from the publisher's desk - human capital online
TRANSCRIPT
From The Publisher's Desk
available, thereby, assuring employersthat the workplace is at last renderedsafe, is worth looking into. That,however, does not discount the fact thatremote working shall remain in vogue.To give credit to where it is due, industryleaders and employees alike opted forthe remote working model when thingsappeared crudely hazy, and, attainednear about the same productivity levelsthat they had prior to the pandemic.One can only imagine what they couldachieve if they had the time to preparethemselves. The remote working modelhas its flip sides too. A Microsoftresearch revealed that people showedsigns of mental fatigue in only twohours. This is besides various other
reports that showed employees sufferingfrom anxiety, depression and loneliness,as also increased instances of domesticviolence from some major Indian cities.In the January 2021 edition, HumanCapital has therefore explored variousfacets associated with the Hybrid model.Praveen Sinha writes that we are likelyto witness a reversal in terms of worklocation preference for hybrid in favourof ‘office only’. Nishath Usmani mentionsthat the Hybrid working model wasalways in existence, and COVID-19 onlyhelped to bring it into action.
Interview features Dorie Clark, a leadingauthority on self-reinvention andbestselling author, who highlightsaspects that individuals can do to buildcareer resiliency and also sharesactionable tips to develop anintrapreneurial mindset. Personafeatures Deepti Varma, Director – HRfor Amazon in APAC and Middle East,who drew inspiration from her mother’swords, “the greatest form of creativityis the recreation of oneself”, and ishence leading crucial initiatives for acreative and diverse workforce atAmazon. Case Study highlights anotherinteresting facet to gender discrimination.In this case, at female employees are, attimes, preferred over male employeeswhen it comes to promotions, betterappraisals, sabbaticals and even optingout of offsite projects.
The words of Roland Busch, the DeputyCEO of Siemens is largely clairvoyant,“COVID-19 gives us a chance toreshape our world and reimaginework.” Pandemics, after a point in time,subside, but the lessons learnt indealing with them is what driveshumanity forward.
Carpe Diem!
NEHA JAIN
COVID-19 has brought forth yetanother twist. The way of workafter the vaccines are made
January 2021 3
4 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
ContentsJANUARY 2021 VOLUME 24 ISSUE 8
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The Year Of The VirusGautam Brahma
A POINT OF VIEW
6
8
A (Un)Likely Reversal?Praveen SinhaNishath Usmani
Easy Does It!Dipankar Das
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
22
Future-Proofing YourCareerDorie Clark
Self-Reinvention Expert,Bestselling Author
INTERVIEW
18
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COVER STORY
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In Letter And Spirit?Dr. Deepika Pandita
60
CASE STUDY
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Busting MythsRohit Hasteer
32
TALENT MANAGEMENT
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Greening TheGreenhornsVikas Dua
27
CAREER MANAGEMENT
The Hierarchy In HRHarjeet Khanduja
51
THE H IN HRA Few Desirable ACTSJaydeep Das
24
LEADERSHIPBeyond PsychometricTestingMrinmoy Majumder
30
TALENT ASSESSMENT
Fashion Retail: The Nowand the NextVivek TripathiCHRO, BIBA Apparels
INDUSTRY INTERVIEW
34
No Longer A FR(O)rgIn The Well!Rohit Shenoy
54
WORK CULTURE
Bringing Out The BestIn PeopleDeepti VarmaDirector – HR, APAC andMiddle East, Amazon
48
PERSONA
Why Is InclusionNeeded ?Rajiv Sharma
39
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
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www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 5
Contents..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
This issue of HUMAN CAPITHUMAN CAPITHUMAN CAPITHUMAN CAPITHUMAN CAPITALALALALALcontains 76 pages including cover
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/humancapitalmag /Humancapitalonline /human-capital-magazine
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THE CHANGE CULTURE
67 Dashboard EnabledDrivingKalpana Bansal
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36 Is OD The Future Of HR ?
Shikha Verma
EXPERT TALK
42 What to MeasureWhile HiringAbhijit Bhaduri
44 Employee ValueProposition WithAdded ‘Value’Harini Sreenivasan
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57 Mind Over MatterAshish Pradhan
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Measuring TheImmeasurable!Joseph Raj
72
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
70 Bio-mimicking ForTransformationRashmi Agarwal
REGULARS
Editorial
Hiring Insights
Industry Bytes
Law At Work
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Published, Printed and Owned byMukesh Jain and Printed atM/s. UPKAR PRAKASHAN634, Artoni, Mathura Byepass Road,Agra and Published from 4378/4B,Pooja Apartment, 1st Floor, AnsariRoad, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002
Editor : Mukesh Jain
R.N.I. No. 66615/1997
6 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
POINT OF VIEW
damaged the world economy,bereaved families, and disruptedlives everywhere. For workorganisations, it was also a yearwhen several important lessonswere learnt by all.
The first lesson was that asurprisingly large number of jobscan be done from home. Manyorganisations that would havedismissed any possibility of theirparticular work getting done fromhome have had to accept that thiswas indeed possible. Not only that,many companies saw improvedproductivity from their workforcein this period.
The second big realisation wasthat people who worked fromhome in the past were not havinga cushy time. All preconceptionswere laid to rest as people workingfrom home, for the first time intheir lives, saw their personal andwork schedules mingle so muchthat they seemed to be at workmorning to night on all the days ofthe week. People in office mockingpeople who worked from home iscertainly a thing of the past.
The third learning was thatpeople have an amazing capacity tolearn new ways of working quickly.For instance, many school teacherswhose past familiarity withtechnology was often limited tomessaging on the phone learnt to
he year 2020 will go downin history as the year of theCOVID-19 pandemic whichT
BY GAUTAM BRAHMA
The Year Of The Virus
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Even as companies assimilate the lessons learnt from2020 and plan their next steps for better managingemployees, there are new and immediate challengeslooming in the new year.
be savvy with setting up videoconference calls, delivering lessonsonline and conducting remote testsand assessments.
The fourth insight was thatthere were many people in everyorganisation, who were not addingmuch value. They seemed tobecome invisible and redundant thisyear. Work seemed to be happeningwithout much contribution fromthese, often middle to seniormanagement, staff. They seemed tobe pathetically drawing attention tothemselves by arranging unnecessarymeetings and making pointlesscalls to their juniors and seniors,probably because they did not knowhow to spend the time on hand.
“Many companies thatconfined their target-
based variable paypolicies to sales staffmay decide to extend
that approach to moresegments of their
workforce.”The fifth lesson was that all work
can be managed by monitoringoutcomes. There was no way tophysically see how people werespending their time, and somehow,this did not matter anymore aslong as they finished their assignedtasks on time. There were no
longer any brownie points to beearned by coming to office earlyand leaving after the boss left.Some people did persist in markingtheir apparent diligence by sendingcommunications at early hours ofthe morning or late at night, butwhen everyone was blending lifeand work anyway, this did notimpress anyone.
These lessons were learnt whileresponding to the environmentalshock delivered by the virus. Someof these learnings will lead tological next steps of the kindoutlined below.
Firstly, and this is a no-brainerwhich has already been extensivelydiscussed on many forums and inthe media, work practices will becodified so that even after thepandemic ends, many people willbe asked to work from home moreoften than not. This will reduce allkinds of costs including officerentals, upkeep and transport. Thiswill be both good and bad foremployees. Good because ofconvenience and bad because ofthe loss of opportunities to bondand build social capital, and to getaway from domestic concerns for apart of the day.
Secondly, now that almost everykind of company has seen a largevariety of jobs getting done wellfrom home, there will be a greateracceptance of gig workers, whomay cost less. Such contractualemployment will also offer greater
www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 7
POINT OF VIEW
Gautam Brahma is a managementconsultant who advises start-ups andSMEs on strategy & operationsincluding sales, HR and IT. He carriesan experience of over four decades inthe public, private and non-profitsectors in telecommunications and ITindustries. He has been an invitedspeaker on multiple industry forumsand a monthly columnist on HRissues for nearly two decades.Gautam is based out of Gurgaonand can be reached [email protected].
About the Author
Fourthly, now that outcome-based monitoring has become widelyaccepted, companies may tweaktheir goal-setting, performanceappraisal and variable pay practicesto accommodate this lesson. Manycompanies that confined theirtarget-based variable pay policiesto sales staff may decide to extendthat approach to more segments oftheir workforce.
Even as companies assimilatethe lessons learnt from 2020 andplan their next steps for bettermanaging employees, there arenew and immediate challengeslooming in the new year. Formany companies, these will provedaunting, especially when seenalongside the lessons of 2020. Thesechallenges arise from the proposedchanges in employment-related
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flexibility in cost management asthis kind of engagement is easierto ramp down when work is lean.Companies can be expected torevisit and strengthen processesfor engaging people under a widerset of employment contracts -onrolls, part-time, piece-workbased, and full-time contractualworking outside the office.
Thirdly, companies will seevalue in restructuring compensationand benefits so that employees arereimbursed for investing inergonomic work environments,improved IT infrastructure andother costs incurred while workingfrom home. Some companies havealready started doing it byredefining allowances relating tocommuting and meals. Others maychoose to follow.
legislation. The new labour codeshave several novel features. Just togive two examples, allowancescannot comprise more than halfthe total compensation and overtimepay entitlements cover a greatervariety of positions. HR managerswill have to extensively review andrecast existing policies to meetthese and other new requirements.For many managers this will bethe most comprehensive overhaul ofcompensation and benefit systemsthey have ever been involved in.
“If 2020 was a yearof adapting to a sudden
shock and drawinglessons for the future,
the new year offersopportunities to deploy
those learnings andrespond to the
somewhat morebenign challenges…”
If 2020 was a year of adaptingto a sudden shock and drawinglessons for the future, the new yearoffers opportunities to deploy thoselearnings and respond to thesomewhat more benign challengesthat are specific and clearly visible.The old year was one of scramblingto improvise. The new year will beone of meticulous study anddetailing.
Before delving intothe main story, itis necessary toexamine the history
'Facts First' philosophy dominates the exercise relating toscenario building, creating alternatives futures, and thecomprehension of the possible impact of predeterminedson working location preferences in the future.
BY PRAVEEN SINHA
A (Un)Likely Reversal?
COVER STORY
of the Plague pandemicwhich was brought in fromHong Kong to British India in1896. It has been reported that it killed around 13.5Million people in undivided India over the next thirtyyears (1926). According to the World HealthOrganisation, the pandemic was considered to be activeuntil 1960, when worldwide casualties dropped to 200per year. The colonial government’s measures to controlthe disease in India included quarantine, isolationcamps and travel restrictions. As we know, post thepandemic, life became normal - until the advent ofCOVID-19 in 2020.
Considering the above, one would like to admit thatthis piece is ‘work in progress’, and before taking animaginative leap into the future, one has looked into
8 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
COVER STORY
the statistics available in the public domain onchanging work location preferences. Anestimated 72% of knowledge workers are notkeen to return to the office full-time, and hence,as preferred by the employees, companies arerequired to start investing in hybridenvironments. However, companies must bear inmind that ‘What goes up will come down’.
“An estimated 72% ofknowledge workers are notkeen to return to the office
full-time, and hence, as preferredby the employees, companies
are required to start investing inhybrid environments.”
www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 9
It is interesting to look at the survey reportposted by Slack, a US-based collaboration hub,to understand the current global trend. The
report indicates a clear preference for a hybridworking location. And, it appears as though thepreferences for a working location has been‘permanently disrupted’ due to COVID-19.However, one cannot be sure.
10 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
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We are undoubtedly standing at the dawn of a newera. But, I personally see a possible reversal in termsof work location preference for hybrid in favour of‘office only’. If not a complete reversal; the hybridworking location preference will weaken to a greatextent as compared to the current level i.e. 72%(though there is no exclusive survey report in the
Indian context available over the internet, the othercollective survey reports largely show similar trends inIndia).
In view of the emerging positive trends, as shownin the table alongside, we may like to examine andopen discussions on ‘Hybrid work location preferencepost COVID-19 vaccine,’ say in the next 5-10 years.
“A possible reversal interms of work
location preference forhybrid in favour
of ‘office only’ is highlylikely. If not a
complete reversal; thehybrid working
location preference willweaken to
a great extent…”
My discussions with corporateexecutives and students in India,the US and the UK reveal thatphysical presence might berequired for induction,orientations, teambuilding andproject kickoffs, but not necessarilyfor other work. They feel that thetasks that may take several hoursin the office or at universitycampuses may be completed injust a few hours at home or fromremote work locations (workplace).They see that remote workingworks well, and witness high
productivity! However, they areriddled with many questions,anxieties, and push backs, sincenothing is ‘absolute’ and lastsforever. Work location preferencesare something similar! Further, thereconfiguration of life will alwaysremain to be a challenge forhumanity.
Let us recap what we mean byHybrid work location preference.In the most generic usage, ‘Hybrid’is about reconfiguring life andcreating a more flexible future ofwork. In other words, hybrid work
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COVER STORY..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
tends to encompass more freedomaround ‘WHEN TO WORK ASWELL AS WHERE’. Thisdescription suggests that itgenerally grants more autonomy toemployees to fit work around theother aspects of their lives, ratherthan the other way round. Itclearly signifies that hybrid is thebest of both worlds - structure andsociability on one hand, andindependence and flexibility on theother.
Well, the new models of worklocation preferences arecontinuously evolving and are yetto assume a permanent pattern.Let us understand what Kissflow,a digital workplace solution andservices company having offices inthe US and India, is doing – theyhave introduced a mixed working
model called REMOTE+. Thecompany has distributed themonth in this manner - employeesto work three weeks fromanywhere with one week of office-based work. The company coversthe accommodation cost for theoffice week and allows employeesto return home for the rest of thetime.
It is true that differentindustries will respond differentlyto the issue of adapting to newwork location preferences - onemodel fits all will not work.
It is also necessary to examinework location preference from theangle of social needs fulfilment.We are well-acquainted withMaslow’s theory of hierarchy ofneeds wherein he talked aboutmoving from Physiological needsto Security needs to Social needsto Esteem needs to Self-actualisation. At this point of time,this theory is prompting us toconsider the influence of ‘Socialneeds’ (like affinity, relationship,belonging, affection, friendship)for people over working locationpreferences over a period of time.There is a feeling that hybridworking location preferences willcome at the cost of fulfilment ofsocial needs.
The arrival of the COVID-19vaccine, which is almost at thedoor step, will help people tocome out of the shell of‘insecurity’. It will also encouragethem to move from the securityneeds stage to the higher need i.e.social needs fulfilment. And that iswhen it will influence change inwork location preference in favourof office only location.
The recent experiences oflockdown relaxation followed byfestivals in India such asDussehra, Diwali, andThanksgiving- particularly in theUS, surge in domestic andinternational travels, rapidincrease in foot falls at the mallsetc. make it evident that people bynature cannot sacrifice or change
VARGHISE KVP and Head - Human Resources,CMS IT Services
“Covid-19 has forced organisationsto think differently. Organisationshave shrunk their physicalworkspaces to only house thoseemployees who's in-office presenceis essential for their BAU to runsmoothly, as well as a few additionalseats as per the hot-seat mechanismto accommodate others attendingoffice on need-basis. This system isrelatively new, and it is commendablehow well businesses have seamlesslymoved on to it and improvedproductivity, especially at the middleand upper level of the hierarchy.The ROI is also looking good, soorganisations are consideringcontinuing this hybrid model. Buton the flip side, "any-time-any-day"approach to work has significantlyincreased chances of 'burnouts'. Thefine line between work and home isfading.”
their basic nature of sociability.They cannot keep aside or puttheir social needs fulfilment on icefor long durations.
Presently, there is undoubtedlya tension between sociability andsafety from the point of view ofinfection contraction. But itappears as though that people willtry to reduce this tension andrevert to normal life. However, itis difficult to say how soon -possibly in the next 3-5 years.
Let us look at 4 + 4 scenarios(8 alternative futures) in thecontext of Maslow’s hierarchy ofneeds and working locationpreferences and fulfilment of socialneeds.
SUSHIL BAVEJAExecutive Director- HR, DCMShriram Ltd.
“The transition towards a hybridwork environment has already begun.What earlier was seen as a myth hasalready started taking shape ofreality. Corporates and employeescutting across sectors have startedadapting and accepting it as the workprotocol of future. Institutionalisingit requires an enabling ecosystemthat is characterised by significanttechnology adoption that enablesvirtual accomplishment of workprocesses and outcomes, a leadershipthat has a greater blend of empathy,compassion and trust along withsharp focus on deliverables &accountability, capability buildingacross levels for an effective virtualwork protocol management and aculture that drives collaboration,wellness, understanding andpsychological safety”
12 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
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Presently, there are severalquestions with respect to ourindulgence in visualising workinglocation preferences.
Are we into ‘Forecast’ mode?
Have we created ‘Scenarios’(alternative futures - moving outof traditional single future tomultiple futures) to understandthe working location preferences?
Do we have the sense of ‘newknowledge developing at thefringes’?Have we deliberated enoughover the fine balance ofpredictability and uncertainty inthe current and future businessenvironment?
Have we clearly understood theunfolding of ‘Predetermineds’?
Let us see what we mean byForecast, Scenario, Predeterminedsand Hope –
Forecasts
Single futureA statistical summary of expertopinion - also supported bysurvey dataIt requires that we first decidewhat we want to forecast (e.g.Demand of automobile, Workinglocation preferences etc)Forecasting is useful in the shortterm, where things are reasonablypredictable and uncertainty isrelatively minimal compared toour ability to predict
Scenario
Creating alternative or multiplefutures for different types ofindustriesA description of possible eventsand ‘weak signals’ which might
AKASH SANGOLEHead of Human Resource andGeneral Administration, PanasonicLife Solutions India Pvt.Ltd
“HR is positioned uniquely to leadenterprises, recover and thrive inthe new world of work. It is pivotalin creating vital leadership, shapingthe way enterprises recruit, developtalent, and take care of theirexperiences by acting as a drivingforce in keeping the workforce andorganisation engaged, productiveand resilient. Accelerating digitalHR, driving process improvements -concerning where and how toprioritise, along with the agility toperform better and be right in thegame. This would certainly be a'rebound' to the new beginning increating the “best of both worlds”for colleagues.”
www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 13
About the Author
Praveen Sinha is Ex Head - HR Centreof Excellence, Corporate HR, Escorts Ltdand Co-founder, People n Planet Fora.He comes with an experience of morethan 35 years and has worked in DamienFoundation, Belgium, Deepak Fertilizers& Petrochemicals Corporation, TataFinance, Raymond etc. Praveen has aPost Graduate degree in PersonnelManagement & Industrial Relationsfrom XISS Ranchi and is a Certifiedcoach-Art & Science of Coaching fromErickson coaching International.
have a dominating effect on theunfolding of the futureScenarios are used in estimatingthe probable effects of one or morevariables (Environment issueslike – Social, Political, Economic,Technology, Social - now Medical& Health is also added)A conceptual description of thefuture based on cause and effectDifferent parts of the world willdevelop in their own ways and atdifferent paces.Scenarios explore “how the worldwill work” in the future
PredeterminedsCertain events have alreadyoccurred, but their consequenceshave not yet unfolded. Our abilityto accurately comprehend thevisible effect of predeterminedsdecreases substantially as thefuture timespan increases. Forinstance, a bent for hybrid workinglocation preference, long–termeffect of COVID-19 on society, denton social needs fulfilment due toCOVID-19, wildfires in SouthernCalifornia, impact of changingdemographics, African AmericanCOVID-19 mortality etc.
HopeAs shown in the last diagram, hopeis the space created when
COVER STORY..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
‘uncertainty’ increases and visibleeffect of ‘predeterminends’ decreasessharply as we move into a distantfuture, say in the next 5-10 years.
As stated earlier, this article is‘work in progress’. ‘Facts First’philosophy dominates the exerciserelating to scenario building,creating alternatives futures,comprehension of the possibleimpact of predetermineds onworking location preferences in thefuture. For sure, it is serious workand requires a good amount ofresearch and deep exploration.
References
Internet research
Scenarios – The Art of StrategicConversation by Kees van der Heijden
The Art of Long Term View by PeterSchwartz
LIA LYNN MARCOSSenior Director, Regional HumanResources, APAC Sykes
“The key in successfullytransitioning to a hybrid work modelis having a clear understanding ofbusiness goals and HR knowing howto translate, handle, and supportboth work-at-home and brick-and-mortar models. Companies have tobe very clear that they need toensure quality delivery of needs forthe clients and customers,maintaining service excellencewithout sacrificing the applicantsand employee experience. Withthese goals in mind, companies needto deconstruct the current brickand-mortar service model and adaptthis to a remote workforce thatwould benefit employees no matterwhere they may be. Throughtechnology and digital tools,companies will be able to providesupport, coaching, and mentoringseamlessly.”
14 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
COVER STORY
BY NISHATH USMANI
The seeds of hybrid working model were sown many yearsago. However, it took a crisis like COVID-19 for such a modelto emerge as a reality.
On a chilly winter evening inDecember in 2011, I wasseated with my colleaguesand was watching the breath-
Is Hybrid WorkThe ‘Promised Land’ ?
‘The future is already here - it is just not evenly distributed’– William Gibson
taking performances of one of themost expensive shows of Cirque duSoleil. This was an evening out inParis; part of an official get togetherof the team of fairly junior, non-client facing staff, and spread over
four continents and fifteen countries.This was a biannual team meeting,that happened at various locations inEurope. If you are wondering howthis organisation could afford theseseemingly expensive offsites, withluxurious shows and dinners thrownin- your question is well placed. Theanswer lies in its unique businessmodel. A model that supported
www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 15
COVER STORY..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
remote work, brought in specialistworkers from across the globe;working for a common purpose.This was the genesis of whattoday, has come to be called ‘theHybrid Organisation!’ The seeds ofthis model were sown many yearsago. However, it took a crisis likeCOVID-19 for such a model toemerge as a reality. Like they say,‘the future is already here - it isjust not evenly distributed’.
So, what is a hybridorganisation? “It is a company ora team with a few employees whoare co-located and some otherswho work remotely, which is alsoreferred to as “hybridremote.”There are three fundamental shiftsthat underpin today’s hybridworking model:
Work is what you do, notwhere you go to: You could bein your office connected to acolleague who is in the nextcubicle, the next house or the nextcountry. Irrespective of yourlocation, it is business as usual foryour co-workers. Tools such asSlack, Asana, Trello, Google docsetc. have made collaborationpossible like never before.Technology enables you to checkinto the office reception when youcome to the office. However, whenyou do not, you will still be able tocome to the virtual reception, andenter your virtual meeting room.On the day of your onboarding,you meet the other joiners in theoffice’s virtual amphitheatre. So,the question of where you are nolonger remains as a matter ofconcern. What you do fromwherever you are is the only thingthat counts!
