Ecmweb 8641 Thinkstockphotos 76146530
Ecmweb 8641 Thinkstockphotos 76146530
Ecmweb 8641 Thinkstockphotos 76146530
Ecmweb 8641 Thinkstockphotos 76146530
Ecmweb 8641 Thinkstockphotos 76146530

Tip of the Week: Are Your People Lazy?

Nov. 21, 2016
Proper training and the right equipment will achieve better results than pushing workers too hard.

Some managers try to increase productivity by pushing people to work harder or faster—as if their workers are lazy. Others try to increase total weekly output per worker by working people increasingly longer hours—as if those workers never experience fatigue (a common reason for errors).

Photo credit: Thomas Northcut/Thinkstock

These strategies are prone to failure, sometimes spectacularly. They are based on a negative assumption about the people that someone at your firm thought would make good hires. Do you see the illogic here?

An electrical testing firm based in Texas has increased productivity by seemingly pushing people to work slower. The test technicians take more time to set up a job than is typical for the industry. They take more time to shut down for the day, too. So how can they possibly be more productive?

The answer is the technicians aren’t working more slowly, they are working more methodically. That is, they are working smarter. They aren’t backtracking to redo work because of a missed step. Nor are they losing time to injuries because of unsafe work practices or ignorance of unsafe conditions at the site. Nor are they leaving a mess behind; cleanup is part of the job, and it’s one clients do not overlook.

This firm’s technicians do appear to get through the actual testing with surprising speed. But they are not working frantically to do so. What’s the secret? This firm is not afraid to invest in the test equipment needed to do precise, efficient work, or in the training needed to use that equipment to achieve that goal. This is the key reason they achieve that goal.

Pushing people harder is the lazy manager’s way of addressing a problem based on an assumption that people are lazy. That assumption is rarely correct.

But what if it is? Consider the difference in motivation between employees who are told they matter and are trained and equipped to do the best work they are capable of, and employees who are given a very different message.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.

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