The First Day Showing Them How We Do It!

“Welcome on board!” is a common exclamation uttered by supervisors, reporting managers and HR managers across the world while inducting new hires o the job. The first day at job is usually spent well in meeting colleagues and getting a feel of the organisational climate. Observation and interaction are very crucial during the first few days as they generate valuable information about the new workplace and help the new hire find his / her way through the challenge of being a “new joiner”.  Wading through numerous form fillings and handshakes the new employee starts to get a flavour of the new workplace. Learning about founding fathers and on what does the organisation pride itself are crucial pieces of information that acclimatise and bond people to their firms.

This seemingly common “Onboarding” process is crucial; not only does it ease and facilitate the newcomers entry, it also helps the older employees accept the new team member without any discomfort. Traditional onboarding relies a lot on information relay and teaching of company’s values. This may at times create a tension as newcomers are “treated” to accept an organization’s identity. A tussle between individual identity and firm’s identity create a strain. Organisational performance in the long run depends on the strengths of its human capital and subordination of individual identities will not yield optimal results. Also, new employees may not internalize the organizational values even if they appear to comply through external behaviours. Engagement scores over compliance and has to be generated through trust and autonomy. Employee socialisation practices that get newcomers to behave insincerely might not be workable because they do not fully engage the employee and they do not address larger issues concerning emotional exhaustion and work dissatisfaction. Organisations today are conscious of the impact effective socialisation makes and many adopt a Level-3 Onboarding process which is exhaustive and well-planned.

An effective onboarding experience involves encouraging newcomers to express their own distinct perspectives and strengths on the job from the very beginning and inviting them to frame their work as a platform for doing what they do best. For an illustration, a restaurant cook who is a natural social charmer could use his natural connectivity by visiting with guests and making them feel at home. Likewise, a consultant with artistic talents could design arresting templates for presentations and develop more influential ways to capture data.  In India, Wipro is touted to celebrate and encourage the individuality and energy employees bring to the table. Global beauty company L’Oreal says, “Our aim is to develop successful, committed and mutually beneficial relationships with each of our employees.” It backs onboarding with a two-year, six-part integration program known as “L’Oreal Fit.” Onboarding is considered as more crucial for key leadership positions than for routine or entry level employees as workers as direction is crucial to any organisation. Executive Search firms are frequently hired to handle the complexity and significance of Executive Onboarding. It remains a vital process ever-evolving to fit organisational goals and optimising employee performance.

Top 3 Challenges The Entrepreneurial Leader Faces And How They Overcome

For the entrepreneurs out there, the first and the foremost challenge comes in the form of thinking ways and means of taking the business towards expansion and growth and hiring the chunk of individuals who can work towards making the organisation more and more enriching. These challenges seem to be equally exciting as well as ripe as a single mistake is bound to bring a lot of consequences. Here, we bring to you a dose of the challenges you ought to face as soon as you slip into the shoes of an entrepreneur. We do not believe in leaving our readers in the dark, thus we also bring to you the ray of hope in the form of practical ways to deal with them. Read through:

 

1.      Hiring As Well As Keeping The Right People

As per the researchers, the entrepreneurs make a number of regretful appointments in the early phase. They commit the mistake of hiring those who are alike them, instead of adding a different mindset to the organisation who can complement to the entrepreneur's mind. There are a number of leading recruitment firms in India who are adept in doing thoughtful hiring. Thus, the best solution is to trust the executive search firms in India. The next big task comes in the form of keeping the workforce motivated to work for the benefit of the organisation. This can be done by giving them incentives, motivation and word of appreciation.

 

2.      Managing The Change

The entrepreneurs often face the problems of changing the corporate culture in accordance with the growth or the turmoil of the organisation. Time, always changes, sometimes it is bad while sometimes it is good. The company and its leader are required to give a serious thought when the question is about layoffs or lesser packages. These changes are hard in terms of acceptance, but are required to be done when the situation demands and the position of the business seems quite unfavorable. When the situation turns positive and growth is proposed, it will bring positive changes to the entire organization in terms of more revenue, promotions for staff members and good salary packages.

 

3.      Expansion Should Be Done Prudently And Certainly Not Prematurely

When an organization starts on the path of expansion, the charm of growth of the business on the basis of the opportunities present here and there tempts the leader to go for reckless expansion which is not prudent, but a premature decision. This premature expansion causes a number of wrong hiring which acts a reason for the fall in the revenue of the business and the growth of the business going haywire. 

Top Reasons Big Firms Are Hiring Human Resource Consulting Firms Today

The consulting gigs are amongst the hot things, which are happening in the business world these days. The era that started in early 1980s acted as a perfect incubator for surfacing of a number of HR consulting firms in India. By positing themselves as an expert in the field of human resource hiring, these Human resource consulting firms have created a great demand for themselves. These consultants proved to be the biggest asset for those firms who require an expert service of human resources, but have no intention of increasing the size of their payroll.