Work is about the outcomes,not the work: The advent of themultiplex transformed themovieviewing experience for anentire generation, who were usedto the ‘three shows only’ scenario.Similarly, the hybrid workingmodel has rendered the workconcept of 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.redundant. It is not about thehours that you spend working, it isabout the work that you do inthose hours. The concept of longworking hours still exists, but thehours have changed. You could callthe two hours in the evening asyour ‘Do not disturb hours’- andchoose to go for a painting class,so long as you compensate forthose hours. The core point is thatas an employee, you will bemeasured for the outcome of yourtasks, not the tasks themselves.
Work is about subcultures,not culture: Today, there is no‘one company culture’. In fact,several subcultures existsimultaneously. These subculturesare a great way to unite peoplewith their common interests.Professionals join to celebrate theirpassions and learn more abouttheir preferred way of living. The
concept of the community- asmaller set of people that you willgo to, is slowly becoming the orderof the day.
These positive shiftsnotwithstanding, the hybrid workingmodel may, in fact, prove to bedifficult to adopt. More than thetechnology and the tools, the realshift is required to happen in themind of the working employee.Here are a few reasons why thismay not be as easy as it seems:
Trust is in short supply:The hierarchical Indian societythrives on the inherent belief that‘all men are not made equal’.Caste, economic status, urban-rural, the reasons for demarcationare many and since everyone is notthe same; not everyone can betrusted. In a hybrid workenvironment, where you cannot seehalf the people you work with,trust becomes the most important
ADITYA KOHLICHRO, Clix Capital
“As an organisation builds newcapabilities, it must be extremelythoughtful about adapting to thechanging environment. Thepandemic has revolutionised the waywe look at Work, Workforce andWorkplace. Typically, large changestake place in waves. First, the earlyadopters who procure the benefit ofthe change but also carry the mostrisk as frontrunners. They willbecome the beacons to drive thenew normal. Then come the fence-sitters, who wait to see the impactand implications of the changebefore they adopt it. Spend timewith this group as they can offerincredible insights on what worksand what doesn't in ironing out thecrinkles. Finally, there are thenaysayers who need significantmotivation to change. They won'tchange on seeing the light but willafter feeling the heat.”
KAVITA NIGAMChief Human Resources Officer,KARAM Industries
“The new hybrid model promiseslower costs, more individualflexibility, and improved employeephysical health. It will pave a way totackle the threat of the pandemicbetter. However, for productivity,leadership is crucial, and teamleaders must seek concrete resultsand take accountability from theirteams. In the hybrid virtual model,teams also need to adopt new normsand change the way they work ifthey are to maintain and improve,through collaboration and innovation.Simultaneously, transparentcommunication and best technicalsupport are also very critical in thenew normal working.”
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currency. The ability to trustrequires an open mind. And tobecome trustworthy, you need togive more than you receive. InIndia, both these aspects seem tobe in short supply.
Emotional intelligence is arare intelligence: To be able tohear the tinge of sadness in thevoice over a zoom call, or to readthe frustration sitting betweenmultiple email lines – requires acertain amount of sensitivity andawareness. When employees meetface to face, the emotions and thebody language speak loud enough,but it is harder for most people to‘see’ this over electronic media. Asa result, unhappiness anddisillusionment creep into ourwork lives, and goes unnoticed byalmost everyone. And workcontinuously suffers.
Performance managementbecomes a black hole: Withphysically scattered team members,the role of the performance managercan be complex. The outcomes ofthe work must be so clearly definedor chunked such that it becomeseasy for anyone to make anassessment. Work in the hybridworking model is like a relay race,
AKANKSHA SANESenior Director- India HR Delivery,PTC Inc
“With the COVID situation, Hybridoptions have offered new remotework opportunities to manyemployees. Organisations mustconsider giving flexible work fromhome model especially for workingmothers to incorporate in theircorporate culture. This will eventuallylead to creating value in the companyand employees will have greaterresponsibility to perform at theirbest. Equipping all the employeeswith the tools and resources for theWork from Home option will help inworking seamlessly leaving them andeveryone satisfactory. 'Bring yourwhole self' to work, that's the culturethat we need to strive for, give thelevy to employees to manage workalong with personal demands.”
PRINCE AUGUSTINEVP Group Human Capital &Leadership Development, Mahindra& Mahindra
“Today, organisations have to planfor the workplace basis the roles andconvenience of the employees- thosewhose roles allow them to workfrom home, those who are facinginfrastructural challenges at homeand would prefer to come to office,and lastly, those for who work fromoffice is absolutely essential. It isthe accelerated digital adoption andinnovation that has played a crucialrole in a smooth transition to thesenew work models. A combination ofco-located and remote workpractices will allow companies toexperiment with a range of solutionsand provide flexibility and the bestof both worlds to the workforce.”
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Nishath Usmani is responsible forleadership development of seniorleaders at KPMG. She comes with anexperience of more than 18 years inleadership development, learningstrategy, talent management,facilitation, coaching & learningcommunications. She has workedpreviously worked in Capgemini'sCorporate University and DeloitteConsulting. Nishath is presentlypursuing Ph.D. in management (HR).
About the Author
that will help us thrive in thishybrid phygital future.
Be the Master orchestrator:The concept of bringing ‘one’s bestversion to work’ is passé. Thehybrid working model will compelemployees to bring their completeselves to work. After all, there isonly one ‘you’. You cannot be avery different avatar at home andsomething else at work. Whichmeans that as employees we willneed to develop skills of a masterorchestrator, stringing together theparent-teacher meetings and theclient presentations to ensure thesymphony of your life is beautiful.
Become the purposefulexecutor: It is very easy to losefocus and purpose in a hybrid workenvironment. For sure, there is noone physically breathing down yourneck, but work needs to get done.This means to be successful; onewill need to be high on execution,and also be purpose driven. Extrinsicmotivation will help so much afterthat employees will need to searchand harness their purpose to reachtheir full potential.
Build the community: Thehybrid working model will make theworld a smaller place and, in someway, make us go back to the basics.Just like in the preurbanisationera, people lived in communities,employees will align themselves toself-sufficient or likemindedcommunities. This will mean thatwe need to excel in communicationbecause ‘reaching out’ will harder;but it is this skill that we will helpgrow.
Make ‘kind and empathetic’your middle name: With oneemployee in Irkutsk in Russia andanother in Zaragoza in Spain, teammembers will have no option butto adapt to different cultures,languages and time zones. This willmean that patience, gratitude andkindness need to become key workcompetencies. One will need todevelop strong empathy andcollaboration skills along withtechnical competence.
“…and He’s allowed me to goup to the mountain. And I’ve seen
with everyone picking up the batonhoping that the other runs just asfast. In reality, the chunking ofwork in such a manner is notalways possible in a fluid,collaborative work environment.
Flexibility is flexible: Howflexible is flexible? This can be anendless discussion depending onwhich side of the table you are on.You could be a team member whodoes not want to attend a morningmeeting because you want to takethe yoga class. As a manager, youinsist on the morning meeting,because you have a doctor’sappointment for your mother inthe evening. So, where does onedraw the line? Besides, if schedulesand timelines become flexible, thenthe concept of ‘EoD’ itself changes.
So, is the hybrid working modelnot the ultimate panacea or thewin-win for all? Well, it could be,if we, as leaders and teammembers, develop a few core skills
the Promised Land” says Abrahamin the Book of Genesis. In manyways, the hybrid working modelmay be the promised land, withone important caveat. “Leave yourcountry, your people and yourfather’s household”- said God incontinuation. Similarly, we willneed to leave our narrow definitionsof work and workplace if we wantto truly become inhabitants of the‘promised land!’
ABHAY SRIVASTAVAChief Human Resource Officer, IKSHealth
“The pandemic has taught us manythings, and mainly, resilience asindividuals and adaptability asbusinesses will be the criticalingredients for winning in the futurework environments. As we cross overto the other side of this pandemic,inventing and adapting hybrid workdynamics, will be integral to HRstrategy. We must provide a workenvironment that is agile and focusedon technology-led businessenablement. As human capital leaderswe must create capabilities by swifttechnology adoption; empower theworkforce by upskilling redundancies;and generate excitement by providinga dynamic work paradigm.”
BENAIFER PALSETIAChief Human Resources Officer,Indostar Capital Finance
“The pandemic has radically alteredthe work paradigm and forcedorganisations to adapt to a dynamicbusiness environment with sustainedurgency. It has enabled the pursuitof a hybrid model that promotesInnovation & Sociability along withIndependence & Flexibility. The focuswill not only be to drive technologicalenhancement but also to grant moreautonomy to employees. Re-skillingand upskilling employees will be toppriority in ensuring strategies of thefuture are sustained at scale.Leadership strategies built aroundthe workforce will be returned withenthusiasm, loyalty and trust by theemployees when the pandemicfinally fades off.”
INTERVIEW
Future-ProofingYour Career
BY ANKITA SHARMA
There is no job security anymore. This probably isn’t news to you — 2020 seemedtailor-made to remind us that nothing is predictable. But the question remains:how can you prepare in 2021 to make your career future-proof no matter whatgets thrown at you? Tough times like the pandemic can create the impression that,as professionals, we’re in the grips of forces beyond our control. Dorie Clark, aleading authority on self-reinvention and bestselling author who teaches at DukeUniversity’s Fuqua School of Business and Columbia Business School, doesn’tentirely buy this. In an interaction with Human Capital, she discusses whatindividuals can do to build career resiliency. She also shares actionable tips todevelop an intrapreneurial mindset and lays out the steps for creating a personalbrand as an asset that pays dividends over one’s entire career.
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INTERVIEW
you are smart and strategic, youcan use those hours more effectively.This doesn’t mean that yousuddenly need to invent 20 hours aweek out of whole cloth. That’s notpossible.
If you can find time to buildand develop things slowly, you willmake demonstrable progress. Andit builds up. It’s like the compoundinterest that you would gain in anyinvestment. Spend an hour or twoper week to experiment, like takingon a free client to get arecommendation or a testimonial,writing a blog post so that youhave content to put on yourwebsite, sharing your ideas publiclyso that other people notice you, orputting together a presentation thatyou can send to prospective clientswho are inquiring about the workthat you do.
Over time, you can get muchfurther than you might imagine.There’s a saying that most peopleoverestimate what they can do in aday and underestimate what theycan do in a year. I really believethat’s true.
Global recruitmentspecialist Michael Page named‘intrapreneurship’ as the mostin-demand skill for 2020because an increasing numberof companies are looking fortalent with entrepreneurialtraits. How can individualscultivate and hone the mindsetof an intrapreneur?
Being an intrapreneurial thinkerwithin a corporation is an incrediblyvaluable skill. Essentially, it’s abouthaving an ownership mentality. Anintrapreneur has agency and is notjust sitting back like a robot waitingto be told what to do.
I give speeches and deliverwebinars all around the world for avariety of corporations. I can’t tellyou how many people come to meregarding this specific issue.Leaders often ask me how they canget their employees to take moreresponsibility and be moreproactive.
You have written andspoken extensively about howpeople — even those who havefull-time, steady jobs — shouldleverage their expertise andskills to develop multipleincome streams. Why isbuilding diverse sources ofincome essential forprofessionals in any field?
Professionals need to buildmultiple income streams becausehaving one full-time job that’s safeand secure is an illusion. In mostcases, having a job is secure until itisn’t. I learned this lesson very earlyon when I was a journalist andsuddenly got laid off from my job. Ididn’t have a Plan B or a lot ofsavings. Moreover, I lost my jobright before September 11th, 2001.Looking for work amid suchmassive economic and sociopoliticaluncertainty was terrifying. This waswhen I realised that the more legswe can have on our table, the moresecure we will be. Having multiplestreams of income is a way oflimiting risk. It’s a way of capturingthe additional upside, and itenables you to sleep better at night.
Corporations are going to dowhat is necessary to sustainthemselves. Given changes inindustry trends and unpredictablesituations like the ongoingpandemic, there will be layoffs. Weneed to make sure, as much as wecan, that we are insulated againstsuch uncertainty. Creating side gigsand diverse sources of income isone of the ways we can protectourselves from disruptions.
In building a portfolio career,how does one determine whatone’s side gigs could be?
When determining what yourside gig could be, you want to gofor the low-hanging fruit. The bestmethod is to look at the things thatpeople around you already come toyou for. Other people can oftentimesrecognise your areas of expertisemore easily than you can. Many ofus think that something is easy andeveryone can do it. But the truth is
that it may be easy for you but notfor other people.
Think about what it is thatpeople are always trying to tap youfor. Maybe you are a greatphotographer, so you’re always thefriend that people ask to takesnapshots. Maybe you have a greatfashion sense, and people ask youfor your suggestion about puttingtheir wardrobes together. Perhapsyou have an interest in technology,and people want your advice aboutthe products they should buy orhow to install them. These are allthings that you can leverage. Thisdoesn’t mean that you’re going tostart charging your friends for theseservices. However, if you arestrategic about it, you can startdoing things for free, asking fortestimonials and referrals, and startcharging your friend’s friends forthese services over time. That’s howa business begins.
“Professionals need tobuild multiple income
streams because havingone full-time job that’ssafe and secure is an
illusion. In most cases,having a job is secure
until it isn’t.”One of the things some
readers might be thinkingabout right now is, ‘How do Ifit a side hustle into analready-busy schedule?’ Whatwould your advice be for them?
When you start a side gig, itwill take up additional time onyour nights and weekends. There’sno way around it. If it were easy,everyone would be doing it. Butthat is what separates the peoplewho are successful from the peoplewho lie around and say, ‘Oh, it’d begreat to do something’ or ‘I wish Icould do something.’ We all havethe same 168 hours in a week. If
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HR and business leaders needto de-risk the process for potentialintrapreneurs. First, publicly callout the fact that intrapreneurialbehaviour is encouraged. Second,celebrate employees who do behavein such a manner. When you seesuccess, hold it up, shine a light onit, and say, “This is what we’relooking for.” When you are praisingcertain behaviours, you willgenerally get more of those kindsof behaviours.
Perhaps even more critically,corporations need to hold up andcelebrate the people who havefailed in their intrapreneurialendeavours within the company.That’s the part that people aremost afraid of: what happens to allthe people who tried something butdidn’t work out? Did they getbroomed out? Leaders need to holdup that person and let it be knownthat you are praising their effort.
It doesn’t matter if the projectfailed because the whole point ofintrapreneurial thinking is not aboutspending millions and billions ofrupees trying to accomplishsomething. It is about trying to testsomething quickly on a tightbudget and validate it. If it doesn’twork, it’s not the end of the world,because you didn’t spend a lot oftime or money. In fact, you have avictory since you have more dataand information, which will enableyou later to make better andsmarter choices.
In your book, ReinventingYou, you describe a three-stepprocess to personal branding.Why is a personal brandimportant, and how couldeach step you’ve laid out helppeople get started on thisfront?
Your personal brand is asynonym for your reputation. Itmatters enormously because mostpeople in the world are not thoseyou have worked with personallyand directly. The vast majority hearabout you through secondhandinformation. Thus, you want them
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If you are looking to cultivateyour intrapreneurial skill as anemployee, the most important thingis to recognise that you have theability to do so. You shouldn’t waitfor permission. Of course, thatdoesn’t mean that you should gowild or do things that you knowyour company would look ataskance. It means thinkingcreatively.
When you see a problem, ratherthan just saying to your manager,‘Oh, there’s a problem; what shouldI do?’ come up with potentialsolutions. Even better, to the extentthat it’s possible, test out somesolutions. See what you can gin up.Is there a low-cost experiment thatyou could try? Is there some waythat you could begin to validatesomething?
The key to developing anintrapreneurial mindset is not torely on the comforts of the corporateapparatus. Corporations often haveenough money and manpower to goaround. If you are a scrappyentrepreneur, you don’t have those.You have to rely on your wits andsome duct tape to get things done.If you bring this kind of mentalityto a corporation, it’s extraordinarilypowerful.
If you had no resourceswhatsoever, were constrained bybudget, manpower, and time, howcould you effectively solve the
problem? Thinking within this frameof mind can often lead you torobust solutions.
“The key to developingan intrapreneurial
mindset is not to relyon the comforts of thecorporate apparatus.”
While companies likeGoogle, Intel, and 3M are well-known for their intrapreneurialsuccess, it’s still difficult todrive intrapreneurship withinmany organisations. How canHR and business leaderscontribute to developing andsustaining entrepreneurialattitudes in employees?
One of the keys for corporationsto encourage intrapreneurialthinking within their employees isto understand why they are notbehaving entrepreneurially. By andlarge, it comes down to one majorreason, which is that people areafraid to take risks because theyare scared they will fail. They believethat failure will lead to punishmentor, perhaps, the loss of their job. Ifthat’s what people think, you canunderstand why they wouldn’t wantto be intrapreneurial. Who wants totake a risk that will lead to themgetting fired?
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to hear good things. You want tohave a great reputation so that ifsomeone becomes aware of you, theinformation about you makes themwant to work with you or hire you.
I suggest a three-step approach topersonal branding:
i. The first step is to get a senseof how you’re currentlyperceived in the marketplace.One simple and fun way to do thisis what I call the ‘three-wordexercise.’ Reach out to friends andcolleagues who know you reasonablywell, and ask them, ‘If you coulduse only three words to describeme, what would they be?’ By thetime you get to the fifth or sixthperson, you will see patterns inwhat people tell you.
It’s helpful because most of ushave a limited idea of what it isabout ourselves that people find themost distinctive and unique. Whenyou begin to get insight into that, itenables you to figure out yourstrengths and what you can leaninto to drive your competitiveadvantage.
ii. The next step is to understandwhat you would like yourbrand to be and imagine thefuture you want. That involvesdoing some creative visioning,identifying where you want to go,and looking at what you need toclose any gaps. It could beadditional training, taking classes,working on beefing up some ofyour soft skills, expanding yournetwork in a different industry, orcultivating contacts outside of yourcompany if you have been at yourorganisation for a long time.
iii.The final step is what I callliving out your brand. Manypeople think about developing apersonal brand as a one-timeactivity, but that’s not right. Youare constantly recreating yourbrand with each interaction youhave with people. So you need tobe very conscious about how youare presenting yourself. Thatdoesn’t mean being fake or stilted.It means understanding the
messages that you are sending on aday-to-day basis.
Who comprises your circle thatyou hang out with? Who are thepeople you surround yourself with?What kind of leadership roles haveyou taken on? What are the thingsyou talk about? How do you treatother people? All of these questionsmatter as they shape your personalbrand and how others perceive you.
“The whole point ofintrapreneurial thinking
is not about spendingmillions and billions of
rupees trying toaccomplish something.
It is about trying to testsomething quickly on a
tight budget andvalidate it. If it doesn’t
work, it’s not the end ofthe world, because you
didn’t spend a lot oftime or money. In fact,you have a victory sinceyou have more data andinformation, which will
enable you later tomake better and
smarter choices.”Over the past year, several
million people across theglobe lost their jobs. Whatadvice do you have for thosecoping with a layoff?
As I mentioned earlier, I waslaid off during the chaos followingthe 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US.So I can empathise with peoplewho have lost their jobs. Oneadvantage, if we can call it that, oflosing your job in a pandemic isthat it is less stigmatised. Peoplewill not immediately assume thatyou got laid off because you mustbe terrible at your job. There’s a lot
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more understanding in themarketplace because we’re in apandemic, and the economy isterrible.
You could be an amazingemployee and performer, but theresimply aren’t jobs to be had insome industries during aninternational crisis. This situationmakes it easier for you to breakinto other sectors because manysmart employers see it as theirlucky break to get high-qualitytalent that otherwise would havebeen swept up by other companiesand industries.
Here are some key points toconsider when searching for a job:
Sometimes, when people arelaid off, they get panicky andbecome profligate in their jobapplications. They start treatingtheir resume like an assembly line,sending it off to hundreds ofplaces. This a mistake because thepoint isn’t to play a numbers gamebut to be deliberate. If you are inan industry that has collapsedduring COVID-19, and you need toshift to a new industry, you are ata bit of a disadvantage becauseyour experience has been inanother realm. You’ve got to bethoughtful about making a case forhow your skills translate. Writedeliberate cover letters, explainingthe skill translation, and what youcan bring to your new job.
The best way to break into anew job, particularly in a newindustry, is to have a warm leadthat will vouch for you. Taking thetime to use social media sites, suchas LinkedIn or even Facebook, tosee who you know, who works at aparticular company or knows acertain hiring manager is important.You will be far more likely to getan interview or possibly even landa job if you have someone that theyalready trust vouching for you andsaying, ‘Well, she might not haveexperience in this particularindustry, but she’s smart. She’ll beable to pick up whatever shedoesn’t know very quickly.’
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ften, Learning departmentsdo not merely jostle byimplementing a programmeO
BY DIPANKAR DAS
Implementing Learning interventions is never easy,but good preparation, more often than not, helpsachieve the intended learning outcomes.
Easy Does It!
LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Alpha launches, the same does nothold for classroom Training. Hence,approximate ways to reduce risksand take pre-emptive measuresbefore a full-scale launch are amust-do.
Key LookoutsSome of the key aspects we needto be on the lookout for have beenlisted. First and foremost, get thestakeholders on your side. Theyshould believe in the programmeand recognise the value it brings.Remember, they generally controlthe purse strings and not havingthem on board would derail theshow, and, conversely, theirsupport will ensure the smoothrunning of the Programme.
programme implementation too.The Training Needs Analysis allowsthe Programme Managers tounderstand the skill gaps that existand what the stakeholders wantthe programme to contain. Boththese expectations need to be wellblended.
Pilot PracticeLarge scale implementations arechallenging, not just logistically,but also due to the risk of mistakes,overruns and scope creep. Hence,it is advisable that before we go infor full-fledged implementation,would prove to be hugely beneficial.While digital learning has thisbaked-in in its developmentprocess with rapid prototyping and
or two. Quite often, there are big-ticket programme launches thatrequire several months of advancedplanning. The L&D department ina large MNC in India was taskedwith creating an elaborate Learningintervention for a sister business’sFast Track employees. Thisbusiness was based in the MiddleEast and the programme wouldinvolve the Fast Trackers travellingto India, Manila and East Europeto undergo this programme. Theprogramme would comprise notjust a few key modules, butaddresses by select members ofthe India business leadershipteam, psychometric assessmentsand debrief, meeting with domainexperts with HR and Learningpersonnel handholding themthrough the entire programme.And to boot, the programmewould be a paid opportunity, sothe India business would actuallyearn additional revenue fordesigning and implementing thisprogramme. L&D departments,typically far removed from revenueopportunities, could not fathomthe quantum of their happiness atthe prospect of earning.
