How to Reduce Employees Attrition Rate

                                            TSK. RAMAN
 Read this through with "patience" and you will get a lot of information. In the end you also have a lot of questions that you need to ask of yourself and answer. if you think you can do this and then share your thoughts, it's quite passible that you many get solutions to stem the "rot of attrition" in your growing company which seems to be already offering some exciting inducements to make people get engaged.

A little bit of history - before we try solving the mystery
Attrition is an age old phenomena. I've had several opportunities in my career especially in IT dating back to 1987. Companies as everyone knows starts off small, and so it's called "start-up." The period that I am talking about didn't pose serious competition domestically, but to earn a break-through into companies in the US and the lure to earn foreign exchange and $ was the challenge. People would do everything to earn this break. And some companies were there at the right time, with the right people doing the right thing and so there is very little doubt as to why they succeeded. The rush for talent was there but not so much as it increased world over nearer to the Y2K and immediately after till the emergence of the DOT.COM boom and subsequently the burst of the "bubble" and then the down turn. Industry was more cautious in their approach in all aspects - recruitment, finance etc., and naturally therefore people were beginning to pick and choose people whom they could bet on rely on going forward. On the other side, technical people also started picking and choosing - some went dream companies, technical growth, some were bent on only on-site assignments etc., so the cat-and-mouse game started.

Sadly though it is still prevalent, but the struggle for start-up's have been more or less the same. You need to sell the company a lot more harder than say you have to sell a better known company, where you need to concentrate in this sequence - only on the role, technology, growth and compensation (the prospect would like to hear this though the prospects priority and sequence may be the difference). After a round or two of talks this deal is concluded and engagement gets going, assured for at least three years, which is when the resource would might plan the next move. If the company has assignments that can take people overseas on on-site assignments then this mantra is used for extending the careers.

On the other side "start-up" may only have to rely on the "Integrity" and reputation of the promoters working on the latest technologies along with some solid techies handling the leadership positions, and also having some projects in the pipeline, gets the company going. If one gets this combination then it is the effort of everyone, not alone the HR to get more people excited and interested in joining the company to work for. And mind you everyone who comes to meet you as a prospect will give the start-up company a feeling that he/she is doing the company a favor by risking his/her career in joining a relatively unknown company, despite having a market for himself/herself. This is a reality with which you have to live with it and contend, I see no escape. Once the resource decides to come on-board the first motivator is - compensation, rest all are not major factors. Exceptions are thee in this regard, but they are very few. This doesn't end here, you need to be consistent with your policy statements, employee relations policies, etc., to keep the system moving which means you in HR is often under scrutiny by the promoters and the management on the one side and on the other the employees' enjoy the upper hand as they only need to raise the voice to see that the leadership is alerted. Without going into too many details things will get aligned in a manner that HR will have to play the "subjugated" role, taking instructions all the way, and may be also deemed as not so good, not so effective or worst to be deemed as "useless." In fact, people are also known to make a sweeping comment that "Oh! these HR People are all like that, hopeless people, who don't understand the reality etc.,"

What then might be the prime reasons why people leave
Some of the prime reasons why people leave is their inability to handle stress, monotonous work, company policies, lack of career growth, problems with senior people, no on-site possibilities, not enough money, not enough increments, unfair/biased treatment, too much of micro-management, rigid rules and regulations, lack of trust on the management, leadership and may be colleagues too, inconsistent interpretation of policies, the list can go on... There can be multiple reasons for leaving whether it's a well known company or a start-up.

What then are the "Drivers of Engagement" specifically to smaller start-up companies
It's important that the company work in laser sharp/latest technologies, if there is a "bouquet of the latest technologies" even better for instance Mobile - Android, IPhone, windows /JEE/.Net/PHP/Oracle, and with clients who can assure reasonably good quantity of work, ensuring that no one gets sidelined on to the bench.
Regular on the job training programs be it on technology/managerial/leadership, behavioral or whatever, depending on the need of the company to meet the present demand or preparing for the future. All of this should enable the employee make his/her profile seeming good and rich.

The other aspects that follow
Market equivalent salary, without too many deductions but with a bucketful of benefits
Sizably good increments annually after review
Regular feedback and dialogue with superiors
Recognition and Rewards on a regular basis to keep them engaged

These are aspects that you will want them to understand and know but the employees might not think so
Employee perceptions of job importance
Employee clarity of job expectations
Career advancement/improvement opportunities
Quality of working relationships with peers, superiors, and subordinates
Perceptions of the ethos and values of the organization
Effective Internal Employee Communications

If these are the realities then, now for the encouraging factors which is what you need to find out how it is in your present organization

1. Are you suitably qualified with a relevant degree in the subject, and are experienced enough to stand up and talk for yourself
2. Do you enjoy the support of the promoters, leadership and the management
3. Are you sufficiently equipped with the right resources - to handle your responsibility - even basic things like a neat work place, a system with the right software, adequate support systems in terms of administration, accounts and house-keeping (or are you one in all)
4. How do people perceive you as an individual
5. How good an influencer are you
6. Are you well read - especially on contemporary managements/industry subjects etc
7. Does the office have a professional look and atmosphere
8. What is the management-style - participatory or what else
9 Is the company engaged in the latest technologies and do they have the right people in the right places, doing the right thing for the right customers
10. What would the USP (Unique Selling Point) of your organization be?
11. What would be your EVP (Employee Value Proposition) to attract new talent
12. What do the current employees think about the organization and what would they want it to be like.
13. Were you able to get any useful information from any of the employees leaving the company, so that you can examine what can be done to address the issue.
14. Lastly are you confident of hanging on despite the carnage around you.
15. Also ask yourself whether you will be able to do his alone or you would want some professional HR Advisors from external sources, and whether the management would be open to seeking advise from specialist's to redeem the future of the company.
I'd also like to add a thing about the mind-set of the Promoters/Entrepreneurs/Technopreneurs, and the people at the top in leadership positions, and this is coming out of hard/rock, and raw experience.

Everyone - be it technical/marketing/finance or whatever, think that they are the one's who are ultimately responsible for the growth/profitability/sustenance of the company and take it that it is their prerogative give directions/suggestions/advice to the one's handling HR.

