Consolidation in the HR space - Signs of the time to come....

A report in the Business Line today states that three prominent HR players - Mafoi, Emmay HR and Team4u are likely to be integrated following the Vedior acquisition by Ranstad Holdings. The report goes on that the 'integrated entity' could be the largest player in India. The combined revenues of the entity would be in the range of Rs.550 crore INR approx, and would host about 50000 plus temporary employees on the combined enitities rolls working for various clients...... Now what does it mean and what would be the implications of this 'integration' for a TeamLease, the current largest temporary staffing company - with over 70000 temps on its rolls, and to the likes of Manpower Inc. Clearly, it appears to be a phase of consolidation in the Indian HR industry, with the combined entity getting into a No.2 slot nationally - and they would soon want to move up to be #1, by adding/acquiring roughly 15000 plus temps.... How soon would it happen....? Anybody's guess..... But the temporary staffing industry is a space to watch out in 2008.....

Recruitment trends 2008

The recent uptick in skirmishes over IT talent may indicate that a full-scale war is heating up for '08. If so, the weapons this time will be different from those used in the last big dust-ups of the dot-com era. "We are seeing a war for talent, and it's been building up for the past three years," says Dan Reynolds, CEO of The Brokers Group LLC, a Princeton, N.J.-based IT staffing firm. The current demand for IT talent is being driven by a number of factors, including investments in new projects, a dramatic reduction in the number of IT grads from U.S. colleges and the first of the baby boomer retirements, he says. Whatever the causes, experts note that savvy CIOs, recruiters, headhunters and other hiring managers are trying out new or updated weapons to fight for IT talent. Here are eight that you may want to wield in the coming year. 1. Social Networks. Although recruiters and hiring managers continue to use job sites such as Monster.com and Yahoo HotJobs to advertise for open positions, the use of social networking sites such as LinkedIn is providing employers with "a better quality pool of applicants," says William Gomes, director of human resources at Intermedia Inc., a New York-based provider of hosted business e-mail services. -->By using social networks to identify potential employees, Intermedia is "getting a better ratio of qualified applicants" than it would from the throngs of resumes it might otherwise receive from job sites that don't hit the mark, says Gomes. 2. Wikis, Blogs and Forums. Companies are increasingly turning to online communication tools to help engage potential IT employees and generate discussions with prospective new hires. The tools also help to "harmonize" values between employers and would-be employees, says JP Rangaswami, a managing director at BT Group PLC in London. BT Group has at least 70 bloggers, including Rangaswami, who says the company has found that, thanks to the blogs, IT workers "come to us because they've heard of us more and they know what we're doing," he says. 3. Trying Before Buying. Instead of posting job ads in newspapers or through online jobs services, employers are increasingly turning to other recruitment techniques, such as right-to-hire agreements. In these, an employer hires a professional contracting firm to do the recruiting for it. The employer agrees to hire qualified candidates for a few months with the option of offering them full-time employment later. "I've done this a few times with programmer/analysts," says Joe Trentacosta, CIO at Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative in Hughesville, Md. The lure of health care and other benefits for permanent workers "plays a key role" in tipping the scales, he says. 4. Global Thinking. "Those who believe the search for [IT] talent is limited to the U.S. are badly mistaken," says Bob Worrall, CIO at Sun Microsystems Inc. Smart companies think beyond national borders. For example, roughly half of Intermedia's 170-plus IT professionals work in its St. Petersburg, Russia, offices, says Gomes, and the company also finds employees in India and other non-U.S. locations. 5. The Anywhere Workplace. The concept of going to the office certainly hasn't disappeared altogether, but the "where" and "when" of IT work are undergoing some fundamental changes. "It used to be that you 'went' to work everyday, coded away and then went home," says Worrall. But today's twentysomethings expect to be able "to connect to work from a laptop on a train or at the beach," he says. And employers are more apt to accommodate them -- to a degree. "We provide [IT] staff with flexible work hours and laptops, BlackBerries and other devices to help them do their jobs remotely," says M. Lewis Temares, vice president and CIO at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. "But we still need them to be on campus at various times to support the university's services." 6. Business Vision. "The tenor of the job announcement has changed," says Robert Rosen, immediate past president of Share, a Chicago-based IBM users group, and CIO at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Bethesda, Md. "There's much less emphasis on technical skills and more demand for people who can help add value to the business." Of course, IT hiring managers remain hungry for people with strong technical abilities, particularly hot development skills such as .Net, PHP and J2EE expertise. But it's even tougher to find IT professionals with business savvy or experience managing relationships with business units, says Craig Urrizola, CIO at Saladino's Inc., a Fresno, Calif.-based food distributor. 7. Pumped Up Paychecks. OK, this one isn't new. But as part of the whole supply-and-demand continuum, it's an old weapon that's back. With fewer qualified IT professionals available, particularly in hot markets such as Silicon Valley, companies are doling out bigger offers. For example, Intermedia's offers to new employees in the San Francisco Bay Area are 20% higher than they were a year ago, says Gomes. 8. Imagination. Compensation continues to be the biggest factor in the recruitment and retention of IT professionals, but perks such as the option of telecommuting, flexible work hours and opportunities to work for socially-conscious organizations are top-of-mind for many younger IT workers. And sometimes an imaginative approach can make the difference between snagging top talent and losing it to the big bucks. For instance, IT professionals who work at the National Aquarium in Baltimore typically earn 15% to 30% less than peers who work elsewhere in the city, says Hans Keller, chief technology officer at the aquarium. But he tries to offset that with other perks. One of his network engineers spent two weeks on a research trip on the Amazon River last January. Other perks are closer to home. "I have two people on my staff who dive into the tanks and feed stingrays every other month," Keller says. "That's not a typical assignment for a systems developer."

