Recent/Innovative Trends in HRM

INTRODUCTION

The primary objective of this paper is to present a conceptual framework for strategic

management of human resources as a response to the growing interaction of globalization and

business performance. The topic is divided into the following

Moonlighting is dual or multiple job holding, wherein the maximum time he/she spends on a

particular job will be the primary job. It is so called bcoz, most of this secondary job undertaking

generally happens at night. US is one country where the phenomenon of moonlighting is

pervasive. Due to the incidence of Offshoring, the percentage of workforce holding multiple jobs

went up from 6% in 2002 to 9% in 2007. Pressure to keep a home from foreclosure puts a

Strategic HRM- BEIJING OLYMPICS !!(An innovative look, positive trend in china)

Ageing Issue (HR Strategies developed )

Arbejdsglæde (Happiness at Work)

MOONLIGHTING(Outsourcing, rising unemployment)

No Email Days, Virtual Water Coolers (Managing virtual workforce and global teams)

Recent HR trends

Recent HR trends

THE HOTHOUSE EFFECT(Managing Creativity )

massive burden on a person. Under this kind of financial pressure, people often seek second jobs

for additional income. Germany, Sweden have shown similar trends as US.European commission

said that moonlighting is worth 15% of the GDP of EUROPE…..problem is most of it is

undeclared…so they cant be taxed. They are working on a framework to deal with the problem.

If they come up with rules and regulations, then compliance will necessitate increased

involvement of hr.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_outsourcing_in_India )

"Outsourcing" vs. "Offshoring"

The terms outsourcing and offshoring are not interchangeable. To outsource is to transfer a

business function from one business to another business, often within the United States. For

example, when Procter & Gamble contracts to have Hewlett Packard manage its information

technology, that function has been outsourced. Offshoring, on the other hand, is the practice

where business functions are transferred to locations and workers outside the country who may

be independent contractors or hired by the company as employees. The practice has grown

enormously in the past decade, as instant and cheap communication, paired with the rise of

millions of newly educated workers in low-wage nations, have made international borders easier

to cross, if not invisible.

Offshoring/outsourcing has exacerbated the problems…especially in Europe, where the decade-

long high level of unemployment has led governments to think about “time-sharing policies.”

Time-sharing policies are aimed at stimulating employment through a reorganization of working

time. Usually, employers have the option to allocate their demand for labor between number of

workers and number of hours per worker. By imposing stricter legal weekly hours or a higher

overtime premium, a time-sharing policy gives the employer the incentive to opt for more

workers with fewer hours per capita.

Reducing the legal

Working week leads some workers to a situation of underemployment. Plus the worry about the

future leads them to moonlighting.

The bogey of Business Process Outsourcing that came fast on the heels of Business Process Re-

engineering seems to have caught the fascination of many a HR Chief.

This was a global phenomenon - Indian scene:

1) It first began with hiring persons equipped to fill out various returns required under

Indian labour legislation. Most of these persons were either moonlighting from

government offices where they were employed full time or had been working as such

prior to their retirement and knew how to pull the right ropes.

2) The came the period when trainers were hired to impart special skills and behaviours that

HR departments felt that their organisation's employees needed. That scientific diagnosis

often did not precede such activities is well known.

3) Then came the era of hiring the services of placement consultants to pick and choose

manpower and thereby cut down recruitment costs. At this point something nefarious

happened. The trainers tied up (informally) with the recruiting consultants. The level of

attrition rose especially in the software industries sector and together the financial

fortunes of the trainer and the recruitment consultant flourished. Just about the same time

(in the 1990s) companies went in for Business Process Re-engineering. The task was

invariably assigned to managerial greenhorns and not to the experienced people

managers. The result was that organisational structures were flattened and accountability

was emphasised but delegation of authority did not follow in most companies. Just when

top management of these companies were done with BPR , the new mantra of BPO shot

into prominence.

4) For instance, in the 1990s Jack Welch was influenced by K.P. Singh, (A Delhi based

realtor) to look at Gurgaon in the NCR region as a base for back office operations.

Pramod Bhasin , the India head of G.E. hired Raman Roy and several of his management

from American Express to start this enterprise called GECIS (GE Capital International

Services). Raman for the first time tried out voice operations out of India, the India

operations also was the Beta site for GE Six sigma enterprise.

1st PROS: - Some jobs in companies are just that — jobs. It’s hard to turn positions such as data

entry clerk and receptionist into glamorous careers. Allowing employees to moonlight gives

them opportunities to find challenges or fulfillment outside The advantage to your business: It

may reduce turnover in areas where responsibilities are tedious or monotonous.

2nd Pros: - For some employees, their day occupations are simply income sources. They may

work other jobs to pursue their true passions and position themselves in their preferred fields. In

the meantime, they work full-time in less desirable roles for other benefits, such as health

insurance or flexible work schedules. These creative personalities can balance your organization,

providing more flair in lackluster areas. They may be the workers you call on to plan

teambuilding activities or organize the holiday party. Keep in mind that moonlighters maybe

happy working seemingly routine occupations or have no desire to move up the corporate ladder.