To be brutally frank, in the initial stages in every organization I held a responsible position, I applied cautious restraint in letting go my thoughts. I would simply say, "thanks your in-puts, I'll give it a thought and get back." Invariably I would do a deep study and tell them about the fall-outs or breaches in what they suggested, and suggest ways in which this could be addressed. Slowly and surely things panned out well and when I did make them realize the value I could add I started putting forth my thoughts in no uncertain terms. When you do so you should be careful as you might not get a buy-in straight away, but you need to make your thoughts, be willing to receive new in-puts, and then amend suitably to get the organization work like a team for a common purpose. Speak just that much, and observe silence in order to listen to what others are saying and then move ahead. You gain this only through experience and getting beaten at first, but you must have a lot of confidence in your self, and tremendous belief in your potential. You should also be lucky enough to have an energetic team which will go all out to implement plans and programs.


Professionals in HR must think of themselves as Strategists going forward.

One give your best and trying changing the situation for the better
Two quit and look for comfort zones to park yourself.

You'll be ill-advised to dwell in a comfort zone. This is a thought that I have been talking about to a lot many people for a long time now. It's about seeking a change of the situation that we are in.

A change which we conveniently postpone blaming everything but ourselves. We need a through changes in the way manage ourselves - we need to think, act and utilize our potential.
A change leadership thinking as well and action which supports their talk.
A change in environment which only sees things monetarily.

C = Communicate, Clearly, Consistently, openly and often
H = Hear to what all others are saying and help folks through the transition
A = Assess and your core values/principles/process and align it with your mission in life
N = Non-negotiable action - navigate from the "Where you are" to the "where you want to be"
G = Get everything you planned, into movement
E = Educate, excite, empower and engage employees

It's incredibly hard for anyone of us on this planet to predict the future with any degree of certainty. But I am convinced that with failures and success, reading, experience, thinking, change and effort you can create the future you desire.

What we need to do is to be changing, be it ourselves or organizations, is a visit on the future.

V = Visualize the much talked of aspect of self-leadership which is desired and acquire it
I = Invest in a learning and development culture
S = Seriously assess the current situation prevailing around you
I = Influence, incremental but continuous improvement-based living
T = Take the bull by the horns, take on hard and difficult task, target areas for betterment/improvement

A = And act on a plans aligned to the aims for a

F = Fruitful
U = Ultimate
T = Totally
U = Unique
R = Rewarding
E = Engagement

With a positive visit a future you desire, can be create with a high voltage energy to make it happen in your organization.

That's it for now.

It'll make you very productive

It'll make you very productive

Work four days a week 10 hours a working day and take off a mid-week holiday on Wednesday.

I have a different take on this all together. In recent times we did have a day off on Wednesday, the last I remember was Gandhi Jayanti Oct. 2, 2013. We always have a lot of work on a daily basis, however, I felt the week with a Wednesday off in the middle went past quickly and I also noticed that it was one of the most productive weeks for a very long time. I experimented with deciding to say back at home yet another Wednesday, which I again found was not only refreshing, but the week was productive once again.

We work more than the scheduled 8 hours a day easily say about 10 hours daily and add to this the travel time of a minimum of two hours (one hour up and one hour down), effectively making it twelve hours to work. Add to this one hour preparation in the morning to get to work and about the same time to unwind after returning back in the evening. So this makes it 14 hours. This leaves us with about 10 hours of which about 7 accounts for the night sleep, leaving us with just three hours with the family, Children, Society, community, TV, Friends, Calls etc. And we seem to wait for the weekend by postponing all activities. When we get to the weekend, most times we are summoned back for some urgent deliverable or if there isn't anything, there is hardly any energy left for anything so we try catching up with the family and relax at home, which again doesn't happen. Groceries, Social outing's, temple visit then to a movie. followed to a dinner at a restaurant, fills the weekend, and back again the grind starts all over again beginning Monday.

I'm being given to understand many of our counterparts from the other side of the globe are pretty precise with their check-in (perhaps 8.00 AM or 8.30 AM) and check-out (@5.00 PM or 5.30 PM) with their lunch packed in between, which I am told they wrap up pretty quickly and are at the desk to resume work. They will never invest their weekends for anything other than family.

So what we are driving ourselves crazy for.

This brings me back to the same point a mid-week off on Wednesday, and the usual 10 hours accounted for work instead of 8, and so in effect for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday anyway we clock 40 hours. There should be no billing hitch. I am quite convinced this will work. It will need some gut for the managements to adopt this proposal first and then communicate to their clients. If the workforce in the country decides that this will be the way it shall go, I am sure there will be no one who would want to challenge a nation such as ours that boasts of high quality young talent. We need to take a firm resolve and say that's it. We shall work 10 hours for four days in a week and take a day off in the middle of the week on Wednesday.

I have been circulating this message through a few blogs now and this has been received with great interest and is gaining support as well. This could quite become a reality before too long.

I was on a long distance call, with a friend of mine dating back to the mid-70’-80’s. He was thrilled at the reconnection and was sharing memories of our times together. Among several things we shared, he reminded me about the humorous things I used to say and that used to be the stand out most of the times we gathered as friends. I reflected back for a moment and said, yes, I was one, and now for a long time I seemed to have forgotten that. Anyway going back to what my friend of yester years said and also believing that I still have that streak in me, I decided I’ll pen this just for fun.
Read this and please let me know even if you haven’t enjoyed it.

So Much Ado About Absolutely Nothing...
by TSK. Raman

People are hard of hearing these days, and that’s nothing to do with the latest technologies. They just want to hold stage and speak about themselves. Most conversations are centered around themselves and just themselves. For a change they will bring in their family – spouse, son, daughter, etc., when they speak.

They hardly think. There is no time even to think if they are thinking. There is no defined process to define this process. In the midst of this chaos, I'm trying to find a thought, and that's a lot of hard work you see, this is what it must be like being an archaeologist.
‘Archaeologists’ uncover the unknown and diplomats cover the known. I'm neither, am therefore not sure if what I am going to say is unknown to the known, or known to the unknown.

Honestly, whose got the time to teach anyone how to 'fish' in today's world. You want to live you've got do anything or everything for your fish. Doesn’t that sound a little ‘fishy.’

