Where Will You Be in Five Years?

Most people have been asked that perennial, and somewhat annoying, question: "Where do you see yourself in five years?" Of course it is asked most often in a job interview, but it may also come up in a conversation at a networking event or a cocktail party. Knowing and communicating your career goals is challenging for even the most ambitious and focused person. Can you really know what job you'll be doing, or even want to be doing, in five years?

What the Experts Say
In today's work world, careers take numerous twists and turns and the future is often murky. "Five years, in today's environment, is very hard to predict. Most businesses don't even know what's going to be required in two or three years," says Joseph Weintraub, a professor of management and organizational behavior at Babson College and co-author of the book, The Coaching Manager: Developing Top Talent in Business. While it may be difficult to give a direct and honest response to this question, Weintraub and Timothy Butler, a senior fellow and the director of Career Development Programs at Harvard Business School, agree that you need to be prepared to answer it. And you need to treat any conversation like an interview. "Every person you talk to or meet is a potential contact, now or in the future," says Weintraub.
The first step is knowing the answer for yourself. "It's a very profound question. At the heart of it is 'where does meaning reside for me?'" says Butler. You have to clarify for yourself what you aspire to do with your career before you can communicate it confidently to others.

Be introspective
Figuring out the answer to this question is not an easy task. "The real issue is to do your homework. If you're thinking this through in the moment, you're in trouble," says Butler. In his book Getting Unstuck: A Guide to Discovering Your Next Career Path, Butler cautions that you need to be prepared to do some serious introspection and consider parts of your life that you may not regularly think about. "It starts with a reflection on what you are good at and what you are not good at," says Weintraub. Far too many people spend time doing things they are not suited for or enjoy. Weintraub suggests you ask yourself three questions:

1. What are my values?
2. What are my goals?
3. What am I willing to do to get there?

This type of contemplation can help you set a professional vision for the next five years. The challenge is then to articulate that vision in various situations: a meeting with your manager, a networking chat, or a job interview.

If you don't know, admit it
Even the deepest soul-searching may not yield a definitive plan for you. There are many moving parts in people's career decisions — family, the economy, finances — and you may simply not know what the next five years holds. Some worry that without a polished answer they will appear directionless. This may be true in some situations. "For some people, if you don't have the ambition, you're not taken seriously," says Weintraub. But you shouldn't fake it or make up an answer to satisfy your audience. This can be especially dangerous in a job interview. Saying you want P&L responsibility in five years when you have no such ambitions may land you the job, but ultimately will you be happy? "Remember the goal is to find the right job, not just a job. You don't want to get it just because you were a good interviewee," says Weintraub.

Know what they're really asking
Butler and Weintraub agree that while the five-year question is not a straightforward one. Butler says that hiring managers rely on it to get at several different pieces of information at once. The interviewer may want to know, Is this person going to be with us in five years? "The cost of turnover is high so one of my biggest concerns as a hiring manager is getting someone who will be around," says Butler. There is another implied question as well: Is the position functionally well-matched for you? The interviewer wants to know if you'll enjoy doing the job. Weintraub points to another possibility: "They are trying to understand someone's goal orientation and aspirational level." In other words, how ambitious are you? Before responding, consider what the asker wants to know.

Focus on learning and development
You run the risk of coming off as arrogant if you answer this question by saying you hope to take on a specific position in the company, especially if the interviewer is currently in that position. Butler suggests you avoid naming a particular role and answer the question in terms of learning and development: What capabilities will you have wanted to build in five years? For example, "I can't say exactly what I'm going to be doing in five years, but I hope to have further developed my skills as a strategist and people manager." This is a safe way to answer regardless of your age or career stage. "You don't want to ever give the impression that you're done learning," says Weintraub.

Reframe the questionResearch has shown that it's less important that you answer the exact question and more important that you provide a polished answer. Enter the interview knowing what three things you want the interviewer to know about you. Use every question, not just this one, to get those messages across. You can also shorten the timeframe of the question by saying something like, "I don't know where I'll be in five years, but within a year, I hope to land several high-profile clients." You can also use the opportunity to express what excites you most about the job in question. "In any competitive environment, the job is going to go to someone who is genuinely interested and can articulate their interest," says Butler.

