Associationof Human Resource Professionals

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AHRPAssociAtion of HumAn ResouRce PRofessionAls

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Magazine 2010Concept & Designdidier lebOn

Proof-readerkarl selvOn

© 2010. AhrP maga-zine is produced annually on behalf of the Associa-tion of human resource Professionals by Carac-tère ltée. The views ex-pressed by contributors are their own and are not necessarily those of the Association of human resource Professionals. Although every care is taken of manuscripts, photographs and artwork submitted, AhrP ma-gazine cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage or misprint.

n editorial Team

modern business leadership :sustainable results through People -Areff Salauroo, President, Association of HumanResource Professionals

4-5Address by hon. shakeel mohamedMinister of Labour, Industrial Relations and EmploymentAnnual Seminar 2010

6-9

Address by hon. dr. rajesh jeetahMinister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and TechnologyAnnual Seminar 2010

10-11

The Importance of Tertiary education for higher Professionalism- Elwyn Chutel

14

5 new year resolutions

15

Tap the Power of your subconscious mind - Chitra Jha

16-17

marshalling Talent : A new metaphor and simple formula for success - Dave Ulrich - Michael Ulrich

18-21

hr Predictions for 2011 - Originally Compiled by Gaurav Kumar

22-24

Prévention - Comment anticiper les causes de l’absentéisme - Alain Dulucq.

25-26

enterprise development - how to deal with employees by addressing their needs - Achanah Chiniah

27

Comment restaurer la confi ance dans l’entreprise - Jean Cazanove

30-31

The business side of hr - Priya GopalaKrishnan.

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The next generation hr - K.N. Ajith

35-36

Politics in Organizations : serving self-Interest or Organization Interest ? - Deepak Ramsurrun

37-38

The Contribution of employment relations to Total quality management - T. Pawan

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from labour-Intensive to Capital Intensive - from Capital Intensive to knowledge Intensive - Siven Seeloyee

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Annual residential seminar 2010 42-43

Changing mindsets - Vega Moothen.

differences between a winner and a loser - Shameema Khodabux

45

hr Contributing to the bottomline - Subash Rao

46-47

Annual general meeting 2010

48-49

Personal life without Committing Career suicide - Sadek Futloo

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AhrP - 34 years of existence - still going strong - Om Dabidin

51-52

The emerging Challenges of the hr function - Rabin Ganghoo

53

The secret to managing new employees - Ken Sundheim

56-57

why does most Training not work ? - Paul Sutherland

58

3 ways to ensure employee utilization - Dario Priolo

59keeping employees happy- Obinna Heche

how to recognize Collaboration and successful Team building - Diane Crampton

61

employee Coaching : when to step in and when not to ? Ismael D.Tabije

62

employer’s quick guide to avoiding sexual harassment liability - Myron Curry

63-64

Prioritize and Commit for success : Principles for motivating employees - Jim Sivbasku

65

drug and Alcohol Tests at work - Ismael D.Tabije

68

Top 5 résumé mistakes - Keith Londrie

69

understanding Cultures - Shital Kakkar Mehra

72hr and finance: looking for Compatibilities - Ivnez Salauroo

73-74

strategic reward management - developing a strategy for Pay and benefi ts - Areff Salauroo

3017 20

TABLE OF CONTENTS

44 60 75-79

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Areff SalaurooPresident,

Association of Human Resource Professionals

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Modern Business Leadership, as well as Modern Business Management, recognises that sustainable results are achieved only through people. There is no more any debate about businesses needing leaders or managers. The successful businesses are all being managed by leaders. They do the right things and do things right.

Leaders believe in their people. They achieve sustainable results by motivating their people, by getting them to do things willingly, and by demon-strating the power of ‘mutual commitment’. They are the primary catalyst in creating team-spirit. Successful business leaders are active, transfor-mational, and future- orientated.

Modern business managers are ready to chal-lenge the status quo and conventional wisdom. They are aware that we now live the era of glo-balised competition. They build their business models around people. They value competence, skills, knowledge and value-added contributions. They excite their people by communicating a strong vision to them so that changes are not resisted.

Successful business models are managed by business leaders who succeed by inspiring and involving their people. Leaders who recognise and value contributions from all in the team. Leaders who can easily unleash the ‘discretionary behaviour’ of their people.

The Association of Human Resource Professionals has always and will always pursue its mission of building sustainable results through people. From competency – based management, to knowledge management and talent management, the AHRP has always supported the view that people are our key and most valuable assets.

“A critical component of any winning business is an HR function that improves business results” wrote W.S.Allen. The 35th Anniversary of our Association will be organised next year around the theme of ‘results through people’. The 2010 Magazine has also been inspired by this theme.

Sustainable Results Through People

Modern Business Leadership:

Address by Hon. Shakeel Mohamed

Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment

Annual Seminar 2010

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I am indeed very pleased to be among you today for the opportunity that the Association of Human Resource Professionals has given me to address you this afternoon in the context of this seminar.

First of all, I wish to congratulate the Association of Human Resource Professionals for holding this seminar which has become now an annual feature. Today’s topic ‘Emerging Challenges in People Management’ cannot be more appropriate and more relevant being given the rapidity with which the very role of Human Resource Managers is evolving due to various factors.

Most of you, Human Resource Professionals, who are present this afternoon, must be, more than anyone else, aware of the fact that the world of Human Resource Management is changing more rapidly than we can imagine. Human Resource Managers are facing constant challenges due to constant changes in the World of Work, as well as in the working environment.

Globalisation, outsourcing, international mobility, talent shortages, mismatch in the labour market, an ageing workforce, increased competition, new Labour Laws, and now the Euro crisis, just to name a few. Where, how and for whom people work is, in turn, transforming company structures and cultures. So much so that the very function of Human Resource Management is also changing as a result of increased pressure to demonstrate results from their workforce practices and policies. These issues I have mentioned, together with other emerging trends impacting on the role and functions of Human Resource professionals have forced company Directors and shareholders to gradually recognize the link between business performance and the people within their organization. However, I fear there is still a long way to go before every company Director, Chairperson, Board member and shareholder understands that people-related issues must be at the heart of the Boardroom agenda.

Enterprises need to understand that Human Resource Managers are not recruited solely to advance the objective of maximizing productivity, effi ciency and profi ts. Human Resource Profes-sionals have to also respond to changes in technol-ogy. And more importantly, Human Resource Pro-fessionals need to give proper attention to such ba-

sic factors like-job satisfaction, employee’s welfare and compliance with Labour Laws and Contract of Employment. The challenge, therefore, is fi rst and foremost on Directors, Board members and on shareholders to ensure that Human Resource Managers be given all the respect they deserve and all the support and freedom they need in order to manage people in strict compliance with our La-bour Laws and in strict respect of basic principles governing Industrial Relations.

It is important for me to underline the fragility and vulnerability of small economies like ours, which are exposed to numerous external threats like recent world economic crisis, and Euro crisis today. In such economies, any threat to industrial peace and social stability may directly or indirectly affect other productive sectors or the whole economy. Peace and stability have been and will remain valuable assets for Mauritius in so far as they encourage investment and employment creation. Human Resource Professionals have, therefore, a crucial role to play in ensuring industrial peace and social stability, which are indispensable for investment and job creation. Human Resource is also about Human Relations. It is about humanizing industrial relations. It is about humanizing the workplace where the worker spends the best part and the biggest chunk of his life.

We live in an era of dynamic labour markets, in which employment relations have become vital for the promotion of social justice and economic development. Since our country’s Independence, the concept of work and Employment relations have undergone far-reaching transformations with the advent of new technologies, emergence of new sectors like ICT, Finance and Service Sectors, the widening of the informal sector, infl ux of labour migration, increased participation of women in labour market and the adoption of fl exible market policies.

Never before, has there been such relentless social, economic and technological change. The changing world economic and social order, the process of globalization and the drastic emergence of new technologies and the international economic crisis, and now the Euro crisis, have certainly an impact on our social and economic structures and systems that necessitate a complete transformation and overhauling.

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In the face of such an economic and social background not only the government, but also many institutions and organizations have been compelled to review their strategies, and to initiate a number of reforms. We, too, at government level, we have initiated, in addition to economic, social and institutional reforms, reforms in our Labour Legislation. Many of these reforms that have challenged the comfort of traditional and outdated practices and expectations, have revealed themselves as being necessary and instrumental in order to better respond to the on-going challenges.

The World of Work is now governed by a new Indus-trial Relations legal Framework which has replaced the outdated IRA and Labour Act. With regard to the new Labour Legislation, I recall having spoken lengthily at the opening of the Annual General Meet-ing of your organization on the need for Human Re-source Professionals to ensure a better understanding of the relevant provisions of the new Labour Laws, and also to initiate corrective measures to ensure proper implementation of each and every provision of these Laws. I have given instructions to my officers to closely monitor those who deliberately and repeat-edly have recourse to unfair labour practices at the ex-pense of workers. I rely on the efforts of the President of the Association of Human Resource Professionals to discourage and deter any such practices which are not conducive to sound Industrial Relations.

At the AGM of your organization in May this year, I recall having also highlighted various important issues to which I wanted your members to give some attention. I spoke on the need for promoting Collective Bargaining, on the exaggerated number of cases of Industrial disputes that could have been resolved at the level of the enterprise, on the reluctance shown to recruit workers aged over 40, non-compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Standard, on Poor Health & Safety condition of Dormitories. I also spoke about the Decent Work Country Programme which is being finalized in collaboration with the ILO, and also on the need to remove all types of discrimination in our Labour Legislation and National Laws.

I seize this opportunity today to also comment on some other pertinent and practical issues-particularly in relation to our two new Labour Laws and to the World of Work. It is already 18 months since the new Labour Legislation is being implemented. These new laws, I should say, have had a very positive impact in the World of Work particularly with regards to protection of workers, mechanism and institutions for mediation, conciliation and Collective-Bargaining.

The Employment Relations Act, indeed, marks a major change in the Mauritian statutory industrial relations system. The concept of employment relations shifts the focus to the workplace on the principle that sound relations should be built within the organization and

that disputes should be settled through dialogue at the workplace by the parties themselves.

However, Collective-Bargaining also raises the issue of Freedom of Association and Trade Union membership. Trade Union membership is indeed an important corollary of Collective-Bargaining. Human Resource Practitioners must understand that Trade Unions will continue to play an important and crucial role in our present Industrial Relations System under the new Labour Legislation. It is only through sound and healthy employment relations between workers, unions and employers that we can expect to enhance performance, equity and fairness.

In this regard, I would suggest that you refer to Section 35 of the Employment Relations Act relating to the promotion of good employment relations as elaborated in the Code of Practice. The Code of Practice provides practical guidelines for the grant of negotiating rights and assists employers and trade unions to bargaining effectively.

Although the average rate of unionized workers in the country is about 18 %, it should be noted that only 12 % of workers in the private sector are unionized. This means, therefore, that more than 80 % of workers in the country are unorganized. With a view to facilitate interactions and consultations between workers in general and management, the Employment Relations Act provides for the setting-up of a Joint Consultative Committee. Although this committee can be set up even in the absence of a recognized trade union, this should not be construed as an excuse to prevent workers from joining a trade union of their own choosing. I understand that already, in some enterprises, there exist similar consultative structures also known as Works Councils which are functioning to the satisfaction of both Management and Workers. I suggest HR Managers to ensure that all necessary support be given to such Advisory and Consultative Committees so as to enable them to play their role as they should.

Despite the comprehensive nature of our new labour laws in dealing with a broad spectrum of industrial problems and issues, I view it with much concern that some trade unions are unduly penalized, and discriminated against, with regard to their right to recognition, that Trade Union rights to negotiation and consultation are deliberately refused by some Human Resource Managers. I am also disappointed of the total disregard shown by some enterprises to comply with the basic standard as provided in our labour regulations. There are still many enterprises, including para-statal organizations, which have yet to sign Procedural Agreements with the Trade Unions as provided for in the Employment Relations Act.

There is another area where we need to put some order. It has been brought to my knowledge that

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some employers knowingly and intentionally employ workers for a period of 11 months and thereafter re-instate them with a view to break the continuity of service. The objective is to prevent such workers from enjoying prescribed benefi ts such as entitlement to sick leave, casual leave, maternity leave, etc…. Such malpractices are not within the ambit of decent work principles that I want to personally promote. Such unscrupulous practices must be stopped, and consequently I make an appeal to all Human Resource Professionals to discourage such unfair practices. It is my fi rm intention to ensure that necessary remedial actions be taken by bringing amendments in the relevant laws.

As I have stated before, I am determined to bring necessary amendments in the Labour Laws to deal more fi rmly and harshly against any enterprise that violates the fundamental rights of workers.

Since my appointment as Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, I have ensured that social dialogue and tripartism be enhanced as fundamental approaches in the search for appropriate and lasting solutions to industrial relations. In order to further consolidate social dialogue and tripartism, as promoted by the ILO, I am setting up a National Tripartite Forum. This forum will not only comprise traditional constituents, but also other stakeholders, such as Professional Associations and NGO’s - with a view to discuss specifi c issues related to the World of Work.

As announced in the Government Programme, the National Pay Council will be phased out to be replaced by a Tripartite Mechanism on salary compensation. Discussions on the setting-up of the mechanism have already started. Further discussions will be held with my colleague, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, and also with other stakeholders. Extensive consultation will be held so that we come up with a mechanism to the satisfaction of one and all. This Tripartite Committee is expected to be ready to operate before the presentation of the Annual Budget this year.

According to recent ILO reports the global economic crisis will have profound effect on the World of Work, with a signifi cant impact on safety and health in workplaces around the globe. Organizations are cutting costs, outsourcing, subcontracting and increasing part-time work, with possible cuts in occupational safety and health budgets. The contraction in resources is likely to lead to more workplace accidents, diseases, fatalities and ill-health. According to the ILO, every 15 seconds a worker dies from work-related accident or disease and every 15 seconds 160 workers have work-related accidents. We must all be concerned when it comes to questions of safety and health at work.

As Human Resource Professionals you have a key role to play in the management of occupational safety and health as any occupational safety and health risks to which our workforce is exposed may have a direct bearing on the enterprise’s productivity and public image. You have the responsibility to ensure that you recruit the right persons and that these persons have the necessary competence to perform the jobs they are recruited for. This might entail providing induction trainings and refresher trainings as already provided for in the law.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 2005 clearly spells out the duties and responsibilities of the employer, whom you are the representatives, which inter-alia includes:

The preparation of an occupational safety and health policy where enterprises have more than 50 employees and the implementation of same; and

The carrying out regularly of a risk assessment at the workplace with a view to identifying hazards, evaluating the risks arising and taking corrective measures as necessary.

The world is going through rapid transformations in different fi elds and the workplace is not spared. There are various threats and challenges which organizations should address to enhance safety and health. Stress is the scourge faced by the modern man in his everyday life and alongside tobacco, drug addiction, alcoholism, violence and HIV/AIDS are on the rise. We should be well-equipped to address these new forms of problems affecting the workforce. It is only through awareness raising that the necessary changes in mindset and behaviour can be brought about.

It is, therefore, in the interest of every employer to ensure that due consideration is given to occupational safety and health matters as poor safety and health standards impact negatively on the enterprise’s productivity and reputation. In this world of cut-throat competition there is no room for complacency.

Dear friends, I am personally fully committed to strengthening and consolidating social dialogue with all our social partners, and particularly between employers, trade union organizations as well as with professional organizations such as the Association of Human Resource Professionals. I have always said to one and all that confrontation does not resolve disputes. The answer to many of our industrial relations problems lies in social dialogue, good communication based on mutual respect.

I am sure I can rely on you, Human Resource Professionals, in our efforts of formulating and implementing the best policies for the promotion of sound industrial relations.

I thank you for your attention.

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Address by Hon. Dr. Rajesh Jeetah

Minister of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology

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Annual Seminar 2010

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Human Resource Professionals should synergize with higher educational institutions. As professionals you know better the skills and competencies needed by organizations, and this synergy with University staff would help universities to respond better to the needs of the World of Work, and reduce the mismatch between young graduates and their fi rst jobs.

Given the dynamic nature of organizations, technology and the local context in which changes happen, this synergy must become a permanent feature of that relationship. Organizations have to respond and even, anticipate changes; it is even more important that Education and training make provision to embed these changes in programmes and courses.

There are many among you already teaching on university courses. I would like to see more of you engage in teaching and research at the universities. Lectures, seminars and workshops should provide a forum for lecturers, students and professionals like you to exchange ideas and refl ect on your occupations and responsibilities.

It is widely acknowledged that there are obstacles which impede the emergence of a new work culture in the island- and these impede effi ciency and productivity. This is a problem where solutions are proving elusive. There is therefore a pool of knowledge and experience that you have, which you should feed into research being carried out on organizations, technology and people.

Research is important if we want to leap to the next level of development-be it for working or living conditions. Many factors outside the world of work impede/impact on family life, and vice-versa. We should know more about this, so that we can create a better environment and acquire the necessary tools to better manage people. My Ministry is making available an amount of Rs100 million for research purposes on all aspects of our economy and society, and the World of Work should also become a focus of our attention.

I would also like to invite all of you to participate actively in our research institutions as mentors, advisers and on different advisory committees to share your expertise and experience with the university staff (both Academics and Administrators).

We have to build bridges between the World of Work and the university. Society is no longer made of discrete enti-ties. Interdependence, interrelationship, teamwork, syner-gy and being multidisciplinary are today key concepts for the organization and society to survive in a modern world.

Tertiary Education is becoming increasingly important throughout the world. It is gaining widespread recognition as a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.

Tertiary Education contributes to the effectiveness of people management through four major ways:I) more qualifi ed HR managers for improved resultsII) the formation of human capitalIII) the promotion of the knowledge-driven economyIV) the use of research to improve the management of people and to share experiences

HR Managers have responsibility for training budgets. Today, successful businesses are devoting one-third of their investment to knowledge-based intangibles, such as training, R&D, design, etc.

Gibbons, 1998 identifi es a new type of enterprise-the producer services company-which provides specialized knowledge, information and data in support of existing manufacturing fi rms. As you can see, there is a true comparative advantage and also high value-adding.

We are moving towards a world of knowledge. In fact knowledge, which is the offshoot of Tertiary Education, becomes a factor for the success of businesses and social economies, a factor for economic growth and for individual income as well as national income.

As John Gardener puts it: ‘Tertiary education institutions have a critical role in supporting knowledge-driven economic growth strategies and the construction of democratic, socially cohesive societies. Tertiary education assists the improvement of the institutional regime through the training of competent and responsible professionals needed for sound macroeconomic and public sector management.

The research that accompanies Tertiary Education is instrumental in promoting an entrepreneurship culture, in supporting design and innovation, in improving quality, and most importantly a more educated, responsible and cohesive society.

The objective of my Ministry and Government is to raise higher-level employment skills, to sustain a globally competitive research base and to improve knowledge dissemination for the benefi t of society.

