Mindset change key to improving work ethic

| Thursday September 25, 2014 17:14

 

Botswana retained its 74th position out of 144 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index 2014/2015. However, poor work ethics was still pointed out as the major problem affecting the ease of conducting business in Botswana.

Briefing media about the campaign, Botswana National Productivity Centre Productivity and Quality Programme manager, Teedzani Majaule, said the programme is aimed at sensitising the public about the work ethics.

“This is a national campaign because the problem is in all sectors so through this campaign we will be able to overcome this problem,” he said.

BNPC has more than 280 facilitators who will train the public sector on work ethics. He said the three-year programme had already started in government departments and the next phase would be in the private sector.

Majaule also said through this project BNPC hopes to create a culture of good work ethic among Batswana.

“With the campaign our main objective is to encourage and promote increased productivity in the workplace and competitiveness of our nation,” he said. He added that traits of good work ethic include dependability, honesty and integrity, accountability, punctuality and good attitude. 

Majaule explained that the programme is comprised of many factors including low productivity.  “Productivity in the workplace is of great national concern. Systems and structures are driven by principles that guide work behaviour, leading to work consistency and improved working relations that create desired results,” he said. 

Although poor work ethic has been pointed out as the problematic factor for more than 10 years, government’s interventions to address the matter have not borne fruit.

 “On a positive note, the intensity of the problem has declined. The percentage of respondents rating poor work ethic as the most problematic factor for doing business declined from 20.7 percent to 18.5 percent,” said Trade and Industry Minister, Dorcas Makgato-Malesu at the launch of the 2014/15 Global Competitiveness Index.