The Gen Y

The Gen Y - The Genuine People

Okay, so I have been reading a lot about how Gen Y needs to be managed & how things have to be modified to suit Gen Y. Before I continue writing, let me make it clear that I think I belong to the Gen Y too. To, whatever this Gen Y means. And I think so because I relate to the traits of this Gen Y - upfront, curious, not scared to ask why, opinionated, questioning, not believing everything blindly and above all genuine.

But why really, do we need to specifically categorize this sect of people as Gen Y ? One thing that comes to my mind clearly when I ask this question is that, Gen Y is called so because in the corporate world, things haven't been like this always. Employees, were told what to do & were expected to just do it. Simple ? Well, okay this may really sound medieval but it isn't. Even to this day, there exist Organizations or rather Leaders that expect employees to be mere followers. And this is very much a part of the culture since everything, every process is created around this particular philosophy.

Untill some time ago, employees did as they were told. Very few would really question anything. I am guessing, they were labeled "Rebels". Then gradually, the percentage of these questioners increased & so they had to be accommodated & identified. Eventually, the "Rebels" became Gen Y. Now that they were identified & accommodated, their ways of working had to be normalized & reasoned. The reasons for why they behaved the way they behaved were analysed & thoughtfully written about on various occasions.

Based on the reasons identified & considering the rapid increase in employment of Gen Y, ways of working had to be modified, Managers had to unlearn & learn ways of managing Gen Y. The work environment had to be revamped to suit Gen Y.

Amidst all this chaos however, two things seem to have gone completely unnoticed. One, the assumption that the Gen Y traits are specific & restricted to Gen Y may not be true. These are traits of progressive society & are a part of personality of thousands of individuals. And if these traits are being evident now, it may simply be because the society is progressing, we are giving things a thought, we are trying to learn more, know more & reason out things. So, may be instead of categorizing Gen Y, we must simply accept this as a step towards being better. Universalize the new ways of working & accept it.

Two, if everything is being modified, should the Leadership style change too ? We shouldn't forget that a progressive generation is smart too. Smarter than our Smart phones, after all they made them. They cannot be fooled by immature, weak & superficial leadership. Employees & the society at large need inspiring leaders, who really have substance. Those who cannot convince, may not stand a chance. Only a genuinely good Leader will be able to influence today & have believers & not just followers.

The transition !

The transition – from a full time job to being a Consultant

I transitioned to being an independent consultant from being a full time HR professional 6 months ago. Honestly, I didn’t know if this is what I wanted. All I wanted was to get rid of the daily grind and some other things like trying to be a pleasing HR professional, trying to prove to some why HR is required at all, office politics and above all get time for myself. I wanted to be in charge of my life, pursue hobbies, have time for a run, get to sip my coffee in daylight on my balcony and still be a career oriented person. Well the transition wasn’t so easy, wasn’t easy for me to really accept the change. Theoretically, it sounded perfect, practically, not so great. What if I don’t know what to do with my life while I am getting some foothold? What if I do not get my first assignment right away? And the biggest fear was not being able to see that text on the last day of the month. I knew I had to do something with my life and live the way I wanted to. It did take a lot of courage and support for me to really take the plunge. I decided to give myself time.

When finally I could muster courage, I had to face disapproving comments from quite a lot of people. Many could not even comprehend my need. Not many understood why I needed time for myself. Isn’t it an easier option to outsource domestic chores so that your work is reduced at home? It is such a big risk, there are so many consultants out there, how will you even begin? Many of them were echoing the fears I already had. Some didn’t understand my need to have flexibility in my schedule. I was demanding too much luxury. They thought, flexible work hours,  jobs that didn’t require you to stay away from home for 12 straight hours were meant for new mothers only. I clearly didn’t fit the bill. Some others were trying to be helpful by asking me what exactly it was that I wanted to do. And my response was, good question. Not many realised what a battle I had won (with myself) by deciding to quit my job and become a consultant (or try to). I didn’t have a clear picture of what exactly I wanted to do. All I knew was HR was a profession of choice, I enjoyed designing solutions and interventions, I enjoyed the intellectual part of it. I was yet to figure my way ahead.

