Ability before age

Words: 418
Reading Time: 1 min. 24 sec.s

The whole idea of retirement is a recent by-product of the factory-led economy.

In societies before the industrial age there was no set age at which folk ceased to seen as productive. Only illness and infirmity might mean someone was supported by the community. Even then, their experience and wisdom was valued, so most individuals continued to contribute to the community in some way.

With the dawn of the factory age came the debilitating demand that everyone work at the same relentless pace. It was man as part of the machine. Anybody not able to match that pace was inevitably seen in the same way as a component that could no longer meet the burden place on it. At that point the component person was scrapped.

The idea of retirement has been largely sold and accepted as the just reward for years of toil at a thankless task. Of course, it is no such thing. To industry retirement is simply preventive maintenance – get rid of the component as it approaches its MTBF (Mean Time Before Failure).

The fact that ageism persists in the workplace, even when the task is not physically demanding and would benefit from long experience, just shows how deeply engrained this paradigm has become. Few even think about it anymore; it's received wisdom.

65 years old? Finished - get an apprentice in for a fraction of the cost.

Fortunately, for those of us running our own businesses, there is no fixed point at which we absolutely must stop enjoying ourselves and go sit in an armchair. This is one of the many points where small business will always triumph over big business. We can favour ourselves and our customers, rather than favouring the insentient corporation.

If business in general could learn to recognize ability instead of age, ability instead of favouritism, ability instead of appearance, ability combined with attitude, it would gain immeasurably. And that applies at both ends of a working life; but I’m not holding my breath.

For those who are listening, there are a number of things you could do.

Business suggestions:
1) Scrap any fixed age for retirement;
2) Reward contribution rather than length of service;
3) Recognize the value experience has;
4) Make sure experience does not hinder innovation;
5) Reconnect with the talent you’ve scrapped;
6) Check that people enjoy, rather than endure, what you ask them to do;
7) A business is only as good as the people who are part of it;8) There is no functioning business without people.

Look before you leap

Words: 350
Reading Time: 1 minute 10 seconds

Imposing financial penalties if patients are readmitted as an emergency within 30 days of being discharged is the latest wheeze from new Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, part of a Government anxious to impress.

His heart might be in the right place, but his head is reported missing.

That’s the problem when we are driven to do things that we think look good, without taking the time to examine the possible consequences from all sides. In my view there is an obligation on all novices to learn a little about their new role before changing anything – at least three months.

Not doing so can so easily lead on to unintended consequences. In this case:

Planned Outcome: no patients will be discharged until they are fully ready.

Likely Outcome: hospitals will find every conceivable reason not readmit until day 31, resulting in more patients suffering and a decline in timely, responsive treatment.

Nice one, Andrew!

To be charitable to Mr. Lansley: what brainless cretin from Central Office came up with this one?

In any walk of life you will deter the actions you penalize effectively. Those working in the NHS are as self-interested as any of us. Indeed, parts of the NHS are still run more in the interests of staff than of patients – witness the issue of ‘appointment’ times without consultation.

How can it be an appointment if only one party has taken part in the decision? But I digress.

The reverse of the penalization medal is that you encourage all actions – however deleterious – that you do not punish. It’s this aspect that opens the gates to the Law of Unintended Consequences.

A few suggestions for businesses:
1) Penalties only dictate what NOT to do, rather than promoting the specific actions you want. Start with the end in mind.
2) Start earlier in the chain of causation – like shortening in-patient time to speed up admissions – before attempting to stem the outcomes.
3) Just because your mate has jumped off a cliff (this policy originates with the Obama administration) does not mean you have to follow either his lead, or that of the crowd, blindly.