2nd Edition of

6 July 2018, Bengaluru

Dear friends,

Once again we saw the same script of passions being played out. People had similar concerns. Their issues were identical. They all echoed empathy and exuded enthusiasm to make a difference. The stage was, however, different.

The 2nd edition of HyWe, the HappY Workplace conclavE in Bengaluru was also a full house. The garden city welcomed us with open arms. The success of the conclave only proves that the idea of Happy Workplace is gaining traction. The findings of a survey conducted recently by Optum and 1to1help.net in collaboration with The Times of India, further reinforced the point that a large number of employees at workplace were still unhappy and at high risk of suicide due to stress and workplace harassment.

Evidently, what started as a congregation of a few like-minded professionals six months ago in New Delhi is now becoming a movement. People of all generations from across the industry in Bengaluru attended the conclave. It was amply clear from the discussions and deliberations at the conclave that the process would entail a paradigm shift from control to empowerment and from compliance to experiment. People were almost unanimous in their view that the busyness of business must pave the way for the loveliness of life.

The change is possible if the leaders lead with ethics and empathy. The inaugural keynote speaker, Harish Bijoor, the famous brand guru, also asserted, “The key basis of happiness at workplace is Integrity.” The discussions on the significance of ethical leadership thus touched emotional chord with the most in the audience. The other sessions were equally relevant and impactful.

Let me take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to continue to tread the path that we have chosen. We would soon be launching a forum of professionals with a view to providing professional help to both companies and individuals to create moments of happiness. The idea is to design, develop and deliver programmes that would bring pride and purpose in all that employees do to boost performance.

After all, a workplace, where employees look forward to coming to the office everyday, is not much to ask for. All that the corporates need to do is to revisit and revamp the entire framework of rules and policies to bring about greater alignment between the personal and the organisational goals.

Let’s join hands to create a workplace of our dream.

Warm regards,Mukund TrivedyFounder, Straight Drive

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Happy Workplace 04

Happy Employees 07

Happy Session 08

Happy Leaders 10

Happy Life 14

Happy Hunting 16

Happy Encounters 18

Happy Reading 20

Happy Culture 21

Happy Musings 22

Happy WorkplaceIs it an oxymoron?

The topic resonated with almost everyone. More than 120 delegates from across the industry, big and small including MNCs, academia and start-ups thronged the venue to listen to the thought leaders on the art and science of creating a happy workplace. The 2nd edition of HyWe, the Happy Workplace Conclave held at Hyatt Centric in Bangalore on 6 July 2018 covered a wide range of issues concerning employees’ wellness, health and happiness.

"The key basis for a happy workplace is Integrity." This is whatHarish Bijoor, the famous Brand Guru and the Founder of Harish Bijoor Consults Inc. said in his inaugural keynote address. According to him, a Happy Workplace is a function of its intent. He called upon the organisations to honestly ponder and introspect - How clean is your business; How many people you have bribed before starting your business; and How many people you continue to bribe to run your machinery? Harish was quite candid in his assertion that a workplace could never ever be happy if it continued to exhibit a hollow concern, hollow care and hollow inclusiveness in its approach towards people management and other management practices.

Earlier, in his introductory speech, Mukund Trivedy, the founder of the HyWe initiative shared the disturbing trend of stress and unhappiness at workplace. Quoting leadership guru, Simon Sinek, he called upon the organisations to

move from head count to heart count. According to him a happy workplace is an entity where employees work with grit, respect and dignity. He wondered, “How many organization are there where employees are allowed and encouraged to ask tough ethical questions?”

Sharing her concern for the wellness of employees, Leza Parker, the CEO of a global technological firm, SC Beauty Network Pte Ltd, Singapore, said "We must remember that the employees work for their family. So, if their family is happy,

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Everyone at work today seems to be busy - striving for unrealistic targets, worrying about unfinished tasks, stretching beyond limits and struggling to save job. Very few have time for family, friends, social life and hobbies. It’s time, people

took a pause to introspect – ‘Are they happy?’

(L to R) Seema Ahuja, Smitha Murthy, Bina Mirchandani and Anish Philip

Comedy Wala Amar regaling the audience Leza Parker, the CEO and Global Speaker from Singapore Harish Bijoor delivering the inaugural keynote address

(L to R) Melissa Arulappan, Tina Mansukhani Garg, Bikram Walia, Jessie Paul and Sujit Patil

The HappY Workplace conclavE

they will be happy working for the company.” She substantiated her logic with what she practices in her own organisation. “We make our employees work only from Monday to Thursday." The idea is to allow the employees to spend quality time with their family so that they come back completely refreshed and motivated on Monday. B.K. Kulkarni, Life and Business Coach, Gopalakrishna G Gubbu, CEO, Cloud HR Consulting Services and moderator Pradeep Sreekanthan, Business Consultant were the other speakers of the session.

