Why working longer does not mean more productive

Some managers piously believe that if we add to the standard working day more one-third from the top, and the profit will increase by exactly the same amount. For them, the "productive work" = "to work for a couple of hours." That is, in their opinion, increase profits only by means of working off extra hours. About motivation or other reorganization they do not reflect the workflow.

Perhaps, in some situations, such a formula is really a formula for success (which I personally doubt). Manuel Keysling believes that such a formula will lead to more failure.

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So, suppose a manager N decided to curry favor with the senior management and to increase the productivity of your department. What usually makes an average of N?

He usually collects his subordinates and pushing a fiery speech that the department should be first in everything, especially in bringing additional income. And proposes to work under the new scheme, "an increase in the number of working hours in direct proportion to an increase in profits."

Such a scheme does not improve performance. She lowers them and at the same time is quite a natural resentment among the team, as they have a feeling that they were punished and robbed them of their free time in exchange for a very ephemeral bright future company.

In the minds of some bosses firmly stuck a bunch of "what worked great, the better the outcome," and they are willing to come up with the most incredible job (corporate version of the painting grass was greener so) in order to a subordinate was not idle at work place.

Manuel offers approach to increase productivity more creatively. Instead say: "We need to increase productivity by 100%, and so we will work twice as long!", Not better Li said, "We need to increase productivity by 100%, but we still have to fit into our standard operating day. Any ideas? "

Now this is not compulsory increase in the working day, and the call for smart and creative people. Because now their head will be busy not thinking about how to do such a thing, that these extra hours We passed soon, and how to improve their actions in order to invest in the standard time twice Affairs.

People do not like change and moving beyond the comfort zone. Therefore, the main task of a leader who wants to force them to move, to do so, that they wanted it. To create necessary conditions for this. And then people will make their own decision about what is worth to stay for a couple of hours longer and finish the job. It will not be their punishment. Rather, they will feel courage in achieving this goal.

It would be interesting to know the opinion of the heads of departments, divisions, small private companies, start-ups. How do you motivate your employees?