Below the Fold - productivity paranoia is not the answer

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Happy Friday, Below the Fold!
This week, we’ve learned about the sharp dips in productivity this year. No one yet knows for certain, but it might be from all the economic woes you’ve likely read about from U.S. interest rate hikes to quiet quitting. But if that’s all a bit much right now and you prefer to curl up with a cup of coffee while looking out the window, read our Bytes on just those two things.

Sharpest Productivity Dip In U.S. since 40s
Mon Oct 31

Productivity (measured as output per hour of labor) plunged dramatically in 2022 from highs in 2021 and everyone is scratching their heads. Economists are worried because productivity slowing means economic growth does as well, and that could start a cycle of increased cost of goods and services, a lower quality of life, fewer opportunities, movement of ideas out of the country, and further contraction of the economy.

Some experts say this is the world returning to more normal (pre-pandemic) levels, but cannot yet pinpoint why productivity is low. There are just too many factors:

Interest rates are continuing to rise, putting a damper on economic activity.
Supply chain snarls and war in Ukraine could be affecting output.
Job market whiplash may have broken the link between hard work and reward, as workers went from callously laid off to highly sought after (with new hires making far more than established ones).
High employee churn from the wild job market means output and quality of service suffers until new employees get up to speed. Meanwhile established employees may be overworked in an attempt to compensate.
High burnout, possibly from overworking during the pandemic, is leaving employees disengaged and cynical. One global survey of 20,000+ employees from 15 countries reported 50% of employees and 53% of managers felt burned out.
Remote, hybrid work and the future of the office is still being ironed out. Some claim remote work removes the unmeasurable productivity from in-person, informal interactions such chatting around the water cooler.

Productivity is crucial to improving our standard of living so concern is valid, but experts warn against “productivity paranoia,” a term coined by Microsoft’s CEO to describe employers’ anxieties over possible idle employees. The paranoia has resulted in what employees have called toxic, demoralizing, and humiliating micromanagement through productivity monitoring (spying) and tedious paperwork for any unmonitored, offline work. Employees from all salary grades are left not only possibly underpaid but demotivated by the lack of trust and extra busywork. Productivity paranoia does not get results, it just generates a lot of activity.

The U.S. is hardly alone in this experience, too, with the U.K., Canada, France, and Germany also reporting lower productivity levels. One study also projects that China and India will become the world’s leading economies, depending on China’s economic policies and U.S. immigration policy and productivity growth. If the U.S. increased legal immigration by 28%, the labor force could grow by 23% or more, bolstering economic growth.

BELOW THE FOLD BYTES

Caffeine During Pregnancy Linked to Shorter Kids

Currently, the recommended limit for daily caffeine consumption is 200 mg (~2 cups of coffee) during pregnancy, but a new study is putting that up for future debate. Their data showed that even low levels of caffeine (50mg) during pregnancy was associated with shorter children. Shorter heights are tied to other conditions, such as heart disease, which may be concerning but the children in the study did not have other early markers for them. Caffeine intake may be a question of tradeoffs, too, as one other study showed it lowered the risk of certain conditions, such as gestational diabetes. Without further research, experts say recommendations should not be changed.

>> Read More

Simple Window Inserts Cut Heat Loss

Preventing windows from leaking out heat is also bringing together communities. Founded in 2010 in Maine, WindowDressers is a nonprofit, community-led organization building custom window inserts that helps people save an average of $27 per insert per year (they cost $32 to 60 each) in heating costs, ultimately reducing fossil fuel consumption. The inserts are of simple pine-frame construction and don’t obstruct views. On top of that, they’re built entirely by the local community of volunteers, providing an opportunity to build relationships. Any customers must also volunteer, if possible, and any community members unable to pay for the inserts can receive up to 10 each year for free.

>> Read More

🎬 Action of the Week

Burnout is a tough problem and while a professional coach or therapist can be personally helpful, here is a general resource to better understand the problem, its prevention, and recovery from it. If you’re a manager, learn more about what you can do to prevent your own burnout and what you can do for your team.

THIS WEEK'S SOURCES

The Washington Post:

Productivity Plunge Confusion
5 days old | 7 minutes long

NYTimes:

Problems of Productivity Tracking
2 months old | 18 minutes long

NPR:
Worker Whiplash
10 days old | 9 minutes long

NYTimes:

More Jobs, Lower Output?
3 months old | 5 minutes long

Mint:
Employees Burned Out
6 days old | 3 minutes long

Forbes:

Productivity Paranoia
2 days old | 5 minutes long

Business Insider:
Too New To Be Productive
9 days old | 4 minutes long

Forbes:

Will China & India Be On Top?
3 days old | 6 minutes long

ASCII-ING ABOUT THE NEWS

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      ) ( (
 mrf_______)_
 .-'---------|
( C|/\/\/\/\/|
 '-./\/\/\/\/|
   '_________'
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Feeling short (tempered)? Unwind with a cup of caffeine-free herbal tea.

Art Credit: Morfina

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Below the Fold - productivity paranoia is not the answer

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