Speaking on the topic, “Be the Change You wish to See’, Sangeeta Chacko, Head - Corporate Communications, Percept Limited, elaborated on the 3 Golden Rules of Ethical Leadership; Self Awareness, Self Reflection and Self Regulation as tools to practice self-leadership. She also shared the findings of a survey on Workplace Happiness that she conducted online. “Everyone agreed that culture is the shadow of the leader and if the leadership in the workplace reflected a strong moral compass, the same permeated downwards through the entire organisation.

Physical fitness, mental clarity and emotional stability are the key constructs of a healthy work environment. This was the crux of the panel discussion on the topic - Impact of Work Environment on Employees' Health - A Cost Worth Avoiding.

Smitha Murthy, Vice President, Corporate Programs, Art of Living, Bina Mirchandani, Happiness Mentor, Anish Philip, AVP - People Function, Mindtree and Seema Ahuja, VP & Global Head of Communications of Biocon were the panelists.

In another panel discussion the speakers were unanimous in their view that the employees were a powerful force in building the online reputation of an organisation. “The role they can play will, however, depend on the maturity and the lifecycle of the organization. Authenticity, however, is the key.” Bikram Walia, Director, HR, Amazon India, Tina Mansukhanai Garg, Founder & CEO, Pink Lemonade Communications, Jessie Paul, CEO, Paul Writer, Sujit Patil, Head of Corporate Communications, Godrej Industries and Melissa Arulappan, Head - Corporate Communications, IQVIA were the speakers.

A unique highlight of the conclave was a session conducted by the up and coming stand up comedian Comedy Wala Amar. He interspersed his session with jokes and anecdotes to drive home the key theme of happiness at workplace. He concluded his session with a serious message, “Be yourself and do what you want to do”

Sangeeta Chacko speaking on 'Be the Change You wish to See' Audience in rapt attention

(L to R) Gopalakrishna G Gubbi, Leza Parker, Pradeep Sreekanthan and B.K. Kulkarni

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The HappY Workplace conclavE

A Global Real Estate Company sobha.com

RECOGNISED AS THE TOP REALTY BRANDNATIONALLY 4TH TIME IN A ROW

(Voted by Indian consumers, NRIs & global buyers)

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Happy EmployeesNew Rules of Engagement for Impactful Online Reputation Management

Sometime in 2017, an employee being made redundant in a large tech organisation recorded the conversation the HR executive had with him while she informed him of the decision. Before long, the conversation had gone viral, raising much debate and discussion about the way the employee was treated as well as the ethics of and manner in which such decisions are communicated. What seemingly was just another day in the life of an organisation resulted in a public crisis that had the Chairman of the large Indian conglomerate tender an apology to the employee in question. An obviously unhappy employee had created a dent in the organisation’s reputation.

The rules of engagement have indeed changed a lot today. From a time when organisation communication was primarily a top down approach and control was in the hands of a few, communication now is far more democratised in an organisation. The rise of a millennial workforce and the characteristic traits they bring to the workplace, the pervasiveness of social media and the enabling devices employees have access to at their desktops and in the palms of their hands have created a new communication milieu within the workplace. A milieu in which employees have and do play an important part. The recent 2018 Sprout Social Index reveals that 71 per cent of digital marketers either currently use employee ambassadors or want to for future campaigns. In comparison,only 19 per cent said they had an influencer marketing budget.

How then do you define the role employees play in the workplace of today? Are they the new media? Are they ambassadors? Or are they influencers? This and more was the subject of an engaging panel discussion “New Rules of Engagement: Happy Employees for Impactful Online Reputation Management” at the HappY Workplace ConclavE held in Bangalore. Bikram Walia, Director, HR, Amazon India; Jessie Paul, CEO, Paul Writer; Sujit Patil, Head of Corporate Communications, Godrej Industries and Tina Garg, CEO & Founder, Pink Lemonade Communications participated in the panel moderated by Melissa Arulappan, Head, Corporate Communications, IQVIA.

The tone for the panel was set by the screening of a 2 minute powerful film developed by Godrej to celebrate its new GodrejOne global headquarters. Titled #WhereWeWork, the film had the company’s employees as key protagonists, playing rappers, dancers and actors. Talking about the incredible online impact the film has had, Sujit Patil shared the concept of centrality and how putting employees at the centre of the communication is a powerful force in amplifying an organisation’s key messages. When ownership of communication is passed onto employees, they will work magic with it, he said and organisations must start to recognise this great source of internal strength.

