Time Management Techniques have Regularly been used to Improve Employee Productivity in many Organizations.

Question: Time management techniques have regularly been used to improve employee productivity in many organizations. Identifying the time of the day when employees are more efficient helps the management better sequence the work during the week to maximize the productivity throughout the organization. However, when Morigo Inc. enforced a time-tracking software with this intent, it observed a sharp decline in the efficiency levels throughout the organization.

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the paradox presented in the passage?

1. To attain maximum benefit from time tracking software, companies need to adapt their work processes to allow for time-based work assignment.
2. The highest improvement in efficiency has been recorded in the R&D department – a department that has the fewest employees in the company.
3. Prior to the implementation of the time-tracking software, employees at Morigo Inc. had a better than industry standards efficiency.
4. In many cases, a drop-in employees’ productivity levels occurs when unplanned activities arise.
5. Increased stress levels due to the perception that their work is being monitored closely has led to a drop in employees’ efficiency levels post the implementation of the time-tracking system.

Answer: E

Explanation: A paradox in GMAT CR is a statement or argument that, at least on the surface, does not make sense. On GMAT Critical Reasoning, the paradoxical passages will be an apparent paradox, an apparent contradiction, that is resolved by additional information.

Hypothesis: Time management improves productivity, but Morigo Inc. observed a sharp decline.

Conclusion: When Morigo Inc. enforced a time-tracking software to improve employee productivity. But it observed a sharp decline in the efficiency levels throughout the organization.

Now, let us check the given options:

1. Incorrect.
   Option A implies that applying time tracking software led to a decline in efficiency. But it does not state the reason behind it.
2. Incorrect.
   Option B does not state the purpose of people that have to work for the organization.
3. Insufficient.
   Option C does not provide details before implementation of the time-tracking software. It further adds that employees at Morigo Inc. had better than industry standards efficiency before implantation. It just shows that we are less efficient.
4. Incorrect.
   In option D we would have to assume that the unplanned activities are caused by the new system. But this does not have any basis to make this assumption.
5. Correct.
   Option E shows that people know that the system is watching them. So, this causes them to become less efficient. Hence option E is appropriate.

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