Principles to Remember
Do:

• First, do the contemplative work to develop a personal answer to the question
• Understand what the interviewer is trying to gather from your response
• Shorten the timeframe of the question so you can give a more specific and reasonable reply

Don't:

• Make up an answer you don't believe in
• Provide a specific position or title; instead focus on what you hope to learn
• Feel limited to answering the narrow question asked — broaden it to communicate what you want the hiring manager to know about you

by Linkedin Sources

How to Build Confidence

Very few people succeed in business without a degree of confidence. Yet everyone, from young people in their first real jobs to seasoned leaders in the upper ranks of organizations, have moments — or days, months, or even years — when they are unsure of their ability to tackle challenges. No one is immune to these bouts of insecurity at work, but they don't have to hold you back.

What the Experts Say
"Confidence equals security equals positive emotion equals better performance," says Tony Schwartz, the president and CEO of The Energy Project and the author of
Be Excellent at Anything: The Four Keys to Transforming the Way We Work and Live. And yet he concedes that "insecurity plagues consciously or subconsciously every human being I've met." Overcoming this self-doubt starts with honestly assessing your abilities (and your shortcomings) and then getting comfortable enough to capitalize on (and correct) them, adds Deborah H. Gruenfeld, the Moghadam Family Professor of Leadership and Organizational Behavior and Co-Director of the Executive Program for Women Leaders at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Here's how to do that and get into the virtuous cycle that Schwartz describes.

Preparation
Your piano teacher was right: practice does make perfect. "The best way to build confidence in a given area is to invest energy in it and work hard at it," says Schwartz. Many people give up when they think they're not good at a particular job or task, assuming the exertion is fruitless. But Schwartz argues that deliberate practice will almost always trump natural aptitude. If you are unsure about your ability to do something — speak in front of large audience, negotiate with a tough customer — start by trying out the skills in a safe setting. "Practice can be very useful, and is highly recommended because in addition to building confidence, it also tends to improve quality. Actually deliver the big presentation more than once before the due date. Do a dry run before opening a new store," says Gruenfeld. Even people who are confident in their abilities can become more so with better preparation.

Get out of your own way
Confident people aren't only willing to practice, they're also willing to acknowledge that they don't — and can't — know everything. "It's better to know when you need help, than not," says Gruenfeld. "A certain degree of confidence — specifically, confidence in your ability to learn — is required to be willing to admit that you need guidance or support."
On the flip side, don't let modesty hold you back. People often get too wrapped up in what others will think to focus on what they have to offer, says Katie Orenstein, founder and director of The OpEd Project, a non-profit that empowers women to influence public policy by submitting opinion pieces to newspapers. "When you realize your value to others, confidence is no longer about self-promotion," she explains. "In fact, confidence is no longer the right word. It's about purpose." Instead of agonizing about what others might think of you or your work, concentrate on the unique perspective you bring.

Get feedback when you need it
While you don't want to completely rely on others' opinions to boost your ego, validation can also be very effective in building confidence. Gruenfeld suggests asking someone who cares about your development as well as the quality of your performance to tell you what she thinks. Be sure to pick people whose feedback will be entirely truthful; Gruenfeld notes that when performance appraisals are only positive, we stop trusting them. And then use any genuinely positive commentary you get as a talisman.
Also remember that some people need more support than others, so don't be shy about asking for it. "The White House Project finds, for example, that many women need to be told they should run for office before deciding to do so. Men do not show this pattern of needing others' validation or encouragement," says Gruenfeld. It's okay if you need praise.

Take risks
Playing to your strengths is a smart tactic but not if it means you hesitate to take on new challenges. Many people don't know what they are capable of until they are truly tested "Try things you don't think you can do. Failure can be very useful for building confidence," says Gruenfeld. Of course, this is often easier said than done. "It feels bad to not be good at something. There's a leap of faith with getting better at anything," says Schwartz. But don't assume you should feel good all the time. In fact, stressing yourself is the only way to grow. Enlisting help from others can make this easier. Gruenfeld recommends asking supervisors to let you experiment with new initiatives or skills when the stakes are relatively low and then to support you as you tackle those challenges.

Principles to Remember
Do:

• Be honest with yourself about what you know and what you still need to learn
• Practice doing the things you are unsure about
• Embrace new opportunities to prove you can do difficult things

Don't:

• Focus excessively on whether you or not you have the ability - think instead about the value you provide
• Hesitate to ask for external validation if you need it
• Worry about what others think — focus on yourself, not a theoretical and judgmental audience

by Linkedin Sources

Hey, Managers – Quit Sugarcoating

A common mistake managers make is that they are too soft with their team members, says Chandrasekhar Sripada, head of human resources at International Business Machines Corp.’s India and South Asia units.

