There was a time when it was common practice for people to spend their entire careers at the same organisation. Today, a constantly- changing market and work environment has necessitated learning new skills, making agility and adaptability intrinsic to career management. Studies indicate that millennials are especially prone to changing jobs, with a research showing that 70 per cent quit their jobs within two years. However, has the old collective employer scepticism towards frequent job hoppers also undergone a transformation? Burgeoning trend Sai Suryanarayana M, chief people officer, Fincare Small Finance Bank, opines that job hopping is on the rise…
Author: Nandini Sen | HRKatha
Having worked at the same IT Company for 11 years, Rohan Pandey, a back-end web developer, was the go-to person for most rookies on the team. Although he had guided and coached dozens of new joiners who had gone on to become full-stack developers, Rohan had remained in the same position all these years. He was by no means an underperformer; in fact, he was widely regarded as one of the most dependable employees. He was just content getting a day’s work done – logging in on time, delivering whatever tasks the team lead assigned him, delivering it and logging…
One of the most widespread employee complaints is that of bosses excessively scrutinising and supervising their work. This universally-condemned managerial style – also known as micromanagement – usually sees the bosses closely observing and controlling every aspect of an assigned task, providing unsolicited inputs and demanding continuous updates, occasionally from start to finish. Why is this considered such a harmful practice? And what do HR leaders suggest doing about it? Negative consequences galore According to a 2021 study by Accountemps, 59 per cent of employees reported working for a micromanager at some point in their career. Of these, 68 per…
The ‘purple squirrel’ in the recruitment and staffing world is the perfect candidate who ticks ALL the right boxes. Such purple squirrels have the right educational background; display the precise skill set, come with the exact amount of experience, and possess all the desired qualifications needed to fit a role. Just as the mythical purple squirrel, such candidates are rare to come across, and therefore, regarded as the Holy Grail in the talent-acquisition space. A pertinent question needs to be answered here. ‘Is the pursuit of the purple squirrel – the Purple Squirrel Syndrome – worth the time and money?…
Open discussions about salary have long been considered a workplace taboo. The last few years, however, have witnessed the concept of pay transparency gain momentum among younger professionals. Today, several companies around the world are embracing pay transparency policies and practices as a means of building a positive work environment, and narrowing the gender pay gap. According to a 2022 Visier Survey, 79 per cent of employees want some form of pay transparency, while 32 per cent desire total transparency. Pay transparency is widely believed to generate benefits such as helping attract and retain talent, improving job task performance, and…
Customising employee rewards & benefits is welcome, but organisations must manage and strategise the process with care, point out HR leaders. The importance of rewarding and recognising employees cannot be overstated. A 2018 survey conducted by Achievers tellingly reveals that 63 per cent of employees who felt recognised were unlikely to look for a new job. Today, as organisations work to attract and retain talent, the balance of power has shifted towards employees, making the human connection intrinsic to the employee experience. A 2021 survey by Gartner found that 85 per cent of employees felt it was important to be…
The work-from-home or WFH culture has frequently been hailed for allowing employees a measure of flexibility and consequently, better work-life balance. However, WFH isn’t without its fair share of ills. To begin with, there has been a steady blurring of the boundaries between office and home, the professional and private zones. The problem is being compounded by the ubiquity of virtual collaboration tools driving 24/7 connectivity and an increase in expectations and accessibility. This is inevitably resulting in plummeting productivity and burnout. According to a 2020 survey conducted by employment platform Monster, 69 per cent of American employees were facing…
Today, organisations have increasingly begun embracing new-age recruitment tools to source talent. A hackathon is one such tool that several players, particularly in the tech and banking sectors, have begun deploying to their advantage. Generally lasting 48 hours or less, a hackathon is an event designed with the objective of devising and developing innovative solutions to a problem. Infused with the spirit of competition, the experience is typically engaging and rewarding for both candidates and recruiters. On 7 October, 2022, American Airlines sponsored a Black Enterprise (BE) Smart Hackathon – a 24-hour non-stop coding competition – which saw the participation…
