We’ve talked quite a few times about measuring productivity - to highlight (relative) inefficiencies, to set benchmarks and targets for improvement - but mainly to understand just what is happening in a process.  We measure throughput, quality levels, error levels, downtime, waiting time - anything that affects overall productivity.  Where possible, we try to use measures

Many of us use multiple messaging and productivity platforms in our work - Zoom, Teams, Slack and so on. Quite a few also regularly drop into Twitter or Facebook. Each time we read an interesting post or contribute to a discussion  we get a little feeling of satisfaction. We are participating and contributing. We feel

Many people use ToDo lists and apps to keep track of their outstanding tasks.   There are also lots of apps available, with different flavours of operation. However, you need to remember that  a ToDo list (even one contained within a sophisticated app) is just that  - a list of tasks. It has no understanding of priority or

I saw in a recent survey that people who thought their productivity had increased (or at least stayed the same) whilst working from home during the pandemic, also reported that their mental well-being had improved. This could suggest that high productivity makes people feel better about themselves or conversely that poor mental health results in

People often claim that technology is the key to improved productivity.  Firms should, they say, be investing in digital services, robotics, AI, IoT and so on.   Generally, there does seem to be a correlation between investment in technology and productivity improvement. Case proved, then? Well … not necessarily. I learned many years ago that

Many people feel overwhelmed at work.  The relentless tide of messages and emails seems to set an impossible agenda. So, we need to improve our time management, right?  Wrong! If tou create more space by better organisation, ‘other stuff’ will be re-prioritised and re-arranged and you’ll soon be overwhelmed again.If you show your boss you

For some people, art plays an important part in their lives. I’m not talking about ‘the arts’ - if I was, that first statement would probable apply to just about everybody - but to the visual arts. What about art in business? Well, art can obviously transform a working environment but it can also stimulate,

One of the keys to high productivity is to organise - and then to schedule - work according to its priority and urgency.  Too often, though, this potential productivity gets sidelined as other facto come into play - meetings get scheduled and key personnel get jacked out of operational processing.  Now,  a new approach is helping restore

When trying to improve productivity, many people start by looking at inputs - trying to reduce costs by saving materials, energy or manpower.  There is nothing wrong with such an approach except that it is an incremental approach. Your are unlikely to save more than 10-15% of costs so productivity can only rise by that

If your organisation expects you to be ‘always on’, always working, always available by telephone or email, they are exhibiting signs of ‘toxic productivity’.  I hate that term for all sorts of reasons but mainly because it has nothing to do with productivity. People who work 24 x 7 (or think they do) are unlikely