Investing in people the key to greater productivity

Igniting the potential in an organisation’s most important asset – its people, is the real key to productivity, according to the country’s most innovative learning and development provider, The Learning Wave.
The Learning Wave director, Martyn McKessar, says that New Zealand’s focus on increasing productivity to kick start the economy has led to many employers concentrating on improving productivity and bottom lines, while ignoring the vital ingredient in any successful business – its people.
“A company might spend millions on improving processes and systems in the hope that this will produce direct financial gains and economic growth, and yet what we see time and time again, is that if you invest in bringing out the best in your people, all other areas of the business improve.
“There is no argument about investing in the best processes and systems, but there are numerous examples of where this has led to limited results because people investment or the ‘third ingredient’ has been omitted for various reasons including budget cuts.
“Ultimately, an organisation is the sum of its people, and if you play to the strengths of your collective people power, you are onto a winning combination,” McKessar says. “The organisations that we are working with are seeing a positive impact on their productivity and their bottom lines as a direct result of investing in upskilling their staff,” he says.
McKessar says one of the key points of difference with The Learning Wave’s approach is that it gets alongside organisations to find out what their needs are in relation to the performance of their people, and tailors a programme specifically to address these needs.
“For example, many people move into management roles without actually knowing how to manage – they get promoted because they have demonstrated excellence in their field, but this does not mean they possess the skills needed to manage a team and bring out the best in their staff,” he says.
The Learning Wave helps managers to empower their staff and get away from the micromanagement culture, says McKessar. “Micro-management is counter-productive, because it doesn’t allow individuals to realise their potential, and therefore the potential of the organisation. It’s also crippling for the micro-manager who is overburdened and unable to delegate effectively.”
One organisation that has engaged the services of The Learning Wave with impressive results is construction company Stevenson Group Limited. Stevenson Group has been operating for almost 100 years, and the company has always understood the role of people in business success.
The CEO of Stevenson Group, Mark Franklin, says the executive team worked with The Learning Wave to come up with a programme that really helped staff to understand their context within the bigger picture, and the impact they could have on those around them, and therefore on the business.
“My view is that when people understand why they are doing what they do, and the framework within which they are operating, they don’t have to be managed as much,” Franklin says. “With the programme we developed, we really focused on how our people relate to each other and on ensuring that they understood the business – the ‘why’ and not just the ‘how’ we do things’.
“Engaging The Learning Wave has been an incredibly successful initiative – our people come to us and say we have changed their lives because they have better relationships at work, but they also have better relationships at home,” he says.
“The reality is that if you invest in your people you notice a significant change in your people, and that is going to have a direct impact on your business.”
Franklin says with those organisations that do invest money in learning and development, a lot get it wrong. “In my experience, executives will sit around a table with a budget for L & D and think they can tick the box because they send their managers on an accounting course that has no direct relevance for the business.”
“With The Learning Wave we have helped our people understand their role within the company and we’ve helped them to be stronger and more confident – to find the courage to perform at their best.”