Readying for the RunIn the past articles, we haddiscussed the importance of doinga good Training Needs Analysis, ofdesigning well and then deliveringwith expertise. Well, that is trulythe groundwork for good
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“The stakeholdersgenerally control thepurse strings and nothaving them on boardwould derail the show,and, conversely, their
support will ensure thesmooth running of the
Programme.”The next set of participants in
the programme who need to bealigned are the Trainersthemselves. The Train the Trainerprogramme and the subsequentcertification are a key QualityControl measure and pregnantwith consequences, if not donewell. Remember, the Trainers willcarry the value of the Programmeon their shoulders. They are theanchors of the programme, both interms of domain knowledge, andbeing the ambassadors of theprogramme. A single misstep ontheir part may prove to be one toomany. Hence, they need to becertified for domain knowledgeand, side by side, calibrated to thevision, imbued with the values andaligned to the end goals of theprogramme. Anything less willresult in slippages which could beput the programme at considerablerisk.
Next, the programme needs tobe socialised. Organisations shouldknow about its existence, the valueit brings to the table and benefitsit promises, not just to the narrowcircle of participants, but to theorganisation as a whole. Here, theintent needs to be to generateawareness, but also an aspirationalvalue associated with theprogramme. That in turn ensuresthe transformation of reluctantparticipants into enthusiasticlearners. Also, not just for onebatch, this programme thenbecomes a fixed lodestar forachievers in the organisation.
It is one thing to createaspiration for a programme, quite
another to prep the participants.They are both the customers andrecipients of the programme. Theirbuy-in is critical and linked to thekey adult learning principle ofwhat is in it for them. They needto know upfront that which isexpected of them. How they willbenefit. Logistically, they need toknow the time it will consume, thetravel it will involve. Actually, adedicated Orientation Programmefor them would go a long way.This sensitisation upfront helps notjust in planning, but develops abroader acceptance, even a senseof anticipation and helps to obviatelast minute surprises and the lackof preparedness.
“The Trainers carrythe value of the
Programme on theirshoulders. They arethe anchors of the
programme, both interms of domain
knowledge, and beingthe ambassadors ofthe programme.”
Going GranularAs they say, the devil is in thedetails. And the details have adevilish propensity to derail welllaid out plans. Hence, it is advisableto take a Project Managementapproach to the execution of theProgramme. What is meant by theProject Management approach isthat we develop a robust plan withtimelines and responsibilities foreach deliverable and understandthe interrelationship between thedeliverables. From the high-levelcommunications to planning thelogistics, it needs to be seamless.Coming down to the most granularis how we ensure the TrainingRooms are set up, amenitiesprovided and how learning friendlythey are. It goes without saying
Dipankar Das is the author ofCracking the CSAT Code at the CallCentre. He has worked in diverseorganisations, including Genpact,Concentrix and Tata Projects Ltd. He iscurrently Vice President and GlobalHead of Skill Development at iSONExperiences.
About the Author
that optimal AV arrangements,flipcharts, whiteboards, preferablya cluster or horseshoe sittingarrangement, enables learning toflow smoothly. Unfortunately, dueto poor infrastructure, it is verycommon to witness a reversePareto, where a huge adverseimpact on learning happens due tothe smallest logistical lacunae orproblems with physical outlay.
Such programmes rarely beginor end in the classroom. There arepre-work studies to be done andpost-work to be followed up with.Both are important for the initiationand internalisation of the keylearning flowing from theprogramme. Following up on post-learning activities is a tough task,as most participants, once out ofthe Training room, get lost in theday-to-day Operations and lose thesense of urgency which may havebeen there in the Training room.
A long story shortComing back to our original story.Endless hours went into planningand when our participants landedfrom the Middle East, most ofthem coming to India for the firsttime, Murphy’s law could haveplayed truant. However, theadvance planning paid off. Theparticipants learned well, enjoyedthe sights and sounds of India,during the weekends, and leftsatisfied enough to give verypositive feedback, which resultedin this programme becoming anannual feature and part of theIndividual Development Path forthe Fast Trackers.
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which the world needs good PeopleLeaders. The year 2020 has putmany People Leaders on a steeplearning curve to tide overunprecedented leadership challengescaused by the pandemic. As we pinour hopes for a safer 2021, many areleft wondering as to what needs tobe done to support the people undertheir care, given the backdrop of theevolving situation.
While some organisations arepartially back to normal working withprecautions, several others arelooking at tweaking policies tocement flexi-working as they journeyinto the future. This arrangement,however, is not the same as workfrom home, as the select workforceis operating in the presence of keystakeholders at home and they domerit their share of attention andtime.
COVID-19 has followed a non-discriminatory approach by affectingpeople regardless of their workspacesin multiple ways. The evolvingsituation has become our bestteacher. It is an undeniable fact thatall employees, whether sweating outon site or working from home whilestruggling to maintain personal spaceat times, deserve a higher degree ofempathetic leadership. Work hasinvaded into our family spaces witha prolonged remote workingarrangement and some family choreshave invaded into our workspace.Leadership is not only about being
olatility, Uncertainty,COVID-19 and Ambiguityare the precise reasons for
BY JAYDEEP DAS
Organisations cannot be resilient if their People Leadersare not in harmony with the evolving contextualcompetencies. Given the uncertainty, nothing beats aleader with humility, perseverance, and creativeness onany given day.
A Few Desirable ACTS
LEADERSHIP
Vprofit focused, but also about beingresponsible as a shepherd for thewell-being of a thriving workforce.
Given the COVIDIfiedconstraints, it is certainly a huge askof any leader. However, the journeycan be more engaging if our peopleleaders demonstrate these ACTSprominently as we journey further.
AuthenticityBeing authentic is the ability to dowhat you say and say what you do. Itis all about practicing what youpreach. Even in the absence ofperfect answers, leaders should keeplistening to their team members andempathise with their concerns.Leaders should not be hesitant toshare their own concerns with theteam. Moving one step further,authenticity is not exactly aboutpositional authority, rather, it is onmoral authority. Respect comes as aprecursor for being an influentialleader.
Positional authority provides aleader with influence with a specificcontext for a limited time, whereasmoral authority lingers well beyondthe reporting diagrams. Needless tosay, that the moral authority isessential more so during times ofdisruptions and uncertainties. It isabout having the nerve to say thatwe do not have the solutions nowbut will try to get them as we walkalong. Once we are able to walk thetalk then employees will start tobelieve in our thinking process,engagements and responses. As apeople leader, one needs to be
“Respect comesas a precursor forbeing an influentialleader. Positionalauthority provides aleader with influencewith a specificcontext for a limitedtime, whereas moralauthority lingers wellbeyond the reportingdiagrams.”
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exceedingly human. Consistentdemonstration of concern for real fearsand anxieties being experienced byemployees, not only professionally andeconomically, but also socially andpersonally is what will keep the flocktogether and flourishing. Addingempathy in all leadership dispensationsis critical in the distance economy.
Crisis ResiliencyA resilient leader remains glued to theorganisation’s core strategic intent andgrabs every transformationalopportunity while managing the day-to-day confusion. The Leader’s ability toput safety and wellbeing of people first,
and broadly trust in the team asleaders in their own space is whatmakes resiliency easier. Leaders mustemulate forward-leaning and the senseof urgency as competencies to shapethe future as a team. Delegation isanother pivot that empowers the teamto own their functioning and coping.Leaders of 2021 cannot afford to beafraid to let go and delegate to others.The ability and willingness to give upcontrol and decentralise power thatcomes alongside responsibilities isimperative.
A good leader who understandsrisks and repercussions of a delayeddecision acts on early signals of troubleand does not hesitate to make tough in-time decisions. In times of greatuncertainty, people expect their leadersto lead with calmness, composure, thewillingness to share information withclarity, and the audacity to admit ifthey need to change course. Goodleadership embraces the uncertaintyand speed of change with agility. Aleader’s own emotional resilience whenconfronted with ambiguity is thefoundation to what the team canachieve. Leaders and managers whocan maintain psychologically safe andemotionally resilient teams even duringsuch times will truly experience theimpact of what motivated teams can do.
A growth and newness inclinedmind-set, as opposed to ‘been there,done that’ will allow leaders toexperiment, learn from failures, andinculcate the same tenet in their teammembers. Now is the time to reinventteams that will thrive in the workspaceof tomorrow.
TrustTrust is earned and that feeds intoinfluencing ability. People crave forcertainty even during ambiguous timessuch as this has been. Credibility setsthe foundation for trust building andonce trust sets in leaders arepositioned as influencers. All peopleleaders need to hear this out loudly,“You can be uncertain but you cannotbe unclear.” In simple words, leadersneed to be adequately clear incommunicating the exact situation theyare in or the developments goingforward.
26 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Jaydeep Das provides strategicleadership as International Head –People & Culture for Children Believe.Prior to his association with ChildrenBelieve, he has provided his leadership toChildFund International as the DirectorHR, Administration & IT. He started hiscareer in corporate sector and thenmoved to World Vision India in 2006.
About the Author
Pretention is a pitfall that allleaders need to acknowledge.Pretention erodes credibility muchquicker than a simple admission of “Ido not know” stand. Be clear evenwhen you are not sure about things.An individual will be more open forinfluence when she or he is convincedthat the leader is aware of the feelingof the individual. Leaders need to bemore human and check-in often withthe people they have. I personally donot recollect any exit interview inwhich communication was cited asthe reason for leaving. Trust takes along time to establish, but only amoment to crash. Hence, it is vital tosafeguard honesty at any point in time.
StewardshipLeadership implies responsibility topeople under care and attracts dutyof care approach. With teams workingfrom home, some on sites, leadershave to play the role of the bindingglue that brings people together on acommon purpose where everyonefeels valued and included. Managersneed to be mindful not let ‘out ofsight, out of mind’ mind-set to creep in.Inclusive leadership is key to chase
success. Leadership is not aboutmaking decisions on your own, butowning the decision once you makethem, so seek counsel, consult andlet the decision be co-owned by yourpeople at large. Keep your life simple,it helps. It is critical to realise thatyou cannot expect the team to doanything that you will not do yourself.
As leader, one critical piece is toprotect learning budgets to avoid anyregret later. The current crisis willrequire a larger skill shift much morethan before for the next normal.Leaders should step up as shepherds.A shepherding presence in matterspertaining to the team is moreimportant than the best of the bestpresentation.
Happy 2021!
“Leaders of 2021cannot afford to beafraid to let go anddelegate to others.The ability andwillingness to giveup control anddecentralise powerthat comes alongsideresponsibilities isimperative.”
LEADERSHIP
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Greening TheGreenhorns
BY VIKAS DUA
CAREER MANAGEMENT
For most managers that inhabit our workplaces, a greatfoundation at the start of their career often plays adefining role in the success that they are able to achieveover the long-term.
At the turn of the millennium,the stars aligned in moreways than one with the arrival
Greening TheGreenhorns
BY VIKAS DUA
of a strapping young man in tinseltown. Clad in a stylish leatherjacket and riding a throbbing sportsbike, he roared into the frame anda star was born in the Indianconstellation. Welcomed by whistlesand shrieks in cinema halls acrossthe country, he immediately won amillion hearts. Post the release ofthis romance-themed movie, 'KahoNa Pyaar Hain', Hrithik Roshanwas flooded by as many as 30,000marriage proposals, apart frommore than a few cherished awards!These were undoubtedly a testamentto the impact he had managed tocreate on the big screen.
A Bollywood inspirationFor a nation that is forever in lovewith Bollywood and is looking foryet another star to worship, it wasas if he had just descended fromheaven. This belief also fit in wellwith the much-loved narrative ofstar-kids being born and silver-gloved into stardom. Many ascribedhis huge achievement to the luckof having been born into one ofBollywood's well-established families.What many of the adulatory fansacross the country missed was thehard work and guidance prior tothis mega launch that had chiselledHrithik into the star he had become.
But Bollywood is hardlyconsidered to be a professionalenvironment, for reasons we willnot get into here. So, let us cut to
For most managers that inhabit our workplaces, a greatfoundation at the start of their career often plays adefining role in the success that they are able to achieveover the long-term.
the corporate world and look at thedynamics for those starting out. Inthe Indian landscape, education andwork have traditionally seen as twoseparate phases in our lives. It isnaturally assumed that only aftercompleting one's academic journeywould one embark into theprofessional sphere. By design,therefore, it implies that all thatone must learn has to be imbibedduring the span of one's years as astudent, and after entering theworkplace, one would be apractitioner-someone who wouldhave the wherewithal toindependently discharge his or herresponsibilities effectively from theword 'go'.
Employment is the besteducationTo be fair, that is not an impediment
that cannot be surmounted. And,to ratify this, one need not lookany further than one of India'smost iconic leaders, Azim Premji.Forced to cut short his studies atStanford University upon the demiseof his father, he took charge ofWipro in 1966 when he was only21 years of age. In the decades thatfollowed, he built it up into themulti-billion dollar global, diversifiedcorporation that it is today. Whilewe do get inspired by his stellarachievements, I am sure we mustalso have the maturity to understandthat leaders of such calibre are fewand far between.
It is for reasons such as thisthat many leading organisationsacross the world focus on creatingenabling programmes for newrecruits and set them up for long-term success. Unilever's
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Vikas Dua is an accomplished HR andrecruitment professional, a TEDxspeaker, and a Vlogger and Blogger onHR practices. With over 15 years ofhigh-quality experience in the field of ITand ITES, he has worked with bothstart-ups and large corporations likeWipro and Concentrix. Currently, he isChief HR Mentor at Attayn, an HR-techplatform focused on democratisingknowledge in the academic space.
About the Author
'Management / Executive TrainingProgrammes' are legendary.Students from the best of businessschools across the globe vie to getinto these programmes, knowingthat they represent a 'goldstandard' as far as professionaltraining is concerned. Manyexecutives who have been fortunateenough to be burnished throughthese programmes have gone on tolead not only Unilever, but equallyreputed organisations across theworld. The 'Oberoi Centre ofLearning and Development'designed and operated by TheOberoi Hotels, is also anotherclassic example of a 'ManagementTrainee' programme executed toperfection. Combining a mix ofclassroom and on-the-job training,it churns out hospitalityprofessionals who hold their own,from New York to New Delhi.
Depending on the requirements ofthe organisation, it must includecritical dimensions and tracks toensure that the right exposure isprovided to those undergoing it.Rotation across the tracks providesthe incumbents holistic learningabout the business and builds theircapabilities.
Guidance from mentors: One ofthe fundamental building blocks ofa training programme like thisshould be the integration of mentorsto support the development of theparticipants. The mentors shouldbe identified from within or outsidethe organisation and assigned aftercareful deliberations. Often, whilethe quality of mentors is very high,their inability to extract time fromthe busy schedules to support theirmentees becomes a hurdle indriving success of the programme.
Introduction to latesttechnologies and thoughts: Giventhat the entire objective of atraining programme like this is toprepare the next generation ofleaders, it is essential to providethem unhindered access to thelatest thoughts, practices endtechnologies in the space that theorganisation operates in. It,therefore, also flows that theprogramme content and deliverypattern must continuously evolve.
Exposure to challengingassignments: Nothing great isachieved by remaining within one'scomfort zone. And when it comesto the high-quality talent that isinput into such a trainingprogramme, it is quite natural toexpose each one of them tochallenging assignments. Thisserves a dual purpose- it preventsthem from sensing a feeling ofboredom and also pushes them toextend the boundaries that havebeen established by the organisationtill that point.
Opportunity to go beyond thedefined scope: To try to truly takeout the best from your futureleaders, within the structure of theprogramme allow them to gobeyond the defined charter. As you
give them the confidence that theyhave the inherent capability to begame changers, you will see manymore of them taking the initiativeto go beyond the mandate andcreate newer avenues of success forthe organisation.
It would be fair to say thatHrithik went through a similar'training programme' in hisformative years in his chosen field.In the years leading up to hisdebut film, he had learnt thebusiness of the movies from theinside out. He had spent countlessdays in the film studio, playingmultiple roles on the productionside. From fetching tea to sweepingthe sets, nothing was out of scopein the journey of learning. And, ashe graduated to more deservingresponsibilities, he was ably guidedby the production house's team.Only after a few years of 'scrubbingin' under their watchful gaze, didhe turn to face the camera. And astar was born 'overnight'.
In a similar manner, for mostmanagers that inhabit ourworkplaces, a great foundation atthe start of their career often playsa defining role in the success thatthey are able to achieve over thelong-term. Therefore, if the abovelisted aspects are kept in mindwhile designing a managementtrainee programme, you can be restassured that you will be able tocreate a pathway towards successfor your young leaders. They maynot be able to set the dance floorablaze as well as Hrithik, but theywill surely brighten up yourorganisation's future!
Grooming them youngProgrammes such as thesesuccessfully bridge the gap betweenthe academic and the professionalphases for those young entrantsentering our workplaces and putthem on a solid footing. So, whatare some of the facets of suchprogrammes that 'green thegreenhorns'?
Immersion in a structuredprogramme: A critical requirementof any such programme aiming toget your future leaders off to theright start is that it must bestructured. There must be a definedprogramme charter that arises fromthe overall programme objective.
“At the young ageof 21, Azim Premji,upon the demise of
his father, was forcedto cut short his studiesat Stanford University
to take charge ofWipro in 1966.”
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COVID-19 Pandemic &The Job Market
restrictions, hiring in India declined to an all-new lowof -50% (year-on-year) in April ‘20.
Organisations around the world had to grapple with
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T he COVID-19-led pandemic brutally battered theIndian job market. LinkedIn’s monthly “LabourMarket Update” found that due to the lockdown
unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic as theworld of work transformed overnight. Though marketpundits predicted a grim future for the job market,hiring activities, surprisingly, swung back to almost-normalcy once organisations settled down to therealities of work from home.
A few trends in the Job Market in 2020
30 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Tsomething older than technologyviz. ‘psychometric testing’.Psychometric Testing is supposedlya scientific way to measure anindividual’s personality type andstyle. What sets psychometrictesting apart from the rest is theeasy classification and labelling ofpeople. A closer look wouldprovide a deeper and sharpersense of psyche and ease withwhich it can be quantified. Most ofthese tests have had limitlesspopularity primarily after WW IIsince businesses could escalatemanifold only after the war, owingto the emergence of marketplacesas an offshoot of war. Hence,people in organisations emerged asthe new soldiers in civilian clotheson whom such large testing couldbe conducted, who now stand astestament of the scientific methodof psychometric testing.
With the growing demand forPeople Analytics, there is now acorrelated demand for an easy andless-time consuming tool forcategorising people into typologies.Even a non-academic analysis ofthese tools would reveal severalcritical drawbacks in them. Theirusage in such a largescaleenvironment have had unnoticeabledamages to the discourse oforganisational behaviour. Sincethis involves human beings, it
he tools that bind the HRstogether across geographies isnot technology, but perhaps
Beyond PsychometricTesting
MRINMOY MAJUMDER
becomes a matter of utmostconcern. And, most of thesetesting, especially in developingeconomies, go untraced since sucha form of testing is completelyunregulated. The EU and UK havestrict regulations in place andrequire proper approval beforeemploying psychometric testing onthe general population. In India,however, no such regulations arein place, and hence, its growth hasbeen unrelenting.
The critiques of tools1. Most practitioners employingthese tools and analysing theresults are themselves not trainedpsychologists, as most of them
Human behaviour is best observed and cannot bequantified. To this, organisations need to go beyond theperiphery of traditional organisational behaviour textbookand must employ various immersive methodologies tounderstand human behaviour.
have simply are done certificationin testing, which barely touchesupon the classic theories of Freud,Jung and Skinner.
2. The infamous and most widelyused MBTI (Myers-Briggs TypeIndicator) is in fact unscientific.MBTI has been created merely outof boredom. Merve Emre is herbook, The Personality Brokers:The Strange History of Myers-Briggs and the Birth of PersonalityTesting, has thoroughlyinvestigated the genesis of MBTIand why this work of assumptionemerged as the universalpersonality testing tool. MBTI wascreated by Katharine Briggs andher daughter Isabel Myers, who
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selectively borrowed concepts outof Carl Jung’s theory andinterpreted it in their own ways.And, surprisingly neither weretrained psychologists. History hasit that Katherine was inclinedtowards creating ‘civilised adults’and turned her house into a lab forbaby training, where she closelymonitored Isabel and herneighbour’s children. She copiouslyrecorded her observation in anotebook called, ‘The Dairy of anObedience-Curiosity Mother’. Emresuggests that however problematicthe tool may be, it resonates withthe human condition to that whichis collectively defined by the society.
Finding a largeraudienceThe typologies are a mere reflectionof a disciplined society minus theoutliers and rebels. Hence, it is
hardly surprising that such toolscould find a larger audience in thecorporate without a proper context.With increased awareness, it wasrealised that MBTI did not identifyhuman behaviour, and hence,could not reform it. It merelycategorised human behaviour withthe comfort level of the society.
To avoid largescale damage toemployees’ behaviour throughpsychometric testing, organisationsmust employ trained psychologistswho spend time and resources onemployees’ individuals. Humanbehaviour is best observed andcannot be quantified. To this,organisations need to go beyondthe periphery of traditionalorganisational behaviour textbookand must employ various immersivemethodologies to understandhuman behaviour. Methodologiessuch as focus group discussions,
Mrinmoy Majumder teachescourses on people strategy andindustrial relations. He can be reachedon [email protected].
About the Author
ethnography, and participantobservation may well serve tounderstand human behaviour theway they are and not categorisethem.
Even though time is of utmostessence for the corporate, usingincorrect means can have largescalerepercussions on humanity. Humanbehaviour is highly qualitative andcontextual, and hence must neverbe quantified.
source : agencycentral.co.uk
32 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Ttalent management strategy inplace. Talent Management is theart of acquiring, nurturing, andretaining a workforce of productiveand engaged employees to achieveorganisational goals. However, thefailure to have a successful talentmanagement framework is a matterof concern for many organisationsand a lot of this could be attributedto the myths associated with talentmanagement. Some of the commonmyths have been mentioned in theparagraphs that follow.
Talent Management is HR’sresponsibility
Most often, it is left to the HR tofigure out and implement TalentManagement, and when issuespertaining to poor engagement,higher attrition and lack ofproductivity arise, the talentmanagement strategy standsquestioned. The ownership ofnurturing talent must be conjoinedand the business should collaboratewith HR and become a codriver inmanaging talent. Unless there isadoption at the top to fulfil theneed to have a robust talentmanagement strategy and a co-ownership in driving the same,talent management getsdiminished to a mere paper model.
