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Developing Effective Communication for Team Management

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Leading a team requires deliberate and effective communication in all respects. Managers need to think strategically when they develop their communication plans, even if those plans are very informal. Managers should be encouraged to pause long enough before communicating to consider what tactics will be needed and most effective. Here is a helpful checklist that if practiced will become a durable and reliable communication strategy that will build trust through transparency.

Know your team; they are the audience

A part of a manager’s effort to develop their own sense of self-awareness and emotional intelligence is learning to understand their team’s knowledgebase, cultural norms, and non-verbal cues. Use language that is free of business jargon and unfamiliar acronyms. If you want to use an acronym, remember to spell it out first and provide some context or definition before continually using it. Effective communication requires a common language and vocabulary, using unfamiliar language fosters confusion and frustration among team members.

It is also vitally important to recognise the cultural diversity among a team and consider how communication might be misunderstood or not understood to those with other backgrounds and languages. We all need to learn how to communicate effectively in a multi-culture environment; if we don’t there will continue to be inequities created as different cultures perceive words, tone, and body language differently. Enthusiasm around diversity is growing and expectations justifiably high; at the same time managers must recognise that improving communication is going to take practice. Being able to communicate effectively is a leadership tradecraft and improving it means managers need 1) a feedback loop created by reflective and active listening, 2) to be vulnerable enough to ask for help understanding various cultures, 3) respect — not frustration — in their tone and body language, and 4) determination to learn.

Balance useful content with information overload

We live in an age of nearly infinite content where people at work, and at home, are bombarded by information from a myriad of sources. To ensure effective communication managers must recognise the signs of overload and communication fatigue; they have to seek a balance that delivers useful informative and actionable content without unnecessary details (that can still be made available for those that want more) which serves as noise that disrupts the core message.

If a message is being delivered in-person verbally or by video, managers should limit themselves. Just because a meeting is scheduled to take one hour, doesn’t mean it needs to be filled with one hour of content. Provide the necessary context on the topic to set the stage, deliver the core message, clarify the intended takeaways, and leave room for questions and clarification. Whenever possible leave more room for dialogue than it takes to deliver the message itself; these conversations are where the most effective communication takes place.

When delivering a message digitally via email or chat platforms, be cognizant that the lack of non-verbal cues may distort the intended message. Consider the use of live video conferencing or even recorded video to capture body language and intonation. We’ve seen the popularity of short video clips explode on social media and expect the same to continue in corporate communications. If this is not practical, have a second set of eyes review the communication to get an objective read on tone. Experts say that it takes three positive things to offset one negative, so be conscious and deliberate about what in the message is positive and what might be perceived negatively.

Know when communication should be individualized

Not all communication is meant for everyone, and it is not unusual for first-time managers and even more experienced managers to include a message intended for an individual in a broader remark during a team meeting. For example, someone has complained that their colleague is repeatedly coming in late, leaving the rest of the team to cover for them. Managers should not use team communications as a way to remind everyone they should arrive on time; they should instead give this feedback to the individual as an opportunity for improvement. Another example might be when a team member is struggling more than others with a change being introduced. It can be helpful to work with that individual one-on-one rather than consume valuable time if others on the team are adapting more readily with the change.

Test it when you can

Timeliness is important in much of our team communication; team members don’t want to learn of things without time to adapt the work they are doing to any changes. When practical, it is helpful to test a draft or outline with another manager, an informal team leader, or others, so that the intended message being sent out doesn’t miss the mark. Make sure if a response is needed that clear timelines are set and that you are using a delivery mechanism that doesn’t become a barrier. We all know a manager that assumes we are waiting for their next email. Don’t use email for urgent communication, unless it is in conjunction with other forms of communication. Many organizations are setting standards for email response time, so at minimum keep that standard in mind before assuming your audience will get the message immediately.

Good communication is rarely recognized, but poor communication tends to leave a wake behind it that can take time and effort to calm. Communication needs context, a positive tone, clear takeaways, and an opportunity for a feedback loop. Don’t assume your message has all four elements… test it.

Why Repetition in Internal Communication Is Very Important

Researchers have found that the rise of the internet and a constant stream of digital sources of information is actually causing our brains to retain less information. The phenomenon is considered digital amnesia or less formally, “the Google effect”. The theory suggests that with so much information available and with systems like Google able to help us to quickly locate information we need, our brains quickly discard information if we think we can look it up again later. For this and other well-researched reasons repetition is an important aspect of best practice in communication. The more we say something, the more likely it will be remembered.  Again, managers have to be sensitized to information overload and repetition may require briefer and briefer versions, however it is a proven strategy managers should employ regularly.

Helping managers develop best practices for team communications will make them more effective leaders and their teams will appreciate the clarity and transparency it brings to their work.

Choosing the Best Survey for Your Organisation

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Scenario 1

Organisation ABC measures its employee satisfaction and morale annually through its traditional survey which is detailed, lengthy and outdated. After conducting the survey, it takes a couple of months to analyse the feedback and less time to take informed decisions.

Scenario 2

Organisation XYZ conducts 3- 4 surveys to measure employee satisfaction and morale regularly. These surveys are focused, short and are reviewed for their relevance before the launch. The responses for all the surveys are collated easily and analysed to take informed decisions quickly.

Have you spotted any of the aforementioned trends in your organisation? According to you, which organisation practices more efficient feedback mechanism that will lead to better employee engagement and satisfaction?

