Innovative Project Report MGH-08

Training and Development

“Techniques to ensuring employees do

their best to bring out the best in an
organisation for maximum
productivity”

Submitted By:
Student Name 1 2K20/DMBA/…
Student name 2 2K20/DMBA/…

Under the Guidance of

Dr. Kamini Mishra
Research Scholar
DSM, DTU

Delhi School of Management

Delhi Technological University
2022
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our gratitude to Prof. Kamini Mishra for her guidance in
this project work. Her valuable inputs have helped us find direction in work and give
our best to the topic at hand. She has inspired us to move beyond traditional sources
and explore a wide variety of sources to make this project comprehensive and
insightful. We would also like to thank all those researchers whose work have added
valuable inputs to our project work. We hope that our project work is resourceful to
all those who are interested in this subject.
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CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................................................
What is Productivity?....................................................................................................
Methods of enhancing Productivity ..............................................................................
Employee Engagement ..............................................................................................
Social Connectivity.....................................................................................................
Smarter Work Environments......................................................................................
Positive Work Culture ................................................................................................
Workplace Diversity...................................................................................................
Leadership and Productivity .........................................................................................
Role of Motivation in Productivity ................................................................................
Case Study ....................................................................................................................
Recent Trends in Techniques ........................................................................................
Workplace Gamification ............................................................................................
Use of Automation.....................................................................................................
Design Thinking .........................................................................................................
World Café Method ...................................................................................................
Lessons from COVID-19.................................................................................................
Recommendations ........................................................................................................
Conclusion ....................................................................................................................
Bibliography .................................................................................................................
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INTRODUCTION

Productivity is the relationship between outputs obtained with the inputs utilized to produce them.
Higher productivity has long been a source of competitive advantage in the commercial world. In the
Industrial Age, the focus was on manufacturing more quantities as quickly as possible. Fast forward to
today, organizations are more concerned about their greatest asset- employee productivity.

The “Great Resignation” is an indicator of the huge gap between the senior management’s desire to
move employees and the employee’s inertia to abide by their orders. In such a scenario, it becomes more
pivotal than ever to craft compelling strategies that incorporate new age techniques of increasing
productivity.

Through this project, we make an endeavour to understand productivity, the techniques that can be
utilised to boost employee productivity, its relationship with dimensions such as leadership and
motivation, and the emerging trends in this arena. We have taken the help of research journals,
articles, magazines, consulting insights and books to delve deep into this topic and cover all major
themes.
 WHAT IS 4

PRODUCTIVITY?

Before we understand what productivity actually is, let us have a glance at certain facts and figures:

The value of productivity in the workplace cannot be overstated, which is particularly

worrisome when you realise that, according to Gallup, 53% of employees simply put in the
bare minimum effort.

Worse, it is estimated that persistently disengaged employees cost between $483 and $603
billion in lost productivity each year. Moreover, these disengaged employees account for
13% of the total, so they're not a small group.

It takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds for someone to return to work after being
interrupted.

As per IBM, satisfied employees work nearly twice as hard (95%) as those who have had less
positive workplace experiences (55%) .

As a result, businesses with engaged employees outperform those without by a staggering

202 percent.

The statistics is clearly speaking for itself–the contrast in productivity and performance between
companies can be startling.

This now brings up the most important question, "What exactly do we mean by workplace
productivity, and how is it measured?"

1) Workplace Productivity:
In simple terms, workplace productivity refers to how efficiently tasks and goals are achieved
within an organisation. According to the Harvard Business Review, workplace productivity
answers the question, "How good is your organisation at churning out usable things and services
 WHAT IS 5

PRODUCTIVITY?

from a pile of raw materials, a set of equipment, stacks of paperwork, and groups of
employees?" Considering this, the following formula is commonly used to determine workplace
productivity:

Productivity = Units of Output / Units of Input

2) Employee Productivity:

Employee productivity is defined as a measurement of the value created by a single employee

over a specific amount of time. Productivity is linked to both short- and long-term company
outcomes as well as return on investment (ROI). An activity cannot be considered productive
unless there is a link between the two. High or poor productivity is determined by a company's
internal average and where an employee, team, or department falls within a certain range.
The efficient and effective productivity of an organization's personnel is critical to its overall
success. Regardless of the business possibilities, investments, or strategic direction you choose,
your workers are responsible for on-the-ground execution and creativity. That is why businesses
are so eager to boost employee productivity and assist them in doing better at work.
 EMPLOYEE 6

ENGAGEMENT

Engagement can be understood as the level of passion, loyalty and commitment an employee feels for
his/her organization. Researcher Gallop has categorized employees into 3 levels

Employee engagement boosts productivity as it: Lowers Attrition Rate, creates Employer Branding
which helps in attracting new employees, creates hardworking employees who are willing to go the
extra mile and form leaders who take up initiative and pursue self learning goals

Companies can increase employee engagement by:

- Clarifying Roles of an Individual and curating Fair Assessment criteria

- Ensuring that adequate manpower is allocated to reduce work load

- Promoting team building activities that create a sense of connection

Many more activities like time to time employee recognition, proper working conditions and a sense of
trust in the organization help in developing engaged employees.
 SOCIAL 7

CONNECTIVITY

In an Employee Sentiment Survey conducted by BCG, a top tier consulting firm – employees who
experienced better social connectivity were reported to be highly productive at workplace. Social
connectivity refers to the positive professional relations developed at the workplace. This includes
friends, helpful managers, hobby group member and more.

