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Improving Productivity ofOffice Employees

Improving Productivity ofOffice Employees

Chapter 16Chapter 16

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ProductivityIs the result obtainedfrom dividing outputby input.

The more output an organization obtains from constant levels of input, the better itsproductivity.

The more output an organization obtains from constant levels of input, the better itsproductivity.

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Factors That Have Contributed to theProductivity Dilemma in the U.S.

Factors That Have Contributed to theProductivity Dilemma in the U.S.

1. Constraining nature of government regulations, actions, and policies.2. Declining work ethic.

3. Declining research and development expenditures.

4. Declining capital investment.

5. Increasing number of service workers.6. Changing characteristics of workforce.7. Constraining practices, policies, and attitudes of management.

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Productivity Improvement Program

Is an effective way for an organizationto increase its productivity.

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Characteristics of Successful ProductivityImprovement Programs

Characteristics of Successful ProductivityImprovement Programs

1. Have top-management support.

3. Have top-priority status.4. Have productivity goals.

5. Have employee participation.

6. Have an employee rewards feature.7. Have effective program leadership.8. Have an effective communication element.

2. Have employee commitment.

9. Have effective measurement techniques/devices.

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Steps in Carrying Out a ProductivityImprovement Program

Steps in Carrying Out a ProductivityImprovement Program

1. Carry out preliminary planning.

5. Design the solution.

2. Assess the current situation.3. Select areas/activities to be included.

4. Develop alternative solutions.

6. Develop an implementation plan and implement the solution.7. Conduct a follow-up of the solution.

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Step 1: Carry Out Preliminary Planning

Identify program objectives.Determine program’s scope.Identify individuals to be involved.Consider input and direction provided by the task force.Keep employees abreast of program developmental efforts.

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Step 2: Assess the Current Situation

Measure the present productivity performance.Identify and analyze the nature of various departmental work processes and procedures.Evaluate ways in which employees perform their assigned duties.

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Step 3: Select Areas/Activities

Select areas in greatest need of improvement (prioritize if not all areas can be included in the program).

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Step 4: Develop Alternative Solutions

Consider various alternative solutions to helping increase productivity of areas to be included in program.

Consider the potential impact of each of the alternative solutions.Calculate a cost-benefit ratio for each of the alternatives.

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Step 5: Design the Solution

Attain top management approval when/where needed.

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Step 6: Develop an Implementation Planand Implement the Solution

Devote as much time to designing the imple- mentation plan and actual implementation of each solution as it needs.Involve unit managers and employees in areas that affect them as one way of attaining their commitment.Install the new equipment; train/retrain employees.Implement the solution on an orderly basis.

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Step 7: Conduct a Follow-up of the Solution

Determine how well the solution is working a few months after its implementation by comparing actual performance against anticipated performance.

Make changes when/where needed.

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Measuring office productivity is a critical aspectof productivity improvement efforts.

Measurable Office Tasks HaveThese Characteristics

Measurable Office Tasks HaveThese Characteristics

1. They can be isolated, which helps determine where they begin and end.

2. The amount of effort and time consumed are fairly constant from one undertaking to the next.

3. The task is easily countable.

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Types of Data Obtained fromMeasurement Process

Types of Data Obtained fromMeasurement Process

Quantitative

Qualitative

Per-Unit Cost

Obtained by dividing the amountof time consumed in producing the units by the total units ofoutput produced.Obtained by counting the amountof poor-quality work that has tobe redone.

Obtained by pro-rating the cost oflabor, equipment, and overheadper work unit produced.

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Suggestions for Improving the Effectiveness of Productivity Measurement

Suggestions for Improving the Effectiveness of Productivity Measurement

1. Determine the measurement objective.

2. Consider the characteristics of the area/activity being measured and select the simplest, easiest-to-use technique that circumstances will allow.3. Train those who are responsible for measurement to use the various techniques properly.