I am confi dent that HRM, through the Association of Human Resource Professionals, will defi nitely have an active role to play.

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The Importance of Tertiary Education for Higher Professionalism

u Elwyn Chutel

I n my present function, I am discovering more and more the importance of education, training, development and learning. For H.R Managers, which is a profession that is aiming at highest level of professionalism, it is high time we realize the importance of Tertiary Education. For the profession and for other professionals required by our employing organizations Tertiary Education is becoming increasingly important throughout the world. It is gaining widespread recognition as a major driver of economic competitiveness in an increasingly knowledge-driven global economy.

Tertiary Education contributes to the effectiveness of people management through four major ways:l More qualified/professional HR managers for improved results.l the quest for human capitall the promotion of the knowledge-intensive economyl the utilization of the findings of research to improve the management of people.

We are here talking about pursuing a comparative advantage. Local professionals would be recognized internationally if due attention is given at national and organizational level. HR Managers have responsibility for training budgets. Today, successful businesses are devoting one-third of their investment to knowledge-based intangibles, such as training, R&D, design, etc. We should be more accountable for our training budgets and be prepared to demonstrate that training is not a cost, but an investment.

As we are moving towards a world of knowledge, education and research become key factors for the success of businesses and social economies, for economic growth and for individual income as well as national income. May be we should initiate a research on the direct relationship between education and economic success. This is visible for individual cases, where it a fact that the more educated one is, the more income one could expect. But what about

a nation. Is it true to say that a more educated nation will enjoy a higher standard of living?

It is widely accepted that Tertiary education assists the improvement of the institutional regime through the training of competent and responsible professionals needed for sound macroeconomic and public sector management.

The research that accompanies Tertiary Education is instrumental in promoting an entrepreneurship culture, in supporting design and innovation, in improving quality, and most importantly a more educated, responsible and cohesive society.

The Association of Human Resource Professionals should play a more active role in promoting Tertiary Education. The Association has played an instrumental role in the promotion of a national training culture. Now, the AHRP should find ways of collaborating with Tertiary Education institutions so that these institutions are more market-orientated. The AHRP should also assist in the promotion of a national “research culture”. Let us all work together to realize this strategic objective for the good of one and all.

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ahrpmauritius.muVISIT OUR WEBSITE

3. Is your career path contributing to your overall Professional growth ?n Is your present job helping you to learn new skills ?n Are you facing new challenges and establishing newer ways of tackling problems ?n How well are you contributing to the Company’s growth ?n Is your boss/senior interacting with you ?n What is the overall industry demand for your skill sets ?n When was the last time you were promoted and given greater responsibilities to shoulder ?

4. Personal satisfactionn Is your job making you happy ?n Do you feel good about the work you do ?n Does your boss respect you ?n Do you have time for family and personal life ?Do you see a rise in your status and self-worth since the time you took up this job ?

Examining such aspects of your career will help you to know just how effective and satisfying your present career is. Such analysis will further enable you to decide whether you should continue in your present job or start updating your résumé with the intention of applying for new jobs.

5. Career Anchors With the New Year, it is time to consider your Desires, Abilities and Needs to know if you are on the right track.

W ith the new year fast approach-ing this may be just the right time to start examin-ing your career. If you haven’t already, make this your new year’s resolution and follow it through with the dedication and seriousness it deserves.

Every once in a while, you should take some time out to study every aspect of your career and evaluate just how effective your current career path is leading you towards Professional growth.

Here are some aspects of your career that demand attention :-1. How marketable is your career ?n Are you working in an industry that is doing well ?n Are your job skills still in demand ?n Have you been able to acquire newer, more up-to-date skills with time ?n Do you have a strong base of contacts with whom you have been Networking regularly ?

2. What is the condition of your employer ?n How well is the Company doing ?n Does it have a stable future ?n Is the demand for your employer’s products and services increasing or decreasing ?n Who are your Company’s main competitors and how are they faring ?n How well is your Company known in the market etc.

5New Year

Resolutions

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Tap the Power of your Subconscious Mind

M ost of us rely only on our « conscious » mind for achieving success, while the vast resources of our « subconscious » mind remain un-tapped. The truth is that the conscious mind is just the top of the iceberg, while the subconscious mind is the entire « iceberg » itself. By neglecting to tap into our sub-conscious mind’s powers we end up using only 10 per-cent of our real culture.

How can we undo this mistake and make full use of our subconscious mind ?

The most important factor in working with your subconscious mind is your attitude. You can only tap into this vast resource of information and creativity with an attitude of calm and confi dent expectation. Yes, you have to confi dently expect the subconscious mind to work for you. After that you have to accept and believe that everything that happens to you, takes you progres-sively towards achieving success. Are you ready to be calm, confi dent, expectant and accepting ?

The plan to follow :1. Know what you truly want : Most of us think that we

know what we want, but when we are asked to write it all down, we usually fl ounder.

2. Write down one goal of your life in great detail : Until you write your goal on a piece of paper, it remains just wishful thinking. Once you put it down on paper, it be-comes a clear signal to your subsonscious mind that you actually want to achieve that goal.

3. Reframe your goal in simple, present tense : Re-write your goal in simple present tense (for example : I am successful. I am confi dent. I have cleared C.A.T. I earn Rs 40,000/per month, etc.) on a small card. Read and re-read it as often as you can, so that it seeps into your subconscious.

4. Make a list of all steps that you are ready to take to move towards your goal : Making such a list helps you believe in the possibility of achieving your goal. It intensi-fi es your desire.

5. Prioritize this list : Redo this list putting the most important step on top of the list and the least important step at the bottom of the list.

6. Everyday take action on one of the items on your list : Taking some concrete step everyday, helps you maintain momentum towards your goal.

7. Visualize your goal as often as you can : See the outcome of your goal as a foregone conclusion in your mind’s eye. Feel as though you have already achieved your goal. Form a clear and vivid picture. The clearer your picture, the faster it will come into your life.

8. Feel the happiness and excitement : Create a heightened emotion of happiness, satisfaction, achieve-ment, and excitement just the way you will feel if you have actually achieved your goal.

9. Behave as though your success is a reality : Have complete faith in your subconscious mind’s ability to bring your goal into reality. Be confi dent that you are moving towards your goal.

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10. Release your goal : This is the most important step in this process. Once you have taken all the 9 steps (in about 9 days), you must just release your goal to the power of the universe. Yes, just let it go. Release all at-tachments to it. Just trust that you will be guided to take the right actions at the right time. Get out of the way of the working of the universe/your subconscious mind.

Try this technique on one small goal today. When you achieve that goal, your faith will strengthen. Then you can try it on other more important goals. Don’t take my word for it. Use your life as your laboratory. Soon you will graduate from a « positive thinker » to a « co-creator » of your destiny ! Are you ready for this ride ?

u Chitra Jha

With kind permission of « People and management »

magazine - India

W e know it matters. Some go to war for it. Professional sports teams draft it. Actors audition to demonstrate that they have it. Agents contract for it. Some are innately endowed with it while other strive diligently to earn it. Organizations compete for it. All try to grow it. The IT is Talent. It is evolving into a science for HR professionals and a critical determinant of success for general managers. A multitude of programs and investments have been developed to attract, retain, and upgrade talent. In fact, in 2008 companies in the United States spent over $130 billion dollars in training to raise the level of talent, and improve performance.(1) Yet, sometimes after stipulating that talent matters, it is easy to get lost in the myriad of promises, programs and processes, and lose sight of the basics.

Metaphor for TalentPerhaps the dominant mataphor for talent in the last decade has been the « war for talent. » (2) « This metaphor was based on work by the McKinney consulting firm where they showed that companies compete not by products or services, but by access to talent. Their work highlighted how companies can secure scarce talent by outbidding or out-competing their competitors. Talent is seen as a win/lose game where a company gains more talent than another, leading to business success. Their work has recently shown that talent continues to be a significant issue for leaders and needs to be shared throughout the organization(3).

One concern with a « war » metaphor is implied winners and losers. In an economy where talent is transient and where relationships with a company are transactional, there are short term winners and losers. But the « war » metaphor may need modernizing. This metaphor is similar to the way the Allies ended

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Marshalling Talent :

u Dave Ulrich* u Michael Ulrich**

A New Metaphor and Simple Formula for Success

A multitude of progrAms And investments hAve been developed to AttrAct, retAin, And upgrAde tAlent. in fAct, in 2008 compAnies in the united stAtes spent over usd 130 billion dollArs in trAining to rAise the level of tAlent, And improve performAnce.

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World War I. The Treaty of Versailles advocated « to the Victor go the spoils ». This victor mindset set in motion events leading to World War II(4). After WWII, the allies worked on the Marshall Plan to collaborate with and rebuild those who lost. In his classic talk at Harvard University on 05 June 1947, George Marshall, the U.S. Secretary of State, suggested that collaborative reconstruction would help build sustainable European economies more than the winner take all mentality of WWI.

Likewise, the War for Talent metaphor is bettered by a Marshalling Talent analogue. In both the War and the Marshall metaphors for talent, talent is a critical and scarce resource. In the Marshall Plan for talent, talent is intended as a long term investment, not a short term victory; as a collaboration where people work together in High performing teams, not just bright people working in isolation ; as a way to look across boundaries between an organization and its external stakeholders not just view talent within the fi rm, and as a way to retain not just fi nd great talent.

Formula for TalentWhen we fi lter the myriad of studies and ideas on talent through the lens of Marshalling Talent, we fi nd a deceptively simple formula for measuring talent that may help HR professionals and general managers turn their talent aspirations into actions :

Talent = Competence*Commitment* ContributionCompetenceCompetent employees have the ability to do today’s and tomorrow’s tasks. Creating competence comes by the following four steps :

1. Articulating a Theory or Setting a StandardCompetence begins by identifying future work demands. Rather than defi ning competencies by comparing low and High performing employees, competence standards with a Marshalling mindset come from turning future Customer expectations into present employee requirements. When competence models start with future Customer expectations, they direct employee attention to what they should know and do. The simplest test of the competence standard is to ask target or key customers. « If our employees lived up to these standards, would they inspire confi dence from you in our fi rm ? » When customers answer « yes, » the competence model is appropriate ; if they answer « no », it needs more work.

2. Assessing Individuals and Organizations.With standards in place, employees may be assessed on how well (or not well) they perform. In recent years, most talent assessments evaluate both results and behaviours. Talented employees

deliver results based on competence standards. These behaviour patterns may be gauged by the employee, subordinates, peers and supervisors through 360 feedback. But, to provide a holistic view, employees may also be evaluated by those outside the organization : suppliers, customers, investors, community leaders, and other external stakeholders. This shifts the 360 to a 720 (360 times 2 = 720). 720 feedback Marshals talent by assessing inside employee actions by outside customer expectations.

3.Investing in talent improvement.Individual and organizational gaps may be fi lled by investing in talent. In our work we have found six investments that may upgrade global talent. We have categorized these HR investments in six areas as follow :

l Buying : Recruiting, sourcing, securing new talent into the organization ;l Building : Helping people grow through training on the job, or life experience ;l Borrowing : Bringing knowledge into the organization through advisors or partners ;l Bounding : Promoting the right people into the key jobs ;l Bouncing : Removing poor performers from their jobs and/or the organizationa ; and,l Building : Retaining top talent.When general managers and HR professionals create opportunities in these six areas, they help individuals and organizations invest in future talent. To Marshall talent, these six areas can be used to create cooperation across boundaries.l Buy : Hire top talent on contracts and use customers or suppliers as sources of talent ;l Build : Create executive exchanges where employees take assignments in customer or supplier organizations ; involve customers or investors in design and delivery of development programs ;l Borrow : Source knowledge from contractors or others outside the organization ; create web-based social networks to fi nd ways of doing work ;l Bound : Involve customers in defi ning criteria of future senior jobs ; allow customers to participate in succession planning processes ;l Bounce : Use customer criteria as part of the downsizing process ; outplace employees into supplier or Customer networks ; and,l Bind : Be willing to re-hire talented employees who have left ; use employee referral programs of future employees as a way to retain the best employees.As these collaborative approaches in talent emerge, employees may feel more connected to their organization .

4. Following-up and tracking competence.Hoping for talent won’t make it happen. Ultimately, talent measures should be derived to track how well

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individuals are developing their skills and how well the organization develops its talent bench. Individual employees can be tracked by how well they understand their next career step and their capacity to advance. Organizations can track the quality and quantity of successors for key positions. Leaders who are measured on how much money they contribute to a balance sheet should also be assessed on how much they contribute to a « talent sheet ».

CommitmentCompetence is not enough. Commitment means that employees are willing to give their discretionary energy to the firm’s success. This discretionary energy is generally conceived as an employee value proposition. An employee value proposition makes a very simple statement : Employees who give value to their organization should get value back from the organization. The ability to give value comes when employees are able to deliver results in the right way.

We have identified seven questions that leadrs may help employees answer so that employees feel an abundance in their work.

Social exchange theory states that employees who give value should get value back. In many studies of employee engagement, researchers have identified what employees get back from their work with the firm. Almost all consulting firms have engagement indices that can be used as a pulse check to track employee engagement. Generally, these instruments suggest that employees are more committed when their organization offers them the following :l Vision : a sense of direction or purposel Opportunity : an ability to grow, develop, and learn ;l Incentives : a fair wage or salary for work done ;l Impact : an ability to see the outcome or effect of work done ;l Community : peers, bosses, and leaders who build a sense of community ;l Communication : knowing what is going on and why ; and,l Entrepreneurship or flexibility : giving employee choice about terms and conditions of work.When these seven dimensions exist in an organization, we suggest that employees have a VOICE. They demonstrate their engagement by being at work on time, working hard, and doing what is expected of them. Commitment (not just satisfaction) may be measured through engagement surveys or productivity indices.

ContributionOne of our colleagues graduated from a top business school ( a surrogate for competence), got her ideal job, and

was willing to work very hard (commitment). But, after about a year, she left. She still savoured the job and was willing to work hard, but she felt that the job was not helping her needs for contributing to others. A Marshall Plan for talent helps people find meaning and purpose in work, to answer the question, « Why am I working ? »

In recent years, many people are finding that traditional organizations (families, neighbourhoods, hobby groups, churches) where people’s needs are historically met are faltering. As employees work longer hours with technology greying work/life boundaries, companies need to learn how to help employees meet their needs. When people have their needs met through their organizations, they feel that they are contributing and finding abundance.

We have scoured theory and research from positive and developmental psychology, individual motivation,

personal growth, and organization theory to figure out what organizations and leaders can do to help employees find abundance at work. (5) We have identified seven questions that leaders may help employees answer so that employees feel an abundance in their work. Abundance occurs when individuals feel that they are contributing.

l Who am I ? How does the employee identity meld with the company reputation ?l Where am I going and why ? How can the organization help the employee reach his or her goals ?l Who do I travel with ? How does the organization build a community of support so that an employee feels connected ?l How well do I practise spiritual dis-ciplines ? How well does the organi-zation practise spiritual disciplines of

humility service, forgiveness, gratitude, and others ?l What challenges do I enjoy ? How does the organization help an employee find challenges that are easy, enjoyable and energizing ?l How well can I access resources ? How does the organization help the employee manage health, space, and Financial requirements ?l What are my sources of delight ? How does the organization help the employee have fun ?When managers help employees find answers to these seven questions by participating in the organization, these employees are no longer in a war ; but in a setting where they may find abundance in their lives by feeling like they contribute. These ideas apply across demographic groups. In particular for generation Y, where they have career attention disorder and change jobs

We have identified seven questions that leaders may help employees answer so that employees feel an abundance in their work.

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frequently, they are more likely to remain in or return to a company when they fi nd meaning from the work that they do.

ConclusionTalent is not an it, some abstract, unknown, and impersonal set of ideal principles. Nor is it a random set of programs and policies that evolve according to the whims of talent-trends. Building on a Marshalling Talent metaphor, we propose a simple (and simplistic) talent formula : talent = competence, commitment and contribution. Leaders and HR professionals may join in making talent become a reality. It is worth doing.

* Dave Ulrich is Professor Ross School of Busines, University of Michigan and Partner, the RBL Group (www.rbl.net)**Michael Ulrich is Reseach Associate, the RBL Group (www.rbl.net)

1American Society fo Training and Development, ; 2009 State of the Industry Report. Available at www.ASTD; org2Ed Michael, Helen Handfi eld-Jones, and Beth Axelrod. The War of Talent, Boston ; Harward Business Press, 2001)3Matthew Guthridge, Asmus Komm, and Emily Lawson, Making talent a strategic priority McKinsey Quarterly 2008, vol.1,pp.49-594John Maynard Keynes, 1920. The Economic Consequences of Peace, Harcourt Brace, New York.5Dave Ulrich and Wendy Ulrich, 2010. The Why of Work : How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations to Deliver Value to Employees, Customers, Investors, and Communities. New York :McGraw Hill.

forget job fairs and spamming po-tential employers with your résumé. If you’re looking for a new job, network-ing should be your primary job search strategy, according to the results of a recent survey conducted by Chal-lenger, gray and Christmas. The outplacement fi rm asked hr ex-ecutives to rate on a scale of one to fi ve which of nine job search methods were most effective: • networking• using social networking sites• targeting management recruiting fi rms• using online job boards• applying to jobs via an employer’s website• cold-calling employers• sending unsolicited résumés to em-ployers• responding to newspaper classifi ed ads and • attending job fairs networking came out on top, with a 3.98 rating and nearly half of hiring managers (48 percent) ranking it a fi ve (with fi ve being the best). hiring managers named online social networking as the second most effec-

tive job search tool. They gave web-sites such as linkedIn, facebook and Twitter a 3.3 score, with 47 percent of survey respondents rating it four or fi ve. Targeting management recruiting fi rms and using internet job boards tied for third place. both methods earned average ratings of three from hiring managers. Applying directly to a position posted on an employer’s website ranked fourth, with just under a three rating. The poll results also showed that hiring managers don’t think much of cold-calling. They rated it 2.2 on the fi ve-point scale, which placed it squarely in fi fth place. responding to newspaper classifi ed ads and sending unsolicited résumés to employers didn’t fare much better, both of which received a 1.7 rating. (you can fi nd out if your résumé is generating hiring managers’ inter-est in job search Tips: how to find Out if hiring managers Are Checking you Out.)job fairs were deemed the least ef-fective method, garnering a rating of 1.6 on the fi ve-point scale.

