The Myth of Hard Work And Productivity

Hard work and productivity should never be used in the same sentence as it is two very different actions.

The drive for profit at all costs raises the question " Do productivity and hard work still matter? ".

• The re-invention of productivity
• What is workplace productivity?
• What happened to productivity?
• Does hard work produce positive productivity?
• What does positive productivity do for your business?
• How will we approach productivity in the future?
• The myth of hard work and productivity - Conclusion

It feels like I can start this post with the words "A long long time ago".

 
From our childhood days, it was drilled into our heads that hard work never killed anybody. Today more people are killed by hard work than in war. 

The reinvention of productivity

Profiteering has largely taken over while the quest for productivity has taken a backseat. The new age profiteers are back to the old thinking of productivity equals hard work.

No longer do they strive for doing things smarter but rather expect employees to work harder to achieve profits. Bodies are thrown at problems instead of finding solutions.

The new targets are not measured in units anymore but in monetary value. Does this mean there is no longer a need for high productivity levels in the workplace? 

What is workplace productivity?

Workplace productivity comes down to how efficiently you apply your resources to achieve company goals and targets. It all comes down to the measurement of time vs money.

Resources that will affect the productivity of your company are normally divided between the application of your employees, machinery, and materials.

The productivity levels you achieve all start with your employees which includes leadership and the focus placed on doing the right thing at the right time at the right cost.

What happened to productivity?

For the last forty years or so we've been working hard at achieving maximum productivity and zero defects. 

Through hard work, we refined processes and reinvented the wheel to such an extent that we no longer need to work hard. 

Working smarter, not harder was the suggestion and here we are. 

Now we have the dilemma of increasing productivity without working hard and we don't know how we are going to achieve that goal.

Does hard work produce positive productivity?

Contrary to what is said hard work can still produce higher levels of productivity if it is focused on the right actions and with intent.

Just working hard by itself will not always produce better results but can still yield a profit if that is all that you are interested in. Unfortunately, these days profit is the sole objective for most shareholders, and at that level, productivity can be seen as an obstruction.

Positive productivity from hard work can only be achieved when leadership coaches employees that the cost factor of performing tasks is the most important input that's made to achieve profitable outcomes.

What does positive productivity do for your business?

Positive productivity can be a game-changer for any organization working on being innovative and a major player in a specific marketplace in the long term. What positive productivity will bring to the company can be measured in value.

• Employee engagement
• Efficient teamwork
• Bigger profits
• Innovation

Employee engagement

Employees who work hard will be able to do so with the right intent and that is to produce results at the lowest costs. By directing the focus onto productivity employees will be more aware of their function in the bigger picture and therefore be more productive.

Efficient teamwork

Efficient teamwork re-focusing employee intent on productivity groups of people will need to work together in order to achieve the goals set. This will require positive teamwork and the distribution of work will reduce the workload of those working themselves to death.

Bigger profits

Just by being more efficient and focused the results will be quickly visible in the bottom line. This is where shareholders will get the a-ha moment that they don't have to let you work hard for their money.

And all this is not a case of working smarter it is just a case of being more efficient and aware of costs.

Innovation

It is common knowledge that looking for ways to achieve higher productivity goes hand in hand with innovation. Employees will learn to look for better ways to achieve their goals and a culture of innovation will be born.

Innovation is one of the key factors for the long-term survival of an organization.

How will we approach productivity in the future?

So what are the new trends? Developing technology to do the same thing does make it look smarter but does it contribute to employee productivity? 

I asked the question long ago on one of my supply chain forums and every answer came back suggesting some form of technology for developing better productivity in the workplace.

It is definitely not something that can be overlooked but to get the benefits of the cost the same principle will still apply. Employees will still need to make use of it efficiently in order to be productive.

Organizations all strive for the same portion of the profit but sooner rather than later they will realize they are on a level playing field and the only thing that will make a difference is the productivity level they choose to operate on.

The myth of hard work and productivity - Conclusion

Profit is the aim of every organization and business but with economies slowing down and competition getting tougher they will need to revert back to what has always worked for them the best.

Better productivity will always remain the go-to option as just working harder won't cut it.