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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