I like nothing free, except things nature gave me. There is an old saying the best things in life are free - mothers for instance, the air that we breathe, but how many realize this, as everyone is in a desperate hurry running after more and more and doing airy-fairy things. How else would you describe the mad-rush or people driving on the roads (sorry – no one drives, at least not in a place like Hyderabad, they just fill the gaps, in front of them). Everyone around wants to 'win' everything, and no one knows which race they are in. In the midst of this desperation and cacophony, I am still trying to be happy participating in life. Doing something I feel good, the way I think best possible. I expected to be farther down life's road by now, but I just skidded off the learning curve, because I did not have that aim in life that most seem to have, and now I have just enough ammunition to see my days through. Every action has an overreaction these days, so the best thing to do would be is to be a ‘Director,’ of non-action.

The really scary part of middle age is you know you're going to grow out of it. I didn't much care about it then and now I don't care a bit about my age, you see I didn’t dye my hair, neither do I stop it from falling. I'm not getting old I'm becoming a classic. In me still resides a 'kid' but not the one who would love to go to school. I didn’t enjoy schooling even as a kid, so there is no way I’ll enjoy it now, for workplaces have taken the shape of schools, tasks, performance, appraisal’s, increments, pink-slips etc. It’s now I realized going to school and that too to the class isn't going to make me a 'classic,' I turned to become one and I don’t know how. It may be because I learnt more when I got out of school and on the road to life. Anyway for me it’s ‘vintage’ stuff.

As a kid, I was pretty light meaning fleet footed, and skinny to the extent that if someone saw me from the side, I was invisible. That apart I really loved playing, among which I enjoyed flying kites as it soars into the sky and I felt as if I was flying with it. I remember people telling me to be careful as the weight of the kite and the lift it gets with the wind, might lift me along with it. Nothing like that happened because I used a rope which bound me to a pole, to keep me secure and bound to the ground. I had a competitor around me there too and that was a mischievous cow which our neighbor milkman always tied to the pole, because he had no other place to tie it. This kept me on my toes always, a slight lapse of concentration would mean a knock on my backside by the cow. It had to take it’s anger out on someone you see. And I was not keen on becoming it’s victim. This lesson helps me even to this day. Whenever I feel I am involved in something I can see a lot of bulls around me, who are mentally tied down, and are physically 'milked' out of energy, and I refuse being cowed down. That’s the secret of my ‘energy.’

Now that I am a senior citizen, while flying kites people say I've leased it for a walk, I enjoy it even more if it is downhill, I'm then paragliding. Whatever be it, I enjoy myself, I get to run, fly, and walk, all of which adds to keep me fit.
So that's it from me for now.??

Moral: Subtlety is the art of saying what you think and getting out of the way before it's understood.

THE RAT RACE

“I don’t want to join the rat race.
Not be enslaved by machines,
bureaucracies, boredom, ugliness.
I don’t want to be a moron, robot, commuter.
I don’t want to become a fragment of a person.

I want to do my own thing.
I want to live (relatively simply).
I want to deal with people, not with masks.
People matter. Nature matters.
Beauty matters. Wholeness matters.
I want to be able to care.”

~ E. F. Schumacher in Small Is Beautiful.

How about having a holiday mid-day of the week on Wednesday's and extend our work timings each of the other working days Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

  

　

Pawel Brodzinski on Software Project Management


Dealing with software projects in real life

http://brodzinski.com/2010/05/motivate-people.html
 What Motivates People

by Pawel Brodzinski on May 31, 2010

Today I attended a training session where we were learning about motivation. I’ve heard pretty poor opinions about the session before, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t check by myself. And if you need to know these opinions were crap – training was pretty good.

Anyway, we had a very small and very open group which was cool. I think I should thank here those who didn’t show up, since the session was planned for a bigger audience. The best thing about the group was each of us works in different team and we are on different levels in organizational structure. This means our perception of the organization itself and tools we have to motivate ourselves and our people differ vastly.

This is kind of cool because otherwise we would barely have a chance to confront our points of view. And it appeared every single one of us pointed different things as our main motivators. This is basically the lesson I want to share with you. If you want to know what motivates people working for you, move your fat ass from your damn throne and learn what drives every individual in your team, instead of asking for universal recipes.

Yes, you will hear all sorts of answers from "more money" up to "my cellar is cool actually; just don’t interrupt me when I’m in THE flow." On a side note, money isn’t a tool you can use to motivate people.

Motivation is a very individual thing. I remember sharing a really fat bonus with one of my former PMs after she completed one those hard core projects. Since we were getting on well I asked if that motivated her for further effort. The answer was "no, not at all." I can’t say I was surprised much, since I’d moved my fat ass from my throne to learn what had driven my team. If you asked me why the fat bonus then, well, she’d still earned that money.

Don’t expect simple answer for a question about motivating people. The subject is just too complex. And if you still believe there is a simple and universal solution for the problem you may want to reconsider predisposition to be a manager.

In case you were curious my biggest motivators are learning opportunities and having things under control.

Tomek Dabrowski May 31, 2010 at 1:03 pm

Pawel,

I share your point of view around motivation. As you notice, this is indvidual thing and you, as PM/team leader, should try to find out the way of "keeping people happy". Motivation is especially issue with long-term project (but not only) when your team is doing mostly maintenance work. One tip that I can think of is to empower people – they should feel that they can change the process, that someone is listening their ideas and can help to introduce them. Additionally, PM should make people essential part of project, i.e you can engage them into estimation & planning session, ask for technical advice etc.

Pawel Brodzinski May 31, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Martin,

I haven’t yet had a chance to read this one. Thanks for recommendation.

Pawel Brodzinski May 31, 2010 at 1:12 pm

Tomek,

You’re right – tasks people perform strongly affect people. If you have to focus on mundane goals you are probably hardly motivated by tasks themselves. And yes, wise delegation of decision-making process can be a great motivator in many cases.

Delegation is also a typical problem of many managers – they just don’t feel comfortable when they aren’t in full control of things.

Well, I must add that when I say that having things under control motivates me I don’t think about making every single decision by myself, but rather about being able to spread the decision-making power among the team.

