Swati CA

Karthik Rajaram

2008-10-13T09:30:00.001+05:30

A dead man’s tale
I couldn’t sleep last night. The horrific images of six bodies found at a gated community in the San Fernando Valley neighbourhood of Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles on Monday, October 6, 2008, and which were splashed on every single ...
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Letters

2008-10-12T09:33:00.002+05:30

On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 4:10 PM, Richa Bhatnagar wrote:

Hi,

I was going through Blogs and found some very interesting articles and blogs of yours on professional fields.

The Times of India is launching a new professional networking site for the Top-Level Management. I would like to invite you to write blogs and articles for our site which are related to the Specialized Functional areas. If you are interested, kindly reply back and we can talk about the same. My contact no# is +91 9910364975

Regards,

Richa Bhatnagar

Assistant Manager

Times Group

**
On Fri, Jun 20, 2008 at 12:29 AM, NARENDRA SUREKA wrote:

hiiii....swati..i just made a seen to your web address and it seems good to undersatnd the issues put up...very well nurtured to the general and common ethics in todays environment....i m pursuing my CA and will b sitiing for my final exams....i would b needing the help in these kind of stuff where we can undersatnd thing better....will b grateful to receive reply from your side.....

Your blogspot Reader

Narendra kumat sureka

**
On Thu, Jun 19, 2008 at 1:37 PM,

wrote:

Respected Swati

You have higlighted an eternal problem in Indian households.My take on the issue

Parents have genuine dreams about their children and wish that their kids have the best in life. As a consequence, they become more directive and indulgent in meticulously planning the child’s progress; through the formative stages of life. But the real problem is that the children are pampered a lot and don’t seek to assert their individuality. Over time they start enjoying; what is imposed on them. The education system is also geared to churn out rote learners ,diffident and dependent on advice.

Parents must encourage kids to decide for themselves from a young age, provide the opportunity holistic education .This can mitigate the conflict and create a win-win situation for the parent as well as the child.

best regards
deepan
Milan

Culture couture: What’s wrong in partying?

2007-12-31T20:25:00.000+05:30

Another year will pass away into oblivion tonight. Three hundred sixty five days of experiences. New moments will precede older ones. Some will give in. Others will fade. People reflect on what they have done while others chalk out New Year’s resolutions. But why is Mr Sharma arguing with her daughter?

“This is the last time, I am saying this. No party on New Year’s Eve,” screamed the 48-year-old housewife. Pointing out that partying was never our culture and an unnecessary evil that was trying to carve out its own niche in our Indian system, the mother thought finally she had won the battle of words. Unlike men, women fight it out on the basis of their arsenal of words. Mostly.

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Serving food justice to all

2007-12-29T21:07:00.000+05:30

We all have at sometime or the other looked at the streets that at daytime look the busiest. Traffic, shops, and scores of people in hurry make for a great combination! At night though, it is a different picture altogether. Recently, I was dropped home after attending a rather dull social gathering at around 12 at night. The tyres went bust on the highway, compounding our problems. My house is one of those which is not on the main road and neither does it have a pathway that can accommodate a car. This means that I actually have to walk around 20 feet, after getting down from the car. At night, it does give a shiver!

And that night as I was getting back, I witnessed something terrible. An old lady scrounging from a packet that smelled ghastly from 50 steps away. A child who stood beside her (maybe a relative) told her to put her hand deeper into the packet. The ordeal of braving the obnoxious smell, standing barefoot on wet ground and searching in the darkest of alleys were all just for a fistful of rice.

That’s depressing. It never bothered me till then that there are around 90 crore people in the world who are chronically hungry. To most of us these people are invisible till we encounter them. The next day, I did a few things. First I tried to find out who the lady and the child were. Nobody seemed to have a clue. Then I surfed the Internet to find and I came across an interesting Web page: http://sabkokhana.googlepages.com/home. Just to see that there was somebody who had felt the need to do something was sobering.

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Debt-trap and beyond...

2007-12-29T20:44:00.001+05:30

It’s the same moth and candle story. For those of you who are unaware of what we are speaking of, moths have an unexplained attraction for light. Due to their nocturnal nature, most often the only light source that moths come across are candles. They die shortly afterwards; for, they are too late to rescue themselves from the searing heat. This somewhat explains Ramu’s story. He is a 38-year-old division head at my company. After passing out with a diploma in engineering, Ramu got an MBA and soon was in august company. It’s hard to be judgmental on people you know, at least professionally, is it not?

Maybe the lifestyle, societal demands or his own weakness got the better of him. “I don’t know Swati, how I landed myself in this mess…there are sixteen credit cards that have reached their credit limit, one car loan, one house loan, a stash of money that I need to payback to my relatives,” gasped Ramu as he broke down.

Like most people, I was about to leave when my boss asked me to wait for an email that he expected to contain some critical information. At around eight, I gave up my wait and was heading for the exit, when I saw Ramu sitting in the corner, with sore eyes.

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Thin margins on large volumes could be a recipe for disaster

2007-12-29T20:32:00.001+05:30

Ever wondered how the retail stores offer super discounts? If you are like everybody else, you buy the tangiest pickle jar (yes, the large one) and simply love your store that offers you great deals everyday. But if you were someone like me, then you would stop for a moment to figure out how you can have two jars at the price of just one! They must be crazy or else. Brace yourself for the two most important words in business: margin and volume.

Most businesses buy/procure raw materials at cheap prices and then offer it to you after adding a margin (which includes cost of storing the product, packaging, manpower, profits, etc.) The best, and arguably the biggest, businesses boast both margins and volumes. But increasingly, some businesses are growing large by just doing one side of the business well. And that’s where the danger lies for the small guy.

Mutuo caveo

2007-12-29T19:33:00.000+05:30

Mutuo caveo: Borrower beware

Hundreds of years ago moneylenders used to send “lathials” to collect their dues from poor farmers. The borrower put up with a lot of insult starting from expletives, physical torture and finally ended with the farmer’s cattle or crop finding their way out of his home.

Centuries down the line, the borrower’s situation hasn’t changed much!

“Own that new vehicle you have constantly desired, with a small help from us.”

“Our interest rates would surprise you.”

“Worried about paperwork? Calm down.”

Funny how the catchy advertisements by banks don’t mention a word about the rogues that arrive at your doorstep when you fail to pay up an EMI!

Welcome to the world of loans where borrowing can be a handicap, literally, if you were go by the events that have unfolded recently.

What has attracted more attention is not the quantum of compensation ordered recently by The Delhi State Consumer Commission, but the sheer brutality of the violence on an innocent person who was in no way connected to the loan doled out by the errant bank.