Mentioned below are some of the top reasons because of which the big firms are eyeing the HR consultants in today's world:

Q      To Get The Needed Hr Expertise

The prime purpose, the big firms get fulfilled from the consultants is to gain the necessary expertise and skills from the consultant which their own staff lacks. These consultants provide the right candidate with the right set of skills for the right position in an organization.

Q      Identify The Problem Areas

Each and every organization has certain problems. These problems may appear too close to the employees, yet they are unable to identify and rectify the same. This is when the consultant firms come to the rescue and identify the problem areas in order to rectify the same.

 

Q      Cost Saving

There are a number of expenses which are incurred in a business on an ongoing basis. The business can save nearly thousands of their hard earned dollars by hiring consultants instead of hiring the full time employees and creating a department for them. The additional amount of money is also saved as the consultants don't ask for benefits as are applicable to the full time employees. So, even when the fees charged by the consultant are more than what you will give to your regular employee, overall the cost of hiring consultants for the purpose of hiring human resource for the organisation is comparatively less.

Q      To Bring About The Change

Bringing a change is always a difficult task. No one if fond of changes. The changes are usually opposed by the employees at large. When an organisation requires making a change, the consultant plays a key role. This is because the consultant is not required to worry about the corporate culture followed in the organisation. They are not that inclined about the morale of the employees. Thus, the consultant firms are usually less inclined towards the issues which tend to elicit the high emotions amongst the staff. This is the reason they can easily bring about the change by acting as the catalyst for the change.

Hiring Trends And CXO Hiring

The Indian market evolved as it liberalised in the 90s and multinationals marked their strong presence.  Back then, retained executive search was still in its infancy in India; since then, senior level hiring has grown significantly and so has the executive search profession itself. The profession has become challenging in the fast paced multilevel expressway of hiring. The years since then to now have been marked with big changes and a retrospective enquiry confirms the fact.  The face of both hiring in general and leadership hiring stands altered today. Those days (90s to millennium) most 'CXO' jobs were advertised in the media. Organisations selected available people as opposed to launching an extensive search for the right people. Also several accomplished candidates did respond / apply to job advertisements.

 

Today, most CXO level roles are filled through executive search firms or through references and much less through advertisements in print media. Most global executive search firms have a firm foothold in the Indian talent market. Now Executive Search is synonymous with finding top notch talent. Firms such as Egon Zhender and Kornferry Internationalhave made sure that a career in executive search is very strongly mainstream and no longer 'off-beat'.

Another influencing catalyst has been that of the booming digital media, search engines, social and professional networks, powered by the internet. Job searches are atheists in terms of location as companies vie for the best fit for the position. Access to potential candidates has become easier but fitment remains the key parameter.  Box files full of CVs are a bygone feature as electronic database and communication clears the way. Skype, Whatsapp and professional social media has some features of the 90s; such as staying up late to get hold of candidates on their landlines; a long extinct exercise. The seasoned Indian talent today is in no way in a beeline for multinationals only and many prefer working for Indian origin corporate houses. The structured and rigid career path has given way to a radically fired culture where longevity is no longer the sole sacred virtue. In short, 'Cradle to Grave' company careers are passé.

 

The total rewards system is another influencing factor for change. Compensation is not limited only to monetary gains as talented individuals seek out firms which provide learning opportunities and innovative cultures. As per general estimates, average compensation has grown by about 1500 per cent in the last 15 years across most sectors. Negotiations are protracted and not straight-forward like in the past and typically people were selected for jobs. Today, people are sought out for jobs and compensation is structured to attract and retain people. Senior level hires’ reward plans often include stock plans, long term incentives, profit share plans and commissions as firms prepare to 'golden cages' their talent.

Reports and studies suggest an upward swing in hiring. Many organizations are poised to increase hiring across levels, thanks to a stable political environment and macro-economic conditions. As talent becomes a true differentiator for organisations the opportunities for executive search industry become more lucrative to command a higher stake in the talent market.

Business Panorama And The Executive Search Industry

Get, Keep, Grow has been the chanting mantra of Human Resources philosophy. Getting good people as the ubiquitous first step hardly needs emphasizing. The Executive Search function has been to the quick rescue of the Hiring Manager in organizations. However as a specialised industry born as an offshoot of management consultancy, the Executive Search industry has had its own share of bouquets and brickbats. During times of cost-cutting and renewal firms have often turned to internal recruiting. Technology too has served as the abettor here, pushing talent pool closer to the firms. Thus, mandates often shrink and get limited to only critical leadership hiring. To begin with the task of an Executive Search executive is not an easy one. The search executive as to sift through huge piles of resumes, keeping in mind that the task they are entrusted with is to select the best talent rather than what is just available. Unemployed candidates often form a bulk of the response and it takes time to be assured of the capacity index.  Still if we compare internal hiring with third party hiring, the extensive process adopted by Top executive search firms ensures that the best talent is sent for the firms’ perusal. Not only that the personality testing section of the hiring process ensures that personality-job fit is captured.