One of the most effective ways in which companies can attract truly diverse talent is by making the first interaction or interview a welcoming, comfortable and – most importantly – equitable experience for the candidate. Inclusive interview practices include, but aren’t limited to, using blind reviews to shortlist candidates, having a steady and streamlined interview process in place, and creating a scoring system, among others. So, how far are organisations in India adhering to such practices? And what more needs to be done? Leading voices from the HR industry provided several illuminating answers. Blind recruitment & other sector-specific policies It…
Power dynamics at the workplace refers to the balance – or imbalance – among people who share a professional relationship. With healthy and positive power dynamics, every employee feels as though their voice matters and they get to play a role in decision-making. An environment of unhealthy power dynamics, on the other hand, is typically marked by the misuse of privilege by a few in relation to lower-level employees and subordinates who are often marginalised. Not addressing privilege and power dynamics — in the form of nepotism, harassment or bullying, generates fear, mistrust and toxicity — damages the company culture.…
With remote work having become a norm, organisations, the world over, are mulling over creative measures to entice workers back to the workplace. In Sydney, Australia, property- development group, Mirvac is busy transforming its offices into ‘adaptive workplaces’, where employees can modify the space to suit their needs. They can move around furniture— desks and chairs — and plants where they want to. According to Mirvac’s head of commercial property, this unique office setup replicates the agility and comfort of work-from-home (WFH) wherein people sit around kitchen tables, even working in their bedrooms. Likewise, Clear Match Medicare, a medicare plan…
According to a recent survey conducted at Randstad US, 60 per cent of employees have quit their jobs, or are considering quitting because of bad bosses. Likewise, according to a 2022 study by researchers at MIT Sloan, a toxic work culture is the primary reason cited by people for giving up their jobs. It is not surprising to learn that a majority of employees see their organisation through their immediate boss. It is also common knowledge that managers or leaders who never offer enough appreciation, make employees overwork, and mistreat them creating an atmosphere of resentment and anxiety, driving employees…
Arguably the biggest workplace disruptor in recent decades, the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns impelled organisations to embrace several next-generation automation technologies. According to the McKinsey Global Institute, nearly half of all work could automated with the help of current and future technologies. As the HR assists organisations in refining and enhancing the employee experience, are there any automation-related best practices from its perspective? This was the subject of the third session of Automation.Nxt Conference, a one-of-a-kind event that witnessed industry leaders including CTOs and CHROs share their experiences of steering the automation processes and policies at their organisations. Organised…
After quiet quitting, ‘quiet firing’ is the latest buzzword being bandied about on social media. Scarcely a new phenomenon, quiet firing refers to a situation in which employees are tacitly encouraged by their managers to quit the organisation, instead of firing them. Managers refusing to engage, or even to offer feedback, details, training or coaching are all part of the quiet firing experience. It may also involve making the job so unrewarding that the employees will have no choice but to look for another job. Quiet firing could easily create a toxic work environment, generate resentment and trigger higher levels…
The role of the CHRO has been reimagined in recent years. Organisations now task HR with driving the digitalisation of the workforce and operations to ensure that the chosen technologies and processes prioritise people and work culture. Likewise, according to a 2021 Adobe report, 9 out of 10 CIOs are expected to play a leading role in the digital transformation of their businesses. But what role can the CIO-CHRO combination play while spearheading the automation of their organisations? The question threw up several interesting answers from senior HR leaders at the second session of the Automation.Nxt Conference, organised by HR…
A 2019 study by the Journal of Occupational and Organisational Psychology revealed that 60 per cent of interviewers know within the first 15 minutes if the candidate being interviewed is suitable for the required role. According to Forbes, such rapid decisions on the part of hiring managers are commonly a result of unconscious bias. Instead of considering an individual’s merit, the manager’s decision is swayed by perception, leading to unequal treatment for job applicants. So, what solution do HR leaders propose to prevent hiring managers from practising interview bias? Right training, right tools A bias is a natural and universal…
An effective induction programme is said to positively impact a new employee’s integration within the team and organisation as a whole. According to a 2020 resourcing and talent planning survey conducted by CIPD, a UK-based professional body for HR and people development 42 per cent of organisations are improving their induction process to boost retention. Ingram Micro, a global distributor of information technology products and services has launched one such well-designed new-hire induction initiative. Aptly named ‘Shubh Aarambh,’ auspicious beginning — the three-day orientation programme thoroughly acquaints new employees with the organisation’s business, culture, policies and people. Minakshi Samant, executive…