Geoff Snyder June 1, 2010 at 1:12 am

Hey Pawel,

Great article! You’re right, it is a complex topic and so much of it get overlooked when trying to collaborate on it. To me, what gets me helps me get motived is: truth. Knowing that what it is that I need be motivated on needs to be honest and truthful. So many times I’ve sat in on a conference (or even a small meeting) only to be razzed up by some ridiculous ‘speech’. If one can keep it simple, keep it real and honest…motivation is sure to follow.

Regards,
Geoff

Pawel Brodzinski June 1, 2010 at 1:21 am

Geoff,

I always considered transparency as an important thing when leading teams. I agree it is one of important motivation factors in general. I mean people feel when they’re told some bullshit when they expect some hones and straightforward message. And being honest with them is a win-win, not only some of them (most of them?) will be motivated but you also cut a lot of gossips out. After all if something was openly announced it doesn’t work as a news during water cooler chit-chat.

Vicky Stamatopoulou June 1, 2010 at 3:18 am

Sure, there is a lot of theory about such things. Internet and wikipedia is full of it… (even through me, I meta blogged on it) but here a direct link to YouTube for a very interesting presentation created by Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce
called ‘RSA Animate – Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us’
http://bit.ly/bQepg7
Cheers.

Pawel Brodzinski June 1, 2010 at 3:59 am

Well, that’s a part of truth. We do a lot of things because of purpose, not because of money. But many of these things are happening outside our workplaces.

I mean, if someone asked me to do a coaching session near the place where I live I’d probably willingly do it it for free. At least now when I’m still not a highly over-paid independent consultant.

But it doesn’t change my situation at work where I expect to earn some cash since I have to pay my mortgage. Pretty much the same model you can map on other people. They do a lot of interesting stuff and no one pays them for it. But at the same time these people can honestly say their main motivator at their workplace is money. If they get more of it they would work longer/harder/smarter.

Motivation to co-creating Wikipedia is vastly different than motivation to build yet another dull web app for yet another business client. Motivation to clean up the house is completely different than to have another beer.

What I focused on in the post is motivation in the workplace. And I assume that not everyone in the workplace just loves their job and would work for free if someone else paid their rent, because it is never truth. In every, but tiny, organization there are people who aren’t fully satisfied with what they do and what they get in exchange. And sometimes giving them power to do whatever they want for 24 hours solves the problem but sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes a handful of bucks can work miracles and sometimes it just boosts frustration.

After all it is totally individual thing.

Vicky Stamatopoulou June 1, 2010 at 12:56 pm

"…Sometimes a handful of bucks can work miracles and sometimes it just boosts frustration.
After all it is totally individual thing."
Absolute true! I now exactly what you are talking about.

Ron Rosenhead June 9, 2010 at 9:02 am

Pawel, good reading!

Some of the people I meet would like the basics; recognition, feedback and a thank you…..

As I say, the basics and it does not take that much to do…..

Ron Rosenhead

Pawel Brodzinski June 9, 2010 at 10:05 am

Ron,

People often laugh at infamous "handshake with CEO" but these things work as long as they are genuine and not just another trick to avoid paying people more money.

Recently I’ve been told that even a perspective of working with someone you respect may be a reason to stay for someone who actively seeks the job since she’s frustrated.

Basics do the job.

Lglass June 9, 2010 at 12:54 pm

Great post. Since "Drive" was mentioned I’d like to offer up another point of view on motivation, from a true scientific perspective. http://aubreydanielsblog.com/2010/01/26/drive-me-crazy/

Kathleen Lisson June 10, 2010 at 1:22 pm

I would also add that the things that motivated an employee in the past may not still motivate them today. All the more reason to continually get off the throne and talk to the team.

Pawel Brodzinski June 10, 2010 at 1:33 pm

Yes, you got the point Kathleen. We change over time. Things which drive us do too. Our managers can’t base on good old recipes which worked when we were fresh graduates.

Besides that there are also temporary factors which affects our motivation strongly. I may need more money at the moment or my spouse can by pretty pissed off with my long working hours. As long as no one talks with me, they can’t know how my typical motivation drivers are affected at the moment.

Jeff Edwards June 13, 2010 at 7:51 pm

I love the "get of your throne" comment. I am going to have to use that one.

I couldn’t agree more. I have long wondered why many managers don’t take the time to get to know their staff. Are they too busy creating schedules, monitoring progress, or eliminating risks? Motivating staff is a big part of a manager’s job, but it is sometimes little-discussed and often ignored.

I have found that most of my managers have not heard of Frederick Herzberg (see http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/herzberg/). He found some elements of work keep a person from being dissatisfied, while others satisfy or motivate. Some managers adjust those components that keep a person from being dissatisfied and expect motivation to increase. There are many other theories of motivation, of course.

Pawel Brodzinski June 14, 2010 at 12:56 am

Jeff,

We just aren’t taught what this all management thing is all about. As IT industry is fairly young and its growth was very rapid we just lack good manager on all levels of the hierarchy. And if you, as a line worker, have a manager who believes the only motivator is money, after promotion you’d likely believe in the same pattern.

Besides it’s easier for a manager to run their knowledge workers as they were a herd of hogs. Oh, they will leave eventually, but so what? Others will come to fill the places.

The funny thing is, unlike many other changes in organizations, changing people management patterns works almost exclusively when it is top-down and not bottom-up process.

TSK. Raman January 11, 2011 at 8:17 am

Pawel Brodzinski ,
This is a pretty old topic, am respoding because I felt I should even if it so late. It’s never a dead issue anyway..

Money isn’t the biggest motivating factor
Sometimes I think we make things more complex than we have to. Definitely, though in an indirect way money may be the biggest motivator in that it leads to being able to provide for yourself and your family. If it were not for money, we would not be able to pay for the basics of life, it isn’t the top motivator all the time. Peoplecan have different motivations at different times in their life, money isn’t the common factor in most cases. It may just be an important piece in the big jig-saw puzzle of life.
Let me repeat, money is not the only motivator, in fact, it’s not even the best one, it may be at the top of other factors like recognization to a good work, getting a continous feed back for a good job done, or helping to learn or to get guidance on a path. There are many people are motivated by competition. Pride in their work, a feeling that what you have contributed by way of your work has added value and has made a huge contribution to the place where you work or your contribution to society in a meaningful way, supporting team members (or not wanting to let them down), helping people, receiving a genuine gratitude and praise, all of these would be intrinsic motivators that can trump monetary rewards.

