PRODUCTIVITY has been acknowledged as the therapy needed for our resource-limited country, and measures have been put in place to promote its development.
However, it seems that in the bid to increase productivity, paternalistic means may prove to be too stifling.
Traditionally, most of our means of attaining productivity have been top-down. The Government has granted financial incentives for innovation, funds for mechanisation and labour supplementation, for example.
Indeed, what is missing is the bottom-up approach, which consists of a synthesis of behavioural and social methods, to make the two ends meet.
There needs to be a de-emphasis on certain unhealthy workplace traits, such as apathy or indifference. Indeed, we need to develop a form of social productivity, away from traditional policy approaches.
We cannot expect our foreign workers, who may be marginalised in terms of employment mobility or welfare, to achieve high levels of productivity ("Foreign worker issues: Rethinking assumptions"; Feb 10).
While policy initiatives can do only so much, perhaps a greater social acceptance may grant the psychological boost these workers need.
Similarly, for our resident workers, we need to imbue the culture of proaction over the inherent tendencies of staying indifferent or the fear of being ridiculed.
Isaac Low Jui Kwang
However, it seems that in the bid to increase productivity, paternalistic means may prove to be too stifling.
Traditionally, most of our means of attaining productivity have been top-down. The Government has granted financial incentives for innovation, funds for mechanisation and labour supplementation, for example.
Indeed, what is missing is the bottom-up approach, which consists of a synthesis of behavioural and social methods, to make the two ends meet.
There needs to be a de-emphasis on certain unhealthy workplace traits, such as apathy or indifference. Indeed, we need to develop a form of social productivity, away from traditional policy approaches.
We cannot expect our foreign workers, who may be marginalised in terms of employment mobility or welfare, to achieve high levels of productivity ("Foreign worker issues: Rethinking assumptions"; Feb 10).
While policy initiatives can do only so much, perhaps a greater social acceptance may grant the psychological boost these workers need.
Similarly, for our resident workers, we need to imbue the culture of proaction over the inherent tendencies of staying indifferent or the fear of being ridiculed.
Isaac Low Jui Kwang
