Government says it will soon introduce strategies that will boost work productivity in the labour force in the country.
Minister of Labour and Social Security Joyce Simukoko said that her ministry would introduce the productivity policy before the end of this year to help improve the Zambian work culture.
She said in an interview that the policy has been tabled before parliament adding that when it is passed it will provide a systematic approach to promote work performance.
And the Minister has called on the industrial relations to provide a good work environment for workers to effectively perform without any barriers in the work fraternity.
“We also want the environment where people are working to be clean, to be conducive, we have observed that in most institutions only chief executive offices are clean and well ventilated but where other people are working it is not conducive, so we will be inspecting the working environment workers are exposed to,” she said.
She said it will be mandatory for management in organizations to put in place a safety and health committee that would facilitate the compliance of the new policy.
And Mrs Simukoko noted the need to revamp the Zambian work force because unproductivity is a form of theft from government.
“Our work culture is bad, our productivity levels are only three percent instead of seven percent so we need to stop lazing around and be committed to doing our work properly,” she observed.
“If we have to develop this country, we have no choice but to work very hard and God is very clear, that we have to sweat for us to find food, so for all those who loiter around, who don’t put in the eight hours of work they unlike the required hours should even stop going to church because they are stealing from government.”
Mrs Simukoko said Zambians should emulate work attitude from some foreign nationals in the country to boost productivity.
If this strategy includes reasonable pay, no problem.
I do not see that mentioned anywhere in the above report.
High income is the least motivator and doesn’t contribute to good work ethics incase you didn’t know. Am sure that’s why the educated minister didn’t even bother talking about. Civil servants got their first ever hefty salary increment when pf came into power but that has not translated into hard work. Do you even know why teachers stopped striking in pf led govt.
It is shocking that Joyce Nonde having been in the Labour Union and now labour Minister still doesn’t have a strategy for improved work culture despite been in office for over a year. The improvement has to start from the Minister.
Improving the work culture and efficiency in Government is the job of the Public Service Commission madam.
What? Does Ms Simukoko have the same understanding of percentages as I do? So 7% is a good productivity level? Somebody help me…!
Why do we have bad working culture?
Culture happens to be culture. If it is, then it is. While changing culture is not impossible, it is difficult. See, for instance, they way we litter our cities to make sure they are never clean, or that someone else must come and clean after us. That is culture – our culture. It is not a good culture. But that alone, however bad, has not deterred from littering. The way we manage our water resources is another bad culture. We are wasteful of our water, break water pipes, and never giving it a thought to do the plumbing work to stop the leakages. Another culture, equally as bad is the way we keep our public toilet facilities – also to make sure they are never clean. Though disliked, it has remained a culture of ours. We have faithfully clung on to it for dear life.
Sure their is no accountability and responsibility with majority workers in Zambia. No work only timepass
why not just say the chinese. Last week a chinese visitor to zambia said that zambia and zimbabwe must become like chinese workers. Now this original idae from the minister surfaces. Who is controlling Zambia,, the chinese advisors
There is new culture in Zambia today, if you wish to promote any form of practice or governance issue it must be supported by a policy frame work that’s why you have a flurry of policies going on in the PF government. We want to bring sanity to our daily living, not chipantepante. The genesis of this can be found from the UN charter and president Lungu has often times referred to it in his speeches, no need to re-invent the wheel.
The last time I checked all PF cadres were condemning Julius Malema and Musimane for involving themselves in the internal affairs of our country. What do these PF cadres now say about a Chinese ‘infestor’ telling Zambians that you are lazy!!! PF have no heads!
Why not start with members of Cabinet? They spend all time in sending-off and receiving their boss at the airport or traveling on “official” duty overseas.
Imagine how do you recieve someone who was in Mfuwe on holiday chewing game meat!!
work productivity for zambians is 3% instead of 7% can you explain this nonsense madam what it means? Two to you work means a formal job like a civil servant or being in private sector, lets be specific , zambians are lazy even kunyenga is work many zambian men only manage one round in one week is that productive? If one goes to toilet once in a long time,is that productive (cos. i utilise the food effectively) if HH is released by ECL is that productive? if a kaponya steals a 100kwacha from a passersby is that not productive? If i have managed to chinda and wanya mkazi is that not productive? Ok define productivity please
Minister please tell us what the average output per worker is in Zambia. Zambia will not become a developed country within directly addressing the issue of productivity. It has start with government officials.
The working conditions for public officials is pathetic to say the least. Please address the plight of rural teachers that have not roof or black Board. In short, remove the log mama.
….this article has addressed all your nonsense. Why didn’t you take a little bit of time to read it before posting your sheet. This is the laziness we are talking about. We know some of you are still waiting for the petition to be heard that’s why you frustrating govt efforts to advance it’s good intended programme. Just go back to magoye and leave serious minded people to work for mother zambia.
Why not strategies for improved Zambian entrepreneurship? All I see is Shoprite ,Kenol, Choppies ,Kenya Airways -all foreign entities plus the Chinese doing meaningful business while Zambians are satisfied with small road side tuntembas.
Really laughable…what strategies can come out of dull Joyce’s head…she is simply to dull to even talk of the very word strategy!!
Yes if you want to survive in a modern world you have to work for it,not just to wait for donations and go around begging worldwide.So get up,be proud and WORK!!!!!!!!!!
THE FAILURE OF MOST AFRICAN COUNTRIES AND ZAMBIA IN PARTICULAR IS TO A LARGER EXTENT DUE TO POOR WORK CULTURE OF THE PUBLIC WORKERS. THEY ARE LAZY, CORRUPT, LETHARGIC AND JUST PATHETIC. AS MATTER OF FACT, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO INITIATE AND BAPTISE OUR POLITICIANS INTO CORRUPTION. OVER AND ABOVE THAT, WE CANNOT HAVE A PUBLIC SERVICE THAT IS HIGHLY POLITICAL AND EXPECT TO HAVE BETTER RESULTS..
