Friday, October 26, 2007

B School designs Tailor made courses to halt Attrition

Managers and senior-level executives, especially HR personnel and team-leaders, should know the ways retain employees and manage teams effectively. These managers / Senior level employees in HR should be properly trained by HR experts. And they should have a good knowledge in manpower planning, recruitment and selection, performance, career and succession management, managing and coping with the trauma associated with mergers and acquisitions, technological change, training, development and redeployment problems, retention and motivation strategies, empowerment and team-building, redundancy and downsising. The success of managerial efforts largely depend on the executives’ ability to develop and sustain team-spirit among the people under his or her care, both as a team member as well as a team leader. The interpersonal skills for building and working in teams, and for managing conflicts, become essential prerequisites for managers as team leaders.

The new courses offered by B schools are therefore designed to help participants learn how to manage their own styles and orientations, while influencing others as leaders in their teams. This will help the HR Experts to have a strong analysis on dynamics of peoples’ interaction within team members and to develop skills for working with others. Moreover, with the rapid growth of information technology, information systems has evolved to become the core of many organisations’ competitive strategies.According to XLRI, the Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) capitalises on the synergy between the two precious assets, human resources and IT. So, specialists and generalists in the area of human resources are required to develop and improve their information system competencies in order to add strategic value to their organisations. The courses offered by B schools in India are also designed to improve the participant’s understanding of technology and tools, the people who work with it, and their role in organisational performance. And this will impart training in evaluating, selecting and planning an appropriate human resources information system, re-engineering human resources for HRIS, the human resources processes of SAP HR, emerging trends in HRIS that involve networking, the internet, the intranet, as well as internet recruiting, privacy, security and employee self-service.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Motivation

Motivating Employees
When you think about it, the success of any facet of your business can almost always be traced back to motivated employees. From productivity and profitability to recruiting and retention, hardworking and happy employees lead to triumph.
Unfortunately, motivating people is far from an exact science. There's no secret formula, no set calculation, no work sheet to fill out. In fact, motivation can be as individual as the employees who work for you. One employee may be motivated only by money. Another may appreciate personal recognition for a job well done. Still another may work harder if she has equity in the business.
But you can boil down employee motivation to one basic ideal -- finding out what your employees want and finding a way to give it to them or to enable them to earn it. Here we've gathered some of the best and most interesting motivational techniques used by successful entrepreneurs. We hope they'll motivate you, too.
Motivation Rules
#1 Set a major goal, but follow a path. The path has mini goals that go in many directions. When you learn to succeed at mini goals, you will be motivated to challenge grand goals.
#2 Finish what you start. A half finished project is of no use to anyone. Quitting is a habit. Develop the habit of finishing self-motivated projects.
#3 Socialize with others of similar interest. Mutual support is motivating. We will develop the attitudes of our five best friends. If they are losers, we will be a loser. If they are winners, we will be a winner. To be a cowboy we must associate with cowboys.
#4 Learn how to learn. Dependency on others for knowledge supports the habit of procrastination. Man has the ability to learn without instructors. In fact, when we learn the art of self-education we will find, if not create, opportunity to find success beyond our wildest dreams.
#5 Harmonize natural talent with interest that motivates. Natural talent creates motivation, motivation creates persistence and persistence gets the job done.
#6 Increase knowledge of subjects that inspires. The more we know about a subject, the more we want to learn about it. A self-propelled upward spiral develops.
#7 Take risk. Failure and bouncing back are elements of motivation. Failure is a learning tool. No one has ever succeeded at anything worthwhile without a string of failures.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Mission - Is it possible?

When I finished my MBA in 2003, I had a vision only to become a effective People Oriented HR Manager. Keeping that in mind, I did my training programmes exclusively in HR to fulfill my mission. When I joined in my first organisation I faced new environment comprising of 43 employees and at the same time I was happy that I am going to handle all HR and Admin Issues in that organisation. Days went faster and I started comparing myself with my friends were are they and how are they and were I am standing. Then I slowly started to look out for a change in my career to get better growth prospects with an attractive pay package. I started attending interviews in Coimbatore, Chennai and Bangalore. A year went and suddenly an opportunity came on my way were I proved my worth before the interview desk. I was highly excited and happy that I got an offer from a company for Eight Thousand Bucks per month. When I was going to my home town I got an opportunity to see an old man with a bigger spectacles reading a big binded old English book in the Chennai Central Railway station. I was with my friend at that time and we started teasing him for a while. We made lot of fun and we thought, what this old man will do and how he will use his knowledge at this age to read such a big books. Were that person didn't even cared about the comments passed by us. Since the climate is quite chil at that time, after half an hour the climate changed and started to drizzle. we slowly moved near him and we sat beside him and then only we came to know that he is not reading any article he was reading a Subject book. We are highly confused and completely irritated and asked him who is he...

