HRinIndia

Oracle Buys Taleo For $1.9 Billion

2012-02-10T06:19:00.001+05:30

Dear Professionals,

HR Services Industry is buzzing with activity. Oracle has made a smart move to acquire Taleo which is doing good with its suite of HR products.

Have a Great Weekend Ahead

Raghav
Founder

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Women Leadership Summit 2012

2012-02-09T20:50:00.000+05:30

Hi,

How are you doing?

After the resounding success of the four editions of Women Leadership Summit since 2008 in 6 cities of India i.e. Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Pune and Kolkata, Siliconindia is back with its 6^th edition of the ‘ Women Leadership Summit 2012' in Bangalore on February 24th.

You will get an opportunity to listen Rekha Menon, Executive Director Geographic Services, Accenture who will speak in one of the panel at the event. Rekha leads Geographic Services for India & ASEAN and Human Capital & Diversity for India with over 24 years of rich experience.

You can also listen to Anuradha Rao, VP Leadership Development, Deutsche Bank with an experience of 23 who leads Talent & Development for DBOI globally.

The Women's Leadership Summit advances women’s leadership across careers, cultures and continents by connecting the world’s most preeminent women of significant and diverse achievement. This event will feature panels of highly successful professional women from the corporate industry who will share their knowledge and insights to help empower more women to achieve their goals.

List of confirmed speakers:

Usha Chamurturi, Director, Alcatel Lucent.
Anuradha Rao, VP Leadership Development, Deutsche Bank.
Meena Ganesh,CEO,Edurite Technologies(Pearson Group).
Jessie Paul,CEO, Paul Writer.
Dr. Sunita Maheshwari, Doctor and Entrepreneur, Narayana Hrudayalaya .
Maya Vidhya, VP IT and Operations, CGI India.
Kalpana Gopalan, IAS and Principal Secretary, Govt. of Karnataka.
Tina Vas, Senior Global Head, Tavant Technologies .
Sheela KL, VP HR, Collabera Technologies.
Laxmi Char, Senior Director, Global Business Solution, Yahoo .
Soma Pandey, VP HR, Accenture.
Alka Manchanda, Director Engineering, Cisco.
Anupama S Ambe, Chairperson, Women Leadership Council, IBM.

The panel topics:

· Ascending the Corporate Ladder

· Women's Work: The Great Juggling Act

· Achieving Success Turning every Adversity in to an Advantage

· Women Innovators: A new way of thinking in a complex world

Our previous editions:

· Women Leadership Summit, Bangalore

· Women Leadership Summit, New Delhi

· Women Leadership Summit, Mumbai

· Women Leadership Summit, Chennai

· Women Leadership Summit, Hyderabad

· Women Leadership Summit, Pune

DATE: February 24th, 2012
Timings: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Venue: The Lalit Ashok, Hall: Grand Ball Room, Kumarakrupa High Grounds, Bangalore-560001

The Women Leadership Summit is an INVITE only event. To request for an invitation kindly write to us at mehdi@siliconindia.com or call us at 080-43112116

Block your seats now. There is an early bird offer of rupees Rs 1000 /- till February 15th after that registration charge will be Rs 2000./-
This is towards: Access to Sessions, Tea/Coffee & Refreshments and Lunch.

This is a one-stop shop to address such challenges ahead for the Women Leaders who would inspire the leaders of tomorrow. Don’t miss the opportunity.

Regards,
Mehdi
Siliconindia

Ph: 080-43112116

Brought to you by

Raghav
Founder

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

HR can meet Customer Expectations !

2011-11-22T09:05:00.003+05:30

Dave Ulrich, Prof. Ross School of Management, University of Michigan addressing at the National HR conference 2011 in Bangalore on Friday.

Bangalore, Nov. 18:

The human resource function needs to be redefined and has to view itself from the outside in rather than be focused on internal policies and strategies. Only then will it be more relevant for a firm's customers and also help top leadership achieve key objectives, said Mr Dave Ulrich, well-known author and professor at the Ross School of Management, University of Michigan.

Delivering the keynote address on the theme ‘Securing the Future of the HR Profession' at the National HRD Network (NHRDN) Conference 2011 here today, Mr Ulrich said, “The world is changing so rapidly, so how do we link HR through strategy to the outside world, so that we can be advocates of change?”

What does HR from the outside in mean? Mr Ulrich illustrated with a few examples. Many firms talk about being an employer of choice. “Let me move that to an outside perspective. You want to be the employer of choice but if you are not hiring employees consistent with customer expectations, you're hiring the wrong people.”

He referred to training programmes, but “are we linking them to customers, are we co-creating the training with customers? Are they participating in those programmes?” When a facilitator teaches, employees will ignore, but when a customer teaches, they will listen, he emphasised.

Are we executing compensation with customers in mind? Mr Ulrich posed the question to the audience of approximately 1,500 delegates attending the conference. He said he is a regular flier on Delta Airlines with almost 14 million miles under his belt. “Delta told me, here's 100 units of bonus money, each of $100. The airline said it has taken out two per cent of bonus money and given it to customers who travel a lot. When you see good service from an employee, the customer can call and give that coupon. What an idea, the customer is connected now to the bonus pool,” explained Mr Ulrich. As an aside, to much mirth, he added, “I make sure the coupons are in my pocket where everybody can see it and I get good service!”

Value statements

Mr Ulrich referred to value statements issued by companies. “But, how have we linked internal value system to our customers?” he asked. He said these statements can be taken to a customer and three questions asked: Are these statements important to you; what should the company do to live those values, and “if we do live them will you buy more from us? Suddenly the HR professional is connected to the outside customer.”

He urged HR pros to go on sales calls to key customers and build relationships with them. HR, he said, has to connect with all stakeholders as only then can top leadership's objectives and business strategy can be achieved.

Source Businessline

Brought to you by :

Sowmya
Manager

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

10 Secrets of Successful Leaders

2011-10-18T06:43:00.001+05:30

1. Assemble a dedicated team.
Your team needs to be committed to you and the business. Successful entrepreneurs have not only social and selling smarts, but also the know-how to hire effectively, says leadership trainer Harvey Mackay, who wrote Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive (Ivy Books, 1995). “A colossal business idea simply isn't enough. You have to be able to identify, attract and retain talent who can turn your concept into a register-ringing success,” he says.

When putting your team together, look for people whose values are aligned with the purpose and mission of your company. Suzanne Bates, a Wellesley, Mass.-based leadership consultant and author of Speak Like a CEO (McGraw Hill, 2005), says her team members rallied around each other during the worst part of the recession because they all believed in what they were doing. “Having people on your team who have tenacity and a candid spirit is really important," she says.

2. Overcommunicate.
This one’s a biggie. Even with a staff of only five or 10, it can be tough to know what’s going on with everyone. In an effort to overcommunicate, Bates compiles a weekly news update she calls a Friday Forecast, and emails it to her staff. “My team is always surprised at all the good news I send out each week,” Bates says. “It makes everyone feel like you really have a lot of momentum, even in difficult times.”

3. Don’t assume.
When you run a small business, you might assume your team understands your goals and mission -- and they may. But, everybody needs to be reminded of where the company’s going and what things will look like when you get there. Your employees may ask, “What’s in it for me?” It’s important to paint that picture for your team. Take the time to really understand the people who are helping you build your business.

“Entrepreneurs have the vision, the energy, and they’re out there trying to make it happen. But, so often with their staff, they are assuming too much,” says Beverly Flaxington, founder of The Collaborative, a business-advising company in Medfield, Mass. “It’s almost like they think their enthusiasm by extension will be infectious -- but it’s not. You have to bring people into your world and communicate really proactively.”

4. Be authentic.
Good leaders instill their personality and beliefs into the fabric of their organization, Flaxington says. If you be yourself, and not try to act like someone else, and surround yourself with people who are aligned with your values, your business is more likely to succeed, she says.

“Every business is different and every entrepreneur has her own personality,” Flaxington says. “If you’re authentic, you attract the right people to your organization -- employees and customers.”

5. Know your obstacles.
Most entrepreneurs are optimistic and certain that they’re driving toward their goals. But, Flaxington says, it’s a short-sighted leader who doesn’t take the time to understand his obstacles.

“You need to know what you’re up against and be able to plan around those things,” she says. “It’s folly to think that just because you’ve got this energy and enthusiasm that you’re going to be able to conquer all. It’s much smarter to take a step back and figure out what your obstacles are, so the plan that you’re putting into place takes that into account.”

6. Create a 'team charter.'
Too many new teams race down the road before they even figure out who they are, where they’re going, and what will guide their journey, says Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One-Minute Manager (William Morrow & Co., 1982) and founder of The Ken Blanchard Cos., a workplace- and leadership-training firm. Just calling together a team and giving them a clear charge does not mean the team will succeed.

“It’s important to create a set of agreements that clearly states what the team is to accomplish, why it is important and how the team will work together to achieve the desired results,” says Blanchard, who is based in Escondido, Calif. “The charter provides a record of common agreements and can be modified as the business grows and the team’s needs change.”

7. Believe in your people.
Entrepreneurial leaders must help their people develop confidence, especially during tough times. As Napoleon Bonaparte said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." That confidence comes in part from believing in your team, says Maxwell, who is based in West Palm Beach, Fla. “I think of my people as 10s, I treat them like 10s, and as a result, they try to perform like 10s,” he says. “But believing in people alone isn't enough. You have to help them win.”