 

Organizations spend fortunes in fixing initial hiring decisions and in correcting workplace behaviours. Top executive search firms with mandates ensure they deliver friendly, upbeat people if that is what the job entails. The MBTI (Myers and Briggs Type Indicator), JTI (Jung Type Indicator), Thomas test (DISC) and the new Hogan tests are the instruments frequently used to assess personality types.   In tapping key talent, the industry focus of the recruiter also comes in handy as they tap dormant talent and ‘stars in the making’ of a particular industry. Some research also bolsters the fact the candidates prefer to connect with trustworthy and industry savvy recruiters rather than just floating like an anonymous online commodity in the job market.

 

The neutrality of the search executives also serves in building a long-term relationship both with the client organization and the candidate. Thus despite the challenges that come with time and the changing face of business, Executive Search function is here for a long haul. Due to the pressure of economic uncertainties, companies were limiting hiring to C level and key senior roles and not very willing to take long term plans to expand management teams; till hitherto. Now, with the global economies growing more stable companies are willing to invest in quality executive search with élan.  In India too, staffing exercise has strengthened, especially in core industries of manufacturing, mining and construction, finance, insurance and real estate. This is a good sign for hiring in general and the executive search function.

Women And The War For Talent

The war for talent gets tougher every day and women are not excluded.  It is more challenging to find the right women candidates as ladies are more discerning when it comes to selecting employers. Ladies look forward to welcoming as individuals with differentiating styles. It is an agreed fact that women are more deliberate in changing employers, probably because experience has taught them the importance of environment and culture in both their performance and job-satisfaction. While their male counterparts are more likely to weigh compensation as the leading factor, women consider myriad things such as the culture of the firm, colleagues, presence of women colleagues and role models before committing to join. Like any other place, the workplace throws novel challenges as women and fitting in to the accepted role is often a task. Perceptions change with gender and what is acceptable for men is often not considered the rule for women. To take example aggressiveness at the workplace is acceptable for a male boss but the same portrays the woman as irrational, over-emotional and bossy. Most workplaces are seeing the blasting of male-bastions, even the fighter pilot profession of the Indian Armed Forces is a beacon. The corporate too has its share of more and more women managers and leaders

 

 The HR function of the industry has often been seen suitable for women although the logic of it as a ‘soft profession’ is highly debatable. Many tasks such as in-depth behavioural interviewing are seen as strength of women recruiters. In-Fact many Executive Search Firms like JBK Associates and the California based WSS Executive search are exclusively led by women boards. In India too Top Executive Search agencies comprise many women head-hunters whose searching prowess helps deliver key mandates. Yet despite their strengths women candidates face exclusion due to stereotypes.  However even Top Executive Search firms may be at danger to exclude women candidates. Women candidates face questions about loyalty, stability, and capability in ways that men simply don’t. Even today, men are often considered the “default” candidate type, with women representing a “different” choice. Even when search consultants do try to include more women on their long and short lists, client firms will change their search criteria over time, the end result of which is weeding out women from the candidate list.

 

Women also face queries about their family life that men do not. Married women are at times considered risky choices, in that they wouldn’t necessarily be able to give “the extra-edge” to their job. At the same time, married men are considered more likely to be stable or loyal. Divorced or separated women too face a harsh judgement many times. Despite these troubling factors, women continue to grow and contribute professionally, slowly acting as harbingers of change in the world at large. 

The Best Booked on Board

Retaining good performers has always been both a priority and challenge for organizations. Retaining top talent is emerging as a major competitive imperative for organizations. Adopting the appreciative inquiry note, advocates suggest that instead of focusing on what causes employees to leave, companies should focus on what causes them to stay. Research conducted in this area has uncovered many variables that help people stay on board. These three major variables are fit, connection and sacrifice.

 

Fit refers to the employee’s perception of compatibility with the organization and the surrounding community. Employees with a sense of fitting in believe they have shared values with organization and also that their KSA and personality fits the job nature and demands.

In terms of connection the employee feels strong links with the colleagues and organizational community. These links foster organizational citizenship behaviour. In the spirit of sacrifice the employee believes that if he / she gives up work that will tantamount to giving up valuable, rich and rewarding relationships at work; lucrative projects and rich social life outside work.  The better the fit between the organization and the individual, the more connected he/she feels at work and greater the potential sacrifice in case of snapping the work relationship.

All these three crucial factors can be enhanced through proper on boarding, careful career planning and work-life balance. The process of on boarding offers many opportunities to build strong links between the new employee and the organization. It gives the employee a chance to bond with the community at work. When a new employee gets the opportunity to know colleagues at work and share experiences with them, strong links are forged. Some other ways in which organisations can help employees relate to work are by providing information on company resources, offering perks, bonuses on tenure etc. The provision of mentoring or coaching employees too helps them at work. Some organizations sponsor employee sports league and encourage at home dinners to help employees bond. Thus employee organization fit and connected can be built and improved during the on boarding process. Executive search firms help organizations design and deliver an extensive on boarding. This not only helps retain key talent but also helps them to perform better. Apart from this, discussing career development policies and opportunities also helps retention as by do so companies are in essence promising a future.