India’s Marshal Mackennas

2007-11-12T10:04:00.000+05:30

Gold chase

The biggest strength of gold throughout history has not been that you make money by holding it, but rather you do not lose. But it looks like gold expert Timothy Green’s words need some update with gold prices surging to $823.40 an ounce, for the first time since 1980. In rupee terms, it translates to Rs 11,415 per 10 grams!

If you thought that rupee is not the only thing that has appreciated in value, think again. I was shocked to find out that on November 7, the yellow metal that has been the bane of many civilisations reached a 27-year high. I asked my aunt and she shot back with the most typical answer: “It’s festival season”. I personally don’t think that this explains the steep rise of the precious metal. As recently as 2002, when I was doing my last year of graduation, 10 grams of gold cost Rs 5,030.

Is greed the issue, or the associated consumerism?

2007-11-07T09:38:00.000+05:30

We have become impatient...

Sorry for disappearing without a notice.

Your world can change in just 180 days. The way you see people, the way you thought things worked, the way you thought life would change…everything can transform and that is what I discovered in my sabbatical.

But when I look back at the days that I spent before attending the diploma in developmental economics, I think I lacked realism.

Models, you can make for just anything; but, for any model to work coherently, we need real situations and see whether they can stand the test of realism. “Economics with a human face,” I understand the meaning now...

Returning....

2007-11-04T14:22:00.000+05:30

Hi, hope to catch up... soon!

How about free health check-up for every Indian? (April 09, 2007)
Can cricket obsession affect one's productivity? (March 26, 2007)
Merge business interests with social causes (March 12, 2007)
We are a bullock-cart economy, so what? (February 26, 2007)
Levy taxes but give us stability, fairness and peace (February 19, 2007)
How inflation hits hard the pensioners (February 12, 2007)
Are there ways to tap the skills of the educated unemployed? (February 05, 2007)
When knowledge economy spills over to public places (January 29, 2007)
Philanthropic acts need not be trumpeted from rooftops (January 15, 2007)
The elite have a big responsibility (January 08, 2007)
One more New Year party amidst persistent poverty (January 01, 2007)

How inflation hits hard the pensioners

2007-02-12T11:06:00.000+05:30

Woes of the senior citizens

It is not often that I visit the pharmacy, which is good, in a way. Yet, I had to go to a drug-store nearby a few days ago, to buy lozenges for my sore throat.

At the entrance, I saw an old couple who stay in the block adjacent to mine. "Hi," said grandpa, as he is known. And the grandma was anxious to know what brought me to buy medicines. We three spent some time talking about work and weather, traffic and TV, and soon our discussion veered towards microeconomics.

"Our interest income is not enough these days!" said grandpa, shaking his head ruefully. And his wife chipped in: "Expenses keep increasing, even for our bare minimum needs..."

I wanted to ask them if they were curtailing their medicines on account of price increases, which I suspected could well be the case. But before I could manage to take the topic forward, they said `bye', amazingly cheerfully, and slowly moved away.

The thought that kept coming back to me thereafter was about the adverse impact of inflation on pensioners who depend on interest receipts. Send in your thoughts by Friday.

Swati CA

Knowledge economy spilling over to public places...

2007-02-12T11:04:00.000+05:30

Knowledge should never be kept stagnant. It should always be transferred. Everything that we communicate is actually a kind of knowledge transfer, as during debates, for example. So, knowledge transfer sessions will lead to growth in the knowledge economy, and this has no boundaries of age, language, sex, caste or race. Let’s make sure that there is a continual high growth in our knowledge sector.

Devisetty Manojna
Salem
**

Informal and impromptu meetings will grow over time. Organising meetings with a fixed agenda and venue are proving costly. In today’s networked world, getting across to many other persons is not an issue at all. However, emails, SMS, and video-conferencing cannot replace the impact of one-on-one meetings and get-togethers. An informal ambience adds to the comfort level. Let the number of such meetings increase.

Krithivasan
**

I do agree with you that the signs of the knowledge industry should be more evident in our day-to-day life.
It has already taken rapid strides, as in travel booking and communications. But one thing we fail to acknowledge is the continuing poor state of our farming sector and the manufacturing sector, where we are unable to achieve any breakthrough. Only these sectors can generate employment and help end poverty. Therefore, more efforts from the IT sector should go into development of these areas.

Rajesh
**

When we discuss any issue in public we get to know various views and we will be able to come out with the most astonishing solution to even intractable problems.

C. Maruthi Kumari
Salem
**

Maximise the usage of individual skills

2007-02-12T11:00:00.000+05:30

For all those who drop out of the job race and have been left stranded in the path of career, it would be wise if they look at harnessing the unique individual skill that they have. Maximizing the usage of individual skills, like, from the example of carrom-board game, where the youth can form together a small group and start providing basic training to the neighbourhood community on the game's nuances.

This idea is not to demean their educational qualification but to develop a good network of believers and well-wishers, using which they can always land up in a lucrative job. There can also be instance where the youths will realise where their real potential is and start working towards that goal rather than getting lost in the crowds of empty partying and mindless enjoyments. Coming together as a group also addresses the issue on lack of diversity in the knowledge skill set that every individual possesses.

Regards
Sriram Kannan

Reduce corruption to generate employment

2007-02-12T10:57:00.000+05:30

It is a fact that the normal Indian youth if not utilising his time usefully, in whatever way, tends to fritter away. That idleness leads to various outcomes, which are not for the long term good of the individuals and the society. One of the reasons is abject poverty of the majority. Despite long period of socialism and welfare policies, the ultimate beneficiaries have not derived any tangible improvement. That is because of the massive corruption in the planning and execution of the welfare policies. As such, the most important thing to aim and strive for, is to reduce the corruption levels, if not complete elimination. Further, the NGOs and other voluntary agencies also can join and spend their energies towards this end. What is needed is education and some vocational/other course, followed up by employment generation. The aim should be not to give rice and dal, utensils, TV sets etc but to make them stand on their own legs and earn a well deserved living.

Krithivasan

Ideas for the unemployed youth

2007-02-12T10:56:00.000+05:30

How to tap the skill of these unemployed youth:

Actually service sector is growing. The needs of services is growing in geometric progression. Youth should make use of this.

Now-a-days nobody is having time to attend so many domestic chores, especially number of working people. Number of working ladies is increasing, so also the need of services (domestic help).

Youth can form Self Help unemployed association and they can provide these services to people - 1. Working ladies 2. Old people 3. Needs of house wives. Select the locality and assess the need of those.

Ø Have food processor and supply cut vegetables, fruits, fresh fruit juices, salad of raw vegetables, specially cleaned onions, greens, banana flower, banana stem etc.

Ø Have plumber, electrician to attend small jobs in their locality.

Ø Have one auto, van to satisfy the need of transport facilities of those families.

Ø Have vacuum cleaner – do the cleaning of the house including furniture, doors, window panes, etc.

