Aligning Talent and Business

The monthly meeting of NIPM was held on 11th March 2020 at Hotel Capitol Bangalore. The speaker for the evening Mr Rajnarayan Sr VP & CHRO Titan company Ltd spoke on the very interesting and pivotal topic "Aligning Talent and Business". The speaker started out by declaring that the context is very important  while deciding on a strategy for meeting the needs of talent management- both the context of the business and the context of the organization. He said that talent management is a business process and is to be seen as such by everyone in the organization and not as a HR process.

Mr Rajnarayan said that talent management is crucial and that in the absence of a robust talent management process,  a company would be moving towards disaster. Talent should be developed in advance and be ready for filling positions as and when the need arises. It is precious and needs to be protected. The Titan Group has presence in a number of products such as watches, jewelry, Eyeware, Fragrances(perfume) and  Fastrack helmets that involves activities in the areas of manufacturing, design, retail, distribution, after sales service etc. It is therefore necessary to find and nurture talent in various areas/ disciplines across the value chain of the company.

The strategy of the Titan Group which came into existence in 1984 has been to focus on 'adornment' or lifestyle products with adequate branding. Another strategy is to enter business areas that are unorganized or under serviced and cash in on bringing some order into the business. Appetite for risk and a love for creating brands has been in the DNA of the company. The drive engine has been a culture of collaboration with a healthy balance between processes and uncertainty.

Reinventing the Foundation:  Organizational culture    

The culture of the company build over a period of over 30 years has served it well. The company today has a PBT of Rs 3000 crores. However, many of the seniors started retiring from the year 2019 and soon the entire top team is expected to change. There is a need for a robust pipeline and also a re look on the priorities and the focus areas in the coming years.In this connection the company organized a series of seminars and interactions involving all stake holders- employees, customers, suppliers and came up with 7 elements that are important to the company. It was decided to have a four pronged approach  namely (1) Foreseeing  (2) Dreaming (3) Owning and (4) Acting 

The policy of Titan is to have an unconditional positive regard for its people. This also includes a willingness to share wealth with employees when the company is successful. A "Can Do" DNA is sought to be developed in the employees. In respect of customers, the focus is on understanding the customers' needs, meeting them and rectifying wherever applicable. The Titan Group attaches a lot of importance to its obligation to the society. "Educating the Girl child"  a premier initiative of the company titled "Titan Kanya" aims to support 10,000 children living in urban, semi-urban, rural and tribal areas.

Another initiative of the company is aimed at sustaining the craft of the artisans which is slowly dying away due to the poor prospects and living conditions of these craftsmen. Titan with the twin objective of utilizing their talent for the jewelry business and also giving them a sustainable source of living have invested in over 14 Karigar parks. In these parks/ centers, the artisans are provided  lodging and boarding with recreation and gymnasium facilities. The company provides the equipment, material and training support  to the karigars enabling them to use their skills for producing jewelry of the highest standards and design. In the manufacturing process, the company ensures the best working conditions and safety practices. As a result, the life expectancy of artisans engaged in this tough occupation has gone up from  40 to 60 years and the younger generation are motivated to take up their traditional profession.

The speaker said "we need to get better in innovation, in the way we anticipate change and at being accountable." The challenge is to build leaders for the future around the cultural core of the company viz People, customer and society. In this connection, the company asked itself questions like " What do we need for the future?",  "Who has the potential to take on the needs of the future?" and "What do we want from the Titan leader of the future?"  These were discussed with people across a wide cross section of people including the first MD of the company, Xerxes Desai.

As a result of the deliberations, it was decided to evolve a Leadership competency framework for the leaders of the group. The behaviour in respect of each competency would be defined for various levels of leadership such as Senior executives, Managers, Assistant managers and junior managers. As for example the behaviour for  a competency of being 'Business savvy" would be described differently and appropriately for the various level of leaders. In order to ensure the successful implementation of the Leadership Development framework, a  Leadership sub committee of the board was formed who would oversee all connected subsystems like training and recruitment. All the members of the senior management team went through assessment centre/development centre exercises that included presentations, role plays and other processes of evaluation to identify strengths and three to four big ticket areas of improvement. 

Mr Rajnarayan said that their experience shows that working on strengthening the strengths is more effective than focusing on the weaknesses. The aligning of "development of people" to "the business" of the company  process is extended across the organization for identifying suitable talent. 100% of the top and senior management are covered under it. Potential appraisals are done for identifying the potential of the middle management against the parameters of aspiration, engagement and agility. Around 110 to 120 emerging leaders are identified who go through a eighteen month program. This  includes class room sessions at XLRI and a certification at the end of the program. After the certification, they are taken off from their regular jobs and posted on a project in a different area for a period of one year.

The entire development of people at Titan is based on the company's career philosophy of  2X2X2 +7.  This denotes that in his/her career, an executive should have been exposed to at least 2 businesses of the company, across 2 geographies and in 2 functions. While going about such exposures they should have had 7 different types of experiences across company projects. This equips them for strong inter mobility within the organization. The aim is to have all this happen as part of a co creation involving the employees. This ensures buy in and sponsorship of employees. HR has a big enabling role to play here, facilitating inclusive partnering and getting people involved in the solution. Leaders take on the role of trainers, teachers and coaches. It is important to have  all this  dovetailed to one's particular context and business. 