Challenger, gray & Christmas CeO john Challenger stated in a press re-lease that attending a job fair “hardly qualifi es as networking” even though job seekers have the chance to meet with company representatives be-cause those company representatives are rarely decision makers. They’re simply there to collect applications, he said. what’s more, he added, many of the employers that do attend job fairs are there to fi nd low-level workers. Challenger also noted that while searching and applying for jobs over the Internet is the primary job search strategy for many job seekers, they’d be better served by spending the bulk of their time networking and making the Internet their secondary strategy. “...the job search is a multifaceted process,” Challenger stated in the release. “Those who rely on just one tool, even if it is networking, will take longer to fi nd a position. ...job seekers must learn how to use all of the tools at their disposal.” Challenger, gray and Christmas con-ducted the survey in early August via e-mail. more than 200 hr executives responded.

if you’re job hunting, it’s still about who you know. hiring managers ranked traditional networking and social networking as the most effective ways for professionals to fi nd jobs, according to a survey recently conducted by challenger, gray & christmas.

HR PROS SAy NETwORKINg, SOCIAL NETwORKINg BEST JOB SEARCH METHODS

u Meridith Levinson

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n Work hours scheduling will become less important as organizations focus on performance and results.

n Company facilities will become Virtual through work-at-home, telecommuting and outsourcing.

n The workweek will be less structured-employees will still work 40-plus hours, but at varied times and places other than the offi ce.

n Legislation will lead to greater portability of health, welfare and retirement benefi ts.

n Free-lance teams of generic problem solvers will market themselves as alternatives to permanent workers or individual temps.

Global Businessn The role of corporate HR will change to that of creator of overall values and direction, and will be implemented by local HR departments in different countries.

The top predictions are Knowledge Management, Workplace Flexibility, Global Business, Work and Society, Workforce Development, Defi nition of Jobs and Strategic Role of HR.

Workplace fl exibilityn Collaborative cultures will be the workplace model.

n Creative employment contracts will support more time off, fl exibility in hours and work location, technological job aids and more pay at risk with signifi cant upside potential.

n Company intranets will become a major tool for com-munication, training and benefi ts administration ; HR will play a leading role in developing this important tool.

n Intelligence through knowledge transfer capability will separate the best employees from the rest. This is the age of Knowledge Management.

n Employees will have more and more choices about work arrangements, allowing them to meet their individual needs.

RPREDICTIONS

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n Technology, especially the Internet, will enable more businesses to enter the global marketplace.

n HR professionals will have advanced acumen in international business practices, international labour laws, multicultural sensitivities and multiple languages.

n HR professionals will need to be knowledgeable of other cultures, languages and business practices to help their companies fi nd and enter more markets.

n HR people will have to understand other cultures and help people work with, and transfer among, vari-ous cultures.

n Mega global business alliances will grow in number and scope, requiring great fi nesse on the part of the HR Professional.

n There will be an explosive growth of companies doing business across borders, and it will be the most signifi cant change for the economy in modern times.

n Cultural understanding and sensitivity will become much more important for the HR Professional of the future, whereas multiple language ability isn’t going to become a necessary competency.

n The continued emergence of a world market-place will require development of an international workforce.

n Small teams of HR Professionals will focus on pro-viding performance improvement consulting services to a variety of locations around the world.

Work and Societyn Family and life interests will play a more prevalent role in people’s lives and a greater factor in people’s choices about work, there will be more of a « work to live » than a « live to work » mentality.

n Employees will demand increases in workplace fl exibility to pursue life interests.

n Dual-career couples will refuse to make the sacrifi c-es required today in their family lives and more people (not just women) will opt out of traditional careers.

n Families will return to the centre of society ; work will serve as a source of cultural connections and pe-ripheral friendships.

n Workers will continue to struggle with their need for work/life balance, and it will get worse.

n Integration of work with quality-of-life initiatives

will create solutions to problems formerly seen as the responsibility of government.

n Community involvement and social responsibil-ity will become part of an organization’s business vision.

n « Cocooning » will become more popular as work-ers look to their homes for refuge from the pres-sures of a more competitive workplace and deper-sonalized society.

n Just as defi ned-contribution plans have begun to take over from Social Security, companies will take on responsibility for elder care, long term care and other social needs through cafeteria-style benefi t programmes.

n Those people who refuse or are unable to adapt to new technologies will fi nd they’re working harder and accomplishing less.

Workforce developmentn Lifelong learning will be a requirement.

n The focus of training/learning activities will be on performance improvement and not just on skill building.

n Employees with varied skills and competencies will be valued more highly than those with a depth of expertise in a single area.

n Problem-solving and decision-making will be-come a required curriculum with practical work problems as the training medium.

n Training will be delivered « just in time » wher-ever people need it, using a variety of technologies.

n Companies will demand constant personal growth, and employees will respond positively to higher expectations.

n It will not be possible to survive in the workplace without basic computer skills.

n People who can learn new skills/competencies quickly will be highly valued in a faster changing world.

n Team projects and special assignments will be a major factor in personal development.

n As the computer-savvy generation is more as-similated into the workforce, employees will be-come much more productive in complex tasks and less dependent on other people and departments.

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Definition of jobsn Organizations won’t pay for the value of the job but for the value of the person.

n Versatility will be the key factor in determining employee value with strategic thinking, leadership, problem- solving, technology and people’s skills close behind.

n Compensation systems will be linked to business out-comes.

n All jobs will require higher levels of computer skills.

n Positions will be organized in teams focused on a task, not organized around a hierarchy.

n Positions will be defined by competencies needed to be performed.

n Employees will be more independent, moving from proj-ect to project within their organizations.

n Many jobs will be redesigned to be much broader in scope, especially in management positions resulting in lean-er head counts.

n Employees will be increasingly measured by how much value they contribute to the business, not by whether they fulfilled predetermined objectives.

n Work will be more challenging, and jobs will become in-creasingly complex.

Strategic role of HRn Successful HR departments will focus on organizational performance. HR’s value will be to have the right people

ready at the right time : recruiting leaders to join the company’s mix of talent and keeping the « bench » full of enabled, competent workers.

n The focus of the HR function will be human capi-tal development and organizational productivity; HR may be renamed to reflect this.

n HR will evolve from strategic business partnership to strategic business leadership (driving change and results, not just monitoring them).

n A key HR role in the future will be multidisci-plinary consulting around individual team, business unit and corporate performance.

n Managers wil grow to depend more and more on HR professionals as they realize that good people management can be the strategic advantage in the next decade.

n Leading change will become HR’s greatest contri-bution to the corporation.

n More and more businesses will use HR as a stra-tegic partner.

n HR will have a « seat at the table » as part of the top management team and report directly to the CEO in most companies.

n A key HR role will be managing increasingly scarce human and intellectual capital.

n We move into the era of SHRM.

Origanally Compiled by Gaurav Kumar.

• Creativity – Individual cognitive and emotional processes that take place between the individual and the product that is created.

• Innovation – Process of implementation of creations, in the domains of production,adoption, implementation, diffusion or com-mercialisation.

• Creative workforce potential – Is both the ability to retain creative managers and employees, and to provide an environment where each one will feel free and willing to contribute to organizational success.

• Organizational creativity – A system devoted to enhance creativity in organizations.

• Organizational innovation – A system devoted to enhance innovation in organizations.

• Corporate innovation – A system devoted to enhance innovation in corporate bodies.

• Innovativeness – The potential of the workforce to promote changes to benefit of the organization.

• Creative problem-solving – Is a structured method for defining problems, generating solutions and developing an action plan.

• Divergent thinking – A thought process or method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions.

IMPORTANT TERMS & DEFINITIONS IN HRM

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O ui, l’absentéisme est un fl é-au pour les entreprises concernées. Aucun doute à avoir sur cette affi rmation péremp-toire. Un de mes amis souffre de migraines récurrentes. Régulièrement assailli par la douleur, il absorbe aspirine sur aspirine et s’isole des journees entières dans le noir de sa chambre. Il n’a jamais consulté de méde-cin. Il tente de se soulager ponctuellement sans jamais avoir recherché la ou les causes de ses douleurs.

Je m’égare peut-être, peut-être pas. Mise en place de taux de rations, de tableaux de bord, défi nition d’alertes, incitations fi nancières à la présence (sic) recours à une main-d’œuvre supplémentaire (par anticipation), communication sur les règles à respecter, organisation de contre-visite médicale et d’entretien de retour, sanctions, licenciement. Oui, les solutions préconisées pour gérer a posteriori les absences pour maladie sont nécessaires et inévitables. Ces actions correctives sont-elles suffi santes ? N’est-il pas pertinent de re-chercher la source du mal et de mettre en place des solutions également préventives ? Les plus at-tentifs ont bien compris que la réponse est dans la question.

D’autres font la moue car une nouvelle fois, ils ont l’impression que je souhaite leur mettre sur le dos à eux, chefs d’entreprise et managers, la responsabilité de l’absentéisme qui existe, peut-être au sein de leur équipe et de leur entreprise. Mes expériences de Directeur des Ressources Humaines et de Consultant RH m’ont permis à l’épreuve du feu de comprendre que l’Entreprise n’est pas le monde des « Bisounours ». Il n’y a pas les bons et les mauvais,les méchants et les gentils. Les professionnels de l’arrêt-maladie de complaisance existent. Il est

impossible de le nier. Nous sommes, aussi, peu aidés par la crise, par l’amplifi cation médiatique de la montée du stress et du harcèlement moral. Ces facteurs exogènes ont également une incidence directe sur le moral de nos collaborateurs.

La seule question que je veux me poser aujourd’hui est : « Est-il possible de ne pas laisser rentrer le ver dans le fruit ? » Éviter que le fruit soit gâté, c’est notre objectif, nous, chefs d’entreprise et managers.

Vous l’avez tous compris, l’absentéisme est un sujet com-plexe. Il a été constaté que certaines mesures coercitives

Préventionl’absentéismeComment anticiper les causes de

leader réunion complète sa série d’articles sur l’épineux problème

de l’absentéisme en entreprise. après les contributions d’eric

gallouin, dirigeant du cabinet ariane rh, alain dulucq, dirigeant

du cabinet oxymore management, propose d’aller à la source du

mal. Il rappelle notamment les 10 propositions pour améliorer la

santé psychologique au travail, émanant d’un rapport établi à la

demande du premier ministre. « pour lutter avec effi cience contre

l’absentéisme, il convient de changer son regard et d’initier une

démarche positive et pro-active », explique l’expert.

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mises en place pour le limiter ont au contraire eu des effets contre-productifs. Engageons donc des actions préventives sur le long terme. Éradiquons les sources de l’Absentéisme à la source.

Un rapport « Bien-être et effi cacité au travail » fait à la de-mande du Premier ministre a été publié en fevrier 2010. Il nous fournit de précieuses pistes de réfl exion. Mon propos n’est pas de dévélopper l’ensemble de ces propositions mais de tenter de démontrer que pour lutter avec effi cience contre l’absentéisme, il convient de changer son regard et d’initier une démarche positive et pro-active. Pour faire écho, néanmoins, au rapport « Bien-être et effi cacité au travail » précité, les pre-mières pistes d’une démarche préventive pourraient être : de communiquer sur la stratégie et les missions de l’entreprise, de former et de soutenir les managers, de clarifi er les règles et l’organisation, de favoriser les évolutions internes, de donner du sens au travail de chacun, d’optimiser la gestion du temps collective en favorisant un équilibre avec la vie privée des collaborateurs et de communiquer en interne sur les actions menées pour lutter contre l’absentéisme. L’ensemble des ac-teurs de l’entreprise doit donc être concerté : sensibiliser le

personnel, mobiliser l’encadrement, consulter les instanc-es représentatives, impliquer la médecine du travail. J’ai en conclusion, une pensée émue pour les managers de proximité. Opérationnels et présents sur le terrain, leur rôle est primodial dans la prévention de l’absentéisme.

La qualité de leur management sera le gage de la réussite de la démarche. Un management trop rigide, peu à l’écoute, sans empathie, sera une cause directe de l’absentéisme. Un management trop laxiste qui ne fi xe pas les règles et ne les fait pas respecter aura le même effet. Leur capacité à mettre en place une organisation du travail effi ciente et à mettre en œuvre de façon equilibrée les objectifs fi xés par leur direction sera également une clef du succès. Il faut les soutenir car ce sont eux qui gèrent sur le terrain les absences et leurs conséquences opérationnelles, qui font remonter les informations nécessaires au pilotage des ressources humaines et ce sont également eux qui vont conclure les entretiens de retours.

Source : Leader RŽ union nO 126 Septembre 2010.

un rapport « bien-être et effi cacité au travail » fait à la demande du Premier ministre et publié en février 2010, dresse une liste de dix propositions destinées à améliorer la santé psychologique au travail et de limiter l’absentéisme.

ne pas laisser le salarié seul face à ses pro-blèmes. Accompagner les salariés en diffi culté.

LES 10 PROPOSITIONS POUR AMÉLIORERLA SANTÉ PSyCHOLOgIQUE AU TRAVAIL

la santé des salariés est d’abord l’affaire des managers, elle ne s’externalise pas. les managers de proximité sont les premiers acteurs de santé.

donner aux salariés les moyens de se réaliser dans le travail. restaurer des espaces de discus-sion et d’autonomie dans le travail.

Impliquer les partenaires sociaux dans la construction des conditions de santé. le dialogue social, dans l’entreprise et en dehors, est une priorité.

la mesure induit les comportements. mesurer les conditions de santé et sécurité au travail est une condition du développement du bien-être en entreprise.

Préparer et former les managers au rôle de manager. Affi rmer et con-crétiser la responsabilité du manager vis-à-vis des équipes et des hommes.

ne pas réduire le collectif de travail à une addition d’individus. valoriser la performance collective pour rendre les organisa-tions de travail plus moti-vantes et plus effi cientes.

Anticiper et prendre en compte l’impact humain des changements. Tout projet de réorganisation ou de restructuration doit mesurer l’impact et la faisabilité humaine du changement.

la santé au travail ne se limite pas aux frontières de l’entreprise. l’entreprise a un impact humain sur son environnement, en particu-lier sur ses fournisseurs.

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l’implication de la direction générale et de son conseil d’administration est indis-pensable. l’évaluation de la performance doit intégrer le facteur humain, et donc la santé des salariés.

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The ability to manage the external business environment depends on how well the internal environment is managed.Most of us get overwhelmed focusing on external factors, especially the customer, at the expense of the inter-nal factors that drive everything else.The organisational vision, mission and core objectives are perhaps the best bases upon which the internal environment thrives and grows.The vision sets the general direction where the business aims to go while the mission spells out how the vision is to be achieved.

The core values spell out the attributes the business wants to be identifi ed with.It is from these three that individual employees derive their personal vision, mission and core values.

This way it is possible for employees across the board to have similar and shared corporate identity.The challenge for businesses and other organisations is to ensure that each employee in the organisation, irrespective of class and position, understands,appreciates and believes in and is part of the corporate identity and direction.

Every change or message must have an agent that delivers it.In our case that is the employee.He has the ability to make or break the whole business.A demotivated and demoralized employee is the best and fastest way to bring down any business.

Take time to understand the needs of those who work for you and come up with the best way of responding to the same. Ironically , it is not just the size of remuneration that drives staff motivation The importance of the right remuneration level and growth of the same cannot be gainsaid. Pay them as well as your circumstances can allow. Try

and understand what motivates each of them and inspire them thus.

Some prefer handling more responsi-bilities while others may need time off to suckle their little ones without going down on their knees .Others prefer to supervise themselves while others cannot perform without that supervision. The challenge here is to have employees refer to your company as ‘our company”.

The physical outlook of your company is key in forming customer perceptions.In sales, perception is superior to facts.

One gets the facts only after being drawn by the perception that one’s facts are better than the rest.

The choice of furniture, colours and general interior decor enhances the mood of the employees and hence their productivity .In some cases music can help to release more energy.

Perhaps the most critical of all internal factors are the general and individual attitudes in the organi zation.Invest as much as is practically possible in infl uencing staff attitude towards the core business and towards each other. Capacity building in a variety of businesses and personal development-related issues often goes a long way in shaping up a positive and productive attitude.

The Style of Leadership, organizational structure and the organizational culture are important factors that defi ne the way your business is perceived outside. Always keep in mind that the internal drives the external. Maximise on the internal business environmental factors because you have a high degree of control over them. This prepares you manage the external factors over which you have limited control.

Enterprise DevelopmentHow to deal with employees by addressing their needs

u Achanah ChiniahManagement Consultant

E n ces temps de crise, où les plans sociaux et réductions de coûts mettent à mal le pacte social dans l’entreprise, il est impératif de retisser le lien entre l’employeur et ses salariés. Que ce soit dans un groupe comme France Telecom, traumatisé par une vague de suicides sans précédent, ou dans la petite entreprise gagnée par le stress de lendemains incertains, il est indispensable d’élaborer un nouveau « contrat social ».

Depuis des années déjà, avant même que n’éclate la dernière grande crise économique et fi nancière, partie des États-Unis fi n 2007, certains signaux ne laissaient guère de doutes sur une dégradation des relations entre les dirigeants d’entreprise et leurs salariés. Dans les grandes entreprises publiques, les grèves en sont un baromètre régulier, avec l’absentéisme, véritable fl éau qui frappe aussi les grands groupes privés. Quand ces derniers ne sont pas touchés, comme chez France Telecom, par une vague de suicides manifestement liée, au moins en partie, aux conditions de travail. Un mal-être qui se ressent notamment dans l’encadrement où, comme le révèlent sans ambiguïtes de nombreuses enquêtes, un certain désenchantement quand ce n’est pas un vrai divorce ont distendu les liens entre les cadres et leurs dirigeants. Plus diffi cile encore à appréhender dans les petites entreprises, ce malaise se retrouve dans le sentiment de stress souvent évoqué par les salariés.

Défi ance et frustrationDu coup, s’est imposée une idée paradoxale avec la notion de progrès : le monde du travail s’est durci. S’il demeure diffi cile donc d’étayer cette remarque par des preuves objectives, elle n’en traduit pas moins un sentiment largement partagé. De fait, « les relations de travail ne sont plus équilibrées », analysent trois experts du monde de l’entreprise dans un livre écrit en commun, « Restaurer la confi ance dans l’entreprise ». Selon Frederic Petitbon, sociologue et directeur général délégué du cabinet IDRH, Alain Reynaud (HEC), directeur à IDRH, et Hubert Heckmann, normalien, enseignant et spécialiste des processus de narration à l’œuvre dans l’entreprise, « quelque chose a changé, quelque chose s’est rompu, dont salariés comme employeurs ont conscience. Pour les premiers, cela sera source de défi ance - d’une implication mesurée, circonspecte. Pour les seconds, ce sera la frustration de ne pas avoir des collaborateurs suffi samment engagés ». A qui la faute ? Ce déséquilibre de la relation ne tient pas à la seule lecture du contrat de travail. Chacun s’y tient : les horaires sont effectués, les salaires sont payés. Ce n’est pas là que le bât blesse. Il faut aller chercher plus loin, prendre en compte des éléments informels, plus ou moins clairs dans l’esprit des parties prenantes, des attentes

A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0

« dans des conteXtes de pressIon toujours plus forte pour bon nombre d’entreprIses, les salarIÉs confIent souffrIr des mÊmes mauX : manQue de reconnaIssance, dÉshu-manIsatIon des rapports, outIls et mÉthodes de management À bout de souffle, dÉmotI-vatIon et manQue d’ImplIcatIon, sentIment d’Être oblIgÉ de travaIller vIte et mal, rÈgne du court-termIsme, ImpressIon d’Isolement»

Comment restaurer la confi ance

dans l’entreprise

u Jean Cazanove

Source : Leader RŽ union nO 126 septembre 2010.