It is a basic human tendency to feel heard and valued. Within the organisational setup, employees feel engaged, motivated and inspired to contribute when their views and opinions are gathered and given due regard. However, when this need is jeopardized, organisations face adverse outcomes like non-performance, low employee motivation and higher attrition rates.  Employee engagement remains a top priority for HR leaders in 2023 across the globe, mainly because of the rising attrition rates and also engagement is largely intangible and difficult to measure. Therefore, organisations often resort to detailed employee engagement surveys to gather insights.

Surveys are safe and an easy way to gather feedback from a large pool of employees at once. Surveys provide a comprehensive platform for employees to share their thoughts, opinions, and experiences. This feedback helps organisations gain valuable insights into employee satisfaction, engagement levels, workplace culture, and other areas of improvement. Surveys also provide the option of giving answers anonymously, making the entire process more inclusive and safer for employees who wish to remain unidentified.

Despite the significance of surveys within the organisational setup, the frequency of conducting these surveys however remain a challenge for many organisations.  Research supports that the insights gathered every two year or annually are not sufficient to present a reliable and holistic picture of the status of employee engagement. Though many organisations are still relying on annual surveys to gather employee perspectives, many smart organisations are replacing traditional, yearly surveys with more frequent, real-time or pulse surveys. Such surveys apart for collecting real time insights, enables an agile and data-driven approach to employee engagement, making it look more lucrative for employees as well as for HR leaders, the real custodian of the process. Real-time surveys further allow you to maintain organisation’s health and happiness with rapid and more frequent check-ins. Let’s take a closer look at some of the benefits of using real-time surveys over annual surveys:

Ability to capture comprehensive, real-time information

While annual surveys only capture a snapshot from that particular moment in time, frequent pulse surveys offer a more detailed and accurate view of employee engagement and other aspects as it changes and evolves over a period of time.

Breaking the chain of monotony

Since annual surveys are conducted just once, they are mostly long and arduous. But in this process, surveys become lengthy with never-ending questions around various aspects of workplace. Employees do not feel enthused about giving their response and want to get back to work. This may lead to inconsistency in capturing their accurate response, impacting the overall validity of your results. Real time surveys on the other hand are relatively shorter with fresh themes and different set of questions which generate interest among employees and thus response rate gets better. Real time surveys barely impact employee’s commitments as they only take couple of minutes to answer. This improves the validity of results as respondents are more likely to give each question their full attention.

More efficient and data-driven post-survey analyses

Traditional annual surveys being comprehensive in nature, may ask each employee over 50 questions. Once conducted, it takes good amount of time to gather the responses, review the same and analyse it. This cumbersome approach takes months to plan for some organised plan and action making employees as well as other key stakeholders lose interest in the process.

Proactive approach

Annual surveys being a yearly affair, mostly collects data in retrospect while frequent real time surveys, highlight areas of concern before these problems escalate and become widespread issues within the organization. Realtime data about employees will empower HR leaders as well as managers to be proactive and invest time and effort in the areas where it’s most needed.

Creating a culture of inclusivity and feedback

Pulse surveys because of their higher frequency, naturally creates a culture of feedback and continuous improvement. People feel heard and more valued at work when they have a platform for giving feedback on a constant basis.

A word of caution for HR leaders

Well-made and well-administered surveys will remain an integral part of organizations mainly because of their ability to fetch response from a large sample. Organizations are exploring newer ways to run surveys and relying on HR tech to make the entire process smoother and streamlined. However, HR leaders need to be cautious of that fact that employees shouldn’t feel any ‘survey fatigue’ especially with real-time surveys which may be sent out too often, and/or the same questions being asked repeatedly; employees might get bored and may choose not to respond. Therefore, HR leaders must closely monitor the survey fatigue while conducting pulse surveys. Balancing the right number of questions with the right frequency is one of the most important aspects of conducting effective pulse surveys.

Conclusion

Both tools might prove beneficial when administered efficiently to gather employee feedback and sentiments, however, HR leaders in their pursuit to establish a continuous channel of communication between employees and organizations will rely more on the real-time surveys in the years to come. These surveys can be made more specific to uncover different aspects which may be short-term in nature, for example, a quick pulse survey can be created and run to gauge employees’ reactions about the latest merger and acquisition that happened. This will provide instant feedback from the workforce. HR leaders may also look at the judicious mix of both the tools to derive greater benefits; the annual comprehensive survey juxtaposed with 2-3 pulse surveys will immensely help to present a holistic view of the employee’s perceptions about their workplace.

Improving Employee Experience Using HR Tech

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Employee experience has an immense impact on a company’s performance and growth. An enjoyable employee experience increases employee engagement, productivity, and overall satisfaction. Employees are more inclined to go above and beyond their obligations when they feel respected, supported, and empowered in their jobs, contributing to enhanced company performance. Companies that prioritise employee experience have the required leverage to recruit and retain top people which leads to lower turnover rates, and a healthier business culture that fosters innovation and success. Investing in employee experience benefits the company’s overall productivity and long-term profitability.

Streamlining Communication And Collaboration

Having a centralised platform for all of HR’s functions enables them to do their job faster and better so they can focus more on employee delight rather than grunt work.The end goal for this is for employees to be able to easily communicate with HR departments, ask questions, and seek assistance, thereby eliminating bureaucratic hurdles. Furthermore, collaboration tools allow teams to work together in real time, share files, and work on projects regardless of their physical location. Organisations have the ability to build a more inclusive and connected work environment by employing HR tech solutions for communication and collaboration, breaking down silos and encouraging a feeling of teamwork among employees.