The speaker said that it is critical to have a succession plan. The strategy of Titan has been to recruit a large number of people as management trainees and groom most of the senior management requirements from within. Although a few are recruited laterally, it is seen that presently, out of seven senior executives five have been with the company for decades. 70% of the leadership team have put in 15 or more years with the company. Mr Rajnarayan said that although developing successors is important, it is not advisable to name a successor too early.  A pool of successors should be developed , giving them individual inputs as well, customized to specific needs. The ones not selected for an identified position can be utilized in other roles which would emerge as the organization grows/ expands.  The person identified is posted six months in advance as an understudy to the incumbent with some of the job duties being passed on to him/her with clear deliverables.

Aligning Performance to Business   

In line with the corporate philosophy of "employee inclusion", the first step of the business planning process is Bottoms up .  Initial planning and goal setting is done at departmental levels with wide consultation of employees.  These inputs and proposals are consolidated and discussed by the board which finalizes the business plan. Thus, what starts as bottoms up, now takes the form of top down goals which are accepted and strived for by everyone in the organization. This process is sharper and more agile than the traditional methods and also supported by goal labs (How to focus on the right goals and make sure the goals are pursued the right way) to make it relevant and sharp.

Goal audits are done from the top - down to the intermediary roles. The company does not have the practice of a mandated Bell curve. Since the last five years a system of calibration is followed wherein performance is discussed and justified. Each store discusses its performance with justification. This requirement of justification gets the manager thinking on the lines "If I am to justify the rating, I need to have the goals sharper."  Titan has always had a combination of group and individual productivity norms as the company believed in the importance of group contribution. However, the individual content has been increasing gradually over a period of time.

It was a very rewarding experience listening to the talent management strategy and initiatives of a very progressive company like Titan which has been following a pro people policy ever since its inception. I was particularly happy to note that the company discusses and involves its employees in the talent management decisions and the day to day operation . By this approach it has been ensuring buy in and engagement of everyone towards the short term and long term objectives. 

Impact of Emerging Technologies on Employment

The 70th International Conference & HR congress was organized by the university of engineering and management(UEM) on 22nd February 2020 at IISC Bangalore. Although the organizers are based out of Jaipur and Kolkata, they hold the annual conferences in various parts of the country in order to ensure participation  and sharing of thoughts by HR practitioners from diverse geographical and industrial backgrounds. With a theme titled " Impact of emerging technologies on employment", the conference design had two panel discussions (1)  Future of work: Impact of latest technologies on job market and (2) What are the types of jobs expected to be lost and created  which were preceded by a key note address before each discussion.  The conference commenced with a welcome address by Prof.Dr. Sathyajit Chakrabarti, President IEM-UEM Group.

The first keynote speaker Mr Praveen Kamat Kumbla, GM & HR Head, Global delivery & Enablement Wipro Ltd set the tone for the discussion sharing his thoughts on what HR can do to remain relevant at a time of emerging technologies that have quite an impact on employment. He said that HR should be able to ask itself " With the talent I have , how can I ensure that delivery happens at the earliest?' Some of the challenges faced in this connection are -  people have done certifications but are not able to make money out of it, employees don't want to come back after an assignment in the US,  arresting wastage of talent when value is falling from say $60 to $25, prep up and prepare  of one's own HR organization. He said, HR should constantly focus on adding value to the bottom line. 

Talking about recruiting students from premier educational institutions, Praveen said that it would be worthwhile to engage in 'parent connects'. "First sell your brand to parents and teachers. Then take care of HR, managers and other parts of the ecosystem."  As the Geeks of today love to be occupied 24x7 , doing varied and interesting activities ranging from being a techie to a  guitarist, a content writer and Football commentator it would be wise to allow them to do hobby projects. Give them a sabbatical after one year of working. Early boredom and an attention span down to seven minutes is the reality of the day.

The speaker also advised giving  the Gen Y opportunities for acquiring certifications and for personal learning. In order to have an effective, robust work force, he suggested replacing the bottom 20% periodically. The speaker also opined that the mentor- mentee relationship should happen naturally and advised against running a mentorship program as an intervention. He concluded his  address by observing that "application based learning is the only way for success"  and that hungry start ups may be more receptive to this idea.

The members of the Panel for the first  discussion on " Future of work" moderated by Mr Suraj Chettri,  Regional director(HR), Airbus group,  included Mr Adityapal Singh Director Talent acquisition India Informatica, Mr Vishwanadh Raju, Global head Talent Acquisition,Axiscades Engineering Technologies, Mr Indraneil Roy, Associate VP, Global talent acquisition, DMI, Ms M.D. Mohana, Director HR, SAP Labs, Mr Nadeem Pasha, Talent Acquisition Head, Inspirage and Mr C.N. Mahantesh, Head global , Recruitment Tech Mahindra.


