Public service employment has grown by 31 per cent

[Kirkhill]

I guess they'll need to hire more PS staff to do all that reporting

Report calls for improved data on productivity in public service, but federal government not interested​

A working group that studied productivity in the public service found five areas that the federal government should improve, and made a total of 19 recommendations

The federal government is not considering measuring productivity in the public service at this time, despite calls to do so from a new report from a working group on public service productivity.

In a report, released on Dec. 12, a working group that studied productivity in the public service found five areas that the federal government should improve, and made a total of 19 recommendations.

The five areas included issues such as the measurement of productivity, supporting a productive workforce, deploying technology like artificial intelligence, reviewing government program and spending through the lens of productivity, and improving internal structures, processes and rules.

The report noted that “without reliable data, it is difficult to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of government services or identify areas for improvement.

“Improved data will make it possible to benchmark current performance levels and assess whether government actions to increase productivity are leading to desired results.”

The report called on data to be collected to measure productivity across the public sector, as well as for metrics for services that the federal government delivers.

The report also calls on other cultural shifts to promote innovation and excellence.

Those recommendations include rigorous performance reviews at the end of probation periods, reporting the number of public servants who were dismissed or underperformed in the annual report on the public service, and to provide managers with performance management training.

The report said the public service should also focus on hiring outside the public sector and to bring in the best talent from the private, academia and non-profit sectors.

Report calls for improved data on productivity in public service, but federal government not interested

A working group that studied productivity in the public service found five areas that the federal government should improve, and made a total of 19 recommendations

ottawacitizen.com

One of my uncles was one of the most reviled men in the unionised Britain of the 1960s. He was a "Time and Motion" man. He measured productivity with a stopwatch. Shop stewards hated him.

 

[mariomike]

One of my uncles was one of the most reviled men in the unionised Britain of the 1960s. He was a "Time and Motion" man. He measured productivity with a stopwatch. Shop stewards hated him.

He would have loved the Tachograph. The original "Tattler".

 

[daftandbarmy]

One of my uncles was one of the most reviled men in the unionised Britain of the 1960s. He was a "Time and Motion" man. He measured productivity with a stopwatch. Shop stewards hated him.

The brain child of Frederick Winslow Taylor... the original management consultant.

I'm almost jealous

Frederick Winslow Taylor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Kirkhill]

The brain child of Frederick Winslow Taylor... the original management consultant.

I'm almost jealous

Frederick Winslow Taylor - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Per the above link

"Early on at Midvale (edit: ca 1878), working as a laborer and machinist, Taylor recognized that workmen were working their machines, or themselves, not nearly as hard as they could (a practice that at the time was called "soldiering")"

 

[daftandbarmy]

Per the above link

"Early on at Midvale (edit: ca 1878), working as a laborer and machinist, Taylor recognized that workmen were working their machines, or themselves, not nearly as hard as they could (a practice that at the time was called "soldiering")"

We all know people like this

“Under working, that is, deliberately working slowly so as to avoid doing a full day's work, 'soldiering,' as it is called in this country, 'hanging it out,' as it is called in England, 'ca canae,' as it is called in Scotland, is almost universal in industrial establishments, and prevails also to a large extent in the building trades; and the writer asserts without fear of contradiction that this constitutes the greatest evil with which the working-people of both England and America are now afflicted.”

F.W. Taylor

 

[Brad Sallows]

To be honest, I don't have a lot of faith in today's boards and CEO, they are far to beholden to shareholders and dividends.

Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are? What would be the reaction of any property owner if a functionary of the local government showed up with a list of demands because a bunch of activists had successfully lobbied city council to force property owners to do "something" at owners' expense to suit the preferences of the activists?

 

[daftandbarmy]

Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are? What would be the reaction of any property owner if a functionary of the local government showed up with a list of demands because a bunch of activists had successfully lobbied city council to force property owners to do "something" at owners' expense to suit the preferences of the activists?

Are we talking about Vancouver now?

‘Poor doors’ and ‘poor playgrounds’: Vancouver development criticized for divisions between condos, social housing - BC | Globalnews.ca

The proposed 30-storey building on the corner of Burnaby and Thurlow Streets would have 82 market residential units and 39 social housing units. It would also have an entrance for condo owners and an entrance for social housing, which have been referred to as "poor doors."

globalnews.ca

 

[Brad Sallows]

Are we talking about Vancouver now?

Any number of municipalities/districts. Of course the point is that if you wouldn't like it being done to you at a cost to your finances, you shouldn't want it done to anyone else.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are? What would be the reaction of any property owner if a functionary of the local government showed up with a list of demands because a bunch of activists had successfully lobbied city council to force property owners to do "something" at owners' expense to suit the preferences of the activists?