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implicites, des engagements conditionnés. Autant de choses qui ne sont pas formulées mais qui rentrent dans la dynamique du contrat, et qu’il faut bien appréhender pour restaurer, voire instaurer, la confi ance. « Dans des contextes de pression toujours plus forte pour bon nombre d’entreprises, les salariés confi ent souffrir des mêmes maux : manque de reconnaissance, déshumanisation des rapports, outils et méthodes de management à bout de souffl e, démotivation et manque d’implication, sentiment d’être obligé de travailler vite et mal, règne du court-termisme, impression d’isolement », énumèrent les auteurs. Et si les nombreuses étapes sur la question montrent que les dirigeants d’entreprise sont parfaitement conscients de cela, la prise en compte du problème dans toute sa mesure paraît beaucoup plus diffi cile, et les réponses ponctuelles et limitées.

Le contrat psychologique« Il faut donc changer », exhortent les trois

experts. Mais cela dit peu sur les modes de gestion de ce changement. Quels sont donc les leviers, les grilles de lecture, qu’il est possible de mobiliser pour décoder, et piloter le changement ? Comment mieux comprendre ce qui se passe pour moins le subir ? C’est précisément l’objet de leur livre, qui s’attache d’abord à tenter de défi nir les contours du « contrat psychologique » qui, inévitablement, se forme dans l’esprit des parties prenantes au-delà du contrat de travail. « On peut défi nir le contrat psychologique comme la perception, par un collaborateur, des obligations réciproques entre lui-même et son employeur », écrivent les auteurs. Et qui dit perception, dit interprétation. « La perception du contrat est ainsi en construction permanente, c’est un phénomène dynamique où les objectifs stratégiques de l’entreprise prennent place, à côte des attentes personnelles du salarié et des conditions offertes par l’environnement », soulignent-ils. La perception du contrat se développe donc comme un processus par lequel le collaborateur met en balance ses intérêts et ceux de son entreprise. S’il y a convergence, le contrat est équilibré et la relation est satisfaisante pour les deux parties.

Comment bâtir un juste équilibre dans la relation ? Où se situe d’ailleurs cet équilibre, comment le défi nir ? Et quels sont les leviers à activer pour le réaliser ? Comment étayer la confi ance ? Comment refonder les termes de l’echange quand l’employeur n’est plus à même de reconduire les règles du jeu qui assuraient l’équilibre social au sein de son entreprise ? Telles sont quelques-unes des questions auxquelles tentent de repondre Frederic Petitbon, Alain Reynaud et Hubert Heckmann dans la deuxième partie de leur ouvrage, éclairée par des cas d’entreprises comme Spirlex, les éditions Plein Vent, les Mutuelles Modernes ou encore Carelys. « Le premier axe de réponse proposé concerne l’explicitation du contrat », écrivent-t-ils. « Notre conviction est que le non-dit et l’implicite sont trop souvent des solutions de facilité et des erreurs managériales », poursuivent-ils. Pour ces experts, pas de doute, « il faut

expliciter le contrat, les engagements réciproques chaque fois que c’est possible ». Cette explicitation suppose de bien préciser les facteurs d’engagement dans la relation au travail. Par défi nition, ces facteurs sont spécifi ques à chaque entreprise, chaque population. Ils dépassent très largement les seules motivations fi nancières.

Gérer le changementLe second axe de réponse, précisent les auteurs, concerne la mise en œuvre du contrat. « L’explicitation est de peu de portée si elle n’est pas accompagnée de preuves », insistent-ils. Comment alors porter le contrat et en assurer la bonne éxecution ? « C’est à la fois une question posée au management - mais celui-ci a bon dos, quand il est lui-même en interrogation sur sa place dans l’entreprise…- et une question posée aux politiques de gestion de ressources humaines. Le management est pour partie la réponse, ainsi que la connaissance des outils et leur bonne mise en œuvre », expliquent les trois experts. Et il n’y a pas meilleur outil, selon eux, pour conduire ce travail que le contrat. Il permet une lecture simple des déséquilibres et d’aller ainsi à l’essentiel. Les auteurs proposent donc une grille d’analyse (voir graphique) adaptée à un premier temps de travail, pour repenser de la manière la plus exhaustive possible les éléments constitutifs d’un contrat donné. Un travail qui pourra déboucher sur une segmentation plus spécifi quement adaptée à chaque cas.

Cette simplicité de manipulation fait du contrat un puissant vecteur de sens pour une entreprise. L’appropriation rapide du contrat lui confère une autre vertu : un contrat abouti façonne la realité. Les attentes qui s’y expriment défi nissent autant d’anticipations, qui progressivement bâtissent l’avenir. « Cette portée du contrat lui permet d’être un puissant levier stratégique. Il place sur le terrain de la transaction, de l’explicite, ce que l’entreprise considère comme non négociable », soulignent les auteurs. Surtout, « avant toute chose, le contrat sert à gérer le changement », concluent-ils.

n Ambition et visionn Projet métiern valeursn Identité externe/statut

n Politique de rémunérationn Politiques socialesAutres avantagesn Conditions de travail(horaires, lieux…)

n Culture managériale

n gestion des compétences

n Autonomie et organisation du travail

n gestion de la performance, politique de reconnaissance

n Parcours de carrièren dévéloppement de

l’employabilitén equilibre vie

professionnelle/vie privée

le projet de l’entreprise

le projet de la personne

le travailles conditions d’emploi

A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0

The Business side of HR

priyA gopAlAkrishnAn tAlks About her philosophy to work proActively with business heAds in order to get buy-in for key initiAtives, And for hr to become strAtegic rAther thAn mere support.

P riya Gopalakrishnan was barely fi nishing High school when she was clear about her career path ; she wanted to be in Human Resources. With characteristic modesty, she says with a smile that she wishes she had that kind of clarity of thought today. Priya pursued her MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad. When we met her at her well-appointed Bangalore offi ce, our obvious question to the Director-HR of ING Vysya was, for one who was so clear about her choice of career, why she did not consider XLRI, to which she said, « Of course I considered XLRI, but then IIM-A happened… », and certainly for a young ambitious management aspirant, when IIM-A happens it is diffi cult to forego the mecca of management studies in India. IIM-A also gave her the advantage of choice, if she ever decided to pursue another stream of management.

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The Business side of HR

IIM-A did not have much choice in terms of HR specifi c courses, and there was almost no recruiter who would come to IIM-A to recruit for HR. Says Priya, « When Levers came to campus, they were told that there is this one crazy woman who wanted to do HR. And I met them, and then things kind of fell into place, and I did my summer internship in HR with Levers. And then I was offered a management trainee position in HR with Levers and the journey began. »

We did question Priya about whether the IIM-A programme put her at a disadvantage against HR specialists from the likes of XLRI. As has been our experience with most senior HR leaders, Priya concurred with the prevalent school of thought that while it is important to have the fundamentals of HR strong and grounded, it is probably as important to know about general management and the basic functioning of business, and here, she thinks, the IIM-A programme gave her a distinct advantage in terms of understanding of business.

Priya graduated from IIM-A in 1994, and started her career in Levers, at a time when the company was undisputedly the most covered company to work for. She says starting a career with Levers was a blessing in the sense that it took care of its people. She adds, « In Levers, I grew up in a situation where we did not need to consciously plan our career. If you have done your best, the organisation really plans it out for you, and that is how it has worked for me. I started my career in Compensation and Benefi ts, moved to Industrial Relations and then to training and resources, and pretty much covered every sub-function of HR at Levers »

A shift from HUL to ING obviously was a great shift in Priya’s life. When HUL decided to move her function from Bangalore to Mumbai, Priya had to take a conscious decision to shift johs, as moving to Mumbai was not possible due to family reasons. It was was one of the very few times that she deliberately planned a career move. With an all-round experience in the FMCG category and the sector, she wanted to get out of her comfort zone and try her hand at a different industry with different HR challenges. ING was the perfect opening, and had all the challenges that she was looking for, especialy a chance to signifi cantly impact the business through the HR function. She has never looked back, saying, « It has been a very exciting journey and very different from the HR

challenges at Levers. I have personally enjoyed each and every day of my work here. »

With more than a decade and a half in HR, our readers would surely be interested in Priya’s perspective of the change in the role and signifi cance of HR as a function. She believes there have been signifi cant and key shifts in the function as well as how it is today perceived, and that is true across organisations and industries. A key difference she agrees is the value that senior leadership today places on people practices and employee engagement. She also believes the information age and the new aware Gen-Y, and the ever present talent crunch, have also made it imperative for leaders to look at the function as more strategic than supportive. A big factor also has been the usage of technology, which has allowed HR managers to concentrate more on the strategic than the administrative. There has also been a key shift in terms of information sharing between management and employees at large. Priya says that when she started working it was common in many organisations to not share performance ratings, which she believes today’s young generation will fi nd hard to accept. She also shares that the expectations from HR have evolved and today is much more signifi cant in terms of key strategic deliverables, capacity and capability building, as well as manpower planning.

book : my reAdIng hAs been PreTTy muCh reduCed TO newsPAPers And mAgAzInes. The eCOnOmIsT And hbr Are fAvOurITes. I buy

lOTs Of bOOks, whICh end

uP On my bOOkshelf wIThOuT

beIng reAd !

movIe : I wATCh mOvIes fOr enTerTAInmenT sO AnyThIng frOm mATrIX TO The bOllywOOd mAsAlA mOvIes,

TO TAAre zAmeen PAr TO AnyThIng wITh A TIghT And InTeresTIng sTOry lIne And eXeCuTIOn.

cuIsIne : I Am A bIg fOOdIe And lOve TryIng OuT dIfferenT CuIsInes ThOugh As A vegeTArIAn, The OPTIOns Are mOre lImITed.

holIday spot : my bOys lOve beACh hOlIdAys. we lAze, sPend TIme As A fAmIly, And gOA Is A fAvOurITe.

personal favourItes

book : my TO TAAre zAmeen

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« When I joIned , the ceo had mentIoned that he had Wanted someone to drIve a strong partnershIp betWeen hr and the busIness. We have done a lot, but We certaInly have not yet done all that We need to do. We took small delIberate steps, We already had some great people In the team; added some more over tIme.»

it wAs not eAsy but once you reAlise thAt you need both these pArts of your life, you will mAke it work.

About her experience at ING Vysya, Priya says, « When I joined, the CEO had mentioned that the reason he had wanted someone with my background and experiene was because he wanted to drive a strong partnersip between HR and the business. We have done a lot, but we certainly have not yet done all that we need to do. We took small deliberate steps, we already had some great people in the team, added some more over time. A part I have really enjoyed has been the opportunity to build this great team that I am fortunate to be working with today. »

An area of interest for us was how a strong HR function partners with business heads, and whether there is friction in accepting the new empowered HR function. Priya’s philosophy has been to work proatively with business heads and have their buy-in for all key initiatives. Priya says, « I do not think that business will naturally have resistance. I fundamentally do not operate with the mindset. If you are seen as someone doing it for the right reasons and without a personal agenda, and with fairness and transparency, even if it is unpleasant for some, people understand that you are doing it for a good business reason. If there is resistance, you must listen to those who disagree and be open to have a discussion on the same. This is where personal credibility becomes very important. If you bring personal credibility to the table, doors open up. It will help you come with a solution that is a win-win for all. »

When the conversation turned to talent recruitment and manpower planning, Priya had a very interesting perspective. She says that at a very fundamental level, manpower management is much like a supply chain activity in that HR keeps taking a « make or buy » decision.

She believes that relying on only internal candidates to build a succession pipeline may not be prudent in today’s volatile business environment . Says Priya, « I keep telling this to my business heads too. The whole reason behind having a young leadership programme and the biggest reason why I advocate this very strongly is simply because they just push the organisation to the next level as far as the performance is considered. You have a lot of young people and everybody is up on their toes. Everybody is upping their game and for that reason alone, if you have grade succession planning happening, it is a by-product. If it happens, it is wonderful. You have to be prepared for the fact that it may not happen but having a great quality of people in the organization is an end in itself and that is what we keep advocating in the business. »

Talking about work-life balance, Priya feels fortunate to have a very good supply system. Her parents stay close by and so her children are taken care of while she is away at work. She agrees that it is not easy and there have been times where she has questioned whether working was really worthwhile for her. To this she adds, « When my second son was born, I moved back to the role that had a huge travel component to it. It was not easy but once you realise that you need both these parts of your life, you will make it work and I think everybody else has really helped to make it happen. My husband has been very supportive. My parents were exceptional in their support. So that is why it worked for me. It is as simple as that. »

Priya also enjoys cooking, but soon adds that this may perhaps be because she does not need to do it everyday ! Weekends are reserved primarily for her two sons. She says, « We may go out as a family or stay at home, but I make sure that I am around. »

With kind permission of « People and management »

magazine - India

PrIyA’s leAdershIP sTylel CreATe An envIrOnmenT where PeOPle CAn brIng TheIr Own skIlls TO The TAble, And Are free TO dIsAgree wITh her.

l dO hAve A TrACkIng meChAnIsm buT dO nOT belIeve In mICrOmAnAgIng PeOPle.

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book : whO mOved my Cheese by sPenCer jOhnsOn And CyCle Of leAdershIP by nOel m.TIChy And nAnCy CArdwell

movIe : The ugly TruTh And AnyThIng humOrOus.

cuIsIne : fOOd frOm kerelA

Indoors : wATChIng mOvIes And lIsTenIng TO musIC (deeP PurPle And nIrvAnA).

outdoors : drIvIng

holIday spot : gOA.

k.n. AJith on whAt it tAkes to put hr on An overdrive And how thAt is the only Answer for orgAnisAtions to be Able to creAte A sustAinAble business environment

Ahappy-go-lucky person during college, K.N. Ajith of Sify says that HR fell into place probably because his father was a social worker and a teacher of HR which gave him a lot of exposure on the subject from the very beginning. HR happened by choice though he did have a small stint in between when he would freelance for copy-writing during college. This led him to undertake his master’s with specialisation in PM and IR, and was then placed with Muruguppa Group through campus in 1992 where he continued for nine years. Muruguppa gave him an exposure in IR which he believes is fundamental for any HR Professional. It gave him the right grounding for which he is thankful as he believes that HR effectiveness lies in understanding the pulse of people. At Muruguppa, his exposure was limited to working in a manufacturing set-up so when he moved to Sify in 2001, there were concerns whether he can make the shift to an IT setting. In software or IT, the pace of change is very fast and so it is a challenge to cope with that change. Muruguppa helped him learn the ground realities of HR. Unfortunately, today young people do not want to do it because they do not want their hands getting dirty. But if you see, most HR professionnals in leading positions today they have had an experience of working at the grass roots levels.

The next generation HR

Sify has seen a sea change in terms of fi rst being a part of Satyam (known as Satyam Infoway then) to today as a more popular, self-sustained ISP company. Employees at Sify are called « associates » to bring about a feeling that

every member is a partner for business growth. Sify was a challenge for Ajith since he came

from a manufacturing background where one probably hired a limited number of people in a year and the span for response time was long, while Sify required a ramp

A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0

THE STRENgTH OF THE SIFy wAythere are seven behavIour patterns every sIfy assocIate must ImbIbe, InstItutIonalIse and practIse. the sIfy Way aWards Is a process Where peers nomInate assocIates for practIsIng these modes of behavIour. any vIolatIon calls for dIscIplInary actIon.

of 100 people in two months with a short response time. And if it is not delivered then HR is not doing the job which posed a great challenge, but his earlier experience helped him create the right process and discipline to capture information and mapping to find the alternate sources. They introduced the « Associate Referral Scheme » which was an opening for employees to bring in friends to work there.

Sify has an online training management and 95 per cent of all people transactions is online. The change from the pen and paper system to complete automation did see a lot of resistance, but HR worked together to help people understand the benefit that the new system will bring to them and they implemented the pilot with the HR team to show that it works. Commenting on this shift to automating HR, he adds, « It is great for the confidentiality of information. Employees are able to track at what stage his/her appraisal is pending and there is no breakdown in the process. The implementation took 6 months for 2000 people and it has maintained the people touch. In fact, at the Dataquest survey we were ranked among the top 20 best employers to work, and they actually picked up people randomly to get information and their responses indicated what we do. »

There are two kinds of training at Sify – classroom training and e-learning. The e-learning modules help in enabling self-paced training and it is mandatory for employees to complete a set of modules over a period of time. An interesting observation we made while walking through the Sify office in ChennaI is that every turn and bay had a name. (for example, the CEO sits in a bay called « Overdrive » ; HR and Finance sit together, so it is called Wall Street). Ajith gives the credit to his employees who have come up with these interesting names.

Training happens based on a pre-designed product competence that is built and this includes technical competence and leadership competence. They also have a programme called « Culture of Execution » drive because they discovered a few years back that there are execution gaps which called for an intervention. Ajith adds that though HR continues to remain a support function in many organisations, in many progressive organisations HR is getting into a more strategic role. In fact the recent recession and slowdown has seen HR’s role becoming one of paramount importance. In Sify, when reviews take place, the business head along with HR chalk out the way forward for the new plans.

Ajith says that the biggest challenge for Sify is that since they are a multi-skill organisation they are a good poaching ground for competing organisations. So talent retention is a concern which they strive to address by way of a strong focus on communication. The « Question Box » is an avenue for associates to report any gossip lingering in the lanes to give management the real pulse of the organisation. Other engagement initiatives are the « Fundoos » an activity initiated by a committee of light-minded people who have the passion for fun at the workplace. They have the capability to think out of the box and try to keep the place lively and energetic for associates. « Fungama » is an initiative where the associate’s family is also included and this has created huge impact on associate loyalty. Sify believes in the strength of « communication » for which they have different forums. They undertake town hall meetings where the CEO directly addresses all associates on the company’s future plans, and they also have an in-house magazine called « Prime Time » through which happenings in the company are shared with associates and their families. Sify’s in-house leadership development programme focuses on building the second line of leadership. The internal job posting allows for first preference to be given to the employees.

