“87% employees say they are productive, 12 % leaders are confident their teams are productive.” Microsoft 2023 Work Trend survey.
What could be the source of this glaring productivity perception gap?
Imagine this situation: Sonia, a marketing executive, spends her days meticulously crafting campaigns, attending meetings, and engaging with clients. To her, every task completed is a victory—a step closer to the company’s success.
However, Sid, marketing head and her manager, feels that the number of leads have not increased. Feedback from the sales team has taken a negative turn and the brand recall has dropped by 3 points.
Here are five potential reasons for the productivity perception gaps:
1. Divergent metrices: employees tend to measure productivity based on efforts or time spent at work whereas leaders measure in terms of the organization performance metrices and impact created.
2. Vision vs execution: employees measure based on what’s being done, leaders dream of pushing the boundaries and achieving more with less. It’s not just about what’s done, it’s about what’s possible.
3. Lack of clarity: employees may not fully understand the expectations or priorities. Or leaders may not effectively articulate them or provide ongoing feedback for necessary course corrections.
4. Battle of bottlenecks: employees may face challenges like distractions, inefficient processes, unnecessary follow-ups or rework – leading to wasted time and efforts. Leaders may either be unaware or ignore the magnitude of these issues.
5. Skill mismatch: sometimes it’s not about efforts, but capabilities needed to excel in the role, leading to the perception gap.
What’s your take on the huge perception gap on productivity? I invite you to unravel this mystery; write your thoughts in comments.
Perspectives 