Introduction to productivity

In this newsletter, I aim to impart certain ideas and concepts that are relevant to anyone seeking to comprehend, innovate, and influence improvements within their organizations. Moreover, there is ample space for improvement, and it is imperative to optimize two fundamental aspects of modern organizations: productivity and sustainability.

I believe there is a huge potential in creating better, more productive, more successful and balanced working environments.

On our professional journey, the majority of us may not attain the level of knowledge and understanding that, in my opinion, could substantially elevate our job satisfaction and our capacity to make a more significant contribution to the success of the systems within which we operate.

While we have made significant strides in advancing our educational and organizational systems, the reality is that we have a limited understanding of most things in our surroundings. For instance, we are unable to provide a detailed technological explanation for the processes triggered when we flick a switch on the wall, resulting in a light bulb illuminating our room through a seemingly straightforward action of "switching" and a small piece of plastic on our wall. We are just happy users who are no longer in the dark, but majority of us doesn't know what it takes to produce and distribute electrical energy.

Of course, there are many advantages because we don't have to learn everything from scratch about all the inventions that surround us. Instead, we tend to specialize and cultivate expertise in relatively specific domains of competence.

It's similar with working in an organization. In most cases, we lack an understanding of many crucial factors that distinguish average organizations from the best ones. We often don't understand what 'management' really means. Most of the time, we 'join' the work collective and learn on the job, gathering some 'crumbs' of unstructured knowledge and accumulated experience from those who designed our tasks and processes. Those who laid the cables, built the power lines, tamed fission... I did say I don't know much about electricity production.

We acquire knowledge through practical experience, occasional training, operate on an intuitive level, and aim to excel within our specific domains. Our growth is confined by the competencies of the system we are learning from, the individuals who guide our learning, the business model we adhere to, and well-established business functions.

Let's start with the most basic elements - our jobs

What we do at work is defined by our job description. We engage in working relationship (employment contract) and expect to get paid based on output we will create within our responsibilities - tasks and assignments described in job description. This is work in it's essence. We sign an employment contract and take on the responsibility to perform our tasks. Or is it?

In most organizations, a job description is a formal document that outlines the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations associated with a specific job role.

What is actually expected from us at work is rarely communicated in a contract or even in a job description (could be sometimes), and this is where all the magic happens:

• we are expected to make improvements in our role/department
• we are expected to innovate and contribute beyond our scope of work
• we are expected to collaborate beyond usual teamwork
• we are expected to take new responsibilities and projects
• we are expected to promote our organisation and/or it's products/services
• ....

If we look at our assignments and all the things we do with our regular work, we can argue that in terms of creating value at work, it's more important to perform all those additional activities (expected to..) than it is to do your assignments. When we do our regular work, we impact ourselves and direct users of our work. When we collaborate, innovate, mentor, take new responsibilities, our impact goes beyond our roles - we leverage other people's know-how, time, feedback, and their output. We help, we facilitate, we support. If we manage to create value in those interactions (if our efforts are successful) we can impact the trajectory of the entire organisation - something which is rarely achievable with our roles defined by job description.

I believe we have “somewhat” self-centered or sometimes narrow view about our work - as this is what we were told - your job is defined by job description which is often limiting for our definition and perception about work.

📌 How to apply this to your work?

I hope to have actionable steps in these newsletters on how to apply these ideas effectively.

• Narrow job descriptions: job descriptions tend to focus on specific tasks and responsibilities, which may not capture the full scope of what an employee does or can contribute to an organization. This narrow focus can limit our understanding of the complexities of a job.

✖ How to manage: engage with employees to discuss about their roles, their interests, organisational goals.

• Job descriptions are often static documents that are not updated frequently. Work environments and tasks can evolve, and employees may take on additional responsibilities over time. This static nature can restrict adaptability and innovation within a role.

✖ How to manage: create a role charter - consider creating a role charter or a detailed document that outlines your role, responsibilities, and goals. Include specific performance metrics or key performance indicators (KPIs). Share this document with your supervisor for feedback and validation.

• In dynamic and creative fields the value of employees goes beyond predefined tasks.

✖ How to manage: recognize that roles in modern workplaces can evolve rapidly. Be open to adaptability and flexibility in your responsibilities. Embrace opportunities for cross-training and skill expansion.

Achieving role clarity is an ongoing process. It may require ongoing communication, adaptation, and collaboration with supervisors, colleagues, and HR. By taking proactive steps and seeking clarity, you can contribute to a more productive and satisfying work experience.

What is the main purpose of each job?

Your primary purpose is to help your organization reach its goals. When you join some company, you accept their mission, strategy and goals which that organisation hopes to achieve. You accept to row the boat with your colleagues and impact their success as well. Understanding this should make much bigger impact on your behavior and motivation compared to viewing your job only through listed responsibilities.

A job is not inherently selfish; it is a dynamic and multifaceted aspect of society. It can serve personal goals while also contributing to the greater good. The perception of a job as selfish or selfless often depends on individual motivations, the nature of the work, and the broader societal impact it has.

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Written by Vladimir Benic, an entrepreneur and consultant, founder at CareerCentar, online assessment platform; Best Employer Brand Awards Adria, TalentBrief and TalentRepublic. I have worked as investment banker, became first time manager as financial analyst and controller. Mentor to many aspiring businesses, consultant in HR and employer branding. I am grateful for all the support, opportunities, discussions and experiences these words could inspire.

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If you would like to learn more about my new book - Productive organisation - you can visit TalentRepublic

This book will help you understand all the main concepts about business, productivity and management and give you the tools to activate most relevant people management science in your work environment.