Mr. Sripada says that instead of setting realistic expectations and being straight about bad news, managers are often tempted to be excessively tactful with their employees. But sugarcoating can backfire: It can give employees false hope and if things don’t work out, they will resent their managers for it. “The employee doesn’t like them for it,’ says Mr. Sripada.
He knows what he’s talking about: Mr. Sripada has been at the helm of IBM India’s HR team for two years. With around 100, 000 people on its payroll, IBM is one of India’s largest private employers.

From his office in Bangalore, Mr. Sripada spoke with India Real Time about common mistakes managers make, how to calibrate employee expectations and what managers can do to keep their employees engaged.
Here are edited excerpts:

IRT: What are common mistakes “people managers” make?
Mr. Sripada: One common shortcoming is the inability to manage expectations.  We have a surfeit of expectations today. Too many people want too many good things to happen in too short a time.
Most managers are very soft and diplomatic. Instead of spelling out what is possible and what is impossible and setting it straight from the beginning, they often give hopeful signals. You shouldn’t fuel hope that you can’t manage. In a high-attrition market, managers constantly live in the fear of losing people if they are straight and firm with them. But I think that if you are straight and firm, people will like it.

IRT: What is the most common complaint employees have about their managers?
Mr. Sripada: Employees can never have enough of their manager’s attention, particularly when it comes to their career development. People often think that their managers can pull a career path for them out of their pocket. But that’s not how it works.


IRT: Are managers reluctant to help their employee grow, since that may mean they’ll leave their team?
Mr. Sripada: Young managers, or those who take a very short-term view, tend to hold on to people. But more mature managers understand that if they don’t lose the employee to another team within the company, they are likely to lose them outside the company. That will be worse.


IRT: How do you keep your employees engaged?
Mr. Sripada: Employee engagement is a manager-owned, manager-driven activity. People stay because they have good managers, people leave because they don’t. The human resources team encourages managers to connect with their employees in simple, non-work related interactions. It doesn’t have to be a party, it doesn’t have to be a bash – all you need to do is to touch base. Employees should feel their managers care for them and that they are concerned about their development. Half an hour a month for each employee is sufficient. We give managers reading material on how to be effective in such sessions.
Second, we emphasize learning. Employees are happy when they feel that their manager cares about their professional growth. Among other things, we advise managers to encourage employees to avail of training programs.
Finally, we emphasize career development. We organize various types of events aimed at explaining what career possibilities there are in IBM. There are presentations on what it takes to migrate from one business unit to another, for instance. We also ask senior officials share their experiences.

 

IRT: How often would you encourage employees to change their roles?

Mr. Sripada: As a rule of thumb, once every three years. There are exceptions, such as for jobs that require interacting with clients or for jobs that require specific technological skills. In these cases it takes time to build capabilities. For most other jobs, however, people should begin exploring new roles every three years. Proactively looking for such opportunities is a process and a culture at IBM.

by Linkedin Sources

Turning Stress into an Asset...

Turning Stress into an Asset

You constantly hear how bad stress is for you: it's damaging your health, jeopardizing your relationships, and hurting your performance. While these risks are real, recent research is showing that work strain, when managed correctly, can actually have a positive impact on productivity and performance. So how can you take the stress you thought was killing you and make it constructive?

What the Experts Say

Stress is unavoidable. "We live in a world of ongoing worry, change, and uncertainty. You have to get used to it," says Justin Menkes, an expert in the field of C-suite talent evaluation and the author of Better Under Pressure: How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Themselves and Others. "Stress is an inevitable part of work and life, but the effect of stress upon us is far from inevitable," says Shawn Achor, an expert in positive psychology and the founder of Good Think, Inc. Both Achor and Menkes agree that altering your approach to stress can yield positive effects. "Stress can be good or bad depending on how you use it," says Achor. In fact, how you manage pressures can distinguish you as a leader and give you a career advantage. Here are five principles to follow.

