Setting targets can be counter-productive too!

Does it not sound a little funny? Ideally, targets are fixed at different levels of a hierarchical set up for separate items, either in physical or financial terms, to achieve organizational goals and objectives. So, targets are meant to keep the organization vibrant and result-oriented.

But, there can be aberrations too. Unless targets are set realistically and monitored closely, a situation may arise when employees on whom targets are imposed, will tend to adopt shortcuts and follow unethical practices, and thereby diluting the very definition of ‘target’.

Let us take an instance in our own organization. At the divisional level of IR, the Commercial Management fixes targets for ticket-checking earning. Each of the TTEs and TCs is given some target to book certain number of penalty cases during their day-to-day working either on train or within station premises. So long as they fulfill the targets set on them, the Divisional Management generally do not bother to check the system of working. Only when there is shortfall, the ticket checking machinery gets geared up at officers level to go for periodical or year-ending drives. Often, the management remains under the false impression that ticket checking exercises always boost up railway’s earning. But, it is not always true.

Here is a case study just to make you believe that targets on ticket checking in IR can lead to system lapses resulting in loss of valuable revenue.

- S K Pattanayak, ex-DyCAO/T/ECoR, now DyCM/IT/ECoR