CMM - January 2012
cleanthoughts A Viscous Cycle We all want to be highly productive but there comes a point when efficiencies can no longer increase U of the equation increases the other naturally decreases It is at this point that additional investments must be made in terms of hiring more employees or purchasing newer technologies both of which cost an employer more money Then the process of maximizing productivity with the available resources starts anew This productivity phenomenon if illustrated would resemble a chart of the U S stock market Consistent peaks and valleys Of course cleaning operations are less volatile than financial markets and much more predictable So the next time you are asking more of your employees stop and think about the resources available to them and whether or not further increasing productivity would actually make results suffer the exact opposite of what is desired CM U S workers increased their productivity the amount of output per hour of work this past summer by the largest amount in a year and half and they cost their employers less money in the process The U S Department of Labor DOL says productivity rose at an annual rate of 31 percent in the July September quarter after two straight quarterly declines Labor costs dropped at an annual rate of 24 percent in the third quarter the first decline since late 2010 The jump in productivity in the third quarter reflected the fact that the economy had its best quarterly growth in a year while hours worked were little changed The trend is good for corporate profits but not necessarily for job growth If workers are highly productive and able to produce desired results with limited resources additional employees are not likely to be hired So Whats The Problem Increased productivity and decreased operating expenses are great right Yes and no There is an unwritten expectation that workers will continuously do their jobs more efficiently as time progresses making them more valuable to employers But there is always a point when efficiency and efficacy flat line and if one facet Aaron Baunee managing editor Send comments or thoughts on this topic or any other article that appears in CM Cleaning Maintenance Management magazine to Publisher Matt Gallinger MGallinger@ NTPMedia com ext 3159 Associate Publisher Micah Ogburn MOgburn@ NTPMedia com ext 3179 Editorial Director Rich DiPaolo RDiPaolo@ NTPMedia com 516 404 4532 Managing Editor Aaron Baunee ABaunee@ NTPMedia com ext 3157 Assistant Editor Amanda Martini Hughes AMartini Hughes@ NTPMedia com ext 3154 Account Executives Susan Pierce SPierce@ NTPMedia com 256 715 0342 Pat Harrington PHarrington@ NTPmedia com ext 3153 Art Director Marty Harris Marty@ GrandViewMedia com Director of Business Operations Michael Perkins MPerkins@ NTPMedia com ext 3133 Ad Materials Manager Rebecca Wilson RWilson@ NTPMedia com ext 3137 CMI Administrative Manager Sharon Hillis SHillis@ NTPMedia com ext 3165 Editorial Advertising Publishing Offices NTP Media division of 19 British American Blvd West Latham NY 12110 6405 518 783 1281 FAX 518 783 1386 Subscription Questions or Inquiries Toll Free 866 721 4807 Outside U S 847 763 1867 or e mail CleaningMaintenance@ HallData com Subscribe Renew Change of Address http www CMMOnline com Subscribe Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement 40612608 Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International P O Box 25542 London ON N6C 6B2 Corporate General Manager Barry Lovette Barry@ GrandViewMedia com Vice President of Operations Brent Kizzire Brent@ GrandViewMedia com Chief Marketing Officer Publishing Services Group Hank Brown Hank@ GrandViewMedia com Vice President of Business Publishing Tracy Aston Martin Tracy@ GrandViewMedia com Vice President of Finance Brad Youngblood Brad@ GrandViewMedia com Director of Circulation Fulfillment Delicia Poole Delicia@ GrandViewMedia com Circulation Manager Stacie Tubb STubb@ GrandViewMedia com Circulation Analyst Anna Hicks AHicks@ grandviewmedia com Editorial Advisory Board Benjamin Tanner Antimicrobial Test Laboratories Bill McGarvey Phillip Rosenau Company Darrel Hicks St Lukes Hospital David Holly The Ashkin Group Kathleen Stanton American Cleaning Institute ACI Jeff Cross Cleanfax magazine Russell Kendzior National Floor Safety Institute NFSI ABaunee@ NTPMedia com CM Cleaning Maintenance 4 CM Cleaning Maintenance Management January 2012 Management Online Service at www CMMOnline com
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