Once can ascertain the importance of this aspect through the following reasons:

1. Employees who feel isolated at work are more likely to be absent and hence reduce
productivity.
2. Employees who feel a sense of belongingness like family are more likely to continue working
there for a long time and hence reduce attrition rate.
3. Talking to colleagues, sharing problems – significantly helps in reducing work stress and
improves mental wellbeing.
4. Companies thrive on well knit and high performing teams. Collaborative teams are a result of
positive social connections which leads to enhanced creativity and motivation to work.
 SOCIAL 8

CONNECTIVITY

Organizations can improve social connectivity by the following techniques:

1. Open Workspaces
2. Flat Organizational Hierarchies
3. Fostering a sense of Respect for all employees
4. Promoting clubs like Badminton Club, Toastmasters Club etc.
 SMARTER WORK 9

ENVIRONMENTS

Post COVID-19, the role of workplace infrastructure has changed drastically. While embracing digital
tools and work from home settings, the world is largely working in a hybrid workspace. To facilitate
the productive workspace of tomorrow, the following ideas can be incorporated:

1. Setting up office like rooms in the homes of senior leadership and managers to ensure they
get an office like feel at home. Cisco is one of the first companies to set up teleconferencing
rooms in the homes of managers that resemble the actual workspace.

2. Usage of smart cameras, lighting and sound support that creates a connected
environment. Companies are investing heavily in IoT products to make a smart workspace.
This helps save energy and lower costs. Further, companies have created an internal set up to
book seats in office on the day one wants to come.

3. Promoting Flexibility and Convenience through Office Furniture. Comfort oriented

furniture and allowing Smart Casuals to be worn at work, helps in easing mental pressure and
creating psychological comfort in the minds of employees.

4. Rise in lease-based offices and Co-Working Spaces. With flexi work as the new norm,
company’s investment in infrastructure is likely to reduce. Especially, the burgeoning startup
culture in India boast of no fixed office. This paves room for more off site team building visits,
which further boosts the morale as well as productivity of employees
 POSITIVE WORK 10

CULTURE

Too many businesses rely on a cutthroat, high-pressure, no-holds-barred culture to fuel their financial
success. However, a growing corpus of research on positive organisational psychology shows that a
cutthroat workplace is not just deleterious to productivity over time, but that a good environment has
significant benefits for employers, employees, and the bottom line.

Although it is assumed that stress and pressure motivate people to do more, better, and faster work,
what competitive businesses fail to grasp are the hidden costs. These costs, as identified by Harvard
Business Review are as follows:

• Healthcare Expenditures: Health-care costs are roughly 50 percent higher in high-pressure

companies than in other businesses. According to the American Psychological Association,
occupational stress drains more than $500 billion from the US economy each year, and 550
million workdays are lost as a result of it. Stress is responsible for 60% to 80% of workplace
mishaps, and it's estimated that more than 80% of doctor visits are caused by stress. Stress at
work has been connected to a variety of health issues, including metabolic syndrome,
cardiovascular disease, and mortality.
• Disengagement Cost: While a competitive workplace and a fear-based culture can ensure
participation for a short period of time, research suggests that the stress it causes will likely
lead to disengagement in the long run. Workplace engagement, which is linked to feelings of
being valued, secure, supported, and respected, is often connected with a high-stress, cutthroat
culture. Disengagement is costly. Disengaged workers experienced 37 percent higher
absenteeism, 49 percent more accidents, and 60 percent more errors and defects, according to
studies by the Queens School of Business and the Gallup Organization. Over time, companies
with poor employee engagement scores saw 18 percent lower productivity, 16 percent lower
profitability, 37 percent reduced employment growth, and a 65 percent lower stock price.
Businesses with highly engaged employees, on the other hand, received 100 percent more job
applications.
• Low Loyalty: According to studies, occupational stress causes a nearly 50% rise in voluntary
turnover. People look for new jobs, forgo promotions, or resign from their current positions.
And the costs of turnover, such as recruiting, training, diminished productivity, lost expertise,
and so on, are substantial. According to the Center for American Progress, replacing a single
employee costs about 20% of that individual's compensation.
As a result, several organisations have included a number of benefits, ranging from working from
home to office gyms. However, these businesses continue to neglect the research. Even when
companies gave perks like flextime and work-from-home options, according to a Gallup poll,
employee engagement predicted happiness more than anything else. Material perks are not as
important to employees as workplace well-being.
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If employees are having trouble being productive at work, it could be a sign that something is wrong
with the workplace culture. Creating a positive work culture can boost productivity significantly. Let's
look at some of the reasons why.

• Employees who work in a positive environment are more likely to be happy: Employees
will be pleased with their jobs if it has a work culture that they want to be a part of. Employees
that are happier are more likely to exceed expectations, which mean that the entire workplace
can do more. Further, satisfied employees are more likely to stay with the company. You can
keep projects running at a productive and steady rate if you don't have to constantly interview
and replace staff.

• Collaboration is facilitated by positive work cultures: Employees feel encouraged to get to

know their co-workers and team members in a healthy work atmosphere. People can feel more
comfortable sharing ideas, opinions, and recommendations when everyone is engaged in
chatting, spending time in the workplace, and actually getting to know the people they spend
their days with. Collaboration is a critical component in creating an effective workplace. You
can get things done faster when everyone on your team works together to solve problems and
be more efficient. Collaboration and communication among team members can also help to
guarantee that everything runs smoothly and in the proper direction.