The gist of the discussion in which all members participated is given below:

• The mode of recruitment and the tools have changed drastically right from the planning stage with candidates leaving their digital footprints in various places beginning from their student days.
• Engaging with prospective employees through regular chats and  tools like Gamification  is the order of the day.
• While the focus is to bring in the right people, agility is a key factor. As multiple generations of employees are working at the work place today, technology can be used to bridge the gap between employee aspirations and organizational needs.
•  Give employees opportunities for lateral careers encouraging them to acquire skills more relevant to the company.
• Whenever there is a change in the way of life or in technology, there would be disruption but new opportunities emerge. This was true when mankind shifted from being hunters to farmers or when the wheel was invented or when new technologies are emerging and replacing old ones in the modern times.
• Therefore, it is not about lack of jobs but equipping oneself with skills so that a skill set match can happen. There is a need to break the 'Herd mentality' of doing what most people are taking up like say Engineering disregarding one's own interest and emerging requirements of skill sets
•  Matching the SWOT analysis of a candidate with the new jobs being created is the key
• One should aim to be hands on as early as possible taking the help of incubation labs as per need. Candidates/ employees should do courses of natural interest to maintain motivation.
• Today, many cognitive jobs have been taken over by technology. Gig worker is a reality and it is going to be even more in the days to come. 
• The typical resume format has changed drastically with more focus on application and what you have actually accomplished. 
• 90% of students passing out lack social skills as also hands on experience which is expected by industry.Attaching mentors from the industry to students could equip them to bridge the gaps.
• Reinforcement Learning using AI (Artificial intelligence) is being experimented more and more. In this form of machine learning, the machine gives feedback to the learner of what has been done (trial and error)  in say the last three months.  
• The job descriptions have become more gender inclusive and company specific algorithms are available. Constant updating of one's skills is most essential.
• Whatever may be the changes in technology, the basic foundation should be kept strong. If the foundation is strong, anything can be built upon it. 
• It may appear as if computers are killing jobs what with hybrid cars, electric cars and even driver less cars!  But this is not true. although there could be loss of job for the driver, opportunities are created for others in the engineering area.
• There is a big gap between the syllabus of universities and the industry expectations which need to be bridged. It is very necessary that the fundamentals ( Math, statistics, algorithms) of engineers are strong. They should attend seminars and be exposed to live assignments. They should preferably have one patent in their name before passing out of the engineering course. 
• Rather than the conventional jobs changing with the changes in technology, it would be about a transformation of job happening with value addition in the content.
• The extraction technology has altered drastically with higher levels of production with less people. Today the jobs are more cerebral, deeper and diverse with employees being more educated and motivated. Aspirants need to look out deeper and diverse, beyond the basic job choices.
• The talent acquisition process has been revolutionized with availability of Sniper AI  that offers greater agility and hiring accuracy.  However, both 'touch' (Meet ups) and 'touch less' (BOTs handling routine tasks effectively) will be relevant and necessary  in the future as well for an effective recruitment process. 
•  Do not get carried way with what the business may demand. A 70% fit of the candidate to the job requirements is good enough
•  As toxic workplaces do not attract people, care should be taken to ensure that you have a positive environment for retention. 
• Millennials and  Generation Z rank D&I (Diversity and inclusion) high among what they value in employers. Today, technology can help in a big way in this connection for enhancing productivity, engagement and culture. There are daily based solution to training based technologies to create awareness among companies not familiar with D&I issues. Platforms ( such as Pluto and SAP) can help build diverse culture through analytics, to avoid unconscious bias and identify suitable mentors. 
• We should not be under a wrong notion that technology alone is sufficient for effectiveness in the company. Good /talented/ skilled humans are required to get the machine to learn the right things. While jobs are changing, the skills would remain the same.
• If we desire innovation in the work place, we have to adopt to sudden changes. It may be necessary to hit out at the last ball aiming for a six. 
• Mondays and Thursdays being on boarding days can be a nightmare for recruiters with candidates often just not showing up. 
• Engaging with people and getting them to imbibe the objective of the company is the key.   

The second panel discussion on "Types of jobs expected to be lost and created" was preceded by the key note address by Mr Satish Rajaratnam Senior VP & Global Head Strategic Resourcing Mphasis who spoke about the impact of technology on work transition leading to the year 2030. He spoke elaborately of the likely impact in a VUCA world which include disruptions in operation, in the business model (e.g. Ola transportation services) and in technology. This  complexity can be dealt with by better communication. 

The speaker made predictions about changes in competence and agility. Six out of ten jobs will undergo big changes. 15% of activities will change. Globally 800 million jobs will be dis-positioned ( process of informing candidates they are no longer being considered for a particular role) by 2030. There would be changes ranging from  3 to 60% in the way children are educated. The agricultural activities will see a reduction as also activities which are physical in nature. The financial services will see an increase by 9%. 