8. Dole out credit.
Mackay says a good salesperson knows what the sweetest sound in the world is: The sound of their name on someone else's lips. But too many entrepreneurs think it's either the crinkle of freshly minted currency, or the dull thud of a competitor's body hitting the pavement.

“Many entrepreneurs are too in love with their own ideas and don't know how to distribute credit,” Mackay says. “A good quarterback always gives props to his offensive line.”

9. Keep your team engaged.
Great leaders give their teams challenges and get them excited about them, says leadership expert Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Free Press, 1989). He pointed to the example of a small pizza shop in a moderate-sized town that was killing a big fast-food chain in sales. The big difference between the chain and the small pizza joint was the leader, he says.

Every week he gathered his teenage employees in a huddle and excitedly asked them: “What can we do this week that we’ve never done before?” The kids loved the challenge. They started texting all their friends whenever a pizza special was on. They took the credit-card machine to the curb so passing motorists could buy pizza right off the street. They loaded up a truck with hot pizzas and sold them at high-school games. The money poured in and the store owner never had problems with employee turnover, says Covey, who is based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

10. Stay calm.
An entrepreneur has to backstop the team from overreacting to short-term situations, says Mackay, who is based in Minneapolis. This is particularly important now, when news of the sour economic environment is everywhere.

“The media has been hanging black crepe paper since 2008,” he says. “But look at all the phenomenal companies and brands that were born in downturns, names like iPod, GE and Federal Express.”

Kara Ohngren

Kara Ohngren is a freelance writer and part-time editor at SecondAct.com. Her work has appeared in publications including Entrepreneur Magazine, The New York Times, MSNBC, The Huffington Post and Business Insider.

Sowmya
Manager

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Attributes of Great Place to Work

2011-09-21T09:10:00.002+05:30

More than 100 studies have now found that the most engaged employees — those who report they're fully invested in their jobs and committed to their employers — are significantly more productive, drive higher customer satisfaction and outperform those who are less engaged.

But only 20 per cent of employees around the world report that they're fully engaged at work.

It's a disconnect that serves no one well. So what's the solution? Where is the win-win for employers and employees?

The answer is that great employers must shift the focus from trying to get more out of people, to investing more in them by addressing their four core needs — physical, emotional, mental and spiritual — so they're freed, fueled and inspired to bring the best of themselves to work every day.

It's common sense. Fuel people on a diet that lacks essential nutrients and it's no surprise that they'll end up undernourished, disengaged and unable to perform at their best.

Our first need is enough money to live decently, but even at that, we cannot live by bread alone.

Think for a moment about what would make you feel most excited to get to work in the morning, and most loyal to your employer. The sort of company I have in mind would:

Commit to paying every employee a living wage. To see examples of how much that is, depending on where you live, go to this site. Many companies do not meet that standard for many of their jobs. It's nothing short of obscene to pay a CEO millions of dollars a year while paying any employee a sum for full time work that falls below the poverty line.
Give all employees a stake in the company's success, in the form of profit sharing, or stock options, or bonuses tied to performance. If the company does well, all employees should share in the success, in meaningful ways.
Design working environments that are safe, comfortable and appealing to work in. In offices, include a range of physical spaces that allow for privacy, collaboration, and simply hanging out.
Provide healthy, high quality food, at the lowest possible prices, including in vending machines.
Create places for employees to rest and renew during the course of the working day and encourage them to take intermittent breaks. Ideally, leaders would permit afternoon naps, which fuel higher productivity in the several hours that follow.
Offer a well equipped gym and other facilities that encourage employees to move physically and stay fit. Provide incentives for employees to use the facilities, including during the work day as a source of renewal.
Define clear and specific expectations for what success looks like in any given job. Then, treat employees as adults by giving them as much autonomy as possible to choose when they work, where they do their work, and how best to get it accomplished.
Institute two-way performance reviews, so that employees not only receive regular feedback about how they're doing, in ways that support their growth, but are also given the opportunity to provide feedback to their supervisors, anonymously if they so choose, to avoid recrimination.
Hold leaders and managers accountable for treating all employees with respect and care, all of the time, and encourage them to regularly recognize those they supervise for the positive contributions they make.
Create policies that encourage employees to set aside time to focus without interruption on their most important priorities, including long-term projects and more strategic and creative thinking. Ideally, give them a designated amount of time to pursue projects they're especially passionate about and which have the potential to add value to the company.
Provide employees with ongoing opportunities and incentives to learn, develop and grow, both in establishing new job-specific hard skills, as well as softer skills that serve them well as individuals, and as managers and leaders.
Stand for something beyond simply increasing profits. Create products or provide services or serve causes that clearly add value in the world, making it possible for employees to derive a sense of meaning from their work, and to feel good about the companies for which they work.

In more than a decade of working with Fortune 500 companies, I've yet to come across a company that meets the full range of their people's needs in all the ways I've described above. The one that comes closest is Google. I'm convinced it's a key to their success.

How does your company measure up? What's the impact on your performance? Which needs would your company have to meet for you to be more fully engaged?

Source : HBR

Sowmya

Manager

HRI Foundation

303 Motherland Building

3rd Main 3rd Cross

Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru

HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Hiring to slow down drastically !!

2011-08-09T11:22:00.002+05:30

Hiring activity in the Indian IT sector, one of the biggest employers in the country, could fall by about one-fourth due to the downgrade of the USA's credit rating and the deepening economic crisis, experts said.

It might take at least 5-6 months for the recruitment activities of the IT sector to gain momentum, they said.

"We are expecting overall almost 26 per cent dip in recruitment in IT industries from first quarter of FY'12. It'll take at least 5-6 months to get momentum in hiring in IT industries," MyHiringClub.com Founder and CEO Rajesh Kumar said.

"Due to the economic crisis in the US, the Indian IT job market is also going to be affected badly. The major reason behind this is cost-cutting in Indian companies' US division.

In the near future, Indian IT companies having offices in the US are going to face a surplus in their existing manpower strength," he added.

Echoing a similar view, Info Edge (India) Group President (Finance) and CFO Ambarish Raghuvanshi said, "Recruitment would be lagging in the IT space..."

The US accounts for almost 60 per cent of the revenues of the $ 60 billion Indian IT industry.

Experts believe that job activity in other industries would be negatively impacted as well.

"Apart from IT, hiring activity in other industries is also going to impacted," Concord HR Works CEO Sekhar Ghotgalkar said.

The reaction comes after the US lost its 'AAA' credit rating for the first time in history, as ratings agency S&P was not convinced with the efforts being made to tackle the country's debt problems. This resulted in a bloodbath in the Indian markets.

Most Indian IT firms agreed that while there are fears of another recession in the US and a debt crisis in Europe, it is still too early to know what is coming.

However, the country's two largest software exporters, Infosys and TCS, remain confident of withstanding another downturn.

"It is too early to say. There are fears of another recession in the US and a debt crisis in Europe," Infosys CEO and MD Kris Gopalakrishnan said.

Our expectations are that the hiring activity will come down drastically in the months to come and it will be a tough time for recruiting firms having focus on IT hiring.

Bought to you by

HRI Foundation

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3rd Cross, Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

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Social Media Recruiting

2011-07-28T08:18:00.001+05:30

Recruiting via social networks is getting hotter and hotter. But the quality of hires may depend on how well your employees know the people in their social networks -- and whether they want their Facebook connections being used by recruiters.

By Andrew R. McIlvaine

No doubt about it, social networking is the hot new medium for finding employees.

A June survey of 800 HR and recruiting professionals by Burlingame, Calif.-based recruiting vendor Jobvite found that nearly 90 percent of U.S. companies plan to recruit through social media this year, up from 83 percent last year. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) use two or more social networks.

But of the three major social networks -- Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter -- which one generates the most employee referrals who were actually hired by companies? Surprisingly enough, it's Facebook, not the more career-focused LinkedIn.

That's according to an aggregation of social-recruiting data from Jobvite's 500 corporate clients, which include Starbucks, Whole Foods and Zappos.com.

LinkedIn did generate the lion's share of total new hires found via social networking, accounting for 73 percent of such hires within the last six months, according to Jobvite's data. Just 20 percent came from Facebook and 7 percent from Twitter.

However, Facebook accounted for 43 percent of new hires generated from employee referrals, compared to 41 percent for LinkedIn and 16 percent for Twitter.

"I was surprised that Facebook is generating as many referral hires as it is," says Dan Finnigan, founder and CEO of Jobvite, which builds tools to help companies recruit via social networking. And yet, it makes sense, he adds.

"Peoples' connections on LinkedIn tend to be with people whom they may never have personally met," he says. "But their Facebook connections tend to be people they actually do know and interact with, and their engagement levels with Facebook tend to be quite strong; they're on Facebook every day, and that means the power of their connections there can be quite powerful in driving referral applications and, ultimately, new hires."

Employee referrals have long been the strongest source of new hires, says Finnigan, because those new employees tend to have a better understanding of the company, a better fit with the organization and typically stay longer and perform better than hires from other sources.

This is not to say that HR leaders should go all out in encouraging employees to get the word out about new openings to their Facebook friends. That move could backfire, says attorney Shayna Fernandez.

"I think many people would find it annoying to have their Facebook friends sending out advertisements for job openings," says Fernandez, an employment attorney with Bryan Cave in Phoenix. "These networks are supposed to be for your social use, not for job-hunting purposes."

Most people do tend to hold their Facebook connections "more sacred" than their LinkedIn ones, says Dan Kimball, chief marketing officer at McLean, Va.-based recruiting vendor Jobfox.