Amidst all this chaos, my only solace was my husband. He never once discouraged me, never questioned why I wanted what I wanted. All he said was, this is the time to experiment, so go ahead and don’t leave scope for regrets. His support has always been my biggest strength.

So with some fears (reduced exponentially though) and some support, I set out. I had a fair idea of how I wanted to get started and I hoped I was right. Linkedin was my first choice. I had to let people know I was available and open to take up assignments. I re-connected with some people, connected with some more and the response was encouraging enough to keep me at it. I had to make some changes in the way I worked, I had to wear a Consultant’s hat and function while being an outsider. I zeroed down on my preferences and took up some certifications in the area. Soon enough I started my first project in collaboration with another aspiring consultant. I had my second project just as I ended the first one and so it began.

Six months later, I can’t say I have aced it. But I know now, I was right. I couldn’t have done anything differently. This is taking me someplace good and the journey is everything I ever wanted. Ofcourse it is not easy, but it is what I wanted it to be. I decide my schedule and work, I decide when I want to stop for the day or not. The work I have been doing has taught me a lot, made me more confident of my abilities and also taught me something I would otherwise never have learnt to do – Network. I am one of those people to whom it doesn’t come naturally. But today I do not hesitate in introducing myself to someone. And I am okay with initiating a conversation over email or phone with a stranger. At times I have been surprised by the positive response and word of encouragement that I received from complete strangers. The world out there is not so bad afterall. So this is to all those people who are right now in the stage where I was, ofcourse there’s no guarantee. But don’t leave scope for regrets. It’s always upto you. And Life doesn’t end there.  I read this somewhere and it has stayed with me, “It does not matter where you are, it only matters where you go from there”

Hiring can be fun & a lot of responsibility !!

I started off my career with Recruitment & hence it will always remain very close to my Heart. Among others, it taught me to be patient & focused. What I enjoyed most about recruitment is hiring for difficult positions, I was never the mass hiring types. Although there is no full proof way of doing it, #HowIHire is mostly guided by some simple things I picked up along the way. So here's my two cents to the whole game of Recruitment....

Some important things that every recruiter should remember & follow, ALWAYS -

• If skills & experience are important, so are attitude & ability to learn.

• For every requirement, there are skills that are mandatory & skills that are a bonus. Make a proper note of these & use these for shortlisting the resumes.

• Spend sufficient time with the hiring manager, get to know the requirement well, re-write it in your own words.

• Do your homework, before you start hiring. Know what is possible, what is difficult & what is difficult but not impossible.

• If a candidate cannot express it, he may not know it.

• Treat all candidates as equal, however do not lose your ground.

• Study the market, always know what is in & what is not.

• Have a clear idea of what kind of position you are working on, what the possible challenges are or can be.

• Carefully choose your source.

• Decide how the opening should be projected & stick to the plan.

Here are a few things that are absolutely important & need to be managed effectively -

Before scheduling for an interview -

• Shortlist the resume objectively. Make an initial contact to get a feel of the candidate's ability. Strike up a conversation to discuss his/her professional growth. Assess communication, confidence & ease with which he or she can converse. Give equal importance to the non verbal communication & cues that you observe or feel. Trust your own judgement about the candidate's overall personality, attitude & skills.

• Share details about the Organisation & the role clearly. While it is okay to generate interest in the opportunity, do not over sell. It is a good idea to let the candidate decide whether he or she is really interested in pursuing the opportunity.

•  On completing your own checklist & getting a go ahead from the candidate, schedule an interview.

•  Choose a good team to interview for the position. Two is good, only if it is a  niche or tricky position have three interviewers. This also helps in taking a decision .

 While Scheduling an interview -

• Give the interviewer & the candidate, sufficient time & notice before scheduling the interview. The Hiring Manager is a "must be there" in the Interview Panel.