Ajith believes on continuous learning, which explains why he finds great pleasure to go back home everyday to work on his doctoral research on « Organisational Culture and Values ». He wants to study more to widen his knowledge in HR and affirms that he still has a long way in mastering the role of HR in an organisation. With so many things to take care, does he get time for family ? To this he says, « Commitment and relationship building are key at workplace, and you cannot overburden too much of your family on you because then your career will suffer and vice versa, and so far it has been a mix. »

With kind permission of « People and management » magazine - India

sIfy’s In-hOuse mAgAzIne «PrIme TIme» Is used TO shAre hAPPenIngs wITh AssOCIATes & TheIr fAmIlIes

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P olitics in organizations has been defi ned differently by various opinion leaders. Pettiberg (1973) defi ned organizational politics as activities in which managers engage to increase their power and to pursue goals that favour their individual and group interests. For Buchanan (2008), politics is power in action whereby power is a dormant capability and the political tactics are how we exercise that power. For Benjamin Franklin politics is how interests and infl uence play out in an institution. Moreover organization politics is associated with resource allocation, confl ict resolution, and decision making process in organization.

Organizational politics, which are the tactics used to obtain a desired goal, position or status, has two sides, positive and negative. The positive aspect of organizational politics is where there is a balanced pursuit of individual and organizational goals. It also encourages problem-solving methods. The negative aspect is where the self-interest plays more importance over organizational goals, where situation is viewed in win-lose perspective and where there is hidden agenda.

Seven categories of political activity in organizations (Malhotra 2009): 1. Attacking or blaming others2. Selectively distributing information3. Controlling information channels4. Forming coalitions5. Cultivating networks6. Creating obligations 7. Managing impressions

Some common tactics used within organizations to gain power:• Friendliness• Making oneself irreplaceable• Networking with powerful people

Politics in organizations: Serving self-interest or organization interest ?

• Building coalitions • Being assertive and establishing credibility • Building pressureOrganizational politics can also be described as self serving and manipulative behaviour of individuals and groups to promote their self- interests at the expense of others, and sometimes even organizational goals. This is what probably explains the negative perception about politics, where back-stabbing, cliques and alliances with those having power and infl uence, immediately come to mind. This may also be the reason why politics in organizations is considered as being unproductive.

However politics does not necessarily have to be negative. One can still be respectful of established rules and values, and at the same time increase one’s visibility within the organization and be aware of all possible opportunities to boost one’s career. Politics is further termed as social interactions involving those with authority and power, where self-interest or self-advancement is one of the main focuses. Political behaviour is even regarded as quite necessary for healthy organizations (Clark, 2001). In fact to manage and to be managed effi ciently every individual starting from the top to bottom needs to have knowledge of power and politics in the organization.

u Deepak Ramsurrun

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one of the most desired humAn wAnts is power. in the business world, power And politics, to A lArge extent, determine the growth, stAbility And continuAl success of individuAls And compAnies.

Though anyone in the organization can engage in political behaviour to gain promotion or influence organizational decision-making in their favour, this tends to be associated a lot with managers. This is particularly due to the struggle for resources, competition for power and leadership, building personal stature and controlling access to information issues. Therefore the manager involves in activities within organizations to acquire, develop and use power and other resources to obtain his or her preferred outcomes. If in the same breath it is serving the interest of the organization then there is no harm done.

Politics in organization is as crucial as doing the job itself (Vigoda, 2003). It has a massive impact on our well-being as employees, managers and shareholders in the organization.

Michael Clark (2001) suggests the putting to positive use of the inherently political nature of organizations turns on the idea that managers are sometimes motivated by worthy causes that sometimes conflict,

and that just as with the politics of government, this is fundamentally good, not bad.

Company politics does not have to be about hid-den agendas, internal rivals, manoeuvring for power, blame culture and lack of trust. With the appropri-ate skill and a congruence of personal and organiza-tional goals, positive organizational politics provides the real foundation for competitive advantage (Cut-tings, 2006).

The underground system of communication, the grapevine, what’s really going on in the organization, rumours, knowing who really has the power? However you define it, all sources agree you’d better not ignore it.

The challenge for managers and organizations is for organizational politics to position itself centrally in management. Today’s business imperatives (new technology, relentless innovation, globalisation impact, business ethics) demand organizations become more democratic, more individually-orientated and more capable of managing greater, not fewer, differences.

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Introduction

Quality product or service helps a business to be competitive both locally and internationally. Certain countries have set quality standards and require businesses to comply with them to do business there. Total Quality Management (TQM) becomes imperative in such circumstances. The extent to which Employment Relations (ER) can contribute to TQM in an organisation should not be overlooked. It is a known fact that the role of people is of paramount importance in the continuous improvement of quality in an organisation. This article is aimed at shedding light on some of the ways in which ER can boost the efforts directed towards TQM. We shall look at some causes of poor employment relations and their impact on TQM. We shall also propose some solutions to poor ER in order to enhance TQM thus leading to customer satisfaction, both internally and externally.

TQM needs collaboration and good ER at the workplaceTotal Quality Management (TQM) is a management system for a customer-focussed organisation that involves all employees in continual improvement of all aspects of the organisation. It is therefore a prerequisite for people within the organisation to be motivated to work towards TQM. There are over a hundred TQM methods, which may be categorised under four headings: Management methods, Analytical methods, Idea generation, and Data collection, analysis and display. Among the Management methods we fi nd Gemba Kaizen, which is based on people’s commitment and participation. Quality Circles, another category under this method, require groups of between three and twelve persons led by their supervisor or manager to identify, analyse and solve work-related problems. Another category here is Team work, requiring the cooperation and contribution of people with a common goal or objective. Among the categories

in the Analytical method there is the ‘cause and effect analysis’. An example under the Idea generation is ‘brainstorming’. Finally, under the fourth method, namely Data collection, analysis and display, examples can be ‘process analysis’, ‘pie chart display’.

You may be asking yourself why we are looking at the categories of the TQM related activities. The answer is: to bring out the commitment, participation, cooperation and belongingness required and/or generated by these activities. This will inevitably make you

ask ‘How about my own organisation?’. In fact the quest of TQM brings people together. On the other hand, when people collaborate and where there are good employment relations the quest for TQM is promoted.

Status of ER and TQM in PracticeWhat happens in practice? There are so many ongoing changes in organisations and the world of work and people are so complex that neither employment relations nor TQM can be said to have reached the perfect situation where no further improvement is necessary. If we look at our own organisation, we are bound to fi nd some symptoms of poor employment relations. These can be absenteeism, high labour turnover, sabotage or other forms of non-cooperation, depending upon the particular situation of an organisation. No doubt these will affect the search for TQM.

It is imperative therefore to identify the causes of poor ER and address them. Examples of causes could include: no opportunity to express grievance, no fair treatment, discrimination and bad conditions of employment.

Once the causes are identifi ed, efforts must be deployed to redress the situation. Experience has shown that internal solutions are better than external ones. Recourse to external solutions is advisable only when

The Contribution of Employment Relations to Total Quality Management

u T. PAwAN

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and must mention the levels at which the grievances may be taken successively.

Commission for Conciliation & MediationWhere parties are unable to find a solution to a problem internally they may have recourse to external help, for instance the Commission for Conciliation and Mediation.

Employment Relations Tribunal (ERT)The ERT promotes harmonious employment relations through the settlement of industrial disputes in the Civil Service, the Private Sector and Para-statal Bodies and Local Government Services. It also hears appeals from the decision of the Conciliation and Mediation Commission.

The Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment, and the Industrial CourtThese are the most privileged and popular instances in Mauritius for the settlement of employment relation problems.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Recourse to External HelpExternal help removes blockages in employment relations. It provides a neutral platform. The judgments, awards and orders are binding on parties.

As regards disadvantages, external help may in certain cases be not only time-consuming but also costly. It may not necessarily improve employment relations and may thus have negative impact on the quest for TQM.

ConclusionOne of the supports of TQM is good ER at the workplace. Two-way communication between Management and employees is a must for good ER. Employment relations problems should be settled through communication and consultation between Management and employees internally, as far as possible. This fosters mutual trust. There is a better chance of good employment relations to flourish. This in turn will pave the way for total employee involvement conducive to TQM. The focus on internal customers’ needs and their satisfaction will lead to a better focus on external customers, enhanced customer service, delivery of reliable product, process and service and customer satisfaction, which is the ultimate goal of TQM.

T Pawan is a Consultant in IR, HR and Training and Development. He is a former Assistant Director, Ministry of Labour.

His email address is pawan@intnet.mu

all efforts internally between the parties have not given the desired solution.

The Employment Relations Act (EReA) 2008It is interesting to note in this connection, that part IV of the EReA provides for the protection of the fundamental rights of workers and employers, to form trade unions and to be free from interference. Additionally there is provision for workers’ protection against discrimination and victimisation. These provisions are already in application in many organisations, not necessarily as a result of the coming into force of the EReA but in line with past practice, previous legislation and internal arrangements within the organisations. It goes without saying that where rights are respected there is better ER and a greater focus on customer satisfaction.

The Code of Practice (CoP) of the EReAPart V of the CoP of the EReA gives useful guidelines for good employment relations. It suggests that Management must, among other things, boost up or review communication channels and encourage communication at all levels. Dialogue, consultation and negotiation over areas of possible or existing conflict must be adopted. These measures would be very helpful for organisations wishing to set up or beef up TQM.

Effective CommunicationThus, to settle or avoid disputes, Management and trade unions must cooperate for effective communication. This is expected to lead to efficiency, understanding, workers’ satisfaction and involvement. The move towards TQM necessitates various types of changes in an organisation. Communication is of prime importance especially in times of change for both organisational efficiency and the interest of workers. The CoP further recommends prior discussions with workers or their trade unions, if any, in times of major changes in working arrangements. The means of communication according to the CoP could include personal contact, written information, training, etc. whilst the subject matter of communication can include performance and plans of the organisation.

ConsultationThe CoP further recommends jointly examining and discussing problems of concern to both management and workers. Consultation may be between management and workers or their trade union representatives.

Settlement/Avoidance of Disputes through Grievance ProcedureManagement, with trade unions of workers concerned, must make arrangements for grievances to be settled fairly and promptly. The procedure must be in writing

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There was a time when busi nesses were witnessing a shift towards capital Intensive business models….away from the Labour-Intensive model that has dominated the major parts of the Industrial Revolution. Now, we are witnessing a new shift: Knowledge intensiveness. We are living the era of the knowledge workers. All businesses evolve around knowledge nowadays. And the Question is: How do we boost the productivity of Knowledge Workers? The key is identifying and addressing the barriers workers face in their daily interactions.

Managing the Knowledge Workers is a different game. We even hear of “Knowledge Management” becoming a pivotal role in many business organisations. But as H.R Managers we need to ask ourselves if we are doing all that we can to enhance the productivity of our Knowledge Workers. In the Mc Kinsey Quarterly Review, Eric Matson and Lawrence Prusak, believe it’s a simple question, but one that few can answer. Adding that raising the productivity of Knowledge Workers, who constitute a large and growing share of the workforce in developed economies, represents a major opportunity for companies, as well as for countries with low birth rates that hope to maintain GDP growth.

From Labour-Intensive to Capital IntensiveFrom Capital Intensive to Knowledge Intensive

Knowledge Workers spend most of their time on interactions, it would be advisable to explore the productivity barriers that impede these interactions. The barriers could be physical, technical, social, contextual and temporal. H.R Managers have to explore these barriers and come up with solutions of how to overcome them.

Physical barriers include geographic dis-tance, difference in time zone, offi ce loca-tion, traffi c, etc. Technical barriers include tools, equipment, software, hardware, etc.

Social barriers include cultural barriers, language, rigid hierarchy, ineffective incentives, unclear feed-back, etc. Contextual barriers include level of exper-tise of fellow workers in different fi elds and different departments. The fi nal barrier is temporal. Time is almost always a constraint. Lack of time, rather, is a major barrier for knowledge workers.

H.R Managers need to identify all the barriers and come up with ideas of how to overcome them. Knowledge workers require to work in a hassle-free environment. They need to focus on their core areas and bring value-added contributions to their organisations and to the country. It’s time for all of us to recognise the importance of Knowledge Workers in Knowledge intensive businesses in the knowledge economy.

u Siven Seeloyee

Annual Residential seminar

2010 - Intercontinental Hotel

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Annual

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Dr. S. Covey’s conference on leadership

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Courtesy call on

the Vice Chancellor

of the University of

Mauritius

Dr. S. Covey’s conference on leadership

M any businesses are showing great concern about improving corporate organisational performance. Recent research in the field of “The Psychology of Change Management” tends to show that companies can transform the attitudes and behaviour of their employees. In an article published in the Mc Kinsey Quarterly, Emily Lawson and Colin Price wrote that:

“The only way a business can reach its higher performance goals is to change the way its people behave across the board”.They believe that we should therefore change mindsets.There are four conditions for employees to change their mindsets:(1) If they see the point of the change and agree with it.(2) The surrounding structures, including reward and recognition, must be in tune.(3) Employees must have skills, abilities and traits to do what it requires.

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(4) They should see people around modelling it actively.

As rightly pointed out, employees will be looking for a “purpose to believe in”. If people believe in something, it is easier for them to change their mindsets. Also they should find that it is worthwhile for them. That is why the surrounding structures, including reward and recognition, must be in tune with the new behaviour. In fact, the reward and recognition would act as “positive reinforcements” to strengthen the sense of purpose and to maintain efforts towards the new behaviour.

Also, there is need to recognise the importance of skills, abilities and traits. This would mean re-training employees to learn the new mindsets. Give them time to assimilate and give them support to behave in the new way. Then, finally, it is important to consider that people model their behaviour on “role models”. They must see people they respect modelling the new behaviour actively. Role models at every level must “walk the talk”.

Changing mindsets

Stephen R. Covey• motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.• The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.• If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster.• begin with the end in mind is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things.Alvin Toffler:The illiterate of this century are not those who can’t read and write but those who can’t learn, unlearn and re-learn.Khalil gibran: • A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely

more than much knowledge that is idle.• knowledge of the self is the mother of all knowledge. so it is incumbent on me to know my self, to know it completely, to know its minutiae, its characteristics, its subtleties, and its very atoms. • If you cannot work with love but only with dis-taste, it is better that you should leave your work. Peter Drucker: • more important to do the right things than do things right.• The next society is the knowledge society where knowledge will be a key resource and knowledge workers is a dominant group. The knowledge society is one of seniors and juniors instead of bosses and subordinates.Robin Sharma:• If you don’t act on life, life will act on you.• life is just a series of moments. If you miss

the moments, you miss your life.Shiv Khera:• winners don’t do different things, they do things differently.• If we are not a part of the solution, then we are the problem.Shri Sai Baba, Indian Spiritual Leader:• wATCh your words, Actions, Thoughts, Character & heart.• life is a challenge, meet it! life is a dream, realize it! life is a game, play it! life is love, enjoy it! Mother Teresa:• few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love.• The fruit of silence is PrAyer. The fruit of prayer is fAITh. The fruit of faith is lOve. The fruit of love is servICe. The fruit of ser-vice is PeACe.

Quotations:

u Vega Moothen

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u Shameema Khodabux

DifferencesBetween a Winner and a Loser

To help you and your team develop a winning mindset, here are ten differences between a winner and a loser which have helped countless high achievers stay ahead:

1. A winner makes mistakes and says, “I was wrong”. A loser says, “It wasn’t my fault”.

2.Ê A winner credits his good luck with winning even though it wasn’t luck. A loser credits his bad luck with losing, but it wasn’t luck.

3.Ê A winner works harder than a loser and has more time. A loser is always ‘too busy’, too busy staying a failure.

4. A winner goes through a problem and a loser goes around it.

5. A winner shows he’s sorry by making up for it. A loser says he’s sorry but he does the same thing next time.

6. A winner knows what to fi ght for and what to compromise on. A loser compromises on what he should not and fi ghts for what isn’t worth fi ghting for. Every day is a battle for life and it is very im-portant that we are fi ghting for the right things and not wasting our time with trivia.

7. A winner says, “I’m good, but not as good as I ought to be”. A loser says, “Well, I’m not as bad as a lot of other people”. A winner looks up to where he is going. A loser looks down at those who’ve not yet achieved the position he has.

8. A winner respects those who are superior to him and tries to learn from them. A loser resents those who are superior to him and tries to fi nd fault.

9. A winner is responsible for more than his job. A loser says, “I only work here”.

10.Ê A winner says, “There ought to be a better way of doing it”. A loser says, “Why change it - that’s the way it’s always been done”.

10

Put employees into a room with only a table and two chairs. leave them y instruction(s) and check back on them in two hours.

• If they have taken the table apart...assign them to engineering. • If they are counting butts in the ashtray...put them in fi nance. • If they are talking to the chairs...assign them to personnel. • If they are sleeping...they are management material. • If they do not notice when you walk in...place them in security. • And if they have left early...put them in sales.

Human Resource Humoristic Corner

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HR Contributing to the Bottomline

Subash Rao has taken up HR and leadership roles across industries and geographies, and in 2006, he became Director-HR at Cisco India ; « A lot of my HR perspective comes from my experience in business roles, » says Rao. According to Rao, he got a chance to work in « the factory of the future » at TATA Cummins, as the organisation had a flat hierarchy system. He also headed IT along the way, helping the company integrate the Internet with the business. He soon went on to write the business plan for Cummins Infotech at the pinnacle of the dot com boom, and then headed it for almost 3 years. At GE Capital, when his boss asked him what his HR priorities would be, he gave a « typical HR answer » about streamlining HR policies for the 3 entities in the Retail Finance business. His boss response on how this would add to the bottomline set him thinking. Raos’s team came up with the concept of maximising the percentage of revenue-generating roles in the business, wherein each manager had his/her own P&L account, and so their team’s activities were directly related to revenue contributions. The concept worked like « magic » and showed that HR could positively impact the bottomline.

He is quick to clarify that the credit does not go to HR alone. He explained, « Equal credit goes to mature business leaders who have become enlightened users of HR. One may get the best people in HR, but unless the leadership has the ability to comprehend the function’e role, the joint effort will not pay off. » This capability to step back and make a difference to the business is a quality that Rao has imbibed, as he adds that his approach to leadership focuses on transpareny.

Rao states that the idea behind Cisco Global Talent Ac-celeration Programme (GTAP) is to provide internships in the technology space, by identifying the right candi-dates, for an intensive round of education, training and exposure to projects.GTAP aims at bridging the gap in demand and supply for industry-ready professionals in

subAsh rAo (director-hr, cisco indiA) on creAting hr mAgic by linking the function to A profit And loss rewArd system, And therefore, enAbling the humAn network to perform better

« hr hAs leArnT TO POsITIvely ImPACT The bOTTOmlIne. equAl CredIT gOes TO

mATure busIness leAders whO hAve beCOme enlIghTened users Of hr.

One mAy geT The besT PeOPle In hr, buT unless The leAdershIP hAs The AbIlITy

TO COmPrehend The funCTIOn’s rOle, The jOInT effOrT wIll nOT PAy Off.»

