Five steps to increase your productivity

TO BE competitive in the marketplace today takes more than lowering prices or expanding product lines. To stay profitable, companies have to improve and sustain their productivity.

Let employees know your vision for the future

Try to describe and envision clearly the goals you and your organization want to reach. If you can do so, you will be able to communicate and reach out to your employees. Without clearly stated goals employees may make assumptions, which then become the foundation for wrong decisions and actions. When the assumptions are incorrect valuable time and resources are wasted.

Make clear what success is

Let the employees know what you expect them to achieve in clear and measurable terms. Once they know what they need to do to be successful, they will be more effective. When determining the yardstick for success, factor the employees' input.

Then get the person's agreement to the goals, and commitment to the desired outcomes.

Rate the performance of the managers

It is very important to find out whether the managers or supervisors are providing clear directions to the employees.

Employees should be given work that use their skills, challenges their ability and intelligence. A manager should ensure that the work groups are harmonious and that he should give workers a voice in decisions that affect them. Above all, for effective production and for success of the company, a manager should create an environment of which workers feel a part.

Learn that conflicts and disagreements are gifts

Conflicts can help you identify and solve underlying issues. It is natural to want to avoid conflict and maintain harmony and agreement among the workgroups. Nonetheless, when people get angry or disagree or argue, it presents a good opportunity to make changes and find new ways of doing things. Put the energy created by the conflict to good use - generate new ideas, find creative solutions and be innovative.

Hire the "qualified" job applicants

Hire the "qualified to be hired" job applicants, those who have an 85% or greater job suitability when compared to the top performers.

Be very selective when hiring those in the middle rung. It takes about 6 qualified to- be- hired job finalists to find one with an 85% or greater job suitability. The results are well worth the extra effort.

TINA MARIAM JACOB

tinamariamjacob@yahoo.co.in