Pawel Brodzinski January 11, 2011 at 2:57 pm

Well, I agree with what you have to say about the role of money. The only difference is I don’t call it motivation. Yes, we work (among others) for money. Yes, there are industries where people work for money in the first place as it’s hard to make ends meet. But IT isn’t one of them.

But then it is still about some minimal acceptable level of salary which in IT is bigger only because, well, in IT we’re paid just better.

The more we get, the more we want, right?

TSK. Raman January 12, 2011 at 2:33 am

I agree with you entirely, that money makes people to go to work to make them meet ends and to make a living, especially the workers in industries. To motivate workers you have to know what they want. They also might get some fringe benefits therefore money isn’t the only thing that motivates them. Businesses need to have a well motivated workforce or otherwise they will not function properly and to their full potential. Well motivated workers, work harder, are happier, produce more, help a business improve the quality of its products, make your company remain competitive and can mean bigger profits and keep costs down. So it is very important to motivate workers.
Henry Thoreau who said "The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."
Whether or not money is a motivator, depends where on falls in Maslow’s hierarchy.
1) Physiological Needs: – Money is massive motivator
2) Safety & Security: Money may be a solid motivator
3) Belonginess and Love: Money to some extent is a motivator
4) Esteem Need : Money might play a small part as a motivator
5) Cognitive: Money is less and less of a motivator
6) Aesthetic Needs: Money is not at all a motivation
7) Self-actualization: Money most likely not a motivator at all
8) Transcendence: Money is not a motivator at all.

Pawel Brodzinski January 14, 2011 at 5:08 pm

We think about the same things, we just call them a bit differently. Lower levels of Maslow’s pyramid (and some parts of higher levels as well) fall are those which are covered with some expected minimum salary. I know I simplify here, but I don’t try to make it about theories: Hertzberg, Maslow, whoever you choose.

By the way the interesting thing is all those theories have a common point, which we can apply to the situation in IT industry and it would always end the same: "money doesn’t motivate." Yet it is still treated as the main and the only motivator managers have.

james idylford September 25, 2011 at 10:24 pm

But people always after the money not the work itself. They just want to earn money as much as they wanted to have with.

Be the Change Agent

You have a rupee and I have one. we exchange it with each other. We still have a rupee each. This is transaction. I have an idea you have an idea. We exchange, now both of have two ideas each, this is transformation.

In our home we enjoy great relationships, we are in a constant communication mode, we care for each other, we discuss various things about the family, and also issues outside our family, the society, the environment we prevail, the people, right up to politics and governance. While most of this part of the relationship is transformational, because we prevail in issueless moments, thought we must admit some by nature are transactional issues too. This doesn't dilute the relationship at all. We invest heavily in issue less moments, therefore we create a transformational relationship in which we all grow and so the relationship grows to make it life-bondage one.

Come to work isn't the same. Relationships @ work are merely transactional, however, there is a huge opportunity to make it transformational, if you can only volunteer to be the initiator, guide, advisor, coach and allow the other to become the executor of the task, you may be able to transform the other person @ work. Let everything that passes by you gain value, let every life that crosses your life be changed for the better. Add value to every moment. Add value to every relationship, try transforming every transaction, by adding value to it. Be an 'Alchemist' In helping others become better you become better. let everything become better in your presence. Leadership is in evolving transactional opportunities into transformational opportunities. Be the change agent. Keep going.. and keep helping people to keep growing. That's the role to grow into as HR people in an organization, because the value you add at this point of time though intangible, is absolutely valuable.

Why aren’t we like children?

Why aren’t we like children?

by TSK. Raman

Remember the days you and I were children, with little of nothing to worry about and parent taking care of us. All we had to do is to go to school, study come back play, study and that’s about it. Life was fun indeed. Despite all the distractions, by and far children still seem to have fun even in these modern days. The one’s who are stressed and make the children stressed are the adults. A major matter for consideration of adults – would you want to stress your selves or remember that you were children too once upon a time and you want to be like that.
To be like children just remember there are four ways to be more like a child no matter how old you get
What will kids do if they want to know something really badly ?

They will become curious.

Curiosity : Just by being curious children learn everything. Childish curiosity they would say, and it is really nice to learn to be curious like a child.

You're right. They will bug you. Kids can ask a million questions. You think they're through. They've got another million. They will keep haunting you. They can drive you right to the brink.

Have you ever noticed that while adults are abusing the planet, children are studying them, and are busy trying to repair the damage done?

A child's curiosity is what helps them to reach, learn and grow. When did we forget this?
2) Excitement : It’s nice to get excited like a child. There is nothing that has more magical than childish excitement. At times you can be so excited you hate to go to bed at night. Can't wait to get up in the morning. So excited that you're about to explode.

How can anyone resist that kind of childish magic?

Now, once in awhile I meet someone who says, "Well, I'm a little too mature for all that childish excitement."

Isn't that pathetic?

You've got to weep for such kinds of people.

All I've got to say is, "If you're too old to get excited, you're old." Don't get that old.
3) Faith : Faith actually is pretty childish. Faith like a child. How else would you describe it? Some say, "Let's be adult about it." Oh no!

Adults too often have a tendency to be overly skeptical. Some even have a tendency to be cynical. Adults have a tendency to challenge everything suggested to them and say, "Yeah. I've heard that old positive line before. This will not work, and that will not work.

You notice the difference?

No wonder the master teacher said, "Unless you can become like little children, your chances, they're skinny."
4) Trust : Trust is an absolute childish virtue, and it has great merit. Have you heard the expression "sleep like a baby"? That's it. Childish trust. After you've gotten an A+ for the day, leave it in somebody else's hands.

So that’s it, curiosity, excitement, faith and trust, it’s just a simple formula. Wow, what a powerful combination to bring (back) into our lives and make our lives easy, and happy.

　

What are the Kids missing these days…?

by TSK. Raman

It seems today is the birthday of the "Melody Queen" Lata Mangeskar – she turns 75. And since morning I’ve been tuned to "Farishta" on World Space and have been enjoying the wonderful songs this amazing woman has sung for us. It takes me back in time as we’ve heard most of these songs on Radio Ceylon, the binaca Geet Mala and the Vivid Bharati.

