The Missing Ingredient

There is no doubt that our economy is under severe stress and that many of our people are seeking solutions for the problems that beset us. Alternative energy, better use of technology, improvement in technical skills and better education are some of the matrix of solutions that are being discussed.

Absent from the discussions seems to be the need for an improved work ethic, improved punctuality and delivering value for money. In good economic times we have become tolerant of the mediocre, accepted an unsustainable level of absenteeism and ignored an absolutely astonishing level of poor communication and customer service. The value of hard work seems to be the missing ingredient.

Technology and better qualified men and women in the work place will not equal success unless it is accompanied with a drive to excel and a willingness to work. Granted, thee are pockets of excellence and highly productive teams in the country, but all too often we set the bar far too low to succeed.

Both in the public and private sectors we have come to accept situations where three or four must be gathered together to do the job of one. This has become so common place that we seem to have stopped counting the number of those assigned to the most mundane road marking exercise. Similarly, without a second glance, we step around gatherings of shelf packers in the supermarket as they block the aisles while discuss last night's party and other social issues of great import. No wonder we pay such a high price for food.

I well remember a conversation that I had with Chinese agricultural expert who was assigned to help small farmers in the island. He said that it was easy to impart the technical knowledge that he had, however it seemed impossible to transfer his work ethic, Without that he said success would always elude those that he was sent to help. How very true.

All too often we look for the easy solution to our problems when evidence of the value of hard work is all around us. The coconut vendor who picks coconuts and sells coconut water regularly works 10 or 12 hours a day. Small contractors provide services with great punctuality and attention to detail that would satisfy the most discriminating client. Individuals providing garden services do so with attention to detail and a focus on getting the job done.

There are successful companies in Barbados because of dedicated employees who put in a full days work working and then some. However they are in the minority and the appreciation of the value of hard work seems not to be part of our national culture. That must change if our better education, improved health standards and good Barbadian ingenuity are called upon to get us out of the economic decline and improve our international competitiveness.

Hard work and working smart is the message that our business and political leaders need to be sending to those that would succeed. It is the missing ingredient in our recipe for economic success and national well-being.