A One-size-fits-all approach
Talent management is one amongthe most complex programmes todecode and implement, and
oday, given the prevailingtalent wars, it is critical fororganisations to have a sound
Busting Myths
BY ROHIT HASTEER
essentially so since it deals withhumans. Every individual comeswith a different potential andsimultaneously has a differentneed. While some people may needan instructorled programme tolearn, many others might learnwhen a new assignment is offeredto them. Organisations shouldnever fall into the trap of creatinga standardised programme onlybecause it is easy to implementand monitor since this may end upas being counterproductive. Thetrue value of a talent managementprogramme can be derived if it isbuilt on specific individual needs,keeping the business objectives inmind.
Performance Managementequals Talent Management
Often, Talent Management ismisinterpreted with PerformanceManagement and the focus is ongiving high-performing individualshigher pay with an assumptionthat it shall lead to their retention.The problem with this approach istwo-pronged - it only rewardsperformance and does not tap intothe potential of individuals; thisapproach rests on the belief thatcompensation alone can motivatehigh performers. TalentManagement, instead, goes beyondjust pay and focuses on engagingwith individuals at a deeper level.It cuts across the employeelifecycle and starts with hiringright, to
Create customised learningsolutions
The failure to have a successful talent managementframework is a matter of concern for many organisationsand a lot of this could be attributed to the mythsassociated with it.
Create focused engagement plansIdentify individual potentialOffer meaningful workCreate progressions plan andperhaps much more
Borrowing a talent managementframework from journals or otherorganisations may never be asuccessful solution, as eachbusiness has its nuances and so dopeople. Hence, every organisationmust establish what is needed forthemselves and weave a frameworkaround the same.
Talent Management is not forstarters
Talent Management is often seenas a goodtohave amongst otherprocesses in an organisation. Start-ups or organisations in nascentstages usually lay greater focus ontalent acquisition vis-à-vis otheraspects of HR. While it is crucialto onboard the right people, it isequally essential to take care ofthese peoples’ needs. Having theright people strategy since inceptionis critical, else one will always beseeking solutions for disengagedworkforce and high attrition. Thus,every organisation, whether smallor large, must have a clearlydefined talent managementstrategy from the very beginning.
Focus on ‘HiPo’
‘High Potential’ programmes havebeen one of the most preferredways of Talent Management sincelong where organisations identify aset of high performers and focus
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on their growth and development.But, Talent Management is notmerely about focusing on anddeveloping a minuscule employeepercentage. Spending adisproportionate amount of energyand resources on a set of selectpeople not only demotivates theremaining employees but alsomakes the organisation overlookthe potential solid performers.While it is not wrong to focus onhigh performers, the hunger andambition of others also needsattention.
A recent survey by Mercer &Mettl on HiPo programmessuggested that close to 40% oforganisations do not know whetherthe results of their HiPo programmewere successful or not. This alsostems from the fact that thesetalent management programmes donot have a consistent definition of‘potential’ and each organisationcoins its own. A model that hingesupon ‘potential’ and ‘performance’as two critical factors, having awrong definition or measuring
criteria of potential can bedetrimental. It is therefore essentialthat the talent managementframework clearly defines talentand has a clear line of sight on thedesired outcomes from theprogramme.
Talent management isexpensive
Another interesting myth abouttalent management is that it addsan additional burden on thebudget. In fact, the absence of atalent management framework canprove to be highly detrimental fororganisations. For instance, it isimportant for organisations to investin the growth and development ofits people because unskilled orsemi-skilled workforce deceleratesyou and reduces the quality ofyour output. As a result, you areinvesting more time in fixing thegaps, and hence, forced to dealwith lower productivity. Inaddition to the visible advantagesof having a talent managementframework in place, its absence
About the Author
Rohit Hasteer is the Group CHRO forHousing.com, Prop Tiger.com andMakaan.com. He has an experience ofmore than 20 years in the domain onCompensation Benefits, TalentAcquisition and Talent Management,Training & Development. He has workedwith companies like CITIBANK, MakeMy Trip, Aviva Life Insurance and UTWorldWide. He takes keen interest inbuilding Organisation culture andPeople Development. He is an MBAfrom IMT, Ghaziabad.
leaves you with the disadvantage oflosing your talent to organisationsthat have one. This leads to higherattrition and greater replacementcost.
Talent Management cannotbe measured
Last but not the least, anothermyth about talent management isthat its efficacy cannot be measured,and HR cannot provide substantialquantifiable data about how itcreates value for the organisation.However, this is not the case asthere many metrics available whichcan help gauge the effectiveness oftalent management strategy of anorganisation. For example,organisations can measure theeffectiveness of onboardingprogramme, learning initiativesand employee engagementinitiatives by metrics like employeeretention rates, early attrition ratesand turnover costs. Similarly, costper hire, TAT to close a position,and offer to joining ratio can helpin measuring the effectiveness oftalent acquisition process.
Talent management is the needof the hour and there are some bigtrends which are shaping the talentmanagement process today. A robusttalent management plan helpsimprove business performance,ensures retention, builds a strongemployer brand, and offers acompetitive edge to organisations.One needs to be careful and notfall for the myths!
From examining the transformative shifts in fashion retail to highlighting thesilver linings among the clouds, Vivek Tripathi, CHRO, BIBA Apparels,speaks with Human Capital about how the fashion industry is facing up tothe toughest of times with creativity and agility, which skills will play aneven more important role in the post-pandemic era, and how HR leaders canhelp their organisations emerge better positioned for the future.
INDUSTRY INTERVIEW
Fashion Retail:The Now and the Next
BY ANKITA SHARMA
Uncertain. Struggling.Downbeat. These are a fewwords we have heard time andagain during the past yearabout the fashion industry. Asgrim as all that might sound,we’ve heard a lot of otherwords, too. Transformation.Reset. Opportunity. How hasCOVID-19 been a catalyst forchange in the fashionindustry?
COVID-19 has caused changesin the fashion industry at multiplelevels:
i. The product mix has changedgiven that celebrations andgatherings are a challenge due tothe pandemic. There is an emphasison casual wear, loungewear, andsleepwear.
ii. Consumer behaviour is changingdrastically. People are much moreinto buying online and fromestablished brands that can betrusted. Fashion retailers arefocusing on enhancing the customerexperience online, expanding theproduct range available online, andusing new technology to helpcustomers choose the right products.
iii.The traditional method ofselling and customer service instores has transformed. The focus
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INDUSTRY INTERVIEW
also need to make intelligent useof data to influence customers.
How can organisationscontinue to upskill and reskillemployees on shoestringbudgets?
Establishing a culture ofcontinuous learning has becomeimperative in today’s context.Upskilling & reskilling of talentneeds to be done by the linemanagers and L&D teams, apartfrom employees on their ownaccord.
We have found mobile-based e-learning applications, which makebyte-sized learning content availableon a multimedia platform, to beparticularly effective. The platformsallow for learning at the learner’space and time, and are bothscalable and low-cost. Theapplications make customisedcontent on products, customerservice, store SOPs, and otherareas available to the workforce.The consumption of content andits assimilation can be tracked.Quizzes can be used to check theextent of learning, and feedbackcan be taken from the learners onthe relevance and usefulness of thecontent. These need to besupplemented by managersdelivering learning sessions andsharing their insights. Employeesalso need to be encouraged tolearn on their own — and thereshould be linkages betweendemonstrated learning and careeradvancement.
While the pandemic hasput many work trends on fast-forward, it has altered thedirection of others andinitiated some future trends.Which HR trends do youbelieve will persist in thefashion industry post-COVID-19?
In general, flexibility inworking — in terms of time andplace — is here to stay. It will be‘work from anywhere’ and perhaps’
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of store teams has gone fromserving walk-in customers toinviting customers through outwardcalling and becoming their trustedfashion advisors. Our store teamshave done some really innovativework by calling loyal customers ontheir significant days, understandingtheir tastes (using past data), andhelping them choose the rightproduct.
iv. The Store Standard OperatingProcedures have been revamped.Safety is paramount for both staffand customers.
What are some HR strategiesbeing employed at BIBA tosupport employees throughthis difficult time?
We are focusing on the safetyand wellbeing of our employees.Strict safety protocols have beenenforced at the stores. Non-storeemployees have been encouragedto work from home. The strategy isto be transparent and regularlycommunicate the state of thebusiness. The use of technology forcompany-wide communication andwork-related collaboration hasexpanded. In the event that anemployee falls ill, additional leaveand other assistance are beingprovided. We are also circulatingstories of outstanding customerservice and collaboration withinthe organisation. Furthermore, aculture of peer appreciation hasbeen fostered to enhance thefeeling of “one team” in thesedifficult times.
Which are the most high-demand skills in the fashionindustry right now?
All fashion retailers are lookingto enhance their online footprintand sales. Hence, e-commerceproduct managers, operationmanagers, and customer servicespecialists are required. There’salso a need for reskilling in thestore staff. They must use digitaltools to engage with customersover phone and WhatsApp. They
work at any time’. These trendswill affect organisational culture,employee engagement, teamwork,and how performance is measured.
Performance management andmeasurement systems will need tobecome much more transparentand objective. Managers will needto hone their influencing skills toensure team alignment andengagement in a dispersed teamsetting. Forums will need to becreated to ensure that informalinteractions between employeeswho have served to create acommunity at the workplace arecontinued.
The use of technology forcollaboration and communicationis also going to be a lasting trend.For critical roles, where deepexpertise is valued, companies mayseek engaging employees acrossgeographical boundaries.
Employees will need to learnconstantly and be willing to takeup new roles to stay relevant andgrow in their careers. Digitaltechnologies and data skills willbecome more vital and valuable inthe future.
Looking back over the pastyear and all that you haveovercome, what’s one lessonfrom the crisis that you’d like toshare with HR professionalsin the fashion industry?
The most important lesson inan uncertain situation is to behonest with one’s stakeholders —employees, line leaders, customers,suppliers, and others. A crisis ofthis kind is an opportunity to buildtrust, and everyone is eager to helpand do his or her part if one isopen and has humility. Trust canbe built by communicatingregularly with the stakeholders,listening to their concerns, andthen formulating a response. It isalso essential not to commit tooearly or for too long to a particularcourse of action, and to be open tochanging one’s decision as moreinformation comes in.
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HRecords & Regulations to TalentAcquisition and Development toacting as the Strategic Partner. Thedisruption and prolonged uncertaintycaused by COVID-19 has hurled aradical evolution of HR across theglobe. Organisations have takencognisance of the fact that we need totransform processes and employeepractices at a lightning pace, HR istherefore expected to facilitate andact more as ‘Change Agents’ today.
The current dynamic situation hasput forth challenges like mountingstress and anxiety, increased familyresponsibilities, survival laced withfinancial uncertainties. To handle thecomplexity both Leaders and HRhave been working hand-in-glove tosafeguard business interest throughproactive and empatheticcommunication.
There is an increased acceptance ofHR’s role not just as a strategicpartner today but also as a‘Pathfinder’ to manage the crisisand thrive in the future.
As per the ‘Future of HR 2020Survey’, where over 1300 HRexecutives participated across theglobe, 3 in 5 believed that HR willrapidly become irrelevant if it doesnot modernise its approachconcerning understanding andplanning for the future. It’s going tobe relatively easier and efficient tomanage recruitment and employee
R has come a long way overthe last decade, fromhandling the basic Employee
Is OD The FutureOf HR ?
BY SHIKHA VERMA
EXPERT TALK..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
management through tools like EAP,HRMS, AI Apps, Zoom, Notion,Slack, etc.
HR-New DynamicsThe top HR Trends of 2020 includePeople Analytics, EmployeeExperience, Employee Branding,Cultivating Authentic Culture, andUpskilling to invest in Team andbusiness growth, Providing HolisticHealth Benefits, Establishing Work-Life Balance and Flexible Workplaceand Workforce.
An influx of technology, ArtificialIntelligence coupled with thedynamics on the people frontcompels us to adopt a ‘New AgeThinking’ in this new normal.
The pandemic has shifted thepriority from employee engagement toemployee connect, health, andwellbeing. Today, employees wantmore and more opportunities to growand develop their skills. As per theengagement report, only 25 per centof workers believe they get ampleopportunities to develop.
To add to this, work from home(WFH) which had seemed to be anobstacle earlier is being leveraged onas a business strategy due to itsfinancial impact. A recent studyindicated that 3 in 5 employees wantto continue with remote working too,in future. There is no doubt thereforethat WFH is here to stay.
There is a drastic shift in thework canvas, making it an HR’s job to
“The pandemic hasshifted the priorityfrom employeeengagement toemployee connect,health, and wellbeing.Today, employeeswant more and moreopportunities togrow and developtheir skills.”
With a broader horizon, blurred boundaries focused onenhancing the virtual experience, connecting life-workbalance and re-building capabilities, we are certainlyleaping to the next evolution stage of HR.
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‘offer employees everything theyneed to deliver their best’.
With a broader horizon, blurredboundaries focused on enhancing thevirtual experience and connectinglife-work balance and re-buildingcapabilities, we are certainly leaping tothe next evolution stage of HR.
Some questions to ponder over are-
Q. What exactly will be the roleof HR over the next decade?Operational/Developer/Path-finder/Collaborator/Transformer/Strategic Thinker or ‘all ofthese’?
Q. Which roles can be automatedwithin HR and which ones can’t?
Q. Is there a Skill Gap in yourHR Team?
Q. What are some of the newskills that you would like theentire HR team to be equippedwith?
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................EXPERT TALK
Q. What are you doing tostrengthen the fabric of theorganisation w.r.t ‘PeopleStrategy’?
The crisis demands agility ofmind, a fine balance of processformulation, adherence on one hand,and creative people focus on theother, and championing changemanagement and communication too.To identify new skills or skill gaps,it’s imperative to state the ‘giganticvision’ of the company- ‘what wewant the organisation to be knownfor’ say 50 years later and then mapit to the current skill set.
As per research, 80 per cent ofrespondents indicated that theybelieve their company’s HR Skills arelacking. Experts and studiesemphasise the need to upskill andupgrade the workforce andworkplaces to be future-ready too.Cognitive flexibility, analytics,creativity, and social intelligencedesired in the new normal are all
38 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Organisational Development (OD)Competencies.
Very often OD is mistaken to belimiting to Talent Development whenit is far more strategic and entailsplanning and execution of asystematic change aimedtowards specific goals orobjectives. It is all-encompassing asit includes Training, CompetencyDevelopment, Succession Planning,Culture Development, EmployeeEngagement, and Wellbeing, EnablingChange, Value Alignment, andEmployer Branding and InternalCommunications.
I’d like to share an excerpt fromthe 3 Principles and Contribution, asshared by David Ulrich on HRFuture Trends in 2021, to putthings into context.
1. There is a need for increasedpersonalisation by leaders and thefocus will be on emotional andempathetic responses
2. Redefining boundaries - where theemployees (anywhere, anytime) whocreate value for the customer will beconsidered to be ‘at work’.
3. People and organisation’s need tonot just tackle uncertainty butharness it
Based on these principles, HRprofessionals need to be clear abouttheir unique contributions to valueadd and create an impact onbusinesses. Hence their contributionneeds to be on the below facets:-
a) Delivering improvedindividual talent: Employees willcontinue to be the key ingredients ofany organisation. There will likely bean increased focus on soft skills (e.g.,goal setting, engaging people,respecting differences) and even moreattention to the employee experiencethrough meaning (believe), learningand growth (become), andrelationships (belong).
b) Reinvent organisationcapability: HR and business leaderswill be charged to build organisationcapabilities and the right culture. Inour research, these organisationcapabilities have 3 to 4 times the
impact on business results thatindividual competencies (or talent).
c) Create better leadership:Leaders will likely exist throughoutan organisation at all levels who notonly have the right basic leadershipskills, but also the skills thatcreate value for customers andinvestors.
Most of it falls in the lap of ODFunction (includes L & D) . . . thesystems collaborative approachbacked by the humanistic valuesadopted by OD with the uniqueability to harness uncertainty makesme ponder - ‘If OrganisationalDevelopment is indeed thefuture of HR?’
The best way to describe thispoint is through a Welch term –‘Hiraeth’. It represents theunrelenting existential tensionbetween the ‘already’ and the ‘Notyet’. It’s a recognition of the fact thatas Human beings (read HR) we arecapable of doing something greater.Perhaps it’s time to stretch theboundaries within HR and upskillteam members with these futureskills.
An OD Mindset means workingtirelessly on improving business andpeople experience, venturing intounknown territories, Innovativemindset, emotional resilience andintelligence, steering the companythrough change, digital literacy, socialmedia proficiency, developing peoplecompetencies aimed at fosteringthe culture muscle which holdsthe potential to put an organizationback on the growth trajectory.
Why limit ourselves …. When we canDevelop Organisations as HR!!
Shikha Verma is a State CouncilMember of WICCI. She has 17 years ofrich acumen in HR & Learning &Development space across IT andManufacturing Industry. She has actedas a change agent in diverse businesses,spearheaded culture building projects,strategic planning &, standardisation ofHR & Training processes & policies.
About the Author
“As Human beings(read HR) we arecapable of doingsomething greater.Perhaps it’s timeto stretch theboundaries withinHR and upskill teammembers with thesefuture skills.”
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www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 39
BY RAJIV SHARMA
“I've learned that peoplewill forget what you said,people will forget whatyou did, but people willnever forget how youmade them feel.”
–Maya Angelou
Why Is InclusionNeeded ?
she said this is unknown, I amcertain that she has been quotedmultiple times while talking aboutInclusion and Diversity (I&D). Today,this quote is more relevant than everespecially with a heightened emphasison Inclusion.
But let us explore why is inclusionimportant and what can organisationsdo to create an inclusive culture?
Business Case forInclusion; The Need ForInclusionMany companies are still scratchingthe surface when it comes to theirI&D agenda. It primarily is the rightthing to do and appears like a brightshiny narrative to share in yourannual earnings call and be aresponsible employer. Yet, manyothers have been able to embraceInclusion in their DNA, culture, andtheir way of being.
A recently published study byMcKinsey & Company stated that I&Dis a powerful enabler for businessperformance. In their study of 1000companies across 15 countries, theyfound that companies in the topquartile of gender diversity on theexecutive team were 25 per cent morelikely to experience above-averageprofitability than peer companies inthe fourth quartile. This is not onlytrue of gender diversity but true forseveral other forms of diversity likeracial, sexual orientation, people with
very powerful thought by themulti-talented Maya Angelou.Though the context in whichA disability, and generational among
others. In short, diversity wins, nowmore than ever.
However, these are studies, and Iam sure laggards can refute thefindings or find faults in theiranalysis. Therefore, it becomesimperative to anchor the Inclusionagenda for those who think inclusion isa luxury that they cannot afford.
Take for example – Singapore.The nation makes for a great casestudy. The Island nation with justover a five million population is amelting pot of highly multiculturaland ethnic mix of people of Chinese,Malay and Indian descent - followingdifferent religious faiths includingBuddhism, Christianity, Islam, andHinduism.
In 1965, when Singapore achievedindependence, its founding fatherstook measures to intentionally nudgepeople to cohabit. Through theirhousing policy, they ensured thatevery public housing complexfollowed a national quota of racialpercentage, thereby forcing people ofdifferent ethnicities to learn to livewith each other. The result? Today,Singapore ranks amongst the topcountries to live in.
Another example worthmentioning is Mattel Toys, amanufacturer of Barbie dolls. Theyreleased new designs to broaden thediversity of its range to include dollswith no hair and one with a skincondition – vitiligo. They arecurrently working with JordanReeves, a disability activist aged 12,
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born without a left forearm, to createa doll with a prosthetic limb. Tolaunch a line of dolls for their African-American consumers, Mattel leveragedtheir internal African-AmericanEmployee Resource Group to adviseand guide their Marketing team’sefforts to remain culturally sensitive.Today, it is one of the company’sbest-selling products in its minority-focused brand range.
The business and economic casefor LGBTQ+ inclusion exists on threelevels – economic, business, andindividual performance. Open forBusiness in their research amongstthe United States and the UnitedKingdom consumers towardscompanies doing business in countrieswith anti-LGBTQ+ laws, indicatepopular support for inclusion. Thesurvey findings showed thatcompanies support boycotts of doingbusiness in countries that support antiLGBTQ+ laws.
Therefore, the rationale forinclusion can be varied for companies.It may mean launching a product lineor attracting a new customer segmentor simply having access to superiortalent. The power of diversity can nolonger be ignored by companies.
After having established the needfor an inclusion journey,organisations need to move in thisjourney, and I like to believe that theinclusion journey is a continuum. Oneend of this continuum is acommitment to no-discriminatorypolicies and at the end is an inclusiveculture where each person bringstheir authentic self to work. It is ajourney that needs to be intentionallyplanned and thoughtfullyimplemented.
Planning Your InclusionJourney; How to MoveAheadCompanies may decide their endstate on the inclusion continuum andmay plan their journey accordingly.However, in my opinion, there is nota fixed end state, and this goalpostcontinues to shift given the ever-evolving demographic, cultural, andsocio-political factors. The leadershipteams need to take a considerateapproach as they plan the inclusionjourney for their companies.
I believe the following fourconsiderations are vital to begin yourinclusion journey:
I. Define and get everyonealigned on your business case –The significance of defining abusiness case for diversity has beendescribed above. The leadershipteams need to get together and defineone for their own business. TheExecutive Sponsor (ideally comingfrom a business team) should ensurethey have allowed everyone to voicetheir views. The dissenters need to bepaid special attention and theirconcerns need to be appropriatelyaddressed. The time spent oncommitting to the cause will ensure aunified voice for people and willemphasise seriousness around thematter.
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II. Making the commitmentvisible and remainingintentional – It is one thing tocommit to a cause and an entirelydifferent thing to make thiscommitment intentional and visible tothe organisation. I believe acommitment to inclusion is like“integrity”; doing right when no oneis watching. Let me give you anexample.
You are a male hiring managerand you have a position open. Onlytwo male candidates appear for aninterview and one of them is a verygood fit for the position. Will you goahead and offer this candidate? Anintentionally inclusive manager mayinsist on a more gender diversecandidate pipeline to ensure theyhave assessed candidates who willapproach problems differently andthereby intentionally introduce variedperspectives that are essential forsuccessful decision making. Theoutcome may still be the same butinsisting on a gender diversecandidate pipeline emphasises theintention and makes the commitmentvisible.
III. Fostering a culture ofAllyship – An ally is any person thatactively promotes and aspires toadvance the culture of inclusionthrough positive, intentional effortsthat benefit people. Everyone has aunique ability to be an ally, thereforemen can be allies to women, cispeople can be allies to members ofthe LGBTQI+ community, people withable bodies can be allies to those withdifferent disabilities so on and soforth.