1. Recognize worry for what it is

"When you hear about stress being unhealthy it is so often because people aren't getting to a place where they are seeing worry for what it is: a feeling," says Menkes. The heightened reaction — tension in the body, heart racing — is an indicator of how much you care about the task you are about to do. In fact, according to Menkes, how much stress you feel is directly correlated to the importance of the activity. "If it didn't matter, you wouldn't worry," he says. Once you understand worry as an indicator rather than a symptom of dysfunction or a cause for panic, you can react to it more rationally. Plus, remember that stress is not unending. "Feelings by definition are fleeting. They feel like they will be eternal but just give it five minutes," says Menkes.

2. Then, reframe the stress

Once you've recognized what worry is, you then need to adjust your mindset. Achor's research shows that how you view stress determines its effect on you. "Our brains work much better at positive than at negative, neutral, or stressed," he says. When you are negative and worried, your brain goes into "fight or flight" mode, which limits your ability to think. If you are positive and concerned, then your brain turns to "broaden and build" thinking which allows you to process more possibilities. Which direction you go in is up to you. "When people have a stress in their life, they can attempt to see it as a challenge, instead of a threat," says Achor. This mental shift will allow the feeling to be activating rather than paralyzing.

3. Focus on what you can control

One of the most positive things you can do when faced with worry or anxiety is to remember what you can affect and what you can't. Far too many people spend time feeling bad about things they simply can't change. In Achor's book, The Happiness Advantage, he outlines an exercise he calls the Island Experiment. He suggests you write out a list of stresses and put them into two circles, "islands." One island holds the things you can control. The other is for the things you can't. Ignore that second island and choose a single concrete action to take in the first. This will begin to solve the stress and move you toward your goal.

4. Create a network of support

Knowing that you have somebody to turn to can help a lot. "It's important to have that outlet so you know you can freak the heck out if you need to," says Menkes. You may not use this option, but it can be comforting to know it's there. Build supportive relationships when you're not stressed. Menkes encourages you to "put in the effort and build the emotional deposit" so you can cash it in when and if required. The company you keep also makes a difference. "Surround yourself with people who do not complain or ruminate upon things they can't change," says Achor.

5. Get some stress-handling experience

According to Menkes, the best way to learn to handle stress is through practice. "If the body is not used to stress and you experience it, you'll panic and it becomes a vicious cycle that needs to be broken," says Menkes. He often sees this in younger people: "They have more intense reactivity than older people. It's not only a function of hormones but it's a function of experience." Don't wait for a dire situation to try out these techniques. "Think about ways you can put yourself in non-game-changing, but pressured, situations. Pressure and fear are good because it means you are stretching," says Menkes. For example, if public speaking is nerve-wracking for you, he suggests you sign up for Toastmasters and try out your skills in a contained setting. Set up experiments in which you feel stress, but can manage it.

Principles to Remember

Do:

• Think of stress as an indicator that you care about something, rather than a cause for panic
• Focus on the task, rather than the emotion
• Build relationships so that you have people to turn to in times of stress

Don't:

•      Assume your stress is going to last forever
•      Worry about things that are out of your control
•      Spend time with people who are negative

       by: Linkedin sources



SULK HOGAN [identify & deal with passive aggressive tendencies]

SULK HOGAN Do you know a passive aggressive person who uses moping as a weapon or plays victim to express anger.
Here's how to spot and deal with one Divashri.Sinha @timesgroup.com
Do you know anyone who will agree to do something for you but then turn up late for the task and sulk because they are missing something else to help you Or a cook who burns the chapatti day after day even though she can make better ones This is passive aggressive behaviour.
Usually this sort of personality trait does not depend on a particular situation, but cuts across to all aspects of their life work, relationships and other social-set-ups. In fact, people who are chronically passive aggressive are notorious for playing the victim in relationships. They are known to be perpetually negative, obstructive and find excuses for their procrastination, stubbornness, inefficiency as well as under-performance. They are bound to their resentment more closely than to their satisfaction. Clinical psychologist Shweta Bhatnagar explains, It isn't visible anger like hitting or shouting, where one is evidently angry and needs to vent. Passive aggression is a covert form of abuse, which is subtle, veiled and more often than not, sugar-coated with love and concern. Because of it's tricky characteristics, often those who engage in the behaviour are unaware of the extent of damage they inflict. When confronted, they are sincerely dismayed. Their own lack of insight into their feelings makes them believe others misunderstand them or are holding them to unreasonable standards.
Interestingly, there are strains of this in all of us, some stronger than others. Women in fact, are a lot more passive aggressive in their behaviour than men. While it isn't a devastating realisation, the negativity needs to be expunged to be happy and emotionally healthy. As children, women are told to be nurturing, caring and non-aggressive. They take on the martyr mode but as events in life pile up, they start holding others responsible for their misery. Taking care of others becomes an excuse for neglecting themselves, for which they resent the others, usually spouses, says Bhatnagar.
Passive aggressive people are not ill meaning. They are simply illequipped to handle certain truths. Their strongest emotion is denial, while they have a strong desire to
connect; their defence mechanism makes them guarded to the point of being self-destructive. Yet, it is not only detrimental for the individual suffering from passive aggression, but also for those subjected to it. Heres how you can identify the people with passive aggressive tendencies.
LACKING ANGER
Essentially, this form of aggression is the inability to express anger in a healthy way and takes years to develop. As kids, they are made to believe that anger is unacceptable, so they go through life without actively expressing it. They seem very accommodating, but tend to give it back in an under-handed manner. They sabotage situations and relationships to get their point across instead of dealing with it in a healthy communicative manner.

