LETTERS: The year 2020, taking into account Covid-19, is more challenging to organisations, what more with the wave of Industry 4.0 and the change in the business environment that steers the business to a higher phase.
Thus, high-performance work culture must be inculcated in the heart of every individual. These are seven elements towards high-performance work culture.
Firstly, it's about being systematic and positive. Systematic work culture is the first class quality in achieving the target determined. Work description, clear planning and task schedule are excellent work culture.
The main challenge to this kind of work culture is having negative thinking. Thinking negatively will control the mind and influence the organisational environment.
Secondly, teamwork. Working individually does not create a synergy that will make an organisation excel. Working in a team is seen to be the best way in facing challenges in 2020.
When working in a team, there will be elements like cooperativeness, conflict resolution, goal-sharing and loyalty. The strong bond in a team will raise every individual's awareness that their strengths and weaknesses will influence team performance and achievement of goals as a whole.
Thirdly is about trustworthiness, fairness and integrity. This kind of work culture is a dream for every organisation.
Members who are trustworthy, fair and have integrity will mitigate all sorts of issues that are common in the organisation and boost the motivation of both the employees and customers.
Increased work satisfaction and moral in the organisation will create higher productivity and offer competitive advantage.
Fourthly, prioritising training and development. The work culture that stresses on continuous improvement will create employees that are ready to change and compete.
Thus, continuous training and development must be seen as an integral force that can change the minds of the employees towards having first-class quality mindset.
Fifthly is the ability to manage stress. The work culture that stresses on mental health and handling stress wisely is able to produce healthy and active employees.
The issue of occupational health related to stress should not be neglected by an organisation because it can increase the cost and affect competitiveness.
Among the solutions to the health issue is through the control of stress at the workplace. The agenda in minimising this stress must be given attention as it can minimise most of the issues involving personnel.
Sixth, appreciating work environment. The work culture that appreciates the environment will make employees more concerned towards their comfortability and productivity.
Studies have shown that excellent work culture is also influenced by environmental factor like the organisation's internal ventilation, lighting at the workplace, working duration, workplace design, the chair used when working and noise in the organisation.
The continuous education about the importance of all these environmental factors makes employees more ready to minimise the occupational risks and health issues.
Seventh is about empowerment and the involvement of management. The element of trust in every member of the organisation must be given an emphasis in ensuring a more effective organisational management.
Empowerment refers to the managers that delegate the authority to employee where the employee can make certain decisions with regard to their work.
The workers' empowerment and involvement will make them more confident that they are important to the organisation other than improving their efficacy and effectiveness.
In conclusion, high-performing work culture suggested above can become a success through continuous commitment and support from the organisation's senior administrators.
There is no harm in retaining the old culture, but it needs ot be nurtured and nourished so that it can prosper and flourish.
Dr Zafir Khan Mohamed Makhbul
Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Economics and Management
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times