Development Bank managers, senior staff attend workshop on Strategic Elements of Production Management
 

Workshop participants pose for a group picture. Front row, from left, Dr. Telbert Glasgow, Lenworth Harris, John Pilgrim, Coralee Benjamin and David Fox

BASSETERRE ST. KITTS (November 16, 2008) - AT a one-day workshop held on Saturday, managers and senior staff from the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis were introduced to methods that promote productivity culture aimed at making productivity and performance become part of the life and heart of how business is done.
 
According to David Fox, Manager of Nevis’ Branch, the workshop, which was held at the Bird Rock Beach Hotel and facilitated by John Pilgrim, the Executive Director of the Barbados  Council, was about Strategic Elements of Production Management.
 
“The whole objective is for us to ensure that all managers are in line with the major components of production management,” observed Fox. “These include performance measurement, performance related pay, productivity auditing, performance involvement and productivity related education.”
 
He explained that during the workshop they conducted discussions over performance measurement, which included planning, strategic development, tactical and managerial skills and they also covered details on each of those subjects. “We also looked at the examples of performance measurement, and looked at some models that we could adapt and adopt as time goes on.”
 
Among those attending the workshop were Nevis-based member of the bank’s board of directors, Dr. Telbert Glasgow and General

John Pilgrim conducting the workshop

Manager Lenworth Harris. According to Support Officer in the Human Resource and Marketing Department Coralee Benjamin, a similar workshop was held at the same venue on the previous Saturday for all the staff members.
 
Pilgrim, facilitator of the workshop, explained that he is involved in promoting productivity as a strategic factor for creating competitive change and, to a larger extent, any productivity challenges across the Caribbean.
 
“Part of my responsibility involves helping organisations develop and design educational programmes which would sort of impact employees’ behavior towards being more productive,” he said.
 

Candace Williams (left) makes a presentation on behalf of her group as Pilgrim looks on

“I also help to develop systems for measuring productivity at the individual level, at the organisation level and, of course, even at the departmental level.”
 
In so doing the Barbados-based consultant ends up assisting in designing incentive schemes, which would allow organisations to pair workers for available pay based on performance and the extent to which goals are achieved or exceeded in the organisation.
 
“So the programmes that I am involved in St. Kitts with different companies revolve around that particular remit and mandate, which really involves promoting a productivity culture where productivity and performance become part of the life and heart of how business is done…how work is pursued within the context of the organisation,” concluded Pilgrim.