A successful ally is one whorecognises that they have had aprivilege. They do not shy away fromhaving uncomfortable conversationswith their selves. It is eye-opening torecognise your privileges, (that youmay take for granted) and thenleverage them for others who do nothave them can be a journey of self-discovery on its own.
IV. Culture of Empathy – Thediverse talent pools in the organisationare not looking for sympathy from
Rajiv Sharma heads People & Culturefor Aristocrat Technologies for its Indiaoffices. He also leads the D&I agenda forAPAC. Rajiv has close to two decades ofHR experience and began his career inthe Middle-East. He has been associatedwith companies such as Dell InternationalServices, Encore Capital Group and hasInternational Coaching FederationCertification as a Leadership Coach for itsleaders.
About the Author
others. They are expecting acceptanceand empathy. Each person hasdifferent levels of empathy and theirempathy levels may also varyaccording to the situation. The goodnews is that empathy can be builtover time and the leadership teamscan pave the way to build a culture ofempathy. Listening is an importantcornerstone for honing empathy.
Many organisations today followreverse mentoring to createopportunities for their CXO’s andtheir direct reports to talk to lowerechelons of the organisation. Thepractice of reverse mentoring is asignificant visible cue for theorganisation. It reinforces that leadersare intentional about listening and arecommitted to building theirappreciation for different situationsand perspectives. The foundation ofan inclusive culture is built on thepremise of remaining curious andasking questions from a point ofgaining awareness.
The journey of inclusion is nolonger a question of why or when. Itis existential for companies tosurvive - not only for attracting toptalent but also for servicingcustomers and expanding theirmarket share. Being vulnerable,asking for help, accepting mistakesare powerful signs of an organisationthat is evolving, and continuing tobuild its muscle of inclusion.Companies need to remember that –losing is not failing, but giving up iscertainly a failure.
“Companies maydecide their end stateon the inclusioncontinuum and mayplan their journeyaccordingly. However,in my opinion, thereis not a fixed endstate, and this goalpost continues toshift given the ever-evolving demographic,cultural, and socio-political factors.”
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I
What to MeasureWhile Hiring
BY ABHIJIT BHADURI
What makes someone an effective hire boils down to threecharacteristics. Do they have the knowledge to do the job?Are they motivated to work hard (on their own)? Do theyhave social skills that will make it easy for them to workwith others?
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etc. I will attempt to put it inbusiness language even if it is not a100 per cent accurate as per thepundits.
What makes someone an effectivehire boils down to threecharacteristics. Do they have theknowledge to do the job? Are they
am not going to use HR speak byusing terms like competencies,competency maps, skills vs traits
motivated to work hard (on theirown)? Do they have social skills thatwill make it easy for them to workwith others?
1. Are they learners andproblem solvers?
Assess for actual problems that theywill need to solve in the role. Askthem how they would go aboutsolving the biggest problem they will
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This is an excerpt from Abhijit’s newlyreleased book ‘Dreamers and Unicorns:How Leadership, Talent and Cultureare the New Growth Drivers’ publishedby Westland Publications.
Abhijit Bhaduri is a strategic advisorand an executive coach to businessleaders and organisations. He is theformer Chief Learning Officer of Wiproand alumnus of Microsoft, PepsiCo,Colgate, and Tata Steel. With more than800,000 followers on LinkedIn andTwitter, he is one of the most influentialvoices on talent management. Follow himon LinkedIn and Twitter@AbhijitBhaduri.
About the Author
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“Curious peopleare great learners.Leonardo da Vinciwrote and drew onsubjects includinggeology, anatomy,flight, gravity andoptics, often flittingfrom subject tosubject on a singlepage, and writing inleft-handed mirrorscript. He ‘invented’the bicycle, airplane,helicopter, andparachute some 500years ahead of theirtime. Elon Muskliterally taughthimself rocketscience by readingevery textbook on thesubject.”
have to solve when they start. Assesstheir approach to problem-solving bygiving them a problem that wassolved and compare their approach towhat was done. How do they reactwhen faced with a question they donot know? Do they bluff their waythrough or will they teach themselves?
Curious people are great learners.Leonardo da Vinci wrote and drew onsubjects including geology, anatomy(which he studied in order to paintthe human form more accurately),flight, gravity and optics, often flittingfrom subject to subject on a singlepage, and writing in left-handedmirror script. He ‘invented’ thebicycle, airplane, helicopter, andparachute some 500 years ahead oftheir time. Elon Musk literally taughthimself rocket science by reading everytextbook on the subject. Then he cold-called experts and learned from them.
2. Are they willing to work hard?
Energetic people who are self-drivenare an asset. In the scenario wheneveryone is working from home thisis a particularly valuable trait to lookfor in people. When they are on theirown, will they continue to set equallyhigh standards and drive themselvesjust as hard? There will be deadlinesto meet that need extending beyondthe usual. There will be a crisis witha team member that needs everyoneto pitch in.
People who set high standards forthemselves also set the bar high forothers. They are comfortableperfecting their routine over years.Or spend a day polishing up a shortspeech until it is perfect. Willingnessto work hard matters. It matters alot. Consider two cricketers whostarted their careers at the sametime—Vinod Kambli and SachinTendulkar. Kambli did better thanSachin in school and college cricket.He scored two double centuries andtwo centuries in his first fewinternational Test matches. Kamblialso had a better ODI average thenSachin when both were playing. Itwas Sachin who became a legend. Hejust worked way harder than anyoneelse.
3. Are they likeable and pleasantin their interactions with others?
Satyajit Mohanty, CHRO of Crompton,a consumer goods company (and aclient) told me that when he becamea CHRO for the first time of acompany, he sought advise fromvarious CHROs. One common advicehe received was: ‘The CEO has to likeyou and should be able to talk toyou.’ Likeability comes from theability of the person to understandothers’ emotions and needs. Beingable to adapt to the emotions of theothers makes us likeable.
We feel good after interacting withthem. They are pleasant and easy tounderstand. Emotionally agile peopleare often viewed by others as beingvery tactful and even ‘politicallysavvy’. If the term ‘political’ makesyou uncomfortable, replace that wordwith ‘influential’. People with high EQcan work with many different kindsof team members because they canbuild trust and because they arepredictable. Likeable people are ableto take large groups of diverseopinions and interests along on theirown journey. Likeable people can givesomeone disappointing or difficultnews without demolishing their self-worth.
Very few people are equally strongin all the three areas, but to have areally successful career, the personmust be extremely strong in at leasttwo of the three areas.
44 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Wthe pandemic, the definition of theemployee value proposition (EVP) isalso changing. “Here is what we wantto give you in return to what you giveus” is what EVP has been defined as,traditionally.
Let us take a walk down the EVPlane to see how the metamorphosishas been happening.
An article1 in 2018 by Dan Fries,member of Forbes Human ResourceCouncil elaborates how 2019 is
ith businesses graduallyreturning to normalcy asthe world emerges out of
BY HARINI SREENIVASAN
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Employee ValueProposition WithAdded ‘Value’
courtesy: Mercer Thrive research
waiting for a more flexible EVP. Hetalks about a client for whom he hadadvised that an EVP that was createda decade ago could still be keptrelevant. He clarifies that over theyears the EVP was periodicallytweaked to meet its requirements ofattraction and retention of talent.
Fries highlights a few importantcaveats. He questions them aroundhow the tweaks were made, whetherbased on data or by engaging theworkforce to test the changes. Hechallenges organisations as towhether they have enough
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EXPERT TALK
caters to the parameters of payingcompetitively and also providingemployees with the right kind ofbenefits. At this stage what mattersto attract candidates is “Are youpaying right?” The EVP here issimple and represents thecompensation and benefits deal forthe work performed.
Finding the RightFormulaAs the business grows, it startslooking at how differentiated it isfrom its competition. At this stage,the formula of right remunerationwill not be enough to keep itsattrition low.
Here is when the EVP getstweaked to add aspects of ‘employeeexperience’ by including items ofwellness and well-being. Whilewellness includes health and benefitprograms, well-being also directstowards career progression. Anemployee would want to stay with an
information to review the EVP as it iscritical to align with the needs of thebusiness and its people.
If one was to look at the concept ofEVP in the light of what Fries istalking about, it is important tounderstand the context a little more.What is an EVP all about? How doesone design an EVP and also make itevolve to be meaningful to thebusiness? Mercer’s ‘Thrive Research’2
gives this simple pyramid of theevolution of business and alignmentof the EVP with it. The core messagein this research is “Putting people atthe heart of change”.
The EVP continuum progressesfrom the contractual to experientialto the emotional stage as the businessprogresses from being competitive todifferentiated to unique in itsofferings.
When the business is at thecompetitive stage, attraction andretention of the right talent is theneed of the organisation and EVP
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organisation that shares its visionand helps create a career roadmapfor its people. A competitivebusiness, with well-differentiatedofferings that have been through thegrowth pangs, reaches a stage ofbeing unique.
That is precisely when ‘purpose’emerges as a key ingredient for theEVP. Purpose is driven by connectingthe dots of the employee lifecycle tothe vision and mission of theorganisation. Alignment of purpose iswhat an employer would expect whilefinding a purpose for self is what anemployee would expect. Anintersection of these purposes is theappropriate design of the EVP.
A well-designed EVP is somethingthat represents everything of valuethat an employer provides to itsemployee including remuneration,career path, wellness, and above all,purposeful existence.
Traditional EVP design starts withassuming that the organisation knowsexactly what to offer to the employeeand each employee knows what todeliver to the organisation. Since areal value-added EVP is all about
being people-centric, how aboutapplying some design thinking (DT)here? This is all about flipping thewhole thing over, completely!
DT encourages starting withasking questions like “Can you tellme more?” and not with statementslike “I know it all”. Instead of saying“This is why we are a greatcompany”, DT asks the employees,“What makes you happily stay withus?” It is quite evident here thatinsights are sought and instructionsare not given. Empathy is the mainingredient of DT and for that, it isimportant to be comfortable withbeing vulnerable. Teams that aredesigning the EVP are required to beready for honest and candid answerswhile doing empathy mapconversations.
I am reminded of an organisationthat was transitioning from being afamily-owned small business to amore professionally-managedacquired entity of a large multi-national; a valid situation forredesigning the EVP. Talent retentionstrategies had to be re-chartered. Thebest way to go about was asking the
“While wellnessincludes health andbenefit programs,well-being alsodirects towardscareer progression.An employee wouldwant to stay with anorganisation thatshares its vision andhelps create a careerroadmap for itspeople.”
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Harini Sreenivasan is a BusinessTransformation Evangelist, a Neuroscienceenthusiast, Design Thinker, Storyteller,and Behavioural Scientist. Unlockinghuman potential is her forte and shepractices resilience as a life skill. Withher ability to drive engagement withpeople and power of positivity, she is aninfluencer both to industry andacademia.
About the Author
“In order toenable employeesto see value forthemselves,leaders wouldbe required togo through atransformationaljourneythemselves.”
employees, “Why do you like workingwith us?” Several such conversationshelped in identifying that the mostvaluable parameters for thisorganisation were familial bonds,flexibility in working, simpleimplementable practices, and regularrewards and recognition. And thatwas how the redesigned EVP helpedin creating an employer brand.
Yet another organisation had apeculiar story. While all proceduresand practices were well in place,there was still increasingdissatisfaction, leading to attrition.On probing deeper, the designthinking team realised that theemployees valued autonomy and weredissatisfied with micromanagement.In such a situation, an effective EVPwould be one that allows employeesfreedom of decision making withoutany fear of consequences and that‘creative solutions’ are recognised andrewarded.
With organisations having toadapt to remote working during thepandemic, psychological safety hasbecome an important aspect of EVP.The three concepts at the core ofpsychologically-safe work culture are:
a. Democracy over bureaucracy
b. Common sense over rigid rules
c. Alignment of purpose
With these forming the foundationof the new EVP, psychologically safeworkplaces can be built andsustained3.
As psychological safety directlyimpacts performance, the followingcomponents may be considered whiledesigning the EVP for the newnormal.
1. Vulnerability at Leadership
In order to enable employees to seevalue for themselves, leaders wouldbe required to go through atransformational journey themselves.This is to equip them with learningto communicate with trust andtransparency and with a belief thateveryone is an adult and adds valueto the business. This lays thefoundation of psychological safety atthe workplace.
2. Inclusive decision making
When leaders learn the art ofcoaching and facilitating, decisionmaking would become a sharedresponsibility. Group members tendto respect and value each other’sviewpoint and collective wisdomprevails rather than an unnecessarywar for attention. This furtherenhances psychological safety.
3. Challenge status quo
Once psychological safety is established,asking ‘Why’ would become a habit.Challenging the status quo enablesorganisations to come up with path-breaking ideas and discuss themopenly.
4. Innovate On-the-Go
What more does an organisationneed, when path-breaking ideas areemerging from psychologically safegroups. Innovation on-the-go wouldautomatically happen.
Abra-ca-dabra! The result is a purpose-driven organization.
When the above components areblended appropriately the resultantEVP would add value to both theorganisation and the individual. Ofcourse, results will speak forthemselves. This is the calling.It’s time to rethink and redesign ourEVPs.
1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/07/31/the-evolving-employee-value-proposition-moving-to-a-more-flexible-evp-for-2019/?sh=7c6312ed41cc
2. https://www.mercer.com/our-thinking/thrive.html
3. https://semcostyle.com/5-steps-and-15-work-practices-to-enhance-psychological-safety/
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BY ANKITA SHARMA
Deepti Varma, Director– HR for Amazon inAPAC and Middle East, isa natural with people.With an innate urge tospread light to others,perhaps she drawsinspiration from her name,which means “brightflame.” Her background ofprofessional endeavoursacross diverse sectorsforms an interestingbiography of an HRleader who has workedwholeheartedly to bringout the best in everyone.She possibly imbibed apoised temperament andthe ability to adapt toever-changing scenariosfrom her mother, whoonce told her that “thegreatest form of creativityis the recreation ofoneself.” Passionate aboutdiversity, equity, andinclusion, Deepti currentlyleads crucial initiatives fora creative and diverseworkforce at Amazon — acompany resilient enoughto thrive amid anynumber of disruptions andnimble enough to takeadvantage of anyopportunity that arises.
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One of the key sectors todiscuss in light of the pandemicis e-commerce, which hasbeen seeing accelerated growthsince the past year. From anHR standpoint, how didAmazon India overcome theslew of challenges in theinitial days of the crisis, suchas dealing with a surge indemand and supply chaindisruptions?
At Amazon, the pandemic hasbeen an opportunity to embracechange and innovate processes.Despite the challenging situation,we were nimble and quick to react,which helped us optimise processefficiency and the employee/candidate experience.
As an example, by mid-March,we had conceptualised andimplemented a virtual onboardingprogram that started as a pilot atAmazon India and has since beenscaled globally. Virtual onboardingat scale was a novel experience. Wehad to adapt fast to the dynamicenvironmental shifts, which meantmaking changes to our onboardingprocesses, new hire documentation,IT enablement protocols, andensuring that new hires continued toget a great onboarding experience.Our culture of moving fast bytaking quick two-way door decisionshelped us react well to the fast-evolving situation.
Even before the pandemic,the global concern aboutmental health at work hadreached such proportions thatit had been dubbed the“trillion-dollar taboo.” Thisterm references the WorldHealth Organization’s pre-COVID estimate thatdepression and anxiety costthe global economy $1tn inlost productivity every year.In recent months, work-related stress and burnouthave been off the charts. Whatare some ways in whichAmazon supports employees’holistic wellbeing?
Employee mental and physicalhealth is of paramount importanceat Amazon. Our wellness initiative‘Svasthya’ includes health check-ups, an Employee AssistanceProgram (EAP), online wellnesswebinars/support, and diet andnutrition counselling. The EmployeeAssistance Program forms a keypart of our wellbeing initiative andsupports us in managing stress anemployee might be facing.
We have many guidelines thatallow employees to choose theirworking hours and take breakswhen appropriate. Apart from that,most leaders are creatively tryingto find an approach that workswell for their team as we have a
diverse workforce, and one sizecannot fit all.
What role do leaders atAmazon play in creating andsustaining a company culturethat is wellbeing oriented?
While Amazonians workbackwards from customer needs,we make sure to understand thepulse of our employees, too. We’velaunched a daily feedback surveycalled ‘Connections’, to understandthe factors that influence ouremployees’ day-to-day experienceon a real-time basis. Team leadersleverage this program to understandemployee experiences and buildaction plans to address the focusareas. During these challengingtimes, we have leveraged‘Connections’ questions tounderstand employee wellbeingbetter.
The pandemic has exposedwhether organisations viewD&I as a nice-to-have box-ticking exercise or as a corevalue. Has the post-COVIDfuture, which heralds a hybridway of working for manycompanies, rendered DEImore critical than ever?
Irrespective of COVID, Amazonhas always believed diversity isimportant. Jeff Bezos has said,“It’s not only that diversity andinclusion are good for our business.It’s more fundamental than that —it’s simply right.”
Diversity for us is a combinationof unique skills, experiences,perspectives and culturalbackgrounds that make us who weare. A few programs that we rolledout before COVID-19 include:
Rekindle — an initiativedesigned to encourage womenon a professional break toresume their corporate careerthrough structured onboarding,focused mentoring, and on thejob training
A Virtual Contact Center(VCC) that enables employees towork from any location, such as
A
Q
A
Favourite quote: The greatestform of creativity is recreation ofoneself. My mom wrote this. I trulyresonate with it.
A movie title that bestdescribes you: Zindagi Na MilegiDobara.
For me, it’s not the end but thejourney that is most important. Ienjoy what I do and have fun whiledoing it. At Amazon, we say, “Workhard. Have fun. Make history.”
Complete these sentences:
i. If not an HR, I would havebeen… enabling women to be self-reliant. On a lighter note, I wouldopen a dance school.
ii. I strongly believe in… whatRumi says: You die only once butyou must live every day.
What comes to your mindwhen you hear these words?
i. Resilience: Makes successfulpeople stand out. While it groundsus, sometimes it also gives us wingsto fly.
ii. Curiosity: Have the curiosity ofa child, and you will never have adull day.
iii. Setback: It gives us a greenfield to start things over. The onlyway from there is to find a solution.
Rapid Fire
Q
A
Q
Q
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smaller contact centers, branchoffices, retail stores, and home.
We are always looking atcreating more opportunities withinAmazon for diversity and inclusion.During the pandemic, we orientatedour managers on how to interactwith teams virtually and promoteinclusivity while being sensitive totheir own needs, as managers needto be enabled, too.
What are the recentinitiatives taken up by AmazonIndia to level the playing fieldand support women, LGBT+,people with diverse abilities,and underrepresented groupsto flourish at work?
We are constantly working tocreate an environment thatpromotes diversity. We recruitdiverse employees across thecompany — from entry-level rolesto the most senior positions.Several initiatives promote womenempowerment and gender diversityamongst the local communities.Additionally, we launched ourLGBTQ+ affinity group called‘Glamazon India’ in 2017. It hasemployees from the LGBTQ+community and allies passionateabout building an inclusiveenvironment by providing supportthrough peer-to-peer mentoring,networking, creating enablingmechanisms, and raising awarenessaround related topics. We have alsohired transgender associates and willcontinue to focus on this group.
In the last couple of years, wehave enhanced our focus on hiringpersons with disabilities (PwD)across India, including those withspeech and hearing impairments,as well as locomotor disabilities.We intend to broaden our scope byhiring more individuals with diverseabilities in the coming years,working in partnership with ourPwD affinity group, and preparingour infrastructure from anaccessibility standpoint. We havealso started a pilot program forhiring people with learningdisabilities (e.g., autism).
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employees — be it for the on-ground teams across yoursupply chain and deliverynetworks or those workingvirtually?
We have always promoted aculture of ‘ownership’ at Amazon,where every employee isempowered to make decisionsinstead of following instructions,thus creating psychological safety.
In January, when Jeff Bezoscame to India, he made acommitment of investing $1 billionin SMBs, enabling exports, andcreating one million jobs by 2025.Although these are increasinglydifficult times, when employeesknow that we are working towardsa larger purpose and allowingthem to shape the future, they feelcharged up.
Also, we recently announcedthe deployment of ‘DistanceAssistant’ across our operationalsites in the country, following thesuccessful rollout of the technologyin the US and a few other countries.The AI-powered innovation willremind on-site associates tomaintain a minimum distance of 6feet from others by providingsocial distancing feedback in real-time. With social distancingcontinuing to be a preventivesafety measure amid the pandemic,this smart solution is another stepto ensure the safety of tens ofthousands of associates in thebuildings. The self-containedstandalone units will be stationedacross entrances and high peopletraffic areas across Amazon India’sfulfilment centres, sort centres, anddelivery stations. As employeeswalk past the camera, the monitorwill display a live video feed withvisual cues to show if associatesare within 6 feet of one another.The on-screen indicators have beendesigned to remind associates tomaintain an appropriate distancefrom those around them.Individuals remaining 6 feet apartare highlighted with green circles,while those closer to each otherare highlighted in red.
Furthermore, Amazon made apublic commitment of globallyhiring and training former defenseservice personnel and their familiesto create fulfilling alternate careeropportunities for the militarycommunity. We have an affinitygroup called ‘Amazon Warriors’to help ex-service personnel makea successful transition from theIndian Armed Forces to meaningfulroles at Amazon.
“Work hard. Havefun. Make history.”To what extent does the
highly digital and fragmentedworkplace of the COVID-19 eraaid or hinder psychologicallysafe work environments?What are the top strategiesemployed at Amazon India tocreate psychological safety for
What is your most significantlearning from the pandemicexperience?
My key takeaways from thisexperience are building agility, beingempathetic in order to understandyour team, enhancing the ability tolearn and change, and being willingto own your mistakes and learn fromthem.
Are you planning to dosomething new in 2021 thatyou've never done before?
I want to get fitter and try bungeejumping.
How do you set boundariesbetween personal life andwork?
Personal life and work go hand inhand, and some days one of themtakes precedence over the other.However, I usually block out a fewhours on my calendar for my familyand personal interests.
What would we be surprisedto learn about you?
My husband and I have beenlearning to dance, and it is a greatstressbuster.
Up-Close and Personal
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aj was worried. A group of100 people was arriving for amonth-long trainingR
programme. He had never handledsuch a big batch before. So, heconsulted Anu who advised him todivide the group into ten sections andmake a person from the group,responsible for each group. Then Rajwould be required to only managethose 10 people since they wouldmanage the rest.
