Principle 8: Co-Ordinating

Your productivity usually depends on others. Most workers are part of a team. Whether interdependent workers on an assembly-line, collegial professionals or members of a flexible interactive work group, they need to co-ordinate with others to maximise productivity:

Many Workplaces Require Teamwork

A team usually divides projects into tasks which are assigned to specific individuals. Workers should be responsible and tell co-workers and supervisors both what they have done and what they did not get around to doing. Otherwise tasks will either not get done or be done twice.

Workers Inherit Projects From Others

Either the previous workers or their supervisors should brief replacements on the work which has been done so they do not reinvent the wheel.

Shift Workers Relieve Each Other

If your work will be carried on by another shift of workers, you must update them on what has been done so they can continue the operation smoothly. For instance, when nurses end their shift, they brief their replacements on the conditions of the patients. They maintain careful records indicating what medications patients have been given and what symptoms they are experiencing.

Workers Are Given Promotions

They should receive and study turnover reports from those whom they are succeeding. They should talk to them if possible about assignments and co-workers. They should also be briefed by their new supervisors.

Co-Workers Share Files

In many workplaces, co-workers deal with a central filing or information system. Each worker must make sure that he or she updates the file each time it is worked on and returns it to the proper place when finished.

Specialists Must Work Together

In some work situations different workers must co-ordinate their various tasks with each other. For instance, in building a house, the plumbers must precede the carpenters. When the carpenters have finished building the frame of the house, the electricians and plumbers must install wiring and pipes before the carpenter’s finish.