Downsizing can be defined as, ‘a set of organizational activities undertaken by the management, designed to improve organizational efficiency, productivity, and/or competitiveness’. Downsizing differs from lay-offs as it is permanent termination of services whereas lay-off could be a temporary step and the employees can be appointed back depending on the market situation. Downsizing is considered as a negative term as it means exclusion of employees. But there are some aspects of downsizing that can be beneficial for both the organization as well as its employees.
Downsizing is a method adopted to reduce additional or dispensable costs incurred by the company. When two employees perform the same task and bidding one of them would not make a difference, downsizing comes into the picture. Downsizing has also proved beneficial for the consumers because it sometimes means a reduction in prices of commodities. As the money invested in manufacturing decrease, the commodities can be available in cheaper rates.
It has also been seen that the stock prices of a company rises if it announces downsizing. For example, IBM’s stock rose 7.7% as a result of announcing its downsizing plans. The productivity increases tremendously as the profit aggrandizes.
The decision making process can accelerate if the workforce is reduced. Even if the company consists of manifold staff that adds to the companies fertility, the time invested in taking decisions is immensely reduced due to downsizing.
The benefit of downsizing on the employee is that they can explore avenues that they are not well equipped with. Downsizing can lead to the creation of new jobs or positions. Hence the employee can delve into a contemporary field and enlighten themselves with additional skills.
Downsizing, re-structuring, re-engineering is what companies do in order to attain fluidity and flexibility. It is a pathway to improve, grow and flourish.
-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

It was traditional thinking when women were not given a chance to reach the top positions because of family related issues and responsibilities. A women has to cater to her family needs hence contributing 80 hours per week does not seem possible for her and she would opt for a job with flexi timings. This nutshell thinking has given way in today’s world. The top positions are clutched by women who are willing to initiate a change in people’s outlook.

Either female were not given opportunities to reach the higher hierarchy thinking she wouldn’t be able to commit wholeheartedly or the women itself elected themselves to be better homemakers than commanders.

In April 2000, Indra Nooyi was promoted as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and President of PepsiCo. Indra had the rare distinction of being the highest-ranking Indian woman in the corporate world of America. She was also ranked by the fortune as one the most powerful women. Several other examples of successful women are Jayashree Vallal, Vice-President at Cisco Systems, and Radha Ramaswami Basu, CEO of Support.com. These women have set an example at the cost of shrinking their personal life. They are career oriented but how many women are willing to take this plunge?

Women are great leaders. Women have more patience. They are more empathetic, and they are fantastic listeners. They are used to handling many things at one time. Hence we have seen an increase in the number of women CEO’s. The number is definitely not equivalent to the number of male CEO’s and will it ever reach that level is the question?

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

When at work you are expected to remain somber and humorless. It is said that if you have to choose one characteristic to get you through life, choose a sense humor. Humor adds a sense of positivity in a negative environment. When you laugh, it indicates you are happy and when you are happy, not only your productivity aggrandizes but you are also left with a satisfied employee.

Humor can help in employee retention. When stress levels are booming and the ability to solve a problem seems to diminish, humor acts an effective tool. It aids oneself to recline and start afresh. Working under stress can blemish the outcome hence it is required that you first pacify, attain stability and then try to achieve. Humor is the ingredient that can result into a successful recipe.

Humor also alleviates the degree of bonding between the employees and their organization. You feel connected to the workplace because humor provides with a sense of comfort. It highlights your creative intelligence and the ability to make others happy in an environment where it is utmost important.

But humor can also backfire if used a lot and against one particular individual. Not every one can handle humor even if it meant passing the wittiest remark. Humor basically portrays truth and not every individual has the capability to accept their flaws. Hence you should when to use it and how to use without saddening your co-employee.

Humor translates positive emotions. How can a positive emotion not add to ascendancy? It either shows that you are ecstatic or on the pathway to attain contentment.

Here is a list of corporate terms that may amuse you: (source-internet)
Join our fast paced company = we have no time to train you
Casual work atmosphere = we don’t pay you enough to expect you’ll to dress nicely
Some overtime required = sometime each night and sometime each weekend
Apply-in-person = If you are old, fat or ugly you’ll be told the position has been filled.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

Today as the world economy has headed towards revival, it is our optimism that can help us get going and come out as untouched. Though it is difficult to see the silver lining in the grey cloud when faced with such major challenges, but it does help to survive and suffix if you foresee the brighter side.

