Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
The first thing to do is to define productivity. This is a strategical term to be defined. For example, some organizations think that productivity is cost reduction which is totally wrong. Second, "wasting" must be defined. If you work into Lean environments you have a checklist to define it. I have the opportunity to work in Toyota with TPS before it will be renamed as Lean by the MIT. If you take a look to the checklist you will not see something like "wasting work time" because the "use of technology". Each organization must pay attention to the organizational culture to define this type of things.
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2 replies by HAWAZIN ABBASI
Jun 27, 2017 11:44 PM
HAWAZIN ABBASI
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Dr. Sergio,
You are a project manager, and you handle an important project, you notice an employee texting or surfing several times during working hours, instead of focus in his or her task(waste working time), how you react?
All depends on the organization. Saving Changes...
Mike DewingSenior Project Manager / Program Manager| MLD Holdings Ltd.Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
I know if the work is being done and how well it is being done and who is doing the work. Regular, honest and consistent conversations can go a long way When you start getting into detailed daily measurements then you may fall into that 'babysitting mode' and that is a slippery slope of no return. That's akin to squeezing Jell-O and not expecting it to slip between your fingers and down your arm.
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2 replies by HAWAZIN ABBASI and Wendy Kuerbitz (Brown)
Jun 27, 2017 11:47 PM
HAWAZIN ABBASI
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Mr. Mike
According to your answer do you think it is important to enroll employees in monitoring or recording technology during working hours to ensure their productivity?
Depends if the environment is Mcgregor's X or Y, also on who you are managing, and the success criteria for your organization's "productivity" metrics.
There are really two issues you have highlighted: productivity and wasting work time. Wasting work time will always lower productivity, but a lower productivity can have many causes in addition to wasting work time.
If you are leaning towards monitoring, appoint a team leader within the group or department, who will do the monitoring. and "sell" the benefits of it to them, at least in a pilot. Having a team leader among the ranks will remove the "boss is watching" feeling, and increase the chances of buy in. Have the team leader report the finding, and present the status to the team, without pointing out individual issues. That is for private ono-on-one meetings.
Very important: rotate the team leader who will do the monitoring, as only retaining one will cause them to be ostracized by their peers.
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1 reply by Krishna Pakki
Jun 27, 2017 11:24 PM
Krishna Pakki
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Cant agree more ! This is exactly came into my mind reading the question.
we do a lot of productivity measurement for equipment and construction quantities. But when it comes to employee productivity its measured more in terms of deliverables / Schedule rather than individuals. Well, if there is a issue with productivity, what could be the root cause, mostly, it s outside employees control and mostly dependent on management,
Saving Changes...
Krishna PakkiProject Services Manager| Rio TintoGilbert, Az, United States
Jun 27, 2017 9:18 PM
Replying to Sante Delle-Vergini, PhD
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Depends if the environment is Mcgregor's X or Y, also on who you are managing, and the success criteria for your organization's "productivity" metrics.
There are really two issues you have highlighted: productivity and wasting work time. Wasting work time will always lower productivity, but a lower productivity can have many causes in addition to wasting work time.
If you are leaning towards monitoring, appoint a team leader within the group or department, who will do the monitoring. and "sell" the benefits of it to them, at least in a pilot. Having a team leader among the ranks will remove the "boss is watching" feeling, and increase the chances of buy in. Have the team leader report the finding, and present the status to the team, without pointing out individual issues. That is for private ono-on-one meetings.
Very important: rotate the team leader who will do the monitoring, as only retaining one will cause them to be ostracized by their peers.
Cant agree more ! This is exactly came into my mind reading the question.
we do a lot of productivity measurement for equipment and construction quantities. But when it comes to employee productivity its measured more in terms of deliverables / Schedule rather than individuals. Well, if there is a issue with productivity, what could be the root cause, mostly, it s outside employees control and mostly dependent on management,
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1 reply by HAWAZIN ABBASI
Jun 28, 2017 12:02 AM
HAWAZIN ABBASI
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How you can measure teachers productivity?
Saving Changes...
Deepesh RammoorthyICT Project Manager ( PMP®AgilePM®Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM®))| Australian Red Cross Blood ServiceTarneit, Vic, Australia
I would steer clear of monitoring employees as if you were looking for suspects or intruders If your company has recruited them, they have done so on the basis of meeting certain selection criteria
These days with flexible working conditions, the only thing you can do is to monitor the performance. This could be done looking at the quality of artifacts produced, when you want it and how you want it done.