The Hierarchy In HR
BY HARJEET KHANDUJA
Platform organisations are ending "The Hierarchy inHR". HR's job will be to engage the (gig) workforce bycreating Employee Value Proposition, creating anemployer brand, designing conversations, incentiveplans, and intuitive platforms.
Hierarchies have been veryeffective in people management sincethe very beginning. Hierarchies comeinto picture because a human caneffectively manage anywhere between7 to 25 people depending on thenature of work and interaction.Hierarchies are one of the mostfundamental components of HumanResources. Hierarchies solve manyimportant problems for organisations.They solve it using a manager.
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52 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
What is a Manager?A manager is someone who managesor takes charge of something. Theorigin of the word manager is fromthe Latin word “Manus” which means“hand”. The Italian word menageriemeans “to control”. From anorganisational standpoint, a manageris responsible for controlling theoutcome by ensuring the availabilityand productivity of employees. Amanager can do that by hiring,training, engaging, allocating work,guiding, reviewing work, andcoaching the employees.
How do hierarchies help?Societies and countries have beenusing hierarchies to manage peoplefor ages. If one were to look at theconstitution of any country or studyany civilisation, one will realise thateach one of them is hierarchical withdefined responsibilities andaccountabilities for each role.Hierarchies help in: -
1. Decision Making: The speed ofdecision-making differentiates anorganisation and makes it moreefficient. Hierarchies provide a clearchain of command. Whenever thereis confusion, people know who toapproach for a decision.
2. Communication:Communication is critical to thesuccess of any organisation. If anorganisation launches a new featurein its product, changes a process,introduces an incentive plan, ordecides to go for digital transformation,the speed with which it cancommunicate to its people willdetermine the success of theorganisation in the marketplace.Well-defined hierarchies ensure thatcommunication reaches the last level.
3. Getting things done: Socialpsychologists like Stanley Milgramand Philip Zimbardo had proven thatpeople obey others of a higher status.Hierarchies leverage this trait ofhuman behaviour to get work done.
4. Career Path: When hierarchy iscreated, the hierarchical levels aredifferentiated on the basis of the kindof decisions people at various levels
can make. The complexity andbusiness impact of decision-makingincreases with each level in thehierarchy. Privileges are attached toeach level based on the businessimpact. This creates aspiration forpeople to move to the next level. Italso acts as a retention tool, sincepeople are able to see a clear careerpath within the organisation.
Problems with hierarchyHierarchy creates managers. Thesemanagers are power centres as wellas information hubs. The managersalso, at times, have the potential tobecome counterproductive and affectthe efficiency of the organisation.
1. Communication Flow: If amanager in the chain of commandwithholds communication, he/she notonly creates an information imbalancebut also affects the capability of theorganisation to get things done.
2. Listening: Interestingly,communication is a two-way street.Organisations are supposed to keepadjusting their strategies based onthe feedback gathered at variouslevels of hierarchy. If a manager inthe chain of command stops listening,it affects the agility of the organisation,which creates bigger problems downthe road. A few decades ago, the lackof listening pushed the manufacturingsector into a whirlwind of unionisation.
3. Incompetence: If the managerin the chain of command isincompetent, that is, either themanager does not know how to makethe decision, or decides not to makedecisions promptly, the entire chainbelow the manager becomes inefficient.
4. Maintenance: At times, hierarchydefeats the very purpose for which itwas created. With the passage oftime, some decision points becomeredundant, but they continue to travelacross levels leading to an unnecessarydelay. Hierarchy needs to be reviewedregularly and the bottlenecks need tobe identified and rectified.
SolutionsFor years, organisational scientistshave been trying to solve problems to
“A manager isresponsible forcontrolling theoutcome by ensuringthe availability andproductivity ofemployees. This canbe done by hiring,training, engaging,allocating work,guiding, reviewingwork, and coachingthe employees.”
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make hierarchy structure work usingthe following methods:
1. Creating parallelcommunication channels:Organisations create matrix structuresso that if one chain of command failsto communicate then the employeereceives instructions through anotherchain of command. This is furthersupported by creating parallelcommunication channels. An examplefor this are the central communicationteams. Listening can also be donethrough dipstick surveys or suggestionschemes.
2. Managerial Development: Theentire framework of assessmentcentres and development centres isbuilt around the concept of improvingthe quality of managerial roles. Manyorganisations invest in formaldevelopment programmes for decision-making roles. Some organisationsconduct transition training at thetime of elevation of people to thedecision-making roles.
3. Culture Building: In a jointfamily, the younger ones are taughtto respect elders. In the samemanner, organisations teach peopleto respect authority. This is theprocess of culture building. Certainrituals are put in place to shape thebehaviour of individuals to make theorganisation efficient.
4. Re-engineering Exercise:Whenever a big festival comes around,we clean our houses. Re-engineeringexercises do something like that forbusinesses. They weed out theunnecessary workflows, processes,and bottlenecks. These exercises arecalled by different names such asbusiness process re-engineering,organisation restructuring, Certificationon a new standard, revamping ITsystems etc.
5. Information Technology:Embedding organisational rules in ITsystems is another approach followedby organisations that reduce decision-making dependence on managers.
Paradigm ShiftUntil recently, companies were focusedon robotics and allied technologies to
reduce the dependency on front linejobs. In the last two decades, therewas significant growth in the servicesector. At the same time, machinelearning, artificial intelligence, datascience and analytics improved leapsand bounds.
The paradigm shifted whenorganisations changed their focusfrom optimising front line jobs tooptimising routine decision-makingmanagerial jobs. Focusing onoptimising managerial jobs not onlycreates a cost advantage but alsoallows organisations to convert theirregular front line workforce into a‘gig’ workforce.
If you see the way the Uberplatform works, there is no manager.Anyone can enrol to be a driver(employee) on the basis of his drivinglicence (training). Thereafter, theemployee attends an induction, theplatform allocates work, the customerreviews the work, and the feedbackand development needs are passed tothe employee by the platform.
The Hierarchy in HRPlatform organisations are putting anend to “The Hierarchy in HR”. Thejob of Human Resource will be toengage the (gig) workforce bycreating employee value proposition,creating employer brand, designingconversations, designing incentiveplans, and more importantly,designing intuitive platforms.
Harjeet Khanduja is an internationalspeaker, author, poet, influencer,inventor and an HR leader. He iscurrently working as the Vice PresidentHR at Reliance Jio. He has 2 publishedpatents and his book "Nothing AboutBusiness" is an Amazon bestseller.Harjeet has been a LinkedIn PowerProfile, TEDx speaker, Guest Faculty atIIM Ahmedabad, Board Member ofFederation of World Academics, Memberof CII HR IR committee and Co-chair ofNasscom Diversity Committee.
About the Author
“The complexityand business impactof decision-makingincreases with eachlevel in the hierarchy.Privileges areattached to eachlevel based on thebusiness impact. Thiscreates aspirationfor people to moveto the next level.”
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54 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
s Dhruv updated his mood forthe day as ‘tensed about mysister’s covid test results’ onA
his team’s online stream, he wantedto keep himself distracted fromthinking about it any further. Histhoughts raced to how StarTech, theIT product company he worked fortransitioned from physical offices,which received rave reviews onGlassdoor, to a FROrg (Fully Remoteorg), and yet, received great reviewson Glassdoor! Though not easy, hesat down to write an article aboutwhat helped them to transitionsuccessfully to being a FROrg. He
BY ROHIT SHENOY
To be a Fully Remote Org, organisations need to make culture apriority, identify a great remote working culture, focus on deliberatecommunication, planned spontaneity and work visibility, and trainManagers in remote working practices.
first summarised what made them agreat remote org and then went on toelaborate the details.
A. The Summary
Make Culture a Priority andresume focus on engagement andteamwork
Identify what a great remoteworking culture looks like
Focus on Deliberate communication,planned spontaneity and workvisibility
Train Managers in remote workingpractices adapted company-wide
WORK CULTURE
No LongerA FR(O)rgIn The Well!
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WORK CULTURE..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
B. The Details
Making Culture a priority
StarTech was a privately-ownedglobal tech company with 35offices in 16 countries. They wereone of the pioneers in the agileway of working and were proud oftheir culture. The offices wereknown for their informal vibe. Toensure the culture fit of the freshrecruits, as a part of their hiringprocess, candidates had to undergoa minimum of 9 rounds. Thisincluded everyone from a campusfresher to the country head andthe founders for mid-senior roles.
When the pandemic struckthem, their founder, Estelle, wastedno time in deciding to move workacross all countries remotely.Estelle was clear that she neededto adapt her ability to create a senseof purpose and an empoweringengaged environment for employeesto the remote workplace. Estelleunderstood the importance ofpeople feeling valued and engagedat work. She had a strong beliefthat changing the tools and thelocation of work should not impactStarTech’s ability to work closelytogether. However, she knew thatthis required a combination ofmindset, toolset and skillsets forremote work and she wanted thetask force to work on those alone.
She created a task force withpeople from across the world toset-up newer ways of working inthe remote scenario and ensurethat their unique culture wasmaintained during the remoteworking period. A few months ago,StarTech had carried out an OrgNetwork Analysis (ONA) andDhruv’s name had come out as a‘boundary spanner’. This meantthat he was part of diverse groupsand well networked with StarTech.This, coupled with his role in HR,made him a part of the Remotework task force.
The task force realised early onthat back-to-back remote meetingsis not remote work - it is remotework in panic. The task force
realised that they need the belowelements for effective work fromhome:
Deliberate Communication
Planned Spontaneity
Work Visibility
Dhruv looked at his notes from thetask force’s findings:
Mindset and Skillset -
1. Deliberate Communication
A. In the absence of water coolerand canteen talks, it is essential todeliberately communicate what ishappening in the rest of theorganisation so that people do notmiss out on important updatesthat have an impact on their work.
B. To deliberately communicateyour mood for the day to colleagues(that’s what Dhruv had done rightat the beginning!).
“In the absence ofwater cooler and
canteen talks, it isessential to deliberately
communicate what ishappening in the rest ofthe organisation so thatpeople do not miss out
on importantupdates.”
2. Planned Spontaneity
In the physical world, people wouldspontaneously connect with theircolleagues on the way to theirworkstations, between meetingsand also socially. This spontaneitywas missing in the remote space.And hence, they came up withvarious structures to ensure thisthrough planned spontaneitythrough Friday no agenda informalconnects within teams, fortnightlycross team connects, monthlycountry gettogethers etc. All ofthese had a lot of employee
interaction and very little speakingfrom the leaders.
3. Work Visibility
Make your work visible to others.A 101 conversation online does notgive others an opportunity tocontribute to the conversation, butthe use of online workstreamsensures that the content iscommunicated to a larger groupand others feel involved and cancontribute their ideas. They adaptedWorking Out Loud (#WOL) as amovement inside the company.This meant that they create andtrack visible workflow. This helpedthem eliminate regular mundanestatus update calls. They alsorealised that working out loudneed not be noisy!
One big takeaway for the task forcewas to focus on asynchronous worki.e. people working in their owntime and on what gets donebetween meetings, not just onsynchronous meetings. What cameabout as a pleasant surprise wasthat this also ensured a reductionin the overall number of meetings.
Virtual meetings
During face-to-face work, StarTechwas known for its teamcollaboration and informalmeetings. They gave a thoughtfulconsideration to taking themeetings virtual. This was not easyand they realised that they couldnot extrapolate the flow, theengagement and the structure thatthey were used to in physicalmeetings. They needed to unlearnthe old and relearn the new todesign and execute awesomevirtual meetings. The task forcecrowd-sourced best practices ofvirtual meetings and came up withthe below list of rules and roles.
Rules for virtual meetings
1. Avoid meetings unless they areunavoidable!
2. Do not invite everyone and donot leave out importantstakeholders!
56 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
Liberating Structures, are designedto embrace distributed control andinclude a fairer, larger number ofpeople in shaping the next steps.The use of liberating structures inStarTech resulted in innovation,inclusion, participation, clarity,purpose and fun. They choseLiberating Structures as a methodsince they are deliberately simpleand anyone can lead them whichmeans they can spread virally inStarTech. They ran company-widesessions to train an initial coregroup of people on liberatingstructures. Once people experiencedone, it was easy to startexperimenting. This along with theIAF’s library of facilitation methodsand techniques and processes fromsessions lab unleased the power ofgroup wisdom in StarTech.
“LiberatingStructures, are
designed to embracedistributed control
and include a fairer,larger number of
people in shaping thenext steps.”
Next Steps for StarTech
The as-is state for Star Tech wasbeing a FROrg, but going forward,they would be HyOrg ( HybridOrg) with some employees workingfrom an office location and allothers meeting occasionally inoffices to connect as a team.
Dhruv worked with the core teamto create a Remote Work index(RWI). This helped identify rolesthat
Could be done fully remotely ona permanent basis
Needed people to come toStarTech Offices
Could be done from a satelliteoffice
As they identified people ineach of the 3 categories, he lookedforward to the next phase ofmodifying their way of working tothe HyOrg. Just then, he got aWhatsApp message from his sisterwhich brought a sigh of relief anda big smile on his face. Themessage read “Negative” and witha huge smile we went ahead andupdated his mood for his teammates, “Relieved – All is well!”
Rohit Shenoy leads Organizationand Talent Development for SterlitePower - a Vedanta group company. Hewields an industry experience of over16 years and has worked in DDI,Infosys, Accenture and Siemens. Rohitis a Mechanical Engineer and anMBA-HR and Marketing from SIBM,Pune. He is a certified Neuroleadershipcoach and has received an ODcertification from Tata Institute ofSocial Sciences.
About the Author
3. Choose flow and engagement -use liberating structures tounleash group wisdom
4. Tell people in advance ifswitching on video is mandatoryfor the meeting
5. Give people pre-read materialand reduce the duration ofmeetings
6. Set-up no meeting time zonesto ensure people have lunch etc.
7. Plan for success
8. Document with visibility foreveryone and follow-upasynchronously
Roles in meetings
CEO of the meeting
Silence Breaker – Speak up firstif no-one else is responding
Designated facilitator –His/herrole was of utmost importance.The facilitator would be anexpert in content neutralfacilitation. She/he would betypically experienced in usingLiberating Structures and IAF (International Association ofFacilitators) facilitation groupprocesses and SessionLabwebsite.
Meeting doctor – He/shestepped in when meetings werenot going right and called outdisruptive behaviours
Some other best practices thatDhruv started to love about theircurrent meetings :
Always start with a check-in toget people in a positive mood,relate to each other and buildphysical context with words e.g.‘what do I see outside mywindow?’
Dhruv noted some toolsets thatplayed an important role inremote work for them.
Liberating Structures
Liberating Structures are a selectionof 33 alternative structures forfacilitating meetings andconversations, curated by HenriLipmanowicz and Keith McCandless.
References
Pilar Orti - https://www.virtualnotdistant.com/
Work out Loud - https://workingoutloud.com/
International Association of Facilitators -https://www.iaf-world.org/
Sessions Lab - https://www.sessionlab.com/
Liberating Structures - http://www.liberatingstructures.com/, https://reimaginaire.medium.com/what-are-liberating-structures-de6f6d14c2c8
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www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 57
Thad broken off and the plant wason the verge of a shutdown. As theperson heading the negotiations, Iwas feeling the pressure and therewas an intense desire to act. Ireached out to my mentor who hada counterintuitive and unexpectedpiece of advice – sit in a quietplace and reflect.
There is little doubt thatreflection improves one’s decision-making ability. Through reflection,we are able to evaluate a situationobjectively and cognitively withintuition adding the finishingtouch. Several inventions andcreative solutions to problems havematerialised on reflection. Themost classic example of this isArchimedes’ Eureka moment.
However, many of us findreflection difficult to practice.Human beings, by nature, areaction-oriented. We are pre-disposed to act. The flight or fightresponse to perceived danger isour default even in lessthreatening situations. Reflection issomething that does not comenaturally to most of us. We tend toreact to situations instead ofresponding to them. Reflection isthe difference between reactionand response. While there is meritin fast reaction in a life and deathsituation, the situations we mostlyface in our work lives give us theopportunity to reflect and musterthe appropriate response.Therefore, it is imperative that wetry and understand the process of
he situation stood balancedon a knife’s edge. Thenegotiations with the union
BY ASHISH PRADHAN
There is little doubt that reflection improves one'sdecision-making ability. Through reflection, we are ableto evaluate a situation objectively and cognitively withintuition adding the finishing touch.
Mind Over Matter
“Without reflection, wego blindly on our way,
creating more unintendedconsequences, and failing
to achieve anything useful.”– Margaret Wheatley
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................EXPERT TALK
reflection and evaluate a methodthat we could employ to embedour habits of reflection.
A mind workoutReflection is like a workout for themind. Like the way we use thegymnasium to train our body tobecome strong, supple, andfunctional, reflection is the placewhere we train our mind. And asthere is a routine that one followsin the body gym, one needs to dothe same for the mind gym. Weshall use this analogy to developthe idea of reflection.
As one starts one’s exerciseregimen with a warm-up to makethe body receptive to the work outto follow, one must warm up themind. And the most effective wayto do this is to meditate.Meditation is a practice that trainsthe mind to be calm yet aware,sharp yet flexible, in the moment -whatever the distractions. A fewminutes of meditation – centring –can really put you in a frame ofmind to be open to differentstimuli, receptive to divergentviewpoints and imaginativesolutions. Ideally, meditation is ahabit that one must cultivate inorder to be adept at it. The time
and energy that goes into thepursuit of a calm mind returns amulti-fold pay back.
The devil is in the DataData is the equipment of the mindgym. One cannot reflect withoutdata. Data does not necessarilymean numerical data, but alsoobservations. The process ofreflection then moves data throughthree stages before the point ofaction. These are information,knowledge, and insights.Information is data that is relevantto the situation at hand, knowledgeis information that one can use,and finally, insights is theknowledge that one gleans wisdomout of using one’s cognitive andintuitive abilities. This seemssimple enough, but have we notseen numerous presentations thatget lost in sheer data, mired in toomuch information, exulting inknowledge, and sorely lacking ininsights?
The process is like a funnel.After acquiring data, one needs toask the question, “what data isrelevant to the current situation?”to distil it to information. Here,one needs to be ruthless to castdata aside that has little bearing tothe topic. “Can we use thisinformation? If yes, how?” is thesieve one uses to sift knowledgefrom information. Insight is thestage where we process knowledgeat a cognitive level and thenconnect to our individual orcollective intuition, which is reallyan accumulation of our experiencesthat reside in our unconscious, to
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eventuality of conflicting intuitiveopinions, one should trust one’sgut as in the end, it is the personwho carries the can whose gutfinally matters.
The 3-Step stopHow do we develop effectivereflection as a habit? Onerecommends three simple steps–
Allocate a time: Whilemanaging our back-to-back callsand meetings, we must earmarkspecific time for daily reflections. Itwould help immensely if we putthis in our calendars so colleaguescan see that we are busy in thattime and wouldn’t schedule calls.Keeping a log of one’s reflection isalso something that works withmany successful professionals.
Allocate a place: Man is acreature of habit. We need to havefamiliar surroundings which themind recognises intuitively as aplace for reflection. It is importantto keep the place neat, tidy andwith as little clutter. Any object onthe table which one is planning touse as a place for reflection willonly distract. A physically clearworkplace naturally facilitates aclear mind.
Decide a payoff: Decide apayoff in advance. As many expertson habit have reiterated, we needto have a positive payoff to makethe habit stick. One can decide thepayoff as something one enjoys atthe end of reflection. In the end,the high one experiences afterreflection is, in itself, a payoff. Analternative payoff may be requiredtill one reaches this level.
I returned home from office,had an early dinner, and thenretired to my study. I pouredmyself a glass of wine andreflected. I found a way out of theconundrum. I have been an ardentchampion of reflection as a habitfor leadership success ever since.
Through personal experiences, Iam convinced that self-reflection isthe most underused andunderestimated skill that is usedfor success. It is a pre-requisite formanaging our VUCA world. AsMargaret Wheatley so aptly put it,“Without reflection, we go blindlyon our way, creating moreunintended consequences, andfailing to achieve anything useful.”On reflection, one can only nod one’shead in vigorous assertion!
About the Author
Ashish Pradhan is President, SiegwerkAsia. He comes with over 25 years ofexperience in the Packaging industry andhas worked in Huhtamaki, Positivepackaging, Henkel, and InternationalPaper. Ashish is a Mechanical Engineerwith a Management Degree and holds aDiploma in International Trade from theIndian Institute of MaterialsManagement and a Diploma in Packagingfrom the Institute of Packaging, UK.
EXPERT TALK
arrive at key insights. Insight isthe stage we need to attain beforewe can initiate meaningful action.How do we know if we haveattained insights? One practicalway is to ask the question, “Sowhat does this knowledge tell us?”,to a point where we know that theanswer is actionable.
The final stage of reflection isfinding a sounding board that youtrust. Reflection is essentially anindividual activity. Thus, it is onlylogical that the output would besubject to all the cognitive biasesthat plague the human mind. It is,therefore, imperative that onechallenges one’s results of one’sreflections with an intuitive andknowledgeable mind and play thedevil’s advocate. One must becautious though that in the
www.humancapitalonline.com January 2021 59
Despite the pandemic, demand forjob roles in IT sector has remainedunaffected. Major job roles thatwere in demand in November wereProject Manager, Software
IT Sector Shows ARise in Demandfor Jobs: SCIKEYReport
Developer, Software Tester,Consultant & Digital Marketinglead, out of which in comparisonto other sectors - IT sector alonehad a demand of 55 per cent, 65per cent, 60 per cent, 33 per centand 30 per cent respectively ofabove roles across India. SCIKEYMarket Network's research datarevealed that the demand for theabove roles in various cities andacross different sectors rose.Project Manager role was in
highest demand inBengaluru with 30 percent, followed by Delhi/NCR (15 per cent) andPune (13 pre cent).Demand for ProjectManagers was maximum inIT Sector (55 per cent),followed by Construction(6 per cent), Recruitment(5 per cent) & Banking (3per cent).