He didn't talk to us immediately and after some time he spoke to us he introduced himself that he is from Coimbatore. And I asked him about his experience and I asked him at this age why he is reading this Subject books at this age. He responded for a while and we started to nod our heads once he started to talk. He told that his mission is to start a school when he was 27 and now started a school at the age of 57. He was not equipped with good financial background, Support from parents, public etc were he created his support on his own by getting 3 degrees and 1 Ph d., and good exposure in teaching various Residential schools with out any expectations. Due to that he earned some money and invested the same by starting a primary school. We are quite impressed about the way he expressed his experience that what are the hurdles he faced to achieve his mission. After hearing this, we started to think and asked him how everyone mission can be achieved? He told us only 2 things to achieve the mission 1. we should always think BIG good things. 2. We should always equip ourselves to achieve that BIG good things. If we are constantly thinking about that mission we dont want to run behind that, we 'll get an oppurtunity to achieve that BIG good things.

It is simple to talk were is it possible for ordinary person to achieve that in a daily basis. He smiled and then he told us a simple story. A Small boy the fifth seven siblings of a poor father, was selling newspapers in a small village to earn his living. He was not exceptionally smart at school but was fascinated by religion and rockets. The first rocket he build crashed multiple times and he made a butt of ridicule. He is the person to have scripted the space Odyssey to Indian single handled that is none other than Dr. Abdul Kalam. When a school teacher scolded a boy for not paying attention to his mathematics and for not being able to solve simple problems. Due to the constant training and effort his mother coched him in math and and finally the boy went on to become Albert Einstein. With num smile he told us A winner is not one who never fails but one who never quits ! We reached Coimbatore Junction and we went off by saying Bye. Two years left and I went for a meeting organised by Rotract Club Symphony (North) two weeks back and I don't have a place to sit and I stood there one among the crowd. After some time I saw the same person was sitting in Chief Guest Chair and today he is one of the notable role model for all the youths all over Tamilnadu. Yes the man who spoked with us in railway station Dr Subramaniam, Correspondent, Subramaniam Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Coimbatore. He didnt lift himself he lifted lot of youths and also helped many youth like me to think how our mission should be framed and achieved. Now I understand what should I do and how far my thinking should be big. Will I establish an educational insitution to deal with knowledge or will I construct an educational insitute which spreads knowledge may be both.. Let see how it works....

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Where is my People ? - Effective way of Sourcing Right Talent

Like grocery shopping in bulk, hiring in bulk is also become a fashion for all the IT and ITES company's in India. But it can be a heavy load for a company's Human Resource department. Recruitment is neither an art nor a science. An Effective recruitment process is classified in two parts they are finding cream talents and hiring talents. Now a days Talent Management is most challenging role in Human Resources. Sourcing should be done based on the skills and needs required by talent seekers and how the job seekers can be sourced from the open market. Apart from that it is very difficult to attract the job seekers.
An Integrated employment processing system with formulated hiring process will leads to the efficient and effective approach to fetch
good results. Now a days all corporates are brainstorming their minds to source people in different ways. Even though there are many mixtures like news paper ads, campus recruitment's, job fairs etc., are not fetching good results. Now a days all company's major focus is on Internal Employment Process like Employee Referral, Refer and get a Treasure etc., The benefits of this Employee Referral programme are as follows:

1. Reduced cost of Administering business functions.
2. Greater efficiencies in delivering services
3. Flow of information will be shared to the entire organisation
4. Easier management of processes and technology.

Now a days all company's are focusing more on this Employee referral programme. This type of programme explains that the company in the growing stage and helps the employees to work more productively. Attractive incentives and gifts are given to the employees who are contributing their efforts to the talent management team.