Rewards and Recognition

A strong rewards and recognition program is the core of organisational employee engagement. R and R has evolved into a metric of excellency for workplaces to satisfy evolving employee requirements. HR technology may assist organisations in establishing and managing R&R programs to improve employee morale, motivation, and engagement. These tools enable the automation of reward programs, which provides managers with real-time visibility into employee performance and contributions. This also allows for the customization of incentives and recognition programs to correspond with the particular requirements and preferences of workers, hence increasing engagement and satisfaction. The analytics capabilities built into HR tech platforms allow firms to gain insights into the performance of their rewards and recognition campaigns. This enables data-driven decision-making and continual development. Organisations can build a culture of appreciation, raise employee morale, and ultimately push performance and retention levels to new heights by using HR technology

Flexible Benefits

Benefits are often a deciding factor for employees when they are comparing jobs, according to this Harvard Business Review Study. Making your company’s benefits as appealing and as customisable is in your favour if your goal is to retain and nurture top talent. According to the same study 83% of employees would rather have additional benefits than a pay raise. All of this points to the importance of flexible benefits. Technology enables businesses to establish a well-thought-out flexible benefits package that gives employees a choice of perks. An HR technology platform can also assist businesses in tailoring flexible benefit plans to specific employees, resulting in a more personalised experience that encourages loyalty and performance. 

Simplifying Onboarding and Enhancing Training Processes

Effective onboarding and training are critical for ensuring that new employees are able to comfortably adapt to their responsibilities and contribute effectively to the business. HR technology can help you streamline these procedures by providing new solutions that simplify and improve the onboarding and training experience. Digital platforms serve as a consolidated repository for onboarding materials such as digital forms, policy paperwork, and training resources which removes the need for time-consuming paperwork and manual processes. HR technology solutions also allow for the development of interactive and engaging training modules that incorporate multimedia components, simulations, and evaluations to encourage a dynamic learning experience. As a result, the workforce is more engaged, confident, and productive, positioning itself for long-term success. 

Leadership Assessment and Development

Organizations should use HR technology solutions to implement complete assessment frameworks that analyze leadership potential, competencies, and behavioral attributes. We can use a variety of tools and evaluation approaches, like psychometric testing, 360-degree feedback, and simulations, to create a comprehensive picture of a person’s leadership competencies. The information helps firms to identify high-potential employees and make tailored development plans to help them improve their leadership abilities. HR digital platforms also include a variety of learning tools, like online courses, coaching modules, and virtual leadership programs, that can be adapted to the unique requirements of prospective leaders.

Leveraging Data Analytics for Decision-Making

Data analytics has become an indispensable tool for making informed decisions, and HR technology is no different. It has the ability to improve employee experience by collecting, analysing, and visualising vast amounts of employee data, ranging from performance metrics and engagement surveys to feedback and sentiment analysis. As an example of how this is helpful, analytics can reveal patterns in employee turnover, which helps organisations identify underlying causes and develop retention strategies based on that data. Similarly, sentiment analysis of employee feedback can tell management about areas where improvements are needed, allowing HR departments to address pain points and improve the overall employee experience.

HR technology offers significant benefits for improving employee experience. Streamlining communication and collaboration, implementing rewards and recognition programs, providing flexible benefits, simplifying onboarding and training, assessing and developing leadership potential, and leveraging data analytics all contribute to enhancing employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. By investing in HR tech, organizations can create a more connected and efficient work environment, attract and retain top talent, and make data-driven decisions that improve overall employee experience, leading to long-term success for the company. 

The Power of L&D Leaders over Organisational Culture

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Organisational culture, refers to the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that shape up organisation’s unique social and emotional work environment. A culture is ‘exclusive’ for every organisation and it is often said that the culture is nothing but the consistent, observable patterns of behaviour in organisations. It is mostly governed by the leaders of the organisation to be only followed by the employees.

A great organisational culture is the key to achieving business success. Research supports that organisations with ‘healthy cultures’ are 1.5 times more likely to experience higher revenue growth and productivity. Despite this, only 31 percent of HR leaders believe their organisations have the culture they need to drive future business. Sadly— 85 percent of organizations fail in transforming their cultures. Some of the reasons of this failure include- lack of robust business and L&D strategy, unclear values, incompetent leadership and employees’ dissonance with the organisational values and beliefs. Recent research cites ‘toxic organizational culture’ as number 1 reason of employees leaving their organisations.

How employees think and feel about their workplace and its culture is critical to competitive advantage and sustained organisational success. The importance of culture is especially elevated in recent time when the phenomena like ‘The Great Resignation’ as well as ‘Great Firing’ are prevalent. The millennials and Gen z’s at the workplace have their own ways and seek continuous growth and learning to make an impact. Managing such individuality and diversity in the workforce further raises the need to have more streamlined Learning and Development (L&D) practices and efficient leadership skills to build strong and resilient organizational culture. L&D leaders can play a pivotal role here! In addition, if we look at the future trends, studies report that automation may displace 85 million jobs by 2025- this will greatly alter the workforce dynamics as well as skill sets needed to perform the tasks. Many businesses as well as L&D leaders are mindful of this need to upskill and reskill the workforce and understand that learning will no longer remain only a retention measurement but will be a key in realising business strategy.

It is often believed that L&D function is only associated with conducting programs and training for enhancing the skill sets of the employees. But this function has a very big role to play in shaping up the organisation culture by influencing the top leadership and their business strategy.  L&D leaders today influence all parts of an organisation, across job levels, functions and business units, from new hires to senior leadership and everyone in between. By weaving organisation’s purpose and values into every aspect of learning, L&D leaders can become ‘Cultural Ambassadors’. Let’s delve deeper into the ways L&D leaders can shape culture:

Align L&D with the organization’s goals and values

By aligning L&D programs with the organization’s goals and values, L&D leaders can help promote a culture of accountability and a shared sense of purpose. This alignment can commence as early as the induction process where employees are given good overview of the organization, its values, processes, practices and expectations. L&D leaders must be cognizant of the cultural signals they are sending through a new employee’s early learning experience and ensuring alignment with the core organizational values.

