People over metrics: Why genuine corporate culture is the most important driver of sustainable productivity

In a data-driven business world, managers are increasingly focusing on key performance indicators, dashboards, and quarterly results. In doing so, they often overlook the fact that behind every number there are people who make it possible. When companies prioritize KPIs over the needs of their employees, they risk long-term disengagement and the loss of their most valuable talent. A new analysis by author and productivity expert Mario Schaefer highlights why economic success is inextricably linked to human appreciation. Core concepts:

People as the foundation of business success

The problem with modern management approaches often lies in the assumption that maximum control over numbers automatically leads to maximum output. In fact, the opposite is true: an excessive focus on purely quantitative goals creates a sterile working atmosphere that stifles creativity and personal responsibility. The following principles illustrate how people-centered leadership increases meaningful productivity:

* Investing in the individual rather than the dashboard: Numbers are merely the result of actions. True efficiency arises when managers take the growth, dreams, and challenges of their employees seriously. When people are perceived as human beings and not merely as "resources," their willingness to contribute to the success of the company beyond what is required increases.

* Psychological safety as a performance factor: An environment in which challenges can be openly addressed reduces "noise" and emotional stress within the team. This safety allows employees to put their full energy into their core tasks instead of wasting capacity on internal maneuvering or fear of making mistakes.

* Values create loyalty: Today, skilled workers no longer stay just because of the pay. They stay because they feel valued and see meaning in what they do. Companies that show genuine interest in the personal development of their team gain loyal ambassadors who build systems, solve problems, and close deals - even in times of AI and increasing automation.

These concepts require a rethink: away from the pure management of capacities and toward the active creation of an environment that enables human excellence in the first place.

"We often stare so intently at the margins that we lose sight of the people who generate them. But in the end, business is always 100% an interpersonal matter. My motivation for writing the book "Doing What Matters: The Power of Purposeful Productivity" was to show that true productivity must never come at the expense of humanity. Only those who show their people that they matter as individuals can expect them to care about the company. It's quite simple: appreciation is the fuel for everything we want to achieve."

- Mario Schaefer, author of "Doing What Matters: The Power of Purposeful Productivity"

Mario Schaefer
CEO at 1IB International Business GmbH
public-relations@1ib.net

Mario Schaefer is the author of the book "Doing What Matters: The Power of Purposeful Productivity", in which he shows how to reduce busyness to make room for effective work. As CEO of 1IB International Business GmbH, he advises companies in various industries and is a lecturer at ESADE. His professional background includes business development and portfolio management for large pharmaceutical companies, as well as working with family offices with a focus on innovation investments. He is also active as an investor in early-stage start-ups.

This release was published on openPR.