‘Volume over quality’ approach has made Malta ‘unproductive’, says Daphne Grech Cumbo

Corporate Wellness Trainer Daphne Grech Cumbo on Monday highlighted that prioritising volumes rather than quality has stifled innovation and decreased productivity in Malta.

This came after she attended a conference held by The Malta Chamber, during which economists estimated that between 2010 and 2022, Malta “only achieved 51 per cent of its productivity growth potential”.

As a result, Ms Grech Cumbo, Wellness Coach at business consulting firm UP, was led to question what made Malta so “unproductive” during that timeframe. She remarked that this is primarily because of the country’s “more is more” or “volume over quality” approach.

“More projects bring more investments, which bring more low-skill jobs, resulting in an unsustainable increase in the population and a stifling of innovation, an essential ingredient for productivity,” she added.

“Thanks to this approach, we’ve stretched the limits of our infrastructure, put more strain on the environment and pressure on the people,” she said, before noting that the system is now “overwhelmed”.

In order to counteract and tackle this growing issue, Ms Grech Cumbo outlined investment in people as a possible solution.

“Up-skill them. Provide access to the tools they need to be innovative. Ensure their mental and physical wellbeing. Experiment with new technology,” she explained.

“The guaranteed increase in productivity and efficiency is worth the investment,” she concluded.

Ms Grech Cumbo has various years of experience in business coaching, having worked at UP for more than seven years. She is also Manager at international coaching organisation Vistage Malta. She states that she enjoys seeing people "investing in their personal and professional development", leading to them "raising their game both in business and in life".

She holds a Diploma in Professional Marketing from The Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Diploma in Integrative Health and Nutrition Coaching, Habit Coach and Heroic Coach Certification, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Tourism from University of Malta.