work (non) life balance

This topic had been intriguing to me ever since i moved into the consulting role. As HR consultants (perceived to be advisers) we often recommend to bring a cultural shift focusing on "work life balance" for employees. Today after a very long time, i decided to pen my thoughts, after identifying myself to be a victim of "work life balance" disease. Late last evening, while trying to forcefully put myself to sleep, my mind was wandering about "leadership crisis" in a client's place. I was trying very hard to keep my thoughts away, but like my 3 year old son, more thoughts and questions were getting popped up.

I took the break from attempting to sleep (paradox of work life, we always want to take break from work to get rest!!) and laid down in the couch for a while, thinking "what's happening to me?". The preoccupation of mind on the work was stealing away my energy and cheers, many at times, i recalled. I could recollect instances when i was portraying angry face to my little son while i was working lat night sitting ay my residence. I now remember, how often my son used to ask " why are you keep working and going to office?", as most of the times, he used to observe me glued into my laptop working on something or other.

It is needless to say that, mot of us today in the corporate world are singing the same tune " we are stressed and no time for families". One of my friend working with a large MNC product development company recently called to me say" i used to crawl like a cockroach to my house and lay down in the bed by 11.30 evening and just to ensure that i need to be ready for office by 8.30 in the morning, next day".

I found this scenario is true for many of us leaving little or no time for "life" - be it spending happy and smiling moments with family, meeting friends or calling up friends/relatives to say a hello, pursuing hobbies, self introspection, the list goes on..........

Where are we faltering? Many at times, not able to say NO to either our manager or to client. We incessantly, carry the load on our shoulder (which most often than not never appreciated, as it is considered to be "ought to be done") with all priority to work than life, with never ending hunger for position, compensation etc mandated by societal norms for status. It is easy to propagate fitness, meditation, keep office work at work space etc to ensure better balance between work and life, however, whilst practicing might be hard to continue

I personally had decided not to work during weekends and hence used to plan the schedules in that fashion. This measure does seem to be working fine with me, at least the initiation has started in that direction. I believe in the adage "something is better than nothing". Hope slowly i can do justice to "work life balance, thought may not be 50:50 but managing at 65:35 might still be acceptable to me

Will come back with more thoughts and measures (if i have any & better ones)

Buddha & Recession

Buddha, one day, was on deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human. The following is the text of conversation between him and his disciple.

One of the disciples approached him and said humbly “Oh my teacher! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don’t you look into the welfare and needs of your own disciples also”.

Buddha: OK…Tell me how I can help you?

Disciple: Master, My attire is worn out and is beyond the decency to wear the same. Can I get a new one please?

Buddha found the robe indeed was in a bad condition which needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Buddha and retired to his room. Though he met his disciple’s requirement, Buddha was not all that contended on his decision. He realized he missed out some point. A while after, he realized, what he should have asked the disciple? He went to his disciple’s place and asked him “Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?”

Disciple: Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more.Buddha: Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?Disciple: I am using it as my bedspread.Buddha: Then…hope you have disposed off your bed spread.Disciple: No…no…Master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain.Buddha: What about your old curtain?Disciple: Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchenBuddha: Oh…I see…Can you tell me what they did with the old cloth they used in Kitchen?Disciple: They are being used to wash the floor.Buddha: Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor…????Disciple: Master, since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room….

Buddha smiled in contentment and left for his room.

Moral: If not to this degree of utilization, can we at least attempt to find the best use of all our resources at home and at office….?? It becomes imperative in the critical time of Recession…..
Author unknown....

Budget 2009 - Income T(axe)

It was interesting to read through various posts in the print and electronic media praising the govt for a “growth budget” for “aam aadmi”. Is it the actual scene?
The exemption limit being raised to 10K from 150k translates into a potential savings for 1000+ – Wowwww….cheerful isn’t it? But the smile will not last for long when the actual tax implications comes through in the form of abolishment of FBT. Most of the employees (including me) were/are enjoying the FBT being managed/paid by the respective employer, with some breathing space for lesser taxation at the employees’ hands. the situation is taking tangent to move to employee direction to pay the taxes. This is akin to revoke the regime prior to FBT implementation in 2005. The components other than specified exemption limits would be treated as perquisites at the employees hands and taxed accordingly. It is also noted that more items would be falling part of the perquisites where employee would be taxed leaving lesser disposable income at the end.
Much to surprise, the surcharge had been abolished which is never an aam aadmi’s a area of concern. the surcharge is meant for people having taxaable income of over 10 lacs and it would be shameful to think on people proclaiming this to be an aam aadmi budget.
effectively, the FBT is passed over to employee. The implications are
Employees – though the exemption limit is raised, the perqusities value (or adding most of the re-imbursement components as special allowance/other allwance) wil l be taxed. At the beginning of every month, payslip might be looking fatter but the net take home would tend to have a shrinkage. The bleeding to aam aadmi to continue…..
Govt (MoF) – will not loose any revenue on this account as the the tax is just routed from one party to another. The revenue continues and at the expense of aam aadmi…………..
Employers – the FBT loss is to get balanced by virtue of increased MAT payable by companies.
Who is benefitted in the whole schema of new tax proposition? perhaps, the high level income people who used to forego a decent sum on the surcharge, would still be remaining with them. Senior citizens are expected to welcome this and might be bringing some sunshine in their lives.
intriguingly, the underlying factors (rationale) for a such propositions are still unearthed (might be in dark forever, i guess). If the idea was to improve savings (by virtue of increased disposable income) the limits should be have been increased or exemtpion should have been raised. Is it that, govt. thought of helping the industry segment to stop bleeding and decided to part away with FBT so as to improve their financial positions? In the event, MAT should have been also kept under the scanner, with no alterations.
Wondering the rationales and underlying principles behind such propositions….i guess that needs more contemplation and deliberation