Courtesy Gautam... Peformance appraisals....

As the year draws to a close here are some pointers for those of you who might be heading for a performance appraisal: If you haven't had clear goals to start your assessment cycle, you are in big trouble. Most managers can't set "SMART" (ask me what it means if you don't know) goals, which is the biggest reason for the heartburn during appraisal times. Would a carpenter cut a door without knowing how big is the door frame? Yet, that's what happens regularly in the corporate world. If you have some goals, great. However, if the number of your goals (or KRAs, or KPIs) is more than 6-7 then you are in trouble again. Well, not as big a trouble as folks in bullet one, but a significant level anyway. If you have 12 goals (or KPAs...blah, blah) how do you know which ones to focus on? What are the weightages for each of them? So you could have done 10 goals but if your manager tells you, number 11 and 12 are the really important ones to consider for your role, then you are in deep deep trouble. If points 1 and 2 are great, but your performance is subjective and lacks a measurement process, then you might be doing what we do in Indian markets, haggling ! Depending on the performance appraisal process, you might have a self appraisal step. Be sure to make it count by giving realistic estimate of your key skills, achievements and (if your company focuses on it) competencies as it relates to your current role as well as future roles. During the performance discussion, ask your manager to be frank and list out your strengths and also weaknesses vis-a-vis your current role as well as your next targeted role. If you don't know what role you can move into next, ask your manager. If your firm has a mentoring process before a promotion is given, ask when will you be eligible for it. If you've had more than one manager in the performance assessment period, be sure that the past manager has passed on the full feedback of your performance to the new one. Specially if you had done great work then :) Don't use the performance appraisal process to blackmail the organization, using threats of resignation/offer letters from other firms to get a good performance rating. Even if your manager falls for it, during the normalization process it would not work and you might lose more than you would gain. If you need help with headcount/other resources to be successful in your goals mention that clearly and ensure it is put down in the form.Remember, performance appraisal time is for focussing on an honest look back on your performance.All the best !

Top 25 HR blogs....

