Hand in Hand

 I read a report recently which suggested that the workforce in Pakistan lacks both appropriate skills and the work ethic needed to significantly improve productivity.

(This is not of course exclusive to Pakistan - it is true of a quiet a few places - or even industrial sectors.)

The report then simply moved on to look at possible measures to improve skills and create a work ethic.

The former is relatively easy, assuming we know or can identify the skills gaps - those skills that are ,missing.

Creating a work ethic is much more difficult and it is often part of an  overarching national culture - snd needs to be embedded from a very young age.

However the report did not suggest that there is a correlation - in fact more of a strong causation - between skills and work ethic.

My belief is that workers who are treated well and have regular skills updates - increasing their potential contribution to the organisation and their marketability to other employers - are more likely to take a positive approach to their work.  This means that a work ethic has been created.

So, addressing one key factor can have an effect on another.  The two (or sometimes even three o more) factors go hand in hand - there is a symbiotic relationship between them.

If you can identify such relationships linking other factors, you have in effect a short cut to productivity improvement.