The second panel was moderated by Mr Surya Prakash Mohapatra, Global Head Wipro Digital Operations and Platforms. The members were Mr Anupam Srivastava, Director Talent Acquisition EMEA/APAC Tivo, Mr Muralidhar Teppala, Founder & CEO Shenzyn, Dr Grace Samson HR Head Informatica, Ms Asha Subramanian Sr Director (HR), Gobibo Pvt Ltd and Prof P.K.Mishra IEM-UEM Group. The gist of the discussion  is indicated below:    

• Unskilled and semi skilled jobs may be lost even as technology would make it possible to work more efficiently. As for example with the introduction of Fastag at toll booths, at least half of those originally employed would lose their jobs. This works out to 20 Lac persons overall in the country losing their jobs
• With the introduction of GST and Fastag, the running time of trucks (that run an annual average of  60,000 Kms)  have reduced considerably. Trips that previously took 10 days to cover are now completed in 7 days. This has also resulted in reduction of the number of commercial vehicles sold. 
• In respect of skilled jobs, where layers can be automated, there is  loss of jobs. Jobs like that of data visualizing expert and latest updating will survive. One has to run faster to stay in the same place. 
• Technology does not make humans irrelevant. Humans are required to effectively utilize the technology available. L'Oreal which has an employee strength of 80,000 in 150 countries receive 2 million unsolicited resumes / applications at a time. They handle it with the help of chat bot Mya  who interacts with applicants, provides clarifications,  screens for qualification & suitability and provides recommendations about the 'best fit' and 'non fit' for the job role. You need to be in control of the technology while focusing on upskilling  and motivating the employees. 
• A National employment policy is most essential which will provide the guidelines for studying trends of demand and supply of workforce in various areas and also inputs on what academics can do in a given scenario. 
• Academic institutions should be in constant touch with industry and be willing to dovetail syllabus to changing requirements. Attention should be given also to developing Spiritual Quotient (SQ)  of students as also to networking with the industry. This will provide inputs on what jobs are required for the future. 
• How can one prepare for the future challenges?  Those working in unskilled areas (Switch board operator, Lift operator,check out cashier, factory worker doing physical labour) should take steps to become semi skilled and skilled. 
• Reskilling and skill replacement is the need of the hour. It is pertinent to note here that there is a 9% increase in the robotics industry. 
• How does one match the pace with technology? -  As technology is impacting all businesses and all areas of the business, You need to ask yourself questions such as " How is it impacting my business?- Manufacturing automation, shop floor manufacturing, the retail. Having understood the impact suitable action is to be taken to meet challenges..  

The Three crisp  tips given at the end of this efficiently managed, rewarding conference organized by the  IEM- UEM Group  were 

1) Don't be scared.

2) Run faster to stay in the same place- Accept  'Reskilling' as the Mantra  of the hour.

3) Don't be complacent.   

Talent Re-imagination in the Digital Era

In the November 2019 meeting of NHRD Bangalore, Mr Shreekant Arimanithaya, Global talent leader EY Global Delivery Systems spoke on the subject of "Talent Re-imagination in the Global Era". The speaker has over 26 years of experience in companies such as Britannia, Toyota, Phillips and GE. His present company, Ernst & Young collaborate across borders and provides innovative and strategic in-house services from one of the EY delivery centers in Argentina, China, India, the Philippines and Poland.  It helps clients embrace change as an opportunity.

 The speaker started out by saying that 'Re-imagination' is not an incremental change but an exponential one, turning the business model upside down. It would involve extensive use of digital technology. It would mean leveraging intangible assets such as culture, attitude, creativity. Re-imagination would mean obtaining learning lessons from outside one's own domain as also agility lessons from other domains,other companies and functions. It would require agile change management- being able to adapt, stand up on falling down.

The exercise would involve reshaping yesterday's workforce for tomorrow's talent requirements. The existing employees are to be made 'future ready' and  then use them to recruit appropriate future employees. Harmonious working is to be achieved in a situation wherein five generations of employees are working together. 62% of companies are using flexible work force. There is a need for globally mobile employees. Curiosity, creativity, empathy and taking initiative is the need of the hour as robots are being increasingly used for routine jobs. To be able to work flexibly has become a workforce expectation. 

While 'Re-imagining talent' there is a need to focus on employee well being. The new generation tend to change jobs every three years as they get bored easily. Therefore, preparedness is crucial by paying attention to new operating models, leadership capabilities, skill sets, workforce agility, culture and new working environment. Creating long term value is important. Here is where questions like "Why we should exist?" is important.  Shreekant quoted Simon Sinek, Author & motivational speaker "Today, leaders and employees want a clarity on purpose". He also recommended that the audience watch the video of  sinek available on you tube.  I have included the video " Finding Purpose and Inspiration" here for the benefit of  readers.

Building trust, being distinct from others through client centricity, attracting exceptional talent and extensive use of data and technology with values as the foundation is the need of the hour. The employee is to be encouraged to build and personalize his/her career- You can be yourself, your voice will be heard and you can make a difference. EY supports clients in the journey for making this happen.  Curiosity is the key for building a better working world and keeping employees effective, efficient and fit for the future. Collecting listening data , mood tracking, culture survey etc. are to be done in an agile fashion to ensure social listening and a healthy culture. 

Insights into the rate of engagement, reasons for separation, emerging trends, opportunities, and potential problems can be gained by an automated HR dashboard.  With the support and insights gained from use of technology, you are in a position to give the message to employees that "You can leave us but we can't leave you and will continue to engage with you." Hybrid data management platforms like Boomerang commerce enables organizations to collect data of any type, source and structure to make data simple and accessible across multiple vendors, deployments and workloads. The information thus obtained is descriptive, predictive and prescriptive and enables decision making like those made by a medical doctor. 