Ø Having one stitching machine – repairing of clothes, dresses, etc.

Ø Door delivery of cut vegetables, vegetables, fruits, fresh fruit juices, medicines. Pressed chapattis for ready to cook.

Ø Giving help in preparing snacks. However many hotels come up, people like to prepare at home provided some help comes.

Ø Have grinder - supply batter for idli, dosa or grind dal, rice when they want.

Actually all these help is available from different sources.

But if we get the needed help under one umbrella, it reduces to constant different people. It will be helpful for the working ladies, old people, alike.

Now a days, so many youth are going to foreign countries. Parents are staying back. If they get the help from one organization, they can lead their life happily, hassle free and also they become intimate with the organization. And also through association, unemployed youth get work and can earn money. Intimacy develops.

But one thing: Association should stand upto the mark in the areas of gentleness, fairness, homeliness, neatness.

Taking care of the school children after their school time till their mothers come back

They can do so many other services, which will follow the main services.

From

C Maruthi Kumari
C 34/9, Mohan Nagar
SALEM 636 030

Trade unions and philanthropy: Nothing equals eternal satisfaction

2007-02-12T10:51:00.000+05:30

From : <ioboa@cppdnotes.iobnet.co.in>
Subject : TRADE UNION ENGAGED IN PHILANTHROPY

This has reference to your article on 29th January 2007 and 5th Feburary 2007 in Businessline. Many trade unions have been doing philanthropic acts. Indian overseas Bank Officers' Association also believes that as an organised trade union we have to do out bit for the society at large.

Though initially our role remained restrcited to occasional contributions during emergencies/natural calamities in the recent pat we have structured our approach to our duty towards society by suitably amending our bye-laws.

A sum of Rs.10/- per month per member from the member's subscription goes to a separate social fuind. We accumulate Rs.80000/- per meonth approximately and we utilise this fund for social causes.

Some of social projects we have done so far with this fund are:

1) reconstruction of 3 school buildings in cyclone ravaged Orissa (cost Rs.15 lakcs). Our bank supported and enthused us by donationg Rs.2 lakhs for furniture.
2) Construction of a school building for special children at Madurai run by M.S.Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation. Our bank nsupported and enthused us by donating van to the Trust.
3) Construction of a school building in fisherfolds hamelt called Kadipatina/Nadipatna in village Padubidri near Udupi (Cost of Rs.10 lakhs). Our bank donated Rs.25,000/- to the school.
4) Installation of 30 Solar lamps in village Kanadukathan, the native place of our bank's Founder M.Ct.Chidambaram Chettiyar (cost of Rs.7 lakhs). Our bank supported and enthused us by contributing to install another 30 solar lamps making the total to 60.
5) Now we are organising free medical camps for Osteoporosis Test and Cancer screening in various centres for our members and public as a port of our 40th year celebrations.
6) Our Kolkatta unit makes yearsly visits to several orphanages on Netaji birthday and distributes old and new cloths with food packets/sweets. This year 100 new mosquitto nets were donated.

A little publicity helps in gaining accptance of the membership for such social activities as public recognition improves their motivation. But nothing equals the eternal satisfaction one gains by doing such social activities.

Regards.
IOBOA
**

Development vs displacement: What if....

2007-02-12T10:41:00.000+05:30

From : Surendran Valoth

Dear Swati,

I read your story appearing on Business line Monday issues. I cannot agree with many of your views expressed.

For example you talked to one illiterate villager in singur who said he know other job so other than cultivation.? You men to say that for the sake of one farmer you have to abandoned such a massive project. So atas should go to some desert where there are no human inhabitnts . so that there wont be any problems for the govt to acquire land , look after rehabilation of displaced people.!

Luckikly during the time of British raj they built wast railway net work. Otherwise if you have to take up such a massive project, there may be opposition from left, and people like Medha Patker and like you on the following valid points.

1)Railwy line will spoil the serenetay of the thousands of villages, displace many familys living on the land acquired by railways. It will creat envirment pollitution and sound pollutions. ( all for valid reason for Medha Patkar to go on indifinate fast?

2) Left s Concern.: Such a mode of transportation will creat job losses for truck drivers, river transportation workers who ferry goods of course cheaper rate. People engaged in transportion of people by bullock cart, country boat, and other bus transport workers .

Of course valid reasons. Bill will remain in the Parliament house for years for want of approval. People like you will discuss the matter through valuble pages of dailies

Dear swati, can you imagine a India with out a Railway net work now?
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Are there ways to tap the skills of the educated unemployed?

2007-02-06T13:06:00.000+05:30

Last Sunday, I ventured out for a stroll late in the evening in the hope that the fresh air would help me get a good night's sleep. The roads were deserted already, as if daunted by the prospect of one more exacting Monday, only hours ahead. However, there was some activity in one of the by-lanes, where a group of youngsters was standing around a carom-board. I moved closer to watch the game.

The boys were familiar faces in the neighbourhood, with no gainful employment, despite education. One could always find them in tea-shops and libraries, on bikes and in street corners.

At the carrom game, though, the concentration they displayed and the precision they achieved in their strikes were amazing. There should be a way to tap the skills of the unemployed youth, I felt, while retracing my steps. Send in your thoughts by Friday.

Are there ways to tap the skills of the educated unemployed?

Now writing...

2007-02-04T12:42:00.000+05:30

The carrom board saw a lot of action... as I saw it....

On child labour...

2006-08-08T12:01:00.000+05:30

What to do when child labour is the means of a family's subsistence?

Sometime back, a colleague of mine had evinced interest in buying a flat in my locality and, therefore, requested me to find out details of any upcoming flats. Guilty that I hadn't given him any inputs, I set out one particularly hot afternoon, in search of construction activity. At more than one site, I was pained to find children employed to do manual tasks such as carrying bricks and sand.
In a posh locality, I noticed that a girl of about 12 years of age, dressed in tatters, was carrying a heavy burden on her head. Impulsively, I felt that I should march up to the contractor and register my protest and threaten to call the cops if the children weren't withdrawn from work. But I paused, because she was weeping. "Why?" I asked. "Mother is not well," she said, amidst sobs. "I have to buy her medicine with my coolly (wages)... " her voice trailed, because she had moved into the compound.
"Oft labouring for destiny make cruel way..." I remembered from Troilus and Cressida. Would it be right to ban child labour and deprive a family of its means of earning, I wondered, even as my bike took me aimlessly through roads, one leading to another. Send in your thoughts by Friday.
Swati_CA@hotmail.com

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We are a nation that's very much into outsourcing. Or, so I thought...

