This week, we're going to the Friday, May 4, 2012 edition of The Wall Street Journal for WSJ Wednesday. Conor Dougherty wrote an informative article stating "productivity of U.S. workers fell in the first quarter." He says this data suggests companies are close to reaching the limit of how much they can get from the workforce.
Erik Johnson, an economist with IHS Global Insight concurs. He also believes this means if demand continues to rise while productivity lags, companies will continue to hire and invest in new capital equipment to make workers more efficient.
While Dougherty's article, "Workforce Productivity Falls," takes a strictly financial look at sluggish productivity, it's also important to think about it from a physical and emotional perspective. How long can employers continue to go back to the same till and expect good results? People get burnt out.
How can American employers balance profit with rewards for superior performance?
I've been employed in a variety of industries, and in each place, workers varied in work ethics. Some gave 110% all the time. Others did the bare minimum. The remaining lagged behind everyone else and didn't really care. The challenge remains for employers to find a way to reward those who give it their all consistently, while finding what motivates the other two groups to increase productivity. One of my employers took this seriously, and held classes to teach managers how to be sensitive to the various needs (motivators) of their staff members. Employees were also provided training opportunities throughout the year to better position themselves for advancement.
One thing that must be realized is when people are overwhelmed, productivity is destined to suffer. Investing in capital equipment that improves efficiency can help, but the incentives for good work should not be forgotten, even in the tightest of economies.
What is something an employer has done for you that has made you feel appreciated?
No comments:
Post a Comment