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HR Contributing to the Bottomline

personal favourItes

networking. GTAP offers certifi cation courses on Cisco technologies, as Cisco products are used in most organi-sations. « We have a strong culture of giving back to the com-munity and GTAP is about developing the ecosystem rather than just the employee base. » The Networking Academy too is an initiative which trains computer science students across engineering colleges to be more tech-savvy, by subsidising equipment and training faculty members.

These are some reasons why Cisco is ranked amongst the top ten employers in all its countries of operations. In India, it has brought its values to life, with leaders sharing stories with new joinees during orientation. All managers are explained their roles well because they are the face of the company. HR policies are friendly, simple, and open, to ensure alignment with company culture.

The company also has affi nity groups for people who may have similar interests and concerns, such as Women’s Action Network (a volunteer employee network of women, WAN embodies an aspect of the human network at Cisco). Through various programmes and mentoring circles, women employees connect with and support each other. For example, Girls In Technology (an outreach programme that focuses primarily on building an interest in Networking as a career option among female engineering college students), PWD (for people with disabilities), etc. Having affi nity groups ensures that people know they are not alone and do not feel like they are asking for a favour, if they ask the company for help in any way. They even have an in-house ergonomics team that helps both people with disabilities and those who have specifi c needs (such as high chairs, special furniture,etc.) And though the company has created adequate infrastructural support for differently-abled people, they do not set any quotas for recruitment, as « this may make people feel that they have been hired simply to meet someone else’s numeric target, and it may create resentment » Cisco also offers work fl exibility solutions for the employees, sabbaticals, work-from-home, part-time, and other such options.

Of the job, this history enthusiast says that his alternate career, if he had not been in HR, would have been a combination of wildlife conservationist and travel guide. This way, he would take people to show wildlife (which he loves – most of his family’s holidays include a wildlife sanctuary in the itinerary), and would earn money – there is a lot of money in travel agencies, he says ! He adds that Cisco, as an employer, allows a « phenomenal amount of fl exibilty », which ensures that he maintains an optimal work-life balance, spending time with his wife and playing with his two kids.

With kind permission of « People and management » magazine - India

book : TOO mAny-my bOOk COlleCTIOn Is my mOsT vAlued POssessIOn

movIe : nO fAvOurITes - I wATCh Them Purely fOr enTerTAInmenT.

cuIsIne : sPICy seAfOOd

Indoors : lIsTenIng TO IndIAn ClAssICAl musIC

outdoors : drIvIng, vIsITIng wIldlIfe sAnCTuAIrIes And hIsTOrICAl sITes.

holIday spot: kAzIrAngA wIldlIfe sAnCTuAry, And hAwAII - The lATTer’s gOT beAChes, snOw-CAPPed PeAks, rAInfOresT & vOlCAnOes, All In One PlACe !

book : TOO mAny-my bOOk COlleCTIOn Is my

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Annual 2nd Intercontinental HR

Conference Le Meridien Hotel

Annual General Meeting 2010 - Labourdonnais Hotel

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65th Anniversary of GSEA

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Personal Life without committing career suicide

working smArter is more effective thAn working longer. Also, working longer does not necessArily meAn working more . we need to do one simple thing: find the right bAlAnce!

u Sadek Futloo

I n today’s world of work, one would do anything to avoid the axe. In fact, it’s not so much about getting ahead but more about avoiding the axe. The world of work has become so demanding. It’s a world of ‘stop-your-whining, we-need-it-done-now’. The over-riding philosophy seems to be that if you are not willing to put in the extra (late) hours, the company will soon find someone who can.

In fact, it is a cycle. Those who work till late continuously have late nights and have to work during week-ends. The result is ‘stress’, ‘burnout’, ‘a chronic syndrome of emotional exhaustion’, ‘cynicism about work and a sense of diminished personal efficacy’ and the possibility of developing a habit to stay late hours in the office. We often hear about the Work-Life Balance.

One has to learn to let go. Never try to take all the loads on your shoulders. Second thing you need to do is to build in buffers and back-ups. Then you also have to know when the workday actually ends. Fourth thing to do is to build in some flexibility, such as working away from office. Also remember that you do not need to stay on the traditional career path. Your energy will never be the same. If it is not what you like, do something else. Do not underestimate the power of planning. Also ‘first things first’. Always prioritize.

Make sure you take breaks whenever possible. Go on vacation, it helps. H.R Managers need to pay most attention to work-life balance. The professionals in Human Resource Management have the responsibility of avoiding having ‘tired’ employees who do not bring much to productivity. We know that business organizations are simply driven by the bottom line. They should realize that this erroneous philosophy could bite them.

The Association of Human Resource Professionals has organized various discussions about this issue. The AHRP has asked for better working policies and has invited businesses to become ‘Employers of choice’ by offering value propositions to employees. Employers could assist in health assessments, smoking-cessation programmes,

drug/alcohol cessation programmes, gym membership employee – assistance programmes, counselling, self-development courses, etc.

We should indicate that our employees can have a personal life without committing career suicide. We have to show that our employees can have their personal lives without this adversely affecting their professional lives. Working smarter is more effective than working longer. Also, working longer does not necessarily mean working more. We need to do one simple thing: Find the right balance !

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Personal Life without committing career suicide

Over the years, The Asso ciation of Human Resource Profes-sionals has grown to become a suc-cessful association. Its aim is to pro-mote highest standards and practices in people’s management and develop-ment. We have set ourselves the vision of becoming the leading professional association, collaborating on national, regional and international issues for the advancement of the HRM profession for the benefi t of all. Our Mission is to enhance the stature, capacity, com-petencies, contribution and credibility of our members.

Over its 34 years of existence, the Association has revisited and reviewed its objectives several times. During our 2009 Annual Residential Seminar, we unanimously agreed upon our objectives as being:

1. Provide essential and comprehensive development opportunities and resources.

2. Exchange mission critical ideas, experiences and strategies.3. Empower our success through collaboration with other professional associations.4. Strive for the growth, recognition and profi ciency of human resources.5. Promote industrial peace and con-tribute to the enhancing of the com-petitive advantage of our country.6. Pursue excellence and best practices in the management of our key asset – our people.

The HRM function is presently going through its most crucial time as it is being tested on its capacity to build lasting competitive organisations in a complex environment. In fact all business leaders are looking towards HR Managers who are capable of creating/adding value and help their businesses succeed. It is widely believed, and rightly so, that a critical component of any winning, successful business is an HR function that improves results, morale and resilience.

4 3

AHRP

Still Going StrongYears of Existence…

u Om Dabidin

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In truth, the function is becoming more strategic. So much so, that we are presently witnessing an HR Transformation. Indeed, the function is going through a real transformation. This is so because business challenges are becoming more complex and business leaders are seeking innovative solutions to managing short and long term growth, both locally and globally. All this calls for HR Managers who are prepared to contribute effi ciently and effectively. The urgency to raise up to these challenges is

heightened by an increasingly uncertain economic environment.

The AHRP has a critical role to play in preparing businesses to face all these challenges with a workforce that is engaged, profi cient and competent. Next Year we will be celebrating our 35th Anniversary. We are confi dent of having the support of all our members and the social partners to become a leading Association playing a key role in promoting the superordinate goals of the country and its people.

looking for a job? want to keep a job? Then improve your social me-dia persona. As it turns out, no matter how professional you may come across on your linkedIn page, employers are getting the real dirt on you by checking out your profi le on facebook.research by harris Interac-tive, that was commissioned by Careerbuilder.com and surveyed 2,667 hr profes-sionals, found that 45% of them use social networking sites to research job candi-dates, with an additional 11% planning to implement social media screening in the very near future.Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29% use facebook, 26% use linkedIn and 21% use myspace. One in 10 (11%) searches blogs, while 7% follow candidates on Twitter.

Clean up your Act

The study showed that “thirty-fi ve percent of employers re-ported they have found con-tent on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate.” whether it be

drunkenness, nakedness, or other displays of debauchery, employers are not likely to of-fer you a job and in some cas-es may dismiss you for such behaviour after the fact.Is this really surprising? well, the line between personal and professional is defi nitely blurred. yet, social media or not, common sense is always a good gauge. either fi gure out the privacy settings so no one but your trusted confi dants can see your wild night in ve-gas or don’t post them to be-gin with. After all, your mother is on facebook now, as well as your employer.

market yourself

hopefully this study won’t cause users to retreat into hi-

bernation. The lesson learned is that there’s more to social media than flaunting your de-bauchery (no, really). Though 35% percent of employers may not hire you, the survey also found that, “eighteen percent of employers report-ed they have found content on social networking sites that caused them to hire the candidate. employers are finally catch-ing on to what we already do. before accepting a job with a company, making a purchase or deciding where to eat, we judge their website, search google, and browse reviews on yelp. It works both ways now and companies can’t af-ford not to make sure their social media selves are just as employable as you are.

EMPLOyERS USE FACEBOOK MORE THAN LINKEDLN FOR HR SCREENINg u mArIsA PeACOCk

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I t is always important to identify the emerging challenges of this profession and get ready to face them. There are various challenges.

Let us see if these new challenges are known to all of us:1. Insecurity.2. Instability.3. Shell-shocked staff.4. Redundancies.5. Human casualties.6. Survivor syndrome.7. New legislation.8. Talent Management.9. Benefi ts cost: Health, Welfare & Retirement.10. Employees’ effectiveness and performance.

While we are considering H.R Challenges, it is appropriate to consider the survey of challenges commissioned recently by the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations. The survey showed that for the next three years, the major challenges; in order of importance, will be:

1. Organizational effectiveness.2. Leadership development.3. Change management.4. Availability of skilled local labour.

As you are all aware the world is presently witnessing its worst economic and fi nancial crisis and an alarming recession. It is felt by many that between the start of the downturn and the subsequent upturn, the economy will contract and there will be a drop in employment.

In this context “engagement, loyalty, commitment strategies” may no longer meet the test. The combination of hard times and diverse employee attitudes could test such strategies to breaking point. If “trust” between management and employees goes low, employment

relations would suffer. It could result in a short-run dip of employee commitment, undermining long term performance.

Welcome to the world of people management. Yet, there is room for optimism. With future H.R Professionals grouping themselves together and discussing such issues there is defi nitely room for optimism. Because, it is common wisdom, that trained H.R Professionals will always approach “engagement” with genuine high-performance practices.

HR Professionals should be encouraged to take up such challenging issues, discuss them and invite other Management professionals to share experiences with them. As elaborated in the aims and objectives of our Association, we should be focusing on the challenges of the profession and be always prepared to face them.

The more so that in modern business organizations, managing people is considered as being of critical importance; with regards to the effects on productivity, profi tability, motivation and sustainable competitive advantage. And in this fi eld; managerial practices must keep pace with the changing workforce.

The Emerging Challenges of the H.R Function

u Rabin ganghoo

Upon hiring new employees, as a sales manager, marketing manager or business owner, it is imperative that you pick the right people. However, once you proceed with the right person(s), you must lay down a training programme that will be conducive to the individual’s success.

Here are some tips that will help make your new team member into a productive part of the group and, subsequently will be happy and make both the organization and themselves a good amount of money.

Making the New Employee Feel ComfortableFor any new employee at nearly every level (although there is a direct relationship between initial comfort and professional experience), integrating themselves within a team of employees can take some time. Before he or she can be in full swing, the new employee has to gain trust and establish basic friendship with the team. Depending on the person, this timeframe can vary. Conversely, you should look to hire personalities who can easily adapt to changing environments and people.

Allowing the New Employee to Learn at Hisor Her Own Pace If you hire smart, driven and competent employees, they will learn. As a manager, one of the worst things you can do is pressure the employee to move at a faster pace. Yes, there is a breaking point, but don’t get to it unless absolutely necessary. Be confident in your hire and their ability to learn.

Everyone learns at their own pace and in their own way. Simply because you learn job-related competencies via one route, it does not mean it is the best method for all.

Setting Realistic Goals

You never want to tell your new team member that they are going to make x amount of dollars their first

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year when they are only going to make 60% of that number. This shows bad leadership and will leave the employee considering whether you are a good leader or not. If you continually do this, you will gain a poor reputation among your subordinates and the business will fail to run on all cylinders.

Being Open Regarding the Financial Health of the CompanyOur recruiting firm gets calls from companies that claim that they are doing 20m a year when they are clearly not doing a fraction of the afore-mentioned amount. For a new employee, upon realization of the company not making what was initially claimed (and they will find out), trust is lost and they begin to question your integrity. Upon hiring, be open, to a certain extent, regard-ing the current finances of the company and, sub-sequent fiscal goals. This will give your new team member something more tangible to reach for. Also, it will answer the new prospect’s questions as to why he or she is receiving a particular offer. If you attempt to keep everyone in the dark about the fiscal health (or lack thereof) of the corp., upon landing a deal, the employee will have no idea whether the account landed is helpful to the organization or is just a drop in the bucket. If it is the former, they should have reason to feel good about themselves. This is the type of atmosphere that you ought to strive to cultivate.

Allowing the Employee to Wear Multiple Hats If you allow your new hire to learn all relevant aspects of the business, he or she will be more en-gaged in their everyday duties and, upon some-one being sick or on vacation, they can easily fill their shoes. This is also important as you want all

The Secret to Managing New Employees

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The Secret to Managing New Employees

u Ken Sundheim

u Shameema Khodabux

of your employees to be able to interact with clients as this shows your potential business that your entire organization is available to handle their account.

As a team leader, it is your job to consistently challenge your team both professionally and intellectually. Failure to do so can leave you open to costly turnovers. Boring jobs, are well, boring.

Making a Performance-Based Package That Lends Itself to Both Parties Making MoneyWhen building a team, you always want to give incen-tives for hard work and corporate contribution. There is nothing less motivating than going to work everyday only to do the same task(s) and make the same amount of money...

The four generations of employees are: veterans (those born before 1946);baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964);generation X(born between 1965 and 1980); and generation y (born after 1980).

There are more pronounced differences between these generations today than ever before. managing distinct genera-tions at the workplace is becoming a serious problem. nowadays, very often it hinges on managers’ abilities to blend employees from these four different eras into a cohesive workforce. each group embraces different attitudes and has different expectations from their jobs, complicating the task of profes-sional development. very often, while the different generations try to work to-gether, their paths keep on colliding.

each generation has a unique value set and outlook marking their particu-lar approach to work and life. learning how to deal with the different genera-tions can eliminate many major con-frontations and misunderstandings in the workplace and in the world of business.

Measures that can be taken:• Creating harmonious relations among generational groups: by acknowledging the differences and strengths of each group;• Organisational structures and workplace arrangements should be carefully considered to avoid creating generational silos;• leadership role: in creating posi-tive outcomes;• Increase collaborative capacity: build networks based on strong, trust-ing relationship and by getting people to use their particular skills and ca-pacities in ways that contribute to the

success of the whole;• shape corporate identity: by main-taining consistency between work and personal values; • bridging the generation gap: by pro-viding team sessions, offering regular meetings, and allowing different work arrangements for all;• Appreciate diversity: one that em-phasizes an appreciation of multiple points of view ;• Adopt an open door policy: com-municating with staff on a regular ba-sis;• Offering a wide range of incen-tives to suit the different categories of employees;• reward and incentives should not be uniform but instead tailor-made;• flexible work arrangements;• Creating environments that respect the needs of all generations;• design separate sets of motiva-tional drivers to optimise the perfor-mance of each group.

How to manage different generationsof employees at workplace

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T his may come as a shock to a lot of business owners but it is true! Most training does not work! Some companies spend hundreds, thousands and even millions of pounds or dollars on training program that simply don’t produce a consistent return on investment. Why?

Well, it’s not that the training courses or seminars themselves are not any good. In 30 years of being in-volved in sales and marketing in one way or another I have seen “the good” “the bad” and the downright “ugly”. However, in most cases, what it really boils down to is the way in which the training is delivered. More to the point, what happens after initial delivery.

If you have ever been on a training course or seminar before, I am certain you will know what I am talk-ing about. You turn up at the venue and the course may even extend to 2 or 3 days. During that time you are mixing and mingling with either colleagues in the same large corporate company or a mixture of people from different companies and backgrounds. There is usually a buzz about the place as the course progress-es and in some instances it can be quite entertaining. What happens next? Still slightly high on the euphoria of all the new tools and techniques you have picked up you go out with a renewed kind of vigour desperate to try them out. Then after a few days, at best, maybe a few weeks the lift has almost gone completely and you find yourself slipping back into that fabulous recogni-sable comfort zone. Is this starting to sound familiar? So what is it that happens and why, in most cases, does the training not deliver the return on investment that you would expect?

A huge part of this challenge is down to something called the Ebbinghaus Effect.

Please allow me to explain Hermann Ebbinghaus carried out the first experimen-tal investigations of memory in Germany from 1879

to 1895. He discovered that our ability to recall in-formation shows a rapid decrease over a very short space of time. After just a few hours, more than 60% of information is lost. A frightening thought!

The decline in recall then eases slightly but, even so, within a month, more than 80% can no longer be recalled. His now famous results are known as the Ebbinghaus Curve of Forgetting. So you see, it’s not necessarily the training itself, it’s just the natural human trait of forgetting. A cause for concern maybe? Let’s look at the possible implications. On a course spanning 3 days, more that 50% of the information given on days 1 and 2 will be lost before the training has ended. A further 50% of day 3 could be lost on the drive or flight home.

This is something that does not just concern train-ing either. It can affect an entire marketing pro-gramme if not done correctly. For more insight into this phenomenon go to one of the search engines, type in Ebbinghaus Effect and see for yourself.

There is a solution! This challenge can be resolved with a regular re-view of the material and ongoing training in any areas of weakness. Unfortunately this is not some-thing that is always on offer or implemented.

So before you book your next sales training course, marketing seminar or marketing meeting ask your-self this key question.

Will the investment I am making be worthwhile or will the Ebbinghaus Effect take its toll?

Article Source: http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com http://human-resources-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:Paul Sutherland is an Accelerated Business Growth Coach. His company - Daniel Thomas International - http://www.dti.eu.com/ helps SMEs to grow their businesses with tried, tested and proven techniques and strategies. Also increasing their bottom line profits at the same time.

Why Does Most Training Not Work?

u Paul Sutherland

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Why Does Most Training Not Work?

E mployee utilization seems to be one of those over-used business terms that poorly de-scribes one of the most important elements in productivity. The most productive companies in America know that successful employee utilization is an active ingredient in their overall success. When human capital planning is at the top of a compa-ny’s priorities, they are sure to achieve their goals despite a potentially lean number of employees.

So, what do the most productive companies mean when they say they have impeccable employee uti-lization? To successfully utilize employees, organi-zations should consider three elements: l Each employee should have a detailed job description l Employee engagement should remain a top priority l Employees are assigned an amount of work that is manageable and based on their personal capa-bilities

Despite the complexities that seem to be involved, human capital planning tools have made these processes easier to achieve than one would think.

