Good Relations Increase Productivity in the Workplace

A recent study pointed that social networking and good relations between workmates may increase the productivity of a less efficient worker, and that leads to positive effects for establishments where social incentives are not less important than financial incentives.

A study which was done by Future Work Institute, Bon, Germany showed that companies which employ workers who are have friendly relationships produce more compared to other companies.

The study, which was announced on the 26 May 2009 and was carried out by scholars from American and British universities, confirmed that less efficient workers may increase their productivity abilities in such an environment. It is possible to increase their abilities by as much as 10% and stimulate them to be able to work with high effectiveness when their friends are present in the work environment.

The study was conducted on workers in one of the British companies specialising in growing fruit. Simultaneously, the study pointed, on the other hand, that there was a decrease in the performance of highly productive employees who were directly in touch with the less productive employees during work. Nonetheless, it culminated that the final outcome for these companies and establishments where both kinds of workers work was positive.

The American and British researchers commenced the study by asking the less productive employees about their workmates with whom they have god relations good relations and accordingly changed the work schedules to allow these employees to work together on certain days.

Unexpected results revealed that the less productive workers’ productivity increased 10% during that period compared to other periods because of the presence in the environment of their friends with whom they have good relationships. At the same time the work speed of high-performance workers decreased by almost an equal percent due to adaptation to the low performance workmates.

Experts think the phenomenon is because happiness in the work environment improves performance; productive performance of lowperformance workers improves due to proximity of workmates with whom they are connected with affection and love. A company which employs workers engaged in friendly relationships can achieve a raise of about 3% in its sales.

Now to summarize our true religion teachings in points:

1. Islam affirmed the importance of good relationships among people. The Almighty says, “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” (Sura Al-Hujurat, ayah 13).

2. Many ayat ask us to build good relations with others. For example, the Almighty says, “O ye who believe! Avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: And spy not on each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it... But fear God. For God is Oft-Returning and Most Merciful.” (Sura Al-Hujurat, ayah 12).

3. The believer is a brother of a believer. This is a great saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who considered that relationships between believers should be brotherhood relationships and that this is the highest in good relations. The Almighty says, “The believers are but a single brotherhood…” (Sura AlHujurat, ayah 10).

4. God has ordered us kindness and that is the finest in human relations - to be kind to others, to forgive those who have done injustice, and to let an insulter go unpunished. The Almighty says, “… but do good; for God loveth those who do good.” (Sura Al-Baqara, ayah 195).

5. God has ordered us to forgive and pardon others. The Almighty says, “Let them forgive and overlook, do you not wish that God should forgive you? For God is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.” (Sura An-Nur, ayah 22), and also has ordered us to cooperate for beneficence and piety.

6. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was an example of good relations. He did not get angry unless one of God’s sanctities was violated. He did not insult, hit, or show arrogance and helped others. Besides, he was saying, “He who relieves a Muslim from the plight of distress, God relieves from one of the plights of distress of the Day of Resurrection.”

7. In a great saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he considered good manners to be the heaviest in the balance of man on the Day of Judgment, and he said, “The nearest to me on the Day of Judgment is the one with the best ethics.”

Please consider those teachings that aim at building the best and finest kinds of human relations inside and outside the workplace. What about carrying out a similar study of the effect of Islam teachings on productivity in the workplace, and present it to the world to see the greatness of this religion and the strong effect of its teachings?

BY ABDULDAEM AL-KAHEEL