Friday, March 16, 2007

Fun At Work - Booms Up

Surprisingly, this is the modern mantra for improving employee relations between the associates (Employers and Employees). Even though the employees are motivated by getting monetary and non monetary rewards this personal enjoyment does play a key role in how components of a job affects fun in work culture. Now a days all employees are tired by experiencing the same work culture like dealing with their heads, giving performance appraisals etc., Apart from this regular activities this fun at work will improve the work culture interesting and this can improve the organisation climate.

Six factors that fun can make work quality and productive
  1. Fun breaks up boredom and mental exertion
  2. Fun full fills human social needs
  3. Fun increases creativity and willingness to help
  4. Fun improves communication
  5. Fun breaks up conflict and tension
  6. Fun full fills associates both for superiority and control
"Business First, Fun last" is the latest quote which makes our work environment colourful and enjoyable. It is a type of reward for commitment and hard work and makes different situations less stressful. HR experts recommend that the next major boost in productivity will be people, not technology. At the initial stage some of the employees may not participate in this activities. By constant tapping of fun activities in the work environment we can maintain a healthy relationship between the associates to achieve the organisational goals.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Challenges faced by HR Heads in India

In today's world, outsourcing companies increases the interaction between the employers and employees in India. Lot of Employee relations programmes are conducted to motivate the employees in all developing organisations. But still, many companies are facing some major challenges in India. Here are some insights in to the common challenges faced by Indian HR Heads to improve the support from their employees.
Recruitment
The absolute number one challenge is in the organisation is recruitment. Now a days all major players are hiring the talents with attractive pay packages with limited selection process. Recruitment is often linked to the season. Now all BPO/KPO/RPO doing recruitment in different parts of the country in order to tap the right talents. HR - Heads who is processing as per the law are framing the strategies based on the requirements. If they want to recruit 100 people the Talent Acquisition team should at least interview 1000 People. This consumes lot of paper work. Once selected we train the recruits to get them operational within 4-5 weeks.
Attrition
Attrition is considered as the enormous challenges for the HR Heads. The average BPO attrition rate was 30-35% in 2005.A Nasscom Hewitt-Associates Survey shows that the cost of attrition is 1.5 times the annual salary of an employee. Costs are due to loss of productivity, temporary replacement, loss of knowledge and new recruitment and training. Due to the rigid rules and strict monitoring the employees are affected. Major BPO Players in India are setting up a separate Employee Relations team to motivate the employees with the aim of minimizing the attrition.
Salaries and Incentives
Now a days new hires are offered a competitive salary based on their skills which attracts the Indian youngsters. Recently companies are coming up with new awards like bikes, jewels etc., for the best performers who are capable and loyal to the company. This type of gifts, financial bonuses enables the company to gain good will not only from the employees but also from the public.
Job Satisfaction
It is one of the most important element to retain the employees. When a employee is entering into the organisation he should be clear about his role and job descriptions. A Tesco employee segmenting survey in 2005indicates that there are five broad attitude segments of people working within their work force they are 25% work life balance rs; 25% percent want it all; 18% pleasure seekers; 16% live to work: 16% work to live. By understanding the needs of each segment the Head HR can tailor the employment proposition to improve retention.
Training
The training programme should focus on both interpersonal and intercultural training. And Educational Process Outsourcing HR Head says when "one candidate may be technically good but low on soft skills and the second candidate scores very well on soft skills. So what we do is take the guy lower on the technical skills and give him intensive training on the job and assign him on to a leadership profile."
People Oriented
The challenges for HR Heads in India are truly different form Challenges faced in other countries. Since the attrition rate is high in India the Indian HR Heads are are highly people oriented, where other countries HR Heads are more process and target oriented. The well being of employee on a personal level is of benefit to the organisation.
Best Cheers !!!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Happy Indian Recruiters Day !!