The real measure of a connection's value for employment purposes, he says, is not whether employees personally know the person but whether they feel the person's skills and experience make them a credible candidate for an open position.

And Facebook "friends" are often no more likely to be real-world buddies than one's LinkedIn connections, says Jason Alba, CEO of Salt Lake City-based consulting firm JibberJabber.com and author of I'm on LinkedIn: Now What???.

"One of my favorite things to do is go to my Facebook wall and purge all those people there whom I've never actually met," he says. "So I don't agree with the premise that people are much more likely to personally know their Facebook connections."

That's not to say Facebook can't be a potentially valuable source of new recruits, says Alba. It simply means you need to take a different approach to recruiting on Facebook than you would on LinkedIn.

"People who spend time on LinkedIn tend to be career-focused and very receptive to a formal message about jobs, whereas the environment on Facebook is more casual," he says.

"So on Facebook, you want to take a more casual approach: 'Hey, my company has an opening for such-and-such, please spread the word.' You're not necessarily going to hit the target audience you want, but you will find lots of people willing to spread the word for you," he says.

For its part, LinkedIn says the connections people make on its network are valuable because they're made in a professional, not personal, context.

"They actually know whether their connections are competent or not ... instead of just knowing that they 'are nice, fun or went to college with me,' " said Francois Dufour, LinkedIn's director of hiring solutions, via email.

LinkedIn is in the process of rolling out "Referral Engine," said Dufour, which is intended to "help employees easily identify professional connections who best fit their companies' open roles, and then makes it easy for them to recommend the best of those connections to recruiting departments."

Two other vendors, BranchOut and Monster's BeKnown, have also emerged as ways designed to make it easier for employees to utilize their Facebook connections for finding new jobs and referring people to open positions at their companies.

These offerings aside, one of the most effective ways to recruit via social networking is also cost-free, says Alba.

For example, he says, recruiters who want to locate potential hires on LinkedIn can post information about job openings to the relevant interest group, in which LinkedIn members discuss shared interests -- usually of a business nature -- with each other.

"Although LinkedIn has recruiting services that they charge for, you can get by that by sending a message to the relevant interest group along the lines of 'We have an opening in this area, where do you think we should look?'" he says.

"That way, you get the word out to the relevant people without having to pay for it," he says. "I'm not a big fan of paying for job postings."

Source : hreonline.com

Attrition Peaks

2011-07-20T07:35:00.003+05:30

The information technology (IT) and healthcare sectors are witnessing the highest attrition rates among talented employees, making retention of critical manpower resources a key challenge, says a survey.

According to a study conducted by MyHiringClub.com, the IT and ITES sectors saw the highest attrition rate of 23 per cent in the first quarter of 2010-11.

In contrast, the banking and financial services sector witnessed an attrition rate of 18 per cent, followed by healthcare (12 per cent), FMCG (11 per cent) and automobiles and manufacturing (11 per cent).

"Attrition is a major problem with India Inc and it suddenly got increased in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The major reason behind (this) was that firms had started paying more to newly hired employees.

"Beside pay packages, career level growth and relationships with supervisors are the other reasons for higher job attrition," MyHiringClub.com Founder and CEO Rajesh Kumar said.

The main reason for switching a job is pay packages (21 per cent), followed by career level growth (16 per cent), dissatisfaction with supervisors (15 per cent) and work pressure (14 per cent).

Employees with experience of up to five years had the highest attrition rate of 39 per cent, while it was 27 per cent for those with 5-10 years of experience and 22 per cent in the 10-15 years' experience bracket.

Interestingly, senior-level employees (experience more than 15 years) had a very low attrition rate of 15 per cent.

"Entry level and young blood employees want to reach on higher pay packages as soon as possible to fulfill there need and avail good facilities of life.

"If they continue with the same job, they can get a 10-20 per cent salary hike, but if they switch jobs, they can easily get somewhere around a 25-40 per cent salary hike from current CTC. A higher attrition rate causes panic among employers and the direct impact of a higher attrition rate comes in hiring costs," Kumar added.

The survey was conducted by MyHiringClub -- an Asia and Gulf/Middle East recruitment tendering platform -- among 11,800 employees and 249 employers between May and June this year.

In our view attrition begins with recruitments and ends at separation. A comprehensive role / competency based frame work will weed out the entry level mis-matches.

Raghav

Founder

HRI Foundation

303 Motherland Building

3rd Main 3rd Cross

Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru

HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Infy - Employees Voice ?

2011-07-12T22:18:00.001+05:30

Infosys Limited may not be your friendliest neighbour or the most employee-friendly IT company around. But they sure are making amends.

'Infy Bubble', their recently launched internal social networking site is supposedly a platform for disgruntled Infoscions to vent on. The site mirrors Facebook and allows employees to connect across borders with colleagues as well as bicker about anything they want, said Nandita Gurjar, Vice President and Group Head, Human Resources, Infosys Limited.

She added that the site doesn't encourage personal attacks but it does welcome negative feedback about their bosses and peers. The site also allows them to share photographs and other stuff just like they do on Facebook, thus giving them a platform to engage themselves with other employees.

This is one of the internal PR exercises Infosys is conscientiously indulging in to salvage their image. The company has been battling severe criticism and high attrition rates lately.

And, despite rising wages hurting the IT bellwhether's profit margins, it isn't stopping its hiring momentum. Infosys that plans to hire 12,000 employees this quarter has already added 9,992 employees this year.

When asked if this would further affect their revenues, the management strongly responded by saying that they are going as per their yearly target of 45,000 new additions. With the improving business sentiment and revival in IT spends , IT firms are stepping up hiring to meet demand for their services.

The company today posted a 15.72 per cent jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,722 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2011. During the first quarter, Infosys and its subsidiaries saw over 7,000 employees leaving.

As we know, with increased hiring comes a high rate of attrition. But the company isn't really worried about it. Gurjar says, "This is the quarter when we normally expect employees to go for higher studies. 30% of the employees who have quit cited this reason."

She says, the company can't stop employees from pursuing higher studies. However, they are pondering on how to get them back with acquired skill sets. Gurjar says, "95% of the employees who quit to pursue higher studies actually want to come back. But since we have a structured process they have to undergo the complete interview cycle in the campuses. So may be in the near future we might have a policy where an employee can come back after getting MBA degrees or something else without getting into the complete interview cycle.".

But there is an interesting bit of information that Gurjar revealed. "34% per cent of our total employee workforce is woman. So in this quarter 32% of the woman employees who quit didn't cite any reason for quitting the job. They just wanted to take a break. Now this is something that we want to review."

While they ponder on what's working and what's not, the company is also planning an Infosys radio service through which the management will regularly interact with the employees. Looks like the company is engaging in some serious PR exercises with employees to build a few bridges. But will it curtail attrition? In true Infosys management lingo, "We might have to wait for the next quarter" for an answer.

Our Views :

Infosys has really set a trend which other companies are likely to follow. They are the first company to create a social networking platform to share everything about them, similar to the Facebook. This will increase the interactions between employees fostering better work relationships.

Raghav
Founder

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

How to do HR Surveys - a Check list

2011-06-25T07:08:00.001+05:30

The following checklist should help you in conducting a survey of employees.

Senior managers are committed to the survey initiative and to plan to act on the results.

Involve employees at all levels in the definition of the content of the survey (that is, identification of issues and content areas).

Chose survey topics that can be acted upon and plan to act on the results.

Pilot tested the questionnaire.

Everyday language was used in the questionnaire. Each employee should be able to understand and relate to the questions and response categories.

Responses can be submitted anonymously.

Communicate both good and bad results to employees.

Present planned actions to employees as well as reasons why some issues will not be acted upon.

Repeat the survey to see whether attitudes change. (optional)

Do you wish to have HR survey done by our experts ? Get in touch with us today !!

Sowmya

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Ravina Consulting

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From selling clips in local trains, Mumbai to Brazil

2011-06-25T05:29:00.001+05:30

It has been a long journey for Durga Mallu Gudilu — from selling clips and needles on Mumbai’s local trains, to representing the country at the World Social Forum in Brazil.

And the lanky 22- year- old has had to overcome the stiffest of odds in her quest for this remarkable turnaround.

An 8x10- foot cubbyhole of a room in the Sanjay Nagar slums, located in Jogeshwari ( East), serves as a home for Durga, her parents and sister Govindi. They belong to the “ nomadic” Vaidu community that has been living in the area for the past 30 years.

The community, now a denotified tribe, still holds panchayats headed by elderly males to decide on law and order. “ Vaidus are relegated to one of the most neglected parts of the expansive slum.

The nearest toilet is 200 metres away; girls stand in serpentine queues at 5 am daily to fill up unhygienic and contaminated water from the nearest tap and most members of the community suffer from tuberculosis,” primary health centre nurse Neelima said.

That’s not all. The men eke out their living by recycling and repairing old steel dabbas . “ More than half of the meagre Rs 30 that they earn are spent on drinking. And wife beating inevitably follows the boozing,” Durga’s 63- year- old mother Anku Bai says.

The family used to struggle to get, even two square meals a day. “ As a child, I had never seen home- cooked food since we used to beg for food in trains and homes,” Durga recalls.

But things underwent a dramatic change ever since Durga became one of the first girls to be educated in the community. Today, she has completed Class XII, imparts basic computer training and runs a coaching centre for 40- odd schoolchildren from her cramped kholi. She also uses the computer to stay in touch with her friends from Peru and USA whom she met during the forum.