Adviath Bala - changing lives

It's about Advaith, my 4 months old son. The arrival was long awaited by everyone in the family and rejoice was in air abudndantly, in fact still continuing!! It is true that, arrival of a child in the family entails demonstrating changing lives - i am experiencing it. The time i enter home, the eyes will be on the searching mode for Advaith - yes earlier it was not so :) Now a sense of joy would have engrossed the mind upon reaching home, thinking and dreaming that how am i going to play with him? how is he responding to me etc.... this makes life more interesting

Now the ideas and plans hover around him, his comforts than for me and wife. This is the beginning of transformation as a parent!is it so? making graceful exit from arguments and disagreements on washing machines and movies etc with wife earlier, now thinking pattern depicts a difference

priorities are changed for us - its always Advaith who is numero uno!

Meaning of life - Unearthed

It always wondered me to see people make a living!! A pertinent question never misses my mind - "what's the meaning of life?". often the hindu philosophy speaks about past karmas paving way for events being unleashed in this life. If it is so true, what maketh a man change his destiny?

Do we have enough measures to redefine our life? More often than not, the surrounding milieu plays a vital role in shaping our principles and values, entailing our actions.

It is undoubtedly true that a person needs to derive the meaning of life - once again a question runs through my mind - is the individual the centre of gravity or his bondings (materialistic and human) be the driver for deriving the meaning!!??

Introspections and reflections are never seeing any cessation.....

Organisational Culture Check List

Organisational Culture Check List
Boundaries
· Who is a member of organisation
m Agency staff?
m Casual?
m Customers?
m Departed staff?
m Family members of staff?
m Permanent staff only?
m Redundant staff?
m Retired staff?
m Temps?
Change
· Perceived as continuous?
· Sense of stability?
Communications (see also “Words”)
· Attitude towards
· Frequency
· How are strangers greeted
· Style
· Use of language
· Preferred modes?
· Most common modes?
· Written or verbal?
m E-mail or memo?
m Telephone or face to face?
· Acceptable ways of offering opinion
m Impassioned arguing?
m Rational debate?
m Shouting acceptable?
Deviancy
· Is non-normative behaviour admired or deprecated?
· Are ‘fools’ and ‘tricksters’ celebrated?
m Formally or informally?
Dress code
· Formal or informal?
· How rigidly enforced
m Are there ‘dress down’ days? How are they treated?
m How do people dress for off-site meetings?
· What differentiators—how many classes?
m for example:
m Uniforms for security
m Casual for operations
m Two piece suits for middle managers
m Three piece suits for senior managers
Fixtures & fittings
· Office furniture—expensive or cheap?
· Differences due to status or function?
m Do managers have chairs with arms and high backs?
m Are some areas carpeted? Why?
· Decor—bright? Dowdy?
· Level of maintenance and decorative order
Food
· Number and structure of canteens
· Use of food in meetings
· Working lunches
· Out of office activities
· Attitudes to alcoholic drinks
m Wine for managers, beer for workers?
m Wine for managers, nothing for workers?
m No alcohol on premises?
Groups and networks
· Formal or informal
· Rumour & gossip rate
· Sanctioned or illegitimate
· Strength of grapevine
History
· Attitudes to history
· Attitudes to past folk heroes & villains
· Lots of stories? Told in public or told in corridors?
· Organisation myths
Home and work
· Attitudes towards child care
· Role of spouse
· What is the policy towards domestic crises?
· How are domestic crises actually dealt with?
m More flexible than policy?
Meetings
· How are new members (employees) assimilated
· How often
· Setting
· Shape of table
· Who attends
· Who sits where
· Who speaks
Money
· Openness?
m Salary levels known? Much talk about salary?
m Business figures widely known?
· Degree of thrift
m All letters first class?
· Expenses
m Paid easily?
m Much querying?
Rewards and recognition
· Basis of reward
m Individual-based
m Team-based
m Organisation-based
· Indicators of status—grade or salary?
· Private bonus system
· Public reward?
m Titles
m Salesman of month, etc.
Space, use of
· Allocation of office space
m Decor an indicator of social structure?
m Location an indicator of social structure?
m e.g. ‘top’ management at top of building?
m Size an indicator of social structure?
· Indicators in open plan:
m Higher partitions?
m Some offices?
· Labelling—how easy is it for stranger to find a specific person
m Analogue of ease of entry to organisation?
· Mapping of function or process to space?
· Open plan vs. individual offices
· Public vs private space:
m Use of toilets
m “Executive washroom”?
m Shared toilets?
· State of building—clean, in need of decoration, etc
Time
· Attitudes to time
m Busy, busy or relaxed?
· Attitude to past and future
m Emphasis on planning
· Punctuality—virtue or vice?
Words
· Jargon
m Indicator of boundary strength
m Subgroups using jargon?
· Modes of address
m Different to clients?
m First name to all?
m Mr upward, first name downward?
m Sir?
m Terms of address; terms of reference
m Treatment of women different from men?
· Sexual innuendo?
m Harassment?
m Pinups?
m Sexual joking?
· Swear words?

