Productivity and Human Resources

The role of productivity is essential

The booming economic performance of an enterprise is a prerequisite for the growth and security of its employees. The role of productivity and human resources, therefore, assumes great importance.

Improving productivity has always been a live issue for management. The profitability of an organization mostly depends on improvement in productivity.  Therefore, managers are constantly striving to find ways of achieving the target of improved productivity.

In the modern age, tools that enhance productivity are inevitable. The clock in clock out apps are highly valuable for employees, especially those in small businesses. It simplifies workforce management, ensuring every minute is tracked. These technological advancements not only increase efficiency but also reflect a company’s dedication to maximizing its human resources.

Productivity is usually defined mechanically as the ratio between input and output. But, it is an organizational challenge encompassing the human, cultural, technological and moral aspects. It is an all-out effort in every sphere of activity of the Organization. A step towards achieving the target of the most efficient management of all the available resources.

Man dominates the show

“Money”, ‘Machine”, “Material” and “Method” all have their share of importance for increasing productivity but, it is “Man”, i.e. the human resource which dominates the show. No amount of money, technological ingenuity or work innovation will do the trick. Unless the most vital resource, i.e. human resources, is ready to rise to the occasion, there is no chance of meeting this challenge. Undue emphasis on engineering aspects may affect the esprit de corps and culture of the Organization. Thus the human resources of the Organization should form the focal point for any movement towards increasing productivity.

Productivity is an attitude; it cannot be transplanted into the body of the Organization. It could only be cultivated by a systematic process involving much initial spadework in the form of a sound organization structure, maintenance of equilibrium vis-à-vis various activities within the Organization, and clear-cut organizational goals.

Management credibility

The philosophy and the Basic principles underlying the spirit of the Organization play an essential role in the quest for improved productivity. A high degree of morality, integrity, fair play and justice finding manifestation in its practices could go a long way in preparing the right kind of soil for nurturing productivity. Any discrepancy between what you say and what you do will erode the management’s credibility.

Right, leadership can inspire employees towards peak performance. We are passing 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 happenings around them. They must change their style to suit the realities of the time. It is time for leadership through example, and excellence replaces administration through status and authority.

High-performance standards

Management must set very high performance standards for its work if it warns its workforce to follow suit.  Inefficiencies in the form of ill planning, inadequate safety arrangements, worn-out equipment, irregular supply of raw material, and inability to decide at the right time result in the management becoming a target of ridicule and affecting employees’ morale.  The top team should ensure smooth and hazard-free operations if it wants to prove its credentials before the employees.

Once the management can convince its workforce about its integrity, credibility, and efficiency, the next step is for the managers to inspire, guide and improve the quality of their work. The foremost step in this connection would be the very concept of work. Work should not remain only a mode of earning a livelihood but a source of self-satisfaction and self-realization. Thus, thorough job- design and placement taking into account a worker’s ability, skills, mental orientation, and versatility is paramount. It is necessary to follow the principle of the right person in the right job at the right time. Workers should also have complete knowledge of the job they are doing, not only in the sense of its immediate implications but also its wholesome effect and contribution towards the company’s objectives.

Productivity relates to planning

Productivity is often confused merely with more work by the workforce. However, it relates more to better planning than the squeezing of the workforce to the last limit. It represents an improvement in the working qualities of employees by innovations in planning and organizing the available resources. Improving performance is more a result of intelligent planning and effective implementation than the extra sweating of the workers. The efficiency of the workers cannot be increased by overburdening them with work but by reorganizing their jobs so that they can apply their skills most effectively.

The first step, maintenance (retaining employees as opposed to turning over), relates to work conditions, intersex relationships vertical and horizontal, and supervision. Good working conditions and a good relationship between superiors and subordinates and among employees may not motivate. Still, their absence certainly hurts the efforts towards the cause of employees.

Satisfaction is key

The second step in motivation is satisfaction. An uninterested or disgruntled employee can never give his best. He will remain submerged in his 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, then resorting to job redesigning, replacement, job enrichment, or even job rotation will be helpful. In the case of emotional and psychological problems, the medium of counselling provides the best solution.

The third step is the analysis of the situation for motivation. The motivational needs cover the range of physical and financial well-being, companionship, love and affection, self-respect, self-accomplishment, autonomy, and prospects. However, the motivational patterns of employees do not stay constant. They keep on changing, and it becomes necessary to keep track and stay abreast of the latest situation for compelling motivation. It varies with time, environment and people. However, there is a general recognition that security and accomplishment have a beneficial effect on the employees resulting in their motivation towards improved performance.

Delegating responsibility

The most important act on the management’s part in this connection is to delegate responsibility to the workers. This meant handing over their work along with the required information for controlling the same. This would create a true feeling of belonging and participation.  It would manifest that the workers are responsible members with exceptional value and not merely technical factors. The realization that one knows the actual situation, that one is important and could take the initiative and decisions without fear.  This creates a feeling of security and joy and builds up the morale of the workers. If convinced that their efforts would lead to desirable objectives, workers will respond enthusiastically to genuine opportunities to create and give their best.

Management should instil a spirit of the diligent search for growth in its workforce and give them the opportunities for entirely using their talents and skills entirely. Mediocrity or stagnation in work standards may destroy the available talent and skills. It is, therefore, imperative to set high albeit achievable standards of performance to realize the energies of the workers.

Management must integrate productivity and human resources,  not merely for its benefit; it should see it as a source of continuous improvement in employees’ lives. Matching the needs of the workforce to the achievement of organizational objectives is vital.  This provides the right kind of impetus for peak performance. The employees began to attach themselves to the successes of the Organization. It is, therefore, necessary that the company’s prosperity is reflected in the living standards of its employees.