Relevant training programs

L&D leaders are responsible for developing and implementing training programs and initiatives that are essential for the professional growth and development of the employees. These programs should be crafted in sync with organizational culture, for example, R&D heavy organizations may conduct programs which encourage innovation and experimentation, instilling values such as risk taking, learning from failure and continuous improvement. Similarly, if an organization values diversity and inclusion, L&D leaders can design training programs that focus on those topics, making it clear that these are essential elements of the organizational culture. Effective L&D programs can lead to increased employee engagement, retention and performance. When L&D leaders create a culture of learning, it can impact the overall organizational culture positively. When employees are encouraged to learn and grow, they feel valued and it creates a sense of community within the workplace.

Promote knowledge sharing

Learning and development leaders can facilitate knowledge sharing by creating opportunities for employees to learn from one another, share best practices, and collaborate on projects. They may set up relevant workshops and open sessions where employees feel free to exchange ideas and suggestions

Lead by example

L&D leaders should lead by example, demonstrating a commitment to their own development and modelling the behaviours they want to see in others. At the same time, L&D leaders need to involve other key stakeholders in their initiatives so that everyone remains on the same page and demonstrate core values and persistent behaviours.

Measure the impact of learning and development

By measuring the impact of L&D initiatives, the leaders can demonstrate the value of continuous learning and development and reinforce its importance to the organization culture.

Organizational culture is the backbone of any successful organization and without it, no organization can survive for long.  L&D leaders can play a significant role in building strong organisational culture by linking and aligning organisation’s vision and values with employee learning programs and practices. A strong and positive culture is directly linked with employee engagement, happiness, productivity, and retention. L&D leaders should direct their every effort toward achieving these outcomes. At the same time, they also need to upskill themselves and grow their own cultural intelligence to come up with the best learning initiatives.

To know more about how our leadership assessment and development platform can help your L&D leaders create a organisational culture that drives sustained business results, click here.

The Importance of Active Listening in People Management

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We all know the importance of effective communication as part of leadership, and we often think about it in terms of how we (leaders) deliver a message to our team members. It is equally, if not more, important to think about ourselves as the receiver of information and as such it may require us to practice active listening. What is active listening? Active listening is more than hearing someone speak; it is participating in such a way that you seek to understand the message and its intention. Active listening is considered such because the “listener” does so to understand; not respond, judge, or advise.

When someone is communicating a message, there are two different layers an active listener pays attention to; one is the content and the other is the feeling or emotion that is underlying. By paying attention to both, it becomes possible to accurately understand the meaning of the message.

When managers practice active listening there is a much greater likelihood that they will not only better understand a common problem; they are now more likely to find consensus for a solution. Active listening is not for show, something you do to convince others you have heard them out; it is a genuine technique that relies on authenticity in its participants, and it requires ongoing practice.

Before elaborating on the benefits of active listening, consider some helpful tips managers can employ as they practice this valuable skill.

Curiosity

To actively listen in an authentic way, you have to be genuinely curious. For example, you may see a business problem one way and a team member sees it quite differently. Rather than anchor too rigidly into your perspective, you need to be curious as to how someone else is drawing such a different conclusion. You have to be open-minded to the possibility that you are missing a piece of the puzzle, which requires humility and a desire to learn. Asking closed, “yes or no” questions can block access to the speaker’s underlying message and reduces the amount of information shared. Instead, open-ended questions do not contain predetermined answers and are, therefore, a more powerful tool for getting informative responses.

Paraphrasing and Reflecting

Effective active listening requires continual clarification, which means reflecting back what you think you are hearing, restating it, and asking for confirmation from the speaker. For example, if someone says, “we don’t have enough in our inventory to complete the project”, you might say, “So what you are saying is that in order to finish this project we need to increase our inventory? Can you tell me more? How much of an increase is needed?” Using this technique gives the speaker an opportunity to confirm their message or elaborate further if more information is needed.

We can also paraphrase emotions that we perceive while active listening. By listening for words or phrases along with non-verbal cues it is possible to detect fear, boredom, fatigue, cheerfulness and other expressions of one’s emotional state. For example, if a person says, while rolling their eyes, “we’ve been told it should only take two hours to complete our preparation work” you can verbalize this by saying, “It sounds like you may not agree with that assertion? Tell me more.”

Present

Active listening requires you to be fully present and free of distractions. While we all like to think we can effectively multi-task, the reality is that we miss a great deal when we are not focused on a single conversation. This requirement is true for the active listener and the person speaking. Because of tone, body language, and our capacity to process a message, if it is not possible to remove distractions it is better to schedule the conversation for another time. Being present helps the listener detect the nonverbal cues which helps them gain a better understanding of the speaker’s emotional state and level of comfort.

Affirmation

To be most effective you need to offer up affirmations that you understand (unless you don’t), such as “yes, I understand”. More importantly, relentlessly pursue what is not understood and probe further with “help me understand, tell me more”. Affirm what you believe you understand and affirm what you need more information about. You are not reacting, advising, or judging; you are seeking an understanding.

Restraint

To be most effective you need to offer up affirmations that you understand (unless you don’t), such as “yes, I understand”. More importantly, relentlessly pursue what is not understood and probe further with “help me understand, tell me more”. Affirm what you believe you understand and affirm what you need more information about. You are not reacting, advising, or judging; you are seeking an understanding.