3rd PROS: For other employees, they are working second jobs primarily for additional income, so

they may be less likely to seek raises from you. If you can’t afford to pay your staff more,

allowing them to moonlight may help you retain them

The cons

1) Likely the biggest drawback to allowing moonlighting in your company is the risk of losing

your proprietary and confidential information to competitors who employ some of your workers.

After all, many of these details can be shared in a mouse click. To protect top-secret details, you

can take measures such as requiring workers to sign non-compete agreements — and you may

even be able to ban them from moonlighting with competitors.

2) another potential problem is that working two positions may lead to exhaustion and burnout;

warning signals include tardiness, increasing use of sick time and fatigue.

3) workers may commit minor infractions, such as using your company’s facsimile machines

and copiers, or serious offenses, such as starting their second occupations on company time

before completing their first ones. Immediately address workers who exhibit these behaviors or

you may have greater problems later.

Policy: People are just now waking up to this phenomenon of “Moonlighting” . Most companies

don’t have any written policy in place. Government regulations if existing are considered the

policies. Lots of work on this is expected with a huge involvement potential for HR

Points of focus

1) virtual workforce, Employees spread across the globe 2) emails

1) With the advancement of technology (i.e. ability to work remote), there are plenty of

downsides that come with it. People will start using e-mails from very basic things to everything.

Right now, one of the biggest issues corporations / employees face is the managing e-mails

(volume and the non-personalized approach it brings).

2) In the absence of a common physical work place, it would be essential for HR to come up

with creative ways on how to instill a team feeling & trust with virtual team that does not see

each other often. Particularly, if the dependence on e-mails and telephones increase, this non-

personal approach to working, will increase issues between people. There are several occasions

when we receive e-mails that we totally misunderstand since e-mails do not carry emotion, tone

etc. that the sender would have liked to send.

3) other things that management guru's promote are things like "management by walking,

talking". HR would need to come up with creative approaches to find substitutes for the

value such tools currently bring to the workplace today.

 An old adage, but it is still a good one. You should be out of your office on a regular basis.

“Walking the floor and talking to people”. Get a feeling for what is going on. Get out of your

chair and walk around. MBWAT (Management by walking and talking) is about getting

managers out of their lofty, ivory tower offices and spending time with “the troops.” In

MBWAT, managers literally make their way around to their staff and spend time talking with

them, learning, guiding, building relationships, and motivating. MBWAT is about being in

regular touch with your people; having straight-talking and trusting dialogue. These are

impromptu conversations and informal “coffee talks,” rather than planned, scheduled, agenda-

driven meetings. It is a way to understand what employees are facing and experiencing and as

the same time to build purpose, team, and keep things “on track”.

No email days : To deal with the non personal approach to working as also to stop introverts

from withdrawing further and further into their cocoon, there are companies that are coming up

with days called "No e-mail days“ The trend is seen as a backlash against a corporate

"crackberry" culture of impersonal communications. Last August, 400 Radio Shack employees

received their pink slips electronically. This needs to change.

Issue with emails: It's how corporate America communicates.

Scheduling a meeting? Send an e-mail. Need that report right away? Send an e-mail. Are there

serious issues in the department? Nothing a chain of e-mails can't solve. The volume of e-mails

has exploded in recent years with over 170 billion now being sent daily around the globe,

according to technology market researcher Radacati Group. That's two million every second.

US CELLULAR:

"Some [e-mails] are very valuable, and some of them are just an excuse not to communicate or to

protect myself from something that's going on," said Jay Ellison, executive vice president at

Chicago-based U.S. Cellular. Two and a half years ago, Ellison was receiving an average of 200

e-mails a day, many of which went unopened. After getting cyber-indigestion, he sent out a

memo to his 5,500 subordinates. "I'm announcing a ban on e-mail every Friday," Ellison's memo

read. "Get out to meet your teams face-to-face. Pick up the phone and give someone a call. … I

look forward to not hearing from any of you, but stop by as often as you like."

The no-e-mail-Friday idea landed with a thud.

"Jay's insane. He's crazy," said marketing director Kathy Volpi, recalling the initial impression

she and others had. As a kind of protest….."Employees would queue up their e-mails, and then

at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, they'd let them fly." Eventually, the policy started winning over staff

members due to the amazing discoveries being made each day. Forced to use the phone,

employee John Coyle learned that a co-worker who he thought was across the country was, in

fact, across the hall. "I asked him where he was and he said I'm on the fourth floor, and I said,

'Well so am I,'" said Coyle. "We now have a working relationship that is deeper than he's the guy

that provides reports." Public affairs manager Tyler Caroll, because of her gender-neutral name,

used to get e-mails addressing her as a "he" or "Mr." Phone calls on a no-e-mail-Friday changed

all that. "People were really surprised that they had a woman's voice at the other end of the line

instead of a man's," said Carroll with a laugh. At U.S. Cellular, no-e-mail-Fridays have been

such a success that the company recently instituted a new policy aimed at another corporate vice:

no-meetings-Friday

PBD

cott A. Dockter knew things were bad when he found himself e-mailing his assistant seated a few

feet away. But it was more than his own e-mail habit that prompted the CEO of PBD Worldwide

Fulfillment Services in Alpharetta, Ga., to launch "no e-mail Fridays." He suspected that

overdependence on e-mail at PBD, which offers services such as call-center management and

distribution, was hurting productivity and perhaps sales. So in July, he instructed his 275

employees to pick up the phone or meet in person each Friday and to reduce e-mail use the rest

of the time. That was tough to digest, especially for younger staffers and some senior managers.

