The career of Sushil Baveja, executive director, human resource, DCM Shriram, would have taken a completely different turn if he had not paid heed to his journalist friend. That is because, MBA graduate Baveja had his heart set on journalism. During his college days, heused to be involved in radio broadcasts and was a stringer for a couple of Delhi newspapers, including Hindustan Times and Patriot. “A journalist friend of mine told me that while journalism may appear to be a glamorous profession from the outside, it isn’t as satisfying. He said, ‘If at all, you feel like writing, at…
Author: Moumita Bhattacharjee | HRKatha
When a ban was imposed in the US on enquiring about salary history during interviews, the move made quite the noise. Employers are prohibited from asking the question, ‘What was your last CTC or what is your current CTC?’ The question earlier used to determine the limit of compensation or how much an organisation should offer to the candidate. The ban was aimed at diminishing pay disparity. In the Indian context, however, asking about the last drawn CTC or the current one is as common as asking ‘Tell me about yourself’. It’s a usual practice to ascertain the offer based…
Success and talent are as different as chalk and cheese. Simply being talented does not guarantee success. Organisations have no dearth of individuals who are go-getters and possess great talent, but not all of them go on to be successful. The success of the organisation, however, depends on both talented and successful employees, as both bring a lot to the table. While talented people are driven by the zeal to prove themselves, which makes them push harder, successful people use their past experience to propel growth and achieve targets. How does one differentiate between the two and decide which type…
A Hollywood Reporter story claims that Netflix fired three marketing executives after they were found criticising the management for slacking. The report also claims that the VP – original films marketing, was reluctant to let them go but buckled under pressure. While it does raise concerns about the work culture at Netflix, it also poses a pertinent question, ‘Does one deserve a pink slip for criticising one’s boss? The streaming giant’s Co-CEO and Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, defends the decision on LinkedIn saying, “What happened here was unfortunately not simply venting on Slack or a single conversation. These were critical,…
The Employee Referral Programme or ERP, is a rather common programme across organisations. Many of firms inspire their existing employees to refer candidates who can suit the organisation, and in return earn rewards in cash or kind. A few years ago, InMobi promised Royal Enfield motorcycles to employees in India and Vespa scooters to those in the US if the candidates referred by them get hired. They sweetened the deal further by also giving an option between a trip to Bali and the Enfield! Sometimes, the rewards are immediate and at other times, they are divided into stages — from…
Employees usually subscribe to a social group in an organisation. It could be a senior they look up to or just peers who hang out with each other during breaks. Such groups keep employees glued to their positions in a company. What happens when this favourite person or a colleague from the group suddenly quits? The employees often feel abandoned and at sea, wondering what life at work would be like with no one to converse with. At times, this leads to the person quitting, and a pattern sets in with some others following suit. And before long, the organisation…
It is said that leadership is an attitude, not a title. Not every boss is a leader and vice versa. At times, however, we do come across people who hold no managerial title and yet, exhibit skills that befit a leader. Many argue that title or not, a leader will always show skills and functions that take the team forward. Leading is not only about being a boss or getting work done. Leading is also about influencing, setting precedents or bringing about a change in people. Do leaders deserve to get the title too? “Organisations should look for such talent…
Back in 2013, Philips Carbon Black included a penalty clause in its offer letters to selected candidates making them liable to pay five per cent of the offered CTC if they failed to show up on the joining date. As strange as it may sound, apparently, a vice-president hopeful had to cough up Rs 4.5 lakh under a similar policy! This isn’t uncommon in the West where companies do include such clauses in their offer letters, and they are not entirely wrong in doing so prove some data. A USA Today report from 2019 claims that as much as 20-50…
A Bloomberg report claims that an employee who spent four years delivering packages for Amazon, as a contract driver in Phoenix, suddenly got axed. It wasn’t the sacking that was sudden but the process. The driver received an automated e-mail informing him that his services had been terminated. A bot had fired a human! For Amazon, this may be quite acceptable given that Jeff Bezos, chief executive officer, Amazon, believes that machines make more accurate decisions than humans because they are devoid of bias. However, what could be a reason for alarm is the dependency on tech to carry out…