There are some people who before performing create a picture in their mind of failing at the task. If you are demoralized to such an extent then you wouldn’t conquer even if you could. It’s like giving up at the starting point. When in a race, your aim should be fixed and you should run as soon as you get the opportunity.

Being a pessimist creates a negative aura and it may affect your mental and physical health. Unless you have the will to recover, you are bound to be under the weather. The downfall of economy is not crawling into initial steps; it is a lot closer to the end. After the crisis major economies of the world are in business as usual. There is a desire for continuous coordination and resurgence.

Think of what you have. Rather than what you don’t have. Learn from the people who have emerged ahead of the game after going through tough times. A female vendor close to my home used to sell vada pav to feed her two young children. But her talent and warm heartedness groped thousands of customers to her stall and now her son runs the business with a turnover that can suffix the entire family to live a lavish life without the fear of attaining poverty ever again.

The circumstances that have arisen cannot be changed hence there is no point crying over spilt milk. Find ways to clean up and breed again. Do not see yourself as the victim and feel pity. Stand up tall and find ways to amend, to rejuvenate.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

An executive MBA is a programme designed for business professionals to broaden their educational qualification and acquire knowledge that may lead to a career growth. MBA is demanding and consumes most of your time and since an executive MBA involves managing both work and education, it is even more hectic.

Over the course of the programme, at least 15-20 hours each week should be allotted for some combination of classroom work, computer and research efforts, and course assignments. Though the course content is same as a regular MBA, the pace of teaching is accelerated. Also the faculty supporting these executive groups consist of seniors who themselves have experience in various fields.

The students already posses some knowledge due to their work background and hence the interaction amongst students itself is beneficial during these programmes.

Enrollment into the executive MBA courses is on the basis of your work background, experience, career goals and desires. Your expertise can help you procure this degree as you will be competing with stalwarts excelling their profession. Most of these courses are sponsored partly or sometimes wholly by the company you are serving.

The best part of the executive MBA is that you do not have to compromise on your work and the only crunch is that multi tasking can add to your stress levels. Though there are people who survive and flourish without an MBA but an MBA is like a bonus to your career. It can multiply your growth and erudite.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine For The Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

When vast avenues pervade and you have multiple options to chose from, the chances of dodging from one job to another seems obvious. The want to achieve makes you seek new opportunities and this is the major reason for attrition. Attrition is decline in the number of employees and the modes are resignation, retirement, termination or death.

The run after money makes you quit. When you can procure more money at a different venture doing the same kind of job, then why not opt for a change. Monetary as well as career growth is important for every individual. Unless the existing organization fulfills these needs, you are bound to look for better pathways. In some companies the rate of promotion is slow and hence the employee does not feel rewarded and the career growth seems to be on a standstill. Thus the need for resignation.

Excessive amount of pressure at work cannot be exercised by every employee. Forcefully working under someone when you heavily dislike your job mounts to stress. Heavy targets or depreciation adds to stress levels and to avoid the negativity, resignation is drafted.

Long working hours can be another reason for desertion. It becomes difficult to strike a balance between your work and family life. Exorbitant work load also deteriorates ones health and since your health signifies your existence, the decision to quit seems righteous.

Performing the same work day in and day out adds to your boredom and thus you feel the need for diversification. When you start young, you lag behind in education hence many employees quit because they want to evolve in terms of education.

Spaces continue to be vacant due to alarming attrition. If one place empties, another is filled. A new candidate is chosen to fill the space and the ongoing process continues. More you increase the demands; more will be the rate of attrition. This chain seems unbreakable because to satiate a human mind is a difficult task.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine For The Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

Micromanagement is a negative term that characterizes affirming stern control over your juniors. The reason for this behaviour could be either to highlight your role in the organization or to deter domination. Micromanagement is taking into consideration even the minute details of a project.

A micromanager likes to interfere into every step of a process and dig out even the slightest of aberrations that does not make a difference to the final result. Demand for unnecessary detailed reports is also a symptom of micromanagement. He does not believe in bestowing responsibilities and governs the entire task himself.

A certain amount of control is essential to ensure discipline but inappropriate control suggests that you fail to trust your employees. This lack of trust brings down the employees confidence level and constant questioning makes them stressed. A stressful employee cannot contribute his heart and soul to a project.

Some managers use this trait to eliminate unwanted employees who do not contribute to the organization efficiently. Using this harsh treatment either makes them quit or outperform. Another reason for micromanagement is to induce fear in your employees.

The micromanagers take all the decisions for their company and try to make changes if a subordinate handles the decision making. This limits the rate of success as the whole process becomes disinclined and the employee develops the feeling that whatever efforts he puts is never appreciated or accepted by his superior.

