The successful economic performance of a company is a prerequisite for the growth and security of its employees. Therefore, the role of productivity assumes great importance.
Improving productivity has always been a hot topic for management. As the profitability of an organization mainly depends on the improvement of productivity, managers always strive to find ways to achieve the goal of improving productivity. Productivity is usually defined mechanically, as the ratio of input to output. But, in fact, it is an organizational challenge that encompasses human, cultural, technological and moral aspects. It is a total effort in all areas of activity of the organization to achieve the objective of the most efficient management of all available resources.
“Money”, “Machine”, “Material” and “Method” have their share of importance in increasing productivity. But it is the “Man”, that is, the human resource that dominates the show. There is no amount of money, technological ingenuity or labor innovation. he will do the trick. Unless the most vital resource i.e. human resource is ready to rise to the occasion, there is no chance of meeting this challenge. Undue emphasis on engineering aspects can affect Esprit De Corps and the Organization’s culture. The organization’s human resource should be the focal point of any movement toward increased productivity. Productivity being an attitude, it cannot be transplanted to the body of the Organization. It can only be cultivated through a systematic process that involves a lot of initial legwork in the form of a strong organizational structure, maintaining balance against various activities within the organization, as well as clear organizational objectives.
The philosophy and basic principles that sustain the spirit of the organization play an important role in the search for greater productivity. It is up to Senior Management to give spiritual leadership. A high degree of display of morality, integrity, fair play and justice in their practices could go a long way in preparing the right ground for fostering productivity. Any discrepancy between “the Preach” and “the Practice” will erode the credibility of management. The organizational climate and the work environment have a very important influence on the drive to improve productivity. A communication system that leads to an open dialogue between management and employees, where there is a free two-way flow of information, helps create the most congenial atmosphere for enhancing productivity. Mutual trust, mutual respect and sharing common goals is a sign of the most harmonious relationship between management and employees, which is a sine qua non condition for building employee morale and their orientation towards improving productivity.
It is useless to say that Managerial Leadership can inspire employees to peak performance. We are going through a time of change. Autocracy is giving way to democracy. There is a growing hatred for any form of force or authority. Managers cannot remain oblivious to the events around them. They must change their style to adapt to the realities of the time. It is time that leadership through example and excellence replace leadership through status and authority.
Management must set very high performance standards for its own work, if it advises its workforce to follow suit. Management inefficiencies in the form of poor planning, inadequate security arrangements, worn-out equipment, irregular supply of raw material, inability to make decisions at the right time, make management a reticle target and affect the morale of the employees. Management must ensure that operations are smooth and hazard-free if they want to prove their credentials to the workforce.
Once management is able to convince its workforce of its own integrity, credibility, and efficiency, the next step is employee development. It is up to managers to inspire, guide and improve the quality of their work. The most important step in this connection would be the very concept of work. Work should not remain just as a way of earning a living, but as a source of self-satisfaction and self-realization. Therefore, careful job design and placement that takes into account the worker’s ability, skills, mental orientation, and versatility is of paramount importance. It is necessary to follow the principle of the right person in the right job at the right time. Workers must also have a full understanding of the work they are doing not only in the sense of its immediate implications, but also in its salutary effect and contribution to the company’s objectives.
Productivity is often mistaken for simply getting more work done by the workforce. However, it has more to do with better planning than with squeezing the workforce to the last limit. It represents an improvement in the labor qualities of employees, due to innovations in the planning and organization of available resources. Improving performance is more the result of smart planning and effective implementation than additional worker sweating. The efficiency of workers cannot be increased not by overloading them with work, but by reorganizing their work in such a way that they can apply their skills most effectively. Repetition and increased experience of work (specialization) help to increase efficiency up to a certain point, after which it begins to give negative feedback due to boredom and monotony of work, negatively affecting efficiency. Therefore, the continuous motivation of workers is the only way to achieve higher productivity.
The first step, maintenance (employee retention instead of rotation) is related to working conditions, the inter-se relationship both vertically and horizontally, technical supervision and personal status. Good working conditions, the good relationship between superiors and subordinates and between employees, may not be motivating by themselves, but their absence certainly has an adverse effect on efforts to motivate employees. The second step in motivation has to do with satisfaction. A disinterested or disgruntled employee can never do their best. He will remain immersed in his own worries and problems. Such an employee has a very demoralizing effect on the rest of the workforce. If the issues affecting his performance are job related, it may be helpful to resort to job redesign, replacement, job enrichment, or even job rotation. In case of emotional and psychological problems, the counseling medium provides the best solution.
The third step is the analysis of the situation for motivation. The motivational needs of an employee cover the range of physical and economic well-being, companionship, love and affection, self-respect, personal fulfillment, autonomy, and perspectives. However, employee motivation patterns do not remain constant. They keep changing and it becomes necessary to track and keep abreast of the latest situation for effective motivation. It varies with time, environment and people. However, there is general recognition that confidence, success, achievement, and desire have a salutary effect on employees, resulting in their motivation toward better performance. It is necessary a system that promotes the desire and the capacity of creation and realization of the worker. The most important act on the part of the management in this sense is to delegate to the workers the responsibility for their work and the information required for its control. This would create a real feeling of ownership and participation and would show that the workers are responsible members with special value and not merely technical factors. The realization that one knows the real situation, that one is important and can take initiatives and decisions without fear, creates a feeling of security and euphoria and raises the morale of workers. Workers, if they are convinced that their efforts will lead to desirable goals, will enthusiastically respond to genuine opportunities to create and do their best.
Management must instill a spirit of dynamic pursuit of growth in its workforce and provide them with opportunities to make full use of their talents and abilities. Mediocrity or stagnation in work standards can destroy available talent and skills. Therefore, it is imperative to set high, yet achievable performance standards to harness the energies of workers.
Management must pursue the goal of increased productivity not only for its own benefit, but as a source of continuous improvement in the working life of employees. Matching the needs of the workforce with the achievement of organizational goals provides the right kind of drive for peak performance. Employees began to connect with the organization’s successes. Therefore, it is necessary that the prosperity of the company is reflected in the standard of living of its employees. Good human relations is sometimes confused with total surrender or indulgent leniency on the part of management. The misconception creates various problems, lack of discipline being one of them. Firmness or discipline carefully carried out without hurting employees’ self-respect can act as a motivating force. Waste or unnecessary costs disguised as liberalization and experimentation are dangerous. Leakage, unproductive habits and attitudes negatively affect efforts to improve productivity. Management should also lead in this field by strictly adhering to sales discipline, simplicity and frugality. All the effort to achieve greater productivity may end in vain if careful consideration is not given to eliminate or control these factors. Therefore, it is incumbent on management and employees to act together to avoid these troubled waters, if they are to reap the full harvest of productivity.