THERE IS NOTHING GOOD TO WRITE HOME ABOUT THOSE WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTORS. THEY ARE BIRDS OF SAME FEATHERS. NO WONDER MOST PRIVATE COMPANIES AND NGOs ARE OUT-SOURCING HUMAN RESOURCE. THE MORE REASON MOST CHIEF OF PARTIES AND THEIR DEPUTIES IN MOST NGOs ARE FOREIGNERS.
TALK OF ZAMBIAN ENTREPRENEURS , GIVEN A CONTRACT AND ONCE THEY ARE PAID SOME MONEY, THEY ABANDON PROJECTS. THEY BUY…
TALK OF ZAMBIAN ENTREPRENEURS , GIVEN A CONTRACT AND ONCE THEY ARE PAID SOME MONEY, THEY ABANDON PROJECTS. THEY BUY EXPENSIVE RANGE ROVERS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CONCUBINES , AND THE REST IS HISTORY ……..WORK CULTURE
Minister, how can we have clean work places when the streets are dirty? Influence your president to reverse street vending; Enka is right; subjecting our people to road side vending is not meaningful business; Kenya has banned use of plastic bags and their streets will start to look clean while ours will continue to look dirty;tourists these days like to check out places on the internet before going there, in case you did not know this;
First of all we need to know the main reasons why Zambians in Zambia don’t work as hard. Zambians in other countries work just as hard as the others. The problem is therefore not the Zambian but the working conditions. Who is our role model – GRZ? Our political leadership finds it OK to spend many man-hours idling about at airports and other unproductive ceremonies. Government has a big record of not employing based on merit. Who can be motivated when your boss is just a kaponya political cadre? These are the very chaps that frustrate most innovations. Change management starts with visionary leadership and then must get everybody involved.
Most government top leaders are praise singers….I don’t see any that come up with own innovations to improve the sectors they are managing. Most ministers have little or no clues of key fundamentals of the sectors they administer. We need to see a minister dealing in infrastructure having knowledge on standards of practice, materials as an example
St
Stop this culture of rewarding non performers for nothing ..how can MPs be getting –
Sitting allowance: K3, 000 per sitting. Multiply that by 4 sittings per week, it comes to K12, 000 per month per MP. And if an MP sits in two committees he walks away with K9, 000 per day. So in a month, one MP gets a whooping K48, 000 in allowances alone. Add a Salary of about K31, 000 to that, plus Accommodation allowance which is calculated at K500 per day plus upkeep allowance, plus tax free beer and food, the total amount we are spending to service one MP comes to a gigantic K100, 000 per month. Forget about the tax-free vehicle, traveling allowances, plus a staggering gratuity of about K500, 000 after five years of dozing and shouting “Hear Hear Hear!!!”
Yes. If Govt wants to promote a good work culture they should stop this c’ap in their own ranks of demanding for a sitting allowance to do their job and/or running off to a retreat anytime real work is needed. Lungu could be first to set the example by refusing per diem when traveling because of already getting free everything.
You reap what you sow. Government is sowing ineptitude, expecting to reap aptitude! It’s poor arithmetic.
Being productive has a lot to do with TIME KEEPING! It will be interesting to see which MINISTERS will keep time when reporting for work and appointments!
High time everyone in civil service had fobs to check in there offices gone should the days of putting jacket on the chair and opening laptop whilst you are drinking all day!!
You r very good at talking madam Minister but implementation wala.Look at a teacher for example,who has upgraded him/herself to a Degree level but he/she is still being paid on an unapragraded salary,do u really expect those Teachers or just civil servants in general to enjoy their work?Be serious and harmonise civil servants emoluments
Nothing mentioned about the provinces rights.
The government comes and goes, so do their policies.
Agreed there is a bad work culture in this country, but it’s coming from little or no superhision at all. Civil servants literally supervise themselves as bosses refuse to know what their juniors are doing. Talk of bad work culture in hospitals, Agriculture, Forestry, Police as so on, it’s pathetic. Meanwhile, the same Zambians are doing very well in the private sector where there is proper supervision and accountability.
Go to any function with official government representatio or guest of honour.. They will be 2 hrs late!! Start with your minister friends!
Why do we have bad working culture?
Are the right people (education, experience and passion) being recruited or replaced in the right roles?
If you want to promote a good work culture start in the schools by teaching kids to have pride in their work and joy of seeing something through to completion. Not to accept second best or excuses. Then teach them to be on time for interviews, to wear a clean shirt, and not pick their nose or stare at the floor.
A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE GENERATION THAT WAS EDUCATED BY KK, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT EVEN WENT FOR NATIONAL SERVICE THEY WERE DISCIPLINED AND HARD WORKING.
i say every employer should pay employees on an hourly basis..see how fast people change their approach to work and life.
The only way to improve productivity is to set production standards and keep track of it per hour. Humans around the world work to measured standards because if they don’t they lose the job to one who can. There are many jobless ready to take on a job and work better than those in the job.
Now someone must be mental to define productivity in single digits. Out of 8 hours of work 3% means the person does maximum about 15 minutes of work per day. To go to 7% that comes to about 33 minutes a day. Does this minister understand simple arithmetic?
The givernment should look at itself first. How do you motivate workers to improve when you the highest employer in zambia cannot even pay its employees on time. Improve your own productivity first. It is better to lead from the front than to push from behind
Just copy and paste, the South African way. Teachers and police have a good way of doing it.
I think about other departments u can also copy from other countries.
Yes, #1, Voice, government should start at money first.