Candidates are often left tongue tied by certain questions during interviews. Questions that leave them in a dilemma as to whether to be honest or discreet. One such question is ‘Do you have any other offer in hand? Companies are always keen to know whether the candidate has other job offers in hand. This helps the recruiter to understand – how much time the organisation has to extend its offer, how much to negotiate, what to offer, and also whether to rely on the candidate or move to the next best. It also helps to gauge how valuable the person’s…
There’s always that one person in a team who is an excellent performer but has unpleasant habits. It is typical of such people to oppose management’s decisions for no apparent reason, point out issues in literally everything, and at times, even instigate colleagues against others. Their stellar report card often makes them immune to sacking. They are pleased and appeased, despite their effect on the team. This only fuels their attitude further, turning it into a significant personality trait. However, HR practitioners believe giving such people a leeway just because they have proved their mettle at work is not the…
This question has led to endless debates. Not surprising, since both have their pros and cons. Specialists are experts in their fields, and well-versed with the tricks of the trade. Therefore, their experience can benefit startups immensely. In the case of generalists, however, they are jacks-of-all-trades — good at what they do while also in the know of other domains. Their biggest asset is that they can be stretched, moulded, nurtured and built to meet business goals. They are inquisitive and curious, which lends them the ability to think out of the box. Startups are all about differentiation. Investors will…
The Family Man 2 is streaming on Amazon Prime now. A scene from the series is getting a lot of attention. Srikant Tiwari, an undercover agent, played by Manoj Bajpayee, is toiling hard at his desk-job while his manager breathes down his neck. The manager keeps pushing him to not be a ‘minimum guy’ by doing just the bare minimum. He can be seen berating Tiwari for not doing enough — from coming to office on time to his work in general. The scene got many talking on social media about the very relatable scenario, and soon the ‘minimum guy’…
The Union Government on June 1, decided to cancel the Class 12 board exams for CBSE and ICSE students. It was done keeping in mind the severity of the COVID-19 situation and the safety of the kids. However, the boards have yet to come up with a marking policy. Reports suggest that it could be based on the marks the students earned in their last three years (XI, X, XII) or class X marks and internal assessment marks of Class XII will be considered or it could be an entirely new format. “More and more people are looking for non-traditional…
If humans are social animals, extroverts are the torchbearers. In any organisation, the extroverts are the ones who draw from the energy around them and are stimulated to work. For such social people, going out and meeting different people is an integral part of their personality. Several surveys confirm that such outgoing people thrive at workplaces and go on to hold key leadership positions. “Remote working has had a negative impact on extroverts, with many even slipping into depression.” Prasad Kulkarni, SVP – human resources, Citco Group And then 2020 happened! A pandemic confined everyone to their homes. Did this…
At the beginning of the lockdown, there were several predictions on how the new world of work would drastically change. Among the several predictions that were made, one was about overseers or mid-level managers becoming redundant in the remote working model. The argument was that when companies cut short their team strengths, there will be only place for specialists and generalists will have to make way. Besides, it was believed that specialists are not required to be supervised all the time. The need was more for a leader rather than a manager. “The significance of managers has only increased in…
During an interview, the accepted protocol is that the interviewer will evaluate the candidate on whether or not he/she fits the bill. However, the reverse process also happens – the interviewee is also doing the same. He/she is evaluating the future boss. This is why candidates are advised to meet the reporting manager before accepting a job offer. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen. There are instances when candidates do not even get to meet their immediate reporting managers during an interview. The reasons could be many — they may be out of town or preoccupied with other commitments. “An interview…
