What is Productivity?

If you've ever measured productivity as the amount of work done over the hours spent, you've been playing by an outdated rulebook. Productivity equations like:

Productivity = Output of Work ÷ Hours of Input

Assume that the bigger your output is (or the fewer hours you spend), the more value. But does it?

Shifting Focus: The Value Equation

Consider a shift: the value of work isn't just about what gets done; it's about how it benefits others, its quality, and the efficiency with which it's delivered. This isn't just semantics—it's a call to redefine how you approach your work.

The new equation might look like this:

Value of Work = Benefits to Others × Quality × Efficiency

Prioritising What Truly Matters

Focusing on value forces you to consider impact rather than just effort. Are the hours you're clocking in producing something meaningful? When you think in terms of benefits to others multiplied by quality and efficiency, you're more likely to prioritise what truly matters.

Take quality. A high-quality outcome often reduces the need for rework, creates trust, and increases satisfaction. Multiply that by efficiency—doing things in a streamlined, effective manner—and you create exponential value. Finally, add the benefits your work brings to others. Does it solve their problems? Enhance their lives? Generate opportunities? That's where the real value lies.

Creating Work That Matters

When you embrace this value-based equation, the conversation shifts. Meetings, tasks, and deliverables are no longer just boxes to check. They become opportunities to maximise your impact. By aligning your efforts with quality, efficiency, and benefits to others, you stop chasing productivity for productivity's sake and start creating work that matters.