• Choose a right time & place for the interview. Ensure the interviewers are on the same page about the role & have same expectations. It is good to have an interviewing strategy in place & for example, have one interviewer evaluate 2 specific areas or skills & the other may be 2 other skills, decide who starts first or what kind of questions to start with. 

•  Make sure you have a concrete yes or no result & a "why yes" or "why no answer" from the interview panel. And ofcourse, be ready with your opinion as well. 

After an  interview -

•  Have a good discussion on why a candidate is selected or not selected. Make sure the reasons are objective & important to the role. 

• Always remember, you along with the interview panel, are taking a "Hiring" decision here, make sure it is a well informed decision. Be ready to own it up.

•  You may choose to let the candidate know about the decision after a few days. It is a good idea to inform rejection as well. If the candidate wants to have a feedback, give a genuine one.

If you were to ask most recruitment professionals, any recruitment is incomplete, until the person selected has joined. Hence, this does not end with selection. Now that you have informed selection & the offer has been rolled out, the ball is in the candidate's court. And just because he or she has been offered a role by your Organisation, does not guarantee his or her joining. The time period between selection & joining is crucial.

 Between selection & joining -

• Have an open discussion about the offer, clarify what the job has & does not have in store for the selected candidate.

• Ensure that the candidate is genuinely excited about the opportunity and willingly accepts the role.

• Keep in touch with the candidate between the selection or offer stage until joining. However, do not go overboard, you may end up annoying him or her with frequent phone calls or emails. Just do as much required to sound interested but do not sound desperate.

• What can you do to keep in touch ?? Okay, check if the handing over is progressing well at his/her current employer, inform him/her about the preparations at your end towards his/her onboarding, communicate the recent developments in the organization, while it is okay to sound "looking forward to having you on board", there is a difference between that & "I will so be in trouble if you do not join".

Let us also be aware that if someone is not interested in joining your organization & is using your offer to simply bargain for a better one elsewhere, no amount of being professional is going to get him or her to join. You & your organization are better off without such people. 

Having back ups is a good idea to mitigate risk. If it is possible & affordable, offer two people even if you need only one immediately. If you cannot offer two, ensure you have two or three final selections. If you have a not so good feeling about the person you are about to offer, don't waste your time. Look for any cues from the potential joiner about him or her having second thoughts on joining your organization. The sooner you get to know the better. If, at any point between the offer stage & the joining date, the candidate begins to re-negotiate your offer, the call is yours to make. Do not hesitate to revoke an offer on grounds of unethical behavior.

While there is no full proof hiring & even with everything planned & executed well, hiring decision may not always be correct, there are no two ways about doing it well. Ofcourse, time & experience are the best teachers.

 Happy Recruiting !!

What Employee Engagement is not !!

"I organise fun events every month and have a calendar in place for the entire year" she said. "And why do you do that" I asked. "To increase employee engagement" was the reply instantly. "Hmmm, does it work ? Are your employees engaged as a result" I asked. "Yes, they give positive feedback about it in the ESat survey" she said. This is one of many such conversations I have had while interviewing HR Folks, especially for a HR Business Partner position. This has led me to believe that Employee Engagement is now being perceived as a result of fun activity, only it is not.

Employee Engagement is an approach, a continuous process that includes creating the right work conditions to bonds that go as deep as the Organisation's culture, employee engagement is everything that makes an employee excited about coming to work each day and gives them an emotional context to be associated with the Organisation and feel Proud. Having said that, clearly this has to be a combination of a multitude of things done correctly. Starting from hiring the right people who can be culture carriers, to having the right career planning frameworks in place, to the kind of work environment, everything and anything that happens within the Organisation and the Image that it creates outside influence employee engagement in a big way.