What really stops Indian women from succeeding in the workplace?

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India is one of the most rapidly developing countries in the world. Its growing economy requires talent, and a crucial source of that talent is educated Indian women. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights established in 1948, under Article 23 declares that everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and protection against unemployment. Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

The Indian state has adopted several legislative measures for Indian women. Article 39 of the Indian Constitution lays down certain principles of policy to be followed by the state, “the state is to direct its policy towards securing that citizens, men and women, equally have the right to an adequate means of livelihood’. The fourth part of this article known as the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 puts the employer under a legal obligation to pay men and women the same wages for performing the same work or work of a similar nature. The Act is now applicable to almost every kind of establishment. Even if it is performed at different places, the salary must be the same. An employer cannot discriminate against women while recruiting unless women’s employment is prohibited or restricted by law. Thus, in matters of recruitment, promotions, training or transfer, the employer is prohibited from discriminating against women. 

What holds women back?

While these provisions have made the workplace accessible and safe for women, we do see a rise in the number of women in the workplace, we also see women taking up leadership or higher positions such as that of a manager or a CEO/Director, but we also see that this percentage is stagnant or is beginning to decrease. 

 A report published by the Business Standard “Post-pandemic job recovery for Indian women slower than men” highlights some important facts for us.  According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) and Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA), the percentage of women employed in urban India has reduced to 22.1% and the percentage of men working in urban India in 2023 is still higher than that of women. The reasons for this imbalance are not new, but they are forgotten and often ignored.

An issue with our mindset

We live in a ‘modern world’ and are under the assumption that gender-based discrimination is a ‘thing of the past’. It is a dangerous assumption, patriarchy i.e a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it,  misogyny i.e dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women and sexism i.e prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, based on sex exists and are rampant in the Indian society. Such behaviours always find a way to manifest themselves in the world, and in society irrespective of the era we live in. These behaviours range from seemingly harmless acts to extremely violent life-threatening acts.

Imbalanced Sex Ratio

Some common widespread practices in a majority of Indian states are sex-selective abortions or female infanticide. The belief that a girl child is not our child, she will be married off to some other family and is a liability while the son will be an asset and will support the family monetarily directly contributes to the glaring disparity in the Indian sex ratio. Which ultimately results in there being fewer women who perform paid work.

Denial of the Right to Education and Lack of Training

Another reason for there being fewer women in the workplace is the lack of education and training. As compared to male children, female children get lesser preference in the matter of education. Parents are found to be compromising on the quality of education and expenses in the case of female children as they invest just to educate them and not from the viewpoint of employment. 

 Job-oriented courses of elementary nature are generally preferred for females rather than males. Women are largely in computer courses, boutique and fabric painting and similar elementary courses, leading them to low-paid jobs and landing them in the second segment of the labour market. Therefore, women’s advancement in employment is generally hampered. Exclusive women training programmes are very few at least in the private sector.

Societal and Family Pressure/Expectations

Managing layoffs plays a key role. You may want to consider these 3 alternatives to layoffs if you want to protect yourselves from the effects it has on your people managers. In case you feel you cannot avoid layoffs, a few ways to manage them include:

Be Open and Honest

Even for women who have made it to the workplace, and who have secured their right to work, it is not an easy journey. Employed women who earn for themselves or contribute to their family’s income face many difficulties. A study published by the Society for Human Resource Management in India in their work ‘Perspectives on Women in Management in India’ talks about certain obstacles working women face. Indian society continues to hold on to its traditional patriarchal practices, gendered roles make it difficult and at times impossible for women to have a successful career, the role of the man as the ‘breadwinner’ and the role of the woman as the ‘homemaker’ is one of the several obstacles women have to deal with. Another one is that if women choose to work and have a family they have to strike a balance between the two. The expectations from the family include women giving up their careers after marriage, and childbirth. Then expectations that if women work outside of the home, they still need to take care of the house, the children and the husband. This phenomenon is known as the second shift, the term was coined by sociologist Arlie Hochschild. It simply refers to the household and childcare duties that follow the day’s work for pay outside the home. While both men and women experience the second shift, women tend to shoulder most of this responsibility.

It highlights the complexity of women’s roles as mothers, wives, and working women. According to Hochschild, working women perform a first shift in the paid labour force and a second shift of unpaid labour in their households.

Male co-workers/employees' attitude towards women employees

Once the decision is final, be very direct and humane with your team members. As much as it may pain them and even you, this information will hurt a lot less for them coming from their own manager and friend rather than a mail or message. (Don’t do what Google did).  This also increases your credibility in front of the remaining employees.

Ms Archana Bhaskar was the HR Director, at Shells Companies India for six years and now she is the Chief Human Resource Officer for Dr Reddy’s Laborities, she shared her struggle with the Society for Human Resource Management in India. She recalls the lack of support when she started working after her post-graduation in business management. Women workers had to be like men to succeed, work/life balance was almost thrown out of the window, and the one or two women that were in her organisation were busy trying to compete with each other rather than help! Male colleagues and managers consistently refused to take her seriously, saying that she was in the job for entertainment rather than to make a real professional career. 

