Page 22 - Logistics News - Issue 02 - 2024

PRODUCTIVITY

3 tips to improve

employee productivity

Behavioural change specialist Arjen de Bruin, Group CEO at OIM Consulting,
provides three tips to enhance the productivity of your employees, all of which
encompass adopting a people-first approach.

sk any company head or business leader how Anecdotally, South Africans can also be somewhat erratic
important employee productivity is to them and when it comes to productivity. We have periods of extreme
Athey will tell you that it is right up there with a strong productivity, but then sometimes take the pedal off the metal.
bottom line and a good coffee machine. But, productivity in We’re also not inherently process-driven; we need something
itself shouldn’t be the starting point – rather, it should be the to make absolute sense to us in order for us to adhere to it, and
people. If you adopt a people-first approach, productivity is this can derail us when it comes to our efforts in the workplace.
the natural by-product.
However, overall, South Africans have a good work ethic. We
I see the same challenges across the various industries in have seen that when employees are empowered with tools and
which we operate. Productivity has always raised an issue and coached to be more consistent in planning and organising, as
so we conduct a thorough assessment prior to rolling out our well as other areas such as analysis and problem-solving, there
programme to find out where the problem lies. is a sharp uptick in productivity.

Within mining and manufacturing, as well as warehouse Below are three tips for companies seeking to get the most
distribution and fast-moving consumer goods, we see a similar out of their employees in the workforce:
competency profile among employees. Planning and organising
is typically the poorest competency across the board, followed 1. Employees must see how their performance
by analysis and problem-solving and, finally, leadership and is linked to the big picture
development, with only 17 percent of workers classed as Performance is linked to purpose. Your employees need to
proficient in their roles. We have seen how these areas curtail see how what they do each day ties into the big picture; how it
organisational productivity. matters.

Within these industries, assertiveness typically ranks The first step is always to clearly define what your company
high. You will find that supervisors are used to operating stands for, creating structure and alignment. Employees then
in a reactive manner; they are assertive and able to handle need to be brought into the process and shown how these
problems that arise, but they’re not always able to plan values translate into day-to-day action and behaviour. The
effectively and prevent a problem from occurring, which energy of employees needs to be focused frequently and
results in time wastage. leaders need to be visible, engaged and continuously carrying
the culture of the organisation.
In financial services, the same problems rear their
heads, but in a somewhat different order. Among the staff And not only do employees need to see the link between
who form part of the back office operations, we find that their performance and the company’s operations or strategy, but
planning and organising is typically where it should be, but also how it relates to their own lives and the benefit it can bring
assertiveness is low. This means that when it comes to them. For example, if the company reaches target, there might
critical decision-making, confidence is lacking and this can be a financial incentive for them such as a bonus. Or they might
negatively impact outcomes. gain a new skill and feel more empowered in their role.

20 NO V E MB E R/D E C E MB E R 2024 www .l o g ist i csn e w s .c o .z a