Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently addressed the ‘productivity paradox’ the company is facing, highlighting a disconnect between employees and managers. During a conversation with LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, Nadella pointed out that while many managers believe employees are slacking off, the workers themselves feel overworked and burned out.
Nadella explained that Microsoft's research, which spans various sectors and regions, revealed this paradox: "Eighty-five percent of managers think their employees aren't working hard enough, while 85 per cent of employees report feeling exhausted and overworked. And these are real statistics!" he emphasised.
He further stated that the only way to resolve this contradiction is to rely on data rather than assumptions. “Dogma won’t fix this issue,” Nadella said. “Leaders need to focus on clear, aligned goals and use data to measure output and performance.”
He also suggested that a critical step for leaders is bringing clarity to expectations. “As leaders, we need to be clear on the desired outcomes, determine the metrics to measure them, and create norms based on those findings,” Nadella concluded.
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