An article by Fortune India, “Rise of Women to CEO Roles Strewn with Challenges’ by Anshul Dhamija (https://www.fortuneindia.com/enterprise/rise-of-women-to-ceo-roles-strewn-with-challenges/106101) talks about how, while many Indian companies have institutionalised practices to boost representation of women in senior leadership and executive positions,  the rise to the corner office is still strewn with challenges. Ms Radha Dhir, the CEO and country head of JLL an international property consultancy firm shares her experiences and says that women have to ‘walk an extra mile just to prove themselves as equal at work compared to men’. Ms Pallavi Shroff, managing partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, talked about how a woman will give her professional input and it is scrutinised, questioned and then maybe accepted while the input of a man is readily or instantly accepted. She attributes such behaviour to an unconscious gender bias. Ms Shroff asserts that there is a need to make a conscious effort to deal with such an unconscious gender bias as women tend to carry and apply the same bias too. “We in the profession who are senior enough, being women in our organisations, should make this conscious effort to see that younger women get the same and equal opportunity.” 

Gender Pay Gap

According to a report published in March 2017, ‘Indian Women in the Workplace: Problems and Challenges’ by Sampurnaa Dutta India ranks the lowest when it comes to Gender parity. On the whole, the report finds that the gender pay gap in India is 25.4 per cent. This means the median hourly wage for a woman is 25.4% less than the median hourly wage for a man. According to the report, some of the reasons behind the gender pay gap could be the preference for male employees over female employees, the preference for promotion of male employees to supervisory positions and career breaks of women due to parenthood duties and other socio-cultural factors.

(https://www.ijirmf.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/201703051.pdf)

The above-mentioned factors are the tip of the iceberg. They are on the mild end of the spectrum of violence against women. They are known to people, companies and to governments yet these difficulties still exist. As educated privileged people, it is our responsibility to take active measures to unlearn the gender bias we have been taught as children. As women who have made it to the workplace, it is all the more important for us to make sure that we make a safe place for other women who belong to underprivileged underrepresented groups. Only then will we truly be modern and only then we will succeed.

How Layoffs Can Affect People Managers

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Layoffs are an unfortunate reality in the workplace. Employees often bear the brunt during a period of downsizing and cost cutting but this practice has other ramifications within the organization as well. People managers are often caught between the uppermost decision makers and the people being laid off. These managers can suffer for a variety of reasons : 

How do layoffs Affects People Managers

Layoffs can have lasting effects on your people managers. Some of these include:

Emotional Burden

These managers often are the ones delivering the bad news to team members they have worked closely with for months, sometimes years. This takes an immense toll on the psyche of a manager, especially one who’s proud of their team members. Somehow, a decision they had no part in making can dismantle their team, its norms and functioning. If they have formed deep working ties with their team members, they may feel guilty, upset, and heartbroken about having to let them go.

Team Morale

Team members who were not laid off may have anxiety and insecurity over the future of their employment, which will reduce productivity and participation. They could harbor anger toward the organization and the management who were forced to fire employees. They may also question the competency of the management and decision makers. After a layoff, managers will need to put in a lot of effort to restore team confidence, communication, and morale.

Erosion Of Trust

A layoff decision made higher up in the company can also have significant effects on a manager’s reputation. A manager’s reputation and relationships with team members, coworkers, and other stakeholders may suffer if they are thought to be the cause of the layoff. This problem is exacerbated when the layoffs are thought to be arbitrary or unjust. This can make it difficult for managers to maintain an uplifting  and effective workplace.

How To Manage Layoffs

Managing layoffs plays a key role. You may want to consider these 3 alternatives to layoffs if you want to protect yourselves from the effects it has on your people managers. In case you feel you cannot avoid layoffs, a few ways to manage them include:

Be Open and Honest

Even before the layoffs happen, good leaders should inform their employees about the oncoming situation or atleast give them an active and actual view of the situation. Trust is very hard to gain once it’s been eroded.  This can reduce anxiety greatly for all the employees by providing much needed clarity to the employees. 

Be Direct

Once the decision is final, be very direct and humane with your team members. As much as it may pain them and even you, this information will hurt a lot less for them coming from their own manager and friend rather than a mail or message. (Don’t do what Google did).  This also increases your credibility in front of the remaining employees.

Provide Help

The employee being laid off will certainly be panicking or be in a state of despair. Leaders can help by assisting the person in updating their resume and floating it around for them. This shows sincerity and compassion. This will not only help the outgoing employee, but also portray a trustable and positive image to the remaining employees. This in turn preserves company culture by not allowing the layoffs to have detrimental effects on the company. 

Maintain Confidentiality

The privacy of those involved must be respected and managers should do their best not to let things like this become a point of gossip around the office. This can breed anxiety and distrust. In order to avoid this, communicate the change in terms with the employees in a private setting.

CEO Visibility

Managers and workers should be able to see and reach the CEO. When the CEO is willing to personally address the managers and staff with the reasoning for such  harsh measures and what he or she feels will be their impact on the company’s future, that individual has a significant influence. The CEO should, at the absolute least, provide managers a prepared written statement that they may convey to all staff members. This shows clarity of thought and accountability on the leadership’s part.

In general, layoffs may affect people managers in a variety of ways, which emphasizes the significance of proper preparation and communication when executing layoffs. Companies may decrease the adverse effects of layoffs on managers and their teams by being open and empathetic.

Why do managers fail in giving feedback?

Posted on by Mandar

A vital part of being a manager is giving and receiving feedback. Susan E. DeFranzo in “5 Reasons Why Feedback is Important’ describes it as helpful information or criticism about prior action or behaviour from an individual, communicated to another individual or a group. An individual or a group can use this information to adjust and improve current and future actions, behaviours and performances. It is a crucial part of being a leader, it is what helps a manager and their team perform better. Feedback is vital, but is it given the importance it requires?