Copyright :
New Paradigm Consulting
Organisation Consultancy & Development
Richard Seel, Seabrink, Beach Road, Bacton Green, Norfolk NR12 0EP
Phone/fax: 01692 650 706 http://www.new-paradigm.co.uk richard@new-paradigm.co.uk

HR Scorecard - Measures

HR Key Performance Indicators
Frequently used HR Key Performance Indicators include:
FTE = full time employees
Revenue per Employee (FTE)
Assets per FTE
Training Hours per FTE
Training Costs per FTE
HR Department Cost per FTE
FTEs per HR Department FTE
Acceptance Rate
Average Cost per Hire
Absence Rate
Turnover Rate
Resignation Rate
Human Investment Ratio
Compensation & Benefits/Revenue
Average Remuneration
Time taken per recruitment
Cost per recruitment
THE CHOICE OF HR KPI WILL VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR,
SUBJECT TO COMPANY'S
-STRATEGIC PLANNING
-CORPORATE STRATEGIES
-CORPORATE OBJECTIVES
WHICH IN TURN AFFECTS THE HR'S
-HR STRATEGIC PLANNING
-HRM STRATEGIES
-HRM OBJECTIVES
-------------------------------------------------------
The HR Balanced Scorecard is the measurement tool. It provides the management with a tool and a process to measure the performance of people practices and the HR function from multiple perspectives:
1. Strategic Perspective — the results of strategic initiatives managed by the HR group. The strategic perspective focuses on the measurement of the effectiveness of major strategy-linked people goals. For instance, the business strategy called for major organizational change programs as the business faced major restructuring and multiple mergers and acquisitions. In this context, the organization’s change management capability will be a key factor in the success or failure of its execution. Therefore, measuring the ability of the business to manage change effectively is the core measure of the effectiveness of HR and will be a key strategic contribution to the future success of the business.
EXAMPLES
-change management capability of the organization
-organization compensation and benefit package with respect market rate.
-organization culture survey
-HR BUDGET / ACTUAL
-HR COSTS BENCHMARK EXTERNALLY
-HR annual resource plan.
-skills/ competency level
etc
2.Operational Perspective — the operational tasks at which HR must excel. This piece of the Balanced Scorecard provides answers to queries about the effectiveness and efficiency in running HR processes that are vital to the organization. Examples include measuring HR processes in terms of cost, quality and cycle time such as time to fill vacancies.
EXAMPLES
-time taken to fill vacancies
-cost per recruitment promotions
-absenteeism by job category
-accident costs
-accident safety ratings
-training cost per employee
-training hours per employee
-average employee tenure in the company
-lost time due to injuries
-no. of recruiting advertising programs
-no. of employees put through training.
-turnover rate
-attrition rate
etc
3.Financial Perspective — this perspective tries to answer questions relating to the financial measures that demonstrate how people and the HR function add value to the organization. This might include arriving at the value of the human assets and total people expenses for the company. HR
EXAMPLES
-compensation and benefits per employee
-sales per employee
-profit per employee
-cost of injuries
-HR expenses per employee
-turnove cost
-employee '' workers compensation costs''
etc
4.Customer Perspective — this focuses on the effectiveness of HR from the internal customer viewpoint. Are the customers of HR satisfied with their service; are service level agreements met; do the customers think they can get better service elsewhere? Conducting an HR customer survey might typically arrive at this.
EXAMPLES
-employee perception of the HRM
-employee perception of the company , as an employer
-customer/market perception of the company, as an employer.

