Tuesday, December 05, 2006
The two faces of loyalty
4th December, 2006 - Business Line
Yin-yang, hot-cold, soft-hard. Taoists would agree that opposites and contradictions are many in life. One such divergence is about managing employees so as to ensure not only high productivity in the present, but also in the future.
"Employees are quite charged and motivated during the first three or five years in an organisation. After this period they become complacent. They begin to love what they have created or achieved and begin to build walls around themselves. They fear new ideas and resist changes." Thus writes Ajit Rao in `The Tao of Loyalty,' from Response (www.indiasage.com) . The key challenge, therefore, for today's businesses is, "How to keep creativity and innovativeness alive and kicking in the organisation at all levels and at all times?"
Rao rues that many corporate strategies ignore the people element. "People are more often than not looked at as an expense-line item." If, instead, you want to involve people in the framing and delivery of your strategy, you need to learn how to measure and manage the loyalty levels of employees, insists the author.
He identifies two faces of loyalty, viz. attitudinal or emotional, and behavioural. The former is about "the positive disposition that an employee has towards the organisation, the `feel-good' element or how psychologically wedded the employee is to the organisation". And the latter relates to `the stated future behaviour'.
Be warned that employees lacking loyalty can erode your brand equity and drive customers away! Combining the two faces of loyalty, Walker Information has developed a 2x2 matrix to segment employees. The `high risk' category is low on both counts, emotional and behavioural. Those high on emotional but low on behavioural loyalty are `accessible'. The opposite, that is, employees with high behavioural but low emotional loyalty, are the `trapped' lot.
The `trapped' ones can be spotted in most organisations. They don't feel emotionally loyal and `will also not move out of the organisation'. Rao explains: "These employees are probably contributing just the minimum to the organisation to avoid being fired." Well-written, and well-produced, with crisp graphics, grids and cartoons.
Yin-yang, hot-cold, soft-hard. Taoists would agree that opposites and contradictions are many in life. One such divergence is about managing employees so as to ensure not only high productivity in the present, but also in the future.
"Employees are quite charged and motivated during the first three or five years in an organisation. After this period they become complacent. They begin to love what they have created or achieved and begin to build walls around themselves. They fear new ideas and resist changes." Thus writes Ajit Rao in `The Tao of Loyalty,' from Response (www.indiasage.com) . The key challenge, therefore, for today's businesses is, "How to keep creativity and innovativeness alive and kicking in the organisation at all levels and at all times?"
Rao rues that many corporate strategies ignore the people element. "People are more often than not looked at as an expense-line item." If, instead, you want to involve people in the framing and delivery of your strategy, you need to learn how to measure and manage the loyalty levels of employees, insists the author.
He identifies two faces of loyalty, viz. attitudinal or emotional, and behavioural. The former is about "the positive disposition that an employee has towards the organisation, the `feel-good' element or how psychologically wedded the employee is to the organisation". And the latter relates to `the stated future behaviour'.
Be warned that employees lacking loyalty can erode your brand equity and drive customers away! Combining the two faces of loyalty, Walker Information has developed a 2x2 matrix to segment employees. The `high risk' category is low on both counts, emotional and behavioural. Those high on emotional but low on behavioural loyalty are `accessible'. The opposite, that is, employees with high behavioural but low emotional loyalty, are the `trapped' lot.
The `trapped' ones can be spotted in most organisations. They don't feel emotionally loyal and `will also not move out of the organisation'. Rao explains: "These employees are probably contributing just the minimum to the organisation to avoid being fired." Well-written, and well-produced, with crisp graphics, grids and cartoons.
What you talk and what you do must match
4th December, 2006 - Business Line
"Today the recruiters are very cautious. They want to check how consistent the applicant is. The recruiters want to ensure a marriage relationship with least divorces. The thought process has to be clear. There should be a match between what you talk and what you do," said Mr S. Balaji, Vice-President - Recruitment, Planet HR.in, a Bharat Matrimony Enterprise, to the MBA and MCA students of Srinivasa Institute of Technology and Management Studies, Chitoor, Andhra Pradesh.
He was addressing the students on the topic `How the graduating students can play a proactive role in recruitment', after inaugurating the Business Line Club at the institute.
The order of the day is "Survival of the fittest". The industry experiences acute shortage of skilled professionals, in general, and those with six to 12 years experience, in particular, said Mr Balaji.
Stressing the importance of positive attitude, he said, "You could have secured 95 per cent or 99 per cent in your examination, but still if you do not have the right attitude, you will not succeed."
He further added that instead of coming out with reasons for not doing a job, if one does it and even if he/she fails, one may still be appreciated for the efforts.
Interviewers are very smart.
They can pick up signals from very small things and will conclude quickly about one's abilities and character.
One has to take failure in interviews as a learning opportunity, he advised students.
"You may to go to temple and pray before attending the interview, but you also need to browse the Net and find out important things about the company.
"So that the interviewer need not waste his time on explaining about the company to you and also both of you could be at ease," he said.