The purpose of feedback is to let your team members know where they stand in terms of performance or the different criteria one has set up. The main issue that managers are regular employees face is the fear associated with ‘Performance Review’ and how these reviews are given after a long period, for example- once in three months or twice a year. It hampers overall growth and can delay the completion of goals.

 Managers fail to give feedback because it can be unnerving for them. A workplace requires a healthy and safe environment, it requires an environment that facilitates high performance. A healthy enviornment includes constructive criticism, but since most of us are wired to think that correction or criticism means something negative or we’re not doing anything right altogether, this negative emotional enviroment makes it all the more difficult and both parties  end up dreading it. Managers might fail in giving feedback also because they are afraid of discouraging their employees or offending someone, especially if they have mature members in their teams. 

Elizabeth Heron an HR Manager and a writer for Careers in Government shares three reasons for manager’s failure in giving feedback. Rather than laying emphasis only on failing she talks about the fear associated with feedback. She talks about-

The Lack of Confidence

It’s mostly found in first time managers, they’re still learning the ropes. And if they’re not secure in their decisions and capabilities, they find it difficult to correct or offer constructive criticism to their own team members. Fear holds all of us back, but managers experience it at a different level than regular employees do. A few reasons for the above are that-

  • They were never trained to give feedback
  • They have no experience in giving the same.

Anxiety about what will happen next or what will happen if feedback is given, will the employee quit? Will they get angry or discourages and not perform altogether holds a manager back.

She offers advice on how to overcome this obstacle. She talks about giving detailed feedback in a routinely manner, in this way both employees and managers will be aware and ready for evaluation. Performance reviews should be scheduled on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis. They serve as gently nudges in the right direction and doesn’t overwhelm and blindside an employee with built up feedback.

Managers who aren’t trained in giving feedback arent aware of an appropriate way of doing so, and this is a sure set up for failure. It is crucial for companies/organisations to have Management Training Programmes, they are necessary especially for first time managers. These programes provide a structure and shows them how not all feedback is ‘bad’ or ‘negative’ and highlights the upsides of providing the same.

Fear Of Confrontation

This fear is directly related to the fear of being disliked, managers are often found to fear their employees hating and ostracising them. Hence, the hesitation in or not giving feedback at all.  They are also afraid of how an employee will react on receiving feedback. Therefore, Management Training Programmes must teach managers to carefully deliver any kind of feedback, especially when it’s negative.

Fear of Apperaing Weak

Another problem that arises when managers fear giving feedback is the fear of appearing weak. Though this issue is often less of an issue than the other reasons cited above, it does happen. Managers often fear that offering praise or positive feedback might make them look weak or too full of praise. However, one of the best ways to offer negative feedback is with a little praise. Many managers find that employees are more likely to take their negative feedback better when they have something encouraging to say.

Overcoming the above mentioned obstacles is necessary for a manager or a leader to flourish. And it isn’t only an individual manager’s responsibility to deal with such fears. companies/organisations must ensure that they have a blueprint their managers can rely on. And also that these managers are given feedback from their team mates as well as higher ups, in terms of how they are performing as a manager.

6 Key Leadership Behaviours You Want Your Leaders to Exhibit

Posted on by Mandar

There is a common misconception that people are born leaders or are naturally proficient at leadership. While that may hold some truth, we must keep in mind that leadership is ultimately a skill and can be honed through meticulous focus and conscious efforts to inculcate desirable values. We will be looking at some of these values and how they can mould you into a more effective leader and thereby improving your workplace.

Lead To Serve, Not To Rule

Most new leaders are under the misconception that their position lends them supreme authority over their subordinates. This could not be more wrong, and this notion often creates “bad leaders”. The correct approach to leadership should not be to rule but to serve. A leader’s primary goal is to make work for the productive units in a team as conducive and efficient as possible, so it only makes sense that servitude of these units is the fastest way to get there. Listening to your employees is an essential aspect of becoming a servant leader. Your team members will have a LOT to tell you, provided you are willing to listen. This style of leadership fosters an environment in which team members are encouraged to learn and grow as they feel secure and empowered by a leader who would go to great lengths for them.

Be Proactive

Having a strategy is very important when it comes to high-stakes management. Good leaders should always keep the future in mind while making decisions. It is your duty as a leader to foster innovation within your team by asking for feedback, ideas and areas of improvement. Over time, you will develop new norms through these innovative methods. These norms will help your team outperform its previous maximum potential. Another focus for leaders should be learning and skill development. You should do this to gain new insights into what can be improved and which parts of your team are lacking. Your skills and observations will trickle down to your team members and improve their efficiency as well. Think of it as leading by example, people who see their leader putting in active effort to learn more are far more likely to upskill themselves. And lastly, set ambitious but achievable goals to ensure that all the additional productivity translates into concrete results.

Think Large

This ties in directly with the previous point but differs significantly. While being proactive is about ensuring that productivity and innovation are constantly improving, this is about having a larger vision for your company that you want to achieve. Everything you do should be aimed at achieving that vision. Having this vision will also give you a structure for your management ethos, and your new hires should align with this vision or set of values to be a good fit for the company. Thinking big often involves taking risks and trying new things. Good leaders understand that taking calculated risks is necessary for growth and development, and they are willing to embrace the uncertainty that comes with it. When leaders think big, they create a sense of purpose and drive among employees, leading to higher levels of engagement and productivity.

