COFFEE BREAKS

[adrianh]

You can't have call centre telephonists who wonder off for 5 minutes every 15 minutes to have a smoke.

[tec0]

A most humble request to perhaps move the post that is related to smoking over to Smoking vs. Over-the-counter-drugs vs. Alcohol please.

Or is it suitable for them to remain here on this Thread?

[Just Gone]

A most humble request to perhaps move the post that is related to smoking over to Smoking vs. Over-the-counter-drugs vs. Alcohol please.

Or is it suitable for them to remain here on this Thread?

No its fine here its got to do with the thread heading!

[Dave A]

The earlier "smoking" posts in this thread would end up ahead of the OP in the other thread.

This thread focuses on the productivity angle in the main, so I suggest things are working out as they should.

[ghostwriter]

Ever considered just giving your workers X amount of those small coffee packets and sugar packets? They are small enough to keep on the desk or in a locker and handy enough. All they need then is hot water and presto no more stealing or long coffee breaks. The alternative is decaffeinated coffee then your workers will just bring their own coffee from home.

[Miro Bagrov]

I am still not convinced that this is even worth management's time to think about.

Trying to get employees to stop smoking to increase productivity is likely to be as useful getting employees to smoke marijuana to increase productivity. That is NOT the key problem, that is a SYMPTOM of the key problem..

This way of thinking reminds me of the scientific approach of management from Taylor.

However, the work is sometimes so boring (excuse me) that employees can't help but look at ways to go somewhere else. Add maybe more job-enrichment and job-rotation to keep things interesting. Check if all your staff actually like their job. Offer performance bonuses to the most effective person each week (not always money - but something they want).
Give POSITIVE incentive not to waste time (not NEGATIVE incentive): then they will make their coffee quicker, and finish their smoke quicker, because people can't wait to go back to work they enjoy, naturally.

Now maybe someone will say "Where should I get money from to give a bonus here and there?"
Answer: If decreasing smoking & coffee time really increased productivity, you should have more money - that's why I asked, exactly how much do you think is real loss of production in R value.

[tec0]

Well a good incentive I found is a "long weekend" for the person that preformed? Especially if you can make it at the end of month then that person can enjoy a long weekend for her/his hard work. I would go for something like that

[adrianh]

tec0 - Now why would I reward somebody for doing good work by giving them time off (causing a loss of 8 hours of work) - This is absolutely senseless if you ask me. Further, why should I reward somebody for doing the work that he is supposed to do in the first place. If he puts in a proper 40 hour week I'll pay him for 40 hours work, nothing more nothing less, do more get paid more.

The way I do it with my staff is this: I take each product and I show them the selling price and then the overhead cost including their salaries. We do a bit of math and they get to see that if they don't work then they don't get paid. If they make quota then they get paid in full, if they don't then we have a big problem and if they excell then I'll give them a bit of a bonus now and again at my own time and value.

I think that it is absolute crap that people want to have their heads patted for doing the work that they are upposed to do.

[Justloadit]

Could not agree more to Adrian's post. You getting paid for a job, now I must encourage you to do your job by giving you time off, and offering extra money if you do.

There is something wrong with this scenario. What about an honest day's work for an honest day's pay.

[Just Gone]

Yep I also fully agree with Adrians post - You reward people by going over and above their normal duties that they are paid for - you do not reward people for doing their job ! - You pay them !!

[Petrichor]

The only reward for doing what you are asked to do, is keeping your job.

[Just Gone]

I can just imagine some offices .............. smokers smoking in the same room as non smokers ......... then getting the odd Friday off for just DOING THEIR JOB ................. !! ...... No wonder this world is so f**ked up !!

[Dave A]

The only reward for doing what you are asked to do, is keeping your job.

and similar sentiments expressed by others

So how is that going when it comes to getting your staff to go the extra mile when there's some extra pressure on production?

[Justloadit]

I think that we are crossing the lines in this thread.

I think that we need to define what type of employee we are talking about. From the posts I can see that there are 2 types, one is the plain so and so, or rather a wisher*, who really comes to work because he has to, not because he wants to. He has to feed himself and his family. So before he has even set his foot in the door, his attitude is wrong, he is the one that tries to get along through the day by doing as little as possible. In my book that is the majority of the staff. Then there is the handful, who does a little bit more, and may have ambition to get more from life than just being the wisher*. This is the one that you look for, they are management material, and are the ones that will herd the wishers*, and maintain your production, and basically keep the business going for you. They get rewarded with more money, and may have a few perks, for taking on more responsibility. These are the ones who gain experience and in time, may move out and start their own business, using the experience they gained from working for you,, or alternatively climb up the ladder to a position of more responsibility, which has more income associated with it, and probably more perks. So this is the incentive to work harder.

*The Wisher
This is the person who wishes his life away. When he gets to work, he wishes it was tee time, when it's tee time, he wishes it was lunch time, at lunch time he wishes it was home time, and so on, simply wishing his life away.

[tec0]

First lets start with the coffee breaks, it is an easy fix actually, you can make it a company policy that only X amount of time can be used and working a disciplinary program to enforce it. Or if capacity is the problem then an urn can help with that. Also the coffee packets and sugar packets could be a good idea to boot.

As for incentive fear is always the popular choice "do your job or get replaced" but as far as motivation goes well it is what it is…

Smoke breaks and bathroom breaks depending on personal preference of the employer, employees can be allowed to take their smoke break along with their coffee break. Bathroom breaks is something that cannot really be regulated but again one can if one needs to.

Theft is theft and sadly security cameras is you basic solution.

That said, identifying the good employee from the bad one with the help of some type of incentive is a good way to go about it. And it might even motivate the bad employee to work harder that is always a good thing.

But if you as the employer want to be negative about it and it is always a do or die situation then don't expect the 110% rather expect regular visits from the union rep because if you as the employer do not tolerate any mistake then expect that your employee will to the same.