2006-08-08T11:58:00.000+05:30

Are bankers protesting in vain against outsourcing?
We are a nation that's very much into outsourcing. Or, so I thought, till I saw a noisy demonstration by bank employees protesting against outsourcing. Banking operations, especially the clearing work, got hit, but on the roads it seemed to be business as usual.
Not far away, were busy executives, both men and women, from the BPOs in the neighbourhood, hurriedly catching a bite at the nearest kiosk, before heading back to work, after the lunch break.
Voices against outsourcing, especially the offshore variety, used to be heard off and on from the developed countries. Not so, the bankers' strike, which was anti-outsourcing, within the country.
"Are they fighting a losing battle?" I wondered, even as I resumed my journey to office.

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"Should I alert the supervisor, or advise the young man... against shoplifting?" I wondered.

2006-07-24T11:14:00.000+05:30

Is shoplifting the bane of retail that needs to be battled with?
One evening, a couple of days ago, I was frustrated that I could not make a quick meal, all because the provisions in the shelf had gone dry. Namak was there, but no mirchi; the tavva was clean and dry, but so was the tael bottle! Sure signs of neglect in the kitchen, after weeks of running around, I realised. Perhaps, it was time to go shopping and I decided on the neighbourhood departmental store.
There, I found interesting things in each section; there were new products, unusual combos, and attractive offers. Suddenly, I noticed that a young man, standing a few feet away, was quickly pocketing an item that he picked up from the shelf. The floor supervisor was in the vicinity, but he was looking elsewhere.
"Should I alert the supervisor, or advise the young man... against shoplifting?" I wondered. But, as providence would have it, the culprit vanished faster than I could get the supervisor's attention.
Returning home with a heavy shopping bag, I found that my mind was heavier after what I had seen in the store. I kept asking myself if shoplifting is the bane of retail that needs to be battled with. Send in your thoughts by Friday.

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Tuesday night was a hectic one, ever since we came to know about the blasts in Mumbai...

2006-07-24T11:06:00.000+05:30

Are we, as a nation, doing enough to root terrorism out of our midst?
Tuesday night was a hectic one, ever since we came to know about the blasts in Mumbai. At a macro level, there was all that spilt blood with a story of its own of a nation's security ripped apart. At a micro level, we were frantically trying to contact our colleagues in the Mumbai branch. After many hours, we could learn that our manager Navin Thakkar had suffered injuries in the blast. Other staff members were safe. Boss called me over the intercom and said, "Urgent!" I dashed in, and said, before he could ask me, "Sir, I'll go to Mumbai."
I had visited the branch last year, after the floods, if you remember ('How to ensure business continuity despite deluge,' August 15, 2005). This time, my top priority was the well-being of my colleagues, and so I headed straight to the ward where Navin had been admitted.
As providence would have it, Navin was among the lucky few who suffered minor injuries. But more than the suffering that the shrapnels caused him, Navin was deep in the trauma of having witnessed horrific deaths right in front of his eyes. When I met him, he sat up to narrate the sequence of events that was so vivid in his memory, and had so deeply scarred his sensitivities. Within a few minutes, however, the sedative that the doctor had administered took control, and Navin fell asleep.
Already, the city was back on its toes, with trains full, and almost everybody was at work. Business as usual, it seemed, and that was a reassuring thought. But what pained me was the nagging thought that we, as a nation, aren't apparently doing enough to root terrorism out of our midst. Send in your thoughts by Friday.

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You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of the Gita

2006-07-10T11:53:00.000+05:30

If only we stopped living in our status silos, at least for a brief while

On Wednesday evening, when the weather was unusually humid indoors, I decided to venture out to the nearby playground, adjoining a Corporation primary school, with a football I had brought from my recent trip to Germany. Idly, I was trying out a few shots at the goal, as if preparing for a penalty shootout moment. "Give me chance, akka," called a little girl who had come from the surrounding bunch of huts.
Well, we both took turns at the goal, and soon enough, there were six to seven children from the locality joining the game. They were all poor, coming as they did from what most of us would brand as slums.

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What is the medicine for the drug fear?

2006-07-03T13:48:00.000+05:30

How can parents be sure that their children aren't getting into drugs?
On Thursday evening, my colleague Vasanti insisted that I accompany her to the beach. It had drizzled in the afternoon and the weather was pleasant, so I agreed. The evening was gradually turning to darkness. And Vasanti was unusually silent. "How is your son?" I asked, remembering that her son, the only child, was in college. "I have been worrying about him... " her voice trailed. "Studies?" I asked. She shook her head. "He seems to be doing well in class. Of late, he has been remaining aloof from me." I laughed, "A girl, perhaps!" Vasanti's face turned sombre, "No, Swati, I am anxious that my son doesn't get into drugs!"

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Amidst farmers driven to suicide...

2006-07-03T13:38:00.000+05:30

Are we doing enough to renew our farmers' faith in life?
Kosavi, the farmer in question, was on the bed, writhing in pain, and a bottle of poison lay on the floor. Dr Prem Gawande, the doctor we had brought with us, was trying his best to bring Kosavi back to the world of the living. Around us were scenes of deprivation, the hut presenting a spectacle of poverty in deep freeze.

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Handling harassers on the train!

2006-06-19T11:48:00.000+05:30

Should travel be a harassingly fearsome ordeal for women?
Around midnight, when the whole coach was asleep, I could hear some noise from the berths below. A few men were harassing a young woman who was apparently travelling alone. There were liquor bottles around, and one of the men was even offering the drink to the frightened lady. "Come on! Take a sip... and dance!" he was saying menacingly.

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Far away from football

2006-06-12T12:31:00.000+05:30

How nice if the Indian team had made it to the World Cup
Wherever I turned, I could notice that the event had transformed Germany into a massive football ground, with the country's economy getting a terrific kick in the bargain. Almost every inch of space was turning in money for the country, what with ardent football fans pouring in.

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Lure of China

2006-06-12T12:28:00.000+05:30

Is it increasingly necessary for Indians to know Chinese and the Chinese?
A few days ago, a Chinese delegation visited our company, to explore the possibility of a collaboration.
The leader of the team, Wong, was a finance grad from Stanford. When the rest of the team, comprising scientists, was interacting with my company's R&D staff, I learnt a few things from Wong about his approach to financial problems. For instance, he built an Excel worksheet for me to apply CAPM or capital asset pricing model.

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What a dismal status of financial literacy we have amidst us!

2006-05-29T12:30:00.000+05:30

Financial illiteracy among investors?
From my bag, I extracted the day's newspaper and unfurled the stocks pages. "How many of you understand these pages?" Suddenly, everybody was ominously silent. My next question was, "How many of you invest in shares?" Manyhands went up cheerfully.
"What is your investment strategy? How do you make your investment decisions?" I asked and looked around. Kiran replied first: "I ask the broker." Pavitra aunty announced, "My friend tells me what to buy and sell." And Ramu uncle said, in a hush, "Don't tell anybody. The trick I follow is to toss a coin!"