For close to two decades now, recruiters in India have been forming the bridge between the demand for qualified professionals and the available talent pool in the country. The booming economy has been riding confidently on the backs of an extensive network of Recruitment Consultants across the country, who have over the years streamlined their efforts in the best interests of job seekers and employers alike, identifying new avenues to tap talent. One of the trends that emerged over the past few years WAS THE NEED from corporates to have recruitment consultants as partners in their endeavour to grow. With the advent of contract staffing in India, International players stepped in to India thru acquisition of established Indian recruitment firms, which in itself is a recognition of the Indian recruitment Industry and its contribution to the growth of exports and the Indian economy. On 9th March 2002, a group of senior professionals from the recruitment industry met and conceived of an association that would represent the needs and aspirations of the industry as well as strive to eradicate unethical practices. What resulted from that rendezvous was the ERA(Executive Recruiter's Association) - a non-profit Chamber of Commerce representing Indian Executive Recruitment Consulting firms. Registered in 2002, the ERA today has 8 chapters and 140+ members spread across India. ERA represents the interests of Search, Staffing and Selection firms. ERA member firms account for more than half the Indian recruitment industry revenue and include most of the large recruitment firms in India as well as international firms. Whether it is lobbying, training, industry growth, revenue, interests of member firms and recruiting professionals - over the years, ERA has grown to be an organisation that is the Voice of the Indian Recruitment Industry.
\u003cbr\>The turnover of the organized recruitment industry has been 1.5 billion USD ,last year by Government estimates and is slated to grow by 30 to 40 % .For 6 years since its inception, the ERA has been the torch bearer of ethical practices and to this effect, it has brought Recruiters from across the country under one roof and pledged to adopt only the best, fair & ethical practices in recruitment. Acknowledging the dedication, sincerity and integrity of its members, the ERA is proud to announce March 9th as the Indian Recruiters Day. Many leading corporates around the country, both Indian and Multinational companies, have supported the ERA cause and have been sponsoring the ERA conventions , a proof of sustained partnership."The Indian Recruiter's Day is a day of celebration for the recruiters of India. A day for all of us to recognise the efforts of our Recruiters, a day to felicitate and honour them. Over 300,000 recruiters from across the country will rejoice in the light of the acknowledgment of their efforts to the Indian economy. On 9th March, ERA is planning a number of activities at each of its chapter locations to bring together all the recruiters. ERA will provide a platform for recruiters from across organisations to meet each other, bond, share their experiences and learn from each other. Above all, it is a day for recruiters to feel proud of their profession that touches and empowers professionals to realize their latent talent"
The turnover of the organized recruitment industry has been 1.5 billion USD ,last year by Government estimates and is slated to grow by 30 to 40 % For 6 years since its inception, the ERA has been the torch bearer of ethical practices and to this effect, it has brought Recruiters from across the country under one roof and pledged to adopt only the best, fair & ethical practices in recruitment. Acknowledging the dedication, sincerity and integrity of its members, the ERA is proud to announce March 9th as the Indian Recruiters Day. Many leading corporates around the country, both Indian and Multinational companies, have supported the ERA cause and have been sponsoring the ERA conventions , a proof of sustained partnership. "The Indian Recruiter's Day is a day of celebration for the recruiters of India. A day for all of us to recognise the efforts of our Recruiters, a day to felicitate and honour them. Over 300,000 recruiters from across the country will rejoice in the light of the acknowledgment of their efforts to the Indian economy. On 9th March, ERA is planning a number of activities at each of its chapter locations to bring together all the recruiters. ERA will provide a platform for recruiters from across organisations to meet each other, bond, share their experiences and learn from each other. Above all, it is a day for recruiters to feel proud of their profession that touches and empowers professionals to realize their latent talent"
Happy Indian Recruiters Day !! (Source: From a Forwarded Mail)

Four Tips for Effective Team Building

Trust is a big issue between employees and employers in todays corporate world. It is difficult to deliver qualitative outputs if there is not productive workignrelationships among team members. In the past, companies used teams for special projects. Now a days associates (employees and employers) work in teams on a daily basis.
Business need team work to survive. Here are 4 simple and effective tips for team building and it should be fourmulated and executed to deliver qualitative outputs.
Importance of Team workTeamwork has become an essential element for the success and survival of a business. Team leaders must be able to develop ways for associates to grow and develop as a team. Team building is not always the easiest task to accomplish, but with the five tips listed in this paper, can build effective teams.
1: Form teams to solve real work issues with proper processThe Team leader should provide the team with teamwork training beforehand on systematic and streamlined methods of team work. The team should focus on accomplishing the project.
2. Meetings to review projects and progress is a must The Team leader should monitor the group which is not developing a healthy relationship. Meetings gives the Team leader the opportunity to examine the team's progress. If a team is falling behind, the Team leader should look to see if the team has personality issues or difficulties in agreeing on the best approach for the assignment.
3. Experience, Fun, Attitude should be shared into the organization's agendaThe Team leader should help the team think as a unit within a fun work environment so that everyone on the team feels involved and appreciated. For example, management could sponsor company dinners or business trips to sporting events or team retreats.
4. Celebrate successes in groupThe manager should recognize the group as a whole for their accomplishments, not just individuals within the group.
In simple team work describes the process of TRUST to change the journey in a better way. Leaders cannot force their associates to trust each other or to work as a team, they can porvide associates with the needed resources to buid trust. Once trust is establised, team leaders have an better oppurtunity

