Productivity issues and ideas

Productivity is a concern of almost every manager and organization out there. Thousands of Rupees are invested on increasing the productivity of individuals in form of installing a router or system to curb unnecessary surfing of websites, installing biometrics and other such machines to log in 8 hours of work, worksheets to log time of every project, giving or getting productivity training, etc. But does it give ROI? Does making a rule always mean people following it?

We humans, by nature are distracted souls, especially when we are not interested in doing something.  School years are the best example of this. Did we not attend the class, out of obligations, which bored us to death? What did we do in this circumstance? When went into our dream world, allowing our imagination take us wherever it wished to flow, and all this while teachers were just remarking on physical presence of students! Similarly, all this expensive systems that we invest in, will only serve the purpose of temporary curbing of activity. Install a system to block websites, people chat on smartphones. Make people put their phones into locker when coming to office, people use office phones to make calls to dear ones. Make a regulation against this, people chitchat in the corridors. Discourage this, and people will again start the all-time favorite session of day dreaming! Even the lectures and training on productivity will be held for a day or two – a week at most, and then, people will again be the same. 

So what can be done about it? How to curb all of this?

The answer lies in inspiration. The answer lies in checking the interest of the people, and accordingly placing them. The answer lies in showing them the path and what the end will bring to them. How will you come about doing this? The following are some of the suggestions

• Right Recruitment: When you’re recruiting, check if their interest actually lie in the post you’re selecting them for. Many a times the basic interests of the people are somewhere, but for the moneys sake, they come to you for a job, for interview. Select only the people who are actually passionate about the work they’re going to do once selected. 
• The prospects of a growth: When in school, we always studied for the exams, especially end term exams, for we knew that the result will take us into a higher grade, similarly, people in the later years of their life are inspired by the prospects of growth. Make clear guidelines and communicate what are the growth evaluation criteria’s and what people need do to reach a higher level.
• Healthy Competition: When in school, I was always motivated to perform, because, I was ranked higher, when I got better marks. Similarly, try to imbibe healthy culture into the organization, but see to it that you don’t hurt the sentiments of the people while doing so.
• Inspire, like a soldier: In ancient times, when wars were common, soldiers were called in the name of God, in the name of country and the pride for the country and their motherland made them fight all those wars for the nation. What did Mahatma Gandhi do? How did he make all those people fight without weapons, or threats, and with absolute love? He called our pride, the human within us that can do anything shown the right way.
• Account for breaks: When accounting for productivity, we seldom account for breaks, whereas breaks are necessary for better and speedier performance. Moreover, ideas are communicated over breaks, solutions are discussed in free time. Also, a research says, a person needs breaks after every 90 minutes of work. So, always make an allowance and encourage taking breaks after good work.

I hope the above points help you in making a productive culture. I strongly emphasize the right recruitment, because, when the person is in the right field, she shall deliver the expectations. If you have something to add, I shall be glad to hear from you.