Before i start, am so extremely happy that our own Gautam Ghosh is in the top 25 HR blogs compilation at hrworld.com - am sure there have been tonnes of efforts that goes into creating such a blog... Kudos Gautam. And now the list for you.... Career Hub: This blog focuses on career and job-search strategies and tactics. No fewer than 24 career-counseling and employment professionals contribute to its content. Career Hub contains a wealth of information. Cheezhead: Author Joel Cheesman is one of the most widely read bloggers on emerging recruitment issues and has won several “best of” awards in the category. The tiniest new development doesn't get past Cheesman, and he’s guaranteed to blog about it. SixDegrees from Dave: Dave Mendoza is recognized for his expertise in the integration of sourcing methodologies, employment branding and recruitment techniques. SixDegrees from Dave spotlights HR industry leaders, sourcing gurus, global staffing practices and social networking. Gautam Ghosh: A prolific blogger, HR management consultant Gautam Ghosh writes from India, though most of his posts on every conceivable HR topic have a global tone to them. Insourced's Employment and Jobs Blog: It’s hard to say which is more attractive, the blog or the job-search engine. The blog touches on issues ranging from job hunting to work/life balance, while the search engine covers the entire United States. Evil HR Lady: Written anonymously by “an HR professional in a Fortune 500 company,” this blog reeks of “been there.” The Evil HR Lady has seen it all, done it all and blogs about it all. good to know: Martin Burns, recruiting manager for ZoomInfo Inc., writes this blog about career-search and recruitment practices. Tips on interviewing from either side of the desk, how to source candidates online, what to wear (never sandals) and how to write a cover letter are all covered. GoodRecruits: Robert Merrell, a technical recruiter and talent manager for executives, hiring managers and job seekers, writes the GoodRecruits blog. His main theme is how to use blogs as marketing and communications tools in job searches or recruiting. HR Tests: Written by Bryan Baldwin, an HR consultant in Olympia, Wash., this blog has timely news of laws, regulations, products and conferences concerning testing and assessment instruments. Baldwin also writes the HR Coal blog, which deals primarily with the management of technical talent. HR Thoughts: A good all-around HR blog covering everything from recruitment to EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs) to performance evaluations to professional book reviews and more. It's written by Lisa Rosendahl, an HR manager in a medical facility. Beyond HR: Written by an anonymous HR professional, this blog covers the leading edge of employment branding, search-engine sourcing and other modern HR innovations. Dr. John Sullivan & Associates: Sullivan is a consultant to management on everything related to HR. His blog is full of articles on college recruiting, employee-screening and -assessment tests, training, and new-hire orientation. HR and Strategies: This graduate student combines HR philosophies and news in a blog that is at once thoughtful and informative. HR Daily Advisor: Published by BLR Business & Legal Reports, a vendor of training aids and resources for HR professionals, HR Daily Advisor offers a deep and broad archive of tips on ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), compensation, FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act)/wages, harassment, hiring and recruiting, general HR management, and more. HRMetrics.org: HRMetrics.org is all about things that can be measured and how to measure them — from retention effectiveness to home worker productivity. HR Web Café: This blog concerns general workplace issues, employment matters and work trends. Sponsored by ESI Employee Assistance Group (an EAP), its posts are frequent and detailed. Breaking Human Resource News: This is a welcome blog, serving up constantly updated news about products and services for the HR professional, from software to EAPs. CharlotteRecruiting: Written by a recruiting specialist in Charlotte, N.C., this blog has advice on managing staffing firms, interviewing and other recruiting topics. Jibber Jobber: Jason Alba runs this popular blog, which is heavy on summaries and links to other HR bloggers’ posts. This is a great blog for quickly scanning the best posts of the day. Jason’s own posts and guest bloggers make insightful reading, too. Chief Happiness Officer: Consultant Alexander Kjerulf teaches HR departments and entrepreneurs how to transform their workplaces from dreary and stressful to fun, energized and happy. Generations@Work: This blog will help you relieve the tensions among Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y workers. It is written by Russell Eckel, an expert in organizational and workforce development who now consults mainly on the Millenial Generation. Human Resources 101: As the title implies, this blog steps through the nitty-gritty of HR management and policy development, with topics such as “How Graphic Should A Workplace Safety Ad Be?” and “50 Behavior-Based Interview Questions.” Employment Law Blog: Check out this great blog to learn how to throw an office party without being sued, download forms, stay abreast of employee-rights decisions and much more. Inside Human Resources Blog: A good place to learn about trends in workforce demographics and the attitudes of younger generations. The Human Capitalist: A well-informed review of news about HR technology written by industry guru Jason Corsello, a vice president with HR technology consultancy Knowledge Infusion.

Preparing for Leadership.......

Just when i read in a book about some of the hallmarks of a great leader and posted them in this blog, I was reading Gautam Ghosh's blog gauteg.blogspot.com and was reading his 'preparing for leadership.... ' very interesting and thoughful read.... But most of the hallmarks of a great leader read by me suggest that most of these are sort of personality traits rather than on the job qualities... am sure this is a debating point by itself... in anycase would it be possible to pick up some one who lacks initiative and an ability to reskill his/herself and groom them for a leadership role...... I would request training and OD professionals to opine...

Hallmarks of a great leader.....

I have read this in a book, and found it very interesting, and have no doubt agree with these hallmarks of a GREAT LEADER....this is not an exhaustive list, but have tried to list the most critical ones.....

• Mines the best out of people
• Capable of inspiring easily
• Great communicator
• Wondeful coach and mentor
• Easily accessible
• Ordinary but charismatic
• Has a positive attitude, always
• Honest, accountable and has thoroughbred integrity
• Promises only what can be delivered
• Tremendous belief in people's capability to deliver
• Motivates people to excel
• Great strategist and decsion maker
• Does not hide behind rules
• Very upfront, no games
• Not afraid to take blame, and in fact own ups responsibility outright
• Does not think he is the best, and superior
• Dependable and helpful

In so many styles of leadership that we all know, and see, would most of us agree that the above indeed are the hallmarks of a great leader..... and where would a Jack Welch or a Ratan Tata fit in..... Please comment

Liberation Management - Thank you, Tom Peters...