Why is it so important to ensure employees are engaged ? The avenues to try out new things are plenty, the wants are needs today. Career changes are a common phenomena and patience is a virtue only a few possess, while creativity and imagination are abundant. Employees expect more from a workplace unlike a couple of a years ago. The blazing speed with which things move today, employees reach the Self-Actualization stage much more quickly. Not experiencing events that create a sense of fulfillment for one for even a little while lead to a feeling of disengagement and rejection.

The key here is to be genuine and not do things to be perceived as Ideal. It rather helps to let employee engagement be one of the values that guide all decisions and processes within the Organisation. Use this parameter to ask, will this have an impact on engagement ? As a result of this, will we achieve higher engagement ? It is a good idea to have a employee engagement angle to all people processes and changes affecting employees. Fun activities could be a part of this, these help lighten the environment, bring about a change in the daily routine and encourage people to relax and release stress.

As an employee, being engaged is feeling excited about going back to work each day  where you can be yourself, being surrounded by like minded folks who care for you and who you care for, making a difference in the Organisation by doing what you love doing and in turn making a difference to the world.

To an employer, an engaged workforce would mean people who can be trusted unconditionally, who believe in one common vision, who go out of the way to make things happen, who create the brand for what it is, people who take everyone ahead with them.

Culture of an Organisation is a Big Deal !

Organisational Culture has gained its due importance over a period of time and is one of the focus areas for Leaders today. A lot has been written and said about what culture is and how it is really formed. Of course one thing that everyone agrees upon is that it is not formed overnight Although in most cases that is true, in today's fast paced corporate world the time factor may actually be shrinking. Peter Drucker said "Culture eats strategy for breakfast" (there is some debate over the credit to be given for the phrase).

Culture is a direct result of many things going on within the Organisation including how everyone behaves and how everything is done. And this is where strategy plays a major role. Unless there is a strategy in place, a series of adhoc incidents/responses might form a certain culture. If these incidents/responses are encouraging, bring about positive virtues and value people, they end up enriching the Organisational Culture. If not, the result is just the opposite. Also, inconsistent responses/behaviors might lead to confusion resulting in a chaotic, unpredictable environment that lacks stability and meaning.

Multiple Cultures do exist:

More often than not, culture cascades down. The behaviors of Leaders/Influencers within the Organisation becomes the norm and eventually the culture. In dynamic setups that we see today, Leaders function at all levels. Hence, it is only logical that multiple cultures do exist in an Organisation. Formal groups, teams, informal groups, all have their own cultures driven by their Leaders, the backgrounds of the members, the life experiences of the members etc. These in most cases are also a reflection of the larger Organisational Culture. However, they could still have their unique dynamics. While these multiple cultures have an impact on the Organisational culture, the Organisational Culture in turn has an impact of these cultures. It is important for an Organisation to acknowledge these cultures and focus on aligning these to the Organisational Culture.

Culture is passed on:

A new joinee orientation is an important process and probably the first most elaborate experience of the new Organisation for any employee. The various stages of this process have a lasting impact on the new employee. What is perhaps undermined is that, a new employee is also gauging the subtler aspects of the Organisation and interpreting them in her own way. She is trying to get a sense of the Organisational Culture by observing the ways of the people around her. If the Organisational values are in sync with her own value system, the adapting process is quicker. This is an example of a "Cultural Fit". Gradually she becomes a part of the culture, begins living the Organisational values (based on her perception of the values) and unknowingly is bound to pass those on to the new members joining the Organisation. Some of these may be explicit like, "Hey, the work timings are flexible" and others may be implicit like observing a team member walking in at 9.00 am and another walking in at 10.30 am. It is hence, especially important to design orientation programs with utmost details so as to pass on the right values and create a positive perception.

Importance of Values and Behaviors:

Having a Culture Map is great, it clearly highlights the right values and the desired behaviors. It also tells and Organisation what enable it. However, culture is being influenced upon at more occasions than we can possibly fathom. And hence, it is important to realize that having a Culture Map is alone not sufficient to create an enriching culture. The smallest of the small decisions, the slightest remarks, a casual comment all have an impact on the culture. The desired behaviors need to be reinforced time and again for the value they bring in. All decisions small or big should be aligned to the values and be communicated so.

