TAMS summit addresses productivity in a challenged economy

Exemplary corporate leadership, employee engagement and good grasp of changing work dynamics have been identified as non-financial motivators which can boost employees’ productivity in the workplace.

These were part of the submission by experts at the 2017 edition of the TAMS Productivity Summit entitled “Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits”.

In his welcome address, last week in Lagos, Afolabi Abiodun, CEO of SB Telecoms & Devices and convener of the summit, said the theme for this year’s summit addresses the need to boost labour productivity in a challenged economy.

He added that “the easiest way to motivate employees is to increase wages, a position advocated by organised labour.

However, most if not all organisations do not have the means to sustain this in a challenged economy. Rather, companies are laying-off staff, some of whom are excellent employees.”

Abiodun therefore urged corporations to adopt the trimming up strategy which entails identifying excesses in the system and investing such in relevant areas that will boost performance and productivity.

“It is that concept of cutting waste and investing in areas that will boost productivity that was a source of inspiration for the theme of this year’s TAMS Summit- Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits.

Motivating our human resources has to be a key priority for all organizations, because it is an essential condition for productivity.

If we have productive individuals then we have an assurance of a productive and prosperous nation.”

On his part, Dr. Doyin Salami, a renowned economist and Associate Professor at the Lagos Business School, while delivering the keynote address, lamented the rising case of unemployment and severe skill shortage in the country.

He said a great number of today’s graduates are not fit for purpose. “The potential Nigerian employee cannot read, write, speak and most importantly, cannot think.

It explains rising unemployment and acute skill shortage crisis facing the country. It is sad that we have a labour force that is fundamentally not fit for purpose.

Good education which should be a public cost has now been passed to the private sector as necessary challenge to be tackled.”