There would be a role for counselors to build life time relationships. In the circle of attracting, joining, working and succeeding, a lot of personalization is to be done within generalization. for which algorithms(Set of steps to accomplish a task) have to be developed.The speaker discussed many more data platforms that would be relevant and important in the digital era. As for example interns are given tasks even as they are studying in college that skill them appropriately for the needs of the company . Subsequently,their credibility score is tracked and employment is offered if  they meet the requirements. 

Shreekant, while signing off, underscored the importance of culture in the organization which comprises of the values and behaviour of the employees. It is not about playing the game out of fear with an intention of 'not losing' but playing on purpose and 'playing to win'. In the former case the focus would be on controlling, being critical and pleasing.  However, for achieving the latter, purpose driven transformative leaders are necessary. 

New Year Gift- Promotion of the book "Corporate Poems- Straight & Simple"

I extend my warm advance New Year Greetings to all my readers! May the new year 2020 bring you and your family all happiness, prosperity, peace and harmony!

You can download for free, my E book "Corporate Poems- Straight and Simple" on Amazon as a new year gift from 1.30 PM of 1st January 2020 till 1.30 PM of 4th January 2020 Indian Standard Time. (1st Jan to 3rd Jan PST). Happy reading!  Do write a review / convey your feedback.

Link for Downloading book on Amazon : 

https://www.amazon.in/Corporate-Poems-Straight-Introspection-Correction-ebook/dp/B0827PCVKQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=corporate+poem-straight+and+simple&qid=1575389904&sr=8-1 

Linkedin Local Bengaluru December Meet- A Bird's Eye view

I attended the Linkedin Local Bengaluru Meet organized on 1st December 2019 at 91 Springboard Koramangala. After the initial briefing by host Mr Febin Rajan, intern, McAfee, on the background and aim of organizing the event, Mr Jerrin Thomas of Nupie Management Consultancy services, a data analytics company, spoke on the subject " Unlocking business value through data analytics" highlighting the impact of the latest developments in AI technology on the industry & society and how it can be leveraged. He traced the development over the years from the analogue to the digital, print based industrial society to digital form, industrial goods to information goods etc.

Jerrin said that the need for data is ever growing. so much so, the discipline of infonomics (Economics of information- Studying the production & consumption of information and transfer of money to produce, sell or obtain it)  is emerging rapidly. In the present circumstances, there is a need to address issues  caused by the move away from personal touch to digital connect, from high touch to Hi tech and from heart to mind.

The other changes include digital currency not regulated by banks, augmented reality (Users are provided with additional computer generated information  enhancing their perception of reality) that enables customers to see the size, colour etc of the product, say a table and suitably modify them to suit individual personal requirements and Humanoids with human capabilities that include  simulated thinking and remembering . The Humanoid, Sophia  manufactured by Hanson Robotics, looks and acts like humans with the aid of artificial intelligence, visual data processing and facial recognition. Critical thinking and creativity will be the key skills in 2020. There is a need to invest and experiment in new technologies, build awareness, train and develop skills & mindsets, dedicate resources and manage time. 

The next speaker for the evening was Ms Shikha Nag, Director Indian academy of public speaking/ image consultant shared her thoughts on the subject "Brand You". She started out by stating that whether we are aware of it or not, we do tend to judge a book by its cover and human beings by the image they project. Persons with the same skill sets and competence fare differently in their growth journey which is influenced by "Perception". Shikha got the participants to do an exercise in which they were required to note down three words that they believe/ wish defined them. Later she asked them to come up with action points to accomplish the three things identified. As for example one of the words I had written down was "Dependable". The action point I came up for this was "Sticking strictly to commitments". 

 The speaker said that the "Brand You" was all about marketing yourself and your career as a brand. In this connection, language of clothes ranging from power dressing to casual dress, plays  an important part. With regard to 'public speaking' she said that the word includes interacting with people in the audience. While speaking, focus only on 3 or 4 points you want the audience to remember and reinforce them later in the talk. Branding also includes personal hygiene and grooming (face, nails etc). Pay attention to etiquette  and being comfortable around people. Treat others the way they would like to be treated. An interesting statement considering the fact that we often go by the conventional line "Treat others the way you would like to be treated". Each person may have distinct unique needs and this is addressed when you treat them the way they would like to be treated. One should be  genuine & authentic and also consistent in behaviour. The personal brand should match in all places whether online or offline. 

We then had the talk by Ms Shruthi Vijay Jaiswal, Head Talent Development, Thomson Reuters who spoke on "Does your Net- Work?" The first step in networking is to ask yourself"With whom would I like to network?" Networking is not just about building relationships but sustaining them. Extroverts are not necessarily better than introverts in networking. In this connection 'Deliberation' is the key. You have to be at it and not leave it to chance. In your network , there are people who can be called as in your "In groups' and those who are in the 'Out groups'. 

You are yet to trust or feel safe with those in the 'Out group'. Therefore, there is a tendency to listen to the people in the 'In group'. ' Sponsors' are people who  are high in the list of an In group and they speak for you, even in your absence and are aware of your value. It would be advantageous to work for attaining more number of sponsors in your network. The speaker explained this, with the help of a networking play field grid. She advised the participants to make a list of their network and see how many of them in the list can be moved to the sponsorship level. She concluded by stating that networks get built over a period of time and one has to be patient. The mantra is to give without any expectations and you will benefit in the long run. 

