Improving Productivity: Understanding inputs to drive output and outcomes.

As managers, we often measure success in terms of outputs - the sales made, the products developed, or the customer issues resolved. We place a lot of emphasis on these tangible results produced by our teams. That is understandable, very often our targets and our team's targets are defined in terms of outputs.

Outputs are great of course, they drive the ultimate goal: Outcomes. For instance, while an output may be the number of customer issues resolved, the outcome is the level of customer satisfaction achieved or the reputation the company gains as a result. Outcomes are often your company's or departmental goals. So whilst a focus on outputs is reasonable and important for managers it can often mean another very important factor is overlooked, and that is the inputs.

To truly drive high performance and foster a productive work environment, we need to focus on an equally important factor: the inputs.

Inputs are the resources, time, energy, and strategies we use to deliver work, or in other words, to produce outputs. Understanding inputs enables managers to gain a granular view of how their team operates, and, importantly, uncover opportunities for improvement and efficiency gains.

Workable's COO, Thanos Markousis, has often spoken about the importance of managers understanding the inputs as well as the outputs of their team. His insights on this topic and conversations with him recently prompted me to think about it in more depth, leading to this article. At the end of the article, I have included departmental examples of inputs, outputs and outcomes.

Why Inputs Matter

By considering the inputs, managers can identify where resources may be wasted, processes streamlined, and workflows improved.

At Workable, one of our Operating Principles is to Avoid Process Bloat. To do that, Managers need to understand how their team's inputs and identify inefficient processes that can either killed, automated or simplified. Monitoring inputs reveals bottlenecks, inefficient tasks, where resources may be misused, processes can be simplified, and workflows enhanced.

By understanding inputs, managers can also:

• Better allocate resources and understanding of headcount requirements.
• Establish performance benchmarks, aiding in setting realistic goals. This can mean increasing goals where "coasting" is identified (hitting goals without having to exert full effort).
• Identify training and development opportunities
• Enhance collaboration. For instance, if the marketing team is aware of the engineering team's efforts on a new feature, they can better align their promotional activities.
• Promote employee well-being: Checking on inputs helps identify overworked team members.

What we've listed here are all key parts to a managers job, so understanding inputs is really at the heart of being a successful manager.

Understanding inputs as managers

So how can managers begin to understand inputs? Here are a few strategies:

• Understand your team's day: You'll need to understand what is taking up your team's time so get them to share a breakdown with you of how their day is split between core work (work directly contributing to a desired output or goal, other meetings (team meetings, all hands, 1-2-1s etc) and other work (work that needs doing but is not directly contributing to a desired output/outcome). Doing this on a daily basis is a great exercise for the team as well and takes just a couple of minute of their time each day. These breakdowns will help you immensely in your preparation for your 1-2-1 meetings, not least in understanding what the "other" work is that is not directly contributing to a desired output/outcome.
• Ask the Right Questions: Rather than focusing solely on what has been achieved, inquire about how it was achieved. How much time was spent? How was it done? Was any aspect particularly challenging? What tools were used? 1-2-1s with team members are a great opportunity to deep dive into a particular project/output they've lead, team meetings are great for a more collaborative discussion on a recurring process/input the whole team is involved with where you will benefit from the hive mine.
• Utilize Tracking Tools or Insights from Existing Software: Numerous software tools can help teams track their time and resources. Productivity tools, existing tech (e.g. Salesforce, Zendesk) or your own in-house project management software can provide insight into how much time and resources are devoted to various tasks.
• Observe and Participate: Sometimes, the best way to understand inputs is by participating in the process yourself. This not only provides firsthand insight but also sends a message that you're invested in understanding and improving your team's day-to-day work.
• Encourage Open Communication: Foster an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their processes, challenges, and suggestions. This open dialogue can reveal invaluable insights into inputs.

Inputs and Outputs: A Consideration for Hybrid and Remote Teams

The importance of understanding inputs and outputs is universal, regardless of where your team is physically located. However, the nature of remote and hybrid work can add a layer of complexity for managers. At Workable we are a remote-leaning hybrid company, so we've seen first hand the need to adapt in order to maintain high performance in a very different operating model to our old 100% office based setup.

For remote or hybrid teams, it is even more crucial for managers to have a clear understanding of both inputs and outputs. But it can be far harder for remote and hybrid managers since inputs are harder to observe when we're not physically present with our teams. So outputs can become our primary, or sometimes only, method for measuring productivity.

Without the face-to-face interactions offered in an office setting, outputs become the primary way to measure employee productivity.

However, as we've seen, outputs alone aren't enough to get the complete picture and be great managers. With the additional challenges remote work can present - from potential connectivity issues to balancing work and personal life - understanding the inputs becomes even more vital. In order to be aware of these issues and the inputs generally, we have to be more deliberate about observing inputs in a remote or hybrid setting.