Each employee’s job description should be detailed and thorough. Just because an employee holds a specifi c title does not always mean that the employ-ee will understand what is expected of him. Setting clear boundaries for employees allows them to ac-knowledge their goals, and understand what they are expected to accomplish. Employees will be uti-lized based on their job descriptions, and will aim to be more productive if they know their limitations.

Employee engagement is another major facet when considering how to use employees to the best of their abilities. Employees who are disengaged are less likely to achieve their goals, and more likely to avoid exceeding expectations. Employees who feel

respected and valued will produce double the work that a disengaged employee produces. Personalized assessments are valuable tools that managers can use to better understand how to engage employees.

Not each employee will respond to the same moti-vators, but a good manager recognizes these differences and works with them to create a productive work environment.

Finally, the amount of work employees are expected to produce is the quintessential element of employee uti-lization. Workload capabilities are just as diverse as an employee’s engagement level.

Organizations need to understand that an employee’s workload capabilities do not always directly correlate with their intelligence or activity levels. Each employee can handle a certain number of tasks at a time, but this num-ber will vary greatly throughout all levels of the company.

Strategic human capital management tools can as-sist organizations with the complexities involved in the employee utilization process. The results from as-sessing employees can teach managers about an indi-vidual’s workload capabilities and engagement levels.

Managers should also consider open communication when trying to encourage that employees work to their full potential. Weekly one-on-one meetings or an open-door policy will encourage employees to communicate when they are having trouble managing their projects or meeting their goals.

In order to successfully master productivity, companies should administer accurate job descriptions to each em-ployee, keep employees engaged, and adjust each em-ployee’s workload so that they never feel tired or burnt out. Using employees to their fullest potential will result in higher productivity and a happier workforce...

3 Waysto Ensure Employee Utilization

u Dario Priolo

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Keeping Employees

happyu Obinna HecheT here are many things that you have to worry

about as you have a business in the world today. Keeping your employees happy is certainly one of the things that you are going to want to focus on.

This is especially true if you have gone through the trouble to fi nd employees that you really feel are valuable to you in each and every way. Once you have found the employees who fi t into your business, do good work and whom you can trust, you simply do not want to lose them because of something that you have done or something else that you could have helped.

People who are good at what they do or who are good employees are going to know that they can fi nd work anywhere, so they are going to need to be kept happy, no matter what you do, so that you do not lose them. On the same token, you should know that an employee who demands things that you cannot do might not be the best employee for you. There are several tricks that you can use to make sure that your employees stay happy.

First of all, think about what they are doing for you and make sure that they have the conditions that make this worthwhile for them. Are they working under safe conditions, conditions that make them happy? Can you tell that they are going to be happy in their job? Are there safety measures or other things that you could do to make sure that they stay happy at work? Secondly, remember that you should listen to your

employees. Is there a place where you can have a suggestion box or something else that will let your employees tell you how they feel about certain matters? This is something that you might fi nd more important than you think.

If you have a way for your employees to tell you what they need or how they feel, you might be surprised by what kind of results you get. Also, be sure that there is a way that they can suggest or ask things without talking to you face to face. Often people are intimidated and will not ask for something unless they can do it anonymously.

Also, when an employee asks for something, see if you can do it. Even if it is something small, you might be surprised at how much of a difference it will make in a person’s work day. You want to keep your employees happy and keep them working for you and even if it is something that you can do through the small things, you should try to do so. You might fi nd that it makes all of the difference in your business... Article Source: http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com http://human-resources-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com

About the Author:Obinna Heche: Delivering the best home-based business ideas, opportunities and resources so you can work at home successfully.. http://www.home-incomeportal.com

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Keeping Employees

happy On a tour of Zappos recently, our tour guide, fondly referred to as Peanut by her cowork-ers, was asked if team members compete against one another for rewards. Peanut pondered the question for a minute and said, “I’m not sure if I understand your question. We have a competition for the best attendance, is that what you mean?”

This type of response is typical from an employ-ee in a true Team Culture. The thought of pitting one team member against another for rewards that would advance one career over another, is not with-in the team’s development plan for two reasons.

1. It splinters team loyalty, frays relationships and lays the foundation for mistrust.

2. It erodes trust, thereby blocking the upward growth and improvement of team intelligence.

For example, smart teams will always excel against companies whose corporate process rewards the individual or when team building is morphed from an internally competitive framework.

In the example of Zappos, a team of six project manag-ers achieves more goals than the industry average of 30 project managers for a comparably sized organization.

With regards to Peanut’s response, if competition exists it is in the realm of becoming a better person - healthier, more fi t, more generous as a mentor, or a better team citizen. In these areas rewards are sometimes given not only to the employee, but to the employee’s family as well.

Zappos, for example recognizes out-of-the-ordi-nary excellence for supporting other team members with a weekly Random Acts of Kindness award. And team cultures like Toyota will recognize the family for an employee’s outstanding attendance.

The practice of not pitting one team member against another, or one internal team against anoth-er evolves from the universal team value, interde-pendence. Interdependence is based on principles of collaboration and the notion, if we win, I win.

Interdependence requires a higher level of individual maturity, personal accountability and self refl ection than what’s expected of employees in a non- team culture.

For this reason, true team cultures are diffi cult to get into. Careful screening and evaluation goes into bringing an employee candidate on board. And the on-boarding process itself is geared to the employee’s optimum success.

This means that much of the awkward stress and confusion that goes with learning a new job and becoming com-fortable with team personalities is min-imized to maximize the collective win.

Reduce internal competition and watch your team win in the market-place - the place where competition belongs...

How to Recognize Collaboration and Successful Team Building

u Diane Crampton

There are a number of reasons responsible for employing effective business coaching within an or-ganization. People often tend to get confused between employee coaching and training. Employee training is imparting the necessary knowledge and skills required for doing the job. Unlike employee training, coach-ing is a continuous process, which helps the employ-ees to overcome the challenges faced by them at work. People learn from their experiences and mistakes. Training and advising are helpful, but it is always bet-ter to allow people to learn from their own experiences. Before coaching employees, it is essential to provide them with the necessary training required for the completion of the task. Also it is very important to establish what is expected from them, in terms of their performance and productivity. It is not advisable to start coaching employees until their training is complete, since it is a waste of time and resources. For coaching to be effective, it is sen-sible to first train employees in the area of work. It is useless to coach an individual who has no idea of what is expected from him. An employee should be aware of the ex-pectations and objectives of the organization. Without proper training, employees are unlikely to deliver the expected per-formance and thus it would be pointless to coach them. Em-ployee coaching is designed to cross performance barriers. Time is very essential while coaching employees. You need to devote time and be patient, to help the employees to iden-tify the possible solutions, during coaching. You should not attempt to complete the coaching in a hurry, as it will not yield the desired results and the purpose will not be served. You will simply end up giving the employees instructions of what to do, rather than offering them the right solutions to the issues they are facing. It is very crucial for you to allot the necessary time to implement the coaching successfully. To start coaching employees, while you are going through emotional turmoil and stress is a bad idea. If you are frus-trated or irritated with some development, you will not be able to display the essential traits of an efficient coach. You could end up sending out negative vibes to the em-ployees who will hinder the coaching and make it inef-

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Employee Coaching : When to Step In and When Not To ?

fective. You should let the employees deal with the situa-tions and avoid interfering every time there is a difficulty. Employee coaching helps the staff to identify obstacles and implement solutions. Coaching does not mean giving in-structions and advice to employees. On the contrary it in-volves helping them to identify the right behaviour pattern. Monitoring employee performance on a regular basis helps a manager to implement coaching at the right time. Coach-ing should be attempted in the case of an employee be-coming a potential threat, either to himself or those around him. In such a case, you cannot sit back and simply moni-tor his behaviour. You need to act immediately and provide effective coaching. Offer suitable options and alternatives to come up with a practical solution. Explain and give rea-sons as to why you think his behaviour is not appropriate. You should not allow illegal or unethical practices at the work place, irrespective of whether they are in-tentional or by mistake. Provide employees with suit-able solutions and discuss with them how their illegal or unethical behaviour is affecting the organization. Another situation that requires not only monitoring, but effective coaching as well is when the employees do not work as a team. If due to the practice and behaviour of one member, the team spirit is affected, you need to step in and provide appropriate coaching. When the employees have time and again tried to solve a problem but have been unsuccessful, you need to intervene and take charge of things. You need to coach them and enable them to find the correct choice. If the employee’s conduct and performance is ex-pected to have a negative impact on the company’s financial assets, it is your responsibility to coach him. Timely coaching can ensure the protection of the financial and human resources of the company. You need to carefully assess when coaching is required and when you simply monitor employee behaviour. You have to be patient and allow them to learn and grow from their mistakes. However, if they have a negative effect on their fellow employees or the organization, you need to take matters into your hands...

u Ismael D. Tabije

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E mployers can be held liable for any sexual harassment that occurs in the workplace. However, if they take reasonable care to prevent and correct harassment, they will not be liable. The following article looks at the elements of reasonable care that will greatly reduce the risk of sexual ha-rassment liability.

Written Policy. The policy should explain what sexual harassment is. It should give a variety of ex-amples that make it clear that sexual harassment can take many different forms: unwanted physical contact; efforts to trade sex for employment-related benefi ts; lewd language or offensive jokes, pictures, drawings, or graffi ti; or any combination. It should explain that the harasser’s intent does not deter-

mine whether the conduct is sexual harassment. Whether behaviour is sexual harassment depends on how the victim experiences it, not whether the perpetrator intended to harass. It should state that male and female workers can be victims of sexual harassment by harassers of either gender.

The policy should be written in a way that will com-municate well and be understood by the average worker. It should avoid legal jargon. It should be translated into languages other than English if there are workers whose command of English is defi cient.

Complaint Procedure and Penalties. The policy should tell workers: how to fi le a complaint, providing model complaint forms; where to fi le a

…Sexual Harassment Liability

Employer’s Quick Guide to Avoiding…

u Myron Curry

A H R P m a g a z i n e 2 0 1 0

complaint, identifying several persons on staff designated to receive complaints. It should explain what happens during the investigation and what happens after the investigation, identifying who is responsible for making the fi nal deter-mination of whether sexual harassment occurred; what the possible penalties are, as well as who imposes penalties for sexual harassment and whether the complaining party has the right to know what penalty the employer has decided to impose; and how to appeal against the employer’s fi ndings.

Retaliation. The policy should strongly prohibit retal-iation, giving examples of what retaliation is. It should state that retaliation against complaining parties or witnesses will be taken as seriously as harassment itself.

Fairness and Safeguards. The policy should protect the rights of all persons involved. It should assure con-fi dentiality to the extent possible.

Publicizing the Policy. It’s no good to have a written policy if employees can later claim they never saw it. Each new hire should be given a copy of the policy and sign a re-ceipt stating he or she has read and understands it. But too many employers leave it at that. If you want employees to remember the policy and to understand that you are seri-ous about it, there must be ongoing exposure. Make avail-able a brochure or pamphlet that summarizes the policy.

Periodically remind employees about the policy through memos, articles in employee newsletters, in employee meet-ings, or some other means that you regularly use for com-munication. Use posters about the policy and sexual harass-ment on employee bulletin boards; they should summarize the policy and state how to obtain further information.

Training. Training and retraining that explains sex-ual harassment and its impact on the workplace envi-ronment are essential for preventing harassment and should be provided on an ongoing basis.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1998 that where the employer has and communicates a proper policy for-bidding sexual harassment and a reasonable procedure through which employees who believe they have been

harassed can make complaints and have them investi-gated, an employee who believes he or she has been harassed must use the employer’s procedure rather than fi ling a lawsuit. The purpose of sexual harass-ment law, the court said, is not for the courts to in-tervene between employers and employees. Rather, the purpose is to encourage employers to take steps to prevent sexual harassment and remedy it if it occurs. That’s why the steps the employer takes to prevent and remedy it are crucial to the question of liability.

In contrast to widespread misconceptions, sexual ha-rassment is not the use of occasional off-colour lan-guage, telling a few dirty jokes, complimenting a mem-ber of the opposite sex on his or her appearance, a sin-gle incident of mildly inappropriate touching, or other behaviour that might make some people uncomfortable or upset. The courts have generally held that everyone has to put up with a certain amount of behaviour in the workplace that he or she fi nds unpleasant or even of-fensive. Sexual harassment is behaviour that is so severe or so pervasive that it deprives the victim of the same opportunities for economic success that are enjoyed by someone who has not experienced such harassment.

This does not mean, however, that employers should ig-nore reports of behaviour that is based on sex and is inap-propriate, unprofessional, disrespectful, and/or offensive. It’s impossible to make black and white rules as to exactly when a line is crossed between merely offensive behaviour and behaviour that is so severe or pervasive it would inter-fere with the ability of any reasonable person to perform his or her job. For this reason, many experts suggest train-ing that helps employees understand that certain behav-iour, whether it is technically sexual harassment or not is high risk and inappropriate in any work-related setting.

Better Training Is NeededSexual harassment is a sensitive and costly problem that is becoming all too common in many workplaces. By providing sexual harassment training to your employees on a regular basis, you’ll reduce your organization’s exposure to this costly problem and create a safer workplace...

TO ENCHANCE THE STATURE, CAPACITY, COMPETENCIES AND CREDIBILITY OF OUR MEMBERS AND PROACTIVETY POSITIONING THE PEOPLE AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE RESULTS

AHRP MISSION

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For decades, Zig Ziglar has motivated and inspired millions of people to be better at whatever they do for a living. Zig’s ideas about creating a sense of urgency are exemplifi ed in his «Day Before Vacation» story. This technique can have a tremendous effect on your productivity, and the ability to motivate employees.

Think about your last day at work before you went on your most recent vacation. Didn’t you get as much done on that day as you would normally get done in two, three, or even four days? Have you ever considered how this could be used to motivate employees? Look at what Zig says you probably do on the day before your vacation:

Two nights before your vacation, you likely sat down with a piece of paper and listed all of the things that had to get fi nished the following day-your gottas («I gotta do this and I gotta. . .»). Then, you committed to completing them all before you left the offi ce the next day. These principles are essential to motivate employees.

On the morning of the day before your vacation, you arrived at the offi ce on time-maybe even early. But you didn’t head for the coffee machine. No, you headed straight for the fi rst gotta on your list (the sign of a motivated employee). You probably also did things out of order. You took your least favourite, most distasteful task on your list and got it out of the way quickly, instead of having it hanging overhead all day long (the way you normally would).

With that tough one out of the way, you were feeling pretty good, and so you tore into the next task on your list, and then the next one after that. When someone came to chat about last night’s game, you politely but fi rmly informed that person that you were just too busy -and then you got back to business.

As you completed each of your gottas, you felt your energy rising, so that by halfway through the day you were buzzing with a sense of accomplishment that drove your enthusiasm level ever higher. Your obviously energized and enthusiastic demeanour began to motivate employees and colleagues around you. They started to ramp up their efforts and became similarly enthusiastic.

The atmosphere in the offi ce got a little extra spark, and this lifted you even further. At the end of the day, you had all of your gottas completed. Let’s have a look at the principles behind this focus, and how you apply it to your employees’ performance and implement it in your employee development programme.

First, Create a Vision

When your employee’s vision gets knocked offl ine by events around him, he’s like a $10 billion guided missile without a target. He can fl y around in circles looking pretty impressive, but eventually he’s going to run out of fuel and crash and burn. Motivate your employee in an organized way that will make him more productive. Help him envision his target clearly in his head and then paint it in front of him every day so that you are maximizing productivity.

Second, Formulate a Set of Goals

Having a great vision is useless unless your employee formulates clear, achievable goals to ensure that his vision becomes reality. He must plot a course to take him from where he is now - a target - with checkpoints that let him know when he has gone off course. Successful employee motivation is rooted in meaningful goal setting.

Third, Make a Commitment This is the most common stumbling block, even if its victims are used to creating compelling visions and formulating achievable goals - they fail to commit. If the employee has ever made a New Year’s resolution he failed to complete, he knows what happens to plans that aren’t backed by commitment. If there’s no commitment then his vision simply isn’t compelling enough.

Otherwise, the commitment naturally would follow. He knows that his vision is right when it has the same sense of urgency. A real commitment will immediately motivate the employee to get him off the ground and in search of his target. Before he spends one more day out of focus, motivate the employee to stop and look carefully at his goals....

Prioritize and Commit for Success : Principles for Motivating Employees

u Jim Sivbasku

The term “mandatory drug and alcohol tests,” when used in the workplace, has become a debatable issue among employees. People instantly conclude that these procedures are conducted for no reason at all, and have implied that some employees are being suspected of using high amounts of illegal substances.

The issue of ordering drug and alcohol tests at work is controversial, with opponents saying that this is a gross violation of people’s privacy, the tests being conducted solely at the discretion of the employer. It is for that reason that people are able to freely protest having to undergo a blood alcohol test or any other form of drug testing to prove that they are fi t to work.

However, there is sometimes indeed a need to check people’s drug and alcohol use. In some cases, it could impair their judgment and affect their work and productivity, and at worst pose a danger to the workplace and to other workers. Additionally, because most companies have policies related to drug and alcohol use in the workplace, the company is well-positioned to enforce this policy in order to ensure a safe environment for its employees and ascertain that optimum performance is achieved.

It has been argued that the drug and alcohol tests at work may not prevent users. They will however, create awareness of company policy and where companies stand on drugs in the workplace. If employees know they will be tested for drugs, the likelihood that they continue drug use decreases signifi cantly.

In some organizations, it is a requirement for those in public service to take regular, mandatory drug and alcohol tests; such people can include train operators, bus drivers, and anyone who serves the public and must be in good condition to ensure that people are kept safe at all times.

Conclusion has yet to be made regarding this matter. Employers are free to implement blood alcohol tests and drug tests as they see fi t. The only guideline they need to consider is to be fair about the procedures and order them only when there is a clear cause for concern about an employee’s behaviour...

Article Source: http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com/ http://human-resources-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com/

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he term “mandatory drug and alcohol tests,” when used in the workplace, has become a debatable issue among employees. People instantly conclude that these procedures are conducted for no reason at all, and have implied that some employees are being suspected of using high amounts of illegal substances.

he issue of ordering drug and alcohol tests at work is controversial, with opponents saying that this is a gross violation of people’s privacy, the tests being conducted solely at the discretion of the employer. It is for that reason that people are able to freely protest having to undergo a blood alcohol test or any other form of drug testing to prove that they

However, there is sometimes indeed a need to check people’s drug and alcohol use. In some cases, it could impair their judgment and affect their Drug and

Alcohol Tests at Work

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H ere are the most common résumé mistakes. Some of them are quite simple while others are subtle and hard to spot. In any case consider all so that you are fully prepared to write a powerful and successful résumé.

1. Lack of focus. Many people fail to focus on what is really important in a résumé which will be benefi cial to their future employer. Instead they go into details about their previous work, their previous duties, reasons for leaving, and so on. Your résumé is not a CV, it is not a covering letter either. Its aim is to explain, shortly and to the point, why you are the best candidate for the vacancy.