4. Use a sufficiently long measurement period to compensate for any abnormal fluctuation in the workload.

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Areas in Which Productivity CanOften Be Improved

(1 of 2)

Areas in Which Productivity CanOften Be Improved

(1 of 2)

Office Technology

Often accomplished by provid-ing employees with new equip-ment that enables them to per-form their tasks faster and withless effort.

Work Processesand Procedures

Accomplished by providingemployees with efficient workprocesses and procedures.

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Areas in Which Productivity CanOften Be Improved

(2 of 2)

Areas in Which Productivity CanOften Be Improved

(2 of 2)

WorkEnvironment

Provide employees with aworking environment thatstimulates their desire tobecome more productive.

PersonnelHelp employees develop a positive attitude toward work.

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A Variety of Techniques are Available

Some are costly; others are inexpensive or free.

Some involve making substantial changes in organizational processes and procedures; others are simply accomplished.

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Job Design

Affects the amount of satisfaction employees derivefrom their work and the level of productivity theyattain from their job functions.

Employees want task variety, importance, and autonomy.

Employees want task variety, importance, and autonomy.

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Types of Job Design(1 of 2)

Types of Job Design(1 of 2)

Job Rotation

Allows employees toperiodically exchangetheir work assignmentswith others.

Job SimplificationRemoves the repetitive, dulltasks from employees’ jobsas well as awkward workflow and communicationbarriers.

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Types of Job Design(2 of 2)

Types of Job Design(2 of 2)

Job Enrichment

Allows employees to assume greater levelsof responsibility for andcontrol over their jobswhile increasing their job planning opportunities.

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Flextime

Allows employees to set their own starting times,usually within a 2- or 3-hour block of time.

All employees have to be at work during acore time--perhaps from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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Job Sharing

Allows two people to share what was one full-timejob.

Salaries and fringe benefits are pro-ratedaccording to the amount of each employee’s work contribution.

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Job Security

Provides employees with the assurance that evenwhen they increase their output, their jobs arenot in jeopardy.

This is often a prerequisite to getting employees to increase their output.

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Employee Participation

Gives employees an opportunity to provideinput into the decision-making process.

Employees want to be involved in situations that affect them.

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Quality Circles

Involve a voluntary group of 8-12 employees whomeet on a regular basis to identify, analyze, anddevelop solutions to a variety of their work-relatedproblems.

Meetings are held on company time.

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Quality of Work Life (QWL)

Involves these aspects regarding an employee’sposition: working conditions, economic rewards and benefits, interpersonal relations, and a variety of organizational contributions.

Some of the QWL techniques used areflextime, MBO, job enrichment, jobsecurity, job rotation, TQM, and employee participation.

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Employee Assistance Programs

Provide a variety of assistance to employees tohelp them deal with situations that impactnegatively on their productivity.

Typically involves providing employeeswith counseling sessions.

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Communication

Involves increasing the amount of communicationbetween management and employees.

Feedback is a critical aspect of the managerial process.

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Burnout Reduction

Involves helping employees reduce burnout orstress that impacts negatively on theirproductivity.

May involve some employee counseling.

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Incentives

Provides employees with rewards for increasingtheir productivity.

Some programs are group based; others areindividual based.

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Mental and Emotional Stress Reduction

Involves helping employees overcome the stress that keeps them from maximizing theirproductivity.

Stress may arise from unsatisfactoryinterpersonal relations, low self-esteem,tension, worry, job boredom, job isolation, job insecurity, and unpleasantworking conditions.

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Team Building

Is designed to enable a team to identify, diagnose,and solve their own problems.

Results in empowering employees toassume greater responsibility over theirjobs.

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Problem Solving

Often involves helping employees learn to dealwith complex situations.

May involve the use of a problem-solvingapproach.

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Time Management

Involves helping employees make better useof their time and to manage their time moreeffectively.

Being able to estimate accurately how longa given task will take to complete isuseful.

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Alternative Workweek

Involves giving employees an opportunity towork four days, perhaps extending the lengthof the workday.

Often reduces absenteeism and tardiness.

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Total Quality Management (TQM)

Is a program designed to help an organizationimprove the quality of its products and/orservices.

Is based on teamwork and empowerment.