People at WorkPeople at Work

Some Prejudices Some Premises

Man-Job RelationshipMan-Job Relationship

Square peg in the Square hole theory– Hiring the Right-fit for the Exact Job is the main issue

Facts– Jobs are not definite, fixed or unalterable– Jobs tend to become what the job-holder makes out of it– Employees donot always remain the same in respect of their

qualifications, attitudes and abilities– Interaction of the employee with his job determines his

satisfaction and ‘how well he will do the job’– The climate under which he works ie, supervision, colleagues,

physical surroundings, recognition of work affects the Fit.

The Nature of WorkThe Nature of Work

What is Work after all?It’s a combination of five attributes: Muscular work – physical movements Sensory work – starting the engine Mental work – balancing five traits Social work – helping out, participating Conceptual work – imaginative, visioningAll jobs require a little or more bit of all these

Knowing & DoingKnowing & Doing

Having information - knowledge Knowing what to do with Information Knowing how to do - skill Having inclination to do - attitude Doing work - performance Evaluating own work - appraisal Updating/upgrading knowledge, skill,attitude

- development

Skill is criticalSkill is critical

What is skill? It is the ability to do a work It can be present in different degrees

How skill is gained? Muscles, senses and information alignment

Information moves from known to unknown, from simple to complex

Sensory discriminations gradually reinforce one another

Repeated use of muscles

Muscular workMuscular work

Muscles consist of many fibres Fibers have ability to contract and relax Fibers get activated by nerve-ends attached If muscle contraction stops, we get fatigue Fatigue can be caused due to insufficient supply of

blood/oxygen for regeneration of muscle cells This can happen due to excessive work or worry

Sensory developmentSensory development

We tend to take our senses for granted We don’t realise that the starting point of work is

provided by the senses We can actually sharpen our senses and get a

headstart, and also get more out of work– Seeing the object to be handled– Hearing the cue to do it– By touching, tasting or smelling

Work is usually ‘sensory-muscular work’

Mental abilitiesMental abilities

A bundle of traits:1. Memory

2. Vocabulary

3. Mathematical facility

4. Space perception

5. Reasoning

Different tasks require a different combination Can be developed by training

Conceptual AbilityConceptual Ability

Dreaming / visioningProtraying the future on a mental canvass

with the finesse of a Hussain / Ray– Seeing the Big Picture before starting work

Reinventing the BusinessReinventing the workReinventing the process

Social developmentSocial development

Three personal traits for success:

1. Like people – extroversion

2. Persistent in Human Relations

3. Well balanced – emotionally mature Employees who are well adjusted assure

harmony at work and workforce stability

If work matters, so do the workersIf work matters, so do the workers

Management need to look after employees well for a very practical reason:

to get the most out of peopleManagement must look after:Physical health – muscles & nervesMental health – commitment & creativitySocial health – recognition & fellowship

Looking after employeesLooking after employees

Employee ServicesEmployee Welfare

Voluntary effortStatutory obligation

Why statutory obligation?Why statutory obligation?Work & SocietyWork & Society

Society governs the Means of Production

– Land, capital & labour

Relations of Production– Feudalism, capitalism & socialism

Society is responsible for harmony– Regulates social security for Work & Progress

Areas for InterventionAreas for Intervention

Compensation

Working Conditions

1. Pay People Right- Internal equity- External equity- Minimum needs to retain

2. Equity Perception is important- Autocratic decision

vs- Democratic / Collective decision- Pay committee & participatory approach- Employee satisfaction survey

COMPENSATIONCOMPENSATION

3. Incentive & Reward – Key processes- Work measurement- Standardising conditions under which work gets performed- Communication of task/target- Benefits for Orgn / for Individual

4. Ways of Incentive determination- Time spent for work – overtime- Responsibility shouldered – Acting/officiating- Quantity of output/time – L.P- Savings against standards – Quality- Savings against Time – Efficiency

How are these aspects taken care of in your Organisation?

Incentive & RewardIncentive & Reward

Basic Concerns

- Ventilation / air-conditioning- Lighting- Distractions- Sanitation- Posture- Fatigue

Working ConditionsWorking Conditions

Working ConditionsWorking Conditions

- Ventilation

- Temperature & humidity

- Dust, Gas & fumes

- Harmful to Body

- Discomfort brings down efficiency at work

- Good lighting improves efficiency- Poor light leads to

- inaccurate work

- accidents

- Low production

- Indirect lighting is the Best- Fluorescent lighting provides

excellent diffused light with little heat.

LightingLighting

DistractionsDistractions

- Noise comes first- Unavoidable but can be made less irritating - Irritation causes tension -> fatigue- Noise should be measured & controlled- Visual distractions

- Moving Objects, reflecting walls, direct light - Can cause fatigue to eye musdes

- Social distractions- Gossip , Loud talk , smoking

Sanitation should be modern- Drinking water- Toilet facilities- Rest rooms- Lounges- Washing facilities- Dressing facilities

- Building architecture/maintenance- White washing- Cleaning- Painting / Polishing

A good investment to raise employee morale and retain.

SanitationSanitation

The working chairs Heights of working surfaces Avoid undue strain on

- Arms

- Shoulders

- Back muscles

Potential cause of series of ailments

- Work related diseases.

PosturePosture

FatigueFatigue

What is fatigue?

“A decreased capacity for work” Why fatigue occurs?

- Due to the `work’ itself (physiological)

- Due to `environmental conditions’

- From a `feeling of fatigue’ (Psychological)

Its important to distinguish the cause of Fatigue

Results from wear & tear of body tissues

Principal antidote is `REST’.

Blood circulation replenishes tissues.

Secondary Autidote is `WORK DESIGN’

Doing work in a rhythm lessens fatigue.

Avoid jerks

Older workers usually work in rhythms.

`̀Physiological’ fatigue is `Genuine’Physiological’ fatigue is `Genuine’

L

U No

Rest

No

RestN

C With

Rest

WithRest

H

Muscular fatigue & AntidoteMuscular fatigue & Antidote

FATIGUE

Morning Afternoon