BLAME GAME
They almost never take responsibility for their actions. It is anyone, but them. In relationships, almost all the problems can be traced back to your lack of concern or complacency without any responsibility being taken on their part. Be it communication gaps, intimacy issues, adjustment problems, it is all usually your doing.

AMBIGUITY
They rarely mean what they say, or say what they mean. Their actions speak louder than words and thats the best way to judge them. They don't act until theyve caused some stress by their ambiguous communication. They may say, they are okay with you staying in touch with a certain ex-girlfriend/boyfriend but may find covert ways of blaming your current problems on your behaviour in past relationships, or sabotage your communication with them without coming under the scanner

PROCRASTINATION AND SULLENNESS While we all are guilty of being procrastinators, passive aggressive individuals use it as a tool to get their way. They find ways to project negativity around them. They are moody and often do not like doing things they didnt sign up for. While they may never accept it openly, their actions always convey their intent.

CONSCIOUS OBSTRUCTIONISM
This is a common form of work place aggression, exhibited by passive aggressive people, when an employee justifies why they hinder their own work, by being complacent with their responsibilities. Besides, people with this disorder expect others to run their errands and to carry out their daily responsibilities. They tend to walk slowly, work slowly, deliberately to slow down the pace of work and their daily productivity.

FEAR OF INTIMACY
They have difficultly trusting people and are very guarded in their relationships. They avoid intimate attachments. They may be intimate in bed and make you feel loved, but their sense of detachment runs deep. During a difficult phase, they will be able to disconnect easily and keep you on tenterhooks.

THEM AND YOU
According to psychotherapist Prerna Shah, through their dependency they control you. They make you feel they don't need to depend on you, but find ways to attach themselves much closer than theyd admit. They engage in relationships where someone can be an object for their hostility. They are attracted to people with low self esteem, who will make excuses for their bad behaviour. Over time, their partner feels blamed for everything while being made to feel like they are in a loving relationship, with someone who is unable to form a meaningful bond, says Shah.

HOW TO DEAL WITH PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR
THE BEST way to deal with them is to understand the problem and confront it. Help them acknowledge of their share damage is essential for their own well-being. LET THE conversation be about your feelings not their bad behaviour and do not attack their character. Bring up one issue at a time and try not to stretch the conversation indefinitely. RECOGNISE THAT a passive aggressive person is not a victim. Don't be bullied into accepting faults. They need to be made to feel responsible for their own actions. BE STRAIGHT-FORWARD with a passive aggressive person. When they ill-treat you, speak to the person about the behaviour in a direct manner. IF THEY resist, they will need encouragement and your intention should be made clear. FOR ANY drastic change to happen, the realisation needs to come from within. They should be willing to acknowledge their own self-destructive behaviour and seek help for it. SOMETIMES IT helps to revisit childhood issues and seek closure in order to have mature relationships and to be happier individuals. FRIENDS, FAMILY, professional help and even meditation go a long way in reassuring a passive aggressive of trust and faith.

Well arranged DATE...