All four components of the scorecard are used to define and measure the effectiveness of people-management activities and how the HR function executes them. This provides a strategic measurement and management process to show the connection between a company’s business strategies and goals and its HR strategies, activities, and results. The Balanced Scorecard can provide an ideal approach to measure the contribution that human resource management makes to business success.
With the HR Balanced Scorecard in place, it can assist organizations to easily monitor the workforce indicators that are key to their business success. Such solutions enhance HR’s ability to provide counsel to line management and deliver results that make a difference to the achievement of their goals and strategy and thereby to shareholders.
The apparent and inherent values that the HR Balanced Scorecard brings include:
Measurement provides the data and facts to support business decisions, giving credibility to HR recommendations and initiatives;
Collecting and using data to make decisionsregarding retaining and motivating the
workforce, giving the organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace;
The right mix of lead and lag measures helps the business assess its strategic
alignment and progress towards its objectives;
HR will be proactive in identifying potential improvements and bringing suggestions
to the business that improve bottom-line results; and
A business and linked measurement framework focuses activity on those tasks
that contribute to organizational success. This process lifts the role of HR from being viewed purely as a cost centre to that as strategic business partner.

Organization Capital

Organization capital is typically built upon four components:
Culture: All employees are aware of and internalize the mission, vision, and core values needed to execute the strategy.
Leadership: Qualified leaders are available at all levels to mobilize the organization toward its strategy.
Alignment: Individual, team, and departmental goals and incentives are linked to the attainment of strategic objectives.
Teamwork: Knowledge (with strategic potential) is shared throughout organization
Three different kinds of behavior changes are consistently highlighted for creating value:
§ Focus on the customer
§ Be creative and innovative
§ Deliver results
Four additional behavior changes are associated with executing strategy:
§ Understand the mission, vision, and values
§ Create accountability
§ Communicate openly
§ Work as a team

performance improvement checklist based on the key aspects of this classic approach to organization development.

Organization Performance

How do your customers view your organization? How do your suppliers view your organization? How do your employees view your organization? Has your organization’s strategy been articulated and communicated? Does this strategy make sense given the current and anticipated external threats and opportunities? Where are the gaps in terms of internal strengths and capabilities? Have the desired outputs of the firm and the level of performance expected been determined and communicated? Are all necessary functions in place? Are there currently functions that are unnecessary or that could or should be outsourced? Does the formal organization structure support the strategy? Where does the formal structure inhibit efficiency of executing the strategy? Have all relevant functional goals been established? Is all relevant performance measured? Are resources properly allocated? Are the interfaces between departments being managed?

Process Performance

Have your key cross functional business process been identified? Are goals for key processes linked to customer requirements? Are goals for key processes linked to supplier capabilities and requirements? Are process goals linked to the organization requirements and objectives? Is this the most effective process for achieving the process goals? Have appropriate sub process goals been set? Are sufficient resources allocated to each key business process? Are the interfaces between process steps being managed?

Job Performer Performance

Are job outputs and standards linked to customer and process requirements? Are process requirements reflected specifically in the appropriate jobs? Are job steps in a logical sequence? Have supportive policies and procedures been developed? Is the job environment ergonomically sound? Do performers understand the outputs they are expected to produce and the standards they are expected to meet? Do performers have sufficient resources, clear feedback, signals, and priorities, and a logical job design? Are the performers rewarded for achieving the job goals? Do the performers have the necessary skills and know how to achieve the job goals? Do the performers have the physical, mental, and emotional capacity to achieve the job goals?

Goals and Objectives

Performance ‘systems’ require goal setting and measurement at the organization, process, sub-process, and job performer level. Test each goal and objective for simplicity, focus, and clarity in terms of: accurately reflecting organization values and operating principles; quantitative and measurable; customer oriented and customer driven; competitive advantage driven; easily understood - clear to all who have to understand and be guided by them. A classic frame of reference to examine the design of structure, process, and individual job definitions for integration and alignment - understand the business and the key business processes, focus on the customer, create a workable structure, set goals and measure what's important, and manage the linkages.

Employee retention - 7 hidden reasons

An article on 7 hidden reasons for employee disengagement. This is an executive summary of the book published by the author, Leigh Branham.

The 7 reasons portrayed by him in the book are

1. Job/workplace was not as expected
2. Person job mismatch
3. Feedback and coaching issues
4. Growth opportunities issues
5. Recognition and undervalutation
6. Stress overwork and work life imbalance
7. Loss of trust in leadership

The reasons are not uncommon to the HR fraternity from the broader perspective. The compnesation factor is coming under the recognition and undervalution , though not mentioned as compensation

Engagment remains an inevitable factor to keep the retention strategies woking for us.