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'Most savage and unnatural!

2006-05-22T13:05:00.000+05:30

How heartless it is to let cops thrash unarmed students!
During the week, I volunteered to help out at a makeshift pandal where agitating medical students were providing attention to sick patients. Using the skills that I'd learnt as a girl guide and thereafter from Red Cross, I monitored temperatures, filled in the columns of case sheets, and measured blood pressure. Meanwhile, outside the pandal, striking doctors and students were staging a noisy protest. All of a sudden, there was some scuffle and the next thing I saw was the heartless thrashing by cops of unarmed students. 'Most savage and unnatural!' I told myself, remembering a line from King Lear.
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Technology to minimise the cost of recruitment, both to the employers and the candidates

2006-05-15T10:42:00.000+05:30

Don't we have enough technology to minimise the cost of recruitment?
When I paused for breath, Gupta interrupted, "So, what's your suggestion? Don't recruit anybody?" Everybody laughed, and I took that humour in my stride. "You may laugh again if I were to tell you that we can tap the talent in villages."
Strangely, there was total silence for a few moments, possibly because none in the room expected something as audacious as ruralising recruitment.
More...

Legal process outsourcing

2006-05-08T12:19:00.000+05:30

Perfect marriage between professional skills and IT
"Will you be able to argue cases in courts abroad, working from here?" I asked Jambu, and he didn't rule out such a possibility. Looking at my enthusiasm in knowing more about LPO, he said, ruefully, "How I wish I could employ you in my company! Pity you don't have a law qualification." I was not giving up, though. "Perhaps, I'll join a course with NALSAR... say, in ADR!"
More...

Do elections have relevance for the poor?

2006-05-01T12:15:00.000+05:30

Do surveys ever manage to get a feel of the public pulse?

When old fights come to the fore...

2006-04-24T11:14:00.000+05:30

Workplace productivity weighed down by pent-up grouses

Poaching

2006-04-17T12:13:00.000+05:30

How far is it ethical to poach a rival's trained staff?
At one point X dropped the name of Ketan, an ex-employee of the company, who had to leave under situations far from pleasant, a few years ago....

Market boom and family gloom!

2006-04-10T11:12:00.000+05:30

Episode 123
Do families have to bear the brunt of a feverishly booming market?

"Can greed make even otherwise learned people blind to realities, I
wondered? Do families have to bear the brunt of a feverishly booming market,
where its participants lose all cool?"

Web reference:
Sports portal http://sportal.nic.in

Workout at the stadium...

2006-04-04T17:26:00.000+05:30

Workout at the stadium... (Business Line, April 3, 2006)
On a morning that I woke up early, I decided to go to the neighbourhood stadium. So, there I was, huffing and puffing, after a jog. `Lack of practice,' I consoled myself, and loitered around to watch what others were doing. A college girl was practising high jump. When she cleared what seemed to be an impossible height, I clapped and shouted, "Well-done!"

During a brief break she took from practice, we got talking. "Hi, I'm Malar," she said. "Good jump," I complimented. "I'm Swati." She was practising for national championship, I learnt. "Are you looking for sponsors?" I asked her, hoping I could convince my boss to chip in some funds. She looked at me and said, "Thanks for asking. But my self-respect comes in the way. After having seen how athletics get a step-motherly treatment here... " I was shocked, "Why do you say so?"
Malar laughed wryly and said, "Top three games in India are cricket, cricket and cricket. To go with it, it will be some Bollywood actress. Not an athlete, even if he or she won gold medals at international events." Without expecting any reply from me, Malar resumed her practice. After some time, as I was lumbering back home, I wondered if competitive athletics demands a thoroughly professional approach that our governments are merely incapable of! Send in your thoughts by Friday to: Swati_CA@hotmail.com.

Personal security for working women

2006-04-04T13:05:00.000+05:30

Response to: Is it becoming increasingly necessary for women, not only to be financially independent but also be armed with self-defence skills?

“When we read media stories about women executives who are raped and killed as they take the innocent ride home in the ‘office’ cab, personal security for working women takes on greater importance.”

“Stringent workplace practices and specific policies tailored to women’s needs can ensure greater levels of security and comfort. Corporates can identify the safest routes for transport; perform background checks for all drivers and contractors; get the cooperation of local police; and train security staff to ensure greater protection for women.”

“HR can work to provide flexible schedules, offer helplines and specialised assistance to women employees, so that women do not end up compromising their quality of work.”

“The truth is that ultimately women need to be personally responsible by increasing awareness, making smart decisions and exercising caution.”

“Self-defence classes can be a great idea for building confidence and may be a necessity in cities like Delhi with higher crime rates.”

Radhika Nair, Manager- Documentation Services, Rapidigm (India) Ltd, Pune.

Align the fulfilment of individual’s core needs with organisational requirement

2006-04-04T12:59:00.000+05:30

Response to: Are companies incapable of retaining young talent?

“There was a time when good working conditions, above par pay and perks could motivate people to stay and perform. However, today the ‘Bleeding Human Capital’ rates range from 30 to 40 per cent across levels.”

“There is a feeling, especially among HR Managers, that while there is market dynamics involved in the demand-supply gap, there certainly is a need to find better ways to retain the knowledge workers deficiencies like the inability to influence the employees’ perception of growth, not aligning roles to talent and inflexibility in leadership styles are causing major conflicts at a very intrinsic level, resulting in employees opting for the proverbial ‘easy way out.’”

“Organisations need to train their managers to motivate people working under them. Beyond a point, an employee’s primary need has less to do with money, and more to do with how he’s treated and how valued he feels.”

“At Rapidigm we feel that the key to preventing frequent switchovers is to have a stronger vision and values, well-structured training modules and transparency in career growth, active communication, employee care competitive and monetary benefits in its true spirit where our employees are treated as our key customers.”

“We constantly ask ourselves – ‘Can we align the fulfilment of individual’s core needs with the organisational requirement?’ Praise is given for a job completed or a job well done. Encouragement is given for effort or improvement.”

“Make job descriptions detailed and specific. Meet regularly with staff to discuss progress and encourage improvement”

“Research shows that people stay in organisations for the following reasons: a chance to learn and grow, a good boss, meaningful, challenging work, and great people to work with.”

“Beyond that, retention strategies include things like flexibility, fun on the job, and the feeling of being respected.”

“So, before you jump to the ‘money as reward’ solution, check to see if your people are getting those needs met.”

Rajkumari Achtani, Human Resource Head, Rapidigm (India) Ltd, Pune.

We women should pursue what we want to pursue and not what society wants us to pursue

2006-04-04T12:52:00.000+05:30

“Is it becoming increasingly necessary for women, not only to be financially independent...?"

"In my mind, when I think about all the problems that women have to go through at the workplace, I sometimes begin to wonder whether we as women actually fuel the already existing (mis)perceptions of our abilities to perform in the corporate world.”