Glimpse of the Culture:

An enriching positive culture nurtures the Organisation. It creates trust based relationships, in other works "high performance teams". It creates a sense of belonging and spreads a sense of security. It is reflected in everything about the Organisation, even to outsiders. We do know how potential employees try to get a feel of the Organisation through direct and indirect sources. A great Organisational Culture is evident and there for everyone to see, anyone who comes in contact will experience it. But so will a not so good culture. An enriching culture adds value to the employees and the Organisation alike.

Lastly, about the time factor. Culture is created and enriched over a period of time. It takes consistent efforts to build a great culture. But there are aspects that could instantly become culture based on perception. In the fast paced world that we live today, patience is at times a rare virtue and perceptions are build far too quickly. Both positive and not so positive behaviors may lead to strong perceptions that ultimately form a culture.

Measuring Training Effectiveness - based on Kirkpatrick's four level evaluation model

Measuring Training Effectiveness - based on Kirkpatrick's four level evaluation model

Return on Investment is the most talked about aspect while planning a learning intervention. Most learning interventions are assumed not effective because their effectiveness cannot be measured or quantified. This in turn is because either there is not sufficient pre-work done or because there is no clarity on the objectives of the intervention. 

Kirkpatrick is a well known name in the world of training and development, especially popular for his contributions towards evaluating training programs. He first introduced the Four Level evaluation model in 1959, which has since been updated a number of times, the last being in 1994. This model is simple to implement and helps measure the effectiveness of a learning intervention on various levels. However, the implementation of this model requires maturity and commitment on part of the Organisation as well as the Learning and Development function. This can be time-consuming and requires involvement from various stakeholders, the subject matter experts and the Trainer. Implementing this model also means, the entire learning process will have to be structured, organised and planned much in advance so that the intent of implementing this model is achieved.

Four Level Evaluation Model -

This model has been designed to help evaluate the effectiveness of any learning intervention on four levels based on its -

- Reaction

- Learning

- Behaviour

- Results 

According to this, the participants' Reaction to the learning intervention is as important as the actual Learning, followed by the change in the Behaviour of the participants and the Resultsachieved thereby.

In order to implement this model successfully the pre-work with respect to and Learning Intervention is absolutely vital. Here's the various stages that need to be focused upon -

- Learning Objectives

Why is this learning intervention required and what are we trying to achieve by way of it ? Are we trying to solve a problem, learn a new skill that will be used in an upcoming project, or are we expecting the participants to take up additional responsibility, or do we want the participants who are currently at Level 2 of a certain competency to reach Level 3 ? Answering these and similar questions is essential. Sometimes, we assume that a particular learning intervention will solve a particular problem for us, but is this the most suitable solution to the problem at hand is a must ask question. If you know what you want to achieve, you will know when it is achieved too, hence there comes the measuring mechanism.

- Mechanism to gauge participants response

Once you know what you are set out to achieve, the next step is to zero down on certain indicators to let you know that you are half way there. A Participants Feedback form to be filled after the learning intervention has been successfully implemented  and attended, is one such indicator. An ideal form should cover all aspects of the Learning intervention like the Trainers ability and knowledge, the quality of the training delivered, whether the participants thought it was useful and whether their expectations were met, the training venue, training material etc. Based on the ratings received, it is clear whether things have gone right or not.

- Mechanism to assess participants existing knowledge or level of expertise on the subject before they attend the training

This is a vital step in the process of evaluating training effectiveness. this is also the most neglected aspect due to various reasons, time constraint, no commitment or no interest. Measuring learning post training is a very common step  and most trainers and facilitators put in enough efforts to ensure this is done, so as to prove their credibility. However, this is only half effective unless the competency or skill levels of the participants prior to attending the learning intervention are known. Without this being gauged, it is almost not possible to state with confidence if the training has been of real use to them or whether where they stand currently is a direct result of attending the training or something else like self-learning. It also helps, if this assessment mechanism is same as the post training evaluation mechanism. 