• Creativity is sparked by positive workplace cultures: Individuals of all levels of expertise

are encouraged to become invested in the activities and projects they're working on in a
positive work culture. Employees will be more open to expressing their creative ideas if they
feel comfortable speaking up about what they believe is the best solution for fixing an issue or
improving a product or service. It is always necessary to have new perspectives in order to be
effective.
Your employees will be more invested in what your company produces if you build a great work
culture that fosters all three mentioned above. And the more they put into it, the more prolific they'll
be.

A Glance at the Qualities of a Positive Workplace

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Supporting one
Being concerned
another, particularly Avoiding blame and
about, interested in,
showing love and being willing to forgive
and responsible for
compassion to those mistakes.
colleagues as friends.
who are in need.

Emphasizing the Respect, gratitude,

Inspiring each other at
importance of the trust, and honesty are
work.
activity. shown to one another.

Methods to foster the above mentioned qualities as a Leader

Encourage social
Show empathy.
interaction.

Encourage others to
Make an extra effort speak with you,
to assist. particularly about
their issues.

A happy work environment is more successful in the long run because it fosters positive feelings and
well-being. As a result, people's connections with one another strengthen, and their abilities and
creative grows. It protects employees from unpleasant experiences like stress, enhancing their ability to
bounce back from obstacles and difficulties while also boosting their health. It also attracts personnel
by increasing their loyalty to the boss and the organisation while also bringing out their greatest
qualities. Organizational success including business performance, customer experience, productivity,
and employee engagement is dramatically improved when positive, virtuous cultures are developed.

W
 WORKFORCE 13

DIVERSITY

We're all drawn to similarities. Businesses, too, are prone to hiring like-minded individuals. Like-
minded people are said to think similarly, making it simpler to get along with them. We all feel that if a
group of people were similar, there would be less problems and disagreements.But things are
changing, and businesses are beginning to embrace diversity. According to studies, diversity boosts
productivity and boosts employee morale. Differences are slowly but steadily becoming celebrated
rather than feared.

Diversity in the workplace refers to the presence of people of various castes, religions, and
backgrounds. This covers both innate characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, and sexual
preferences, as well as acquired characteristics such as work experience in a variety of industries,
cities, and countries. The presence and participation of employees from all backgrounds enhances the
organization's overall value and productivity.

On the other hand, workplace equality/equity is the idea of giving all of your employees equal chances
based on their particular requirements.

In the view of the general public, a workplace that encourages diversity and integrates an equal-
opportunity culture has a good reputation.

Impact of diversity & equity on Productivity

1. A well-rounded team is the result of diversity: When a business hires a team composed of
people from many cultures, it is able to take advantage of the unique range of abilities that each
group member has to offer. This is due to the fact that a diverse workforce contains people
from diverse cultures, allowing them to bring in new skills that they have learned over time.
According to their own personal experiences, each member of the diverse team has
accumulated knowledge. All of these other skills come in handy when the team is in a crisis.
2. Better Decision Making and Problem Solving: Diverse different individuals have different
ideas and viewpoints on certain topics. While arguments are inevitable in such a situation, they
can be advantageous to the firm as a whole since the organisation can study multiple
viewpoints, evaluate alternative ideas, and then come up with a better potential solution based
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on management and employee suggestions. This leads to more effective dispute resolution and
better decision-making.
3. You can hire people based on their merits if you have an equity culture: Companies can
obtain better personnel if they prioritise quality over partiality and biases. Bias in the
employment and recruitment process can have a negative impact on an organization's
productivity. Companies have a pool of less competent employees that can't handle challenges.
Simultaneously, a diverse set of individuals with distinct skills would better equip the
organisation to address and manage work-related issues.
4. Innovation & Creativity: Creativity is sparked when various minds are brought together.
When people are free to think for themselves, they come up with new ideas, new perspectives
on policies, and so on. Creativity and invention are inherent by products of this. According to
studies, cultural diversity is directly tied to innovation. Diverse teams can provide different
thinking, which is sometimes needed to create a breakthrough. If a corporation encounters a
bottleneck, a team made up of unique and diverse members of the team can pitch in suggestions
to help address the problem. This knowledge exchange might assist businesses in expanding
their horizons and becoming more inventive.
5. Teammates are more likely to form positive relationships when there is a focus on equity:
Building relationships with both internal and external clientele is critical. Your consumers and
stakeholders are your external clients, whilst your employees and workforce are your internal
clients. To maintain long-term profitability and sustainability, it's critical to effectively manage
both of these groups. As a result, relationship building becomes crucial to organisational
success. It equips your teams and departments with the tools they need to resolve
disagreements and handle confrontations in a positive and constructive way.
6. Equity and Diversity Increase Productivity by Promoting Workplace Harmony:
Workplace harmony is a state of mind in which each person is focused on doing their best
while adhering to company laws and procedures. Employees compete with themselves rather
than with others, attempting to improve their performance. There isn't much in the way of
unhealthy strife or workplace politics. Working with people from all walks of life encourages
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the workforce to be more open to fresh ideas. They can also see how each member of the team
contributes to the achievement of the intended goals and objectives.
7. Employee Performance is Nurtured by Diversity and Equity, which Boosts Productivity:
Employees shall not be subjected to discrimination or prejudice because of their colour, culture,
ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. As a result, managers evaluate employees based on
their accomplishments rather than any other factor. Leaders motivate employees to perform to
their full potential. Employees would be rewarded equally for the amount of effort they put into
their daily tasks and reaching their objectives. Workers must recognise that there are always
rewards for hard work, and that the system that judges them is fair and just.
8. Equity and Diversity Increase employee productivity by broadening their perspectives
and experiences: Working with a broad set of people allows our thoughts to expand, and we
become less judgmental of differences as a result. This allows us to appreciate others, and cater
to the demands and desires of a broader group of customers through the business. Our
viewpoints can hinder our ability to perceive the big picture at times. Diversity, on the other
hand, allows us to see beyond the obvious and discover common ground, as well as focus on
the things that really important. We can eventually avoid unjustified criticism of others by
taking a more practical attitude to things. As a result, the company's leadership team's cognitive
abilities improve, allowing them to include methods in their marketing mix that cater to a larger
consumer group.
Diversity and equity are undeniably beneficial to productivity. Talented individuals and employees
should have access to fair and just processes that are unbiased in their decision-making and prioritise
merit or performance above prejudices or biases. This enables every company to completely achieve
its potential while steadily increasing staff productivity.
 LEADERSHIP AND 16