“Any modern, educated, 21st century, woman reading the statement I just made must be thinking ‘Me? I don’t understand how I contribute to the negative attitude surrounding women’s skills?’”

“It’s really a paradox that we’re dealing with in this day and age - are women really incapable of performing well in the workplace because society tells them that they are incapable of growing and contributing to the success of an organisation?”

“Do we women start believing that we are meant to be mediocre employees and cannot even dream about contributing the managerial level because that’s what society has instilled in us since the day we set foot into this world?”

“I have to admit that we live in a country where the idea of women working is still a big no-no in many communities. However, things have changed drastically since the 1930s when my grandmother was asked to stop her education and get married at the age of 15; my mother luckily completed her education, got married at the age of 20, and started working after her 3rd child because she wanted to pursue her dreams - of course she had restrictions for the first 9 years of her marriage (things didn’t come to her easy), but she eventually pulled through and learnt how to manage a home as well as her career.”

“Today, I have got an education, I can choose to study further, I am working pre-marriage, and I’m sure I’ll continue to work post marriage - see the trend? Now how do you think women got this far? What women have to start understanding is that we can do more today not because people (both men and women - you’ll be surprised to hear how many women pose restrictions on other women) have allowed us to get this far, but because we have the confidence to say ‘we can do it!’ and we will do it!”

“In no way am I a feminist and in no way do I think men and women are equal - there are things women can do that men cannot and vice versa. My point is that we women should pursue what we want to pursue and not what society wants us to pursue - of course this is going to be difficult because of the mind-set people have had for generations, but who ever said it was going to be easy?”

“It’s very easy to give up, but it’s much more gratifying pulling it through till the end. People will eventually get used to women being on an equal platform as any other individual - we are human beings and no one person is weaker than the other.”

Swati Kapoor, Software Design Analyst, Synygy India P Ltd, Pune.

OPTIC for better employee focus

2006-04-04T12:38:00.000+05:30

“The world is facing major shortages of a critical resource—not petroleum, but people. Demographic shifts (aging populations, declining birth-rates, economic migration), social evolution, inadequate educational programs, globalisation, and entrepreneurial practices (outsourcing, off-shoring, on-demand employment) are causing shortages, not only in the overall availability of talent but also – and more significantly – in the specific skills and competences required in industrialised, emerging, and developing economies like India.”

“There is already a talent shortage in many areas of the global labour force, a situation that will grow more acute and more widespread across more jobs over the next 10 years and could threaten the engines of world economic growth and prosperity.”

“HR managers, especially in the IT / ITES sector, must bridge the ever-increasing gap between the demand and the supply of suitable employees. Employers don’t want just anybody; they want the right kind of people who can keep pace with the unique work patterns in the IT industry.”

“The toughest concern for an HR manager, however, is a high attrition rate. In India, the average attrition rate in the technology sector is approximately 30-35 percent per year. This means that HR managers have to work that much harder, just to keep the same number of employees.”

“Keeping low attrition levels is a major challenge as the demand outstrips the supply of good talent by a big margin. For example, the salary growth plan for each employee should be well defined, because failing to do so only encourages poaching by other companies who can offer a higher salary. Work environment is also a significant factor. Many individuals (mostly fresh graduates) who join the IT industry are not aware of all the work aspects of the job. Once they join the IT sector and understand its requirements, they are taken aback by the long working hours, work pressures and the monotony of the job. This results in the high attrition rate at the junior levels especially during their initial days in the industry. A scientific and analytical approach to the whole issue should be implemented.”

“Pay cheques alone are not enough to retain employees. An organisation also needs to consider other aspects like secure career, benefits, perks and communication. The attrition battle could be won by focusing on retention, making work a fun place, having education and ongoing learning for the workforce and treating applicants and employees in the same way as one treats customers.”

“Companies need to go in for a diverse workforce, which does not only mean only race or gender diversity but also includes age, experience and perspective. Diversity in turn results in innovation and success. The 80:20 rule also applies to recruitment. Studies show that 80 per cent of the company’s profit comes from the efforts of 20 per cent of the employees.”

“There are lot of factors that are responsible for keeping the attrition rates down and the key to all those is hiring right people who share the company’s vision and values. At Synygy we have a special system in place that ascertains if the person is fit for the job. It’s not just about job performance, it is about cultural fit.”

“Experience shows that cultural fit is one of the best predictors of whether a new employee will succeed at Synygy, so the process of hiring and training an employee focuses on core values and company culture.”

“Everyone at Synygy regularly meets with their mentor to discuss and evaluate their performance. These evaluations focus on how the employee has demonstrated Synygy’s core values (Ownership, Professionalism, Teamwork, continuous Improvement, and Customer focus – known as OPTIC) and the specific job skills required for their position. The feedback is based on specific examples, providing the employee with actionable information about areas needing improvement.”

“Every employee undergoes an initial three month probation period. Mentors monitor the performance a new employee very closely during this period with reviews at the end of each month, for the first three months. After the three months are completed, employees settle into a regular rhythm of quarterly and six monthly evaluations.”

“At Synygy all employees have a variable component of salary based on their performance. All employees at Synygy are paid a quarterly performance bonus; the amount determined by calculating the achievements against quarterly objectives, evaluations by co-workers, and evaluations by clients. At Synygy the employees also have an opportunity to evaluate their mentors.”

“Since job performance is evaluated on a quarterly basis, the semi-annual performance review is more of a career planning and self-assessment session, where, mentee and mentor map out what skills and competencies the employee needs to develop for the next step in their career path.”

“Companies should also train people in giving and receiving feedback. Companies that implement 360-degree feedback without first checking and developing managers’ feedback skills risk serious damage to teamwork and morale. Providing constructive feedback takes instruction, training and practice.”

“While training individuals to give and receive feedback may temporarily increase the expense associated with 360-degree feedback programs, the gains will outweigh the higher cost as the feedback delivered to participants becomes more focused, targeting the behaviours most closely associated with value creation and destruction.”

“Ultimately, the goal should be to create a culture in which individuals feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback--both positive and negative--on a real--time basis, hence talking attrition at the root level.”

Parag Wadhone, Manager-HR, Synygy India P Ltd, Pune.

From a Black Belt in Karate

2006-04-04T12:25:00.000+05:30

“Is it becoming increasingly necessary for women, not only to be financially independent but also be armed with self-defence skills?” (Financial independence and a dose of self-defence – Business Line March 13, 2006)

“Yes, it certainly is. Both financial independence and knowledge of self-defence skills enhance confidence in a woman.”

“With women increasingly participating in all walks of life, the need to protect themselves from any untoward incident has become all the more essential. Knowing self-defence techniques builds inner strength and brings steadiness to the mind when under stress, which comes of great help in a work environment.”