"We discovered a lot of introverts . . . who had drifted into a pattern of communicating by e-

mail," Dockter says. But in less than four months, the simple directive has resulted in quicker

problem-solving, better teamwork and, best of all, happier customers. "Our relationship with

PBD is much stronger," says Cynthia Fitzpatrick of Crown Financial Ministries. "You can't get

to know someone through e-mail." Though the BlackBerry has become standard armor for

executives, a few maverick leaders are taking action to reduce e-mail use.

'water-cooler' chats

Building trust and cohesion is difficult when people do not work in close proximity, and ensuring

that the team or individuals do not become cut off from the rest of the organisation might not be

easy. In internationally dispersed teams, cultural and time-zone differences can also create their

own challenges. With the advent of the virtual workforce phenomenon there was a real danger of

things becoming very task-focused and sterile. These workers had different support needs,

resources and demands. These workers were missing out on the social side of things just

because they did not have those 'water-cooler' chats with colleagues which is imperative for

building team feeling and trust. So Companies across the world have started providing “virtual

water coolers” ….forums for these employees to gather, socialize & share information. Nearly

every large company came up a web site or bulletin board ….what they didn’t expect was that

the majority of such forums would be dedicated to griping by current and former employees.

Some companies, such as Microsoft Inc., have numerous sites. Business pundits have taken to

calling this venting and boss-bashing phenomenon the "Dilbert Effect" after the popular comic

strip that pokes fun at stupid bosses and co-workers and other workplace frustrations. But the

biting satire of the "Dilbertzone" is mild compared to some of the material placed on web sites

by disgruntled employees. The comments range from the thoughtful opinions and concerns about

their jobs expressed on www.workingwounded.com to the often vitriolic cyberventing of

www .mybosssucks.com. While the web sites did provide outlets for negative feelings about

work, the overall effect on workplaces was quite destructive..especially the image which went

out to the outside world.

Instant Messaging: Much corporate instant messaging adoption occured on an ad-hoc, bottom-up

basis. Typically, a work group member or department leader decided that instant messaging is

the best way to distribute quick changes to a project or to communicate with a client. That person

then encouraged employees to go out and download publicly available instant messaging

software, such as products from America Online, Microsoft's MSN and Yahoo. instant

messaging was transforming the workplace as employees traded quips and tips in droves--a trend

that promised to blur forever the line between working hard and goofing off at a computer

keyboard. In a split second, people used instant messengers to arrange an impromptu business

meeting, answer a question from an important client or crack a joke with a co-worker down the

hall. Many employees have come to rely on it as way to survive cubicle culture While

corporations have been attracted to instant messaging largely by its potential for new efficiencies

at work, they have also found a way to limit the negative comments on blogs and websites. The

simple reason is people vent their anger and frustration on the IM itself and much off the steam is

let off before acquiring dangerous proportions. Company-sanctioned instant messenger software

begins to displace unofficial networks. Major Wall Street brokerage houses are actively courting

instant messenger providers to develop business applications tailored to their needs, for example,

and the profile of instant messaging is on a steady rise within corporations. Many Companies are

still contemplating on whether to introduce monitoring of IM messages and place tighter controls

or not (though some already have). This is because, work culture all over the world is becoming

more casual and informal. So this would be a step backwards. This is a dilemma which

companies are facing.

What are the essential things to do to manage a virtual workforce?

Have face-to-face meetings at key times, such as when the team forms, or new members arrive

Communicate regularly and give performance feedback ….it is the most important requirement

while taking care of the virtual workforce. Ensure virtual meetings are well prepared, have a

clear agenda, document actions and include room for social chat Focus on similarities between

team members to build cohesion Encourage social interaction - for example, at the start of

conference calls.

pronounced : ah-bites-gleh-the

Arbejde means work and glæde means happiness (Danish)

Scandinavians have an advantage over the rest of the world when it comes to happiness at

work: They have a word for it !!! It’s a concept that is deeply ingrained in Scandinavian

work culture and one that most Nordic businesses focus on to a large degree.

Scandinavian workers are considered the happiest in the world.

[According to a study from 2005, 68% are happy or very happy with their current job, compared

with 47% in the UK or even 35% in Belgium2. This is construed as a major factor behind the

success of Nordic companies like Nokia, IKEA, Oticon (the world’s largest producer of

hearing aids), Carlsberg, Ericsson, Lego, and many others.]

No formal definition but Happiness at work is simply…A feeling of happiness derived from

work.

We have heard of the Chief Fun Officer. This is a more meaningful next step which has come up.

Fun is only a small component of happiness. But the important question is, do we really need a

CHO ? No, as long as the the growing role of HR includes this within its realm. 6 Actions have

been identified to make us happy at work.

A workplace where people can do each of these 6 things is a happy one. Note that these 6 actions

are not about the organization..it is about you..about us.

