STANDARDISATION OF FORMATS ND PRESENTATION METHODS

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).

26 Mar 1980

ALL MANAGEMENT MEMBERS

OF PRODUCTIVITY COMMITTEE MEETING (POWAI LEVEL)

STANDARDISATION OF FORMATS ND PRESENTATION METHODS

Further  to my  Circular of  March  24, 1980,  I invite  your attention to my earlier  Circular of October 24, 1979  on the same subject, reproduced below for your ready reference:

"From  a folder  circulated by  Mr.M.H.  Pherwani,  I enclose herewith a Chapter entitled

"HOW TO START A PRODUCTIVITY  EFFORT".

I   draw  your   particular   attention   to  paragraphs   on 'Diagnosis' &  'Measurement'.  I  am fully  aware that,  in a diverse   operation  like   ours,   no   single  measure   of productivity      (output), using

(input )

identical  'units'  of  measurement   for  the  'output'  and 'input'  could serve  the purpose  of  all  the manufacturing departments.   Even for  'Production', 

different departments may be compelled to use different units of measurement.

What is however, important is     

1.                    1.                                          That all manufacturing departments/shop determine, once  for all, 

THE definitions  of - Production and  -  Productivity that  they

 would follow in  the months and  years to  come.  This             

CONSISTENCY  in the  use of  a_ definition would permit

monitoring  of productivity  improvements over the coming

months.

2.                    2.                                          That all manufacturing  departments Standardise the formats  in

which  they would publish  their monthly reports on- Production

and - Productivity.

Such  monthly reports  may  include  the monthly data  as well as

the  cumulative data  (from the base month of January  1979?) to

enable easy and quick comparisons  of the 'Actual Vs  Budget' on

both   the  parameters   viz.    Production  and Productivity.

3.                  That as far as possible, the definitions of                       

- Production and                      

- Productivity.

 Should  be in  units  of  physical outputs  (and inputs )                   

                         and  avoid  using  measures  of  'Sales  Price', 'Transfer Price'

                         etc.

                         If  for  some reasons,  it  is  not possible  to avoid   use  of  

                         'SP/TP'  etc.,  a   method  of discounting  these  for  the

                         inflation  must  be established.   The  numerator must  be 

                         adjusted using   well   known,   'Price   index'   series

                         published  by  Govt./Semi  Govt./Trade  agencies (e.g. RBI).

I have  already requested the  perspective Planning  Dept. to evolve  one  or  more  'product  Price  index'  series  using published prices  of a large number  of industrial machinery/ agricultural   machinery/electrical    machinery/construction machinery/passenger  and goods transport  vehicles/chemical -pharmaceutical machinery/consumer capital products etc.

By a  copy of this note,  I am requesting  CMS/VM to approach you to finalise

-      -         the definitions

-      -         the formats

for  your  area  of  operations.    I am   convinced  that  a consistent use  of these is  the only way  to know if  we are moving and if so, in what direction."

H.C. PAREKH

PRODUCTIVITY SLOGAN

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).

24 Mar 1980

To:

Dear friends

Did you notice anything unusual about this month's  pay-packet?

For most  of you, of course,  it must have  been heavier than ever before, due to

-  D.A.  having gone  up  (C.P.I, is  up  48 points    over December' 79

-  Overtime wages at  20% of normal wages (3.2 % in    December' 79)

However, that is not what I meant when I said "unusual".

I  meant  the  "Productivity  Slogan"  on  the  face  of  the paypacket.  The "Creative" amongst us  participated in the "Slogan  Contest".   Now  one  slogan  will  appear  on  each month's  pay-packet.   But  surely  there are  more  than  12 creative employees in the company!

And here is their chance to make the pay-packet most unusual.

"Productivity Message" Contest

1.  Within  30 days of  the appearance  of a  slogan on  the      pay-packet, send in your  "Productivity Message" on  the      same subject/theme as  the slogan,  in fact,  the slogan      should be the title of your message.

2.  The  message should  highlight  the  importance of  that      subject/theme  to   the  overall  productivity   of  the      company.   To  support  your   theme,  the  message  may      highlight  the   "good"  work   being  carried   out  by      employees  in  distant corners  of  the  company and  be      inspirational to the readers.

3.  Message  should  be typed/legibly  handwritten  and  not      more than 200 words in length.

4.  Message could be in English/Marathi/Hindi.

5.  The  author's  name must  not  appear  anywhere  on  the      message itself.  Send  a separate covering letter.   The      contest is  open only to  the Bombay based employees  of      L&T TENGL & EWAC.

6.  Message   should  be   sent   to  Mr.   C.M.  Srivastava      (Industrial Engg. Dept.)

7.  A panel  of judges will evaluate the  messages received      and  select the  best for  printing  (with  the Author's      name)  and  enclosing with   the pay-packet   2/3 months      later.

8.  The best message will be awarded a prize of Rs. 200/-.

9.  Once  an author's  message has  been  adjudged best  and  awarded the  prize, the  author will not be  eligible for another award/publication  for the following  12 months. However,  if  his/her   another  message  gets  adjudged "best",  once  again,   the   same   will   receive   a      'complimentary'  award  of  Rs.  50/-  and  the  message  displayed on  the notice-boards.  In  such an event, the    next-best  message will  get  the  rs.  200/- award  and      publication with the pay-packet.

The race is on !

The authors of L&T arise !!

H.C. PAREKH

INVOLVEMENT

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).

16 Mar 1980

Dear Shop-Supervisor:                      

SUB: INVOLVEMENT

Texas Instruments (TI) is a giant electronics-manufacturing firm in  U.S.A. and employs  41,000 people.   TI manufactures computer components.  Their latest is a computer that 'talks back ' !

(I  think  they  should  immediately  introduce  'Performance Appraisal' for the

wretched THING!)

TI  say, the  secret  of their  success  lies in  INNOVATION. They  innovate  product  designs,   manufacturing  processes, marketing  strategies and  so on.   But where  they  excel in innovating  (by their own admission) is in  INVOLVEMENT - the 'people involvement' in everything they do.

And  the results  are there  for everybody  to see  -  I mean 'hear'! (At  TI  they  have  changed  over  to   'hearing is believing'.).

Enclosed extract  from an  article about  TI, describes their PEOPLE

INVOLVEMENT.

One way of getting people motivated is getting them involved.

Another  way  of getting  them  motivated  is to  say  'HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU'.   To help you do that, I enclose  a list of your colleagues with  their birth-dates.  The list  will also tell you when  one of them completes  15/20/25 years' service with the  Company.  Both  occasions have immense  sentimental value  to an  individual.  If  you remember  these  dates, he will know you  'care' for him.  And who is above  the feeling of 'someone up there like me'?

Wishing you good-luck in your own search for 'good-will'.

H.C.PAREKH

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).

9 Mar 1980

Dear Shop Supervisor:             

HOW TO GET ALONG BETTER WITH PEOPLE

Some nineteen  years ago, Mr.  Gunner Hansen,  (the then GM -Manufacturing,   Powai)  presented   a  book   to  me  titled 'Business  is people'.   I was one  of the  20-odd people who received  this  gift.   Powai  was  a  small place   then and everyone knew everyone else.

Today, Powai has grown so big  that even people who travel by the same bus and  eat in the same Canteen for  years together do not know each other.   The problem, of 'getting along with people' has never been more acute.

'Business is  people' continues to  inspire me even  now (the book is out  of print but we  have two copies  in our Central Library).

Enclosed  find  a copy  of  'How  to  get along  better  with people'  (written by the same  author) which is  equally good and I hope it will inspire you  now and for years to come, in your dealings with people.

H.C. PAREKH