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).
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1May 1981
To:
Dear Readers
Although the
first chapter of BRITAIN WORKS O.K. came
out a day before Mahatma Gandhi's
birthday last year,
it did contain the
theme which Mahatma
kept on asking
his countrymen throughout his life time i.e.
'Who is right?'
During the
last 7 months,
this publication aroused considerable interest
amongst L&T-ites. in the February
issue we published the comments
which we received from a 'well wisher' who
wanted all of us to be
less selfish and make sacrifices
for the
good of the
company and the community.
In this issue,
we reproduce a letter
from another
'well wisher'. While
he has made certain comments, he
has also raised some
questions. Although the well-wisher has chosen to remain
anonymous (I do not understand
why), I feel I owe him an answer.
Whereas, a common dining hall and
common food could bring
Managers/Supervisors and Workmen
together (this is a
strictly personal opinion) it is
not the only thing that brings people closer to each other. It is true,
that in a family, all members share
the same food - but then, a family is
also one of the
few remaining institutions where one member does not make 'demands' on
another member! It is an institution
that is
built on everlasting mutual
love, an intense individual desire
to
sacrifice in the
larger interest of the Unit
and an everlasting respect
for the elders. Let us work
together to make L&T
such a family first!
As regards
obtaining a sense of achievement and
satisfaction in one's own work is
concerned, I do not think there is any
limitation imposed by division of
labour. No matter, how small a task, the satisfaction one derives comes from doing it well today
and trying to do it
even better tomorrow! Although I do
not know what is the task
performed by the 'well wisher', I cannot imagine the task to be useless and not contributing to the well-being of the
Society in which we live.
As far
as participation by
all levels of
workmen is concerned, I entirely
agree with the 'well
wisher' that
the participation
in our productivity
drive must not remain restricted to the office bearers of the Union and
the shop representatives but must ultimately
spread to each and every employee of the
Compan
As far
as implementing the many
suggestions which I receive in all sorts
of forums, I have only this to say. Changes do not occur overnight, and the changes
of attitude are most often
the slowest and the need for a
change in attitudes is not limited to
any particular group of employees. Next time we have
a problem, let each one of us ask
ourselves 'what is right'?
before taking a stand which is against the interest of the community at large.
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