Role of an HR professional is to provide a conducive environment within which these actions are

easy.

1) Positive – The truth is that many workplaces have a strong focus upon the negative.

Everything that goes well is ignored, while meetings focus upon problems, emails are

about mistakes, phone calls mean unhappy clients, and conversations are about conflict.

Martin Seligman (famous psychologist)- In a workplace experiment, Seligman

convinced an insurance

company to hire a group of people who were not initially qualified to work at the

company, but who all scored highly in terms of positivity and optimism. This group of

employees went on to outperform all their highly

skilled but less positive colleagues

2) Learning - No matter how much you enjoy your job today, if you do exactly the same things

in exactly the same way for a long time, sooner or later you will probably stop enjoying it.

We’re either growing or we’re shrinking; there’s no in-between. Learning is imperative.

3)Openness: It entails 1) being ourselves 2) Honesty 3) Fairness .

As Jack Welch says, “ Say what u mean and do what u say”

4) Participation: Psychological studies show again and again that a fundamental basis for our

happiness is the ability to control our own environment. When we are involved in the decisions

that matter to us, when we can participate

actively in creating our future, when we feel active rather than passive, we are much happier.

Of course, we can’t all participate in everything, and we can’t all be a part of every decision—

nobody would get any work done. So who should participate, and in what areas? The yardstick is

passion. Follow your passion. When you are passionate, you always have your destination in

sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things

like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop

you!

5) Finding meaning: A traveller walks down a dusty road. The sun is shining down

mercilessly from a clear sky and the heat is almost unbearable. As he pauses for a sip of water,

he notices three men sitting by the side of the road, chopping up stones.

The first one clearly has the look of a man wishing he was anywhere else. No wonder—

it’s hot, hard, unpleasant labor after all. The traveler asks him, “What are you doing?”

“Cutting stones,” the man replies.

The second man looks fairly happy with what he’s doing despite the hot air and hard work.

“What are you doing?” the traveler asks him. “I’m cutting stones to make money to support my

family,” the man replies.

The third stonecutter has a look that verges on blissful. He’s giving the stones his full attention,

precisely and powerfully cutting them into smaller rocks. When he stops for a moment, the

traveler asks him, “What are you doing?” In a proud voice he replies, “I’m building a cathedral.”

6) Love- In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs , after physiological and safety needs comes the need to

belong and to feel loved . Which brings us to love. When you ask employees what makes them

happy at work, they consistently rate these things highest:

● Nice co-workers.

● A good manager.

● Good communication.

● A sense of humor in the workplace.

Each of these is a sign of good relations, caring and, indeed, love—simple signs that people like

each other and communicate well. These good relations don’t have to stop with co-workers and

managers, but can also apply to customers, suppliers, shareholders, and the company’s

wider community.

http://www.news.com/2100-1023-976068.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3495/is_12_44/ai_59427280

“Happy Hour is 9 to 5”

Chief Happiness Officer

Alexander Kjerulf

Many companies and groups have successfully implemented successful HR strategies to create

happiness at work. Here we have taken South West Airlines as an example to demonstrate their

strategies for “happiness at work”

1) Swap Jobs - At Southwest Airlines, employees regularly swap jobs. No, the baggage

handlers don’t get to fly the planes, but they may get to follow a pilot for a day, just to see

what their job is like. And pilots

get to be counter staff, executives try working as ground staff, and flight attendants get to be

executives.

In one case a baggage handler explained how he’d always envied the pilots. He was down on

the tarmac in the sun and hot weather loading and unloading luggage, and from where he was

standing he could see the pilot sitting in the cool cockpit eating an ice cream. So lucky ! But after

following a pilot at work, he gained a new

understanding of the pilots’ work. That pilot has probably been up since 4:30 in the morning,

and has been flying almost non-stop since then. He’s eating an ice cream because he doesn’t

have time for a real lunch—the plane is taking off again in ten minutes.

It also works the other way—if a plane is late, Southwest pilots often leave their cockpit to

help the ground crew load or unload bags. That’s the attitude of mutual respect and

assistance a company develops when different groups of employees have some insight into

each other’s worlds.

Most conflicts between groups of employees arise when people don’t understand each other. If

you can spend some time in another person’s shoes, it’s a great way to meet, to engage people,

and to learn about their job, so you can work more efficiently together afterwards.

2) The Love Airline: One company that understands the importance of love is Southwest

Airlines, and they even call themselves The Love Airline. Southwest Airlines hire

people first for their nice personality, and secondly for their skills: “Hire for attitude, train for

skill.” is the motto .To Southwest, a nice, sunny, outgoing disposition matters more than

degrees or experience. Southwest considers this to be one of the main reasons for it to be not

only a happy place to work—but also an efficient and profitable company. Southwest Airlines

has always known that great results come only from people who love their jobs.

3) Which comes first? Employees, Customers, Shareholders : With so much attention towards

employees, the next question that usually arises is this.

It is best answered by Herb Kelleher, ex-CEO of Southwest Airlines.

