I was flattered to see that you asked for my opinion, but there isn't a whole lot that I can add to what has already been written. You in particular seem to be thinking proactively, and you clearly have plenty of experience in these matters.
I thought a lot of what Mike Testro wrote was to the point.
"You cannot MAKE people work faster unless you employ slaves who can be whipped."
And the whipping can be continued until morale improves or the world ends, whichever comes first.
"The prime motivator is REWARD for efforts - not just money but work environment and appreciation of results."
So many labor situations that mask themselves as about money are deep down about other things -- working conditions, trust in management, and RESPECT! I'll work hard even for employers I don't like -- but they WILL pay me more than if I liked working for them!
"The first thing that must be done is to pay the overtime already worked and then negotiate future regimes."
That's sort of my feeling as well. Otherwise what is to stop the employers from changing the rules again whenever they feel like it? This is especially true if it's the government.
There is another factor here: why would an employer on a project ever want disgruntled employees working for them? Whenever I eat in a restaurant, I make a point of being nice to the waiter and everyone else around. And I tip especially well if I think I might eat there again -- I happen to prefer my food without spit in it! A disgruntled worker may well sabotage the work, and 100 disgruntled workers increase the risk by MORE than 100 times as they kindle one another's anger.
"They will then work whatever hours is necessary to reach the target work load ahead of schedule - you can set up and monitor this as your role as head planner - but the agreed amounts MUST be paid."
Tanveer, I believe you have been using critical path drag analysis. In this case, drag cost may be even more relevant. I would explain this concept to your bosses, show how much the cost of specific critical path activities can be based on their drag and drag cost, and show how the true cost (TC=resource costs + drag cost) can be reduced through decreasing drag by increasing the budget (either by more resources, PAID overtime, or other incentives).
One word of caution: a workforce with time-based incentives may be tempted to cut corners, so establish more formal quality checks. But if you gain 8 days through incentives and critical path drag reduction, you have the time to add back one or two days for qualtiy checks.
Finally, Tanveer, When this is over I would urge you to publish an article or diary about the experience and the techniques you use -- it will enhance your own professional standing as well as perhaps help others in similar situations.
Good luck, and please let us know how things work out.
Fraternally in project management,
Steve the Bajan
Member for
19 years 10 months
Member for19 years10 months
Submitted by Tanveer Ahmad Niazi on Tue, 2014-09-30 06:30
Thank you very much for the tips. Our management doesn’t believe in outsourcing, we recruit more staff instead. But Rafael’s suggestion is very much practical and I will definitely ask my PM for this.
Well let me share my experience in Saudi Arabia in 2006, where I had almost the same situation even worst that was a small establishment, the owner and the MD asked me to handle the people after two days unsuccessful negotiation with the laborers who were on a strike due to the delay in the payments. Now, before telling you what I did there let me tell you my religion, cast and nationality in professional life, my religion is “Planner” my cast is “My Role” in the organization and my nationality is “My Company Name”. Now that was the third day of labor strike I grouped the people in two (group one belonged to Indians, Pakistanis, Bangla Desh and Sri Lanka and the other group was Philippines) and asked one of my colleagues to talk to them with me I explained him my plan we went to the camp and talked to them separately and it worked, the basic idea was to request them to go back to work just “MY Sake”. But later I realized that this was not a good practice I think this has a negative impact on the organizational culture in the long run, but we can go for it if it is Do or Die.
Here it is not that serious, I started with the work space issue and proved with the site photos that we would move to our site offices in the early November and we will be having a big Gym, a common room and a shuttle service (six mini buses) to the city on weekends. And if we submit all of the pending and planned shop drawings and submittals before moving to the site offices we will be having all the Asian TV channels and internet in our rooms. Earlier, last evening the management has already agreed to provide these facilities on our demand (me and my colleagues).
In the next phase I suggested that the PM should himself monitor the progress of all the staff closely and on the real rate of production and the overtime will be sectioned only if the work is really more than the planned with in the 8 hours.
The situation now seems to be under control and I wasn’t really expecting this result so soon.
Maybe outsourcing part of the design work and keeping the in-house designers as the leaders of the design as a whole can relieve some of their work.
Perhaps a few of the designers can be assigned to do work at the city and keep constant communication via e-mail and teleconferencing. Similar or better to outsourcing as it will be with your own people.
Meanwhile you will have time to build enough living headquarters for the construction phase.
There are many publications out there about staff motivation and your management seem to have broken avery rule.
You cannot MAKE people work faster unless you employ slaves who can be whipped.
The prime motivator is REWARD for efforts - not just money but work environment and appreciation of results.
The first thing that must be done is to pay the overtime already worked and then negotiate future regimes.
Set and agree reasonable work targets with your staff and guarantee payment by results when the target is reached.
They will then work whatever hours is necessary to reach the target work load ahead of schedule - you can set up and monitor this as your role as head planner - but the agreed amounts MUST be paid.
The temporary work environment is not good but it is only for a reasonably short time.
Good conditions on the worksite is essential and the motivators are:
1. Good food - not expensive but well cooked and varied.
2. Clean and comfortable accomodation.
3. Entertainment - try to get a strong TV connection.
Member for
20 years 7 monthsHi, Tanveer.I was flattered
Hi, Tanveer.
I was flattered to see that you asked for my opinion, but there isn't a whole lot that I can add to what has already been written. You in particular seem to be thinking proactively, and you clearly have plenty of experience in these matters.
