Performance Improvement Through 5s Philosophy

Performance Improvement through 5 S Philosophy

Dr. P.V.L.Ramana

�Choice, not chance determines destiny’

Abstract: It is an undisputed fact that the success of any organization depends, to a great extent on the quality and performance of its workforce. Several studies by eminent scholars demonstrate this fact. Organizations are also constantly adopting creative and innovative initiatives to make employees happy so as to get the best out of them. This paper tries to relate cleanliness at work with performance improvement taking clues from 5S philosophy.

Introduction:

The strength of any organization, to a large extent, depends on the quality, knowledge, abilities and performance of its workforce. When people are recruited, more so in the context of knowledge based organizations, every care is being taken to select people who possess necessary and required capabilities. But to the dismay of organizations, the performance of its employees is not matching with the desired expectations of the organizations. In fact this is the beginning for motivational theories and scholars researched on how to motivate employees to get the best out of them for which they are capable and paid for. There is abundant literature on this from Mc Gregor, Maslow, Alderfer, Murray, Herzberg, McClelland, Vroom, Porter-Lawler, Adams, Skinner and others (See Fred Luthans 2005 and others). Consequently, several measures are being adopted by almost all the organizations to achieve excellence in workplaces; notable among the measures are recognizing and rewarding employees through incentives, gain-sharing, profit-sharing, offering benefits, perks, arranging flexi- times and the like. In the process, HRM has come into prominence. The objectives of HRM are not only to ensure right people for right job but also to achieve organizational excellence by ensuring the right people selected for the right job perform in the right way.

Determinants of Performance:

Performance denotes the actual work turned out by the employee in the job. In other words, performance is the extent of fulfilling one’s given obligations. The specific manner in which the individual enacts and performs his role can be construed as role performance. (See Merton 1957) Performance measurement is a multi-dimensional concept and no single factor can sufficiently explain. Though employees of similar categories and grades are assigned more or less similar roles and responsibilities, performance varies from individual to individual because of different influencing factors. Performance depends not only on abilities and efforts but also on several external and internal factors. Studies show there are several determining factors of performance. Abilities can be derived from knowledge and skills whereas efforts are based on needs, desires and prevailing environment. Job design, role clarity, potential leadership and competing and collaborating colleagues also make a lot of difference in one’s performance. Some other important factors that have bearing on performance are socio-economic status, job satisfaction, attitude towards work, aspirations for achievement, commitment to work, social and professional awareness, relations with role-set members and others (See Ramana P.V.L. 1992). For instance, several research studies show significant positive correlation between professional efficiency and factors like job satisfaction, relations with role-set members, organizational culture and organizational climate. Equally important is the prevailing environment and the discipline maintained in the organizations.

Performance Management:

Performance Management is a means for getting better results for organizations by aligning individual performances with vision, mission and objectives of organizations. The goal of performance management is to energize workforce to work on five dimensions with emphasis on work-oriented behavior:

1) Cost effectiveness

2) Qualitative performance

3) Timeliness

4) Self-esteem and self-actualization

5) Continuous improvement

Performance Improvement:

Creative