“People would ask me when I was talking at a business school or to an analyst group, “Which

comes first, your employees, your customers or your shareholders?” And you know for a long,

long time, many decades, I’ve been telling them that it isn’t a conundrum. That if you treat your

employees right, they’re happy and proud and participative with respect to what they’re

doing. They manifest that attitude to your customers and your customers come back.

And what’s business all about but having your customers come back, which makes the

shareholders happy.”

Some other companies concentrating on Happiness at Work are : IBM,

PriceWaterhouseCoopers, DaimlerChrysler, Hewlett Packard etc.

Happiness at work slides based on

“HAPPY HOUR IS 9 TO 5 - Alex Kjerulf”

Generations are classified thus depending upon the generally accepted periods. The main issue

with ageing starts with Baby boomers. As is often the case after a major war, the end of World

War II brought a baby boom to many countries as people returned to their traditional roles.

Hence this generation is known as baby boomers. The issue is that these baby boomers who

constitute a major chunk of the workforce are reaching retirement age. This problem is

compounded by the Lower and lower birth ratios of the countries and the higher and higher life

expectancy ratios which makes it very difficult for the labor force to replenish itself. The major

issues are

The issues that need to be addressed with great urgency are:

1) A change in the workforce structure with insufficient supply of skilled workers to replace the

retiring baby-boomer generation.

2) A depletion of leadership and management positions over the coming 15 years - currently all

key leadership positions in companies and institutions from public and private sector are held

by baby-boomers.

3) Mounting pension cost leading to unsustainable dependency ratios i.e. ratios between those

receiving the pensions and those funding them. As shown in the in the picture above, in 1990’s

5.8 people were supporting 1 senior citizen in terms of pensions, healthcare and other support

systems. In 2025 only 2 people will have to bear the burden of one senior citizen.

4) Increasing healthcare and support cost for a growing geriatric pool of very elderly people.

5) Issues are different in different countries. For instance

Japan : They have the highest Life expectancy rate in the world. Plus their birthrate is 8.1

births/1000 which is around 60% of US birth rate….Also they are averse to migrants ….so the

problem is compounded for them

China: self imposed problem – the one child policy

US: US has always depended on Mexico for fulfilling its labour requirements…..the problem is

that Mexico’s fertility rate & birth rate itself has started coming down

All this is also expected to intensify brain drain over the years.

This is the result of a study and review of strategies being implemented in various countries by

Conseil consultatif du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre [advisory council on labour and

Employment] Canada .

The challenges for the workplace come out of a study of the prevalent& expected situation in the

job market & the needs of the workers and the companies. The stratégies presented here are the

most widely accepted strategies as of now.

Strategies:

Anticipated labor shortages will force a radical rethinking of recruitment and engagement

strategies. Instead of focusing on the burdens placed on pension and healthcare costs, managers

and leaders need to think about retirement plans and strategic programs designed to attract and

retain workers who are 55 years of age or older.

     The maturing workforce presents both a dramatic challenge and new opportunities.

Organizations that take the time now to create employment policies that address the loss of an

aging and experienced workforce will have a competitive edge in the near future. However,

surveys consistently report a majority of companies are unprepared to create innovative

programs for their aging workforce. The knowledge many older workers possess is invaluable.

“The maturing workforce is often seen as an issue to be dealt with instead of a great opportunity

to be leveraged,”. “The skills and knowledge mature workers possess can be utilized to great

advantage by a company that knows itself well and can identify its weak areas that can be

bolstered by the right mature workers.”

There is a need to change attitudes and behaviours to adapt to the new challenges.

The five most common strategies employed are:

1)Implementing Flexible Work Arrangements

2) Creating Knowledge Sharing Relationships

3) Creating a Multi-Generational Workforce and Culture

4) Phased Retirements and Retirement Planning Workshops

5) Strategies for Recruiting Retirees

1) Implementing Flexible Work Arrangements

Retaining workers beyond retirement age requires shifting working arrangements

to suit lifestyle changes. Innovative organizations offer flexible work programs to

employees as part of their retirement programs. Short term projects, customized

work schedules, attractive work assignments and compensation packages are all

aimed to attract and maintain the mature workforce. IBM has been a leader in

providing their older and retired workers with strategic programs for work and life

balance in order to maintain an on-demand workforce to meet market conditions.

P&G is another.

“In Europe, there’s a new vogue for ‘interim management’ – employing former bosses on

short term projects. In countries like US there maybe legal and regulatory issues regarding

flexible working arrangements. So they have to be checked.

2) Creating knowledge sharing relationships: As traditional lines between retirement and

work begin to blur, retired workers can mentor younger workers.

3) Creating a Multi-Generational Workforce to ensure transfer of skills :

Attracting a multi-generational workforce may require changes to meet the needs of mature

workers. Job descriptions, traditional work rules, and eight hour workdays can be revisited and

redesigned with the older worker in mind. Pay special attention to making specific results and

deadlines within the reach of older worker’s abilities and experience. Many older workers seek

short-term goals. Others favor consulting and mentoring opportunities. Promotion should be age

neutral. Organizations that integrate mature workers into their workforce by recognizing their

accomplishments build loyalty and cooperation.

Deutsche bank is a leader in this….it calls it the know-how tandem model.

