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September 12 to 18, 2011

Leadership
Storytelling: A Key HR Competency?
Mike Haberman via HR Observations
No this is not a post on ethics, I don’t mean the “lie” kind of storytelling. I mean the kind of storytelling that inspires, moves and connects with us. We all like a good story. Human history is replete with good stories and good story tellers. As children we could not wait for mom or dad to read us a good story. As we got older and enjoyed reading we like good stories and of course the movies that tell a great story become major moneymakers. So if it works so well why should storytelling be suspended as we walk through the office door? I am for storytelling being a key HR compentency. Read the complete post here on HR Observations.

HR the Supreme Innovator - Success without a Budget
Ian Welsh via Toolbox for HR
It can be very depressing when an HR function, often in its infancy, cannot get executive support for new programs, enough staff, or just an appropriate level of funding to do regular HR things. Excitement may fade and we may feel locked-in by a restrictive system run by management who have little interest in HR. I have been in that situation, but in one case, initial dismay transformed into one of the most rewarding periods of my career. The company was cheap, the company needed HR to look after union issues, but that was as far as they thought it through, plus some recruiting. I realized later that the company did not dislike or resent HR, it was closer to indifference. The executives did not understand HR and were certainly not going to invest money in things of, in their mind, doubtful value. Understandable! Read the complete post here on Toolbox for HR.

Turning Employees Around -- What It Takes
Dawn Lennon via Business Fitness
Under-performers are part of the landscape in any workplace. You know who they are and so does your boss. None of us is perfect. Without guidance, it’s easy to adopt behaviors and habits acceptable to us that, ultimately, don’t wear well with others. As employees we need feedback from day one. There is no better (or cheaper) way to teach us the skills and behaviors we need to be successful.
Performance feedback is one of the most important roles of any supervisors. It’s how problems are nipped in the bud, skills are polished, misbehavior is corrected, and a continuous performance growth culture is built. Read the full post here on Business Fitness.

Recruitment
Infosys Targets 50% Local Staff Overseas in Onsite Locations
Pranav Nambiar via via Times News Network
IT major Infosys Technologies has targeted that 50% of its employees in onsite (client) locations would be local residents by as early as next year. Infosys has 27,000 employees onsite, of which about a third are currently local hires. An analyst who attended the Infosys Analyst Meet in August said that the company plans to reach the 50% target by 2012-13. Read the full report here on The Economic Times.

Campus Recruiting? Remember, It’s One Big Brand
Jody Ordioni via ERE.net
In honor of back to school time, let’s check out what’s new on campus. I’ve long-advised clients who desire to keep ahead of the technology curve to follow the trends in campus student enrollment. Now there’s another reason to head back to school. If your responsible for your company’s campus recruiting efforts, Natasha Singer’s recent article for the New York Times is a must-read. The story highlights ways companies are using student Brand Ambassadors to promote products and services, and generate loyalty via social media, in-store events, and on-campus buzz.Read the whole article here on ERE.net.

Tech Start-Ups Scheme to Steal Talent
via The Wall St. Journal
Tech talent is hard to find everywhere, not just in the Silicon Valley. Tech CEOs are employing various tactics to find talented engineers. The battle for talent for tech start-up is getting even tougher with big tech brands scooping up talent and establishing offices in the valley. Wall St. Journal's digits interviews MarketWatch columnist John Shinal. Watch the interview here.

At the Work Place
Performance Appraisals: 9 Quick Tips for a Motivational Appraisal Meeting
Joan Henshaw via Performance Objectives Now
Holding an appraisal meeting does not, for many managers, come top of their most favourite activities. Most often they are concerned that the employee will not find the meeting motivational. Here are 9 quick tips for making the meeting motivational (with plenty of additional resources should you want to read more). Read the full post here on Performance Objectives Now.

We Need a Better Language for Organizational Relationships
Andrew Campbell via Harvard Business Review
One of the prime reasons for organizational dysfunction is that our vocabulary for describing relationships inside organizations is limited. We use vague terms like "line" and "dotted-line" or "team" and expect managers to be able to function effectively. But just as we need to know whether the evening we are about to spend is with our mother-in-law or a university buddy, managers inside organizations need to know whether the meeting they are about to have with a manufacturing expert is with an internal supplier, a team member, or a lobbyist for lean manufacturing. Read the whole post here on Harvard Business Review.

Keep Life Lines Open to Solve Issues at Work
Priya Kumar via The Economic Times
I was watching Kaun Banega Crorepati. The idea of being on the hot seat could be nerve-wracking for some, but because the show has a brilliant concept of 'life lines', it brings some assured victory to the participants. Even if you know nothing, you can walk away with four right answers if you use your life lines. This concept, if adopted in professional attitude, can bring fortunes and glory at work. I believe it is better to get help than to risk getting it wrong or even worse, quitting. You can always depend on your four life lines to get you through stressful and challenging circumstances at work. Read the full article here on The Economic Times.

HR Trends
How Mobility is Redefining the Workplace
Evan Kaplan via BNet
In the past mobility has been the exception to the rule, yet, as technology is progressing, and more mobile devices are available - forward looking organizations are preparing for the mobile workplace. Watch Evan Kaplan CEO of iPass talk on the 'destruction of place' - "Place is not important, but location now is," said Kaplan, reflecting on the changes of computing power and how the workplace is now a dynamic mobile location.  Click here to watch the video.

India Inc Put Hiring on the Back-Burner and Look for Ways to Reward and Retain Key Talent Through Bonuses
Writankar Mukerjee via ET Bureau
India Inc is rolling out bonuses this festive season despite a hiring slowdown and falling growth in sectors like automobiles and consumer goods. The bonuses range from 10% to over 200% of basic pay. The objective is to retain star employees and maintain steady revenue inflows, say companies.
"Indian companies have realised in the last recession that it pays to reward key talent who are the growth engines. Companies need to set the right tone and be ready in case bad times come again. It is in a sense the maturity of compensation trends in India," says James Agrawal, director and head (India) at BTI Consultant, a part of Kelly Services. Read the full report here on The Economic Times.

Business School? No Thanks
Melissa Korn via The Wall St. Journal
Thinking of applying to business school? Now may be a good time.
Applications for two-year, full-time M.B.A. programs that start this fall dropped an average of 9.9% from a year earlier, according to new data from the Graduate Management Admission Council, which administers the Graduate Management Admission Test. The decline marks the third year in a row that applications have fallen. Read the full report here on The Wall St. Journal.

HR EVENTS
HR@EmployWise Webinar on Learning and Development
Venue: Your Computer
Date: Thursday 22 September, 2011
Time: 03:00 PM to 03:30 PM IST
To register click here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/880609321
HR@EmployWise Webinar on Organisational Design
Venue: Your Computer
Date: Thursday 29 September, 2011
Time: 03:00 PM to 03:30 PM IST
To register click here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/880609321