"Today the recruiters are very cautious. They want to check how consistent the applicant is. The recruiters want to ensure a marriage relationship with least divorces. The thought process has to be clear. There should be a match between what you talk and what you do," said Mr S. Balaji, Vice-President - Recruitment, Planet HR.in, a Bharat Matrimony Enterprise, to the MBA and MCA students of Srinivasa Institute of Technology and Management Studies, Chitoor, Andhra Pradesh.
He was addressing the students on the topic `How the graduating students can play a proactive role in recruitment', after inaugurating the Business Line Club at the institute.
The order of the day is "Survival of the fittest". The industry experiences acute shortage of skilled professionals, in general, and those with six to 12 years experience, in particular, said Mr Balaji.
Stressing the importance of positive attitude, he said, "You could have secured 95 per cent or 99 per cent in your examination, but still if you do not have the right attitude, you will not succeed."
He further added that instead of coming out with reasons for not doing a job, if one does it and even if he/she fails, one may still be appreciated for the efforts.
Interviewers are very smart.
They can pick up signals from very small things and will conclude quickly about one's abilities and character.
One has to take failure in interviews as a learning opportunity, he advised students.
"You may to go to temple and pray before attending the interview, but you also need to browse the Net and find out important things about the company.
"So that the interviewer need not waste his time on explaining about the company to you and also both of you could be at ease," he said.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Job-hopping: does it harm your CV ?
4th December, 2006 - Economic Times
As project manager Anil Shah plays the job portals, his last two home and car EMIs have lapsed and he’s considering asking his dad for a loan. Anil initially worked in a high-end technology firm and moved into management two years ago.
Each new employer hired him for his impressive technical and personal skills. But his delivery track record finally caught up with him and he was fired five months ago. With six years experience spanning eight companies, and a salary of Rs 11 lakh per annum, Anil’s choices are limited. It could happen to you.
As an MBA student, you might look forward to a starting salary of Rs 4 lakh per annum . You might anticipate 20-30 % salary growth each year, knowing well that if your company doesn’t oblige, you can easily move to another.
Opportunities for employment and growth today are tremendous, as companies in every industry retail, software, advertising , airlines, telecom, manufacturing, BPO, films, media, architecture, you name it expand with unprecedented abandon. But how realistic are your expectations? And have you ever thought about whether your capabilities and your contribution really deserve that high a salary you are earning?
Observes HR consultant P N Singh, chairman of Grid Consultants, “The overall growth of the industry has led to a manpower crunch which has resulted in undeserved and unsustainably high salaries. It’s like the time when unions pushed salaries up and every sweeper in the Thane-Belapur industrial area earned Rs 20,000 per month! But then companies got hit, the entire belt collapsed , and people were left jobless.’’
It is possible that, at some point, the knowledge workers salary boom will come to the same disastrous end. Says Kiran Bhat, managing director , Xebec Communications, “Employment portals are fuelling unviable expectations and MBA institutes are stoking the fire. Professionals seem unconcerned that a high salary will carry high performance expectations .’’
“When youngsters ask for 20% growth in salary, are they confident of contributing 20% to revenue? Even companies don’t grow at 20%, how can individuals expect to do so without extraordinary contribution?’’ she asks, somewhat indignantly.
“It’s not just performance,’’ adds psychiatrist Dayal Mirchandani. “Learn how to learn. You need to keep up with technology, grow your people skills, and build a network. Learn how to manage—not just your subordinates but also your peers and boss. And be careful not to burn out.’’
“Build your savings! Keep your needs under control!’’ he urges, having seen too many who got caught in the consumer trap, fell prey to brands and hype, became slaves of their iPods, laptops, expensive phones, home and car loans and lived on credit card debt till shake-out time, when they found themselves in big trouble.
With several organisations in the retail sector hiring foreign nationals comfortably within industry standard pay scales, the writing on the wall is clear.
Says B S Nagesh, managing director, Shoppers’ Shop, “We have retail professionals from the UK, Philippines and South Africa on board. They bring experience of the world market that a local may not be able to offer.
Youngsters these days hop companies every year ostensibly for the learning they gain. At some point people are going to turn around and ask, ‘yes, but what about your performance? What did you deliver ?’’
“In the fashion industry you take several seasons to learn and observe trends, buy merchandise and eventually review whether your decisions held good. So, it takes 2-3 years for a person to be gauged by the organisation or even herself. Leaving a company in one year does good to no one,’’ he adds.
Reliance Retail president Raghu Pillai, one of the highest-paid professionals in the country, is a case study worth following. Initially a hands-on salesperson, he worked with tyres, then PCs, then music. At every step, he picked up new products and turned them to gold.
When he took over RPG’s Spencer’s , he broke new ground, established the FoodWorld and MusicWorld brands and chains of stores, set standards for modern retail in India, and created a team of people who, 10 years down the line, are pleasantly surprised to find themselves leaders in a burgeoning industry.
His salary is high. Big deal. Raghu’s lifestyle has remained unchanged these last 10 years. What continues to keep him happy is the excitement and challenges of the job, and ultimately his contribution to the organisation . His employers confirm that he has never been one to ask for extra—its they who have feted him.