4) Phased Retirements

People may not want to leap from a permanent position behind a desk to a permanent slouch on a

lawn chair -- literally overnight…. Thanks to an emerging trend called phased retirement, they

might be able to choose a middle path that allows reduced work hours, more flextime and maybe

even collecting retirement benefits -- all in exchange for a substantially smaller paycheck.

Countries have started working on adapting public policies to the challenges.

Some countries are going to the root of the problem !!! Netherlands, Australia have already

offered cash incentives (in terms of maintainance of child) to bring about a boost in the birthrate.

Japan is considering offering incentives to increase the birthrate. The major point they are stuck

with is the fact that the payback period of this investment would start in 2030 when the new

babies will be liable to pay tax !!

Since this is mostly uncharted territory, most of the strategies are based on experience and the

insights got therefrom ….one insight which has emerged is that rehiring retired employees isn’t

meeting the desired goals, there seems to be a lack of alignment in the role of a full time

employee again…Using them as mentors has proved to be more productive.

Countries are still averse to migrant population even to fill the labour requirements.

So there is a huge challenge ahead for HR.

http://www.masteryworks.com/newsite/news/news_article.htm

Labour management consensus in Quebec report:

www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/cs/sp/hrsdc/edd/reports/1997-000364/qlme.pdf

In an organization SHRM means accepting and involving the HR function as a strategic partner

in the formulation and implementation of the company’s strategies through HR activities such as

recruiting, selecting, training and rewarding personnel.

We are looking at the same in an unnatural context…..much beyond an organization…the

biggest event of 2008…Beijing Olympics

Three US-based scholars published a research paper early last year dealing with the

consequences of, and solutions to, a potential "misalignment" of human resources for the Beijing

Olympics. "An Application of a Human Resources Strategic Model to the 2008 Beijing

Olympics: A Discussion of HR Goal Misalignment in Projects," as published in the Journal of

Change Management in 2007.

In layman's terms, they argued that Chinese migrant laborers are perpetually underpaid, ill-

treated and lacking in proper legal protection.

Employers of migrant laborers have made a habit of withholding wages and paying less than

promised. Many migrant workers do not have labor contracts, as employers often refuse to sign

them. With 150 million idle farmers in the Chinese countryside, competition for jobs gives

migrant laborers little leverage in negotiating with recruiters.

Even if they do hold labor contracts, employers have been known to run off when they can't

come up with workers' wages.

The problem of wage arrears is especially acute in the debt-laden construction industry, which

employs mostly young men from the countryside.

Such practices may become an international concern if they continue at venue construction sites.

the scholars suggested that China "realign the human resources behavior of Olympic employers"

by guaranteeing contracts between laborers and employers, setting Olympic pay rates, and

punishing abusive contractors.

The labor issue could also lead to a "large-scale public relations disaster", thus damaging

Beijing's goal of enhancing its national image through the staging of the Games.

In their Olympic vision manifesto, one of the three main goals is “people’s Olympics” wherein it

has been laid down that…….

The theory also makes sense as the country has been trying to improve its labor practices to help

many of its 200 million migrant workers who face problems of low pay, poor safety conditions at

work and inadequate social security, for sustainable social and economic development. Talk of

"decent work" was on the lips of officials and trade unionists at a recent international labor

forum in Beijing.

After some fact finding on this issue to check whether HRM of Beijing Olympics was

strategically aligned to stated objectives of Beijing Olympics ..mainly the “people’s olympics”

goal wherein emphasis has been laid on proper conditions for workers including all the above

parameters

This is what cropped up

1) According to official Chinese figures, over the past few years, Olympic venues in Beijing

including the Bird's Nest and Water Cube have employed about 30,000 migrant workers,

most of whom were farmers drafted in from the provinces.

2) Olympic pay : It is reported that Olympic construction workers are paid 50 to 80 yuan

per day, higher than the rates suggested by the researchers and much higher than the

average chinese labor wage pay rate of 25 Yuan per day

3) Contracts: To make sure the laborers are paid on time, the government has required

contractors to pay using "heart-warming cards," or debit cards issued by the local postal

office, in order to keep tabs on late- or non-paying employers.

4) Punishing abusive behavior: Contractors who bend or break the rules will be blacklisted

and prohibited from working on future city projects.

5) Welfare: In addition, medical checks are done on a regular basis and as and when needed

by any employee. Evening diversions including artistic performances to help the workers

relax. And crash training courses are also provided for the laborers.

People can debate over the possibility of the migrant workers undertaking Olympic-related

projects in Beijing being an exceptional case and that their welfare has received attention from

state and municipal leaders who have pledged to host a "People's Olympics". Two significant

things are:

1) Focus from the TOP: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has been checking with migrant

workers about their salaries and social security during inspection trips to Olympic

building sites. Values percolate from the top

2) The work for these olympics has been going on for some years now….China has stayed

true to their commitment till now not only for the migrant labour but all the other groups

hired to make the olympics a success….for instance, they have hired 100000 volunteers

to manage the tourists to the olympics cities, 20000 people to help the spectators at the

event venues, 300 top students from the universities across the country to help in the

decision making body etc…and all groups are being taken care of……

This is a very positive trend emerging from the Beijing olympics, and bodes well for the

future of chinese labor concerns. It would be good to see the country and individual businesses

set bigger goals for themselves and improve labor conditions with or without the Olympics. if

China can show that it is now using globally-perceived fair and ethical labor processes, then an

additional benefit would be a reduction in labor-associated risks for all of its foreign investors'

projects and businesses.

