safe Environment for Dialogue
Psychological safety: Encourage speaking up without fear of judgment or retaliation.
Constructive conflict: Train teams to address disagreements respectfully and solution-focused.
Anonymous feedback channels: Allow employees to share concerns without fear of reprisal.
🧭 6. Clear Values and Norms
Define expected behaviors: Explicitly communicate core values like respect, integrity, and collaboration.
Modeling by leadership: Leaders demonstrate these values consistently in decisions and actions.
Reinforce in performance management: Reward behaviors that strengthen trust, respect, and belonging.
🚀 7. Community and Connection
Team rituals and bonding: Celebrate milestones, birthdays, or team achievements to build relationships.
Cross-functional collaboration: Encourage interactions across teams to foster mutual respect and understanding.
Employee resource groups or affinity networks: Provide spaces for shared identity and support.
SATISFACTION WITH WAGES, BENEFITS, AND ADVANCEMENT
People feel fairly paid, supported by benefits, and see a clear path for advancement, combined with transparent communication and recognition.
💰 1. Competitive and Fair Compensation
Market-aligned pay: Regularly benchmark salaries against industry standards and geographic norms.
Pay transparency: Clearly communicate how salaries are determined and how employees can progress.
Equity and fairness: Ensure consistent pay practices across gender, race, and roles to build trust.
📦 2. Robust Benefits Programs
Comprehensive offerings: Include health, retirement, paid time off, and wellness programs that meet diverse needs.
Flexibility in benefits: Offer cafeteria-style plans or choices that allow employees to select what matters most to them.
Support for life events: Benefits for parental leave, caregiving, mental health, and professional development enhance satisfaction.
🚀 3. Career Growth and Advancement Opportunities
Clear promotion paths: Outline what skills, experiences, and performance are needed to advance.
Internal mobility: Encourage lateral moves or project-based opportunities that build skills and experience.
Leadership development programs: Invest in coaching, mentorship, and training to prepare employees for higher roles.
💬 4. Transparent Communication
Open discussions about pay and growth: Regularly talk about compensation philosophy, bonus structures, and career opportunities.
Timely feedback: Help employees understand where they stand in terms of advancement potential.
Clarity on evaluation processes: Ensure performance reviews and promotion decisions are transparent and consistent.
🧭 5. Alignment With Employee Values
Mission-driven work: Employees often value opportunities to grow while contributing to meaningful goals.
Ethical and responsible practices: Fair, respectful treatment enhances satisfaction with overall employment terms.
Support for work-life balance: Programs that reduce stress and burnout complement compensation and benefits satisfaction.
WORK-LIFE FIT
Giving employees the flexibility, support, & autonomy to align their work & personal responsibilities in a sustainable way.
🕰️ 1. Flexible Work Arrangements
Flexible scheduling: Allow employees to adjust start/end times or compress workweeks to match personal needs.
Remote and hybrid options: Give people autonomy over where they work when the role allows it.
Results-oriented work: Focus on outcomes rather than hours logged or physical presence.
🏡 2. Supportive Policies and Benefits
Paid time off that’s truly respected: Encourage employees to take vacation and disconnect fully.
Family and caregiver support: Provide parental leave, eldercare resources, and childcare assistance.
Well-being benefits: Offer access to counseling, mental health resources, fitness stipends, or mindfulness programs.
💬 3. Healthy Workload and Boundaries
Realistic expectations: Ensure workloads are manageable and priorities are clear.
Right to disconnect: Set cultural norms or policies limiting after-hours communication.
Boundary modeling: Leaders visibly respect and protect their own downtime to normalize rest.
🌱 4. Culture That Values the Whole Person
Normalize flexibility: Treat flexible arrangements as standard practice, not special favors.
Empathetic leadership: Train managers to recognize signs of burnout and adjust workloads.
Inclusive understanding of “fit”: Recognize that work-life needs vary by age, family structure, and personal goals.
🚀 5. Autonomy and Trust
Empower decision-making: Let employees decide how to meet goals and structure their days.
Clear priorities: When people know what truly matters, they can better manage energy and time.
Accountability through trust: Replace micromanagement with regular, supportive check-ins.
❤️ 6. Connection and Community
Peer support networks: Create employee groups for parents, caregivers, or remote workers.
Open dialogue: Encourage employees to talk honestly about challenges and needs without fear of judgment.
Recognition of humanity: Celebrate life milestones and respect personal commitments.
📈 7. Continuous Feedback and Adaptation
Regular surveys: Check in on employee stress levels and satisfaction with flexibility.
Iterate policies: Adjust based on feedback—what works for one team or season may not fit another.
Manager accountability: Evaluate leaders on how well they support employee well-being and flexibility.
CO-WORKER SUPPORT FOR JOB SUCCESS
When peers help each other succeed, it strengthens teamwork, resilience, and overall workplace morale.
🤝 1. Collaborative Culture
Team-based goals: Structure objectives that require cooperation, not competition, to succeed.
Shared accountability: Recognize teams, not just individuals, for achieving results.
Cross-functional collaboration: Encourage partnerships across departments to reduce silos and build shared understanding.
💬 2. Open and Trusting Communication
Psychological safety: Create norms where people feel comfortable asking for and offering help.
Regular team check-ins: Use stand-ups or huddles to discuss progress, challenges, and where support is needed.
Transparent information sharing: Make data and updates accessible so everyone can contribute effectively.
🌱 3. Relationship and Team-Building
Onboarding buddies or peer mentors: Pair new hires with experienced colleagues to accelerate learning and connection.
Team rituals: Celebrate wins, birthdays, or milestones to strengthen camaraderie.
Team retreats or workshops: Create opportunities to deepen trust and understanding beyond daily tasks.
🚀 4. Recognition and Appreciation Among Peers
Peer recognition programs: Enable employees to recognize one another’s contributions publicly (e.g., “shout-outs” or kudos boards).
Celebrating collaboration: Highlight stories of teamwork and mutual support in meetings or newsletters.
Rewarding helpfulness: Reinforce the value of being a good teammate, not just a high performer.
💡 5. Knowledge Sharing and Learning Together
Peer learning sessions: Host short, informal skill-shares where colleagues teach each other.
Communities of practice: Create forums for employees with similar roles or interests to exchange insights and resources.
Cross-training opportunities: Encourage employees to learn each other’s tasks to build understanding and flexibility.
🧭 6. Leadership Modeling and Support
Manager encouragement: Leaders regularly acknowledge and model collaboration and mutual support.
Team norms for support: Establish expectations like “we ask for help early” or “we check in before deadlines.”
Conflict resolution training: Equip teams to manage disagreements constructively so trust remains intact.
❤️ 7. Inclusive and Respectful Behavior
Respect for all voices: Make space for quieter or newer employees to contribute.
Equity in workload: Promote fairness so no one feels overburdened or taken advantage of.
Zero tolerance for disrespect: Address unhelpful or undermining behaviors quickly and consistently.