Just do it!

Recently I was writing some course material on improving innovation and I suggested there that to make people more innovative, you need them engaged and you need to give them freedom to explore.

Then I came across Gallup's new State of the Global Workplace report which suggests that only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged in their jobs.

If both of these are correct, then it is not surprising that the world is struggling to improve innovation and productivity.

Developing our people (human capital?) is the single most important thing we can do. Yet, many do not do it.  

Please explain!

Well-being is good for productivity

In the UK, much attention has been focused recently on mental health issues - with a dawning of understanding of the sheer scale - and the growing impact - of various mental health conditions ... including the impact on workplace productivity.

Now research by Curaiink Healthcare suggest that properly constructed and focused  Employee Assistance Programmes can result in meaningful and lasting behaviour change that decreases absenteeism, increases productivity and improves healthcare outcomes for employees who present with depression and alcohol abuse.

Many of us have known for some time that well-being is an important productivity factor and that programmes that improve employee well-being are an investment rather than a cost.   Evidence which corroberates this view is welcome.

Peru shows the way

As Peru prepares to celebrate the 2021 bicentenary of its independence, the government has set itself one major goal: to make Peru a full member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The aim is to adopt public policies that meet established OECD standards and provide Peru with an important opportunity to strengthen its institutions and consolidate the country’s development.  But in order to do so, there remain important industrial gaps that will have need be bridged, especially in terms of productivity.

The most important part of this is the fact that Peru has set a goal and an aim that should motivate the country to perform.

If more countries adopted an aim based on productivity development, we might see some dramatic changes to global productivity - and to the global economy.

Are workers to blame?

There has been a debate in Trinidad yesterday about whether workers (and especially their poor attendance) is to blame for low productivity. Trades unions say 'No'.

I agree with the unions.

In my experience, poor productivity within an organisation is almost always a 'system or culture failure'. Either work is badly organised or the culture of the organisation mitigates against high engagement and high performance by workers.

Managers also, of course, hold the levers for change.  If they cannot improve productivity, they are not managing effectively.