We don’t have a Productivity Problem - we have a Work Design Problem
In literally every organisation I talk to, they tell me that they have too many meetings, no control over their own diaries, and no time to “get the work done”. Many begin talking about productivity as though it is their primary problem at work, but I don’t see it that way. Rather I see it as being a work design issue.
When we look closely, most people are not underperforming due to a lack of effort. They are:
overextended
overcommitted
and operating within systems that make meaningful work harder than it needs to be
This is not a productivity issue. It is about how work systems are designed. ( In many cases, poorly)
The illusion of “not enough time”
The Leaders I talk to all report similar patterns:
Back-to-back meetings
Constant notifications
Fragmented attention
Work being squeezed into the margins of the day
They feel like they don’t have enough time. But what they often don’t have is:
uninterrupted time
clear priorities
coherent workflows
Time is not the constraint. Design is.
The cost of poorly designed work
When work is not designed well, I teach my clients that several things happen simultaneously:
Cognitive overload increases. People are forced to constantly switch contexts, draining focus and energy
Work expands unnecessarily. More meetings, more emails, more layers of approval
Meaning becomes diluted. It becomes harder to see how individual effort connects to something larger
Energy is spent managing work, not doing it
And over time, this creates a quiet but powerful effect: People stop doing their best work - not because they can’t, but because the system doesn’t allow it. It’s counter-productive and in some cases counter-intuitive!
Why we keep defaulting to productivity hacks
When organisations notice a dip in performance, the response is often predictable:
time management training
new productivity tools
efficiency frameworks
While I would argue that these are not inherently wrong in themselves, I don’t believe them to be the whole picture. Many organisations assume the problem sits with the individual. Oftentimes I help them see that the constraint sits within their own system.
What good work design actually looks like
Good work design is not about doing more. It is about creating the conditions where meaningful work can happen. That includes:
Clarity - Clear roles, expectations, and priorities
Focus - Protected time for deep, uninterrupted work
Flow - Processes that reduce friction rather than create it
Connection - Understanding how work links to purpose, people, and outcomes
When these are in place, productivity is not forced. It emerges.
The leadership challenge
I tell my clients that this is where the responsibility shifts. Because individuals cannot redesign systems from within them. Leaders and organisations need to ask:
Where is work more complex than it needs to be?
What are we measuring - and why?
How much of our people’s time is actually spent on meaningful work?
What would we remove if we were serious about focus?
And perhaps the hardest question: Are we optimising for activity… or impact?
A different way of thinking about performance
If we moved away from productivity as output alone, and towards performance as quality of work within a well-designed system, everything would change.
Fewer, better meetings
More intentional communication
Clearer decision-making
Space for thinking, not just reacting
This is not about slowing down. It is about working in a way that is actually sustainable and effective. Nobody denies that people are working hard. I suggest it’s time to re-think how we can work “smart.”
A final thought
Most people do not need to become more productive. They need environments that make it easier to do the work that matters. In my experience, open conversations around priorities, imaginative job-crafting, and effective use of AI and other technologies can really revolutionise work practices, workers experience of work, and overall bottom-line metrics.
If this is something your business needs help with, I’d love to hear from you.