What Hampers Productivity?

This exercise will highlight the elements that get in the way of productivity.

There are many strategies supervisors can use to reduce or eliminate quality and productivity issues. These include controlling costs, setting and monitoring budgets, increasing output, standardizing workflow, purchasing new equipment, and minimizing waste. Unfortunately, not all of these methods provide the same level of effectiveness when it comes to increasing or maintaining a high level of productivity.

Read each description and identify which productivity limitation is involved.

1. Frustrated that productivity is lacking in his department, Walter writes a proposal for improving working conditions and sends to his supervisor.

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2.Vivian doesn't think her new supervisor, Sharon, is committed to helping employees increase quality. Sharon discourages employee involvement in planning and decision making.

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3.Brice is researching to what extent blocking employee access to the Internet and social media would improve performance at the company. Would it be worth the potential resentment of his employees?

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4.Charley's employee, Abby, can't seem to meet performance expectations. Charley considers additional training for Abby but worries she just doesn't want to change.

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5.Irene was involved in an accident at work because she ignored OSHA safety requirements and tried to produce more products in a short period of time.

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6.Jackson is concerned that the regional airline he works for has been skipping maintenance checks required by the NTSB in an effort to save money.

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7.Externally enforced rules prohibit Mort from cross-training employees on each other's jobs, a process that would improve productivity. The rules are in place to protect worker jobs from being eliminated.

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8.Pat is negotiating with workers' representatives to revise job descriptions in an effort to increase productivity.

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