The culture of an organisation is intrinsic to the success of employees as brand ambassadors, said Tina Garg while stating that it is equally important for an

external social media team to aid employees with shareable content. She highlighted an example from her own creative agency which has had zero hiring cost for three years now thanks to an internally created video that has been shared many times over by employees and effectively attracted potential talent.

Bikram Walia concurred that it was the culture of organisations, and not the category of organisation or profile of employees, that determined the brand ambassador quotient of employees within an organisation. He provided an example of how encouraging employees to write about the organisation led to an overall increase in positive tone of articles on social media. Organisations are at different stages of maturity in the journey towards embracing a culture where employees are free to communicate online and the journey is on an upward trajectory, he said.

It is the role of organisations to manage employee goodwill to the extent possible said Jessie Paul while highlighting emerging areas of potential dissonance between stakeholders within an organisation. A case in point is recent disenchantment by employees of some global tech majors to certain projects their organisations are associated with which, in the context of happy employees, could have important implications for the organisation. Against such emerging situations, organisations will need to understand and figure out what appropriate levels of happiness for their organisations should be, she said.

Trust is implicit in allowing employees to engage online, said the panellists. It is important and helpful to guide employees about responsible online behaviour but breathing down their necks through checks and balances could be counter-productive and kill the spirit of employee engagement. Panelists were against the notion of curated content and strongly believed that employees must be given a free hand to write original content. “You can only curate the experience, not the content,” said Jessie Paul. “At the most one can provide themes and a framework, but do not make the mistake of providing content,” added Sujit Patil. It is a bold step forward but organisations need to take the risk in a changing workplace and external environment. In the event there is a negative online post, one will find that employees in organisations who support an open online employee culture will rally around the organisation to protect its reputation and counter negative reports, said the panellists.

There can be no question that in a world where online reputations of organisations matter and where online posts can, at times, post a real threat to organisations, happy employees can play a powerful and impactful role in managing, protecting and enhancing the reputation of the organisations they work for in an authentic and believable manner. Enabling employees to play the role of media, ambassador and influencer in an unfettered environment where they are trusted will accrue tremendous value to an organisation

“

Melissa ArulappanHead, Corporate Communications, IQVIA

When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.

” Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why

A Global Real Estate Company sobha.com

RECOGNISED AS THE TOP REALTY BRANDNATIONALLY 4TH TIME IN A ROW

(Voted by Indian consumers, NRIs & global buyers)

BrandXReport 2017-18 by Track2Realty

SOBHA Limited, INDIA | e-mail: corpcomm@sobha.com | /sobhaltd | /sobhaltd | /sobhaltd | +sobha+91 9741773269 |

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Happy Session

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Happy LeadersBe the Change You wish to See

Change is the very nature of existence. Life never halts, no matter what. Who we are now is not who we were last year, last week, yesterday or even an hour ago. The very concept of Happiness changes as we change. As our desires, expectations, wants, needs and aversions change, so does our benchmark and definition of Happiness.

So then, what exactly is “Happiness”? In my quest to attain a hands-on answer to this venerable question, I personally undertook an e-survey of 75 people across the workforce in the age group 21 to 58 years around the world spanning North America, Canada, Dubai, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, and the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai pan India. Answers ranged from a good environment, great boss, team meets, bonding, positive team spirit, high productivity, appreciation, welfare, exposure, training and new experiences, a progressive culture, on-ground fun engagement activities, pro HR policies, a healthy work environment and monetary reward and recognition. In a nutshell the answer boiled down to the search for ‘Utopia’ – the fictional perfect island society created by Sir Thomas More in his book published in 1516. An illusory place which was built in such a manner to possess and display highly desirable qualities and traits, thereby offering utmost happiness for its citizens.

On further elimination of duplicate responses and whittling down the answers to its bare essence I realized that as long as employees attained an Egalitarian, Harmonious, Tolerant, Safe, Respectful, Non Partisan environment, they were happy. In other words, an “Ethical Workplace” corresponded to their definition of a “Utopian Happy Workplace”.

That opened up another poignant question – “What does Ethics connote for today’s multi-generational workforce?” The answers obtained were equally interesting. Ethics was seen as equivalent to the ‘Law of Karma’. As in, every choice we made had a consequence, and therefore workplaces needed to make careful choices that generated long term positive consequences in order to create the Utopian Life that we and future generations wanted to live. Interestingly, Ethics was not viewed from a pure Black or White frame. Respondents stated that the concept of Ethics varied across situations and boiled down to making the Right Choice in a given circumstance, while also realizing consciously that our decisions would have far reaching consequences. A deeper insight garnered from the Millennials was that the word Ethics itself implied a lack of it and therefore a need to drive it in forcefully which was a complete turn-off for their generation. Therefore, it was imperative to re-brand the word Ethics and substitute it with words like Honor, Courage, Service and Integrity. Instead of forcibly preaching Ethics to our workforce we needed to offer people the freedom and choice to become a better version of themselves. Millennials could relate to aspirational terminologies that created within themselves a desire to behave in a

way that they were proud of rather than being imposed upon with regressive terms like Ethics by bosses or an HR Department.