“It is a great motivator for achieving goals and does wonders in both personal and professional life. Financial independence and self-protection skills go hand in hand and are strong enablers for success.”

Savitha RP, HR Department, iGATE Global Solutions
Black Belt in Karate and a National Champion

Soccer vs Cricket

2006-04-04T11:43:00.000+05:30

"Believing that soccer cannot be popular because cricket is the nation's passion can never get soccer the status that cricket has achieved today. With just one world cup in so many years and highly periodic performances, there is hardly any reason for it to be so popular."

"But good selling and marketing along with understanding of the needs of audience can make a sport popular and financially rewarding be it - a team or an individual sport."

"Lance Armstrong could achieve success in USA, where baseball and football dominate, and Schumacher could achieve it in Germany where soccer is popular."

"In India, Bhaichung Bhutia could achieve some success, Anand also created some rage in 90s and now Tennis is also catching our attention. "

"If one chooses sports as a profession then he/ she should assume the risks involved. Lack of facilities is today a problem, it will be maintainence tomorrow, which will be followed by the ability to pay for the facilities."

"It is within you to change and make the difference, and reap the benefits for yourself - like a true entrepreneur, rather than wait for the things to change for you."

Ravi

Is it time we start paying our taxes to corporates!

2006-04-04T11:38:00.000+05:30

"Hi Mam. Thanks once again for including my views."

"Our govt. is incapable of so many things. It's not limited to inefficient management of sports in our country. And every time we talk of govt inefficiencies, the dicusssion most of the times (not in this article) turns to how corporates can help in that."

"May be it's time when we should start thinking of paying our taxes to corporates and not government."

Sandhya Goel

Village BPOs

2006-04-04T10:36:00.000+05:30

“We are a Hyderabad based company into technology solutions. We are also closely working with Government of AP on other projects.”

“During our interactions with senior officials we were asked to come up with ideas for setting village BPOs. I saw your articles ‘How about a village BPO doing your firm's work’ (Business Line, August 29, 2005). Any ideas??”

Uma Prasad
Vitaltech.biz

There are bosses who do not even look at anyone’s face and simply walk off!

2006-04-04T10:32:00.000+05:30

“Most people feel that the attrition rate of youngsters is more because they are not satisfied with the present pay they are getting. I wouldn’t support that argument because most youngsters get good pay package and they wonder how to spend that much money.”

“I do support the view that all people command respect and youngsters are no different. Employees should be treated with respect by their bosses, in the form of encouragement to give comments/ suggestions regarding various things.”

“Give them a smile when moving around the office; lend a good ear to their problems and try to help them in solving it.”

“Attitude of seniors towards juniors may be a problem in software field, but I don’t think such problems occur in the BPO sector. In software field there will be people with professional qualifications and non-professional qualifications. So seniors with professional qualifications may not fully cooperate with juniors who don’t have such a qualification.”

“Smile is a thing which works everywhere. There are bosses who do not even look at anyone’s face and simply walk off. Sometimes those bosses might be shy to look at people’s faces or else may think that it’s not necessary to look at subordinates’ faces when moving around. This really irritates the subordinates, because they feel that their boss ignores them and does not respect them.”

“Bosses should make the employees feel that they are important to the company. A smile/gentle talk (like how are you, where you are going for lunch etc etc) passed by a boss to his subordinates really sends across a message of care and affection, which the subordinates crave for. These things make an employee think he is respected by the company.”

Anil K Nair
Senior CSA in a multinational BPO firm, Thiruvananthapuram.

Impressed!

2006-04-04T10:28:00.000+05:30

“I am very much impressed by your articles. Please keep it up.”
Ch.Mallikarjuna Reddy, CA

A study on micro finance models

2006-04-04T10:25:00.000+05:30

“Dear Madam, I recently read the ‘Mentor’ pages in Business Line. It has worthwhile words that might help young managers to proceed further in their career of success. About me, I’m Hari from PSG Institute of Management, a reputed B-school in Tamil Nadu, and I have got placement in a bank.”

“Currently I’m doing my project in ‘A STUDY ON MICRO FINANCE MODELS’ - that different banks follow to fund the rural people. I hope u will help me in this project by rendering required advice.”

“My questions are:

What are different types of Micro Finance models that are available and are followed by banks in Tamil Nadu?
Name some websites and articles, from which I can gather detailed information how they are working?"

"I have decided to prepare a questionnaire (not yet started, waiting for your suggestions). So is it enough to fill questionnaire with bank employees to get genuine data or should I meet managers? Kindly give me some valuable suggestions regarding this. Expecting a reply.”

Hari

Two reasons why senior employees don't cooperate

2006-04-04T10:20:00.000+05:30

“Dear Ms Swati, there is a lot of truth in the words of your canteen-mates. The problem is universal. Leaving one company to join other company may become like jumping from oven to fire for these youngsters.”

“The non-cooperation from senior employees towards new ‘young’ employees may be for following two factors:

Today, corporate world likes to rely more on young blood who are ready with high education and soft skills. So they are prioritised. Older the employees, feel of obsolescence will increase, which they just can’t bear.
Either with the entry or after a short span of the entry of young talents will get better positions than old employees or positions, which older employees could get only after, say 4-5-6 years of experience. How to tolerate?

"Effect of these two factors will be on youngsters, who are just opening their eyes in the corporate world."

"Now, senior employees need to understand that unless they keep acquiring better skills and show more and more involvement in the corporate business, no one can protect them from getting obsolete, irrespective of their past glory."

"At the same time, management needs to create step by step induction and provide basic training to the freshers, so that they can get mixed with the current group of employees rather than demanding performance from day 1 from them."

Dattatri H M
Law & Taxation - AT & S India
Nanjangud, India 571 301

3Rs of retaining the Young Turks

2006-04-04T10:15:00.000+05:30

“Dear Mam, this is my very first attempt to express my views in regard to the articles which you write. Now to start with, this is in relation to the article by you dated March 20: ‘Are companies becoming incapable of retaining young talent?’”

“The answer to this question maybe an affirmative one if we look at the current scenario. As your article was already backed up with data which stated that 70 per cent of attrition takes place within the first year of the job, that in itself is a reason for companies to get on their feet and start doing something.”

“I am myself doing MBA and as time for my summer training is approaching, the fear which haunts me is if I would actually be given work in the company.”

“Now I feel if I as a summer trainee am worried about my state in the organisation for two months, I am sure it is a great cause for worry for the young professionals out there.”

“In my viewpoint, it is very important for companies to make their employees feel ‘wanted’ in their organisation. Considering the number of options available to these young pool of talent today, it becomes inevitable for the companies to try and retain them or else in the end they would end up questioning their own evaluation system.”

