Quality executive Paul Arrendell emphasized that productivity in technical fields should prioritize smart systems over raw speed, drawing from his three decades of leadership at companies including Abbott Diagnostics and Becton Dickinson. Arrendell's perspective addresses a significant challenge documented in a 2023 McKinsey report that found 40% of engineers in healthcare and manufacturing face high deadline pressure, yet only 12% believe it enhances performance. This environment, where speed without structure can lead to product recalls, audit failures, and patient risk, demands a shift in approach.
Arrendell cautioned that sprint-style workflows are ill-suited for regulated industries. "You can't sprint your way through an FDA inspection," he stated. "You need systems that guide people, catch issues early, and build trust across teams." He recounted an instance where ten teams created ten versions of the same form under a sprint model, which appeared fast but ultimately required rework because it lacked a sustainable foundation.
The solution, according to Arrendell, lies in simple, scalable, system-based workflows. He described how implementing visible workflows, shared accountability, and reducing process friction improved outcomes. For example, transforming complex quality forms into visual checklists with clear deadlines cut internal product hold times by 40%. He advocates tracking process friction rather than just time spent, citing a case where change approvals took 11 days despite the actual changes requiring only two hours. Addressing such bottlenecks, he argued, yields greater impact than productivity tools or deadline pressure alone.
Arrendell urges professionals and leaders to examine their work processes critically. He recommends steps like tracking where work gets stuck, creating shared systems that avoid reliance on "hero mode," turning reports into feedback loops that drive change, and training for understanding rather than mere task completion. "If your process only works because two people know the shortcuts, it's not a system. It's a ticking clock," he warned. This call to action aligns with broader industry needs, as highlighted in the McKinsey research, which underscores the urgency of systemic improvements in high-stakes sectors.
For HR vendors serving technical and regulated industries, Arrendell's insights reveal a growing market need for solutions that facilitate system-based workflows rather than simply accelerating individual tasks. The documented disconnect between deadline pressure and performance effectiveness suggests current productivity approaches may be misaligned with actual quality and compliance requirements. Vendors offering tools for process visualization, friction tracking, and collaborative system design could address this gap. The emphasis on reducing reliance on individual "heroes" and institutional knowledge points toward opportunities in knowledge management and standardized workflow platforms. As organizations seek to mitigate risks associated with product recalls and regulatory failures, HR technology that enables sustainable, transparent processes may gain competitive advantage over tools focused solely on speed metrics.