Durga remembers how the NGO Yuva had managed to convince her parents to send her to the local municipal school. “ Initially, my sister and I were made to sit separately as we used to be stink,” she says, adding that it was the progress they made in studies and sports that helped them gain acceptance among classmates.

Being lettered had other spin- offs as well. “ Since the girls started going to school, we gained respectability and stopped begging. Their father stopped drinking, too,” Anku Bai says.

“ The journey from those days to the smart and confident woman that Durga has become, is no mean achievement,” Raju Bhise of Yuva points out. “ We gave her the support and guidance; but it was she who has stood out with her leadership skills,” he adds.

Govindi, the older of the two girls, is pursuing a software course from GNIIT. Durga will pursue her graduation only after Govindi finishes her course because one of them has to look after the household.

Forthright and outspoken, Durga has her own viewpoint.

“ The Rs 16 crore announced by the Maharashtra government to create awareness about child labour will not achieve much until parents are helped to get sustainable livelihoods,” she observes. Having performed street plays and participated in poster campaigns as well as in door- to- door mobilisation drives to raise awareness about child labour and other issues, she definitely knows what she is talking about.

This truly a hear touching story of how NGOs are make a difference to people. Our salute Yuva team for helping Durga

Raghav

Founder

HRI Foundation

303 Motherland Building

3rd Main 3rd Cross

Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru

HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Work from Home

2011-06-24T22:11:00.000+05:30

The last time Kumar, a sales executive working with IBM India, visited his company's registered office in Bangalore was some six months ago to get his broken attendance card replaced. Kumar, 35, is among nearly 50,000 IBM India employees who are working from anywhere, but the office.

"I do not have to show my face to my boss anymore, well at least for a few weeks or months at a stretch," says Kumar, who requested that his first name not be revealed. "I used to miss catching up with other colleagues at office, but now there are hundreds of us on the road for the company," he adds.

For nearly 50,000 employees at IBM India and some 15,000 tech workers at HP's India operations, work-fromhome is no more an HR incentive meant for women going for early maternity leave, or a privilege for few - it's now an integral part of their work life.

While over 40% of IBM staff does not have any space in office, a quarter of HP India employees across the functions of sales, marketing and customer support do not have to mark their attendance or swipe employment cards.

Rising real estate costs and travel time, apart from other complexities of maintaining office space for a growing base of staff, are making a real business case for multinational tech firms like IBM, HP, Cisco and Microsoft.

What was once an option taken by those with personal problems or medical predicaments has now become a norm in some companies with the option of working from home finding more takers than ever before. Employees at IBM even receive Rs 15,000 more a month for this. This is because they save the company walloping infrastructure costs, one of the perils of rapid expansion.

This way the company can also drive home the point that it truly promotes work-life balance. The company says it also increases the productivity of employees. "We know that if we can successfully address the challenges of work-life balance, IBM will certainly gain a competitive edge in the war for talent," a company spokesperson said.

The company, however, denied paying these employees extra. At HP, the number is anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000, and the company, which did not confirm the figure as it does not share its India headcount, says it leads to better employee engagement.

Not to be outdone, Microsoft last year formalised the policy which had been practised in the company for a few years. It reimburses the broadband and telephone costs but does not throw in any extra amount to keep employees at home. Microsoft gives employees a choice of various flexible work options, and they can pick what best suits their needs.

"Not only does this lead to a better work-life balance for existing employees, and a cause for retention, it is also an attractive aspect for potential employees," said Joji Gill, HR director of Microsoft India. The software firm provides three options to work from home which include flexible scheduling, teleworking and part-time basis. Flexible scheduling is when an employee has the option of working from home for a few of his business hours on a recurring basis.

Teleworking lets him choose a schedule of days where he would work only from home. Part-time is when an employee clocks in only a few hours for work. Networking equipment maker Cisco says employee location is increasingly losing meaning in an interconnected world. The company even helps its employees set up home offices. It creates an office with email and intranet-enabled smartphones, provides Cisco Virtual Office equipment, laptops and data cards for employees who do not wish to be within the office walls.

"IP solutions from Cisco and emerging technologies are making location irrelevant, making remote working feasible. Companies can also reduce office space, thereby reducing operational costs associated with real estate and facility management," said Seema Nair, co-lead for India HR operations, Cisco. Companies say it is not just women but even men who take up this option very often.

At IBM, the percentage of employees working from home is 40% while at HP it is 25%. Microsoft's India headcount is not very large when compared to companies like IBM and HP. Domestic firms also offer this option but it is more needbased and not as rampant as their global counterparts. However, to allow employees to work permanently from home requires a company to have precise job description and agenda.

"There can not be any flab in the KRAs and the managers have to craft the jobs carefully where everything is templatised," said Saundarya, founder-member of Flexi Career in Chennai. She said problems creep in when companies look at it as a work-life balance initiative and not as an option that could help in their business goals. While most companies say they trust their employees to do a good job, there are several checks and balances like managers and the employees working closely with a set of deliverables.

Quarterly reviews and a structured performance management approach are put in place. Companies like Cisco also advise remote workers to attend regular meetings with coworkers/internal customers and managers, etc, to ensure there is adequate interaction and the employee is not completely in isolation.

"For employees who opt to work from home over an extended period of time, the manager and the employee work out a clear set of deliverables, and a quarterly review is conducted keeping in mind the business situations," Gill said. Companies say some employees may find it tough to work in isolation.

"Absence of external motivation provided by the work environment can be a disadvantage. Employees used to working in a team might feel isolated and miss the interaction with co-workers," Nair said. Officials at HP point out that this can be a problem where teamwork is involved.

"Where large teams are involved, team management can be a challenge with a work-fromhome option. Ultimately, we don't monitor if employees are actually working. Employees need to be selfdisciplined and accountable for their productivity when they choose this option," said Srikanth Karra, director, human resources, HP India. But for employees like Kumar, it's an incentive worth going for. "I end up working more being away from office, but the freedom to work from anywhere is too good to be missed."

Source ET

Sowmya
Manager

HRI Foundation
303 Motherland Building
3rd Main 3rd Cross
Kamanahalli
BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru
HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Employee Referral - The Best way for Best Talent

2011-06-24T07:39:00.002+05:30

India Inc is looking within. To fill vacancies, that is. More and more companies are trying to fill empty slots with existing staff, rather than employ a recruitment agency to find them someone, because of the huge savings possible. Companies like Dabur, Mphasis, Netapp, SAP, Wipro, IBM and Essar, have now designated whole teams to help with what is know as an internal hire. Last year Mphasis saved $1 million on 1,200 internal hires, while Netapp saved Rs 2.4crore on 100 internal hires and Dabur saved Rs 1 crore on the 75 posts filled from among existing employees. On an average, this works out to savings of between Rs 3.75 lakh to Rs 1.3 lakh per employee for each of these companies. Reduced dependency on headhunters and employee referrals, possible savings on training for a new candidate and intangibles like the amount of time s/he might take to start performing, is adding to the companies' coffers. They are also being able to stem attrition by giving first dibs to current staff when a job opens up; disgruntled employees may be persuaded to stay back in the organisation with a role or designation change, or even a new boss.

Given all these benefits companies are making sure they have a robust internal hire policy in place. "We are extremely mindful of recruitment costs, and have found that if we fill vacancies internally, we save almost one crore a year," says A Sudhakar , HR head at Dabur. In fact, the company's internal hire policy is so well-entrenched that if a new person is taken on board through referrals or an external agency, the manager has to explain in writing why an internal candidate was not fit for the job. Alternatively, those who wish for a role change within the organisation, go through a performance management training followed by an interview with HR and line managers. Their profiles are managed by a career development 'centre' , which is the inventory Sudhakar delves into when a vacancy is created. "At times, when there are not enough openings we combine two positions to create one, rather than hire an outsider," he adds, referring to the way the company keeps its existing employees happy. Since it takes a few months for the employee to start performing in the new role, that period needs to be factored in as well. At Dabur, this 'gestation period' is around four months. Therefore, for an external hire, if the person's salary at the junior management is Rs 12 lakhs per annum, the loss to the company is taken to be Rs 4 lakhs, to take into account the four months that s/he might require to start showing results.

At Netapp, says HR head Manjunath, "there is a clear preference for employees to be sourced from within the company compared to taking people from the outside." The IT services company saves around 12.5% of the recruitment fees that a company would have to pay an external headhunter for a juniorlevel employee, 18% for a person in middle management and 25% for a senior employee, by conducting internal hires. Even though those taken in through employee referrals are less expensive for the company, internal changes are still considered the best option. Around 100 existing employees have applied for job rotations in the period between May 2010 and April 2011 at Netapp. India. About 45% of these hires are direct; 45% are conducted through referrals, and the rest through external agencies.

At Essar, which started the initiative of focussing on internal hires about six months ago, some 85 positions have been filled so far, totally from among existing staff. "It is not about saving costs but earning profits through career development of the employee ," says HR head Adil Malia. But it appears the company has saved "a couple of crores" by filling the 85 positions from within. Internal promotions and hires reflect on the company's leadership management and succession planning strategy. However, that does not mean that those already working in the organisation will not take time to acclimatise to their new role

Abhijit Bhaduri, chief learning officer at Wipro says, however, that the time taken by an internal hire to acclimatise is perhaps a few months at the most - and still considerably less than what an outsider might require. In the IT firm, the recruitment fee given to a headhunter is 25% of the candidate's CTC. By automatically saving on this through an internal hire, the company sometimes finds itself in a position to provide better compensation , and makes provisions for the seven months (on average) that the internally-hired candidate to start producing. With internal hires, the more difficult decision that a company has to take relates to whether management is actually putting the best person in the job, or worrying about whether it is an internal hire. "Should there be a headcount addition to fuel expansion, or should one settle for the most suited internal candidate," says VA Rangarajan, recruitment leader at India.