2.Not a word about your accom- plishments.Do not be shy to say what you have accomplished. Sometimes it is hard to see an accomplishment as it has been buried deeply under tons of duties and responsibilities. Your future employer will be interested in what your responsibilities or duties were. However this interest will come at a later stage. Say what you have accomplished instead of listing all of your duties.

3. The skills list problem. Any prospective employer will be interested to see how your skills and knowledge will help his company. For that reason it is not enough to list all of the skills you have. Instead match your skills with the vacancy

requirements. Order them in a way that the most relevant are at the beginning of the résumé.

4.The reference list mistake. Although you might be tempted to list your references under your résumé, this would be a mistake. First of all check if references are required. If they are, put them on a separate sheet.

5. Poor formatting. Be careful about your résumé look. Remember that your prospective employer is receiving hundreds and probably the HR department doesn’t have time to read every single line. For that reason use easy to read formatting - pay attention to the font, use bullets and short paragraphs which are “to the point”

A plain white sheet of paper is fi ne for any résumé. Do not use colourful résumé templates and cartoon or other image templates are absolutely forbidden. Your résumé tells a lot about you so make sure it makes the correct impression.

Formatting issue is even more complicated as most of the résumés nowadays are in an electronic format. Sometimes even if your résumé looks perfect on your computer it might not look that good on someone else’s computer. Use standard fonts and check how it looks on several computers if possible before e-mailing your résumé...

5 Top Résumé Mistakes

u Keith Londrie

ABC MOTORS CO. LTD - ABC Centre, Military Road, Port LouisTel: 206 9900 Fax: 216 5427 Email: marketing@abcmotors.intnet.mu www.abcmotors.mu

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ulturesC

u Shital Kakkar Mehra*

Understanding

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C ultural awareness is no longer optional in the global marketplace. It could determine who gets the contract. Being aware of your client’s cultural preferences and sensitivities in advance helps gain a positive advantage. These preferences and sensitivities must be recognized throughout business and social relationships

Anthropologist Edward T. Hall defines two types of cultures :

l Monochronic (doing one thing at one time)l Polychronic (doing several things at a time)These terms define how cultures are different ; not only in terms of time but in the way they approach life and go about their business.

Monochronic Cultures :l Do one thing at a time and concentrate on the job ;l View time as a commodity and take time commitments (deadlines/schedules) seriously ;l Follow rules of privacy – private offices, no borrowing or lending.l Need information-clear description, unambiguous communication and high degree of specificity ;l Deal with short-term relationships.e.g. USA, Canada, Western Europe, Australia.

Polychronic Cultures :l Do many things at once and are highly distracting ;l Take time commitments lightly and are never « on time » ;

l Are involved with people-family, friends, customers etc ;l Share space, information and are constantly borrowing & lending ;l Focus on building lifetime relationships.e.g. India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thaïland, Middle East, Egypt.

The Japanese, interestingly, have elements of both cultural styles. They are monochronic about appointments and sche dules, but polychronic about sharing office space and being loyal to relationships and customers. The Japanese started being monochronic during the American occupation and chose a very structured approach to time. It is easy to fail to recognize basic differences in behaviour and communication. Before going to another country to conduct business, you must be aware of how much the culture varies from your own.

Harvard Business Review defines Cultural Intelligence (CQ) as follows : « Outsiders’ seemingly natural ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the way that person’s compatriots would. In a world where crossing boundaries is routine, CQ becomes a vitally important aptitude and skill. A person with high emotional intelligence grasps what makes us human and at the same time what makes each of us different from one another. A person with high cultural intelligence can somehow tease out of a person’s or group’s behaviour those features that would be true of all people and all groups ; those peculiar to that person or this group ; and those that are neither universal nor idiosyncratic. The vast realm that lies between those two poles is culture.»

*Shital Kakkar Mehra is a leading Corporate Etiquette and Protocol Consultant.

ultures

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In today’s globally competitive world and cutting edge competition era, the human resources department is fast tur-ning into an urbane bot-tom line business partner that calls for more con-tribution and cooperation from the fi nance depart-ment than ever before. Encompassing relevant employment data to sharing responsibilities for diffe-rent projects, HR and fi nance should be great buddies, not warring ad-versaries. Unfortunately, in far too many organi-zations, warring adversaries is exactly what the departments have become, separated by sky-high functional silos. Every business has its own way of operating with different goals, strategies, needs and personalities. Money-orientated enterprises, for instance fi nancial fi rms and insurance com-panies, would treat fi nance leaders fi rst among equals because of the nature of the business. On the other hand, at work- force driven businesses like professional consulting fi rms, CEOs will al-ways lend an attentive ear to what the HR has to say. The Mars-Venus relationship has, and will ex-ist for many years to come. As in many controver-sial relationships, the underlying rift between the departments is triggered by a lack of understand-ing, indulgence and appreciation.

HR and Finance:Looking for compatibilities

The HR department has its core tasks which include making sure that there are enough employees with the right skills, allocated in the right jobs, paid competitively, where the right motivation techniques are used to boost productivity. What needs to be underlined is that Finance , more than any other function is in a key position to aid HR in successfully achieving those objectives. How not when fi nance is being generally acknowledged as being the prime indicator for performance measurement. This means that the data in terms of earnings, productivity and customer satisfaction would provide Human Resources with tremendous perceptiveness into the staffi ng and development needs of an organisation. This information needs to be shared with HR, without which the latter would not be able to detect weaknesses within the workforce or quantify improvements. Finance

u Ivnez Salauroo

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could for instance help in HR with key fi gures about production, effi ciency, and productivity. Even when HR is busy diagnosing a problem, the department relies on a lot of fi nancial data. After all, labour and benefi ts are the highest contributors to an organisation’s expense.

There is actually a high degree of intertwinement between these two departments. A company implementing a cost accounting system in its quest to identify profi t measures would not be its sole objective, but also to develop fi nancial incentives for the organization’s paid employees. A project as such would reap rewards for both Financial and Human Resource Departments. Compensation plans, overtime policies, purchasing benefi ts, remuneration packages all fall under the responsibility of Financial Department. However, how would these be successfully implemented without a leg up from the Human Resource Department? There are so many more areas of overlap, which makes us wonder a bit more with every example how would an organisation work, if these two key areas of management were to be working on their own.

What needs to be understood is that both departments should not only be exporter of good practices across the business, but importer too. The best fi nance functions recognize the value added by other departments, and appreciate the contribution and

role they play in operational activities. There is a very natural alignment and thin line between the objectives and goals of HR and Finance. Both want to recruit, develop, retain competent fi nancially effective people, and aim at furthering the company. The relationship between Human Resources and Finance is a vital business relationship and one well worth the effort.

In an attempt to improve the strained relationship between these two departments would be to fi nd common ground, to fi nd commonalities, compatibilities and allow them to work together, where responsibilities, rewards, and critiques are shared. The Human Resource department could be taking decisions based on fi nancial data providing return on investments. Be it in the recruitment of a new employee, or devising the most fi nancially effi cient, effective benefi ts package for morale and motivation. Collaboration between these two departments remains however outside the norm, a neutral working relationship at best is unfortunate for both departments, and more so for the organisation.

However, a vital business relationship between HR and fi nance is well worth the effort.“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”Henry Ford, American Industrialist, and pioneer of the assembly- line production method. 1836-1947.

PROVIDE ESSENTIAL AND COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES.

AHRP STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

CREATE A FORUM FOR EXCHANGING MISSION CRITICAL IDEAS, EXPERIENCES AND STRATEGIES.

EMPOWER OUR SUCCESS THROUGH COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.

PURSUE EXCELLENCE AND BEST PRACTICES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE-THE KEY ASSET.

STRIVE FOR THE GROWTH, RECOGNITION, AND PROFICIENCY OF HUMAN RESOURCES.

PROMOTE INDUSTRIAL PEACE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENHANCING OF THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE NATION.

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O rganisations have to compensate their staff for being employed, attending a workplace and producing effort. Management has to manage reward. That means designing and maintaining a reward system that leads to the improvement of organizational performance. A Strategic Reward Management System has the objectives of:l Recruiting best talentsl Retaining “good’’ employeesl Motivating staff for high-levels of performancel Developing employees with potentiall Measuring and rewarding performance

A modern approach to Pay Systems shows that there are three elements of pay:l Input-based payl Output-based payl A combination of input and output

Input-based pay is compensation based on the amount of time or effort spent on an activity. The most commonly used is time at work.

Output-based pay is compensation based on output.

The most commonly used system is Performance-Related Pay. A combination of Input and Output is the most widely used when output can actually be precisely measured.

Strategic Reward ManagementDeveloping a Strategy for Pay and Benefi ts

Areff sAlAuroo AnAlyses the mAJor issues in developing strAtegic rewArd mAnAgement thAt Assists in the recruiting, developing And retAining of tAlent

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Developing a Strategic ApproachI propose to have a strategic approach to Reward Management with regards to the Salary Policy. Particular attention will have to be paid to the relationship of reward strategy and business strategies, while also considering motivation, labour economics and economic policy. It is hoped that the Strategic Reward Management Approach will align rewards (fi nancial and non-fi nancial rewards) with business goals, will maximize the performance dividend from rewards and will, most importantly, balance ‘’control’’ and ‘’fl exibility’’.We have to get to grips with confl icting priorities: the need to remunerate to be competitive, but cost-effective; attractive to employees, yet value-adding; robust and manageable, while fl exible enough to meet the changing needs of the business units. The Salary Policy has to attend to some major challenges; the most important one being to position the business organisation as a front-runner in the labour market with a competitive and attractive Reward Management Scheme.

The following factors are the pillars:Market Strength : Projected business turnover centred on growth; profi tability and strategy for sustainable profi ts; competitive position and acknowledged leadership position in market segments.

Employer Image : Strengthen corpo-rate image of a “good organization to work for’’; increase capacity for retention of talented employees; and also improve job-offer-acceptance rate.

Culture : Innovative scheme with the absence of top-down rigidity and down-top pressure; appropriate linkage between reward and performance of organization.

An effective pAy policy is An importAnt Aspect of A compAny’s overAll competitive strAtegy. Just As orgAniZAtions compete to sell their products And services, they Also compete with one Another for tAlented employees.

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Economic Factors : The national economy has a very big impact on businesses; as well as the macro-economy infl uence employment/unem-ployment level and the labour market.

Designing a competitive pay policyA competitive pay policy articulates an organization’s strategy for competing within targeted labour markets to recruit the employees it needs to achieve business success. Such policy guides managers in making effective decisions regarding the company’s investment in human capital assets. How a company articulates its competitive pay policy, therefore, is instrumental to optimizing pay programme effectiveness.

An effective pay policy is an important aspect of a company’s overall competitive strategy. Just as organizations compete to sell their products and services, they also compete with one another for talented employees. Toward that end, a competitive pay policy is the cornerstone of an organization’s human capital investment strategy.

How a company competes depends on three recruiting market conditions:l The extent to which qualifi ed employees are available in targeted recruiting markets.l The aggressiveness of other employers competing within those same recruiting markets.l The company’s clout in the marketplace to recruit qualifi ed employees (e.g., fi nancial resources to pay employees, perception of the company as an employer of choice, etc.).

A competitive pay policy addresses these three market conditions. It articulates the company’s strategic position for competing within its recruiting markets in terms of the pay elements it will offer employees and the pay levels it will target for each element. The policy sets forth the principles that guide design, implementation, and administration of the company’s compensation programme.

Attract, Retain, And Productively Employ the Human Capital Assets of the Company Using a Total Rewards Model World at Work defi nes the total rewards model as “all of the tools available to the employer that may be used to attract, retain, and motivate employees.” The elements of the total rewards model include:l Compensation–cash paid by an employer to his employees for services rendered.

l Benefi ts–health, welfare, income protection, and capital accumulation programmes provided by an employer who supplements cash compensation. l Working conditions–reward elements that are important to employees, but less tangible than compensation and benefi ts (e.g., performance recognition, work-life balance, developmental opportunities, company culture, etc.)

In designing a competitive pay policy, a company considers the relative emphasis of these three total reward components to build its human capital investment strategy. If, for example, the organization emphasized compensation, it would position itself to compete for talent by offering employees base salaries and incentive payments that meet or exceed cash compensation levels offered by the competition.

As an offset to placing greater emphasis on cash compensation, the company might offer benefi ts that are less favourable than those of competitors. Although one element of the total rewards model may be emphasized, decisions must be made with regard to the company’s competitive stance on all three elements.

Emphasis on one element versus another is a strategic decision based on company require-ments to recruit needed employees. In the right combination, these elements can be used to craft a system for administering pay that helps ac-complish the company’s strategic objectives.

Competitive Pay Policy Expressed in Terms of Market Pay Level The competitive policy is typically expressed in terms of percentile levels of targeted market pay. The most prevalent competitive pay policy, for example, is the market 50th percentile (median).

Employers with a median competitive pay policy are choosing neither to lead nor follow within their recruiting markets. Other employers choose a competitive pay policy above or below the median level to compete more or less aggressively, respectively, within their recruiting markets.

A market median pay policy typically applies to both the base salary and benefi ts package provided by a company, although the level at which a company competes can be different for these elements. For example, many companies that offer bonuses or incentives target a market percentile level for total cash compensation (base pay plus paid bonuses) that is greater than that for base salary alone.

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Some companies might favour pay that is structured to attract employees (e.g., short-term incentives) over pay that helps retain them (e.g., long-term incentives). But few companies can afford to attract, motivate, and retain via compensation and benefi ts at the expense of not providing a quality working environment. The challenge is to create a pay policy that leverages all three elements without exhausting the company’s limited resources.

Review Employee Pay Annuallyto Calibrate Company Pay Practices with Competitive Pay LevelsCompanies typically review employees’ Pay and performance once each year, but market pay levels move continuously. Market pay levels typically increase over time because competing employers deliver salary raises to reward the performance of employees and to maintain the competitiveness of their pay levels.

To maintain competitiveness, companies must decide their Policy for reviewing their pay practices, and whether to lead the market at the beginning of the year and lag behind at the end of the year; or to lag behind at the beginning of the year and lead at the end. These two pay calibration approaches are called “lead-lag” and “lag-lead,” respectively.

Before reviewing pay for the employee, review the competitive pay levels for the job. Many jobs are subject to change over time, due to internal and external factors including technology advances, industry changes, employers’ needs, and incumbents’ capabilities. Therefore, reevaluate the job once a year and, if appropriate, select a new benchmark job and recruiting market.

Balance the Market Range of pay with an Employee’s Market Value A competitive pay policy contains guidelines for the administration of the company’s pay programmes. Such guidelines specify criteria for maintaining both internal and external pay equity among employees. Therefore, a company’s pay policy could specify the criteria to be used by managers for placing an employee’s pay appropriately within the relevant market range of pay based on the value of the employee’s capabilities. Employees who demonstrate the criteria for “successful” performance of the job would have their pay placed at the targeted market level for that job.

Conversely, some companies have a pay policy that starts all new employees at the minimum of the pay range. While this may be appropriate for inexperienced candidates, it is inappropriate for experienced candidates. Paying at the minimum for all new employees will likely

create recruiting problems, since the minimum is generally below market value for experienced people. In addition, the practice of hiring all employees at the pay range minimum will cause pay compression over time.

The recommended approach is to establish pay practices that refl ect employees’ capabilities. When using this approach, an employee’s skills and competencies are evaluated through the interviewing process for new employees or through the annual performance evaluation process for current employees.

The pay level would be determined with respect to the company’s competitive pay policy, the administrative guidelines of the pay policy covering employee capabilities, internal equity, and budget constraints. This process results in employee pay being set at an appropriate value within the market range.

Assess the Competitiveness of Employee PayThe formula commonly used by compensation professionals to assess the competitiveness of an employee’s pay level involves calculating a “comparatio.” Comparatio is the employee’s current salary divided by the current market rate as defi ned by the company’s competitive pay policy. For example, if an employee earns Rs45,000 and the market median pay level for that job is Rs50,000, the employee has a comparatio of 90%.

A company’s salary range midpoint, which serves as a proxy for the targeted market rate, can be used as an alternative denominator in the comparatio equation.

A talented employee whose pay has lingered at a comparatio of 90% is at risk of seeking employment with competitors at a higher pay level that is perceived to be more equitable. The company interested in retaining this employee would consider raising the employee’s pay level closer to the market median pay level.

If the company doesn’t want to pay 100% of market for this job, for example if the employee is not fully profi cient in the job, it might still make sense to pay the employee at 95% of market. In this scenario, the company might be willing to raise the employee’s pay by Rs2,500 to insure against the greater cost of hiring a new employee.

Considerations For Performance ManagementEmployee capability is not the same thing as performance. Someone who is not yet successful in fulfi lling the job may

an employer benefIts from communIcatIng WIth employees about theIr pay polIcIes. an employee benefIts by understandIng hoW pay Is determIned, because a sound polIcy that Is consIstently admInIstered creates a sense of faIrness.

still be learning some of the basic skills, especially after a promotion. Yet the employee’s performance may exceed the manager’s expectations.

Poor performers fall short of fulfi lling the manager’s expectations for successful performance of the job, and companies do not typically retain such employees. As employees become successful in fulfi lling their job, it is important to place their pay into the “market target zone.” Otherwise their pay will stagnate and they may become unmotivated or seek employment from competitors for recognition and rewards.

Administer Pay Programmes ConsistentlyBy law, pay practices may not discriminate; they must be administered consistently, not arbitrarily. Yet pay policy must be designed with fl exibility to recognize and reward employees at various stages of development, or employees who fulfi l key jobs.

For example, a company might decide to pay a market median rate for most jobs and an aggressive rate for jobs that are especially diffi cult to fi ll and important to achieving business success. Such a company may determine the necessity to pay its “hot skills” jobs at the 75th percentile and the rest of its employees at the 50th percentile. Legal rulings regarding discrimination often centre on the principle that it is more egregious to violate and being consistent with your own pay policy than it is to be noncompliant with the law.

Communication Is Part of RetentionAn employer benefi ts from communicating with employ-ees about their pay policies. An employee benefi ts by un-derstanding how pay is determined, because a sound pol-icy that is consistently administered creates a sense of fair-ness. Lack of communication tends to breed scepticism among employees in the belief that they are paid fairly.

Develop a fi nely honed message, which can be communicated consistently and frequently, regarding the business reasons for adopting a particular pay policy. Pay policy supports retention when employees understand that the employer is making a concerted effort to deliver pay that is fair and equitable.

Competitive Pay Policy Requires the Involvement of Company Leadership Pay policies are just as important for startups as they are for established companies, because with-out them companies risk underpaying or over-paying their employees. When a company de-velops a new pay policy, company leadership ensures alignment with company objectives and assumes ownership for effective implementation.

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