MSDE, Microsoft,NASSCOM LaunchDigital SkillingProgram; 1.2 lakhStudents To Benefit
extensive network of about 15,000training institutes and 33 NationalSkill Training Institutes.Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, UnionMinister of Skill Development andEntrepreneurship said, “Throughthe DGT-Microsoft partnership,we are aiming to impact
A majority of organisations witnessedstrong productivity gains in Q32020 by allowing employees to workremotely; however, employees arebeing impacted by the feeling ofbeing “always-on”, according to anew report by the CapgeminiResearch Institute titled, “The futureof work: from remote to hybrid.” Inorder to continue realising remoteworking benefits and manageemployee expectations, organisationsneed to find the right operatingmodel for a more balanced hybridapproach. To do this, leaders need
70% OrganisationsBelieve Remote-WorkingProductivity GainsSustainable BeyondPandemicBY ANUSHRUTI SINGH
BY ANUSHRUTI SINGH
INDUSTRY BYTES
BY ANUSHRUTI SINGH
The Directorate General ofTraining (DGT) joined hands withMicrosoft and NASSCOMFoundation to provide digitalcontent for ITI students and alsoa future-ready employabilityskilling program for upskillingand reskilling. Nearly 1,20,000students in around 3000 ITIsacross India will benefit from thisdigitized e-learning module viathe Bharatskills portal. DGT,under the aegis of the Ministry ofSkill Development &Entrepreneurship (MSDE), isresponsible for implementing longterm institutional training to thenation’s youth through its
thousands of students by enablingdigitisation in education and hopeit to reach more students andteachers soon. As the pandemic iscompelling fast-track digitaltransition, these new learninginitiatives will empower younglearners with technical andmarket-oriented skills.”
to question and rethink theeffectiveness of existing structuresand break down organisationalsilos and barriers between teams,cites the report. Employeeproductivity grew at 63 per cent oforganisations during the thirdquarter of 2020 thanks to lesscommuting time, flexible workschedules and the adoption ofeffective virtual collaboration tools.IT and digital functions (68 percent) lead the way in productivity,followed by customer service (60per cent) and sales and marketing(59 per cent). Digitisation and theuse of technologies like artificialintelligence (AI) have helpedorganisations see improvedproductivity in these areas.
60 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
AManagement trainee. PinnacleConsulting is a global network ofprofessional service firms providingadvisory services. It operates in200+ countries and has 3,21,000people working in member firmsaround the world. Established inIndia in January 1978, it hasrapidly built a significant competitivepresence in the country. In India,Pinnacle Consulting has a clientbase of over 1927 companies. Thefirm’s global approach to servicedelivery helps provide value-addedservices to clients. The firm servesleading advisory services and has a
In Letter And Spirit?BY DR. DEEPIKA PANDITA
gastya joined PinnacleConsulting, Mumbai, inAugust 2016 as a
the situation and took up theopportunity to showcase his skills.After completing the project, hiswork came to notice. He waspositively acknowledged as aninnovative and creative thinker bythe business partner, and Agastyabecame an integral part of theteam.
After the initial success, therewas a rapid increase in Agastya’svisibility in the department. Hewas often assigned critical projects,traveling across the country withthe team on various client locations.Within a year and a half, he wasutterly abreast with the department’sservices, began to handle the tasksallotted to him individually, andwas getting positive feedback fromthe client. In January 2020, hewas recognised as a Subject MatterExpert (SME).
Performance CycleAfter savouring success on aregular basis, Agastya, vying theorganisation’s performanceappraisal cycle in March 2018, wasconfident that he was ready for thenext role and optimistic that hewould be promoted.
On the day of his performancereview discussion, he experienced‘bias’ for the first time. During themeeting with his supervisor, hewas told that since he is only anengineer (Graduate), he needs towait for another year to getpromoted. However, no suchcompany policy existed on paper,but was somehow practiced. Thoughdisappointed, he did not lose hopeand continuously performed hiswork with the highest of hisabilities. And he regularly receivedclient appreciation.
Education / certificationpolicyOne day, Agastya contemplateddoing a certification coursefacilitated by the organisation, andhence sought his superior’s approval.His supervisor denied the requestwith the reason that he needs totravel to the client’s location for
CASE STUDY
strong presence in India, whiledoing many market leaders in otherindustry segments. In 2017 and2018, the firm was continuouslyranked second in the best employee-friendly companies to work. Thefirm boasts about its people-drivenpolicies and considers its employeesas the only valuable assets essentialto meet the organisational goals.Initially, for 3 to 4 months, he waskept on the bench doing routinebackend and documentation work.In December 2016, he was assigneda critical assignment along withanother team member. Eventhough he did not have enoughknowledge and experience on theproject deliverables, he embraced
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that Agastya was travelingextensively 11 out of 12 monthsfrom one client location to another.Tired of such a hectic schedule, herequested that he be assigned on alocal project. Agreeing to therequest, he was given a localproject. One week after working onthis project, Agastya received a callfrom his Director. He wantedAgastya to travel on an immediatebasis for an overseas assignment asthe person assigned on Agastya’sbehalf had refused to travel. Agastyaenquired from his Director aboutwhether he too can go for such anoption. However, to his surprise,he was told that she was a female.
One day, sitting in the officecafeteria, Agastya was having a cupof coffee with his colleague, who wasoffended by the situation that hadhappened with him. On elaboratingfurther, it was revealed that hiscolleague too was replaced withone of the female employees. Thistime, she was assigned locally, butneeded to go home early in theevening. Due to this, the project wasrunning way behind the scheduledtime. In the same year, the femaleemployee was promoted to theposition of Assistant Manager withan Excellent rating and travelledsignificantly less in her careerspan. Once again, Agastya’s innermotivation and dedication towardswork was taken aback by theunprecedented bias.
Sabbatical leave PolicyThe organisation had a policy thata person can opt for a sabbaticalleave to study, if he/she hascompleted 2 years in theorganisation. Wanting to opt forthe Policy as Agastya aspired topursue post-graduation, herequested for the same. However,the request was denied as usual,saying that it takes 6-7 months ofapproval from the top managementand the organisation cannot lethim opt for the Policy as theorganisation was facing seriousresource crunch. One day, heinquired about his colleague whom
two months, and the certificationrequires attending the classes inperson for a week. After hereturned upon the completion ofthe project, he once again soughtapproval for the same. However, itwas denied again since he neededto complete the deliverables andhead for another project on shortnotice. One day, Agastya washaving a telephonic conversationwith one of his colleagues in thesame team. To Agastya’s shock, hecame to know that his colleague hadcompleted the same certificationthat he wanted to meet. Hiscolleague was now traveling abroadrelated to client work.
The secondperformance cycleAgastya was viewing hisperformance appraisal letter forthe year 2019, although promotedto the next position of AssociateConsultant, to his surprise, he wasgiven a rating of ‘Very Good’. Thefollowing day, he enquired with hissupervisor about the basis of rating.He received a reply that there areonly two people who are givenExcellent rating. For achieving thesame, a person needs to performexceptionally; for example, heneeds to add value by doing somecertification course/degree andperforming activities such asbusiness development, etc.
Experiencing such instancesfrequently, Agastya was demoralised.On one occasion, he tried to reachout to the human resourcedepartment, but was communicatedby the project manager that suchaction could impact his career andreputation. Understanding thesituation, Agastya decided to focuson his work and leave the problemas it is.
The Gender BiasAs an Associate Consultant, Agastyawas relishing the responsibilitieshe was shouldered with (Agastya’speers were still handling a process)and started handing the clientindividually. The duties were such
he had not seen for a long time.To his notice, he observed that theperson went on a sabbatical toprepare for his post-graduation asthe person was a close relative ofthe Director. Also, the same Policywas successfully executed by otherdepartments too.
Interdepartmentaltransfer policyOn completing four years in theorganisation in August, 2020,Agastya found the work a littlemonotonous and wanted to shift toanother department (Strategy andOperations). The company policyprovided provision for the same,however, when he sought approvalfor the same, Agastya waspromoted to the next level withinthe same service line. However,Agastya was not shifted to thedepartment which he was eyeing,and was his dream job since hejoined the firm, even though thepartner of other department wasready to absorb him.
Deepika Pandita, Ph.D. is an AssistantProfessor in Symbiosis Institute ofBusiness Management Pune atSymbiosis International University. Shecomes with an experience of 12 yearsand teaches post graduate and ExecutiveMBA courses in the area of humanresources, organisational behaviour,leadership and talent management. Dr.Pandita has a graduate degree inManagement and post graduate degreein Management and Human Resources.
About the Author
62 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
CASE STUDY..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
performance. However, one fails tofathom why Agastya has beentolerating workplace biases for morethan four years. And he also didnot approach the HR Departmentand went back into a silo after hisproject manager shared hispersonal opinion that it would becounterproductive.
Sometimes, when an employeelacks the ability to deliver or isunable to do so despite beingcapable due to various reasons, itis observed that they lack theconfidence to discuss workplacedifferences. However, on thecontrary, Agastya is able to performexceptionally well and is recognisedby various stakeholders includingcustomers, peers and the otherdepartments. Also, it is surprisingthat he is continuing to work forPinnacle, is spite of varioushiccups. Agastya is young and atsuch an early stage in his career,there are abundant opportunitiesfor him in consulting firms.
On the other hand, thoughPinnacle is a successful company interms of growth, it may becomplacent over its PerformanceManagement System (PMS) inpractice. A good HR organisationdoes not wait for someone to comeforward with a complaint, since theyhave an in-built process to evaluatethe level of conformance, which is
Analysis By Ravi Mishra
innacle believes that peopleare its greatest assets and thetrue drivers of organisationalP
third party to run this process sothat people like Agastya can comeforward and contribute withoutany fear of being targeted by theirmanager or any other individualwho matters.
The following steps may beundertaken by Pinnacle :-
It is the ownership of theorganisation, more specifically theHR team for the PerformanceManagement System and Learning& Development to authenticate theprocess as an enabler to driveresults as per design.
It must create an environmentof openness and trust so thatemployees can come forward andcontribute for the betterment ofthe organisation by providing theircandid feedback.
It must review its growthtrajectory constantly before it getstrapped in the ‘S Curve’
As a key stakeholder, employeesneed to share their experiences andpoint of view without fear of beingvictimised by people/manager, whomatter in the organisation.
On the part of employee, despiterepeated efforts, if the organisationdoes not want to listen or act to itsemployees, they should move on andseek an opportunity that supports tobuild the career. It is not advisablethat the employee remains in theorganisation for a long time in thedoldrum of conflict with basicethos that matters.
validated by the stakeholders. It isintriguing that nobody from theHR function tried to reach out toAgastya in the last 4 years tocomprehend his engagement levelwith the company.
Employees like Agastya, in anyorganisation, should not give intopresumptions and harbour theirfrustration in isolation for a longtime. If unsatisfied with theManager, they should come forwardand approach the HR departmentor even the CEO. This will go along way to enable individualemployees and organisations toevolve as a better workplace. Theonly thing that is called for is adiscussion with an open mind andlisten to the organisationalperspective.
It is possible that Pinnacle isboasting to be a good companywhen it comes to employee care.They seem to have greater belief inadvertising themselves to create abetter image rather than workingon the ground.
One has witnessed manyorganisations talking about genderdiversity which simply makes nosense. The right perspective isinclusiveness that providesopportunities to those who deserve.While hiring must be done toensure a fairer percentage ofwomen employees, it should not bedone at the cost of competencyand capability. Opportunities mustbe also provided to employeeswithout taking gender intoconsideration. It is essential forHR organisations to expand theirunderstanding of the horizon ofdiversity beyond gender.
Pinnacle must undertake athorough review of its HR processes,and mark those areas that are notfunctioning as per design. Theyshould create a platform andencourage employees to share theirexperiences. It must also ensureconfidentiality and may choose a
About the Author
Ravi Mishra is Senior Vice President-HR for Global Epoxy Business, AdityaBirla Group. He is associated with theGroup since 2005, and has worked indifferent businesses i.e. Grasim Chemical,UltraTech Cement, and Birla Carbon.Prior to joining the Aditya Birla Group,Ravi was associated with diversifiedorganisations such as, Nicholas PiramalGroup, Mardia Group of Industries, andNova Petrochemicals Ltd.
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CASE STUDY
Analysis By Nikhil Mallah
About the Author
Nikhil Mallah is the Vice President -HR, Satin Creditcare Network Limited.With over 13 years of experience, hehas worked in leading organisationssuch as Sharekhan, ICICI Securitiesand Magma FinCorp. Nikhil is therecipient of the coveted, 'TA PaiYoung HR Leader Award 2020' andhas been conferred with the title of'Young HR Professional of the Year' atthe World HRD Congress in 2018.
to work for and considersemployees as the only valuable assetessential to meet organisationalgoals. It is clear that Agastya didnot trust the organisation’s peopledriven practices and neither did hechallenge the status quo, therebysuccumbing to individual bias.
In the midst of the biases beingexperienced by Agastya, it appearsthat confronting and raising hisvoice to the HR department or theHOD would have been the rightapproach. He has already proven
innacle holds the reputationof being one among the mostemployee friendly companiesP
his mettle while delivering variousassignments and has also receivedappreciation from his clientele.This justifies that his expectationsare only fair while seekingpromotion and a better ratingduring his performance review, andalso while seeking the benefit ofthe sabbatical for higher studies.
Also, he should have raised hisapprehensions about him not beinggranted with the best rating andposting even after proving hiscredence consistently, and makingit clear that the organisation is nothaving gender neutral policies. Asfar as his movement through IJPwas concerned, he should haveraised the same with the HR,stating that he always aspired toget into the role and has beencleared for the same by the newdepartment partner.
Firstly, Agastya is himselfprimarily responsible for spawningsuch biases. Not raising his voicefor his own right is the primereason behind it. Secondly, it isequally important that the HRdepartment, who is the custodianof driving such agendas andeliminating such lacunas keeps
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educating the new joiner andexisting employees on a regularbasis to re-assure and instilconfidence amongst them that theyhave zero tolerance for suchbehaviours. This could beaccomplished by rolling outknowledge sessions or know yourpolicy sessions in a periodicmanner, either one-on-one or injoint forums - virtually or physically.Lastly, the organisation shouldensure that the top managementteam should be the custodian androle model while demonstratingsuch behaviours and it should alsoencourage its employees to raisetheir apprehension and concerneither in closed doors or in opentown houses as per theirconvenience and comfort. Theorganisation should also take sternactions penalising the accused tocurb such behaviour.
The first and foremost reasonfor the HR to not intervene andprovide solution in such situation isdue to the lack of communication.There has been no formal orinformal communication raised bythe employee to the HR departmentpertaining to the issues andapprehension faced by him.Secondly, he has succumbed to thebias and never raised his voice,which enabled others to takeundue advantage and made himthe guinea pig.
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LAW AT WORK
The Haryana StateEmployment Of LocalCandidates Bill, 2020
he Government of Haryana,with an intention to creategreater employmentT
BY MANISH DEMBLA AND NACHIKETA GOYAL
opportunities for the locals of thestate, has passed the Haryana StateEmployment of Local CandidatesBill, 2020 (“Bill”). The Bill is yet toreceive the assent of the Governorand hence, is yet to emerge as alaw. Once the bill receives theassent of the Governor, the StateGovernment will notify a date onwhich it shall come into effect.Therefore, it becomes necessary toprovide a brief snapshot of therequirements to be complied withunder the Bill, analysis of certainprovisions of the Bill so as tohighlight / remove the ambiguitytherein, and the impact of the Billon the industry at large.
One of the objects of the Bill, asmentioned in its statement ofobjects and reasons is, “To providereservation to the local candidatesof Haryana in private employment
more persons, shall employ seventy-five percent of local candidates withrespect to such posts where thegross monthly salary or wages arenot more than fifty thousandrupees. The term ‘Local Candidate’refers to any candidate who isdomiciled in Haryana. The employerhas the discretion to appoint localcandidates from any district of theState and can restrict the same toten percent from any district.
An employer may claimexemption from the requirement ofemploying local candidates, whereadequate number of local candidatesof the desired skill, qualification orproficiency is not available byapplying to the Designated Officer.The Designated Officer shall, aftersuch inquiry, as he deems fit andafter evaluating the attempt madeby the employer to recruit localcandidates of the desired skill,qualification or proficiency, mayeither accept or reject the claim of
under various Companies, Societies,Trusts, Limited Liability PartnershipsFirms, Partnership Firm etc.situated in Haryana.” The statementof objects and reasons specificallyuses the phrase ‘situated inHaryana’, not ‘registered inHaryana’, thereby, taking intoaccount entities which might beregistered outside Haryana, buthaving offices / factories in Haryana.Therefore, the requirement toemploy local candidates is driven bythe place of working of the workersand not the place of incorporation ofthe entity. There may be a situationwhere the place of incorporation ofthe entity might be Haryana andthe place of work might be outsideHaryana. Therefore, in such asituation, the Bill will not beapplicable on the place of work.
Key Compliancesi. As per Section 4 of the Bill,every employer, employing ten or
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the employer or direct the employerto train local candidates in thedesired skill, qualification orproficiency.
ii. Every employer shall be requiredto mandatorily register all theemployees having a gross monthlysalary of less than Rs. 50,000 /-(Rupees Fifty Thousand Only)within three months from the dateof the Bill coming into force in thedesignated portal as notified by theState Government.
iii. Every employer shall be requiredto submit a quarterly report on thedesignated portal pertaining to thelocal candidates employed orappointed during that quarter.
Penal ProvisionsIn case of contravention of theprovisions of the Bill, monetarypenalty ranging from Rs. 10,000 /-(Rupees Ten Thousand Only) to Rs.2,00,000 /- (Rupees Two LakhOnly) and a further penalty rangingfrom Rs. 100/- (Rupees OneHundred Only) to Rs. 1,000/-(Rupees One Thousand Only) foreach day such contraventioncontinues, shall be levied on theemployer, depending on the kind ofoffence or contravention. Further, afine up to Rs. 50,000 /- (RupeesFifty Thousand Only) is payable bythe employer for providing falserecords or not furnishing properinformation / records. Theaforementioned amount can beextended to Rs. 5,00,000/- (RupeesFive Lakh Only) in case of arepeated offence of providing falseinformation or not providing properinformation / records.
It is pertinent to note, in casethe person committing the offenceis a company, the Bill assumes thepersons concerned with themanagement of the company guiltyunless they prove absence ofknowledge with respect to theoffence committed. Thereby, theBill assumes guilt on part of theemployer / its officials in case ofnon-compliance, unless the personsconcerned are able to prove theirinnocence.
Applicability of the Billon contract labourThe words used in Section 4 areevery “employer” shall “employ”75% of local candidates. As per theplain meaning of the said words,contract labour does not appear tobe included. The Bill provides forframing of rules by the StateGovernment in respect of variousprocedural aspects. There may bemore clarity once the rules areframed.
Applicability of the billviz. new / existing jobpostsAlthough Section 4 of the Billstates “After the commencement ofthis Act, every employer shallemploy seventy-five percent of thelocal candidates…”, it does notexpressly state the applicability ofthe Bill to existing or new jobs.However, from the language ofSection 4, the Bill appears to beapplicable only to new jobs, not theexisting employment structure.More clarity is expected once theRules are framed and thedesignated officer is appointed.
Impact of the Bill onIndustrySince the Bill mandatesemployment of at least seventy fivepercent of the local candidates(having gross monthly wages lessthan Rs. 50, 000/-) to bedomiciled in Haryana, the cost oflabour and manpower is bound toincrease in light of the majority ofmigrant workforce being renderedunemployable. The workforcecomprising of the local candidatesmight not possess the requisitestandard of skill-set or proficiencyas required by the employer.Therefore, the Bill does notpropose to be employer friendly asthere might be instances that theemployer might not find therequisite manpower despite willingto pay a premium amount to theworkforce concerned.
Further, in light of theambiguity viz. applicability of theBill on contract labour, theemployers may be driven toengage majority of contract labourworkforce as opposed to directemployees which might defeat thevery purpose of the Bill.
Nachiketa Goyal is a SeniorAssociate at Kochhar & Co. Hispractice areas include labour &employment, general corporatecommercial, commercial litigation andarbitration and legal advisory work.Nachiketa was admitted to Bar Councilof India in 2014 and is a member ofDelhi Bar Council, Gurgaon DistrictBar Association and Delhi High CourtBar Association.
Manish Dembla is a Partner atKochhar & Co., one of the leading andlargest law firms in India with officesat New Delhi, Gurgaon, Bengaluru,Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dubai,Singapore and Atlanta (USA). The firmrepresents some of the largestmultinational corporations from NorthAmerica, Europe, Japan and India(many of which are Fortune 500companies) in diverse areas ofcorporate and commercial laws.
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Q
A
Q & AQ & A
I am a Human ResourceManager with an InformationTechnology company inGurgaon. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, our company hasdesigned a mobile applicationto collect data of employeesrelating to their healthcondition. However, certainemployees have shown theirreservation pertaining to themobile application. Is itnecessary to obtain employeeconsent in light of the AarogyaSetu application being mademandatory for employees bythe Government of India?
Kindly note that Ministry ofHome Affairs vide its notificationdated May 17, 2020, made the useof Aarogya Setu applicationrecommendatory in nature and notmandatory. Para (9) (ii) of theaforementioned notification states,“employers on best effort basisshould ensure that Aarogya Setu isinstalled by all employees havingcompatible mobile phones.” Thedata pertaining to the health of anindividual qualifies as ‘sensitivepersonal data or information’ as perRule 3 of Information Technology(Reasonable security practices andprocedures and sensitive personaldata or information) Rules, 2011.Further, as per Rule 5 of theInformation Technology (Reasonablesecurity practices and proceduresand sensitive personal data orinformation) Rules, 2011, a bodycorporate is required to obtainprior written consent from theprovider of the sensitive personalinformation. The data in theAarogya Setu App is being collected
Q
A
by the Government / agenciesauthorised by the Government andnot a body corporate. However,since your company is a bodycorporate, it will be covered underthe Information Technology(Reasonable security practices andprocedures and sensitive personaldata or information) Rules, 2011.Therefore, you will be required toobtain prior written consent of thedata provider i.e. the employeeconcerned.
I am an HR manager with amultinational company basedout of Delhi. Our Companyprovides various allowancesregularly to our employees.Whether these allowanceshave to be included for thepurpose of calculating providentfund of the employees?
Please note that as per paragraph29 (3) of the Employees’ ProvidentFund Scheme, 1952, (“Scheme”),provident fund shall be calculatedon the basis of basic wages,dearness allowance and retainingallowance (if any). The judgment ofthe Hon’ble Supreme Court ofIndia in Regional Provident FundCommissioner (II), West Bengaland Ors. vs. VivekanandaVidyamandir and Ors.[AIR 2019 SC1240] deals with the aspectallowances to be considered for thepurpose of calculation of providentfund. With respect to the aforesaidaspect, the Hon’ble Supreme Courtobserved the following:
“9. Basic wage, under the Act,has been defined as all emolumentspaid in cash to an employee inaccordance with the terms of his
contract of employment. But itcarves out certain exceptions whichwould not fall within the definitionof basic wage and which includesdearness allowance apart fromother allowances mentionedtherein. But this exclusion ofdearness allowance finds inclusionin Section 6. The test adopted todetermine if any payment was tobe excluded from basic wage isthat the payment under the schememust have a direct access andlinkage to the payment of suchspecial allowance as not beingcommon to all. The crucial test isone of universality. The employer,under the Act, has a statutoryobligation to deduct the specifiedpercentage of the contributionfrom the employee’s salary andmake matching contribution.”