“The company or the boss needs to start partnership with the employee in his/her development and growth. Retention basically depends on both the individual’s competence and criticality for the organisation. Promotions and pay-hikes are another way to retain the young talent.”

“I would sum up this whole issue of retention of the YOUNG TURKS in 3R’s:

RECOGNITION
REWARD
RETENTION.”

“Retention might not be that easy a job, but it is certainly possible if a company adopts the right approach.”

Jasmine Juneja
Student of Bharati Vidhyapeeth Institute of Management and Research, New Delhi.

Respect the individual & reward performance

2006-04-04T10:10:00.000+05:30

“Hi Swati, a large percentage of companies have to reinvent their retention strategies. Companies have to think of new strategies to retain young talent instead of using the strategies they had used for the previous generation.”

“Today’s generation has a different set of life goals. They want to work smart, earn some quick bucks, have fun at work, learn fast and move up their career ladder. They plan to stay for a max of 3 - 4 years before they like to move onto the next organisation.”

“When organisations design retention strategies they should keep this on top of their mind: respect for the individual & reward for performance.”

Binu

The biggest issue that corporates will face!

2006-04-04T10:08:00.000+05:30

“Hi Swati, I read your writings in newspaper today about employee attrition rate being so high (70 per cent in your article). You have invited comments from readers also."

"This is very sensitive issue. In the coming days this will be the biggest issue that corporates will face. There is so much to speak… I am sure so many people would like to add their views as well, but I am also deeply concerned with this issue as you are. Thank you.”

From: Yes Pod (name changed)

Sense of belongingness is absent

2006-04-04T10:05:00.000+05:30

“First, I need to give you a thumbs-up for the effort to bring such topics to the print media. I am fully in consonance with the problem of the companies being increasingly incapable of retaining young talent.”

“To my understanding, given the fast structural changes taking in the Indian economy, management of many companies have become very short-term goal oriented. This often leads to the problem that management commits something to the candidate just for the sake that the candidate joins the firm. But later on as the candidate discovers the actuals to be a lot different, foundations of quitting early are laid there itself.”

“Consider the way HR departments work these days. Just as marketing team is always hard pressed to meet crazy sales/ clients target, HR is asked to recruit certain number of new candidates every month/ week. In marketing, we have seen how consumer interest is eroded by the marketing people in order to meet their targets.”

“Similarly, hard-pressed by the top management to recruit fresh talent, the HR guy over-promises/ hides from the new recruitee certain facts, that he would discover only once he joins. This discrepancy is nothing but the foundation stone of quitting for any person.”

“There is absolutely no sense of belongingness to a particular firm/organisation. Remember that marketing and HR, both target the ‘sensitive human element’.”

From: Secret Kumar (name changed)

Three reasons for attrition

2006-04-04T09:59:00.000+05:30

“Hi Swati, first of all let me take time to introduce myself. I am V.Gokul working with a group of companies as an internal auditor and I am a CA by profession. I read the article in Business Line and found that really interesting as I could see that it reflected the current trend very beautifully. High attrition is what the industry as whole is facing."

"The trend is due to three principal reasons:

The young guns are able to get a job at an early age thanks to BPO, i.e. ITES, and also the IT industry.
The young don’t understand the value of money and as a result they turn up ending spendthrift.
They lose sight of the long term goal and purely run after the short term benefits."

“That’s my opinion, though I aint a HR person or any psychologist to be accurate enough.”
Gokul Srinivas
auditor@hotelmanohar.com

An African story

2006-04-03T19:02:00.000+05:30

Comments from P.S. Rao, HR Head, CSS Group

“Are companies incapable of retaining talent? Or is it that the markets are driving the movement of employees from one job to another?”

“Markets are growing and skills are in short supply. Recruiters are aggressive, and competitors are providing attractive opportunities especially for the skilled and experienced.”

“I recall the story of two great business people – competitors – meeting in Africa and they decided to go together into the wild forests for hunting. They take a jeep, rifles, bullets, etc. with them, and after driving a few miles, there was no track for the jeep, so they leave it, pick up the rifles and keep walking. A few miles later one of them find that they forgot the bullets in the jeep. The other person immediately changes to running shoes. When asked why he was changing shoes instead of going back to fetch the bullets, he replies that he would be able to run faster in case a lion comes. “Can you run faster than lion?” “No, it is enough if I run faster than you.”

“Is 20 per cent attrition a cause of concern? Not if the industry average is 50 per cent. Are you a step ahead of your competitors? If markets do not permit you to keep employees, at least develop strategies that are contextual.”

“We need to ask ourselves: (1) Which talent do we want to keep and (2) for how long. And it is never a one-time effort. What is appropriate today need not be appropriate forever. Should we always keep the best talented people, or should the organisation convert the implicit knowledge of people to explicit organisational knowledge? How do we manage with less talented people, who are willing to serve us longer?”

“People join organisations but they work only for people. Do the managers have a pulse of what motivates youngsters in their team? Do they take care of their learning needs, give them the freedom to innovate and experiment, give them challenging assignments, help them grow in career, recognise exceptional performance and exemplary behaviour in a timely manner, or just wait for the annual performance appraisals and promotions?”

Succession planning wanted

2006-04-03T18:59:00.000+05:30

Responding to the tale of attrition, D.N. Shanbhag (AGM- Purchase in a pharma company) writes:
“Dear Swati, I read your article in BL. Yes we do have a problem of retaining young talent but same is the case with old employee. The fact of the matter is that majority of Indian companies do not have a succession planning, nor a definite policy or strategy to address such issue. We do not have a proper structured induction program.”
“I have worked for 20 years in a various positions in pharma functions and at present handling a key function, purchase. Recently a new person was appointed in our organisation. He is less experienced and less qualified, but his pay package is very high. How you can expect any senior person to train him and guide him to take up higher responsibilities in the same organisation? Such a young recruit is bound to get frustration. It’s a two-way damage for the company.”
“In the case of IT and BPO, the story is little different, young recruits are pampered with good salary package due to which there is a shortage of skill sets in the industry. Expectations are rising and young recruits are tempted to frequently job-switch. Attrition rates rise; so, all in all the issue is basically of management’s perception of the problem and the preparedness to tackle such issues.”

The attrition tale

2006-04-03T18:58:00.000+05:30

The question on March 20 was: "Are companies incapable of retaining young talent?"

When key employees leave...

2006-04-03T18:49:00.000+05:30

Last week's episode was about key personnel quitting after a long innings: "Isn't it tough when valuable human capital walks out?"

Unattended athletics

2006-04-03T12:13:00.000+05:30

Today's episode raises the question: "Does competitive athletics get enough professional attention?"
Send in your thoughts by Friday to: Swati_CA@hotmail.com

Hi

2006-03-29T09:41:00.000+05:30

Hello, world!