Every leader asks the same question: how do we increase productivity in the workplace? Most answers point you to tools, tricks, or quick fixes. But real productivity doesn’t come from a hack. It comes from following the right steps in the right order.
That’s why our CEO, Tommy Ryan, created the Hierarchy of Productivity. It’s a simple guide for CEOs and business leaders who want to reclaim time, reduce wasted effort, and lead with clarity.
Why Employee Productivity Matters
Lost productivity costs billions each year. But beyond money, it creates stress. Employees burn out, leaders get frustrated, and teams feel stuck.
Employee productivity is not about pushing people harder. It’s about giving them the clarity and support they need to do their best work. And that requires more than tools. It requires a system.
The Hierarchy of Productivity
Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand the Hierarchy of Productivity as a framework. Like Maslow’s hierarchy shows personal growth, this framework illustrates the layers of organizational growth. Each level strengthens the next. Skipping one doesn’t stop your business, but it weakens your potential for transformation. When it comes to increasing productivity in the workplace, this hierarchy gives leaders a practical map to follow.
We’ll start with the foundation – the most important layer that all else is built from – and work our way to the top.
1. Culture – Commit to the Journey
Every person on your team must understand, want, and be capable of performing their role. They need to align with your core values and show commitment to your mission. If the only reason they’re there is a paycheck, growth will stall.
2. Governance – Set the Guardrails
Clear, documented processes that define how work gets done. Everyone should know where to put things, how to find them, and what “done” looks like. Without guardrails, you end up automating chaos and scaling confusion.
3. Collaboration – Build Better Teams
Digital workspaces designed around real-world roles and responsibilities. Email silos need to give way to transparent, shared spaces where teams can co-create. When people have freedom to swarm problems together, progress speeds up.
4. Communication – Refine for Clarity
A central hub for communication where messages are timely, targeted, and trusted. People shouldn’t waste hours hunting for updates or wondering what’s important. Clarity keeps priorities aligned and mistakes low.
5. Automation – Streamline the Work
Automation that removes repetitive, low-value tasks so your people can focus on higher-value work. This isn’t about replacing people. It’s about freeing them from busywork so they can use their skills where it matters most.
6. Strategic Clarity – Work on What Matters Most
The discipline to identify what truly moves the business forward — and to ignore the rest. With the right insight in the right hands, leaders can invest time and talent where it delivers the highest return.
The Bottom Line
If you want to know how to increase productivity in the workplace, here’s the answer: build it step by step, starting with culture and working up to clarity. Skip the order, and you’ll waste time. Follow it, and you’ll unlock productivity that lasts.
If this framework makes sense to you, read The Productivity Manifesto. It unpacks each level in detail, with stories and practices you can apply. Or reach out to us — we’d love to explore how the Hierarchy applies to your organization.
Because productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most.