- Mechanism to gauge Learning or Knowledge Transfer

Based on the kind of learning intervention and the objectives of the same, an appropriate mechanism to evaluate the participants on their learning should be designed. For an out and out technical training, a pen-paper test may serve the purpose. For more softer interventions or Leadership interventions, a facilitated role play or a situation response test designed to gauge responses may be more appropriate. Based on how the participants fare in the test, in itself is a testimony to the skills and knowledge transferred. A comparison of the same with their assessments prior to the training, help see a clear spiked learning curve. Also, an evaluation mechanism similar to or same as the pre-training assessment mechanism will ensure a comparable result, leading to clear inferences.

- Expected Behaviour changes and ways to record the same

Most learning interventions aim at bringing about a behavioural change in a participant, even if the learning intervention is a technical training. By way of attending this training, a participant may be expected to display more confidence in dealing with customers, write better code and save time, negotiate better business deals, be more assertive, manage the team well etc. It is important to articulate the kind of behaviour changes expected out of the participants after they undergo a particular training. Once this is clear, the next thing to do would be to decide on a mechanism to observe  and record the changed behaviours. In most cases, the participants' Managers and/or peers play an important role here in observing the behavioural changes, by way of recording behaviour events or conducting Behavioural Event Interviews. This however needs to be done over a period of time and not immediately after the participants have attended the training. Ideally, one month after the training should be reasonable time to begin. Before the recording begins, the Managers need to answer a simple question about the participants, "Has the participant had a change to use the skill or display the behaviour". for Eg, until someone has had a chance to negotiate a business deal after he or she has attended the training, it is almost worthless to begin the process of recording behavioural changes.

*** For both the pre training assessments and the post training evaluation, the trainers role is of utmost importance. In almost all situations, the trainer will be able to design both the mechanisms.

- Measure Results

Coming back to the ROI, there can be an enormous amount of skills learned and an excellent behaviour displayed, but you know your investment has paid off only when these are translated into quantifiable results. This is the most tricky and complicated aspect of the measurement. Most organisations struggle with the last level of Kirk Patrick's evaluation model. However, in most cases it should be possible to implement this level also, with some efforts in the pre-work area. Now is the time to ask the question WHY ? Why are we trying to achieve the objectives that we detailed out ? Why is it so important for us ? There lies your answer. If a particular employee, say John, attended the Negotiation Skills workshop, he will become a better negotiator and be able to negotiate business deals independently. This means, his Manager Alfred, will not need to be a part of all of John's business dealings. So this in turn means, if John and Alfred together spend 8 hours on preparing for a negotiation and them another 5 actually negotiating the deal, which has been costing the Organisation x+y dollars, will now be reduced to x dollars, since John is independent. Also, this means, while John is working on one, Alfred can now work on another deal simultaneously, leading to optimum utilization of resources in terms of time and efforts and increasing the probability of getting more business.

Now that we are well equipped with the entire training effectiveness measurement plan, implementation of the Kirkpatrick's evaluation model cannot be any smoother. Here's the way ahead 

- Reaction

Run the participants feedback form for everyone who attended the learning and analyse the responses. Decide on what is the benchmark and compare

- Learning

Get the participants to appear for the pre training assessments and later the post training evaluations. The results and a comparison between both will help identify the learning. Again, decide on what the benchmark is.

- Behaviour

Run the behavioural event interviews after a certain time gap, with the help of the Managers or the participants' peers record findings.

- Results

If the first three levels are a success, in most probability, this level will be a success too. The pre-work helps put in the numbers in place, so that it can safely be inferred that the cost saved, efficiency increased or business increased is an outcome of the learning intervention. An analysis of the investments versus the returns, is the ROI achieved. Also this obviously means the learning intervention has been effective.

Happy Training !