Thus, if the allowances providedby you are provided for work donebeyond the normal course ofemployment and as an incentiveacknowledging the meritoriouswork of the employee, then theallowance shall not form a part ofthe basic wages and need not beconsidered for the purpose ofcalculating the provident of theemployee. However, if the allowanceis provided uniformly across boardin the routine scope of employment,the same shall be liable to beincluded in the definition of basicwages. Therefore, depending on thetype of allowance provided by youas mentioned above, the same shalleither be included or excluded forthe purpose of calculating theprovident fund of the employees.
LAW AT WORK
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T2016). This is an era that isexperiencing the impact of cloudbased, digitised processes andservices leveraging the Internet ofThings (IoT) and cognitive ArtificialIntelligence (AI) based solutions(Ashrafian, 2015; Jarrahi, 2018;Prisecaru, 2017; Schwab, 2016).Organisations are witnessing theimplications of scenario-based shiftsin their operating model. However,there is a whole realm of unexploredterrain and the possibility ofunprecedented changes fororganisations and their leadership inthe times to come.
Organisations demand leadershipthat can deliver to multi-prongedobjectives which include - interpretingambiguous situations, creatinginternal alignment, building trustand momentum in teams, organisingresources and managing people. Theadvent of cognitive technologies haschanged the leadership paradigmwith its sophisticated mentalcapabilities. Information processingis presently scaling unprecedentedheights, and this has led to massivechanges in strategic thinking andleadership requirements oforganisations.
Leadership ideologiesKeeping in line with this paradigmshift, the ideologies of leadership
he World Economic Forum hasdesignated the current cognitiveera as “Industrial 4.0” (Schwab,
KALPANA BANSAL
Leaders would be challenged to make behavioural shiftsto realise the full power of Artificial Intelligence.Dashboards, insights, patterns are all powerful tools,but they require hours of concentrated dedication andprioritisation.
DashboardEnabled Driving
have gone through severalrefinements and alterations in thecourse of the digital revolution.Concepts and theories as varying asEmergent Leadership (Carte et al.,2006), Service Leadership (Shek etal., 2015) and Realist Leadership(Reed, 2005) have been argued forand applied to explain organisationprinciples. In addition, BehaviouralEconomics has lent a whole newdimension to the challenges ofleading in such times. HerbertSimon’s concept of bounded rationalityproposed that people have limitationson the amount and complexity ofinformation they can process withtheir cognitive abilities, and decisionsmade are usually about what is “goodenough” at that point in time.
Artificial Intelligence, whichsimulates human intelligence inmachines that are programmed tothink like humans, has impactedstrategic analytics and will play amajor role in decision-making.However, such a sophistication levelalso presents its own set of challenges.An overload of information impliesthat a variety of metrics, algorithms,and decision-making points areavailable at the stakeholders’fingertips, resulting in confusion andincreased indecisiveness. There isalso a competing need to overanalyse and diagnose situations withrational means, vis-à-vis relying ongut and intuition. Augmented realityand pattern detection capabilities
THE CHANGE CULTURE..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
“Organisationsdemand leadershipthat can deliver tomulti-prongedobjectives whichinclude-interpretingambiguous situations,creating internalalignment, buildingtrust and momentumin teams, organisingresources andmanaging people.”
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would provide insights that are notnormally visible to humans, andrapid, timely access to this woulddemand pivotal shifts in the mindsetsof leaders. They would have to startrelying more on what they do notunderstand and less on their instincts.There could be situations whereleaders would have to accept theirjudgement bias or find themselvesintellectually challenged. And thus,calling for great strength and wisdomto be able to steer and commandwhen supplanted.
Leading to wickedproblemsWhile the advent of AI heralds apromise of a new industrial revolution,AI-driven enterprise applications couldpave the way to wicked problems.Complex interrelated problems thatdo not fully resolve themselves, comeabout as wicked problems. Thesesituations call for dynamic leadership -both transactional and transformativeto be able to handle the cyclicalnature of resolution of such challenges.At a strategic level, it might requirepolicy development, and at theimplementation level, it mightrequire programme development.Leaders would experience afundamental shift in their personalskills and knowledge requirements tograpple with such problems in theface of technological disruption;further supplemented with soundinterpersonal (people) skills andexecution driven skills on ground.Since the advent of AI is creatingnew kinds of challenges, there are notried and tested methodologies orbest practices for leadership tobenchmark from. It calls for a moresophisticated approach that involvesall relevant stakeholders at the initialstage of deployment and a valuesystem realignment.
The advances made by technologywill continue to surprise us. However,they might transform the lives ofsenior executives only if managerialadvances enable them to. Integrity ofsolutions in the cognitive era is onlyas good as the data inputs to thesystems, while the decision-makingpotential of algorithms is severelycrippled by lack of data.
The leadership paradigmThe leadership paradigm of controlcan actually be the real stage-gate tothe adaption of newer versions oftechnology. To surrender to machine-driven decisions is to “let go” ofcontrol, and to refrain frommanipulating data or judgements. Ifleaders succeed in doing this, theywould be able to seize the competitiveadvantage. Simultaneously, the role of
THE CHANGE CULTURE
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would be the reflex time in crisis andbeing able to sift through mountains ofdecisions and data points to arrive attrue insight. The premium would be onthe level of innovation that a humancould bring into data mining andsorting.
“Integrity of solutionsin the cognitive era is onlyas good as the data inputsto the systems, while thedecision-making potentialof algorithms is severelycrippled by lack of data.”
Organisation theory attributes thesuccess of organisations and theirmissions to the leadership aptitude ofits members. It is believed thatleadership attributes grow with timeand mature through experience. Thepresent scenario is such that it doesnot provide us with enough time andexperience to draw from, to build theleaders of the future. Tomorrow’seffective leader might look verydifferent from the leader of today.Cognitive decision making might sparesome amount of valuable executivetime spent otherwise in transactionaldecision making, and providing him/her with the freedom to reflect andideate. Technology might provide theleader with the time to interact withpeople, and gather finer nuances.While all this sounds liberating, it alsoraises the bar on expectations over theexecutive’s ability to focus on peopledimensions and create value alignmentfor the organisation and its teams.
Kalpana Bansal is Head - CompetencyAssessment and Development, RelianceIndustries Ltd. She comes with an experienceof more than 20 years and has worked inorganisations such as Tata Unisys, Star TV,IMRB, Mudra Communication and WatsonWyatt (I) Pvt. Ltd and the RPG Group.Kalpana has an MBA and has completed herExecutive Masters in Consulting & Coachingfor Change from Said Business School,Oxford University.
About the Author
the senior leader will evolve fromcontrol to creative innovation, fromtransactional management to makingleaps into the future. An integral partof good cognitive solutions is theability to frame the right questions.The vigour of senior leaders lies intheir ability to handle exceptionalsituations and unprecedented crisisusing intuitive calls, and humannuances that cannot be deciphered byalgorithms. The leader needs to beable to tolerate ambiguity and focuson the “softer” side of organisationaldevelopment, thus building capacityfor self-renewal.
Leaders would be challenged tomake behavioural shifts to realise thefull power of Artificial Intelligence.Dashboards, insights, patterns are allpowerful tools but they require hoursof concentrated dedication andprioritisation.
Democratising information in theera of AI would be required to gohand in hand with the ability of theorganisation to manage itself withoutdecisions moving upward. Fromoperating models downwards, thesharper insights and patternrecognition would enable quickerdecisions, and hopefully, swifterresults on their own. This means thatleaders down the line have moreaccess to insights, thereby leading to afairer distribution of power in theorganisation. The CEO would shift hisfocus to ideation and building scale,and complex thought collaborationsand synergies. Companies such as 3Mand Red Hat (the leading provider ofLinux software), have already madethose primary moves and unlockedmore insightful and actionablecompetitive strategies as a result ofthese actions.
The leader of the future wouldspend time in resolving exceptions.While machines take care of thenormative decision-making, it is whendata has no pattern synergies that realjudgment is called for. While strategicareas such as competitive analysis totalent management would demandmore vigour, as there is plenty ofinformation and analytics, thedifferentiating factor for a leader
“The vigour ofsenior leaders liesin their ability tohandle exceptionalsituations andunprecedentedcrisis using intuitivecalls, and humannuances that cannotbe deciphered byalgorithms.”
THE CHANGE CULTURETHE CHANGE CULTURE..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
70 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
WWhat is the most dynamic thing
around us changing for millions ofyears and still surviving? Nature.
We often think of change asimpending loss, but what we canlearn from nature is that changeand disturbance can be themechanisms for new possibilities.
Bio-mimicking ForTransformation
BY RASHMI AGARWAL
The definition of Transformation as per Merriam Websteris 'genetic modification of a bacterium by incorporation offree DNA from another bacterial cell'.
“Like nature's web,we should work on
building andmaintaining our
network which can helpus understand the
internal changes andthe external network
exposes us to the rightopportunities at the
right time.”
EXPERT TALK..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
the change3 like a dolphin (Funfact: Dolphin is the fastest marinemammal @60 km/h):
Help Others - Nature is builton coexistence and all elements ofnature are in give and takerelationships. For each organism,nature has a way of balancing thegive and take equation. In theevent of any change, focus onhelping others rather than thinkingabout your problems. In the processof giving more, you are likely toget more. The process of helpingothers also releases oxytocin,serotonin, and dopamine, whichhelp us in dealing with the stressand therefore adapt more quickly.
Embrace new opportunities- Creepers or vines are focused ontheir objective to climb. Dependingon the type of support, they haveevolved to possess their manyclimbing methods. Also, they cangrow in shade as well as sun. Wecan imitate ‘Creepers’ and stayfocused on our core deliverables,up-skill ourselves to succeed in thenew role being offered in a newstructure, or equip ourselves withapropos skills to harness the shifttowards digital and so on. Anentrepreneur can diversify during apandemic into services/productsfocused on safety or change theoffering from classroom workshopsto online workshops which we sawin recent times.
Maintain relationships-Nature is an interconnected web ofsymbiotic and mutually-beneficialrelationships where plants provide
undergoing a transformation. Thepandemic has triggered manychanges in our personal andprofessional front, which istransforming the way we work.‘Transformation’ can be very jazzyto talk in collective terms like anorganisation or a team, however,any kind of change incites fear,concern, and anxiety in mostindividuals. The emotions arelegitimate and not to be shunned.
‘Fear’ is a survival instinctpresent in all species of the animalkingdom which have survivedmillions of years of evolution. Anychange or unknown encounterstrigger the ‘fight or Flight1’ rush.The reaction was legitimate in theworld when any change could haveposed mortal danger however in thepresent world, most of the changesare not life-threatening. The changein wiring of brain neurons has notkept pace with the change in societytherefore millions of years ofconditioning of the brain stillincites the same reaction to allkinds of fear.
While some changes may be self-planned and some may be inducedby external factors but there is noescaping from the changes. Theirony is that even escaping fromchange would require us to gothrough another change.
In this scenario, it may be wisethat rather than resisting change,we adapt to it.
The process of emulating Natureto solve our worldly problems iscalled Bio-mimicry. It has beenused in engineering, architecturefor decades and more recently isbeing applied to the new worldchallenges of business, managementand leadership. From essentialminutia like Velcro to complexmachines like bullet trains2, turbines,tree climbing robots, gecko-inspiredfeet for climbing walls, prostheticarms are all examples ofinspirations taken from nature.
So what are the lessons to belearned from nature to sail through
ith such a scary definition,no wonder the processincites fear in a lot of people
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food and shelter to birds andanimals and animals help the plantkingdom through nutrition andpollination. The exchange may besporadic, however, the relationshipsare maintained irrespective of thechanges in nature.
We should also maintain ourrelationships irrespective of anyvisible gain. Like nature’s web, weshould work on building andmaintaining our network which canhelp us understand the internalchanges and the external networkexposes us to the right opportunitiesat the right time.
Accept rather than resist-Antarctica has 3 species ofpenguins4 – Adelie, Chinstrap andGentoo. With global warming and3oC rise in temperature in theAntarctic region, the Gentoospecies has managed to adapt andis thriving while populations of theother two species are dwindling.This is due to more flexibilityshown in the diet by Gentoo versusothers. The acceptance of changeallows us to escape the whirlpoolof stress and shift focus to findingand leveraging opportunities.
Over-communication-Human body operates on millions
1 https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response
2 https://biomimicry.org/biomimicry-examples/
3 forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2020/02/26/how-to-cope-with-change-in-the-workplace/
4 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gentoo-penguins-thrive-while-adelies-and-chinstraps-falter-in-a-climate-changed-world/
Rashmi Agarwal is an experiencedHR professional with about 10 years ofexperience and is working as Lead-Corporate HR in BFSL. Prior to thatshe worked as Vice President - HR atIDFC and HR Specialist at State Bankof India. Her areas of expertise includeCompensation & Rewards, Analytics,Performance Management, ManpowerPlanning, Change Management,Employee Experience and Diversity.
About the Author
of feedback and feed-forward loops;timely clotting of blood ensuresthat we don’t bleed to death by apinprick or we shiver to combatcold and sweat on feeling hot. Theseprocesses function because ofeffective communication betweenvarious parts of the body.
Similarly, in a state of change,any communication gap caninstantly be filled by rumors andspeculation resulting in even morefear and uncertainty. Therefore, wemust prevent the same by effectivelycommunicating our concerns to co-workers and managers within theorganisation and address ouranxiety better.
The transient nature of the worldcan be grasped through the coinageand extensive use of the term‘VUCA-volatility, uncertainty,complexity, and ambiguity’ wherethree letters represent change andthe associated uncertainty.Transformation along with changealso brings a plethora of newopportunities in terms of new andbigger roles, new technology, newgeography, new teams, and newerprocesses, etc. Thus, afterovercoming the primate responseof ‘fight or flight’, we can choose to
accept the change, stay focusedand positive, work towardsdeveloping our skills, and in theprocess grow individually andcollectively in the transition.
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A
MBA programme or a course inEngineering, different studentsperform differently, although thecontent and the quality of theinstruction offered remain thesame.
The story of two brothers:There is the story of a family withtwo boys, one of whom grew up tobe a highly successful SalesManager, while his brother endedup in jail for heinous crimes.Apparently, the same kind ofenvironment, the same kind ofparental influence, but they movedinto so very different paths.Influence and impact seem todepend a lot on the nature of therecipients.
OrganisationalPerformanceSubjecting a single programme forevaluation may not be proper. Itwould be better to evaluate thecumulative impact of all thetraining imparted during a specificperiod. The ultimate impact oftraining gets reflected in theorganisation’s results. Even if, attimes, there is no apparentdifference in the results, the
Measuring TheImmeasurable!
BY S JOSEPH RAJ
The ultimate impact of training gets reflected in theorganisation's results. Even if, at times, there is noapparent difference in the results, the training cannot bedeemed to be ineffective.
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training cannot be deemed to beineffective. For, without thetraining, the organisation couldhave performed worse. It can alsobe that other organisations are alsoequipping their employees throughtraining to meet today’s needs andchallenges. Indeed, training hasbecome a part of the conditionrequired for performance. AkioMarita, the Cofounder of Sony, ona visit to the US was asked, “Howdo you explain such an enormousexpenditure on Training?” Hisresponse was, “I don’t understandthe question.”
Profound things defymeasurementThe impact of the profound thingsin life is beyond measurement. Letus consider the impact of prayerand meditation, positive attitudeand enthusiasm, supervision andinterpersonal climate, and workingconditions, benefits andremuneration. They are hard tomeasure like how increasedremuneration cannot be measuredwith any degree of accuracy. Therehave been instances where soonafter getting a substantial increasein salary or a promotion, thepersons concerned left theorganisation as they could bargainbetter with their new Employers.The outcome would be just theopposite had the Companyanticipated it while granting a bigincrease or a quick promotion.
lot of concern is exhibitedover the effectiveness oftraining, and rightly so.
“Not everything thatcounts can be counted, andnot everything that can be
counted counts.” – Albert Einstein
Though the investment involved intraining is huge, the returns arenot immediately visible. Severaltools have been put forward tomeasure the effectiveness ofTraining - feedback from theparticipants, from the superiorsand subordinates, department’sperformance and the company’soverall results. The closestillustration to measuring theeffectiveness of Training ismeasuring the impact of any of thefollowing things on a person’shealth - food, water, pure air, dailyexercise, work habits and emotionalevents/ upheavals.
It is a combination and interplayof many elements that contributeto the improvement or decline ofany kind. In the case of performanceand behaviour, the improvementsmay depend on the nature of thejob content, the infrastructuralfacilities, the resources madeavailable, the boss-subordinaterelationships, the support provided,the reward systems, and of course,training.
Nature of Participants: TheTraining imparted may be usefuland relevant, but it can havediffering impacts on differentparticipants due to their ownpersonal motivations, level ofknowledge and learning ability. Forinstance, in a university offering an
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Even the impact of smoking ordrinking on a person’s health orsuccess in life is hard to measure.We know of people who drink andsmoke but live to a ripe old age.One of Abraham Lincoln’s mostsuccessful Generals was known tobe a heavy drinker. One day, theother Generals went andcomplained to Lincoln about theGeneral’s heavy drinking. Lincolnis said to have responded, “Pleaselet me know which brand ofwhisky he consumes. Let me
supply it to you as well so thatyou may also begin to win morebattles like he does.”
Training is done as anact of faith.Education or learning of any kindis readily undertaken with afervent hope that the learner willbenefit in some way or the other.Therefore, most progressiveorganisations the world over havemade Training – both technical and
behavioural - a part of their routineactivity. Several multinationalcompanies literally have trainingsessions running 365 days in theyear! Some even mandate thatevery employee has to undergo aminimum of 7 training days a year.Jack Welch, the legendary CEO ofGeneral Electric, was said to havespent an entire month every yearin the classroom – attending somecourse or the other.
The complex nature ofthe Impact of Trainingand LearningThe benefits of training can bedirect or indirect. In some cases,the impact of training can be seenin the short term, while in theothers it can be seen in the longterm. The influence is obvious, andat times, very subtle. Some mayuse the learning just once andwhile some others may use it onnumerous occasions. And whilesome may use the learningthemselves, and some also impartthe learnings to others so that itcan be used in their work and life.
The impact of training can bevery decisive or just marginal orvisible or may remain unseen. Thelearning can permanently influencethe quality of behaviour andactions or just temporarily in somecases. Some apply the learningafter a single exposure and someothers may apply the learning afterseveral exposures. Some may applythe learnings immediately – partlybecause the right opportunitiespresented themselves quickly – andsome may apply the learningseveral years after the trainingoccurred.
Impact of TrainingThere was a two-day session on‘Negotiation skills” in amultinational company. One of themore experienced participants - aPurchase Manager - activelypartook in the discussions, butnever let go of any opportunity toexpress his scepticism about the
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74 January 2021 www.humancapitalonline.com
usefulness of the learning offeredin the programme.
However, on the second day ofthe programme, he was the firstone to put up his hand to comment.“Last night, I had to speak to amajor vendor on an importantpurchase. Normally I would notallow him to speak, but justdictate my terms, including theprice I would be prepared to pay.After yesterday’s session where wediscussed the importance oflistening, I let him speak most ofthe time. As a result, he offeredme a price which was more thana lakh less than what I wouldhave otherwise “dictated” to him.”
“While in meetingshardware type
information is sharedfor enlightenment and
coordination, intraining sessions,
software type ideas,perspectives and
insights are brought tothe table.”
Necessity of Trainingand LearningThe world is fast-changing. Newtechnologies, techniques, systems,products and services are the orderof the day. Evidently, the worldhas changed significantly in thelast five years, and a great deal oflearning is needed to adjust andadapt to the new demands. Newskills have to be acquired. Mindsetshave to be changed. This isaccomplished through self-study aswell as formal training. The othertools for development are jobrotation, membership in taskforces, coaching and counselling.We need to keep abreast of newdevelopments in the world,particularly in our respective fieldsof work if we are to stay relevant
and meaningful. Formal traininghas a role to play towards this end.
Meetings and ConferencesWould we doubt the usefulness,even the necessity of meetings andconferences, within the company aswell as with outside agencies,parties and people? Trainingsessions are to be viewed in the sameway, on the same plane. While inmeetings hardware type informationis shared for enlightenment andcoordination, in training sessions,software type ideas, perspectivesand insights are brought to thetable.
If a person is going to change hisjob behaviour, three basicrequirements must exist.
He must want to improve
He must recognise his ownshortcomings and areas ofimprovement
He must have a supportiveclimate
Self-motivationNo one will improve in any waywithout a strong motivation forenhancing one’s skills andcompetence, behaviour andperformance. The motivation tobecome better is critical forbenefiting from any improvementprogrammes. The senior the person,the lesser is the need felt toimprove oneself.
The persons most in need ofdevelopment are blind to their ownweaknesses and shortcomings. Theyhave such an inflated ego and anexaggerated picture of themselvesthat there is little hope that theywill ever change. There was thisMD of a multinational pharmacompany. In a public forum, hedeclared, “What is there that weMDs have to learn from others?”How could we expect him tobecome better?
Self-awarenessWithout a conscious awareness ofwhere one needs to improve, there
Joseph Raj is a HR Professional withmore than 40 years of work experiencein organisations such as NOCIL,VOLTAS, SANDOZ AND ESSAR. As aConsultant and Trainer, he has workedextensively with L&T, HLL, RelianceIndustries, Godrej, MRF, AmbujaCements, Sterlite and several otherorganisations. Joseph holds a Master'sDegree in Personnel Management fromTISS. He has also done Graduate Levelstudies in Philosophy (Pune) and SocialPsychology (USA).
About the Author
can never be any change orprogress. Acute realisation isbehind all revolutions in personallife. I must come to recognise howmy dysfunctional habits orbehaviours interfere with myperformance and progress.
“In an organisation,the environment has to
be conducive forexperimenting with new
behaviours. There arebound to be mishaps
initially. Theorganisation has toshow tolerance and
even extend forgivenessif necessary.”
Supportive ClimateAny behaviour change requiressupport from those who are closeto you, especially superiors, spouseand friends. In an organisation, theenvironment has to be conducivefor experimenting with newbehaviours. There are bound to bemishaps initially. The organisationhas to show tolerance and evenextend forgiveness if necessary.That is how the new behaviourscan remain established. All in all,measuring the effectiveness oftraining falls in the realm of theimmeasurable aspects of life.
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R.N.I. No. 66615/1997Postal Regn. No. DL(C)-01/1411/2018-20, New Delhi 110001