An email sent by Shopify CEO, Tobi Lütke, to the mangers of the Company last August created a lot of commotion and chatter in the HR fraternity. It explicitly mentioned the organisation’s stand on leadership and social issues. However, what struck many as slightly absurd was the CEO’s stand on how the Company views its employees. His e-mail, as sourced by Business Insider, read, “Shopify, like any other for-profit company, is not a family. The very idea is preposterous. You are born into a family. You never choose it, and they can’t un-family you. It should be massively obvious that…
Attrition rates have been quite controlled in the last one year and a half because there was a job market squeeze. Many even lost jobs due to the pandemic-led recession. However, in all likelihood attrition rates may see a rise, once the pandemic is over and restrictions are eased. The tell-tale signs are already visible. An Eagle Hill Consulting survey this year, has revealed that every one out of four employees plans to quit the existing job once the pandemic subsides. The number is more in case of millennials and employees who are also caregivers. Several factors are contributing to…
Mirchi, erstwhile Radio Mirchi was specifically looking for failed entrepreneurs as ‘they understand risks, bring zeal, and infuse the much-required energy and drive to do something new.’ Vivek Kulkarni, head of HR, Mirchi shared this with HRKatha in a recent conversation. Another senior HR leader, Richard Lobo, executive VP and head of HR, Infosys, finds merit in this idea. “In today’s environment, where there is always a shortage of skilled talent, it is important for companies to realise that returnees can be a rich source of fulfilling the skill gap,” he says. “It’s like bringing women back to work. It’s…
Matrimony.com’s chief human resource officer, Rajesh Balaji recalls a case, where a new joinee as HRBP appeared to be arrogant, unresponsive, pushing the manager, and not listening or participating during open meetings, during the initial days. It was believed that the person concerned was a bad hire, and was almost written off by the management. However, Balaji decided not to give up on the new joinee so early. In a one-on-one meeting, the new HRBP changed all previous perceptions. Balaji was astonished by the person’s knowledge and intelligence. Within a few days, the executive had gathered critical information and insights…
It is still debatable whether or not such individuals are significant to an organisation, but sycophants are found in every organisation and in every field of work. Team members suck up to their bosses making the latter feel good about themselves. While the subordinates manage to find a place in the good books of the decision makers, the supervisors’ positions are never threatened. As Ravi Mishra, senior vice president, HR, global epoxy business, Aditya Birla Group, says “Most managers like people in the team who are faithful to them rather than the organisation.” Mishra calls it a ‘Do-Mo theory’ —…
Micromanagement of employees has often been frowned upon. Timed breaks, strict lunch hours and scheduled targets — keeping a tab on the staff all the time that they are in the office does not bode well. Now that we live in a world where a sizeable part of the workforce is operating from home, has there been any change. In March 2020, a leaked e-mail from the Wall Street Journal revealed how a manager wanted remote workers to inform about every break they were taking, including scheduled meetings. Basically, the employees were supposed to keep their manager informed of every…
Town halls have always been considered as an effective medium for the top leadership to get closer to their employees. It is an ‘open to all’ forum for everyone in the organisation, where policy matters are discussed, road maps assessed and employees allowed to ask questions. Webinars, which were earlier far and few between, became the go-to tool for organisations in 2020. With remote working becoming prevalent due to the pandemic, companies used the medium to converse with their employees who were located in different parts of the world. It will be wrong to think of one as an alternative…
Reckitt Benckiser (RB) continues to achieve gender pay gap in India region. From -56 in the last report issued by the Company, it has moved to -167.8. It is to be noted here that the negative number represents a gender pay or bonus gap inclining towards women. In India, 97 per cent men and 88 per cent women are eligible for bonus payment. The RB Gender Pay Report 2020 built on the last year’s report, has added five more countries to the list apart from China, India, Mexico, the UK and the US, that are usually featured. The new countries…
A LinkedIn user who is a recruiter, mentioned an experience wherein she got to hear something shocking from her client. She reveals that the client had prejudices against a candidate who belonged to a posh locality even though she fit the job requirements to the T. ‘Does she even need the job?’ was her client’s reaction. As appalling as the client’s response was, the truth is that such a possibility cannot be negated. In fact the reverse can also happen – if one is from a particular part of the town, or a suburb he/she is not considered upmarket, and…