Understanding inputs for remote and hybrid teams requires a slightly different approach. Here are a few ideas:

1. Leverage Technology More: Remote work tools can provide visibility into what tasks team members are working on, how much time is spent, and what challenges they encounter. Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello allow for easy tracking and communication of work processes.
2. Regular Check-ins: Without the physical cues available in an office setting, it's important to have regular check-ins with your team. These meetings can provide a space for employees to discuss what they're working on, the time and resources being invested, and any obstacles they're facing. At Workable, Managers are expected to have a 1-2-1 meeting with each team member at least every two weeks (for the vast majority it's weekly).
3. Promote Asynchronous Communication: Encourage your team to share updates on their work throughout the day. This can provide insight into the inputs being used and also reduce the feelings of isolation that can come with remote work. At Workable, we also use Geekbot to run daily check ins and check outs for all teams.
4. Train Managers: Provide training for managers on leading remote teams, with a focus on understanding and optimizing inputs. This could include how to use remote work tools, how to facilitate effective virtual meetings, and how to support remote workers' unique needs.

The transition to remote and hybrid work structures has only underscored the importance of understanding inputs and outputs. As managers, we must adapt our strategies to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of how our teams operate, no matter where they're located. The payoff - in terms of productivity, team cohesion, and employee satisfaction - is well worth the effort.

Observing and reporting inputs is not micro-management

Monitoring inputs or asking your teams for more detail on what they're working on each day is not necessarily micromanagement, but it can turn into micromanagement if not done properly.

The key difference lies in the intent and approach. Monitoring inputs should be about understanding the resources, time, and efforts your team is putting into their work, identifying bottlenecks or challenges they may face, and finding ways to improve processes or provide support. It's about gathering information to make informed decisions and create a more efficient, effective, and supportive work environment.

Micromanagement, on the other hand, involves closely controlling or scrutinizing every aspect of an employee's work, often to the point where the employee has little autonomy or freedom. Micromanagers typically focus on every minute detail, often dictating exactly how tasks should be performed, and frequently checking on progress. This can lead to a demotivating work environment, as it can signal a lack of trust and hinder creativity and autonomy.

To avoid crossing the line into micromanagement when monitoring inputs:

1. Be Honest & Embrace Accountability: Monitoring inputs does involve a level of scrutiny and increased accountability and that should improve a team, not stifle their autonomy and creativity. Top performers do not worry about increased accountability, they embrace it.
2. Focus on performance: Use input monitoring as a management tool for continuous performance improvement, which benefits everyone (and attracts and retains high performers). It's not about exerting total control.
3. Promote Autonomy: Let your team them know that you're interested in understanding their processes to foster an environment of continuous improvement, it is not an exercise in dictating how they do their job every minute of the day but it may lead to positive changes to the way they work.
4. Encourage Communication: Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing their challenges and successes. Regular check-ins where employees can share their progress, challenges, and ideas can be helpful.
5. Be Transparent: Explain why you're interested in understanding inputs and how this information can benefit the team and the company. Transparency can help alleviate any perceptions of micromanagement.

All great, so what's the outcome?

Great question! Here are some of the outcomes of a renewed focus on inputs:

Improved Productivity and Efficiency: By identifying inefficiencies, allocating resources properly, improving processes, and setting realistic benchmarks based on inputs, you significantly boost productivity and efficiency across all functions.

Increased Employee Engagement and Satisfaction: With better resource allocation, workload balancing, and targeted training initiatives, employees are more supported and engaged. This leads to increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover.

Better Business Performance: The combination of improved productivity, increased efficiency, and enhanced employee satisfaction contributes to better overall business performance. This could take the form of higher revenue, greater market share, improved customer satisfaction, and stronger competitive positioning.

Stronger Organizational Culture: Understanding inputs fosters a culture of transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. This can strengthen your company's reputation as a great place to work, attracting top talent and fostering loyalty among existing employees.

Final thought. Balancing the Scale of Inputs and Outputs

The importance of understanding inputs does not mean disregarding outputs. In fact, they should be considered together. After all, high quality inputs are likely to lead to high quality outputs. But there is a popular and growing narrative that measuring and monitoring inputs is bad management. In my opinion, this narrative is incredibly unhelpful. That narrative combined with an increase in remote work making inputs harder to observe means they can easily overlooked, something I believe is extremely detrimental to managers, their teams and ultimately companies.

Appendix: Departmental examples of inputs, outputs and outcomes

Sales

• Inputs might include the time spent prospecting, the number of calls made, the resources invested in sales tools, and the strategies used for client engagement.
• Outputs would be the number of deals closed or the revenue generated.
• An outcome might be an improved market share, increased repeat business, or heightened brand credibility in the industry.

Support

• Inputs could include the time spent on handling customer queries, the resources put into customer relationship management software, and the strategies applied in problem-solving.
• Outputs could be the number of tickets resolved or the reduction in average resolution time.
• Outcomes could be increased customer satisfaction, enhanced customer loyalty, or a positive online review score.

Marketing

• Inputs could consist of the time and creative energy devoted to campaign planning, the costs associated with content creation, and the techniques used for market research and customer segmentation.
• Outputs might be the number of leads generated, the increase in web traffic, or the engagement rates on social media.
• Broader outcomes might include increased brand awareness, improved company reputation, or an elevated market position.

Engineering

• Inputs include the time spent on coding, resources allocated to software and tools, and the application of specific methodologies like Agile or Scrum.
• The outputs would be the number of features developed, bugs fixed, or improvement in software performance.
• Outcomes could be increased software reliability, improved user experience, or a rise in customer retention.