Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Monday, 28 July 1986

A NON-PRODUCTIVE MACHINE ?

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). 

28 Jul 1986

To:
Dear Department-Head                  

A NON-PRODUCTIVE MACHINE ?

In  one corner  of the  worker's Lunch-room  (LR-3)  in Powai West, stands a box-like structure.   At first glance it looks like a  steel cabinet for storing  grains -  (what else could you store in a canteen?).

But a  closer look  reveals that  it has a  3' X  2' frosted-glass screen, with a slide-projector housed inside.

And, of all the things, it stores information !

On the 22nd of this month,  our Chairman, Mr. N.M. Desai came to my cabin and said,

"Let us go and have lunch in the worker's lunch-room today".

During lunch, I pointed out the slide-projector  to Mr. Desai and said, "During  lunch-period, we  propose  to  show  to the  diners, slides on

-    Productivity (always first on my list! )
-    Safety
-    Housekeeping
-    Absenteeism
-    Suggestion-Scheme,     etc. etc.

In brief, we propose using this machine  for sharing with our employees,  all  kinds of  information  about  the  company's operations.

This projector-machine  is going to  be the  chief instrument of  our  Project Information  Share,  because,  I believe  an informed  employee makes  a better  employee.   We will  soon have a similar machine  in Powai-East worker's lunch-room and next year install similar machines in LR - 2".

While appreciating  the  idea behind  the project,  Mr. Desai added,

" I agree.   Sharing information about the company is  a good idea, and using  lunch-break for this  purpose may also  be a good  idea but  how about  using your  machine  for a  little entertainment as well ?"

I had to agree that this was an even better idea !.                           

With economy-drive  (and things to  follow !) we  must confine our sight-seeing to colour-slides at the lunch-table!


And you are welcome to send your sight-seeing slides as well -(these, of course, we will return to you in due course).

An unproductive machine ?

H.C.  PAREKH

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