Employers are being urged to place more emphasis on employee performance to increase productivity and operate durable businesses.
This was emphasized by president of the Small Business Association (SBA), Celeste Foster, who said she believed production in Barbados was not at the level it should be although Barbadians were “very bright people”.
Foster therefore recommended a “pay for performance” system which she said would encourage greater performance and higher productivity.
“I think that production in Barbados as a whole is something we need to focus a lot more on. I think that we have to get into the whole concept of measuring our performance.
“We have to start looking at pay for performance so that you tie in people’s remuneration to their actual performance levels,” suggested Foster.
She was speaking to the WEEKEND NATION during the annual Small Business Association and Scotia Bank Health And Wellness Day at Jubilee Gardens, The City, yesterday. This forms part of their annual week of activities. The theme for this year is The Health Of The Entrepreneur Is The Wealth Of The Enterprise.
Foster said: “We have all the tools necessary. In some cases training will be required to lift the performance standard but it is critical that our workers, our managers and leaders start to talk about how to enhance performance [and] how to measure to know that we are getting or not getting that performance.
“I think what is going to be important in the whole discussions around performance would be the metrics to determine what are the production standards, how people are performing . . . .
“How do you remunerate those persons who are outstanding, how do you get those persons who are not performing to the standard to come up the curve, and how do we get all Barbadians being as productive as they can be,” Foster explained.
Foster said she believed a healthy mind and body “equals greater wealth and longevity for any business”.
She noted that healthy employees would have better productivity and would attract more business compared to those who were not.
“If you are ill, that will restrict your ability to grow your business [and] to attract clients. So that is why we are focused on the health, not only of the business when we do our training programmes, but also the health of the individual so that the business can continue,” she said.
During the whole-day event, a number of health and wellness booths displayed their products and offerings. Patrons had the opportunity of getting their cholesterol and blood sugar levels tested, reflexology treatment and tips on keeping healthy.
Those who gathered and passersby were also encouraged to join in a dancercise session. (MM)