The Pursuit of Luck Innovation is a low-odds business—and luck sure helps. (It’s jolly well helped me!) If you believe that success does owe a lot to luck, and that luck in turn owes a lot to getting in the way of unexpected opportunities, you need not throw up your hands in despair. There are strategies you can pursue to get a little nuttiness into your life, and perhaps, then, egg on good luck. (By contrast, if you believe that orderly plans and getting up an hour earlier are the answer, then by all means arise before the rooster and start planning.) Want to get lucky? Try following these 50 (!) strategies: 1. At-bats. More times at the plate, more hits. 2. Try it. Cut the baloney and get on with something. 3. Ready. Fire. Aim. (Instead of Ready. Aim. Aim. Aim. ...) 4. “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.”—G.K. Chesterton. You’ve gotta start somewhere. 5. Read odd stuff. Look anywhere for ideas. 6. Visit odd places. Want to “see” speed? Visit CNN. 7. Make odd friends. 8. Hire odd people. Boring folks, boring ideas. 9. Cultivate odd hobbies. Raise orchids. Race yaks. 10. Work with odd partners. 11. Ask dumb questions. “How come computer commands all come from keyboards?” Somebody asked that one first; hence, the mouse. 12. Empower. The more folks feel they’re running their own show, the more at-bats, etc. 13. Train without limits. Pick up the tab for training unrelated to work—keep everyone engaged, period. 14. Don’t back away from passion. “Dispassionate innovator” is an oxymoron. 15. Pursue failure. Failure is success’s only launching pad. (The bigger the goof, the better!) 16. Take anti-NIH pills. Don’t let “not invented here” keep you from ripping off nifty ideas. 17. Constantly reorganize. Mix, match, try different combinations to shake things up. 18. Listen to everyone. Ideas come from anywhere. 19. Don’t listen to anyone. Trust your inner ear. 20. Get fired. If you’re not pushing hard enough to get fired, you’re not pushing hard enough. (More than once is okay.) 21. Nurture intuition. If you can find an interesting market idea that came from a rational plan, I’ll eat all my hats. (I have quite a collection.) 22. Don’t hang out with “all the rest.” Forget the same tired trade association meetings, talking with the same tired people about the same tired things. 23. Decentralize. At-bats are proportional to the amount of decentralization. 24. Decentralize again. 25. Smash all functional barriers. Unfettered contact among people from different disciplines is magic. 26. Destroy hierarchies. 27. Open the books. Make everyone a “businessperson,” with access to all the financials. 28. Start an information deluge. The more real-time, unedited information people close to the action have, the more that “neat stuff” happens. 29. Take sabbaticals. 30. “Repot” yourself every 10 years. (This was the advice of former Stanford Business School dean Arjay Miller—meaning change careers each decade.) 31. Spend 50 percent of your time with “outsiders.” Distributors and vendors will give you more ideas in five minutes than another five-hour committee meeting. 32. Spend 50 percent of your “outsider” time with wacko outsiders. 33. Pursue alternative rhythms. Spend a year on a farm, six months working in a factory or burger shop. 34. Spread confusion in your wake. Keep people off balance, don’t let the ruts get deeper than they already are. 35. Disorganize. Bureaucracy takes care of itself. The boss should be “chief dis-organizer,” Quad/Graphics CEO Harry Quadracci told us. 36. “Dis-equilibrate ... Create instability, even chaos.” Good advice to “real leaders” from Professor Warren Bennis. 37. Stir curiosity. Igniting youthful, dormant curiosity in followers is the lead dog’s top task, according to Sony chairman Akio Morita. 38. Start a Corporate Traitors’ Hall of Fame. “Renegades” are not enough. You need people who despise what you stand for. 39. Give out “Culture Scud Awards.” Your best friend is the person who attacks your corporate culture head-on. Wish her well. 40. Vary your pattern. Eat a different breakfast cereal. Take a different route to work. 41. Take off your coat. 42. Take off your tie. 43. Roll up your sleeves. 44. Take off your shoes. 45. Get out of your office. Tell me, honestly, the last time something inspiring or clever happened at that big table in your office?! 46. Get rid of your office. 47. Spend a workday each week at home. 48. Nurture peripheral vision. The interesting “stuff” usually is going on beyond the margins of the professional’s ever-narrowing line of sight. 49. Don’t “help.” Let the people who work for you slip, trip, fall—and grow and learn on their own. 50. Avoid moderation in all things. “Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess,” according to Edwin Land, Polaroid’s founder.