The next speaker was Mr Rameez Mohammad, Chief People Officer, Aquagenics R&D Pvt Ltd who referred to himself as a 'Gig worker' and a bits and pieces man. He engaged the audience in an experience sharing about functioning in the Gig Economy. Rameez said he chose to tread a different path after he was fed up with the very predictable and boring 9 to 5 job. He did not wish to get into the trap of FOMO (Fear of missing out- anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media). He had also begun feeling that he did not need the amount of money he was earning for the modest lifestyle he desired.

Having taken the plunge to become a gig worker, Rameez tried his hand at a variety of activities, ranging from football coaching to teaching, web designing and cycle repairing. The concept of Maktub detailed in Paul Coelho's book 'Alchemist' showed the way and gave the courage to the speaker to pursue his path (Maktub is a belief about destiny - everything is destined and written. How when and where has already been planned and we need not get anxious about it. With Just a little patience, it will come at the appropriate time, provided we put the efforts needed.) 

The characteristics of a gig economy are flexible working and project based working with the employee moving on after the project is done. A gig worker may have to confront an 'existential crisis' while steering his way in a  gig economy . These are moments when individuals question whether their lives have meaning, purpose, or value. It may be, but not necessarily, tied to depression or negative speculations on purpose in life (e.g., "if one day I will be forgotten, what is the point of all of my work?"). Rameez shared his learning and provided tips gained from his own experience:- 

• Just do it : As you are moving into new territories, don't worry about not being the expert. figure something out, on the way.
• Deal with Self doubts:  As doubt fuels doubt one has to go beyond it and go ahead.
• Embrace the quirks: Accept the peculiar aspects of a person or situation and move on. What works for you will work for your client as well. 
• Have no limitations: Be prepared to do anything and everything out there.
• Altruism is a big driver: You tend to be happy when you are able to help someone else.
• Set up rituals for teams: In order to speak the same language. 
• Stop being transactional in relationships- No longer aim to get the maximum you can from others and give as little as possible 
• Be willing to say "No"- Not everybody deserves your time. However be free with kindness and patience.
• Be mindful in interactions: Do not hustle (push roughly/jostle). 
• Get really good at what drives you
• Be organized
• Do your own thing without getting into the 'comparison trap'.
• Set up a new normal for yourself. 
• Build your crew 
• Help and take help when needed
• Have faith instead of doubts  

This was perhaps, for me  the most valuable presentation as  it was anecdotal and came from personal experience of the speaker. Further, to my mind, with so much of uncertainties predicted for the future, everyone would do well to be prepared for working in conditions thrown up by a gig economy.  

Mr Anish .K.Raju, Digital Marketer gave information mainly about optimally using the Linkedin platform. He exhorted the participants to be more active on LinkedIn without having a fear of being judged. If some people appear to be more effective and active, it is just that they started using the platform earlier than you. LinkedIn is to be seen not merely as a social media but a networking platform that can be used effectively to get ahead in your career or business. 

The speaker gave the following tips for effectiveness on LinkedIn:-    

- Define your purpose
- Optimize your Linkedin profile by uploading a professional looking picture, a catchy phrase with a good background image/banner. 
- Effective Summary: This should be more in a story telling mode to attract the attention of readers. Showcase your experience using effective writing tools. Pay attention to skills and endorsement as it reflects your credibility. Add your blog address and other accomplishments here.
- Create content that creates value. 
- Be consistent: Post regularly. It is never too late to start. 

Anish reiterated that content is the 'King' and quality of engagement is the 'Queen' that gets you the likes and comments on the platform. He signed off by reminding the audience to give their feedback on the meet using Hashtags Linkedin Local and Linkedin Local Bengaluru (The team has worked really hard).

The last speaker for the day was Mr Ranjit Keshav, MD, Insight Guru. He said that Linkedin sells human relations to one another and that artificial intelligence(AI) is the unspoken rule to build a great career. I was a tad distracted by the excessive body movements and high volume of the voice of the speaker that I could not catch most of what was said subsequently. But he ended with the statement  "Ambition and idealism cannot go together."  

My Two Piece of Advice/Suggestion  

It cannot be denied that the December Linkedin Local Meet Bengaluru was a big accomplishment . It provided opportunity for quite a bit of learning and not mere interaction like in a party atmosphere. Going forward, I thought that I should share some thoughts that came to mind for consideration of organizers.

• Less is more: Although a lot of learning was shared by as many as six speakers, it would be better to have a balance between speaking and interacting. The interaction with participants had to be restricted to what was possible in one fifteen minute break. According to Rob Balsabas, Social media & Community Strategist, Vancouver, Canada" There's nothing that beats that face to face, handshaking, look them in the eye interaction" Having three (Max four) speakers and using the remaining time for discussion/ interaction could be a good idea. 

• Discussions on what we heard: Some time could be spend on deliberating on the actual implementation of ideas in one's own company- the Hows and the challenges/pitfalls. In one of my blogs I had suggested that the HR professional bodies- NIPM/NHRD experiment with this so that the focus would be more on the action rather than theory. 