I thought a lot of what Mike Testro wrote was to the point.
"You cannot MAKE people work faster unless you employ slaves who can be whipped."
And the whipping can be continued until morale improves or the world ends, whichever comes first.
"The prime motivator is REWARD for efforts - not just money but work environment and appreciation of results."
So many labor situations that mask themselves as about money are deep down about other things -- working conditions, trust in management, and RESPECT! I'll work hard even for employers I don't like -- but they WILL pay me more than if I liked working for them!
"The first thing that must be done is to pay the overtime already worked and then negotiate future regimes."
That's sort of my feeling as well. Otherwise what is to stop the employers from changing the rules again whenever they feel like it? This is especially true if it's the government.
There is another factor here: why would an employer on a project ever want disgruntled employees working for them? Whenever I eat in a restaurant, I make a point of being nice to the waiter and everyone else around. And I tip especially well if I think I might eat there again -- I happen to prefer my food without spit in it! A disgruntled worker may well sabotage the work, and 100 disgruntled workers increase the risk by MORE than 100 times as they kindle one another's anger.
"They will then work whatever hours is necessary to reach the target work load ahead of schedule - you can set up and monitor this as your role as head planner - but the agreed amounts MUST be paid."
Tanveer, I believe you have been using critical path drag analysis. In this case, drag cost may be even more relevant. I would explain this concept to your bosses, show how much the cost of specific critical path activities can be based on their drag and drag cost, and show how the true cost (TC=resource costs + drag cost) can be reduced through decreasing drag by increasing the budget (either by more resources, PAID overtime, or other incentives).
One word of caution: a workforce with time-based incentives may be tempted to cut corners, so establish more formal quality checks. But if you gain 8 days through incentives and critical path drag reduction, you have the time to add back one or two days for qualtiy checks.
Finally, Tanveer, When this is over I would urge you to publish an article or diary about the experience and the techniques you use -- it will enhance your own professional standing as well as perhaps help others in similar situations.
Good luck, and please let us know how things work out.
Fraternally in project management,
Steve the Bajan
Member for
19 years 10 monthsHi Mr. Testro and
Hi Mr. Testro and Rafael
Thank you very much for the tips. Our management doesn’t believe in outsourcing, we recruit more staff instead. But Rafael’s suggestion is very much practical and I will definitely ask my PM for this.
Well let me share my experience in Saudi Arabia in 2006, where I had almost the same situation even worst that was a small establishment, the owner and the MD asked me to handle the people after two days unsuccessful negotiation with the laborers who were on a strike due to the delay in the payments. Now, before telling you what I did there let me tell you my religion, cast and nationality in professional life, my religion is “Planner” my cast is “My Role” in the organization and my nationality is “My Company Name”. Now that was the third day of labor strike I grouped the people in two (group one belonged to Indians, Pakistanis, Bangla Desh and Sri Lanka and the other group was Philippines) and asked one of my colleagues to talk to them with me I explained him my plan we went to the camp and talked to them separately and it worked, the basic idea was to request them to go back to work just “MY Sake”. But later I realized that this was not a good practice I think this has a negative impact on the organizational culture in the long run, but we can go for it if it is Do or Die.
Here it is not that serious, I started with the work space issue and proved with the site photos that we would move to our site offices in the early November and we will be having a big Gym, a common room and a shuttle service (six mini buses) to the city on weekends. And if we submit all of the pending and planned shop drawings and submittals before moving to the site offices we will be having all the Asian TV channels and internet in our rooms. Earlier, last evening the management has already agreed to provide these facilities on our demand (me and my colleagues).
In the next phase I suggested that the PM should himself monitor the progress of all the staff closely and on the real rate of production and the overtime will be sectioned only if the work is really more than the planned with in the 8 hours.
The situation now seems to be under control and I wasn’t really expecting this result so soon.
Cheers
Member for
19 years 10 monthsHi ZoltanYour managers have
Hi Zoltan
Your managers have to balance the cost of improving the work conditions and the damages for the inevitable delay.
Best regards
Mike Testro
Member for
16 years 3 monthsit is hard to motivate people
it is hard to motivate people with poor working conditions
Member for
21 years 8 monthsMaybe outsourcing part of the
Maybe outsourcing part of the design work and keeping the in-house designers as the leaders of the design as a whole can relieve some of their work.
Perhaps a few of the designers can be assigned to do work at the city and keep constant communication via e-mail and teleconferencing. Similar or better to outsourcing as it will be with your own people.
Meanwhile you will have time to build enough living headquarters for the construction phase.
Member for
19 years 10 monthsHi TanveerThere are many
Hi Tanveer
There are many publications out there about staff motivation and your management seem to have broken avery rule.
You cannot MAKE people work faster unless you employ slaves who can be whipped.
The prime motivator is REWARD for efforts - not just money but work environment and appreciation of results.
The first thing that must be done is to pay the overtime already worked and then negotiate future regimes.
Set and agree reasonable work targets with your staff and guarantee payment by results when the target is reached.
They will then work whatever hours is necessary to reach the target work load ahead of schedule - you can set up and monitor this as your role as head planner - but the agreed amounts MUST be paid.
The temporary work environment is not good but it is only for a reasonably short time.
Good conditions on the worksite is essential and the motivators are:
1. Good food - not expensive but well cooked and varied.
2. Clean and comfortable accomodation.
3. Entertainment - try to get a strong TV connection.
4. Open and spacious work environment.
Good luck with your efforts.
Best regards
Mike Testro