All respondents wholeheartedly agreed to the fact that ‘Organizational Culture is a Shadow of its Leadership’. A further investigation of Ethical Leadership in workplaces revealed that it’s really tough for leaders perched at the top to behave in an ethical manner consistently. According to psychological studies most Adults lack an adequate Moral Compass and look outside for guidance in moral dilemma situations. From a very early age on people look up towards their parents, older siblings, relatives, teachers and leaders to imbibe what they readily observe. Not surprisingly unethical actions are copied more readily than ethical actions, therein creating a toxic culture that multiplies like a virus. Leaders especially are more prone to Peer Pressure. Despite their career success and associated power, leaders may be particularly vulnerable to ethical lapses. As they climb up the rank most leaders believe that they are Perfect Moral Creatures, therein making their first ego blunder. Over confidence renders leaders particularly vulnerable because of the success enjoyed thus far in their journey to the top. The higher up they climbed, the more they justified their dishonourable behaviour, with wrongdoing occurring more blatantly as they believed they were vital for the company and therefore exempt from lawful behaviour. The myopic view at the top mirrored with pride and self-serving rationalization crowded out the ground level reality, therein proving the old adage that it’s not just Tough & Lonely at the top.....it’s also Morally Perilous!

This study also proved that Honorable Leadership qualities need to be instilled and developed very early on in childhood if we really wanted to bring in a drastic change in the attitude and behaviour of our workforce a few years from now. Honor, Courage, Integrity, Honesty and Service are qualities that need to be instilled within and must bloom from childhood, and not something we teach adults once they become leaders.

That brought me to the search for the essence of Great Leadership, and I realized that the secret to great leadership goes back millions of years. Back to the time when great kings and emperors ruled over continents and vast civilizations. A time of happy citizens and great cultures that went down in history as periods of the Golden Era. And the answer was so obvious in the ancient writings. The wise Lao Tzu said “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” Jesus of Nazareth said, “Whoever wants to become great among you, must be your servant.” You see, all the great minds in history agreed upon one point – ‘Leadership was never about dominion, it was about service’. Great leadership was not about creating more followers but about creating many more great noble leaders.

Sangeeta ChackoHead – Corporate Communications, Percept Limited

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And the greatest amongst these leaders realized an even greater secret - that “Great Leadership started with Self-Leadership”. As Nelson Mandela observed, “I couldn’t change others, until I changed myself” and Lao Tzu wisely stated, “Mastering others is strength, mastering yourself is true power.” If one wanted to create real change and happiness around oneself, it starts SELF LEADERSHIP. The greatest leaders in history like Marcus Aurelius, Ashoka the Great, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, talked about Self-Leadership – “Leading oneself First before going out there and leading others.

They all realized that the pathway to change and happiness doesn’t lie outside, but within our own minds. Change starts within when we realize that the Environment we create is simply a Reflection of ourselves. The Outer World is merely a reflection and a reflex action to our inner world. As Gautama Buddha observed, “Through our Senses the World appears.

Through our Reactions we create Delusions. Without reactions the world becomes clear.” We merely mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our inner mind and body. If we change ourselves, the tendencies in the world around us would also change. This realization also offers us a choice - we can find ourselves spinning around in circles, blaming everyone and everything, searching for new leadership formulas, buying new books and philosophies on happiness and ethics; or simply realize that everything we need to know about Honourable Leadership, Happiness and Life, was written and experienced thousands of years ago. Maybe it was simply time for us to start listening to what’s already been said and implementing this ancient wisdom into our modern era to create Happiness at the Workplace.

The more we practise Self Leadership, the more successful we become. And the more successful we become, the more self leadership we will need!It’s very important for all of us to realize that no two people experience the world in exactly the same way, because we are all pre-conditioned by diverse parental, cultural and social upbringing. If one wishes to experience peace and happiness, one must “BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE”. The qualities you are trying to build in the outer world must first exist within you before it can exist in your external world. The world you experience is a reflection of who you are in your mind and everything you experience occurs in your world through

your ‘Filters of Reality’. Our desires, expectations, goals, dreams, aspirations and aversions vary so vastly, so how can the concept of happiness be the same for 7.5 billion people around the world.

To summarize, “Happiness is an Inside Job”. To create happy, ethical workplaces, and inspirational leaders within all of us, we need to work 24x7 on our Self Leadership and Happiness skills via the three simple techniques of Self Awareness, Self Reflection and Self Regulation. Just as daily Physical Exercises are necessary to work our muscles and build healthy bodies, we need to work on our inner Mental, Emotional and Psychological muscles to construct a world of inner happiness every single day.

As the great Mahatma Gandhi wisely observed, “As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, as in being able to remake ourselves.” Be the Change You Wish To See...

Over confidence renders leaders particularly vulnerable because of the success enjoyed thus far in their journey to the top. The higher up they climbed, the more they justified their dishonourable behaviour.

“

“

1. Self Awareness – Undertaking a ‘360 Degree Feedback’ or a ‘Self Trait Analysis’ on various parameters. What we see bad in others in reality resonates with the bad we feel or sense within ourselves. And what we feel within reflects on the world around us. We need to work on our weakest personality and emotional traits and change them consciously. It is about knowing one’s inner strengths and weaknesses, intentions and values, as well as knowing what can ‘push one’s buttons’ and derail behaviour. This is the knowledge that gives true strength.

2. Self Reflection – A simple 5 –10 minute reflection in the night before sleeping offers a perspective on the day gone by, behaviours and actions undertaken and what needs to be changed going forward. Erasing negative behaviours on an imaginary blackboard in the mind, and replacing the negatives with positive actions etched on this board would gradually change thoughts and behaviours in the real world. Just a few minutes of this can also raise one’s empathy and compassion levels to see a massive transformation for the better within a few months.

3. Self Regulation – STOP and STEP BACK from the things that trigger your reaction; because when you react you are being controlled by the trigger. Reframe in an angry moment by counting on a scale of 1 to 10 and step back and ask how important or life and death the situation is before you lash out. Words uttered once can never be taken back, just as actions executed in the real world cannot be erased from human memory. Take every situation as it is, accept, adjust and advance. With a little bit of self-regulation and sense of humour we can become so much more lighter, creative, innovative, forgiving and happier.

Three key steps to developing SELF LEADERSHIP include:

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Happy LifeWorkplace and Your Health

Stress is part of our life, like it or not. And it comes from many different sources. There are days when I feel down, frustrated, irritated, nervous, and even anxious at work or thinking about work. We’ve all experienced sleepless nights before our exams and other important events in our life or assignment(s) at work.

Workplace stress is real, it affects our health and it has significant impact for both employers and employees. It is turning out to be a major health epidemic that affects a person’s physical and mental health, absenteeism, burnout, decreased productivity and revenue for employers. Workplace stress could be acute or chronic. Acute stress can be directly related to a particular task, assignment or incidence. On the other hand, chronic stress can be unrelenting affecting a worker consistently and can be more consequential for health.

Signs of serious workplace stressFor some, the signs of workplace stress can be immediate and obvious such as heart palpitation, but there are less-obvious signs of serious workplace stress:

• Constantly feeling anxious or depressed

• Getting irritated easily, whether at work or at home

• Suffering from fatigue, but having a hard time sleeping

• Difficult to concentrate or staying focused

• Feeling apathetic about things that once were interesting

• Getting sick much more often

• Experiencing a sudden dip in sex drive

• Turning to alcohol, smoking, drugs to deal with the stress

Besides affecting mental health over a long period of time, workplace stress significantly increases risk for high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.

Ways to deal with workplace stress These are few ways to reduce workplace stress:

Invest in positive relationshipsStudies have shown that people who enjoy positive workplace relationships are less likely to suffer from stress and burnout. A recent study by Tel Aviv University showed that “workplace friendships can increase job satisfaction, productivity and job commitment while decreasing stress and turnover.” [3] If there are people in the workplace who you enjoy spending time with, invest in these positive relationships.

Be more activeIf you’re spending too much time at your desk, you’re far more likely to feel stressed out, fatigued, and any other assortment of negative emotions. Try to get up and stretch your legs every hour. Take a brief walk around the office or take

the stairs instead of the elevator. If you get a lunch break, take off your allotted time – and don’t just eat lunch at your desk!

Eat a better dietIt sounds basic but improving diet can make a world of difference in terms of battling stress in the workplace. On that note, getting plenty of sleep is equally important. When a person is tired, there is more temptations to give in to junk food.

Organise and prioritiseSometimes stress could be related to the feeling that there are a million things that need to be done at once. It is a good habit to prioritize the most important tasks. At the beginning of each day, it helps to make a list of everything that needs to get done, especially paying attention to the tasks that absolutely need to be done by the end of the day. Prioritizing and organizing is an excellent way to feel more in control.

Find the humorWhen things get rough, sometimes it helps to find humor and to just have a laugh. This technique is where having a good support system at home or at work helps out.

Invest in personal lifeIf you define yourself by your job, it’s much easier to let job insecurities and workplace issues take over your life. That’s why it’s vital to find joy and purpose outside of workspace. Don’t just treat home as a place where you rest before clocking in another shift at the office. Spend real time with family members and loved ones. Unplug your computer and turn off your phone so you can truly get lost in the moment. Take up a hobby or activity you’ve always wanted to do. Whatever it is that makes you happy, find the time to incorporate it into your personal life as much as possible.

Move onIf you’re trying all of these tips but you’re still not seeing relief, it might be time to find a new job opportunity. No matter how many stress-busting techniques you might have up your sleeve, they won’t come in handy if you’re dealing with a workplace bully or a toxic manager. Recognize when it’s time to let go of a job, especially if it’s become damaging to your health. Find a job with an employer who will appreciate you for who you are – and won’t make your blood pressure rise every time you walk into the office.

Disclaimer: This is a modified version of the article from Greg Justice in Corporate Wellness Magazine.

References:[1] https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress/[2] http://fortune.com/2017/01/01/french-right-to-disconnect-law/[3] http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2012/01/relationships.aspx

Dr. Rakesh ShrivastavaMD, Cardiology, USA

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Happy HuntingSeven Signs of a Toxic Organisation

Genuine as it sounds, the concern definitely begs for an earnest response. There are enough studies carried out worldwide to prove that there are millions who suffer in silence at workplaces. They are made to live under a constant threat of losing their jobs. The stressful work environment seems to take a huge toll on their physical and mental health making them vulnerable to coronary heart diseases, depression, migraine, headaches, gastrointestinal problems and personality disorders. The ordeal of facing humiliation and emotional trauma also starts impacting their family relationships. People in such places lose not only their sleep but self-esteem as well.

There could be many reasons, which would refrain the victims from taking a stand. The situation is more acute in organisations where the problem is systemic. These are the entities where psychopaths rule the roost and sycophants win accolades.

People tend to join a new organisation on the basis of role, position, and salary. And, yet when they decide to quit, it is more often than not for completely different reasons. A proper due diligence is, therefore, not only desirable but a necessity as well. The idea is to ensure that one fits into the existing work culture. Most importantly, it’s critical to find out how people are treated at the workplace.

Here are the 7 signs that one must explore about the new organisation:

1) Short career stint of senior officersIt’s an accepted fact that even the best of professionals can’t survive for long in a toxic work environment. Sooner or later these professionals find better opportunities and leave the organisation at the next opportune moment. So, a quick look at the LinkedIn profile of those officers who have left the organisation would indicate how long did most of them survive in that set up. It has been noticed that upright and capable people at the leadership level leave such bitter work environment within a year. A cursory look at the job portals would also indicate that the HR in that company is perennially searching for some key positions. Such entities are trapped in the cycle of hire, fire and hire again.

2) Absence of an alumni associationAlumni are created only when people have the pride of association. The general narratives among the ex employees of such toxic organisation are so bitter and negative that they do not even attempt creating an alumni. People burn the bridges after leaving such entities. In fact, the HR in such workplaces does not arrange a farewell programme even for its CEOs and other senior executives, let alone simple workmen. On the other hand, it’s a common practice among ex-employees of reputed organisations to form their own groups and alumni. Some even invite ex-employees to their events and celebrations.

3) Spurt in official e-mails on weekends and holidays In a toxic workplace the employees are supposed to be available 24x7 for work. This shows the company’s scant respect for people’s work-life balance. In such

set ups, people are forced to work overtime and even on holidays. The number of official e-mails received by employees on holidays and weekends gives a fair idea of the work-life balance that the organisation believes in and promotes.

4) Company folklore about management by fearIn an autocratic set up, usually the owner or the senior most person calls the shots and the professionals, right from the CEO to the junior most executive, are expected to execute the orders. By design, the professionals in such organisation lack the freedom to think and plan. All the formal and informal communications and narratives in such autocratic organisations tend to accentuate and perpetuate the prevailing fear of losing jobs. So, people tend to focus more on what not to say in any crucial meeting. Worse, the fear of reprisal often produces false data, so detrimental to the health of the organisation.

5) Arbitrary method for handling people related matterEven in the best of organisations, people are removed or reprimanded for their acts of omission or commission. However, in a professional setup it is done after following a procedure. In a toxic workplace, such orders are issued ad hoc at the whims and fancies of the psychopaths or the autocrats. The concerned employees are not even given an opportunity to make amends or explain their circumstances. Even promotion and transfer orders are issued as per the instruction of one or two individuals.

6) Poor track record of settling the full and final duesIn reputed organisations, the full and final settlement cheque is handed over to outgoing employees within a month without any reminder. Settlement of final dues only after several reminders and/or after legal interventions may be indicative of intent to harass an outgoing employee. One would do well to find out the number of legal cases the company is facing in this regard as part of due-diligence before joining. Besides, one should also connect with some of the former employees on LinkedIn to find out his or her experience about the full and final settlement practices.

7) Willful delay in payment to vendors The real test of one’s character comes to the fore while dealing with the weakest. In an organisation, the vendors are usually at the receiving end. Some take undue advantage of the vulnerability of vendors and harass them by delaying the payment. Worse, the people concerned are rewarded for delaying the matter. While it is very difficult for an outsider to find out whether vendors are respected or not, one would do well to carry out some due diligence to assess the values of the organisation. Sometimes, even a casual conversation with people like the taxi drivers, the securities or the cleaning staff could reveal the truth.

These are just a few symptoms of debilitating work culture of a declining organisation. One would always do well to stay away from such workplaces where employees have to compromise with their grit, respect and dignity.

“

Mukund TrivedyFounder, HyWe Initiative

How do I know that the next organisation that I join is not toxic?

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Happy Encounters

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Don’t Give up!If your leaders really don’t have the vision for trying to show appreciation to you and your staff, don’t give up. All is not lost. People change. Circumstances change. And, their appreciation can change.

Remember, however, that just giving them the facts may not be sufficient (even if that is what they ask for). Go ahead and answer their questions regarding ROI (return on investment) and what the benefits to the company will be. But remember that just providing factual information only addresses the first level of resistance.

Consider the following action steps as well:

Ask questions to help you understand how they perceive the bigger context of the situation, what they think about your suggestion, and how they believe it may impact them. Don’t just ask them, “Why not?”

Ask questions like:• Are there other projects or initiatives being considered that this training would interfere with?

• What are the budget constraints we have to work within? Are there other ‘pots’ of money we could access?

• What concerns do you have about how having us go through this training would impact your responsibilities?

Affirm and address their emotional reaction.Their reaction provides two valuable opportunities to build a bridge with them. First, you can affirm their reaction (“I understand, with all that is going on, this feels overwhelming to you”) rather than arguing or telling them why they shouldn’t feel that way. Second, their response gives you a window into how they are thinking about the situation. You then can brainstorm with them on ways to manage the perceived risks.

Minimise what it will cost them personally to move the process forward.If you can present your proposal in a way that shows it will cost them very little in terms of time and involvement, then they will be more likely to go along.

When possible, show them how helping team members learn how to communicate appreciation effectively will help them look good and /or tie into other company initiatives (employee engagement, staff morale). They may not immediately see how growing in appreciation dovetails with other priorities the company has been emphasising.

How would I feel If…Understanding our differences is a key step in being able to see and take into consideration other individuals’ life history and experience as we work together. If you feel this is an area in which you need to (or want to) grow, there are some practical steps you can take.

First, remember the saying, attributed to Native Americans, “To understand a man, you must walk a mile in his moccasins.” While most of us can intellectually try to think what a situation is like from another person’s perspective, actually experiencing what they experience on a day to day basis is when we really learn the lesson. This is actually the wisdom behind the popular television series Undercover Boss, where the president or CEO of a company goes and works in a frontline employee position for a week. Time and time again, you see the lights come on in the leader’s eye – gaining a true understanding of the challenges experienced by his or her employees.

The implication is: if you want to truly understand what another person is going through, go “live with” them. If you are a manager, spend a day shadowing one of your team members who installs products in people’s homes, or with the floor salesperson who is trying to meet the needs of your customers while also keeping a track of inventory.

After experiencing life with them, be sure and ask yourself a few questions:

• What would life be like if I did that work day in day out?

• How would I feel if I were that employee, doing the tasks they do, earning what they earn, and then receiving the messages they get from management?

• How would I feel if I knew the circumstances in my life made it so that this is what I’m going to be doing for the next five years of my life, with no chance of advancement?

Dr. Paul WhiteExcerpts taken from “The Vibrant Workplace”

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Happy ReadingThe HappY Workplace conclavE

LEADERS TEAM

Happy CultureIt begins with “YOU” - a note to senior leaders

In my experience as a corporate “Happiness Mentor”, I have often come across senior leaders who have a misplaced notion that happiness belongs purely to their personal space! It should not encroach on their professional space!

Clearly, in their minds there is no connect between “Work” and “Happiness” and any display of happiness at the workplace, is inappropriate! Added to this thought, is another misplaced idea that the work ethic will get diluted by spreading happiness at work - “If I am a happy boss, the team will see it as a sign of weakness and will most likely take advantage of me!”

If you are a leader, have you thought of trying the “Happiness” route?I have, and as a senior leader, it paid dividends for me at the workplace! My team was highly productive, intrinsically motivated, creative and as a result we had a great working atmosphere and received accolades several years in a row for surpassing our targets!

Did you know that there are substantial profitable outcomes from “Happy” teams, and barely any negatives! Based on significant research in this field, Shawn Achor, a leading happiness researcher and author of the book “The Happiness Advantage” has this to say about “Happy” teams:

• They are much more productive (up to 31%)• 3x more creative in finding solutions to problems• They deliver up to 37% higher sales• They have a 10x increase in the level of engagement at work• They show 23% decrease in symptoms of fatigue• They are very resilient when coping with failures• More importantly, they are intrinsically motivated

Keeping productivity in mind, and knowing that “Happy” teams can deliver amazing results, apart from numerous other benefits, we have to commit ourselves to creating this culture in the organization.

Once you believe in this ideology, your role, as a senior leader, is clearly to drive the ‘Happy Culture” through your teams and the organization.

Lets take a look at the Happy Workplace Matrix.

THE HAPPY WORKPLACE MATRIX

Clearly the onus of creating a “Happy workplace” falls equally on the individual as well as the organization.

HAPPY WORKPLACE = INDIVIDUAL + ORGANISATIONDo not undermine your role in the process!Here is what you need to do:

1) Empower yourself with the knowledge of a “happy” mindset2) Use the knowledge regularly for a happier work life3) Transform yourself to make happy choices at work4) Become a role model for all, team members and peers.5) Lastly, drive happiness among team members and all stakeholders Happy workplaces are interdependent on organizational initiatives but nothing can be achieved if there is no Individual Self Transformation! It is a top down approach. Before you invest in driving this culture, make sure you have mature leadership in the organisation that is committed to making this personal effort!

It is a long-term commitment, but pays rich dividends!Happy Leaders make Happy Companies!

LEADERS

IND

IVID

UAL

ORG

ANIS

ATIO

NEmpower onself with knowledge on how to be happy at work and become a role model

TEAM

Empower oneself with knowledge on how to be happy and follow role models

Drive the "happiness culture" in the organisation by making it part of the vision/ mission statement of the company

Create a happy work environment by addressing the mental, emotional and physical needs of the team

Bina MirchandaniHappiness Mentor

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The HappY Workplace conclavE

Office workers who sit near window are

more productive and have lower

rates of absenteeism

Productivity decreases

60% if we eat unhealthy food

Working for 90 minutes, followed by

20 minutes break allows us to be more

productive

Multitasking leads to as much as a 40% drop in productivity,

increased stress, and a 10% drop in

IQ

After working 40 hours in a week,

productivity decreases by 50%

Do You Know?

1. SPEND TIME AND ENERGY IN THE RIGHT WAYWe tend to strive for certain things we think will make us happy - a job with a big salary or perfect grades. Overscheduled, distracted and glued to our screens, we’re missing out on things that do make us happy: real-life, face-to-face social connections with people you can see blush, smile and wink.

2. TAKE TIME TO EXPRESS GRATITUDEPausing for 10 minutes a day to think about five things you’re grateful for can increase your appreciation of what matters and improve your well-being.

3. DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE AND TALK WITH OTHERSPeople who engage in random acts of kindness boost their well-being. That includes small gestures and bigger ones, like donating money to charity. Sometimes a simple act of connecting with a stranger - talking to somebody on a train or a plane, for example - can boost your mood.

4. FIND SOME TIME TO BE MINDFULMeditate for 5 or 10 minutes a day to increase well-being. You can go for any type of meditation you like - just schedule the time, sit down in a quiet spot, close your eyes and be in the present moment.

5. GET PLENTY OF EXERCISE AND SLEEPExercise is not only good for your body, but also for your sense of well-being. It also decreases depression symptoms. Another simple thing you can do to feel better is to get as much sleep as you need, since sleep deprivation can diminish your mood.

6. PRACTICE THESE HAPPINESS BEHAVIORS EVERY DAYIt’s like exercise: Just doing a couple of squats here and there won’t work. You have to keep working out to see results. Sometimes, you think you do these things once and you’re good and you’ll be happy forever, but that’snot the case.

6 Lessons of HappinessAdults really are thinking about the things they can do to live a better life and become a bit happier. There’s a good answerfor how to do this in the science of psychology.

Remember, changing your well-being is possible, but it takes a lot of work.[Based on the inputs by Prof Laurie Santos of Yale University]

Here are six of the happiness lessons:

We often associate happiness with a number of external factors. We often spend all our effort in the gratification of our senses. However, the happiness that is derived in this manner is only temporary happiness and becomes intertwined with cycles of sorrow. True happiness can only emanate from a peaceful mind that is not dependent on any external agents and remains unperturbed in every situation.

Lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita

Happy Musings

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The HappY Workplace conclavE

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