They have aligned hrm strategically to the set objectives…..now they should strategically realign

their human resources with the organizational goal of sustainability.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-01/18/content_6404691.htm

http://www.worldpress.org/Asia/2254.cfm

Creativity is no longer a luxury of the most advanced organizations; it is increasingly becoming a

necessary instrument in the struggle for survival. Creativity is no more about whatever one wants

than freedom is. Creativity and freedom both require precise navigational techniques; otherwise,

both devolve into mere floundering and flailing. And while the notion of “ MANAGING

CREATIVITY” sounds like an oxymoron, we can definitely cultivate creativity and foster

conditions that favor its expression. HR’s role is increasingly to identify creative talent and

establish the environment needed for it to operate at maximum power….i.e to create a hothouse.

Researchers have studied communities, groups, cities and organizations to understand the points

which come together to create a hothouse

5 criteria that define a hot house:

1) Sustain high level of innovative creativity for a significant period of time

2) Draw on the knowledge and innovations of the broader cultural zone to which

they belong- Just aas individual creativity rarely blossoms without simulation

from a network of other practitioners, the same holds true for a hothouse…

without the extraordinary culture of archaic Greece, there would have been no

athens.

3) Spawn geniuses whose achievements climax the work of other practitioners at all

levels – Solitude still serves as the most important component in the creative

process of individuals, but creativity doesn’t happen in a social vacuum. Genius

gestates within a social cauldron where ideas and techniques are exchanged at a

frenzied pace and subjected to exhaustive experimentation.

4) Establish a new way of doing things

5) Achieve recognition and establish a lasting legacy- Ancient Athens created forms

of history, mathematics, democracy, political science, philosophy, drama,

architecture and sculpture that continue to shape our world even today. Other

societies possesses mathematics or a sense of history and delved into the meaning

of life and the universe. It was Athens however, that fused these cultural domains

into distinctive forms- buildings, literature, political innovations- that inspired an

entire civilization. Two thousand years later, Athen’s Golden age and its

achievements entranced EUROPE and played a crucial role in inspiring the

renaissance.

Modern organizations concerned about the bottom line cannot simply replicate the disorder that

often marks creative hothouses. However , cultivating the hothouse effect in a measured,

strategic way can produce striking results. In our zeal for achieving results which are beyond the

scope of an individual, we look at fostering groups and team spirit. Awareness of the individual

creative capabilities and needs for creative expression is the first step.

Dr Barton Kunstler has come up with the “creative hothouse assessment instrument tablet”…. to

help organizations to assess their creative position or disposition. It is being used more to find

companies who are in the hot zone and to study their models so as to get ideas for replication.

The author has identified 36 factors grouped under the four dimensions. Basically, a

questionnaire has been formalized which will help identify where our organization currently is in

terms of creativity.

There are four dimensions of the hothouse effect, says the author. These are: values/mission,

ideas/exchange, perception/learning, and social/play.

"Values can be a fuzzy notion, but we instinctively recognise people in sync with our own

values... Values unite disparate individuals into a well-functioning community." Strong values

often drive one to attempt to make an impact on the world, writes Kunstler. "Because values by

definition demand that we view situations from perspectives other than our own self-interest."

Ideas/exchange The hothouse community organises itself to use information and ideas

efficiently, as many systems do, but also imaginatively, expansively, and in seemingly non-

utilitarian ways." To test if the group is functional, here is a small test: observe how conflict is

resolved. "Good conflict resolution is not simply reactive; rather, conflict is viewed as a high-

energy event that offers opportunities for personal and organisational growth."

Ideas know no boundaries, reminds the author. "The realm of ideas is like a vast society in which

ideas cluster in neighbourhoods, towns, and cities, while some live lonely lives deep in the

woods." Go in search of them, without limiting your brain to marketing, finance and so on.

Perception/Learning: members start using unorthodox sturctures of thought: metaphor, models.

Meta-cognitive thinking, meditation, thought experiments etc and time itself is perceived as a

palpable dimension and harvested for it creative energy. Each person is respected as a learner,

producer and potential visionary.

Social/Play: (some indicators)

1) Community continually produces highly effective leaders. 2) crisis draws the

community together and releases hidden reserves of creative energy 3) playing with ideas and

groups pervades many group processes. 4) Assertions of power based on an individual’s position

within the hierarchy is discouraged.

_________________________________________

Questionnaire measured on a rating scale of 5 from “strongly agree: to “strongly disagree”

Vertical axis is the first , horizontal axis second. Example….vertical axis values- horizontal axis

mission. Then the 4 scores are combined which will fall into one of the zones.