PRODUCTIVITY

A leader is someone who knows the way, shows the way and goes the way. It is rightly said that good
leaders are the backbone of any organization. There is a reason why Nestle board of directors insist on
retaining Mr. Suresh Narayanan as the India CEO. That is because reliable and intelligent leaders like
him are very rare to find. Leaders lead by example. The way they act, perceive situations, react,
communicate, all is being observed by employees. Their impact on productivity happens through the
following ways:

1. Boost Employee Engagement

Committed and passionate leaders boost employees across all hierarchies to give in their best shot at
work.

2. Increase Motivation

We all know how much pride Tata worker take in saying that their leader is Mr. Ratan Tata. The
motivation to work for a diligent leader is automatically very high

3. Impact Organizational Culture

The culture of the company is impacted by its senior leadership. We all know how Ashneer Grover’s
misconduct has revealed multiple insights about the toxic work culture at BharatPe
ROLE OF 17

MOTIVATION

Employees are, without a doubt, an organization's most precious asset. The question then arises as
to what the basic requirements for worker productivity are. Although this topic cannot be answered
definitively, among other things, motivation is vital for increasing worker dedication to their jobs,
which invariably leads to increased productivity. In today's competitive environment, in addition to
physiological and other necessities, opinions, insights, security, and the assurance of workers play
a critical part in the formation of today's highly successful organisation. Honari (2006) found that
motivation increases effort and dynamicity in any organisation, as well as pricing and market
improvement. In other words, features and nature of work such as welfare, wage, and human
resource work circumstances are some of the aspects and nature of work that enhance the degree of
quality and quantity of goods. The motivation of employees in the organisation hence must be
improved in order to raise production. This emphasises the necessity of understanding motivation
theory and implementation in human resource management.

1. What exactly is Motivation?

A simple definition of motivation is what drives people to put forth genuine effort and energy in
their work. Since the early twentieth century, psychologists have been studying methods to
motivate employees, and a great deal of knowledge about human motivation has been generated
and widely utilised. Job satisfaction is linked to motivation, and some of the most prominent
motivational philosophies are as mentioned below:
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Classic Study on Worker

Maslow Needs Hierarchy Skinner Behaviour Analysis
Performance:Roethlisberger
Theory (1954) (1953)
and Dickson (1939)

Locke and Latham Theory of

Ford Motivational Systems
Adams Equity Theory (1965) Goal Setting and Task
Theory (1992)
Performance (1990)

2. Motivational Factors Influencing the Productivity

I. Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic motivation, according to a recent study,

increased the association between prosocial motivation and employee performance.
When intrinsic motivation is high, employees perceive prosocial motivation as more
independent because intrinsically driven employees believe that doing well benefits
their own self-selected goals since they enjoy their work and value the outcome of
helping others. Prosocial motivation should be pleasure-based rather than pressure-
based, according to research on prosocial personality, because employees feel volition,
autonomy, and free choice in their efforts to benefit others through in-role and extra-
role work performance when prosocial motivation is accompanied by intrinsic
motivation.

II. Cognition: Internal cognitions are generated by our experiences, according to cognitive
theories of motivation (such as desires and beliefs). These thoughts, in turn, influence
current performance (Clark, 1998; Ford, 1992; Maslow, 1954; Vroom, 1964). However,
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the question of where cognitions come from emerges. They are the outcome of our
previous interactions with our surroundings. These cognitions must be relevant to the
person's surroundings in order to be useful. We learn from our previous experiences that
we can function well in some circumstances but not in others. The ultimate roots of
human behaviour, including verbal assertions like beliefs, wishes, or desires,
canultimately be connected to the consequences of our behaviour in (past and) current
surroundings, according to behaviour analysis. Cognitions are just our ability to
articulate specific reinforcement contingencies of our own behaviour based on prior
experiences (Mawhinney & Mawhinney, 1982).

III. Environment: The function of the environment as a determinant of behaviour is being

addressed in recent work motivation models. Keller (1999) considers antecedents and
consequences as impacts on performance in his performance factors model. The goal
setting theory of Locke and Latham (1990) focuses on goals as antecedents and
feedback as outcomes of performance. Goal setting theory is one of the more practical
cognitive models of motivation available today because of its emphasis on empirical
occurrences. In conclusion, viewing motivation as an internal construct places the
causes of behaviour within the individual. The environment sets the stage for
motivational mechanisms and processes to select the best course of action. Internal
occurrences are difficult to watch and measure, which can lead to a variety of different
models of why people behave the way they do. Furthermore, rather of looking for
weaknesses in the person's environment, we tend to assume that something is wrong
with the person when his or her behaviour or performance does not satisfy societal or
workplace expectations. Behaviour analysis aims to explain behaviour and performance
by gaining a better understanding of the circumstances in which they occur.

