US Productivity 11-14-24

Productivity is a measure of how many goods and services are produced in a set amount of time, divided by the number of hours worked. Higher productivity can benefit workers, companies, and consumers.  

In 1947, US productivity stood at 22.074. In 2023, US productivity stood at 114.475. Advances in Technology allowed this to increase 519% in output per hour. I got to witness this surge in US productivity and participated in applying technology to automate systems. Labor Unions in manufacturing companies were toxic, so I got to prevent unionization and decertify unions.

My Personnel Career began in 1967 when I joined Kearney National in St. Louis. We developed and manufactured High-Line Tools for Electrical Power Companies. I was a Personnel Generalist and did all functions. I also served as a Financial Analyst for a 3-man team with the VP Finance for Dison Kissner and the CFO for Kearney. They told me they had found a similar company in Atlanta and were considering buying it.  I encouraged them to close the plant to get rid of the Teamsters and move to Atlanta. They agreed. I did not intend to move with them, so they told me that Monsanto had a job I might like.

I joined Monsanto Chemical Co.in 1968 as a Compensation Analyst in the Synthetic Fiber Division at the Headquarters and learned automated systems, regulatory compliance, and union prevention. Monsanto was the best company in St. Louis. Our VP Personnel was Bob Berra, the founder of the American Association for Personnel Administration (ASPA).

In 1971, I joined Washington University in St. Louis to automate administration, ensure regulatory compliance and to create a Personnel Office at the Medical Campus. Washington U had 11,000 employees, half were involved in Medical Research. In 1972, I prevented unionization at the Medical Campus and won a NIH grant to build a cage washing facility for Lab Animal Care and initiated AALAS certification for Animan Caretakers. I moved to the main campus in 1973 and continued the automation project. I included a local wage and salary survey for Staff, wrote the job descriptions and completed the Compensation Manual. I negotiated the union contract on the Main Campus in compliance with the Nixon 5.5% increase limits and witnessed the decertification of the unions on the main campus. I had completed what I went there to do.

In 1975, I joined Schwan Foods in Salina Kansas as Personnel Manager for Manufacturing and Transportation Operations and participated in automating the Frozen Pizza factory and offices. In 1975, Schwan Foods’ Revenue was $150M. When I left Schwan Foods in 1979 their Revenue was $650M. I had accomplished what I went there to do. Manufacturing employees got a large raise, because their jobs had changed from working manually to operating the plant as an automated facility. Productivity allowed Schwan Foods to increase revenue by 500%. The increased capacity allowed us to continue modernization throughout the Company. I had completed what I went there to do. Schwan Foods went on to grow Revenue to $50B by acquiring other frozen food companies. I founded the Salina Area Personnel Association to establish a Wage and Salary Survey for 40 local companies.

In 1979, I joined Rickel Manufacturing as the Corporate Personnel Manager and witnessed the decertification of the UAW Union and the sale of Rickel to Ag-Chem in 1983. I had completed what I went there to do.

In 1983, I joined Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. as Manager Human Resources for the Company. Revenue was $35M with 150 employees. We made the Hayes PC Modem. The PC increased Productivity for all companies. When I left Hayes in 1986, Revenue was $200M with 900 employees. The Modem converted Analog Waves into Digital Signals and when Digital Signals replaced Analog Waves, the Modem became obsolete. I had a staff of 30. I converted the Health Insurance to a Medical Trust, guided the development of the Policy Manual and prevented the organizing attempt by CWA. I founded the Metro Atlanta High Tech Personnel Association in 1983 to provide an Atlanta Wage and Salary Survey for 40 member companies.  I had completed what I went there to do.

In 1986, I joined Electromagnetic Sciences Inc. to join the Reagan Defense build-up. EMS Revenue was $35M with 350 employees. When I left to open my own consulting practice EMS Revenue was $250M with 1200 employees. We achieved Computer Integrated Manufacturing and designed and built a lot of technologically advanced weapons systems used in the Gulf War. I supported the growth of LXE, a commercial company that installed bar-code reading automation to warehouses.

I served on the AEA Board as HR Chair.  I had completed what I went there to do.

In 1993, I formed NTL Consulting and did projects for 46 companies over the next 24 years. These were mainly Atlanta-Based Electronics Companies including Rockwell, Boeing, Scientific Atlanta and dozens of small and mid-size companies. I wrote Policy Manuals, established Compensation functions, Recruited countless Engineers, installed regulatory compliance and did general business consulting. I had completed what I went there to do, so I retired..

I had a front-row seat to participate in the productivity advances made from the 1971 through the 2017.

The Productivity Technologies we are able to apply today involve applying Artificial Intelligence Software to “teach” robots and monitor the computer systems that can link together to ensure Data Accuracy. The Accounts Payable clerks can trade in their filing cabinets for a linked-in computer that reads scanned-in shipping documents to the original scanned-in final purchase orders to confirm delivery of goods and pay the invoices. Fully automated warehouses can operate to fill orders that are scanned in to the system. High Speed Manufacturing needs to be employed beyond diapers and other high-volume goods.

We have broken systems to fix. Most Websites need to be improved to be less confusing and complex. Nothing is worse that applying for a job on the hiring companies website. Government websites are designed to increase your frustration tolerance.

Government data is handled sloppily and spelling errors appear in citizen’s names. Nobody needs AI more than government data handlers. Government should use AI to compare names and addresses with current Post Office records. AI needs to compare data from Social Security, Division of Motor Vehicles, Post Office records, Voter records, Birth Certificate records, IRS records and Passport records.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader