You Don’t Have To Finish Your Automation Project
When firms are looking at automation (or AI) to find other ways of changing and improving what they do), the approach should always be to look at what you do now and how you do
Whatever Happened to Common Sense
Most of us have been in a situation at work where rules have been enforced which are clearly stupid to anyone with common sense. If you doubt this, you need to read ‘Dilbert’ more. Do you
Does Manufcturing Matter?
Spoiler alert!. Yes, it does! Manufacturing, in spite of continual productivity gains over several decades, is a large employer. But it also employs a multiple more (often several multiples more) in the wider supply chain -
Take Action
Occasionally we see an organisation that has pulled itself back from the brink of extinction. There are two main routes to such survival - one is to find a different product/service (product innovation) ; the other
Perfection is Over-Rated
We all know people who are perfectionists. They strive in everything they do to be the best, to out-perform all others, to be number one. In some walks of life, this can be a great attribute.
Hand in Hand
I read a report recently which suggested that the workforce in Pakistan lacks both appropriate skills and the work ethic needed to significantly improve productivity. (This is not of course exclusive to Pakistan - it
If They Can Do It, So Can We
How does a government kickstart productivity improvement? Well one possible answer Is to benchmark and challenge. A government can set up benchmarking across specific sectors it thinks are important for future growth. It starts by
A Narrow View of Culture
Most business people are aware that the culture of an organisation has a direct and significant impact on performance and productivity. What is organisation culture? At its most simple, it is the collection of beliefs and
Have We All Been Conned?
Over the last several decades, especially since the second world war, we have been encouraged, and exhorted, to be more productive - to meet ever-stretching targets. And we have done it. Productivity figures over these years
Longer and Wider
Too many executive teams are focused on this quarter’s results - the results that will be pored over by stakeholders and analysts, eager for some sign of development, of improving fortunes, of higher profit potential.
Working Smarter Not Harder (with Technology?)
Digital Transformation (now I notice coded DX) is often cited as the basis of future productivity gains. True .... but working smarter, not harder is. not solely the province of technology. Technology can be a
Stick With Lean
I read an article recently which suggested that forward-thinking companies need to merge their ‘traditional’ Lean practices with newer approaches such as AI. Whilst accepting the principle behind this comment, I think it is a
Soften Up Your People
Quite rightly, many productivity gurus (like me) stress the importance of team working, team skills and team motivation in driving high performance. Few important tasks in industry and commerce are completed solely by individuals - they mostly
What Do You Expect?
Those of you who are regular readers of this blog will know that I am a great believer in looking after the well-being of your employees - making sure they are engaged, fully skilled, motivated
What Do You Expect?
Those of you who are regular readers of this blog will know that I am a great believer in looking after the well-being of your employees - making sure they are engaged, fully skilled, motivated
Let Your Employees Flow
The Lean philosophy emphasis a number of factors related to effective and efficient working - one of which is ‘flow’. Materials and information should flow through s process with no barriers or restrictions. What about
Create Post-Pandemic Networking Opportunities
You should always keep your business life separate from your personal and social life. True? On first reading, or first thought, it seems to make sense. However, think of all the times you have: Been bowling
Use Your Data Well
Modern manufacturing or service delivery systems produce lots of opportunities for collecting data which can be used to improve those systems. Many firms have recognised this and have installed a system of key performance indicators (KPIs) which
Volunteers Wanted
Volunteering generates a £4.6bn productivity boost to the UK economy each year, new research has found. A study by the think tank Pro Bono Economics, commissioned by the Royal Voluntary Service, estimates the UK benefits
Don’t Turn Burnout into Bored-Out
Many people seem to be suffering from burnout. They feel the organisation asks too much of them, that they are never completely off-duty. An organisation might respond with consideration by reigning back on some of the
Making Learning Productive
Todays’ students are happy to use technology as part of the learning process. However, teachers and parents are worried about the distraction effect of technology when students go ‘off topic’ and start browsing and
Big Isn’t Always Best
There is a universal truth that the private sector is always more efficient than the public sector - that the profit motive drives efficiency. Larger companies have the advantage of being able to negotiate e
What is Non-Productive?
A focus on productivity, and its development is a good thing - indeed, an essential thing for all organisations. However, there is a danger that we over-focus and forget about balance. There is a tendency
Going Backwards
The UK is technically in recession - it has had two consecutive quarters with negative growth. Worse, the economy has been at best stagnant for over two years and productivity has been falling. Our Prime