3. Motivation & Productivity

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To feel good about their professions and perform at their best, most employees require motivation.
Employee productivity is directly influenced by motivation levels in the workplace. Workers who
are motivated and enthusiastic about their professions perform to the best of their abilities,
resulting in higher output levels. Employee motivation can help to boost employee productivity and
performance at work. Employee productivity will be impacted by high levels of employee
motivation, which will stimulate the production of better and more quantity work. A motivated
employee is more likely to be satisfied with their work and to stay with the company for a long
time. The human resource department should focus on training development for each employee
role at the company, with the goal of enhancing employee motivation and job satisfaction at the
same time.

Employee motivation is extremely crucial for any firm because of the benefits it provides. The
following are some of the advantages:

• Increased job satisfaction

• Boost employee productivity and performance.
• Employee work of higher quality is produced.
• Optimization of training development
• Creating a productive staff culture throughout the firm
• Increasing the number of high-level, highly motivated staff candidates
• Increased employee commitment
• Ongoing employee development

4. Encouraging Productivity with Motivational Strategies

In the private sector, pay-for-performance incentives are frequently used to promote competition
among and within teams, but such a model may not be directly applicable to the public sector, where
resources are often scarce and money may not be the main motivational factor for those with a public
 21

service ethos. Individuals are driven to perform effectively when the work is relevant and they believe
they are responsible for the outcomes of their given duties. The following might help to increase
productivity among employees:

I. Encourage people to take on new challenges and achieve new goals:

Specific and difficult goals can lead to improved levels of performance, productivity,
and innovation, all of which are linked to a stronger overall commitment to the
company. It is recommended working with staff to create difficult goals and timelines.
Employees have a defined strategy for their own professional development by creating
goals, which leads to increased satisfaction and motivation. Goals should be difficult
but attainable. Complex and abstract goals may result in lower job performance and
lower staff morale. Achieving goals that stretch employees' creative and problem-
solving abilities can boost productivity, boost employee self-confidence, and boost job
happiness. It may be more valuable than a one-time monetary award. Goal setting
should be followed by supervisors providing regular and detailed feedback on
employees' goal accomplishments.

II. Create Learning Opportunities for the Organization:

Goals should be hard and attainable, and they can also be used to provide learning
opportunities. Setting goals that allow employees to engage in problem-solving and
knowledge acquisition can help organisations integrate learning opportunities. A
research discovered that merit pay and pay-for-performance systems had minimal
impact on employee performance or learning opportunities, but that a system of
gradually assigning more complex tasks to employees can encourage employee learning
and improve employee performance over time. Employees may be challenged to think
more broadly about their own personal aspirations as a result of organisational learning
opportunities.
 22

III. Take advantage of both group and individual incentives:

The incentives provided in the workplace have an impact on organisational learning and
employee personal growth. It is suggested that a range of prizes be used, such as team
awards, individual recognition for exceptional performance, and rewards for all
employees for achieving their goals. Praise employees that perform well for the team in
order to build teamwork. It's possible that rewarding only a few people will backfire.
Some hardworking employees may feel treated unfairly, losing their work spirit or
developing resentments toward other employees and the team.

IV. Reconsider Job Design:

One technique for promoting motivation in the workplace is through incentives; another
method is through job design. Implementing a job design in which employees rotate job
positions (if possible), obtain more responsibility over their work and resources, and
participate in trainings and organisational learning opportunities is recommended.
Employees are more productive when they are involved in the decision-making process
of the company and have influence over their own professional development. Jobs that
are designed with a sense of challenge and job relevance can promote a sense of
purpose in the workplace, resulting in improved work performance and personal
growth.

V. Positive reinforcement should be used whenever possible:

Positive reinforcement as a major technique for motivation is widely recommended.

According to the most recent studies on motivation in the public sector, traditional
measures such as incentive pay systems do not lead to increased motivation or
improved work performance.
 23

VI. Encourage a Healthy Workplace:

If little attention is devoted to the working environment, organisational techniques that

encourage people and promote performance may be ineffective. Creating a fair and
secure working environment for employees is quintessential. Employees may lack
motivation if their workplace does not provide a favourable working environment. To
address this, management could send out questionnaires and solicit employee feedback
in order to resolve any difficulties that may arise. Management might also display a
positive statement or image near the copier, coffee machine, or any obvious location
with a lot of foot activity so that people can see it. Flora and fauna also contribute to a
relaxing work environment for the staff.

VII. Ensure that individual contributions are valued:

Employees should be informed about how their individual efforts and contributions
contribute to the company's overarching goals and direction. Employees will take
pleasure in their work and be more engaged if they understand how their efforts affect
the organisation, no matter how big or small their contributions are. Management does
not have to give rewards to its personnel every time they complete a task well. A simple
"Thank You" or "Great job" can sometimes suffice. These encouraging remarks
recognise hard work, foster loyalty, and motivate others to work even harder.