One of the most common expressions in workplace parlance, ‘burnout’, has acquired greater ubiquity since the COVID-19 pandemic. Affecting both regular employees and those in senior high-performing roles, a burnout is typically the result of a toxic combination of consistently high levels of stress and punishing work schedules, leaving little to no time for self-care and wellness. In 2021 and 2022, several major corporations including Twitter, Disney, Amazon, Pinterest, Starbucks and American Airlines saw their CEOs resign. While burnout may not have been the sole reason for their decision, Forbes cites “fatigue and lack of support” leading to burnout as…
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped work life the world over. The idea of flexibility at the workplace has more or less entrenched itself even as employees are transitioning out of working from home. However, has flexibility equally permeated workplace sartorial norms? Well, it may be worth remembering that many may not be willing to let go of the indescribable comfort of working from home, even when they’re not working from home. So, are Indian workplaces ready to see employees saunter into office in T-shirts, tank tops, ripped denims, and sweatpants? HRKatha spoke to some Indian HR leaders to find out…
Comviva, a subsidiary of Tech Mahindra and a global mobile solutions provider has launched a string of initiatives designed to build a more supportive, bias-free and enabling environment for women at the workplace. In a candid discussion with HR Katha, Vaishnavi Shukla, head of HR, Comviva, sheds light on some of these programmes, elucidating what and how the Company – with a workforce that is over 1800 strong in India – is doing differently. ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ talks The organisation regularly holds ‘Diversity & Inclusion’ talks aimed at dispelling bias and increasing acceptability. According to Shukla, the talks — typically…
With a 4000-strong workforce in India, Thoughtworks, a global technology company, has launched a gamut of programmes to transform itself as a more diverse, inclusive and egalitarian workplace. It aims to have 40 per cent women and underrepresented gender minorities in tech roles by the end of 2022. At present, women and gender minorities comprise 39.1 per cent of the workforce. Vapasi, for instance, is one such programme that it enables experienced women developers currently on a career break to re-enter the world of programming post a three to five-week boot camp. The short and intensive training programme is designed…
The archetypal lone wolf at the workplace isn’t very difficult to spot. Generally speaking, a loner is an individual who likes to work all by himself or herself, steers clear of interacting with co-workers, and enjoys their work more than sharing and delegating responsibility. In today’s day & age, it is widely believed that working in coordination with other people is key to success. In fact, most organisations are wary of hiring loners who stubbornly keep away from the rest of the team. Although it is a fact that loners do not thrive in team environments, it’s equally true that…
There’s scarcely anything new about gossip at the workplace. Almost every office will have a set or group of employees – a tightly-knit one or scattered across teams – that happily take on the the task of gossip mongering. While gossip – especially the fun kind that evokes laughter – can occasionally supply comic relief in an otherwise humdrum work environment, most would beg to differ if they were to be the subject of the “office story”! So, how far should people take it in their stride, and when should they flag? Moreover, can gossip ever be good? Well, here’s…
The benefits of corporate philanthropy, a key element of corporate social responsibility or CSR, are well known. Recent studies have even demonstrated a correlation between organisational philanthropy and higher levels of employee engagement, leading to a positive culture and subsequent staff retention. However, inversely, the correlation between individual employees and a philanthropic bent contributing to a better corporate environment has never been explored. The fact that members of a large workforce with a specific quality can collectively infuse the same into the company’s culture and values can scarcely be denied. So why should altruism be an exception? What philanthropic individuals…
Recent years have seen the expression ‘emotional intelligence’ (EI) become more and more common in workplace-related conversations. According to Forbes, a 2019 survey by CareerBuilder shows that 71 per cent of employers give precedence to emotional quotient (EQ) over intelligence quotient (IQ) in employees. So, what role does EQ play in recruitment? How important is it for recruiting or hiring managers to have a significant measure of EQ? For the uninitiated, EI refers to the capability of recognising and effectively managing personal emotions in ourselves as well as others. Recent studies have proved that a high degree of EI sharply…