For a few days now I have been rewinding my mental tape and visit my "childhood."?? This would be the time of the year when we would have "Puja Holidays" but a lot of holiday homework to do. Apart from this at home my father would insist that we would have to write a page of English, Hindi and the local language Telugu to enable us improve our handwriting.?? All of this?? used to be like an imposition, I would crib, cry, yell and play all the pranks, but would manage to get it all through, by lunch time. We would read story books or comics in the noon and get out to the ground to play – it could be football, cricket, hockey or whatever, but playing some game in the evening was a surety. If it rained we would be indoors playing caroms, chess, badminton or Table tennis. Those were the days when we didn’t even here about the TV, nor the computer.????

Yes It gives me immense pleasure and bliss. I have made a small ‘REMIX’ attempt to capture the past in "just a few lines" and am sharing it with you. I'm sure this will lighten the "stress" most go through during a "hectic routine working day." If?? I am able to give you that little pleasure and relief, I'll consider my day as done. enjoy reading this.

I want to go back to the time when...
It was early to bed early to rise
We had a time to study, and a time to play??????????????????????????????????
We revered our elders and they showered their blessings????????????????????????
We were loved and were pulled up??????????????????????????????????????????
We were??hugged and kissed and we were crushed and??whacked????too??????????
Being a good student was a "default" expectation????????????????????????????????
We would go over to spend the weekend with our friends????????????????????????
And we were looked after as if there was no difference between us and them??????????
We had the gardens we had the rains everything was in abundance??????????????????
No one talked of any scarcity, or pollution??????????
There weren't so many motorized vehicles and so no "traffic jams"??????????????????
If anyone was caught accepting a "bribe" he would be shunned?? in the society
Decisions were made??only by??the elders and no one would dare to disobey
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in the game called "Monopoly."
Even little things like watching butterflies?? in the day and fireflies in the evening could happily occupy any free time we got.
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best friends."
Being old referred to anyone over 20 ??????????????????????????
The only dates we knew were in the "calendar" or the "dry fruit" that came from Kabul or Arabia
The net on a tennis court was the perfect height to play volleyball and rules didn't matter.
Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a catapult.
Nobody was prettier than Mom and no one more handsome than Dad.
Falling and getting hurt was a common occurrence??????????????????????????????
Scrapes and bruises were??very common and they would nursed and made better.
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" bicycles
Getting a drive to the zoo was a dream come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a "dare-devil" attitude
No shopping trip was complete unless a new toy was brought home.
We did not know what "hijacking" was. We could go into the "cockpit" of the plane while on "land" or in air."?? We would go in ruptures to meet and speak to the flying crew??.??We would listen to them intently when they told us about the instruments and the panel????
We would love to watch the steam engine to tug along "chook, chook, chook .We would dream to be in the engine along with the driver when the train was hurtling at high speed.??
We didn't know what "terrorism" meant????????????????????
The whole nation would be shocked if the hear a murder. It would make "headlines" in newspapers. There were a few of them at that time and almost everyone would feel involved in the case, wanting the accused to be punished severely
Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.
The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
War was the First and the Second World War which we read in history books
Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.
We didn't know what "Drugs" meant????????????????????????????????????????
And for us medicines would be some "white tablets - one BIG ONE, AND ONE small one,???? and orange-flavored pink mixture which tasted "sweet,?? or a maroon coloured one which was slightly "bitter.
We would skip anything but a "break-fast." Drink a lot of milk, and??eat a lot chocolates including spoon fulls of Bourn vita or Ovaltine, eat a tons of sweets and candies, fruits and fries, nuts and savories????
We would listen to the radio for our favourite songs and for the "hot news"????????????
We would love to read the "newspaper"??mainly the "sports page" but yes the other news as well as it gave us a lot of worldly??information"??????????????????????????????
We enjoyed reading the "sports page" particularly and would get pulled up very often for remembering only "sporting news"
Older siblings were the worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors.????????

Those were the days.. THE GOLDEN DAYS which we can call back and cherish for the rest of our lives ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Now that I have "Grown Up" in Life!!!!!!!!

I can remember most or all of these, and I believe we have LIVED!!! and really LOVED IT! If you feel you've missed out on something, remember you might also have some good moments to share when you've grown up like we have - LIVE EVERY MOMENT.????

What Can The Kids Teach us…


It is a time of they year when schools have re-opened after the summer vacation, and some kids have just entered a school for the first time. After being pampered cuddled, loved by all and sundry at home – by the parents, relatives etc., and more from the grand-parents… it is quite a task of getting them to go to school. The separation even if it is for a few hours during the week, it is quite miserable.

I do not think that all children cry, but most do, and those that do not, also begin to cry when they reach the door step of the school, which gets worse when they enter the gate. All that you can hear is shrieks and cries in chorus. ??I’ve even see parents shed tears, though involuntarily.

It wasn’t two different when my own children began schooling. The daughter who is the eldest would always wait for us to take her out and wanted to be out all the time so going to school for her was another outing. My son wasn’t to enthusiastic, but also never showed as if he didn’t like it. It was like I’ve no say, so let me listen to what the others have to say and follow it.

But no, this young kid was a very affable and a warm chap. Had a very soothing effect and displayed great abilities of connecting and making the other kids feel comfortable.

I remember an instance of a kid entering the gates crying noisily and even the parents couldn’t sort of control. The moment he passed through the gate, still looking back to his parents, and my son also walking along, held this kids hand and wiped the tears. All of a sudden the other kid stopped crying and began to walk to the class. I was watching all this, but honestly I didn’t think much of it then, but now with years added, I believe it is "magic," and I wonder why we as adults have forgotten this art.
The first lesson the kids can teach us is that they do not have a mind-set and are non-judgemental.
They do not know the difference in colour, skin, language, religion, and not even the difference in gender.
They are simple they are innocent.
They are always eager to try and are curious to try everything that meets their eye.
They are spontaneous, and do not hesitate to reel out everything they no.
They have no inhibitions.
They do not hold any grudge.
They will not argue, but will display adamancy.
They will not hesitate to ask whatever they want without any fear of being evaluated.
The do not manipulate, speak lies nor do they use any cunning means to get to what they want.
They are terrific binders, they emote love and will make you surrender to their charm.
They can be very determined.
They love being in the thick of things. They love being included, in fact, they will react if they are ignored.
They give and they take but don’t keep an account.
These are just some things that I threw up, and am sure there are still more things that can come up. For now this is enough to set the ball rolling for you all to also think. ??Wherever you go, whatever you become, you owe it all to those you love, those who loved you and people you met along the way. You are a total summation of many parts.

