SPEEDING UP SLOW WORKERS


					***

	Dr. Marty Moskowitz needed some chemical solutions from his
lab technician, Ed Lopat, in order to complete a major experiment.
But when he asked where they were, Ed replied, "Sorry--it took me
three hours yesterday just to adjust the pH meter."  As Ed justified
his delay in painstaking detail, Marty gritted his teeth.  Even though
Ed's work was always flawless in the end, Marty was running out of
patience with his slow working habits.

					***


	There is sometimes only a thin line between diligence and
delay--but you can always tell when employees have crossed it.
Slow workers habitually fall behind schedule, miss deadlines, and
hinder the progress of others in your department.  You can't always
spare the time it takes slower workers to get things done--and you
don't have to.  Instead of letting your frustration build up, take the
following steps to help slow workers speed up.


FOCUS ATTENTION

	The first step in revving up slow workers is providing feedback
to help them recognize that a performance problem exists.

	Address the situation positively.  Acknowledge the many
things the employee is doing right before you describe the
unacceptable results and the reasons they're unacceptable.  Ask if
there are specific problems causing the delays, and do your best to
resolve them.  Then work with the employee on ideas for speeding
things up.

	For example, Marty might take Ed aside and say, "I really
appreciate the quality of your work, Ed.  But we just can't afford the
time it took to prepare those solutions.  I'm scheduled to present this
paper in just three weeks, and I still haven't confirmed the results I
need to describe.  Was there a problem holding you up?"

	Marty should listen carefully to Ed's response and clear away
any technical barriers to progress.  Then the two of them should
consider the following ways to accelerate a slower worker's pace.

ESTABLISH PRIORITIES

	Make sure slower workers know what their most important job
responsibilities are, and help them maintain their focus on those
tasks.  If Ed takes time out to alphabetize equipment brochures, for
example, Marty can encourage him to pay more attention to his
bench work.

CLARIFY PROJECTS FROM THE START

	Review project goals in advance.  Ask workers, "How do you
plan to go about it?" to make sure they're on the right track before
they get started.  Marty should clearly state the objective of Ed's next
assignment, then help him anticipate problems that may arise and
plan ways to solve them.

SET DEADLINES -- AND CHECKLISTS.

	Establish a time frame for starting and finishing each step of
the project.  This further organizes procedures and provides
signposts to measure progress.  With agreed-upon checkpoints,
Marty can easily tell if Ed is veering off schedule before it's too late
to prevent a major delay.

KNOW WHEN ENOUGH'S ENOUGH.

	Curb perfectionism by giving slower workers clear guidelines
for what constitutes finished work.  Don't let unnecessarily high
standards slow down progress in your department.  Marty should
allow Ed to fine-tune the laboratory equipment only as much as is
required to obtain valid results.

STAY ON THE BEAT

	Once you've helped slower workers get organized and mentally
prepared to work faster, make sure you provide the support they'll
need to keep up the pace.

	Make a regular habit of asking for specific information about
what slower workers (and all others) are achieving.  Oral or written
progress reports can also reinforce workers' awareness of time limits.
Suggest shortcuts when appropriate.

	Praise on-time performance whenever you see it.  You can also
give workers who pick up the pace reinforcement in terms of more
positive performance appraisals and more interesting
responsibilities.

ENFORCE DEADLINES.

	Let slower workers know that you'll re-assign projects they
can't complete, rather than give them extensions.  In addition,
establish clear consequences for consistently failing to produce on
time.  Depending on the situation, these consequences might range
from loss of a preferred assignment to poor performance reports or
even termination.  According to Ferdinand Fournies, author of
Coaching for Improved Work Performance (F. Fournies & Associates,
1978), "If an employee believes you will do these things, you rarely
end up having to do them."

	If Ed continues to lag behind, Marty could give part of Ed's
work to an off-site technical facility.  Then Marty should present Ed
with the alternatives of working out a way to increase productivity,
or facing discipline.

	Slow and steady may have been a virtue in Aesop's time, but
few Hard@Workers now have time for a tortoise-like employee.  This
is not to say that everyone produces results at the same speed.  On
different projects and different days, employees will work at
different speeds.  Still, when employees work too slowly to meet
your department's needs, it's up to you to take corrective action.  By
confronting the situation, establishing priorities and limitations, and
providing appropriate feedback, you'll give slower workers the boost
they need.

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