Measuring productivity in knowledge work is difficult.
Consider these points when trying to understand productivity of knowledge work:
- Planned work is easier to track (though still not easy). It’s the unplanned work that’s hardest to fully understand.
- If I measure someone based on how many tasks they complete in a day, how do I account for unexpected problems that consume their time and prevent planned work from getting done?
- Not all tasks are equal—some are easy, and some are hard.
- Some people are more vocal, or the tasks they complete are more visible to me. Others quietly keep things running and prevent problems before they happen.
- The goal is for each person’s actions to align with company goals. But how can they—or I—know whether unplanned tasks align with those goals? I don’t expect people to audit every request or issue that lands in their lap.
- How do I account for everything else they deal with—helping outside their role, responding to HR emails, or fixing someone else’s problem?
- And how do I do all of this without micromanaging every detail?
There will never be a perfect way to measure productivity. The path I’ve chosen is to ensure everyone understands the company’s goals and is empowered to make the best decision in each situation. From there, productivity becomes less about counting tasks and more about whether people are doing meaningful work aligned with those goals.