• Starting presentation on a general subject to which all can relate: The specialized area of discussion could come later. Eg in this program the first one could have been on "Branding" or "Networking" rather than the one on "Data Analytics" ( This is of course purely a personal view)   

• Concluding Program on time: The meet commenced on the dot which is commendable. However, the concluding moments went on and on with many leaving before the formal declaration. Participants would have planned their evening  based on the concluding time notified. Many of them also come from locations very far from the venue. Therefore, it is advisable to close the meet also on time so that no one misses any part of the meet. If necessary, the program can start half an hour to one hour earlier.  

Overall the December meet of the  Linkedin Local Bengaluru  was a very fruitful and enjoyable experience. It is hoped that the community will grow from strength to strength. No amount of thumbs up to the team that made it all possible would be too much!  The initiative, drive and efforts of the entire team ( Febin Rajan, Mansi saboo, Anugrah Raveendran, Nischit Muthamma, Rejo.C.Roy and many more) was there for all to see. The defining moment was a jam packed venue at the beginning of the program- a big achievement in a nation that tends to believe in Indian Stretched Time (IST)!  

My New Book "corporate Poems- Straight and Simple" Published on Kindle

I am very happy to inform all my readers that my  book “: Corporate Poems- Straight and Simple" has been published on kindle and is now available on Kindle store/Amazon. It covers a wide spectrum of corporate work life / work in any organization..

The foreword for the book has been written by distinguished poet, writer, reviewer and Hon Literary advisor to the Cultural Center of Vijayawada and Amaravatti (CCVA), Ms Padmaja Iyengar - Paddy and recommendations by sensitive. Insightful and accomplished poet Ms Saranya Francis and former Military officer, writer &  passionate blogger,  Mr Durga Prasad Dash.

The book has been divided into five sections that are important in any organization namely

 1) Organizational Direction

2) Leadership

3) Employee Relations

4) Training and Development and

5) In the course of Day to Day work.

In the Foreword Ms Padmaja Iyengar writes " Rajeev’s long innings in managerial positions across hierarchy and organizations as also his inimitable lucid style is evident in all the poems."

 She adds "Every poem in the collection ‘Corporate Poems – Straight and Simple’ provides a management lesson to be learnt, imbibed and practised by managers in day to day work. The author, Rajeev Moothedath demystifies complicated management thoughts and deconstructs management philosophies into straight and simple poetry!"  

In her recommendation poet Saranya Francis says " Rajeev's corporate poems are a telling commentary of the corporate world's upheavals, idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. As an astute HR professional, he is uniquely placed to share observations on the personal side of the professional world. The poems in the collection are crisp, straightforward, deliberately worded and sometimes even tongue in cheek. Rajeev in his unique style has spoken to his readers through these poems"

Writer & Blogger Mr Durga Prasad Dash writes "Rajeev Moothedath’s ability to churn out poems out of dry subjects such as “HR analytics and the four abilities” is definitely commendable." 

Readers can purchase the book by following this link:  

https://www.amazon.in/Corporate-Poems-Straight-Introspection-Correction-ebook/dp/B0827PCVKQ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=corporate+poem-straight+and+simple&qid=1575389904&sr=8-1

Looking forward to the feedback from dear readers.

 


Here is a recitation of a poem titled "Till Yesterday We were Friends" from the book

Breaking the Mold- A Paradigm in Industrial Relations

The November month meeting of NHRD Hosur Chapter discussed a topic that has always been important for those working in HR, particularly for practitioners in the manufacturing sector.  From the time HR was known as 'Personnel Management', industrial relations (IR ) was held the key focus area of the function. Over the years, the focus on IR reduced on account of changes in the economic, social and political environment in the country. In HR conferences the focus and discussion  shifted to matters such as 'Talent Management', 'Leadership Development', 'Strategic HR management' and ' HR as a business partner'.

I drove down from Bangalore to Hosur to listen to the speaker of the day Mr Pramod Mahatme, Vice president Employee relations, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting. Pramod accepts invitations to speak only on the core area of Industrial relations. He said that of late, the invitations to speak have increased.Thus,while on the one hand some would believe that the focus and interest in IR has declined, on the other hand, it appears that sooner than later the IR focus will come back in a big way. Often times, it is seen that those working in IR tend to frequently change jobs. This could be because of things becoming too ‘hot’ and difficult to handle after a few years in the same company. The speaker, however has worked in only three companies since he passed out of Symbiosis Pune which includes long stints of 14-16 years in two companies viz Hindustan Lever and Wipro where he is presently working.  

IR practitioners have been generally reluctant to share their insights and the “How’ of handling tough labour situations. Therefore, it was a pleasure listening to the speaker whose thoughts were a shift from the traditional paradigm that has guided the theory and practice of IR. As for example, he says that employees form unions not because they have gained the courage to revolt but because they see and feel themselves as ‘weak’. The paradigm we hold is significant as it shapes the way we act and respond to situations. “Breaking the mold” in IR is the need of the hour.