There's no doubt that external candidates can bring much more fresh blood and perspective to an organisation, and there's no discounting the merits of this. That's why companies like IBM have a management tool called Global Opportunity Marketplace, where the resumes of all internal and external candidates are managed and the best one is picked. Preference is given to internal hires, but a tussle ensues when the skill sets required for a role are unavailable from within. The firm makes a rough saving of 30% because of internal hires. "Searching for the right talent from within is like seeking an elusive white tiger," says DK Srivastava , corporate vice-president and global HR head at HCL Technologies. The IT services company has a portal called 'The Insider Edge' which shows the positions that have opened up at any point of time, along with the names of the managers who would be hiring for those posts.

So when an employee wants a transfer, he or she can find out more about the managers and the attributes they are looking for, for that position. This is not just about providing more information about the position, but also gives candidates an overall perspective of hiring in the company. SAP Labs has seen a 20% year-on-year increase in employees picking up alternate job roles within the company - both locally and overseas. Over 30 open positions were closed in India through internal transfers this year. Nevertheless, there is another school of thought that states that measures such as internal hires are only possible in companies that have a 'bench' of employees (floaters who move from one project to another, and are not attached to any particular department), and not companies that prioritise product development. "Money is saved through referrals and not internal hires since to fill up one position, you invariably end up vacating another," says Deepak Shetty, director (HR) of the Philips Innovation Campus. Philips has around 600 employees and 400 of them have been hired following employee referrals. This has been such a success that the company has hiked the fee, given to employee for referrals and subsequent hires, to Rs 40,000 from Rs 20,000. This will be applicable, adds Shetty, for the next few months since the January to October period is the peak hiring time.

Succession Planning in Indian IT Companies

2011-06-17T06:34:00.001+05:30

The abrupt change in leadership in Wipro in January and the public rumblings by one of the ex-directors of Infosys about the way the company was going forward with the selection of its new CEO in April have suddenly brought into limelight the issue of succession planning in Indian IT companies.

The not-so-exemplary leadership changes within a span of few months in two of the top three IT firms in India have not exactly created a great impression about the management depth and maturity in these companies.

A few other examples of the past, such as that of WNS Global Services, one of the top BPO companies, which took more than a year to name a successor when its founder director announced his resignation, have strengthened this perception.

Coming ability of this sector to create value in the long term.

Research by Dataquest shows that this perception is not exactly based on fact. Among the larger Indian IT companies, more firms have had a well-planned succession strategy than those who did not have such a plan.

They include India's largest IT company, TCS, which saw a leadership change in 2009; Cognizant, which had had that transition in 2007; and HCL Technologies, where the leadership baton passed to a new CEO in 2007.

All these three are among the top five offshoring companies from India. In the BPO segment too, Genpact and EXL, two of the largest BPO firms, had had a good succession planning in place while HCL Infosystems, the largest Indian company focussed on the home market, too has had a well-executed transition.

Based on the examples of these companies, here are a few trends that we have noticed in the good succession plans:

The planning happens at least three years before transition. In all these cases, except HCL Infosystems, the faces of successors were projected internally and externally well before the actual transition.

In HCL Infosystems, while the name was not known, it was pretty clear internally that someone from outside and much younger was taking over. So, there was no surprise for employees, customers and investors.

Usually, there is a generational shift. In all these succession plans, there is a minimum age difference of 10 years. In one case, it is 21 years.

That is clearly the next generation in an industry which is not more than 30 years old. This is an acknowledgment of two things: one, the business rules change over a period of time and a fresher approach is always better and two, any new CEO should have enough time to carry out his plans and ideas.

Usually, the new leader has to have deep understanding of the core business, whether insider or outsider. While the shifts may be generational, and it is a good idea to get a fresh approach, a lack of understanding of what is the most important thing in the business may create problems.

So, for most offshore companies, it is both an understanding of the front-end as well as the delivery. Understanding of customers may come from an outsider but understanding of delivery would come from someone who has spent time internally.

In all our examples concerning offshore companies, it is internal people who have been promoted to the top job. HCL Infosystems, which has most of its people in the front-end, decided to go for an outsider who has good understanding of the customer.

Source ET

Raghav

Founder

HRI Foundation

303 Motherland Building

3rd Main 3rd Cross

Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru

HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

How to hire superstars ?

2011-04-09T09:13:00.003+05:30

Of all the important elements you need to run a business, what do you think is the most important? Good marketing is critical... Top-notch sales copy is key... High-quality products and/or services - definitely important... Good ideas - essential. But you can get all of these things - and more - if you have one thing.

I'm talking about good people to help build, run, and grow your business.

The thing is... it's not all that easy to find good people. All the really smart businesspeople I know are constantly looking for superstar employees.

A few years back, I met a gentleman who had a $20,000,000 printing business. Yet he was still working 60 hours a week (or more), and wearing almost all the hats in his company. This was simply because he could not find the right people to help him run it.

Because hiring good people is one of my core competencies, I am often asked how to do it. As I said, it's not easy. But it is extremely doable.

Finding good employees is like dating. It's a numbers game. Unless you're truly lucky, the first person you date doesn't end up being your spouse. Think about all the uncomfortable dates you had to endure... the many times your heart was broken... and the frogs you had to kiss... before finding "the one."

Finding the right employees is no different. You are going to have to kiss a few frogs before finding the superstars who can help your business grow. And if you are not prepared to do that, you will have a staff full of mediocre employees... or continuous turnover. Neither of these things is good for your customers, your one or two good employees, your reputation, or your bottom line.

To make it much easier to get past the frogs to my ideal employees, I make sure I can clearly define three things whenever I'm looking to hire someone:

- The kind of person I want
- The level of the position and, thus, the experience the person needs
- The skill set required to do the job

Knowing the Characteristics of Your Ideal Employee

Regardless of the actual position you're filling or the skill set the employee needs to have, everyone you hire should have three important traits:

A strong sense of urgency. A good employee is someone who understands that deadlines are made to be met and that speed is money. They also understand that business is business... and it is serious. You can have a lot of fun at work. But every employee needs to be well aware that your customers invest their time and money with you. That means your primary mission is for your customers to reach their goals, whatever their goals may be.
A great work ethic. You want someone who shows up early and is ready to go, someone who is on time for meetings and appointments. A pattern of showing up late for anything is a sign of not caring.

When I explain this to job candidates, they often ask, "What if I am just not a morning person? Couldn't I come in late and stay later in the evening?" My answer is "Absolutely not." Showing up early indicates eagerness. Staying late indicates disorganization.
Intellect. Your ideal employee is someone with great ideas. Equally important is that the employee is not afraid to express those ideas.

People are often surprised to hear that I require intellect in employees at every level of the company, not just management. Don't forget that every single employee you have is an "ambassador" for you, a direct reflection of you. And at some time or another, they will speak to your customers, your competitors, and your industry associates.

Defining the Position You're Trying to Fill

In addition to knowing the kind of person you're looking for, you need to have a very good understanding of the position - and of the experience necessary to do the job properly.

I break down all positions into three categories: executer, manager, and leader.

The executer is an entry-level employee. She is not responsible for strategic planning, but rather the execution of the plan. This is generally someone fresh out of school or with little or no direct experience within your niche.

Some of her core responsibilities may include:

- Setting up marketing campaigns in your system
- Producing reports
- Posting website copy
The manager is responsible for managing processes and/or other employees. He usually has five to 10 years of direct experience within your niche. He can think strategically, teach others, and start developing big ideas.

Some of his core responsibilities may include:

- Analyzing reports, trends, and competitors
- Product development
- Creating partnerships and affiliate deals
The leader's primary job - 50% or more of it - encompasses meetings with staff, brainstorming, and business planning. A few examples of people in a leadership role would include marketing directors, editorial directors, and IT directors... all the way up to the CEO. The leader is someone with eight or more years of experience within your specific niche. This is someone with a proven track record of success. This is a person who can come into your organization and be up to speed and make a difference immediately.

Some of the leader's core responsibilities may include:

- Creating a departmental or company vision
- Contract negotiation
- Hiring staff

Note: "Leader" may be a high-level position - but all of your employees should showcase leadership qualities.

How Much Simpler Can Making Money Get?

Brian Edmondson has created a surprisingly simple method for boosting your income. "It's so simple," he says, "I call it the 'Couch Potato Formula.'"

This is the same formula that pays Brian's bills. The same formula that's behind ETR. The same formula behind Agora, Inc.'s $275 million annual revenues.

Sean Harada says, "I have been trying to build an online business since 2006. Since I started following your formula, I finally did it. Thank you, Brian, for helping me start the path to my Internet career."

Watch over Brian's shoulder as lays out the formula in clear, easy-to-understand terms. Copy exactly what he does. And in just 30 days, you could have a website that throws off $500 a month to $40,627 a week. Get the details right now.

Identifying the Skill Set Required

When people ask me to help them find a good employee, I am amazed when they aren't really sure what they want that person to do. You can't find the right person for a particular job if you don't know what the job requires. For example, if you are hiring a receptionist whose main duties are to answer the phone, schedule your appointments on your Outlook calendar, and type your speeches and companywide e-mails, you would not want someone with a hard-to-understand accent who has never seen a computer.

