When it comes to employee productivity and job satisfaction, relying solely on the measurement of the time spent from nine to five office hours is striking a broad stroke and consequently missing the quality of work and the intrinsic value factor. To compare human beings to a machine is not only foolhardy but apathetic. Furthermore, creativity seldom comes from the rigid framework of the undue rules and regulations, which only try to squeeze life’s essence out of living. So what can be done to foster workplace productivity and yet be fair to all parties to engender a win-win atmosphere?

The modern world is firm and solidified in the dos and don’ts. It seems every life interaction is now a transaction. Consequently, we have drifted further away from humanity. We have forgotten to be who we are, and we expect the same from others. This is seen in our work where employees are treated as expendables and expected to give in everything for the wages paid to them. For labour intensive jobs this may be advantageous. However, where creativity matters, being strict with the burdensome technicalities may have an adverse outcome.

This doesn’t mean that employees should be given a banana republic, where there are more distractions to work than work itself. The secret is to offer the balance between work and leisure to remove the humdrum of the nine to five office life.

We are the product of our imagination. If our imagination is limited by the web of rules then our creativity will be retarded. Oftentimes, our big discoveries or innovations come at unexpected times and circumstances. Have you seen people bogged down by the rut of work? How about giving them more work to keep them even busier? That’s how the cutthroat competitive workplace will treat their workers.

As much as companies would like to make big profit and stay ahead among their competitors, the winning-edge comes from new inventions and discoveries in increasing the efficiency and making paradigm shifts in their field of their expertise. In order to nurture the creative side of their workers, many companies spend a big chunk of their budget in building a balanced workplace. This could mean bringing nature inside the workplace or replacing workplace chairs with treadmills. All these show that companies are concerned about their employees as much as they are worried about their profits.