Well arranged date

Going in for an arranged marriage? Meeting the prospective needn’t be a hellish affair Namrata.Bhawnani @timesgroup

    At some point, singletons will feel pressured by their parents and an assortment of relatives to consider someone they’ve shorlisted. Arranged marriages are a legit way to meet people, and whether you enter the market willingly or grudgingly, you will at least meet people who are serious about commitment. So, what is the protocol when you meet someone through a more formal medium? Your attitude to the process could make it at least a painless, if not enjoyable process. Karishma Malkani, who has been setting up eligible singles for 12 years now, gives you a few tips on arranged date decorum:
ELIMINATE TO FACILITATE Ninety per cent of Karishma's clients tend to shortlist people on the basis of the photograph. But pictures can be misleading. "Some people look better in person, some photos make a person appear more attractive. I always tell my clients not to base their judgment simply on a picture. A smiling photograph in Western casuals (that seems to be the general preference) will do the trick."
    Unfortunately, she points out, there are more eligible girls than boys. It's harder to find decent looking and well educated boys, so the boys end up having more choice than the girls.
    It's also important to shortlist profiles on factors such as diet (vegetarians prefer not to meet nonvegetarians), living with the family or apart, etc. This helps save time and energy on both sides.
MINUS THE KHANDAAN, PLEASE Earlier, when two families met, usually they'd be accompanied by an assortment of siblings, grandparents, uncles and aunties. Karishma has noticed that the new trend is for the couple to meet minus the chaperones. "Youngsters prefer meeting alone at a coffee shop. With the khandaan, they barely get time to know each other. The second meeting could be with the parents. Some people still go with their folks, but it's uncomfortable to have people staring at you. Others, especially the girl's parents, want to see the boy first before letting him meet their daughter. Eighty five per cent parents are letting their kids meet alone. To take immediate family is perhaps okay, but not other relatives."
    It's embarrassing to be directed to another table. "Go talk, beta," is the usual refrain. Avoid it. For obvious reasons.
ASK ME ANYTHING. OR NOT Now that you've met and your potential partner hasn't repulsed you in the first five minutes, what are the appropriate subjects to touch on? Karishma says, "The first meeting is more formal usually. I've noticed that now people ask about everything frankly. They want to know how well settled the other person is, how many siblings, how many relationships the other person has had, etc. Ideally, leave the more personal questions for the next date. Some people have complained that they don't like being asked that. Talk about mutual interests and likes and dislikes. Be yourself, because you can't fool anyone for long."
    Questions like 'Can you cook?' are redundant. You're looking for an equal partner, not a maid. Ensure that your queries are phrased in the least offensive manner.
WHAT'S YOUR SALARY? To inquire about a prospective candidate's financial status is not a polite question. You're not buying a commodity, this is a life partner you're thinking about. "Of course, it's important," says Karishma, "But usually I have the financial details of those registered with us. So, it saves the embarrassment of asking that question."
CHEQUE, PLEASE If the kids meet alone, says Karishma, usually it's the boys who pick up the cheque. "Yes, the thought that he can't pick up a piddly coffee bill may cross the girl's mind. Also, I think the belief that when families meet, the girl's parents are supposed to pay is outdated,” she says.
SORRY. NEXT… Arranged marriages are like the lottery. “I met my husband on the first meeting and now we’re celebrating our 14th anniversary. But not everyone is so lucky,” she says with a laugh. So how do you politely communicate your disinterest? You could always have a friend on standby who calls you with an emergency. Karishma laughs, "Usually, people leave the dirty work to me. If you want to meet the person again, ask for the phone number and send a polite message. Pay them the respect of giving them your full attention even if you don't like them. Or just go home and tell your parents it isn't working."
    Most parents would like you to make up your mind after about three meetings and they don't like their daughters meeting a guy ten times before he rejects her, Karishma observes. And there is not need to insult anyone when you reject them. Usually, the safest excuse is to say that the horoscopes don't match. That way you can blame the divine powers for the mismatch.
AMATEUR SHERLOCK HOLMES-ING
Arranged set-ups always throw up the trust factor question. There have been instances where people have hidden their medical condition or lied about their financial status. So how does one know if a person's claims are real? Karishma says, "People conduct discreet inquiries from at least four-five sources when they zero in on a bride/ groom. I caution them to not barge in at their workplaces or randomly call up colleagues. Go with an appointment. I don't give away the names of the companies where the candidates are working. People ask in societies as well. Normally, they just figure out a friend or relative who knows someone in the marriage prospect's company to make discreet inquiries."
    Go through the process thoughtfully, and hopefully you'll make an informed decision that will change your life beautifully. 