So before you can initiate your search, you have to write a job description. If you have never done this before, start by writing down everything you think you want your new employee to do. List their responsibilities. And next to each responsibility, write down the necessary skill. Be specific.

Let's use the example of a receptionist:

Once you know the characteristics of your ideal employee and can define the job and the skills that employee needs... you start looking.

How to Find Your Ideal Employee

The first rule of hiring is to be patient. Remember the old saying: "Hire slow and fire fast."

Think about what executive recruiters do. They build their Rolodexes. When they call Person A with a job opportunity and Person A is not interested, they end up with three phone numbers or e-mail addresses of people Person A knows.

So the second rule of hiring is to think about all the people you know, especially when you're looking to fill a middle- or upper-level position. If none of them are right for the job, call them anyway. They may know people who are. Keep collecting names and numbers.

If you are looking for more of an entry-level employee, advertising in a trade publication is good. But do some research first. Read the ads the publication normally prints and make your ad better. Make your position sound rewarding and exciting. If there is room for advancement, mention it.

You can also use Career Builder, Monster, eHire, and other online job search engines. Of course, you'll probably have to sift through hundreds of applications, 99% of them useless. And you may luck out.

But you're not going to find most of your potential superstars this way.

Even better than advertisements... and far better than online job search engines... is networking. I look for possible employees everywhere I go.

When I attend industry events (which I often do), cocktail parties are my favorite networking places. (You get a real feel for the personality and style of the people you meet.) When I speak at industry functions, I tell the audience that I am available to talk about job opportunities. I talk to other parents while attending my kids' soccer games.

You can network ANYWHERE. Wherever there are people, there's an opportunity. Don't be afraid to ask your friends, colleagues, and competitors about people who might be a good fit for your company. You will be glad you did.

Remember, you don't have to be the smartest person in the world to succeed in business. You just need to be smart enough to hire the right people to help you do it.

Ed. Note: MaryEllen Tribby, ETR's former publisher and CEO

What Leaders do ?

2011-03-21T06:14:00.001+05:30

N. R. Narayana Murthy, the iconic Infosys Founder, never went to a management school. Nevertheless, he was a born leader, as an incident that took place several years ago illustrates. A former Infosys top official who in 1990-92 steered the company's European operations in 1990-92 narrated the following incident. Mr Murthy had been invited by a well-respected organisation in London to render a speech in the evening. But the official — the narrator of the story — who was escorting Mr Murthy to the venue, due to a miscommunication with the taxi driver, found to his horror that at the time of the appointment, they were, in fact, at the other end of town. By the time they managed to reach the venue, the official was a nervous wreck and mentally readied himself to put in his papers. . But when the taxi was taking both of them all round the town, not once did Mr Murthy accuse him of committing a blunder.

The official made a hasty retreat to his house after leaving Mr Murthy at the venue, realising that the Infosys head would not want to see him anywhere near after the speech was over. However, he received a call from Mr Murthy asking him what he was doing at his residence. He apologised profusely and offered to resign. But Mr Murthy put him at ease saying that it was not his mistake but that of the taxi driver and asked him to talk to some of the industry leaders present at the venue so that he could meet them at a later stage. The official not only got to retain his job but also got to experience first-hand how good managers handle sticky situations.

Bought to you by :

Raghav

Founder

HRI Foundation

303 Motherland Building

3rd Main 3rd Cross

Kamanahalli

BANGALORE 560084

www.hrinindia.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/Raghav_HRGuru

HR Help - Call +91.8105737966

Getting the Best of Exit Interviews

2011-01-07T20:32:00.002+05:30

When Kate McFarlane recently left her job after five years, she took advantage of her exit interview to vent. "Our HR rep had gotten the impression I was leaving because I was tired of the commute, but there was much more to it," she says. "Over the years my department and the firm itself had deteriorated to a point where I found I could no longer work there. So when he said, with a big smile on his face, 'I hear you're leaving because you found a job close to your house,' well, I took a deep breath and let him have it. I went on for about 20 minutes about what was wrong with the firm, the department, the management, the morale, the lighting, everything."

While McFarlane, like many departing employees, used the exit interview to express years' worth of pent-up frustration, she says, "I ended by saying that I hoped my honesty would help change some of the circumstances and that hopefully the firm could return to the great company it was when I joined five years prior."

A month later McFarlane learned that several managers had been let go, including the HR rep. "I like to think that it had something to do with me," she says.

The information collected in an exit interview can give a company a unique perspective on its performance and employee satisfaction. People who leave may be brutally honest about their experiences without fear of immediate repercussions. In addition, it's likely they have recently been job hunting and interviewing and can offer some useful intelligence on how the company compares with other employers.

HR consultant ArLyne Diamond, who operates Diamond Associates in Santa Clara, Calif., specializes in people and processes in the workplace. She says she is amazed that companies will go through an exit interview without knowing why or how to use the information.

"Basically, the exit interview has three purposes: to learn where the company can improve itself, to make sure employees leave feeling good about their service and, in some cases, [to encourage] the employee to stay under new circumstances," Diamond says.

Discovering why employees leave should be an essential part of a company's strategic planning, but many miss this opportunity.

"Some firms may feel they are small enough or turnover is so low that they know why their staff leaves," says Brooks C. Holtom, an organizational behavior and HR management specialist at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business in Washington, D.C., who does employment-retention research. "But it's likely they are making assumptions that will naturally be biased in the company's favor."

Exit interview practices and policies vary widely according to company size and industry, but human resource professionals agree on at least three points:

* The company should have a formal policy regarding exit interviewing.

* Exit interviews should be reserved for voluntary separations, because issues raised by layoffs and terminations for cause will require a special approach.

* Exit interviews should be extended to all departing employees--not just key performers or long-timers.

But opinions and beliefs about exit interviews begin to diverge on questions of whether they should be mandatory, who should conduct them and how formal they need to be.

Voluntary Or Mandatory?

Phil Guilliams, who directs technology staffing and HR for the call center outsourcer Precision Response Corp. in Miami, says, at least for his group: "Exit interviews must be required as a formal part of outprocessing. Without the employee expectations of an obligatory exit interview, many would not participate." He notes, however, that employees who still decline are not penalized.

Diamond agrees that an exit interview should be an accepted expectation of employees. "But legally employers don't have a leg to stand on if an employee refuses," she says.

To encourage more employees to participate in an exit interview, employers should stress the confidentiality of the discussions.

"People are sometimes nervous about saying too much and possibly burning bridges," says Guilliams. "They rely on former managers and team members for references and networking.

"One of the worst experiences I've had in my career arose from an exit interview where I had to report bad behavior by a manager. Almost immediately my comments got back to him, and he openly lost his temper in the office. It chilled the entire workplace."

Guilliams says he informs all departing employees that their comments will be scrubbed of identifying information before being shared with anyone in the office, with some exceptions. "If they report criminal behavior, sexual harassment, incidents of discrimination or other legal issues, I have an obligation to take action," he says. "I encourage them to be as honest as they can, [and I explain] that the point is to learn what we do well and what we can do better to keep our clients and staff happy."

Assuring confidentiality might be more difficult for small employers and those with low turnover because the sources of the intelligence may be obvious.

While there's not much an employer can do to guarantee confidentiality, "Employees should be made to understand how the information they give will be used, and that the company will make every effort to take action in a way that doesn't compromise them," says Guilliams.

Who Should Interview?

When retail clerk Nicole Etolen quit her job at a large office supply store, she says, "They wanted to know if it was because of something they had done wrong. The fact was, I was improperly trained, but I didn't want to get anyone in trouble, so I just said I couldn't handle all the cranky customers."

An experienced interviewer might have explored Nicole's valuable observations about the company's supply chain. "Our customers were generally really irate by the time they get up to the register because what they need was inevitably locked in a back room, and they had to wait an eternity for someone with a key to get it for them," she says. "But once they did find some-one to go back there, the item was out of stock."

Exit interviews by nature could become either too confrontational or too perfunctory, so the interviewer must be extremely experienced and skilled to gently probe for the full truth, Holtom says. "And if an interviewer is not trained in active listening or is not strongly empathetic, they are likely to take offense when the employee starts to vent. This can be a very emotional encounter, and the interviewer needs to be able to manage it skillfully."

The interviewer needn't necessarily be an HR professional. A neutral manager or mentor the employee trusts and who has good interviewing skills could be the right choice.

Outsourcing the exit interview to an independent third party is also a good choice, says Holtom. "The only real disadvantage to employers might be the cost--nothing else makes the 'cons' list," he says. "You have a higher probability of getting a trained interviewer, they can gather systematic data, and employees are more likely to be honest and cooperative."

Formal or Informal?

Exit interviews must have a mechanism to capture the information gleaned. "Just as when you are interviewing a candidate, you're better off having a structured process that allows you to capture information that can be compared," Holtom says.

The degree of structure can range from a casual conversation with note-taking to a standardized list of talking points to a questionnaire or other survey instrument.

Shelly Funderburg, director of hiring solutions for Manpower Inc. in Milwaukee, begins the exit interview process with a survey that explores topics such as benefits and pay, training, orientation, management issues, environment and culture, opportunities for growth, mentoring, and the effective-ness of the firm's open-door policies. "I would never recommend using this instrument alone," she says. "I still like to sit down and get feedback, using the questionnaire to guide the interview."

Guilliams, on the other hand, prefers not to use such survey instruments. "I prefer a casual one-on-one discussion where I or someone else takes notes," he says. "In my experience, questionnaire responses are poor, and I wonder if people are as frank as they could be when leaving a written record."