It has been a long gap now that I shared something with you all. It seems it’s hectic time for all – global recession, the world struggling to raise money to keep businesses alive and to protect the lives of people. Not so long ago we in India spent a fortune for the election time and money flowed like a river, and most of them in the race seem to be in contest just for "power."

The greed of some humans to acquire is reducing the natural resources and on the other side many are crying about dwindling resources, conservation of the planet earth etc. Their voice is not being heard as much as most are engaged in just seeing their life through each day and are turning a blind eye to the future. Contrasting things are happening, isn't it. While such a chaos is prevailing the world over and individuals fighting for protecting their jobs, fighting for their survival I thought it best, so share some truth. Pause for a few moments and take time to read this piece, I’m sure it will get your focus back in life.

To quote - Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) "Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be."

My memories of Holi go back to the day’s we were kids in school and then into college.

Friends would come very early in the morning to splash and smear colour’s on us, then they would apply the pink red and a bottle green paste from the face to the neck (hair and scalp included.

We would hardly be recognized, and if we were it would be by voice, noise or height. I can also recall on such Holi where a classmate came home and buzzed at 12 mid-night and started shouting for help as if it was an emergency. I rushed and opened the door. He asked me to come outside as he had something very urgent to convey. I walked out, and he came to me as if he was wanting to hug me, which he did and the next moment he drew something from his pocket and rubbed it on my scalp in between what was then curly springy hair the feeling that you might get rubbing your fingers on a sheep ( I know you are laughing away to glory because of my saying this as you just can’t believe what I say, it’s like a joke. I like to laugh at myself. Have fun but the truth is had and now I don’t have. I liked it then and I like it this way too).

He left immediately after. I could feel something pricking and irritating me. Went in straight to the washroom and poured water out of a mug on my head and pushed my fingers as if it was a brush. The result was the water dissolved what were crystals and it was red in colour and it started dripping from the top on to my face in thin lines as if it was streaks of blood. My mother just then got up and looked at me she shrieked and asked my father to rush to see what had happened. She was terrified and told my father, "did you hear the bell at the door and someone had come to meet Raman, and after that he has bashed him with a stone on his head, look how he is bleeding. Take out the car quickly we need to rush him to the doctor".

She was wailing and wooing but was also surprised that I was neither showing any pain nor anguish but was laughing. It took me a while to tell her what had happen. She broke into a hearty laugh and said, "wicked fellow, you made me cry, you deserve this every year".

I was remembering this incident even last night as I was thinking my mother, Holi, the days gone by, the fun we used to have, the love we had for each other and all that.

If you take a look at it from today’s perspective this is what I feel..

Forgive us! Oh Mighty Creatures

TSK. Raman

 

Oh! mighty creatures all of you, the ants, the birds, the cats, the dogs, the flies, the mice, we took away your space, without asking you.

You moved and sought alternatives. Some of you were lucky to become domesticated, while most of you others were left to fend for yourselves, and if ever you made an appreance, people ensure they finish you once and for all, if they can't drive you away. People do what they are known to do, and you too do what you are known to do and that it to keep coming along. This tussle goes on day-in and day-out, everywhere on this planet, but it must be given to you, you creatures have an admirable quality, in grained in your genes, and that it to 'fight' it out.

Anyway, we really admire your 'spirit.' You found alternatives and accommodated yourselves within the same space, withoout ever a protest nor revolt. It really seems, to me that you all knew your higher purpose, whereas we human beings, with our 'bloated' ego's never found ours.

We dominated the scene ever since, the mighty among us conquered space, and ruled over the weak for years and for centuries all over the world

Some who woke up fought for their rights and became independent, while we know that several others are still struggling, and we really couldn't care, for we reconcile ourselves helplessly to say, it's not our problem, it's purely theirs

Some among us turned geniuses and showed us the way to tap the resources for us to make our lives, and made an indelible impression on mankind. We have even gone outside our planet to show what mankind can do.

Many chose to carry on their lives with the 'gifts' they got and began to lead a life of peace and love, but, some unfortunately fell by the way.

We sowed the seeds of differences in all conceivable forms - color, caste, geography, language, religion and what not, as means to achieve our ends, but now I am afraid, are we nearing our end.

For those affordable and those in power, accumulation, cheating, corruption - mental, moral, physical, greed, hoarding, lies, subjugation, suppression, withholding, though even they know it's a shame, all of of this seem to have become the norms of this day, but for many a few this is not the same, however there are hounds out there waiting to exploit their weakness to live your dreams and to secure a place under the sun. These people feel they have a lot to say, but they do not know who will listen to them, for they also know that they have many other challenges that they have to stave away each day to keep their ships afloat. There is so much of evil all around and these people are innocent victims of it all for they form the mass. For those who commit crimes, and sins, are never brought to book and those who help them are never made accountable. The gap is widening ever so fast, but does anyone who matters care.

There may be some if not all. Such people still seem to care, for every thing around them too, with a Prayer that all this will end some day and sanity will be restored. The sun still rises in the morning and sets in the evening, and for all those hopeful, they live with this hope still alive, whereas for the others, it's another day in the office. Amidst all this is one more Prayer Oh! Please create the the ants, the birds, the cats, the dogs, the mice, with in built cameras in their eyes and unlimited storage in their mental systems, so that they can provide us all the hard proofs we seek to bring crime to book, as most get away as those who want to defend the law do not get much evidence to produce and seek justice. Unfortunate though some clever people will wipe away even concrete evidences by twisting it or destroying it forever. It's here that all those living creatures can give us evidences a plenty.

Forgive us once again for all our wrongs doings, but help us live like you do.