The problem is that many companies do not want to have any "civic or social obligations" to the communities they operate in. The slash, burn and run mindset often leaves a trail of destruction behind and can hinder many other companies from operating successfully from the physical and fiscal debris left behind. I have seen one large long standing project, owned by two different large entities. The mindset of the two is completely different and the 2nd company ended up spending a lot of money to undo the physical and the trust damage inflicted by the first.

 

[Brad Sallows]

The problem is that many companies do not want to have any "civic or social obligations" to the communities they operate in. The slash, burn and run mindset often leaves a trail of destruction behind and can hinder many other companies from operating successfully from the physical and fiscal debris left behind. I have seen one large long standing project, owned by two different large entities. The mindset of the two is completely different and the 2nd company ended up spending a lot of money to undo the physical and the trust damage inflicted by the first.

They should never, never have "civic or social obligations", which is a term of art so vague as to create unbounded opportunities for activist mischief. (I completely understand why people like to use that language, and completely despise dishonest attempts to set a frame for discourse in which anything can be demanded.) The proper mode of solving problems is to identify what the externalities (in economic terms) are and to stipulate up front - very explicitly - what must be done about them, if anything.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

So in your view a "Business" rests completely outside of any good citizenship framework that we expect from all other mentally competent citizens?

 

[mariomike]

"Early on at Midvale (edit: ca 1878), working as a laborer and machinist, Taylor recognized that workmen were working their machines, or themselves, not nearly as hard as they could (a practice that at the time was called "soldiering")"

They had all sorts of productivity measurements. Unit Hour Utilization, High Performance, System Status Management, etc.

Emergency Services did not go on strike in our town, but there have been slowdowns and work to rule.

Eg;

Efficiency Experts believed Metro Police would be less productive with two-officer cars.

To maintain the same car count, as one-officer cars, would mean a significant increase in hiring.

It finally took a work to rule to get two-officer cars initiated.

"It took me 10 years to get two men in a car in Metro."

Sid Brown, President Metro Toronto Police Association
Toronto Star, December 20, 1976

 

[daftandbarmy]

They should never, never have "civic or social obligations", which is a term of art so vague as to create unbounded opportunities for activist mischief. (I completely understand why people like to use that language, and completely despise dishonest attempts to set a frame for discourse in which anything can be demanded.) The proper mode of solving problems is to identify what the externalities (in economic terms) are and to stipulate up front - very explicitly - what must be done about them, if anything.

The term these days is 'social license'.

This is a very big deal, with most companies, these days...

Part 1: Social license, what is it and why does it matter?

blogs.dal.ca

 

[dapaterson]

Managing based on most measurements is like driving based on looking in the rear view mirror.

 

[Brad Sallows]

So in your view a "Business" rests completely outside of any good citizenship framework that we expect from all other mentally competent citizens?

"Any" is a universe of limitless possibilities. Maybe narrow it down.

 

[Remius]

"Any" is a universe of limitless possibilities. Maybe narrow it down.

So is “They”.

 

[Brad Sallows]

So is “They”.

No. "Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are?" I'm writing about the set of publicly traded companies with shareholders, which is finite.

 

[Remius]

No. "Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are?" I'm writing about the set of publicly traded companies with shareholders, which is finite.

Yes. You didn’t define that in your claim which led to a query about “any”.

Your request to “narrow it down” when you yourself did not is my critique.

glad you answered what was asked of by Colin.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Yes. You didn’t define that in your claim which led to a query about “any”.

What I quoted: "To be honest, I don't have a lot of faith in today's boards and CEO, they are far to beholden to shareholders and dividends."

What I wrote: "Who else should they be beholden to but the owners, which is what the shareholders are?"

Is it really that hard to figure out who "they" are without me having to write the reference and pronoun in the same sentence? Does the quoted sentence provide a clue (hint: "they")?

My point is that boards' ("they") obligations are to shareholders. Colin then asked: "So in your view a "Business" rests completely outside of any good citizenship framework that we expect from all other mentally competent citizens?"

What is "any"? The question is unanswerable. We could contrive an unexceptionable framework ("they should obey black letter law"), or an exceptionable one ("they should bear any expense to pursue whatever social goal of the moment someone dreams up"). We could contrive an infinite number of frameworks. Tell me what framework you propose.

If all that is meant by good citizenship is "obeys black letter law", there is nothing of interest to talk about. It's already done.

 

[Fabius]

So in your view a "Business" rests completely outside of any good citizenship framework that we expect from all other mentally competent citizens?

All I can think about in reading this sentence is Ayn Rand’s book “Atlas Shrugged”.

Highly recommended book.