At 06:40 AM 6/6/02, Rich wrote: >If you had a free hand to make any changes to your workplace (including >the architecture, the available tools, the management structure, the >methodologies, the atmosphere and so on),
and an unlimited budget for making those changes, e.g., remodeling or building a new building, purchasing additional tools/equipment, etc.? (Not necessarily for giving myself a salary ten times that of Bill Gates for doing my present job, though admittedly that would probably increase my happiness and might even allow me to be more productive.) How about the ability to change policies mandated by government or other external entities? (Not ones that would be clearly detrimental in some way, such as being able to dump toxic waste anywhere one wants to, but perhaps getting rid of the Mickey Mouse regulations thought up by some bureaucrat who has obviously never performed the job he is writing regulations to micromanage.) >what would you change to make yourself happier and more productive? Define "more productive". Frex, must it be something quantifiable that must show up on the bottom line, or can it be something intangible that will not necessarily bring in any more money or cut expenses? What about when "happier" and "more productive" are in direct conflict with each other? Frex, to take it to extremes, a company could probably get more production out of its workers by locking the exits and equipping the foremen with bullwhips, but this would probably decrease worker happiness. (I won't speculate on what it might do for the happiness of the foremen.) >What things are being done just right and so don't need changing? As long as I'm being realistic in my expectations (You wouldn't happen to want to donate funds for an observatory, a planetarium, and a supercomputing center, plus incidentals, would you? And maybe a TA to grade papers?), I'm pretty happy. I asked some of these questions to see just how far you wanted the speculation to go. >Rich >GCU Emphasis On "More Productive" -- Ronn! :) Ronn Blankenship Instructor of Astronomy/Planetary Science University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL Disclaimer: Unless specifically stated otherwise, any opinions contained herein are the personal opinions of the author and do not represent the official position of the University of Montevallo.