O-zone : it is the realm of the ABSTRACT, IDEALISTIC, INEPT . Organizations often believe

they accomplish much more than they do and tend to have an inflated self image. They survive

by lower level people performing heroically to keep the business on track

Dead Zone: This is a quagmire marked by low motivation and low creativity. If it is profitable, it

is due to a market position established long ago or by a lucky accident or by regulations. It is

susceptible to competition, high employee turnover, cynical practices such a plant-milking etc

I zone : Hard driving- individualistic orientation of a high achieving organization but one limited

by inattention to the internal qualities defined by the vertical axis. Success here is likely to be

cyclical and planning short or medium term at best.

Hot Zone: Outstanding qualities result from a strongly defined orientation towards creative,

innovative work. If one point or small area lies in this quadrant, then it is highly creative in that

dimension….but for it to be a hothouse, most of it should fall in this.

______________________________________________________________________

“The Hothouse Effect” by Dr Barton Kunstler

Recent clients for his training programs include Schafer Corporation, Saatchi and Saatchi, The

New England Aquarium, Darwin University, The Institute for Transitional Economies, and The

Global Management Center/World Trade Network, Inc. He is Professor of Management at

Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/mentor/2004/07/19/stories/2004071900361100.htm

1) Patronage: Someone always pays for creativity. Renaissance patrons were not simply personal

sponsors, though; their commissions were very often public works. In ancient Athens, the city

itself played the role of patron. So patronage can be seen as one model of how a society pays for

its creativity.

I see patronage more as an instrument of the hothouse effect rather than its cause. When the

hothouse effect takes off, it usually generates the resources it needs

2) ROI : policies did pay off quite well for Beard Frame Shops and Sequent--successful

companies that were sold by founders responding to powerful market forces. The new managers

just didn't see investing in creativity as vital to their strategy.

The extra money invested in opera tickets by Beard Frame Shops, or the money spent on

workspace consultants by Sequent, was minor compared with other costs. Often we invest far

more in stifling creativity. People naturally want to exercise their creativity; to squelch it costs a

lot in instituting misapplied systems of control.

3) Schools: One way might be through supporting creative programs in public schools. Every

school should be a creative hothouse, and, if it is, students will bring that creativity and high

performance to the workplace.

4) Internet Culture: The Net's wealth of information, networks, highly visual environment,

multiple applications, and global access offer a version of the important but elusive hothouse

factor of "rapid exposure to meta-systems." But the Net itself cannot provide that automatically.

Learning to use the Net optimally is not about information management, but about knowledge

management.

The Net's amazing--you can learn a lot about five or six subject areas in a few hours, link ideas

and data in very creative ways, but you need understanding and time to generate useful results

5) Virtual Organizations : The virtual organization is not a likely hothouse candidate, but you can

set up virtual workgroups that function as hothouses for a short time.

Isolation makes people more prone to misinterpret or overreact to the messages they receive. In a

virtual organization, communication may be dazzlingly fast, but connections between people

become very tenuous and thin.

 

_______________________________________________________________

Suggestions for Applying The Hothouse Effect

If you would like to cultivate the creative hothouse effect in your organization, the following 10

methods may provide a start:

1. Cultivate values whose scope extends beyond the boundaries of the organization and the

conduct of business. The creative hothouse believes it can change the world. (Tip: This does not

mean endless visioning meetings.)

2. Expose employees to high-level creative achievements from outside the industry. Beard Frame

Shops' policy of paying for tickets to cultural events, and then discussing these events in-house,

serves several purposes, such as cultivating a more open-minded and creative person and

imbuing the workplace with the spirit of the creative milieu it has embraced.

3. Get physical. A workout area is fine, but include yoga, t'ai chi, juggling, dancing, and other

activities that promote mind-body integration. In the creative hothouse, movement and

exploration of the five senses can help focus and accelerate problem solving.

4. Formalize a feedback loop that cycles peripheral inputs into the center of the organization.

Sources might include conversations with delivery drivers, analysis of cultural and economic

trends, or design solutions derived from other industries.

5. Constantly review your intellectual capital. Recycle ideas. Investigate the paths not taken, the

results that were never used. Only a fraction of the data and insights generated in any system are

ever used in its final products.

6. Continually reevaluate the basic assumptions and methods of your discipline. Challenge your

most treasured paradigms. This can be done through multidisciplinary teams or as part of an

intensive special project. Integrate such assessment into every significant project. Discussions of

art and literature with a particular theme in mind--for instance, design, marketing, or leadership--

are rich sources of new perspectives.

7. Set up a "chart room" or equivalent filled with diverse information. Encourage employees to

scan information, develop scenarios, and link new data and ideas to the material they work with

every day. Keep ideas circulating and establish ways to retain, assess, and build on these ideas.

8. Use an assessment instrument such as the Creative Hothouse Assessment Chart and

accompanying questions, a simplified version of which appears on pages 26-27.

9. Go beyond the office party or company picnic. Create whimsical group celebrations that

engage people's creativity. Link it to work in an outlandish, fantastic way. For instance, create an

Internet environment for a party.

10. Teach people to trust themselves, and trust yourself enough to trust people to give their best

effort.

History contains forces and behaviors larger and more extravagant than those found in business

alone. The creative hothouse effect applies the wealth of historical experience to a realm in

which possibility is often constrained by the exigencies and demands of doing business.