VIII. Improve communication

Positive communication in the workplace is the simplest approach to boost employee

enthusiasm. Instead than relying just on emails, managers should ensure that they speak
with their staff in person and, if feasible, on a human level. Instead of sitting at the desk,
management can set aside some time each day to interact with staff, or join them during
coffee breaks. By doing so, manager can give employees the impression that he/she is a
 24

member of the team, rather than just the boss. Effective team communication is
essential. Employees want to see the company they work for prosper as well. Many
people have great ideas, ranging from cost-cutting to bettering operations. Management
must make a concerted effort to solicit and listen to recommendations.
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CASE STUDY

Case Study: Impact of job stress on employees’ productivity

According to Malek (2010), job stress refers to an unpleasant emotional situation that an individual

experiences when the requirements of job are not counter balanced with his ability to cope the

situation. This is a very common situation in the work environment everywhere today. What makes

this situation prominent is the fact that it has direct impact on the productivity of employees and hence

the services rendered.

Particularly in the healthcare sector, this problem is impacting almost each and every employee. The

reason majorly being the fact that there are non-stop 24 hour shifts as well. While, this may be a major

factor for job stress in healthcare sector, a study of 241 public sector healthcare employees was

conducted in the Muzaffarabad and Poonch divisions of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) region to

understand the major factors of job stress in their working environment and create further suggestions

for improvement based on the research. Here, the focus was particularly on the public sector because

earlier studies had indicated that the situation of job stress was worse here as compared to the private

sector.

FINDINGS:

Employee productivity in the public health sector in Muzaffarabad and Poonch is hampered by a lack
of financial incentives, a lack of control over the work environment, and a poor management system.
Inflexibility in work hours and personal issues were cited by a small percentage of employees. It
contributing less to employee productivity than other variables. In comparison to the other variables,
the majority of respondents said that a lack of financial rewards contributed more to stress, while a
minority of respondents said that inflexibility in work hours caused low stress.
 26

• The majority of employees in the public health sector in AJ&K's Muzaffarabad and Poonch
divisions reported significant levels of job stress in the workplace. The biggest sources of stress
for them were a lack of financial resources, ambiguity about future funding, a sense of
insecurity at work, a lack of equipment, and management's unjust attitude toward them.

• The majority of employees believed that the reward system was ineffective. As they performed
their services, the financial benefits supplied to the employees were insufficient. Employees
were also unsure about future compensation and perks.

• The employees were unsatisfied with unspecified work timings that lead to unnecessary
tiredness, lack of rest and bundle of stress.

• The majority of employees believed that the reward system was ineffective. As they performed
their services, the financial benefits supplied to the employees were insufficient. Employees
were also unsure about future compensation and perks.

• Employees grow upset when they have to accomplish several tasks on the job. They struggle to
manage multitasking responsibilities, especially when time is limited. As a result, they are
unable to complete the entire task with a relaxed mind and were stressed.

CONCLUSION

It is established, based on empirical evidence, that job stress is a significant concern for personnel in
the public health sector.

It's critical that the working environment is constantly examined for stress-related issues.

Furthermore, it is vital to not only monitor the variables, but also to establish a healthy environment in
which people can work effectively.
 WORKPLACE 27

GAMIFICATION

Workplace Gamification is an emerging trend in boosting employee productivity. A the word

Gamification suggests – in this technique the employee works towards a desired goal through aseries
of interactive mini challenges that makes the process engaging and fun. This enables employees to
reduce costs and increase attentiveness of employees.

Other benefits from this approach include:

1. Improved team effectiveness

2. Higher Cognitive Flexibility
3. Increase in Problem Solving Skills

APPLICATION I - How McDonalds Japan trained its employees?

A popular use case of workplace gamification is a unique approach to training deployed by Mc

Donald Japan. When young hires were facing difficulty in learning how to arrange burgers, cook
fries and clean workstations – McDonalds worked with Nintendo gaming to create a playful
training program. Through this initiative, hires learnt the desired skills much quicker and the
average time to train an employee was cut to half.

APPLICATION II – How Nestle hired mass talent through Gamified Assessments?

Mass hiring is a challenge faced by many companies. When Nestle set the monumental goal to hire
1000 interns and upskill them during COVID-19, it became a challenge as to how to assess over
5000 applicants for this opportunity. To solve this problem, Nestle partnered with a company
Talent Games to assess future interns through gamified assessments. They were able to develop
case-based games and learn the personality type of each individual. Students who played this story
like game in full screen also enjoyed the experience. The company was able to sort multiple
applicants quickly and according to the criteria they had set.
 USE OF 28

AUTOMATION

Automation involves the use of technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
to automate processes that previously required manual labor. Automation is a growing trend with
application across industries such as retail, automobile, food, manufacturing etc. It has considerable
benefits in terms of error free production, gaining competitive advantage through labor cost reduction
and seamless flow of operations. One can predict the scale of benefits flowing from automation using
the example of Google. Google automated its AI Operations using DeepMind machine learning and
was able to cut the amount of energy utilized by almost 40%.

From a human perspective, automation helps in cutting down clerical tasks and directing employees to
more creative ventures. Therefor, it increases productivity of employees by putting them where they
are truly required.
 29
DESIGN THINKING

Design Thinking: Accelerating Workplace Productivity

Design thinking is a technique and combination of cognitive and strategic tools that uses empathy,
creativity, and cooperation to generate new ideas and solve issues. A human-centered approach to
problem-solving is provided through design thinking. The design thinking technique is a 5-phase
iterative process.

