Emma Okonji
The need to align employees’ interest with organisational interest in order to boost productivity at workplace, was the focus of this year’s TAMS Summit, held recently in Lagos, with the theme: ‘Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits’.
The keynote speaker, Dr. Doyin Salami of Lagos Business School, emphasised the need to build leadership styles with values and transparency as well as the need for employers to understand employees and the things that could spur them at their places of work. He also stressed the need for employers to understand the changed nature of work and align the interest of the employee with the interest of the business.
Salami warned that unless employers begin to match individual interest with that of organisational interest, the organisation may likely face the risk of under-productivity, which he said could bring down an entire work system.
The Lagos Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr. Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, who spoke on the need for staff training and motivation, advised employers to invest in staff training, which he said, would further enhance their skills and also boost productivity.
Durosinmi-Etti also urged employers of labour to establish healthy collaboration between them and their staff, while giving insight into the Lagos State government’s collaboration with the private sector to launch the graduate trainee programme that has helped in the retraining of tertiary school graduates and preparing them for the labour market.
The one day summit, which had a panel session, discussed the challenges of the employer in managing the employee, as well as the challenges of the employee in carrying out assigned duties for improved productivity.
Executive Director, SystemSpecs, Mr. Deremi Atanda, one of the panelists, insisted on cordial relationship between the employee and the employer, which he said, would boost productivity. According to him, most employers distant themselves from their employee and treat them harshly in order to bring out the best from them, but he argued that cordial relationship remained a better approach to achieve productivity at work place.
The Chief Executive of Ibile Holdings Limited, Mr. Abiodun Amokomowo, identified two factors that determine productivity at work place to include discipline and good lifestyle. According to him, the employee must be self disciplined to achieve targets that would boost productivity and the employer on the other hand, must address the basic needs of the employee, like housing, transportation and healthcare, without necessarily increasing salaries. If these are achieved, the employee will be comfortable enough to put in his or her best that will boost productivity, Amokomowo said.
The Chief Executive of Housessories Limited, Nwamaka Okoye, explained that productivity was all about input and output and that the employer must give the employee a sense of belonging, aside salary that would motivate work and productivity.
The Chief Executive of XI Express, a courier company, Omome Osime, emphasised the need to properly manage the employee and block possible channels of leakages that could run down an organisation. He advised that employers should inculcate ownership spirit among employees to become stakeholders of the organisation. When this is done, the employee will feel a sense of belonging and put in the best that will enhance productivity, Osime said.
Convener of TAMS Summit, Mr. Afolabi Abiodun, said “The productivity of a country’s workforce determines its economic as well as the quality of life of its people.”