But Elizabeth Perez, an HR practitioner working inside a large telecommunications conglomerate, would like her organization to rely more on anonymous questioning. "I think if companies truly want honest answers, they should not force face-to-face interviews," she says. "It's been my experience that we will get a more truthful answer by using a mail-in questionnaire sent after the employee has left or [by using a] third party to conduct a telephone survey."

Perez does recommend that HR conduct some sort of final meeting to retrieve company property, go over check lists, etc. "If employees want to share their feelings and suggestions about how to improve the work environment, that would be a good place to do it, but I don't think employees should feel put on the spot."

Sharing the Findings

How companies compile and share the information gleaned through exit interviews is a unique choice.

"This information is so valuable," says Funderburg, "it should be included in the company's annual review, strategic planning, recruiting strategies, training plans, management development program and any tool companies use to evaluate themselves."

She recommends that the information be compiled and analyzed. "It doesn't have to be a sophisticated tool, just something that can be rolled up to senior management on a regular basis," she says.

But how reliable is the intelligence gathered in an exit interview? "These meetings can be highly charged," says Holtom. "Employees are emotionally invested in the decision they have made, and everyone responds to that emotion differently. Each interview is an idiosyncratic experience."

Holtom recently conducted research on the validity of such data. He analyzed a year's worth of exit interview statements from employees of two major organizations--a retail bank and a government agency--then followed up with 125 individuals. He found that three to six months after departure, about 70 percent of interviewees cited the same top reason for leaving as they did at their exit interview. When asked to cite the top three reasons, Holtom found a 90 percent overlap.

"This is fairly clear evidence that leaving a firm is a powerful, memorable experience, and the reasons for it tend to remain intact over a period of time, long after the emotions have faded," he says.

"By definition, the exit interview is a rear-view approach," Holtom says. Companies should not rely too heavily on this data. "What you really want to do is figure out whom you want to stay and figure out what will make them want to." Employee focus groups, annual surveys and other prospective analytical tools can evaluate retention issues much more broadly. "There are a lot of other reasons people stay or go; job satisfaction is only one."

Online Resources

For more information on exit interviews, including sample questionnaires, see the online version of this article at www.shrm.org/hrmagazine/04August.

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How to talk in a meeting

2010-12-29T23:04:00.001+05:30

Speaking up in a meeting can be quite intimidating for some, but there are some simple ways to build your confidence and make sure your voice is heard, says Harvard Business Review.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org.

"Speaking up in meetings is easy for some, but for others it can be completely intimidating. If you're in the latter group, build your confidence with a few useful phrases you can use to interject. Here are three to start:

1. 'Have we thought about...' If you have an idea to add but aren't overly confident about it, phrase the suggestion as though you are contributing to the conversation, rather than putting a firm stake in the ground.

2. 'To play devil's advocate...' It can be hard to disagree without sounding like a jerk. Finesse your comments by explaining that you are playing a certain role.

3. 'This may be a dumb question...' You may hesitate to speak up when you don't know what's going on in a meeting. Don't stay lost -- ask for clarification. You may help others who are in the same position."

-Today's management tip was adapted from "How to Interject in a Meeting" by Jodi Glickman.

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Majority unemployable - What next for India Inc

2010-12-26T14:50:00.001+05:30

Rapid economic growth in the country is expected to generate 10-15 million jobs by next year but lack of suitable skilled candidates poses a major threat, a leading industry lobby said Sunday.

'Approximately 10 to 15 million jobs are expected to be created by next year, in which 75 percent will require vocational training. If not addressed properly it can lead to a slowdown in the country's economic growth,' said a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

According to the report, the principal reason behind India's growth is its youth force, the largest in the world. However, millions of young Indians are jobless because they do not receive proper vocational training.

'The huge numbers of Indian youth are not only unemployed but unemployable, whereas large numbers of white collar jobs are waiting for suitable candidates,' the report said.

It further said that though 90 percent of jobs in sectors like information technology (IT) and IT Enabled Services (ITES), biotechnology and the services sector are skill-based and require training, only six percent of the total workforce receive such training.

The report also predicted that 2011 will be a boom year for the IT & ITES sector, accompanied by a corresponding rise in salaries.

'The year 2011 is likely to be a boom for skilled workers in IT & ITES, biotechnology and services sectors. As against the 15 percent hike in salaries in 2010, it is expected to be registering 30 to 40 percent growth,' Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat said.

Currently, IT and ITES industry alone provides direct employment to about 2.23 million people and indirect employment to a further eight million.

The report added that this sector in particular will experience a shortage of skilled manpower.

'The employers are trying to catch the highly skilled manpower and the salaries are going through the roof. It is expected that the salaries in this sector will be growing at a par of 30-40 percent during the year 2011,' the Assocham report added.

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HR Wheel

2010-12-06T09:14:00.004+05:30

HR Wheel

Q : What is HR Wheel and its importance.

Raghav :

HR Wheel depicts the entire HR function and hence is a diagram which represent the core HR activities.

The diagram on the left shows all facets of HR and is shown in the wheel format.

Retention Strategies by Indian IT Majors

2010-11-03T22:40:00.001+05:30

With the job market opening up, IT giants' human resource divisions are devising innovative strategies to retain employees. It includes improvised promotion cycles, creating career architecture programmes, monetary gains, travel benefits and intellectual growth.

Infosys is offering room to experiment and career soul searching to keep employees interested. This route is also working well for multinationals, including Google, who find that offering flexibility and freedom of movement across projects have kept employees glued. While for Wipro , offering restricted stock units and restructuring its hierarchical structure have been the retention strategy over the past two quarters. Google, regarded as the world's most preferred employer, has been trying to give employees opportunities to participate and ideate for projects on a global level and across specialisations. "We try to get employees to spend 20% of their time on projects other than their primary ones.

This encourages innovation in product development and foster inter-team communication," said Jayashri Ramamurti, head-people operations, engineering & product, Google India.

E Balaji, director and president of HR firm Ma Foi Randstad said, "Organisations are trying to be innovative in crafting their retention strategies. In addition to traditional perks and benefits like bonuses and financial incentives, they want to offer compelling employee value proposition. Companies are offering attractive perks like holiday travels, and even sabbaticals and higher studies subsidy more widely.

Balaji said, "IT companies are beginning to link retention with generation characteristics. If, for instance, employee average age is under 30, flexi-work arrangements, job advancements, travel abroad and jobs for spouses when relevant are also being added."

Infosys senior vice-president & global head HR Nandita Gurjar said, "Employee aspirations are now sky rocketing. The challenge in such a market is definitely retention. We are trying to provide an option for hierarchical movement and lateral growth."

Infosys recently launched "Pathfinder," which is a career movement programme. As apart of this initiative, 23,000 people have gone through career workshops to understand more about their options.

The management says that it is trying to provide employees with internship programs to test waters across different career streams available internally and move around according to their aptitude.

"There are 26 career streams within the organisation. We want to create an environment where people can experiment without upsetting their career progression," Gurjar said. Infosys had promoted 8,000 people in April and had slotted 12,000 promotions to be filled by November.

Wipro, has been trying to reward employees through a more tangible process by dolling out 5.7 million shares as restricted stock units to its mid-management employees. This was followed up with a band restructuring programme that saw 20,000 junior level employees being promoted at a 7-8% salary hike in the second quarter of the fiscal. "When we looked at the industry, what we realised is that people are looking at faster growth and in order to be in sync with what is happening across, we split up bands. Now we have a band for people with two years or less experience, above two years experience and above five years experience," said Saurabh Govil, executive vice-president--human resources, Wipro.

From an employee perspective, consultants feel that people are looking for breadth of role more than monetary benefits and promotions. "Promotions and financial perks do have their attraction, but to an extent, these are knee jerk reactions from companies, and may not be sustainable in the long term. What employees truly want is to have greater depth and breadth in their job roles and functions," says Priya Chetty-Rajagopal, vice president of HR consultancy Stanton Chase International.

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Dont settle abroad - work in India - Narayana Murthy

2010-10-27T09:28:00.000+05:30

Dont settle abroad - work in India - Narayana Murthy

BANGALORE: Youngsters looking to settle abroad, especially the US, courtesy IT industry should opt for career growth within India which offers larger growth opportunities than anywhere else in the world, Infosys mentor N R Narayana Murthy said on Tuesday.

"Somehow our youngsters have all assumed the idea of joining this industry is to go to US, get there, get an H1B, convert it into green card and settle down there. I think it is a wrong solution, a wrong strategy," he said while addressing a summit here.

Murthy said one expects youngsters to get good salaries and good disposal of income in India, for which they have to get good quality jobs here. "But their objective cannot be to go and settle down in some other country, especially the US."

"This time you have a great opportunity to consolidate and by working in India, by becoming a good quality professional you will sustain the advantage we have created and will make growth in India a permanent rather than a temporary feature."

On wooing back Indian talent, Murthy said there was no need to increase their salaries by 50 times to ensure this. But their lives could be made easier by providing schools, making sure that power condition and commuting is reasonably all right.

"This is being done by many countries in the world. This is nothing new. This is not rocket science," he said, adding there must also be attempts to ensure that the facilities are enhanced. "I think all state governments must make an attempt to say we will allow as many English medium schools as required because if you do not do so, then the children will not be able to move from one state to another."

Job opportunities available to children who go to English medium schools generally are seen to be of a higher quality and is a reality whether one likes it or not, he said. To get these section back, the combination of financial income coupled with comfort of living in India and with the family should be higher than the financial income and discomfort living abroad, he said.