Not Again

TSK. Raman

Oh! You Cowards, you are at it again,
yesterday you've targeted a corner of this passionate city,
knowing there is crowd always,
so you made it your target,
at the tricky twilight time when the tired day light is dimming out and the anxious night hurrying to take over,
not very far away from each other,
two high intensity blasts occurred,
twenty odd innocent lives were lost eighty odd seriously injured, some very seriously,

the families of all involved shocked and shattered beyond words
there was momentary panic among the people across the city

as soon as people heard feelings started pouring in from across the world
Oh no! what happened again,
who did this? why they did this? who is behind this all?

right or wrong, suspicion and doubts spraying emotional words

setting the blame game high, and VIP's making cursory visits, wonder who gains

with their plastic appearance, wonder what they want to show, except perhaps to say

we too were there, lest you might ask tomorrow where were you,

we just want to let all know, we came, we saw, we said and we went,

we have a lot more things to worry you see, and what is the government meant for.
Anyway the government is obliged and the law will have to take control of this
but we should be on the guard
within us we have experienced, many many times before, east-west, north-south, and centre, by all possible leaks - land-high lands, sand-sea or air,
we really know in deep in our hearts,

as you have stung us many a times

we know the pangs of what it means to be separated from the near and dear
and to take the lives of innocents
even the ONE ABOVE ALL OF US will no longer tolerate.
Do for even once misconstrue
that we will forget this just like that
the today will remember this and be sure the future will never forget this either
you will have to give an account for this
that day isn't too far off
we have become tired of such dastardly acts
we were all one, we are one, and we shall remain that way
be it by color, by blood, by religion, by language,
no one will succeed in sowing any difference between us
you might think for a moment that we are ant's
but do not lie under this illusion
when your bad days come nearer you
even an an will be a mighty force
so much so that it will seem like an 'elephant'
just count your days, living in shame and guild
we pray to the Almighty
that you do not get peace of mind as long as you live
Oh! Almighty Lord just give us the strength

　

Phir Wohi...

Areey 'O Kaayron,' fir sey kiye ek aur zaleel harqat
Ek aur mohabath bari saher kay koney mey,
jahan bheed hai hi,
tho aap log banaya usey nishana banaya
shaam key waqt,
jab din ki roshni kat rahi thi aur raath chaney lagi
ek doosre ke kareeb,
do bade dhamakey huay
beeson maasoom guzar gaya aur assee sey jyada ghayal huey
logon mey jarasa hulchal machi
arey yeh kya hua phir sey
kyon kiya kisee ney
kon hai is kay pichay
khair huqumat aur khanoon tho lage gi inke peechey
lekin hamko rehna hai smbhal key
Dil sey hamarey ahsaas ham ney khi hai
ki juda hona apne waloon say kitna mushkil hai
aur aise cheen lena massom jaanon ko
yeh upar wale ko bhi nahi hogi manzoor
Ghalthi sey bhi yeh nahi sochna
ham isse yuhi bhool jayenge
yaad rakhagi, yeh zamana aur aney wala kal
es ka hisab tho aap logon ko dena hi hai
woh din jyada dhoor nahi
Aise harkathon sey ham thang aa hi gaye
hum sab ek thay, ek hai, aur ek rahenge bhi,
rang se ho, khoon sey ho, mazab sey ho, aur zabaan sey bhi,
koyi hamme daraar nahi paida kar saktha
thumko lagtha hog ki hma hai 'cheenti'
magar is galth faimi mey nahi rahna
thumhare din jab kareeb ayengey
tho ek ek 'cheenti' bhi thum par bhari padegi
lagega thume ki 'haathi' ayee thum par
jiyo ab chuup chup key, gut gut key
maangthe hai hum dua khuda sey ki
thumhe jeethey ji, cheyn na miley
Upar waley, saath do hamare
Hum jina chathe hai apne marjee sey
daar sey nahi.

You have Today in your hands which is much better than someday.

You have Today in your hands which is much better than someday.

Very often I hear people they will accomplish something someday.

Someday... I will.... and the list can run on endlessly. I know that we cannot do everything we want today. But we can dream, make a make a plan and also make an attempt — today. Postponing, procrastinating, waiting only hinders our moving forwd to meet opportunities. Delaying action can hurts us too. Reseach confirms that procrastination keeps more people from living their dreams than any other cause. Taking action today is in our hands. It is a choice we have to make. Sure there will be several obstacles that we may encounter. It will apply breaks in our progress, or make our dream pursuit even more difficult. But, not taking action and procrastinating are a sure receipe for disaster.

What really keeps us from taking action at this point of time today?
We have an inherent fear failure.
We get discourage when we think of the effort.
We wait for favorable conditions.
We are averse to taking risks
We stay within our comfort zones
We get influced by someon's experience.
Reasons can go on endlessly like this. Sit down to analyze what keeps you from away from taking action today?

Go with the feeling that today is better than someday.

Earn Time and Enjoy Work Life Balance

Earn Time and Enjoy Work Life Balance

Whoever I talk to, I hear them say, "I just don’t have the time right now. I’m too busy." It doesn't sound strange isn't it, because you too would be in the same boat. People would also advise you to look at your time management etc., which is pretty standard too. What if I tell you that there is a serious possibility of gaining a few extra hours everyday.
It could mean getting up a little early and going to bed a little late.
May be give up a little bit of television watching time. Enjoy your meal or a breakfast, however, just reduce the time you spend on it. Take up a job which is close to your workplace, you can save a lot of journey time. I would think you can easily squeeze in about three hours all told by tinkering a little bit on the aspects I've enumerated. In a week you get 21 hours, which is nearly an extra day, in a month you get 90 hours = 3.5 days more, and in a year 1095 hours = a whopping 45.6 days. That's a lot more than what you earn per year as a holiday being engaged with a company for eight hours minimum a day.
It's in your hands to make this happen. When you have then see where you can invest this extra time into - it could be for reading, for being with your family, it could be for exercising in the gym or going for a jog or a walk or to play a game of squash, or tennis or badminton etc.
And what more you will have conserved more energy too, which will all add up to enjoying good health too. 
People will advise you to save money, a good thing indeed.
Equate the time that is lost into money and you will realize how much you've gained.
I bet none of us can buy time with whatever money we have.