INCORPORATING or infusing the culture of work into the psyche of the general citizenry is not a task that can easily be accomplished-whether by governments, the public sector or private sector.
It is a mindset that must be inculcated from an early age; from house chores and domestic work, to school work, and later getting into the workforce should be a rudimentary undertaking, as ‘clear as daylight’. Yet, it is definitely not a ‘cut and paste’ condition as there are different norms and practises inherent to each individual, which in the long run people use to craft out a livelihood to survive the times.
It is rather commendable that lately, the government has seen it fit to liaise with the private sector for in-depth business consultations on matters of interest to both parties.
Business representatives from the local community recently met with the Cabinet of Ministers for a ‘first-of-its-kind’ meeting. The discourse was intended to address pertinent issues facing the private sector in a post-Covid-19 pandemic era and to develop tactical solutions that will help spur Saint Lucia’s socio- economic development.
While noting that the current administration is set on promoting ‘inclusive governance practices’, in the wider context, it has been ascertained that Saint Lucia’s socio-economic development and progress requires synergies and holistic collaboration among stakeholders supported by strategic government policies.
The Philip J Pierre led-administration recently met with business sector leaders for consultations to advance the development of the local business sector. The meeting was also viewed as an opportunity to ‘brainstorm’ for potential solutions to address the challenges facing Saint Lucian businesses.
With the Commerce Minister and other government ministers involved in the talks, business representatives presented their views on issues of concern. It was further reported that government ministers gained insight into what was described as a “productive exchange.”
Subsequently, business persons shared their sentiments on the outcome of the consultation. The general responses conveyed the sentiments of the respective business owners.
Quite unequivocally, the statements ranged from “Absolutely essential,” to “…what can we do in terms of working with the government.”
Other comments stated, “We believe it’s very unique and very timely”, and, “We hope that this sort of engagement will be seen as strong and willing and enable stakeholders who may be able to play our part.”
Still, other businesspersons added, “It gives both of us a better understanding,” and so, “The private sector has an opportunity, on behalf of its members to communicate some of the concerns and issues that they have.”
Another business representative noted: “Government might be the one that can actually facilitate the creation of this entity.”
Notably, the needs of citizens and the private sector are laid out by the policy decisions taken by Cabinet. While, on the other hand, local businesses need responsive government policies and interventions that adequately address systemic issues in the private sector.
And even more lately, government sources have highlighted some immeasurable benefits to be accrued by citizens through strategic policy measures implemented by the administration. These factors include, ongoing tax amnesties and exemptions, strengthening balance sheets, and ‘freeing -up’ capital.
In addition, the authorities speak about the soft loans and grant programmes being rolled out to encourage investments and stimulate growth.
Nonetheless, everything is not all that ‘cook and curry’ as it may appear. There are still lots of loopholes in the system and in the wider ‘scheme of things’ that needs to be considered.
For starters, while the government advocates and implements measures geared to spur entrepreneurship into the country, there are still persons not receptive to the workforce or ‘daily workload’ agenda.
The administration has targeted young and older folks in the community – with job prospects in the Youth Economy Agency (YEA), as well as the MSME Grant Loan Facility and other social programmes to benefit ordinary folks.
Yet, be that as it may, we still have persons more prone to settling for the ‘bounce and draw’ mentality. Oftentimes, due to prevailing circumstances and that individual’s socio-economic background, better cannot be done, and they will settle for the simplest menial job as a means of survival in these crucial times.
On the wider context of work, a government official emphasized the importance of inculcating a ‘work mentality’ into the psyche of the citizenry to engender economic growth, productivity and sustainability in the country. The official stated that while some people may find the 8 to 4, or 9 to 5 work routine kind of tedious and mundane, in the long run it pays to develop a working attitude.
But even more so, the notion of employing more skilled labourers into the workforce is also critical. Notably, we live in a technological age and more and more the skills and qualifications needed to secure a job is more rigid and complex in these times.
In this ever-evolving and changing times, the world is now defined as a global village-where marketing, trade and profit-making is open to all and sundry, provided you have the wherewithal to take on the task.
As a country develops, work is an essential component of progress. Maintaining one’s habitat and providing the basic essentials for oneself and one’s family is of priority concern, and this all factors down into the work agenda or concept.
And while most of the citizenry strive to better their lot and the lot of their extended families, it is also important to note that, through work we are able to develop our habitat, community and the country as a whole.
In the workforce, labour productivity is defined as output per worker or per hour worked. Factors that can affect labour productivity include workers’ skills, technological change, management practices and changes in other inputs (such as capital).
Alternately, productivity is the amount of work an individual or group accomplishes within a certain amount of time. Greater productivity means you complete more with less time or effort. You can measure accomplishments by the quality of the work, the number of tasks finished or the amount of products created.
Hence, the importance of upgrading the skills of workers to semi-skilled or skilled employees.
Some of the more regular work stints can be found on construction sites, road repairs and upgrading road networks, and drainage works among other forms of employment.
While at some time there was scope to undergo basic building maintenance courses at the Morne Fortune Academic Institution, the courses have been upgraded over the years. And now, persons need to push for higher qualifications into the fields of mechanical engineering, quantity surveying, architecture, building technology, interior designing and other job attachments in the construction industry.
The issue also extends to workers in the agricultural and fisheries sectors, where the job skills have been elevated and the nature of work in these respective fields are on a higher scale as well. The situation also impacts workers generally in other fields.
Work culture is often defined as the lifeblood of an organization; it is the collective set of values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours that shape the work environment and influence employee interactions. A strong and positive work culture can increase employee satisfaction, productivity, and organizational success.
Work culture is shaped by various factors, including the company’s leadership style, communication patterns, employee diversity, and workplace policies.
Notably, it is now an opportune time for public and private sector entities to implement ‘large scale’ work training programmes for short-term or long-term benefits in order for the country to keep up with the times and move towards more productivity in the workforce.