When asked what his priorities would be if his name was proposed for the President's post, Murthy said: "In a parliamentary democracy like India, President is a ceremonial post. That is the reality."

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Check out my photos on Facebook

2010-10-25T20:50:00.001+05:30

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How to develop Leaders - Infosys Experience

2010-10-24T09:33:00.001+05:30

Matthew Frank Barney had a personal connection with India that goes back to 1997. The 41-year-old American met his Bengali wife, Shreya, in a "romantic semi-conductor factory" in Orlando. Last year, Barney also sealed a professional connection with India. He, Shreya and their two young kids moved to Mysore, where Barney joined Infosys Technologies for an assignment that will have a great bearing on how this iconic Indian software company is run and perceived for generations to come.

Barney is the head of leadership development at Infosys Leadership Institute. Never in the storied 29-year history of Infosys has so much hinged on this responsibility. The seven founders, each of them pillars in their own right, have built and run a company that is solid in its business construct and has values that are unimpeachable. But they are leaving, one by one.

Ashok Arora left in 1989 and NS Raghavan in 2000. Last year, Nandan Nilekani went to work for the government. In the next five years, the remaining four — NR Narayana Murthy, S 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan, SD Shibulal and K Dinesh — will also walk away from Infosys, in deference to Murthy's decree that all founders retire from operational roles by the age of 60 and from the board by 65. Says Barney: "It's an inflexion point for Infosys, and we need to prepare for it."

In his earlier assignments, Barney helped some of the world's top companies, including Motorola, AT&T and Lucent Technologies, to identify their next set of leaders. But, with Infosys, he's working for the first time with founders seeking to pass on the baton.

In July, Barney kicked off a hunt to identify 750 leaders, across levels, in Infosys — the largest such exercise the company has ever undertaken. It's not a random, one-time exercise to meet a pressing need.

It's a formal, structured response that is intended to become an integral part of the company. It will, continuously, identify the sparks in the company and groom them to become leaders.

Infosys has plenty of leaders, says TVS Mohandas Pai, who heads HR in Infosys and who brought in Barney.

"We believe we have around 100 leaders who can be CEOs of companies of different sizes," says Pai. "That doesn't mean, though, all of them can become the CEO of Infosys." What Infosys lacked all these years was a system that could efficiently identify, organise and hone that leadership, especially in the lower ranks. Which is what Barney and his seven-member team are putting in place.

To explain that system, one needs to start at the top. At the top, there is a 13-member board. Five of its

members are 'executive members', which means they also hold operational roles in Infosys . CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan and COO SD Shibulal are both members of the board.

Below the board is a four-member executive council: Subhash B Dhar, Chandra Shekar Kakal, BG Srinivas, and Ashok Vemuri. The highest decision-making body below the board, the executive council is the grooming place for the next CEO, CFO and COO.

But the beehive of activity is below the executive council. Out here, Barney has created a three-tiered pyramid that is intended to identify leaders at all levels from the 115,000 employees in Infosys.

At the first level, or tier-I, Infosys is looking to identify 50 Infoscians who can join the board in three to five years. "We want each leader to be outrageously successful before they even come to my process," says Barney of this set. At this leadership level, people typically have about 15 years of experience, and are geographical heads or business unit heads.

"We need to make sure that the person is passionate about business," says CEO Kris, of this elite pool. "Also, the person should know Infosys well. That's why we have always been saying that the leaders should come from inside and they should have a successful track-record."

At the second level, the hunt is for leaders capable of graduating to tier-I or running a business unit in three to five years. The target number is 150. The candidates here are vice-presidents and those reporting to unit heads, and have about 10 years of experience.

At the last level, the search is for leaders capable of graduating to tier-II position. This pool, which is intended to be 550-strong, is chosen from business and technology managers who are associate vice-presidents or below. They have about 5-7 years of experience. They are like the Suresh Rainas of the Indian cricket team.

Before Barney and this three-tiered structure, Infosys was identifying and grooming leaders, but it was more unstructured and the leadership pool was smaller. But as the company grew and its operations became more complex, as it went beyond its founders, the imperative for a leadership system increased.

"They are the first among major Indian companies to go through this transition," says John McCarthy, senior vice-president and principal analyst, Forrester Research. "It's always a challenge when you move the original management out. So far, they have done it in a transparent and orderly manner." But a CEO of a leading rival says the founders will be missed. "Infy is surely ahead in terms of planning its transition, but it will miss Murthy's vision and Nandan's ability to win and retain large accounts like BT," he says.

Professor David V Day, who is helping Infosys as an external consultant to identify sustainable leadership models, advises against benchmarking to the past. "First of all, you can never replace such visionary founders like Mr Murthy and others — they are really one of a kind. You first have to let go of the assumption that they are going to be fully replaced," he says. "The challenge then is how are we going to develop leaders we are going to need not just now, but also in the future."

Barney has some answers. "Beginning this year, we will have the 'tier top-off' process every year," he says. The 'tier top-off' is essentially a routine measurement of the numerical deficiency in the company's leadership pools. The last time, Infosys did such an exercise, it was 2007 and its leadership pool was about 50.

Barney and his seven-member team are now looking to do this annually, with a target size of 750. At every level, currently, Infosys is short. Against its earmarked number of 50 leaders in tier-I , Infosys has identified 37. Down the ranks, the vacuum increases. In tier-II, the number sought is 150 and it has identified 120. In tier-III , against 550, it has identified only 200.

At each level, the method of identifying talent is different. Tier-I is self-nominated. Infoscians who think they are up to it can apply. Their candidature is decided after an interview with the board. For tier-II, it's the tier-I leaders who work with the members of the Infosys Leadership Institute and the heads of business units to identify potential leaders.

Tier-III is through a computer-adapted assessment tool. "The tier-I leaders are fewer and relatively easier to find," says Barney, who speaks fluent Bangla. "But when I get to tier-III , there are nearly 10,000 people who can apply. With the tool, I can do it in less than half the time we did the same process."

Next comes the grooming

Infosys draws on several resources to groom leaders. These include mentoring, leadership workshops and simulation exercises. Mentoring is a big part of the initiation, and it runs through Infosys. Murthy mentors the board. The board members, including other founders, mentor 6-8 leaders at any point of time from the tier-I pool, which includes the four members of the executive council.

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Employee Communication in Change Management

2010-09-19T08:05:00.002+05:30

Communication Is Key in Change Management

By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com Guide

You cannot over-communicate when you are asking your organization to change. Every successful executive, who has led a change management effort, in my experience, makes this statement.

I have never worked with a client organization in which employees were completely happy with communication. Communication is one of the toughest issues in organizations. Effective communication requires four components interworking perfectly for “shared meaning,” my favorite definition of communication.

The individual sending the message must present the message clearly and in detail, and radiate integrity and authenticity.
The person receiving the message must decide to listen, ask questions for clarity, and trust the sender of the message.
The delivery method chosen must suit the circumstances and the needs of both the sender and the receiver.
The content of the message has to resonate and connect, on some level, with the already-held beliefs of the receiver.

With all of this going on in a communication, I think it’s a wonder that organizations ever do it well.

Change management practitioners have provided a broad range of suggestions about how to communicate well during any organizational changes.

Recommendations About Communication for Effective Change Management

Develop a written communication plan to ensure that all of the following occur within your change management process.

Communicate consistently, frequently, and through multiple channels, including speaking, writing, video, training, focus groups, bulletin boards, Intranets, and more about the change.

Communicate all that is known about the changes, as quickly as the information is available. (Make clear that your bias is toward instant communication, so some of the details may change at a later date. Tell people that your other choice is to hold all communication until you are positive about the decisions. This is disastrous in effective change management.
Provide significant amounts of time for people to ask questions, request clarification, and provide input. If you have been part of a scenario in which a leader presented changes, on overhead transparencies, to a large group, and then fled, you know what bad news this is for change integration.
Clearly communicate the vision, the mission, and the objectives of the change management effort. Help people to understand how these changes will affect them personally. (If you don’t help with this process, people will make up their own stories, usually more negative than the truth.)
Recognize that true communication is a “conversation.” It is two-way and real discussion must result. It cannot be just a presentation.
The change leaders or sponsors need to spend time conversing one-on-one or in small groups with the people who are expected to make the changes.
Communicate the reasons for the changes in such a way that people understand the context, the purpose, and the need. Practitioners have called this: “building a memorable, conceptual framework,” and “creating a theoretical framework to underpin the change.”
Provide answers to questions only if you know the answer. Leaders destroy their credibility when they provide incorrect information or appear to stumble or back-peddle, when providing an answer. It is much better to say you don’t know, and that you will try to find out.
Leaders need to listen. Avoid defensiveness, excuse-making, and answers that are given too quickly. Act with thoughtfulness.
Make leaders and change sponsors available, daily when possible, to mingle with others in the workplace.
Hold interactive workshops and forums in which all employees can explore the changes together, while learning more. Use training as a form of interactive communication and as an opportunity for people to safely explore new behaviors and ideas about change and change management. All levels of the organization must participate in the same sessions.
Communication should be proactive. If the rumor mill is already in action, the organization has waited too long to communicate.
Provide opportunities for people to network with each other, both formally and informally, to share ideas about change and change management.
Publicly review the measurements that are in place to chart progress in the change management and change efforts.
Publicize rewards and recognition for positive approaches and accomplishments in the changes and change management. Celebrate each small win publicly.

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