The best way to deal with these managers is through confrontation. It should be explained to them in a subtle manner that excessive control is decelerating. Also if you put some extra efforts and prove yourself, it increases the manager’s confidence in your work and bestowing duties upon you becomes manageable for him.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine For The Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

A leap from one job profile to another for the individual as well as company growth is the objective of job rotation. This formula involves the risk of losing good employees because a person adept at one task may not be competent enough for a change but the benefits of job rotation outnumber its drawbacks hence more companies are coming forward to accommodate this concept.

Job rotation gives the employee an opportunity to explore different processes within the company and understand its working in detail. This helps in enhancing your skills and is the best possible means to succession planning. An employee’s competence can be put to test through this method and on the basis of the results the task can be bestowed upon the employee. Assessing which employee is best at what task can be known by job rotation.

Job rotation also deviates from a sense of lassitude. Monotonous work day after day adds to your apathy hence it supplies a fresh change to your career. Variation can also lead to job satisfaction as the exposure to different fields can be satiating.

Though job rotation involves more of lateral growth than vertical, it can be an effective means of motivating your employee. Promotion always boosts the employees’ morale and makes him feel that his work is appreciated. Acknowledging the employee’s capabilities is the best form of stimulation. Every employee seeks for a development in career and job rotation provides the same.

It is a crucial decision that the company makes while shifting an employees base. Hence proper planning is mandatory. Testing the employee’s skills and capabilities is essential before recommending them for a change in position as training demands high costs from the company, also understanding the process thoroughly may kill a lot of time. Thus these decisions cannot be taken in haste.

Adjusting into a new position can be arduous for some. Some employees may not be willing to accept change as they get used to a routine and a modification can be tiresome.
Many employees do not consider a lateral growth in their career beneficial because the responsibilities may broaden without an increase in their salary. The frequency of conversion should be taken care of. Frequent changes in profile will add to the employees disorientation and prove to be chaotic.

After all job rotation is a form of promotion and can be propitious if done with proper planning.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine For The Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

Training Methods

To train is to learn a particular skill with efficiency so that it can be used later on to increase productivity. Training helps in better learning which leads to better performance and finally better results. It exaggerates your capability, capacity and performance.

Corporates today have incorporated effective training procedures which makes sure that the employee gains everything that is necessary to initiate development. Installation of games and innovative interactive methods are found to be fruitful. The employee may not even realize that he is imbibing knowledge and skill through these trainings.

On the job training gives you an insight into the pattern of work and since it involves practical experience it may also render productive. This procedure is beneficial because it introduces the trainees to the real world. Off the job training is more about gulping down the procedures and understanding the techniques. It does not add to the productivity, it only allows the trainee to learn.

The soft skill training teaches you the behavioral procedures. The ways to reciprocate in public, the ways to command and convey your message cogently are included in the soft skills coaching. The executive coaching technique enhances your leadership skills and teaches you to be a captain of the ship and sail smoothly. The third type of training aggrandizes your technical skills. Apart from knowledge, the technical formalities are essential to deliver perfection.

Training leverages your performance and is a quintessential kit to achieving progression.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in

Young and proliferating

A new changing trend visible in the corporate world is installation of young minds at the senior level. Either through inheritance or efficiency, youngsters reach the sky and emerge more successful than their counterparts. Running an organization at the onset of your maturity has its pros and cons.

Young minds generate young and fresh thoughts. Their level of thinking runs in congruence with the present day world. Hence their decisions and concepts are appreciated by the new generation. The new generation welcomes new ideas with open arms and can adopt to change promptly. A high level of camaraderie can be achieved between the boss and his employee if both belong to the same genre.

What one lacks being young is the experience. Knowledge about a client would be minimal and he would have to begin the expedition from the grass root. The learning process is still in motion when you are young and mistakes are bound to happen. Though being young helps build friendship, it also gives rise to jealousy. The issue of egoism arises because the boss is found to be of the same age as his employee or sometimes even younger. It becomes difficult to cater to the orders of a person younger than you. Also it becomes intricate for the senior to give orders to a junior who is elder to him.

A young achiever is someone who is looked up to by desiring professionals. Hence being successful at a young age helps motivate other youngsters to do the same. When someone finds out what they like doing the best and get paid for it that is the superlative career one can build. And today’s young professional have discovered this secret hence they flourish in a faster pace and fulfill their dreams in a short period.

-Arti Bakshi
"Human Resource- A Magazine for the Discerning Professional
www.humanresource.net.in