Design thinking is becoming increasingly essential as emerging technologies such as AI and machine
learning strive to become more human-like. It has revolutionised the way firms tackle customer and
user problems, and as a result, it has played a critical part in the success of today's leading
businesses. It is not, however, confined to resolving external concerns involving users and
customers. It can also be useful for dealing with internal issues such as dispute resolution, internal
communications, and workplace productivity.

Design Thinking: “The WHY?”

Traditional HR solutions often consist of programmes or processes for training employees,
evaluating performance, ensuring compliance, or documenting a work practise. The majority of
them were based on forms, process stages, formal training, or classroom activities. While these
tactics are effective to some extent, today's employees are already overburdened with email, texts,
meetings, and other workplace distractions.
Two-thirds of businesses now consider that complexity is a roadblock to corporate success and
productivity growth. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why design thinking was identified as an
important or very significant issue by 79 percent of executives in this year's Global Human Capital
Trends report.
 30

HR takes on a new function as a result of design thinking. HR becomes a "experience architect"

instead of a "process developer." It gives HR the power to rethink every area of work, including the
physical environment, how people meet and interact, how managers use their time, and how
organisations hire, train, engage, and evaluate employees. When we apply design thinking to the
workplace, it forces HR to ask certain quintessential questions:
"How does an excellent employee experience look from beginning to end?"
In everything that we do, how can we make teamwork and learning easier?
How can we use location-aware mobile devices to increase people's productivity?
How can we provide employees a few simple options to choose from so they can make
 31

decisions more quickly?"

Design thinking shifts HR's attention away from programmes and processes and toward a new goal:
creating a productive and meaningful employee experience through compelling, pleasurable, and
simple solutions. It focuses on the individual and their experience rather than the procedure.
Working as a designer entail researching individuals in the workplace and creating "personas" and
"profiles" to better understand employee demographics, work environments, and difficulties. It is
based on swiftly creating ideas and prototyping them into new concepts, digital tools, and solutions.
Design Thinking: The Bright Side
1. It allows focusing on the employee's personal experience and design processes that are
tailored to them. As a result, new tools and solutions are developed that directly benefit
employee satisfaction, productivity, and engagement.

2. Design thinking is used by many businesses. For example, GE has made simplification a
central component of its new business strategy. Design thinking, a simpler performance
management methodology, new mobile apps for goal management and communication, and
a new set of work ethics are all being introduced. Throughout product development, the
organisation now employs agile approaches, and supervisors are being taught how to assist
teams "do less" and "focus more."

3. The application of behavioural economics is a key concept in design thinking. Many HR

processes can be replaced with "intelligent choices," which use behavioural economics
principles to foster better decision-making.

4. More than half of those who have a difficult time applying for jobs have a poor perception of
the company's products and services. Companies hence design the candidate experience to
attract high-performing employees and make it simple to find and apply for the suitable
position.

5. Design thinking is being used by businesses to substantially increase learning. It has been
 32

employed by Deckers Brands, Nestlé, and Qualcomm to create extremely intuitive,

immersive learning programmes. Rather than focusing on the presenter, experiential
learning programmes begin with the individual and the setting of the employee's work. They
provide more interesting and engaging learning programmes that result in greater skill
retention. Furthermore, they are not reliant on a learning management system and can take
use of emerging learning technologies to encourage lifelong learning.

6. Exciting new digital solutions that utilise design thinking are also boosting the employee
experience while making basic HR activities more effective and straightforward. Employees
may manage their time and attendance, benefits, and vacation schedules, as well as engage
with colleagues, using an easy-to-use mobile app designed by Australia and New Zealand
Banking Group. DuPont revamped their online HR portal from the ground up with the end
user in mind, significantly lowering the amount of time employees spend on typical HR
administration operations.

7. Design thinking has been used to improve performance management and coaching at
organisations including Adobe, Autodesk, and New York Life, in addition to recruiting,
learning, and other HR operations.

8. A grasp of human behaviour is essential for successful design thinking. What drives people
to do things? What do they think of themselves? What are their priorities? What do they do
in the office to express their values?

HR leaders have the chance to be designers by focusing on people, resulting in a more engaging and
effective HR solution. When used appropriately, design thinking is a way of problem-solving that is
rigorous and disciplined. It's an opportunity for HR to rethink how it collaborates with the company
and rethink its own processes, all while leveraging technology to promote great employee
interactions. When done correctly, design thinking creates a virtuous loop that results in increased
employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity for the organisation.
 WORLD CAFÉ 33

METHOD

Smart Participatory Method to Enhance Productivity: The World Cafe

Method

The World Cafe is a means for participants to study a subject by discussing it in small table groups in
an informal cafe setting. The discussion takes place in numerous rounds of 20-30 minutes, with the
cafe ambiance allowing for more comfortable and open discussions.
It is a cafe-based interaction process (either in an actual cafe or else the room is set up to resemble
one as much as possible so that participants are seated around small tables with tablecloths and tea,
coffee and other beverages). The goal is to establish a venue that encourages "good discourse,"
where anyone can chat about anything that interests them. The technique is built on the notion
that people already possess the wisdom and creativity needed to face even the most difficult tasks,
and it is founded on two essential principles:

People want to communicate about the things that important to them.

And if they do, they can build collective power.

The Process at a Glance:

1) Set the stage: Create a "special" environment, e.g., small circular tables covered with a checkered
or white linen tablecloth, butcher block paper, colourful pens, a bouquet of flowers, and an optional
"talking stick" object, usually modelled after a café. Each table should have four chairs (at most) and
no more than five.

