Problem -> Punishment -> Big Problem ; Problem -> Tackle -> No Problem

Naveen Lakur has shared an experience of his friend. His friend’s company faced a problem that many people were coming late to work. So, the management came up with an idea those coming late to work will have to drop $0.50 in a small piggy-bank which will be kept at the reception. The idea was to make people who come late feel guilty and solve the problem and also at the end of the day use the collected amount for some cause.

Few months later that it was analysed that even those people who use to be on-time earlier started coming late. They were pretty please with the idea of dropping $0.50 into the box, if they were late. They were buying out their guilt by dropping in money in the box. Overall, the problem only became bigger…

Why did the idea hit-back?
Punishment is not always the best solution to the problem. We must look at intelligent ways to drive home the point, which should inspire and induce people to become part of the solution itself.

What did the management do later to tackle the issue ?
1. Withdrawal of the $0.50 penalty for late-coming
2. Educating employees about their responsibility and also about the high productivity in the morning times.
3. Company sponsored breakfast served before office hours (morning 8:30AM to 9:00AM). Incentive for beating the morning traffic congestion.

We must learn from this experience that one cannot make people act forcefully by punishing / bullying them. People are to be treated with care, they are sensitive and responsible, to get the best out of them they must be inspired, made to understand what is expected out of them & trusted with responsibility.