  

There has been a gradual up-gradation over the years from labour relations to talent management. It is all to do with the demand and supply which also determines whether the management would resort to individual bargaining or collective bargaining. When the demand for people is more than the supply, they are held as 'talent'  and individual bargaining is done with them wherein the aim is to attract and retain talent at the most competitive price with a willingness to offer benefits of highest common factor. On the other hand if the supply is more than the demand for a particular skill, the people are deemed 'labour' and the organization engages in collective bargaining with their union. The aim is to achieve productivity, quality, reliability and flexibility at the best possible bargain. Lowest common denominator is attempted in collective bargaining.

Employees are attracted to unions when job security is threatened and when individual bargaining strength is reduced. It is weakness that drives unity. When the employee has a high salary and a lower market value, he tends to gravitate towards the union to offset his weakness. When a corporation has a number of units and less dependent on an individual factory, it results in weak local unions and they tend to strengthen themselves through a central federation. In the new economic scenario where organizations resort to global sourcing, the federation at national level becomes weak leading to emergence of international federation. 

Managements become strong when they are engaged in the manufacture of multiple products with multiple  factories for each product. While the strength of the management lies in its ability to sustain disruptions, for the union, the strength comes from its ability to inflict pressure through coercion. In an ideal IR scenario there would be a strong management and a strong union. This climate is possible when the management is able to say "No" to the union to unjustified demands and not succumb . In this connection, the strength of the union can be determined by its ability to say "Yes" when an offer is reasonable and acceptable. It is only a strong union  that can say "Yes" and convince its cadre. The weak  ones would be unsure and would want to frequently consult the rank and file meaning they are unable to take decisions as leaders. I have seen this happen in the first company I worked for; after  the death of a charismatic leader, the successors were weak and were scared and unable to take decisions

  

A strong union alone can agree to implement reforms in terms of improving standards, cost reduction, flexibility and stability. Whether a union leader makes an impact or not would depend on charisma, the trust that he enjoys, muscle power and ability to say "Yes". When we have weak unions on a strong wicket the result would be 'Ad-hoc decisions'. Strong union on a strong wicket results in ' 'Tough settlements'. Strong union on a weak wicket leads to 'Settlement with reforms' and weak union on a weak wicket leads to dependency on 'Court awards'. It is not the chemistry that the leaders of the management and union share that determines IR but the relative forces of interdependence that drive the relationship.   

Strike is a genuine tool in the collective bargaining process and should not be viewed as a 'misconduct'. At the same time, collective indiscipline should be dealt with firmly and not diluted as 'individual indiscipline'. Collective behaviour is not just the summation of individual behaviour. The rigid provisions in Industrial Disputes Act have come in the way of effective working of the industry. These include not being able to make changes in conditions of service/ work content without notice/consent under S9a (speaker related an instance in Hindustan Lever when changing the bottle of shampoo met with resistance), separation of employees permitted only on the grounds of misconduct, lay off/retrenchment/closure only with permission of appropriate Government and right to strike being available without notice (Non public utility services).  Although everyone agrees in principle that these are a deterrent to industrial effectiveness, no Government has been able to change these provisions due to the electoral politics. 

The speaker then went on to discuss the subject of dealing with militancy of trade unions. He said that the trade unions can be broadly divided into the following based on the nature and expertise of its leaders 

1) The trade union generalist : whose expertise is on negotiation skills

2) Labour lawyer: who starts out guiding unions but ends up taking over the leadership

3) Extortionists :  who use muscle power and militancy to get their way  

The best is the generalist; the worst the lawyers and the easiest to handle are the militant 'gundas'. To the question as to why he holds the militants as the easiest to handle, Pramod clarified that the 'Gunda' type leaders do not know the law most of the time and they are also reluctant to go to the court. He shared his own experience of how he refused discussions with a union whose member had resorted to violent methods . Later, the onus was literally on the union to get the management to resume talks with them. Militancy for whatever reasons that was seen in the 70s and 80s is not pardonable. It is liberalization that paved the way for reversing such trends. The speaker then made an interesting and provocative comment "It is the management which is the cause of militancy when it uses undue influence and coercion for collective settlements. This takes the form of misusing the standing orders and suspending workmen pending inquiry. In turn, unions resort to violence. 

The traditional aversion and antipathy to the union has to change. We have seen instances of strikes happening particularly in the auto sector on account of managements resisting the formation of union. There is even a willingness to accept all demands of employees in order to avoid union formation. An attitude of sympathy and acceptance will go a long way in having good industrial relations. After all, as discussed earlier employees look to unionize when they feel inadequate to engage in individual bargaining. With changes in the demand-supply ratio, it may not be long before the job security of IT employees comes under focus and more people in services opting for collective bargaining. 

It is to be noted that although we have many labour laws, they are not 'labour friendly' and  can at best be described as 'union friendly'. The restrictions on the separation of employees discussed earlier in this post, inhibits the employment of more people. Unions are happy that with restrictions on closure etc they continue to have people on their member list even if the industry itself has become sick and inefficient. The speaker reiterated in the end that IR would be magnanimous and operating from a position of strength when unions are accepted and encouraged as a natural phenomenon of the  IR process. He signed off by remarking "Fear of attrition will bring more attrition. Fear of strike will bring more strike." 

The biggest take away from the session, to my mind was that it underscores the importance of operating from a position of strength rather than fear - The strength of the management is in the ability to  say 'No' and that of the union is the ability to say 'Yes'.