Be Generous with Praise, Gratitude and Reward

When leaders praise and reward employees for their good work, it reinforces positive behaviour and productivity and encourages employees to continue performing at their highest possible level. This can help create a positive feedback loop where employees are motivated to maintain or improve their performance. Successful execution of this practice will create a positive feedback and productivity loop. This offers an exponential return on whatever little the manager has to give in terms of rewards. Humans being the social animals that they are, often do not even require monetary reward. Gratitude and praise alone can do a lot to create this positive loop. Managers can also foster deeper relationships between team members and a feeling of unity and shared purpose by recognizing and rewarding collaborative efforts and team accomplishments.

Compassion Goes a Long Way

Compassion is a crucial trait in a leader because it promotes deeper connections, trust, and a more productive and happy work environment. Within a managerial context, compassion refers to a leader’s capacity to comprehend and empathise with their team members’ needs, concerns, and emotions. Compassion adds a certain degree of humanity to the workplace that is sorely needed in the modern corporate grind and it shows your employees that you care about their well-being beyond the walls of your workplace. This directly leads to higher employee retention and engagement through the trust and loyalty it fosters. When a leader takes the initiative to foster compassion within the company, it creates a culture of kindness, empathy and support which should ultimately be the standard all leaders should strive for.

Focus On Your Community

This last behaviour refers to building a community that not only produces results but is one that you can be proud of. Your community is a by-product of your employees but is also something that can be actively managed and moulded to your liking. You can promote and propagate your desired workplace culture by making hires that fit the culture you want. You can also set up leadership workshops and conferences. The end goal, as always, is to have a company culture in which people feel welcomed, included, and respected. A stressful culture is bound to have high employee turnover and burnout, regardless of pay. Remember, people leave managers, not companies.

To conclude, good leadership is about taking care of your people, making sure they perform well and that they feel good while doing it. Creating a positive and uplifting work environment is a laborious task but one which has immense return. Keep these rules in mind while carrying out your role and you’re on the right track to being an effective leader. Ultimately, leadership is about creating positive change and making a meaningful difference in the world around us.

6 Training Opportunities For First-Time Managers

Posted on by Mandar

Becoming a manager is a big leap for most people and it can seem daunting at first. Because of this, it is essential that companies make investments in their first-time managers in the form of time and opportunities. This will ensure that these managers bloom and hit the ground running. We will take a look at some of the best ways to do this :

Leadership Mindset

Most new managers are formerly top performers who were promoted to this role because of their skills. However, your performance in any job role will not necessarily translate into management, which requires more of a leadership mindset. They no longer constitute as separate contributors. Instead, they must establish and monitor team goals, serve as role models, and occasionally have unpleasant conversations. This is why leadership development is so crucial. There are a few ways of going about this, however the best is a combination of mentorship and time. A mentor will help new managers identify their strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop action plans. This arrangement will also give them insights into how they operate, what the driving factors for their decisions are and most importantly, what kind of a manager they are and want to be. From there, the manager’s own style will emerge. This essentially fastracks the manager’s journey of self-discovery while making minimal mistakes.

Conferences and Workshops

For new managers, this can be a great opportunity to expand their knowledge and abilities. These events frequently include lectures and workshops given by professionals in the industry. These specialists can impart knowledge to new managers by sharing their experiences, observations, and best practices. New managers also get the chance to network with other professionals in their field at conferences and workshops. This can be a great opportunity to meet new people, share ideas, and gain insight from the experiences of others. They can also learn about new technologies, techniques and popular trends. Most importantly, these workshops can offer opportunities for courses and training programs like (insert any of GMI’s programs). These are the best way to ensure your managers become the best version of themselves they can be. Lastly, the motivation that new managers get from these events after seeing the growth potential for their field.  These workshops are a repository of valuable information and a gold mine if utilized correctly.

Team Connection

The sooner a new manager makes a connection with their team, the more productive they will be. It’s more effective for new managers to lead and manage their teams if they can establish strong relationships with team members and gain their respect. Second, team members are more likely to be engaged and motivated when they sense a connection to their manager, which can result in improved performance and results. The ability to engage with team members can also assist new managers in understanding the requirements, shortcomings, and strengths of their team, enabling them to spend resources wisely and make more informed decisions. This is why it’s important to conduct one on one meetings, listen and empathize with your team members, share your vision for the team and the company and celebrate successes. All these things will do wonders for the connection with your team.

Managing Up

New managers should spend time developing a good relationship with their manager in a manner similar to how they build one with their team. In most circumstances, they can’t choose their boss, working with what they have is essential. Especially if the boss isn’t the easiest to work with, that might make things challenging. According to Gallup, more than 50% of Americans have, at some point or another, worked under a manager they disliked so much they left their position. Fortunately, new managers do have some degree of control over how well they get along with their boss. By managing up, they will have the ability to strengthen that relationship. This positive relationship will also allow more resources to be leveraged for the team.

Conflict Management

Disputes will inevitably arise when managing others, and the skill needed here is confronting and resolving these disputes proactively. They need to be able to spot the issues before they become too big or sensitive. The issue for many new managers is that they are absolutely untrained in conflict resolution methods and lack relevant expertise. The secret to managing conflicts is coming up with a solution that caters to the demands of all parties, within reasonable bounds of course. The key to handling these situations is to remain composed and conscious of their own feelings and biases. Additionally, it can be beneficial to avoid forming assumptions and really listen to all parties’ viewpoints individually and then together. With practice, they can get better at spotting and resolving conflicts. 

Time Management

There is a common misconception that management is not a time-intensive role. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Instead of being responsible for their own performance, they now need to monitor and help multiple people with their issues. Improper time management can lead to severe burnout and fatigue. Getting this down from the get-go is essential for longevity and growth in a managerial role. A good learning module can be (insert if GMI has any time management program)