If the quality of the deliverable is not upto standard the onus is on the Line Manager to have a one on one with the employee.
The emphasis should be on the employee following code of conduct, Health And Safety procedures and other important factors that will enable them to do the work.
You can also block and monitor access to unethical practices like accessing adult sites, online gaming etc.
You can keep a very generic eye on frequent absenteeism and ask the Line Manager to have a "chat" if the employee is found abusing things like sick leave without medical certificates
Beyond all this, you just have to trust your employee to deliver the goods and support them in whatever way you can through mentoring, coaching and training Saving Changes...
HAWAZIN ABBASICEO/ Project Manager| SMART Leaders SolutionsLincoln, Ne, United States
Jun 27, 2017 11:37 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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The first thing to do is to define productivity. This is a strategical term to be defined. For example, some organizations think that productivity is cost reduction which is totally wrong. Second, "wasting" must be defined. If you work into Lean environments you have a checklist to define it. I have the opportunity to work in Toyota with TPS before it will be renamed as Lean by the MIT. If you take a look to the checklist you will not see something like "wasting work time" because the "use of technology". Each organization must pay attention to the organizational culture to define this type of things.
Dr. Sergio,
You are a project manager, and you handle an important project, you notice an employee texting or surfing several times during working hours, instead of focus in his or her task(waste working time), how you react?
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2 replies by Deepesh Rammoorthy and Sergio Luis Conte
Jun 28, 2017 12:14 AM
Deepesh Rammoorthy
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Have you allocated tasks to this employee? Have you given them a deadline? Have you shared the desired quality of the deliverable? Do they know what to focus on ?
On the other hand Are they delaying their work because of Internet Surfing? Are they missing a deadline? Are they using the work computers to browse non important sites or running a business or accessing sites that contravene work policies? Have you audited their time sheet? are they consistently putting 8 hours on Project work and are they consistently browsing the internet for 2 hours at a stretch?
You can remind them through one on one conversation that they should use their work hours for the benefit of the organization and that they are using excessive time on personal mobile phone or internet . You can even give the warnings as per HR policy
But You cannot monitor every day of every hour that they are working. You will not have any employees in your company if you resort to such extreme practices
Jun 28, 2017 5:28 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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The important thing is to get the objective. Focus on activity is micromanagement. But again, if your organization´s culture demands that then go ahead. I fully disagree with that and after more than 30 years in the field working in practice and research I can affirm focus on activity realization does not work. Is the same when some organization ask people to be on the office no matter what they do. But it is a matter of culture. I know organizations that belongs to the top 100 companies in the world that perform this type of actions. I am leading a hugh project about take advantage of BOD (bring your own device). But is not for that I write what I wrote. On the other side, I lead other hugh project to change organizational culture by implementing "Speed of Trust" as a key component to gain in business agility. We have to trust in people.
Saving Changes...
HAWAZIN ABBASICEO/ Project Manager| SMART Leaders SolutionsLincoln, Ne, United States
Jun 27, 2017 4:03 PM
Replying to Mike Dewing
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I know if the work is being done and how well it is being done and who is doing the work. Regular, honest and consistent conversations can go a long way When you start getting into detailed daily measurements then you may fall into that 'babysitting mode' and that is a slippery slope of no return. That's akin to squeezing Jell-O and not expecting it to slip between your fingers and down your arm.
Mr. Mike
According to your answer do you think it is important to enroll employees in monitoring or recording technology during working hours to ensure their productivity? Saving Changes...
HAWAZIN ABBASICEO/ Project Manager| SMART Leaders SolutionsLincoln, Ne, United States
Jun 27, 2017 11:37 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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The first thing to do is to define productivity. This is a strategical term to be defined. For example, some organizations think that productivity is cost reduction which is totally wrong. Second, "wasting" must be defined. If you work into Lean environments you have a checklist to define it. I have the opportunity to work in Toyota with TPS before it will be renamed as Lean by the MIT. If you take a look to the checklist you will not see something like "wasting work time" because the "use of technology". Each organization must pay attention to the organizational culture to define this type of things.
Doing things in the right way.
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Jun 28, 2017 5:24 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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That is not productivity. That is, could say, quality assurance. But if productivity is that for your organization go ahead. But you have to work on quality.
