Sunday, 27 January 1980

PRODUCTIVITY

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity

Letters written to some 7500 Workers / Managers / Union Leaders, following a period of strike / Go slow / Murders (1979 - 1987), at Mumbai factory of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. This direct / open / honest communication led to a remarkable atmosphere of trust between Workers and Management, which, in turn, increased productivity at 3% per year (ave).

27 Jan 1980

To:

General Managers/

Joint General Managers/

Deputy General Managers.

Sub : PRODUCTIVITY

Enclosed please find a copy of an article appearing in the Fortune Magazine of December 3, 1979.

I have underlined a few statements which would be of specific interest.

According to the author, a negative influence on productivity during 66-73 period, saw the surge in the number of young people entering the labour force. Disproportionately, large number of young people lowered the average skill and experience in the work force, reducing the productivity.

I enclose herewith data/graph of the age-profile of our Powai based work force, in L&T, does our own experience reinforce the American experience?

I draw your attention to the factor listed on page 80 i.e. 'deterioration in attitudes towards work'. This has some parallel with our own situation.

Page 86 speaks of

1. Company-wide productivity improvement programmes

2. Incremental shop floor improvement

3. Spread of 'best practices'

4. Buying the best equipment (not just more of the same kind)

5. Diffusion of knowledge

6. Innovating managerial know-how and improving industrial practices.

I hope you will find the enclosed article and data useful in formulating future policies/strategies while planning various resources including the human resource. I also welcome your suggestions on achieving appropriate employee mix (skill as well as age wise) from internal as well as external source to make the best productivity gains.

H.C. PAREKH

Friday, 25 January 1980

BIRBAL & BADSHAH

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity

25 Jan 1985

To:

Dear friends

BIRBAL & BADSHAH

One day, Badshah asked Birbal, "How many of my people are honest?".

Birbal replied, 'None'. A shocked Badshah challenged Birbal to prove it.

Next day, Birbal drained the royal swimming pool and sent an announcer around the town. people were ordered to bring a glass-full of milk and empty it in the swimming pool, during the night hours.

When morning came, Birbal took Badshah to the swimming pool. it was full of clean sparkling water!

"La-hol-walla-Khuvvat! - Explain this at once, Birbal. All through the night, I saw by moon-light, people streaming in with glasses of milk in their hands! ".

"Jahan-Panah, people did come - but with glasses full of water. Each one thought, when thousands of others were going to pour milk in the pool, what difference could his ONE glass of water make?".

(Unfortunately, 'the story does not say what the Badshah did to make his people honest'.).

Powai is not ancient Delhi and we do not need a Birbal to tell us what happens to "productivity" when each one of us think "well - what difference does it make to the total production, if just one little myself produces less than expected, when thousands of others are working so hard?".

We know what would happen. Our children would have no milk - but plenty of water to swim in!!

Let us all

- work hard

- be honest

- prove Birbal to be wrong !

H.C. PAREKH

Tuesday, 1 January 1980

THE NINETEEN EIGHTY

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity

1 Jan 1980

To:

Dear friends

THE NINETEEN EIGHTY

A very happy new year to you all. To your families just as much.

Raj Kapoor, in his film "Boot-Polish" sings "What is it that you hold in your hands, little children?"

And the children sing back "Our future is what we hold in our hands; we have the fate at our command".

We all wish, our children could say the same. That is in our hands.

Only we, the people of Powai, could make it possible for our children to face the future with confidence and courage.

Let us, therefore resolve, on this New Year day, to work together for an everlasting "Peace in Powai".

With more than 7,000 souls at work, Powai is perhaps the largest "Industrial Democracy" in Bombay. Differences of opinions (on how best to resolve problems) are an essential feature of a healthy democracy.

We must not allow our differences to disturb the Peace in the year of Jesus Christ - 1980. We owe this to our children.

We hold their futures in our hands.

H.C. PAREKH

THE LAST LAP

Synopsis: Communication For Productivity

1 Jan 1980

To:

Dear Shop-Rep,

THE LAST LAP

Annual Sports day has come and gone.

Those of you who were present at the Parel Grounds on Saturday must have been thrilled by the running races

- the 400 meters

- the 800 meters

- the 1500 meters.

If the spectators were so excited, imagine the condition of the participants'. Many months of rigorous training and practice was being tested. And it was the last lap which decided who will win. But then in an individual event only one man can win.

Right now, we the employees at Powai are in the last lap of a Team Event in which we can all win - or all lose!

In our production race, fourth quarter of the year is our last lap (Jan-Feb-Mar). If we want to win (and I am sure we do), we must strain every muscle - every nerve; bring out the reserves of our energy.

You, my friends, have an important role to play in this Team Event because you are the Team Leader. You can ensure that all the members of the team pull together, equally and in the right direction. The Shop Foremen are the coaches. Consult them when in doubt. Hurdles must be overcome with determination.

You will decide whether we will win this 600 working-hour race. The last lap is on and the victory-stand is waiting.

In this race, there can be no spectators!!

H.C. PAREKH