Monday, March 12, 2007


My Experience in TWWI
Introduction:
Surprisingly, the answer is not all that intangible; and it doesn't much depend on the individual employee. Yes, everyone's work needs vary; yes, everyone has a different reason for coming to work in the morning. But ultimately employees universally want to value their jobs and to feel valued. If that bottom-line sense of worth is in place, you can count on happy productive Employees even as they rush like mad to meet a tight project deadline or create a new technology. And that, of course, aids your bottom line. Not surprisingly, it's the executives and managers who set the tone for the entire operation.
Why I am feeling good?
As a fresh recrutier I started my career in our company after completing my Masters in Management and Administration. Only knowing the meaning of Recruitment I started visitng colleges to do campus recruitments, fixing the dates and for doing the programmes and arranging the venues only on the basis of gathering candidates. But today, the situvation is completly changed for each & everything we are doing in a systamatic order right from following the process steps and till the end process. According to the public view we are doing recruitment and as per my perception we are executing steps to do a high quality recruitment with the help of various benchmarks right from Hospitality of the candidates, minimising the waiting time of the candidates and we are making the candidates to feel happy when he is going out of our company. Lots and lots of analysis and parameters are done in day to day activities to improve the quality of recruitment. Everyone thinks about our team is not having work but still our team feel pity about them that we are learning and updating the knowledge to equip ourselves with quality to meet the bulk demand. We can overcome any types of challenges in Recruitment in order to cater a good quality of candidates to meet the management hiring objectives.
Some honest views about my company are as follows:
1. Job content:
My jobs is interesting and challenging. I have a very clear idea of what my responsiblities are. Everyday, I come to work feeling that my work is making a significant contribution my companys Sucess. The content of my work gives me a feeling of personal accompolishment.
2. My Manager
I feel trusted by supervisors to do my job well. My Manager empowers me and involves me in important work decisions. I am learning and growing while working with my boss. My supervisor inspires me and gives me effective feedback and coaching. My boss recognizes and rewards my achievements accordingly. My boss cares about me as a person and gives values for my desicion and stop me when I am going wrong. No partiallity, no critizing the views of our teammembers and without hurting the humnavalues he is making our team in a win win sitivation.
3.Opportunities
I feel there are sufficient growth opportunities for me in my company. Promotions are awarded to the most qualified employees. My company cares for my professional development as well as my career growth.
4.Compensation and Benefits.
In my company, people are rewarded according to their performance and contribution. My pay is fair and competitive with other companies. The benefits program my company offers is equitable and inspires prosperity.
5.Life Balance
My work schedule allows me to maintain an appropriate balance between work and personal needs. Flexibility is embraced and encouraged. I have the right tools and support needed to do my job well. My workload is fair and balanced now.
6.Senior Leadership.
I see the leaders and big bosses walking the walk in my company. I identify with the values and beliefs of my company culture. The reputation of my company is respectable and well perceived externally. I have a good understanding of my company’s vision and goals.
7. Work environment.
I feel that I have job security and career clarity at my company. The people I work with cooperate in order to get the job done. People are treated with respect and dignity. I feel part of a team, and I like coming to my workplace.
If this is all the situation is here why should I feel bad. I enjoyed lot of fame and gained a uncountable happiness by helping many students from rural areas to get a good job in our company. Now the candidates who joined here are getting a five figure salary or not but I can see the happiness in the eyes of their parents and I made the candidates to realize that they are more confident now to meet the feature. When I doing my degree my aim was only to become a HR but now I feel happy that this company had given me an opportunity to serve the society in this regard. Hope the same will continue in the feature also.....