2) Warm Welcome and Introduction: The host opens with a greeting and an initiation to the World
Café procedure, setting the tone, discussing the Cafe Etiquette, and putting the guests at ease.

3) Small-Group Rounds: The process starts with the first of 3 or more twenty-minute discussion
rounds for small groups of four (five maximum) people gathered around a table. Each member of
the group is assigned to a new table at the end of the twenty minutes. They may or may not choose
 34

to appoint one person as the "table host" for the next round, who greets the new group and briefly
recaps the previous round's events.

4) Questions: Every round begins with a question designed specifically for the World Café's context
and intended purpose. The same questions can be used for multiple rounds, or they can also build
on each other to focus or steer the conversation.

5) Harvest: Individuals are welcome to share observations or other findings from their conversations
with the remainder of the large group. These findings are visualised in a variety of ways, the most
common of which is graphic recording in the front of the room.

Image: World Cafe Method Process

Source: Urbact
 35

The 7 essential design principles for a successful world cafe method:

Define the Situation: Pay attention to why you're bringing folks together and what you're
hoping to accomplish. Being aware of the purpose and specifications of your meeting allows
you to think about and choose the most crucial components needed to achieve your
objectives: for example, who should be included in the discussion, what themes or questions
will be most relevant, what types of harvest will be most useful, and so on.

Create a welcoming environment: Café hosts all around the world stress the significance of
establishing a welcoming environment that feels safe and welcoming. When people are free
to really be themselves, they think, communicate, and listen in the most innovative ways.
Consider how your invitation and physical setup contribute to the creation of a welcome
environment.

Investigate Important Issues: In answer to intriguing inquiries, knowledge emerges. Find

questions that are relevant to the group's real-world concerns. As they go through a system,
compelling concerns that "travel well" help to attract communal energy, insight, and action.
Depending on the schedule and goals, your Café may focus on a single subject or pursue a
more in-depth line of inquiry through several rounds of talk.

Encourage everyone to participate: As leaders, we are more conscious of the significance of

participation; however, most people want to actively contribute to making a difference, not
just participate. It's critical to encourage everybody in your gathering to share their ideas
and perspectives, while also allowing anyone who just wants to listen to participate.

Join Diverse Points of View: One of the Café's defining features is the ability to wander
across tables, socialise, actively contribute your thoughts, and link the substance of your
findings to ever-widening circles of thought. Participants swap viewpoints as they convey
 36

significant ideas or subjects to new tables, considerably increasing the likelihood of

surprising new insights.

Listen for patterns and insights as a group: We give each other the gift of listening. Perhaps
the most crucial component influencing a Café's success is the quality of our listening. We
begin to perceive a connection to the wider total by practising collaborative listening and
paying attention to themes, patterns, and insights. Encourage folks to pay attention to what
isn't being said as well as what is.

Disseminate Collective Findings: Conversations at one table mirror a trend of completeness

that extends to the other tables. The Café's final phase, termed "harvest," is making this
structure of wholeness accessible to everyone in a huge group conversation. Allow a few
moments of silent thought on the patterns, themes, and deeper questions that emerged
from the small group discussions, and then call them out to the larger group for discussion.
Make sure you have a mechanism to record the harvest, which is best done with a graphic
recorder.

World cafe method & how it improves productivity:

1. By connecting small-group and large-group dialogues, it improves the ability for

collaborative thinking about key issues.

2. Knowledge expands, a sense of the larger picture takes shape, and new possibilities emerge.

3. It draws on the principles of dynamic networks and living systems to tap into a pool of
deeper creativity and integrate ideas that might otherwise be unavailable through more
traditional collaborative methods.

4. It allows focusing on areas of organisational life that are sometimes overlooked due to
 37

formal structures and procedures.

5. It emphasises the naturally present networks of communication and social learning via
which we can access intellectual capacity, generate new knowledge, and bring desired
futures into being.

6. As a structuring image, it enables leaders to develop processes that consciously take

advantage of
 LESSONS FROM 38

COVID-19

The above infographic is sourced from People Matters HR Website. This infographic depicts the key
takeaways on employee productivity of India Inc Company during COVID-19 crisis.
 39
CONCLUSION AND
REOMMENDATIONS

On the base of above discussion, we conclude that employee productivity is based on multiple factors.
These factors can range from Employee Engagement to Superior Working Environments. There are a
range of options available to companies to deploy and enhance productivity. However, one must not
ignore the inherent nature of a human being and its impact on productivity. An inherent mental block
may nit be solved by techniques. Therefore, proper hygiene checks during the hiring process should be
placed on soft skills. Hard Skills can be trained later on. But like a wise man once said – “A Bad
Attitude is like a Flat tire, if you won’t change it, you cannot go anywhere”. Therefore, in the attitude
of senior management as well as employees, there must be a sense of growth. As long as people are
willing to grow with the organization, productivity issues can be solved.

Recommendations

We recommend the following key takeaways to employers and employees:

1. You are never too late to learn. Learn from employees, competitors, small
businesses, the techniques they deploy to improve productivity.
2. You are never lost; you just haven’t found the direction yet. There is no such
thing as an entire workforce who is unproductive. One needs to find the right
path to lead them to success.
3. Lead by Example. An employee who watches his manager get away without
hardwork will question himself whether he should give his best to the
organization or not. Far more than guidelines, actions should depict the
overall intent of the organization

Therefore, we conclude by saying that where there is a will, there is a way. And the above project is a
resource book of multiple ways that can be helpful in increasing employee productivity
 40
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