PROTECT YOURSELF
Every high-growth industry today is service-oriented . Sharpen your customer-facing skills. It’s the hardest part of any job, but also the most rewarding.
Be loyal to your current employer. This doesn’t mean that you have to stay forever or neglect your own needs. But while with this organisation, commit yourself to its growth and success.
Match your productivity to your growth. For a 30% growth in salary, increase your contribution by 30%.
Find ways to fill the gaps in your knowledge and capabilities. Learn from those around you, read industry literature and enrol for training programmes.
Ask yourself, ‘What did I do to earn my salary today ?’ With this attitude, your salary can only increase.
As project manager Anil Shah plays the job portals, his last two home and car EMIs have lapsed and he’s considering asking his dad for a loan. Anil initially worked in a high-end technology firm and moved into management two years ago.
Each new employer hired him for his impressive technical and personal skills. But his delivery track record finally caught up with him and he was fired five months ago. With six years experience spanning eight companies, and a salary of Rs 11 lakh per annum, Anil’s choices are limited. It could happen to you.
As an MBA student, you might look forward to a starting salary of Rs 4 lakh per annum . You might anticipate 20-30 % salary growth each year, knowing well that if your company doesn’t oblige, you can easily move to another.
Opportunities for employment and growth today are tremendous, as companies in every industry retail, software, advertising , airlines, telecom, manufacturing, BPO, films, media, architecture, you name it expand with unprecedented abandon. But how realistic are your expectations? And have you ever thought about whether your capabilities and your contribution really deserve that high a salary you are earning?
Observes HR consultant P N Singh, chairman of Grid Consultants, “The overall growth of the industry has led to a manpower crunch which has resulted in undeserved and unsustainably high salaries. It’s like the time when unions pushed salaries up and every sweeper in the Thane-Belapur industrial area earned Rs 20,000 per month! But then companies got hit, the entire belt collapsed , and people were left jobless.’’
It is possible that, at some point, the knowledge workers salary boom will come to the same disastrous end. Says Kiran Bhat, managing director , Xebec Communications, “Employment portals are fuelling unviable expectations and MBA institutes are stoking the fire. Professionals seem unconcerned that a high salary will carry high performance expectations .’’
“When youngsters ask for 20% growth in salary, are they confident of contributing 20% to revenue? Even companies don’t grow at 20%, how can individuals expect to do so without extraordinary contribution?’’ she asks, somewhat indignantly.
“It’s not just performance,’’ adds psychiatrist Dayal Mirchandani. “Learn how to learn. You need to keep up with technology, grow your people skills, and build a network. Learn how to manage—not just your subordinates but also your peers and boss. And be careful not to burn out.’’
“Build your savings! Keep your needs under control!’’ he urges, having seen too many who got caught in the consumer trap, fell prey to brands and hype, became slaves of their iPods, laptops, expensive phones, home and car loans and lived on credit card debt till shake-out time, when they found themselves in big trouble.
With several organisations in the retail sector hiring foreign nationals comfortably within industry standard pay scales, the writing on the wall is clear.
Says B S Nagesh, managing director, Shoppers’ Shop, “We have retail professionals from the UK, Philippines and South Africa on board. They bring experience of the world market that a local may not be able to offer.
Youngsters these days hop companies every year ostensibly for the learning they gain. At some point people are going to turn around and ask, ‘yes, but what about your performance? What did you deliver ?’’
“In the fashion industry you take several seasons to learn and observe trends, buy merchandise and eventually review whether your decisions held good. So, it takes 2-3 years for a person to be gauged by the organisation or even herself. Leaving a company in one year does good to no one,’’ he adds.
Reliance Retail president Raghu Pillai, one of the highest-paid professionals in the country, is a case study worth following. Initially a hands-on salesperson, he worked with tyres, then PCs, then music. At every step, he picked up new products and turned them to gold.
When he took over RPG’s Spencer’s , he broke new ground, established the FoodWorld and MusicWorld brands and chains of stores, set standards for modern retail in India, and created a team of people who, 10 years down the line, are pleasantly surprised to find themselves leaders in a burgeoning industry.
His salary is high. Big deal. Raghu’s lifestyle has remained unchanged these last 10 years. What continues to keep him happy is the excitement and challenges of the job, and ultimately his contribution to the organisation . His employers confirm that he has never been one to ask for extra—its they who have feted him.
PROTECT YOURSELF
Every high-growth industry today is service-oriented . Sharpen your customer-facing skills. It’s the hardest part of any job, but also the most rewarding.
Be loyal to your current employer. This doesn’t mean that you have to stay forever or neglect your own needs. But while with this organisation, commit yourself to its growth and success.
Match your productivity to your growth. For a 30% growth in salary, increase your contribution by 30%.
Find ways to fill the gaps in your knowledge and capabilities. Learn from those around you, read industry literature and enrol for training programmes.
Ask yourself, ‘What did I do to earn my salary today ?’ With this attitude, your salary can only increase.
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