 

ARE YOU REWARD-WORTHY?

ARE YOU REWARD-WORTHY?

Although the Reward and Recognition (R&R) policy is quite common in the corporate arena, firms are thinking beyond mere monetary benefits to keep their employees happy, says Sheetal Srivastava

    In the current scenario, it is vital to look beyond compensation as the sole motivation and retention factor for employees.With changing times, monetary rewards and medical/health benefits are no more novelties for the employee, but have become mandatory hygiene factors to be a part of any organization. Hence, these benefits are not lucrative enough to retain employees in current times.
    “Increasingly, it is becoming vivid that the battle for talent involves much more than highly effective, strategically designed compensation and benefits programmes. While these programmes remain critical, the most successful companies have realised that they must take a much broader look at factors w.r.t attraction, motivation and retention. And they must deploy all of the factors including compensation, benefits, worklife, recognition, development and career opportunities to their strategic advantage,” says Rajeev Bhadauria, group president- HR, Reliance Infrastructure.
    “In today’s times, companies are following the ‘Total Rewards’ philosophy comprising a combination of market relevant rewards that draw from individual, team and business performance and believe in rewarding meritocracy. Companies in India are looking at differentiated rewards systems, and adopting ‘Total Rewards’ practices that cover not only cash component, but also pay for performance, benefits, work-life balance programmes, competency/skill based pay packages, career opportunities such as overseas assignment, job rotation, etc,” expresses Prithvi Shergill, lead India HR, Accenture.
    The key to employee retention today is to look beyond just fixed pay and variable pay – and move to smart people management practices. HCL Technologies has introduced unique initiatives like ‘O2 League of Extraordinary’ and ‘Xtra Miles’ that focus on making employees feel valued and motivated. O2 recognises employees who are given the rating of ‘outstanding’ in their performance reviews for two consecutive years. Similarly, Xtra Miles is a unique reward & recognition portal, which is an empowerment tool in the hands of HCLites to recognize extraordinary efforts and sterling performances of peers, colleagues or seniors as well as encourage the ‘Thank You’ culture.
    The concept of ‘Total Rewards’ is focused on enabling an emotional connect between the employees and the organization by providing work-life benefits, health care, education, recognition, mentoring, etc.Those companies who have very well-defined philosophies with regard to holistic and sustainable growth will emerge progressive.To enjoy the benefits of overall productivity and reduced attrition, companies need to find that perfect combination, which allows employees to succeed in both personal and professional spheres.“One of our rewards and recognition programmes include global mobility that allows performers to take on international assignments within the AXA group,” says Chirag Buch, head HR, Bharti AXA General Insurance. Nokia Siemens Networks encourages international career assignments with employment policies designed to facilitate and not inhibit job mobility within the company. In addition, international short-term and long-term delegations providing challenging assignments in other countries can also be a part of an employee’s personal development plan.
    Whatever the route, engaged employees help bolster the bottom-line of the company by building the reputation and brand of the company, as they stay longer and strive harder to perform. And what better way than rewarding and recognizing them!
sheetal.srivastava@timesgroup.com

WATERCOOLER BYTES

Do you think in the present-day corporate scenario, investment in effective HR tools has become mandatory?

SOUMIK BANDHYOPADHYAY, chief executive officer, ATS Group: “The key differentiator in businesses across industries today is the quality of human resources. Therefore, no investment can be enough to capacitise the HRM function with tools and practices to discharge its responsibilities in an organisation. An effective HR mechanism must focus on hiring based on organisational fit, not just job fit; keep employees engaged through an environment of continuous development, trust and empowerment and nurture aspirations through continuous reward and recognition. The focus of generating employee productivity must shift from employees to the employer and this can only be achieved through an effective and a responsive HR system.”
ADITYA NARAYAN MISHRA, VP-staffing, Ma Foi Randstad: “Organisations need to provide HR with sufficient resources to ensure that organisational goals are in alignment with managerial ones. And in order to ensure the above, organisations need to play a vital role and make the necessary investments.”
ROSITA RABINDRA, executive vice president and head HR, NIIT Technologies: “HR initiatives contribute directly to improved staff satisfaction and productivity, both of which, impact the success of an organisation. Many companies have made several investments and empowered HR to run their own show.”
    (Compiled by Priya C Nair and Yasmin Taj)