Anuradha's Statements
Statement 1: Remember, Flexi Time should be used as an OD and EE tool rather than a distribute-to-all measure.
Statement 2: Secondly, discouraging or punishing individuals from taking leave is ridiculous. As per the Shop & Establishment Act, one weekly off is mandatory. Besides that, every individual is eligible for 15 days PL and 12 days SL/CL. Preventing or incorporating measures to prevent an employee from taking leave is illegal.
Statement 3: We still are an old economy-based job sector following Theory X models.
Statement 4: Keep your reporting time from 7 am to 10 am and closing time from 4 pm to 7 pm. A biometric attendance system should ensure that a person coming in has to complete 9 hours, or else risks losing their CLs.
Statement 5: First of all, a Flexi Time policy cannot be implemented without a budget to develop IT systems and realignment of the core HR policy, especially the KRAs.
Statement 6: Also, you need to understand that Western models cannot be blindly emulated in India primarily due to the skill gap, pay compression, and above all, workforce attitude.
Answers to the Above
i. Not necessary, it depends entirely on scope. Normally, in organization-wide interventions, it will be meant for all. In a pilot stage, yes, it could be tested in a particular section, location, department, division, and so on. There are cases where the same will be used as a positive discrimination measure. At my previous employer, we used to encourage physically challenged people and women with special constraints to work with us. For these people, office conveyance was sanctioned even beyond financial viability. Next, from our side, we were 100% flexible in timings; the only constraint was business needs. We allowed the employee to decide here. The best part was that earlier we had no women working with us initially, and we achieved a 25% female workforce with constraints in 3 months.
ii. Coming late or leaving early is not a bane; only unscheduled leaves affect the bottom line. All across the world, employers impose penal clauses on people to come on time. The respect for employees decreases with rank. The promoter or owner feels he/she is the only one who is most intelligent and responsible. People lie to their bosses to take leaves; this is a disease. Now, this statement reinstates the pride of an employee at the lowest level. It treats everyone as responsible. It doesn't matter how many hours you come in late or leave early; you are equally intelligent and accountable as the CEO feels for himself.
iii. While making a roster, the manager must consult his direct reports and then only make it. Barring emergencies, if there are deviations, it means the manager lacks planning abilities and the employee lacks reliability.
iv. Overtime and extra hires mean the manager lacks planning ability. Only a specialist who has diagnosed and will be treating the patient has the power to sanction sick leaves. Here, the best thing is that the employee and his family are covered for all medical costs, including OPD, by the employer. He/she doesn't need to think twice, even if it's a minor issue, before going to a hospital.
v. The company provides 30 days of paid vacation, including air tickets to an employee. Not a single case of cheating an employee exists.
vi. Almost no overtime: everyone has to leave on time. Only a department head can sanction OT, and the extra cost of keeping the office open with support staff has to be justified. Overtime is looked down upon as incompetence. No one calls an employee after working hours or on holidays.
vii. Annual Business Plan with Quarterly Deliverables: Every individual, barring shop floor workers, is employed on an annual business plan. The annual business plan for each individual is decided with 100% consultation and consent between the manager and the employee. The employee deliverables are monitored quarterly. The manager never breathes down someone's neck.
viii. The company is a forerunner among the few organizations worldwide which have "zero attendance marking."
ix. ISO 9001 nowhere recommends spending crores of rupees on expensive software/technologies. The basic philosophy has to be right. For example, Marriott is No. 1 in customer service. If an employee finds a guest struggling with his luggage or even while walking, they will abandon their official duty and first render service to the guest. Classic Labels, an Indian company that figured in the best workplaces to work for, didn't have an HR Manager and Quality Manager for 60 years. Their average salary to a worker was 20k pm when the whole economy was paying 6.5k upwards. When there were floods, the company released loans for all aggrieved. Only 3 people applied for the loan out of 500 affected. Every employee was given a motorcycle as a bonus.
x. The company has 30k employees in 55 countries worldwide and operates in 60 sector businesses. Education ranges from trade certificate holders to PhDs, and age ranges from 23 to >70. Experience starts from zero to veterans.
xi. The global economy started in a big way with French, Portuguese, and British coming to India for trade 200 years back. I hope you remember the Father of the Nation, Mr. Mahatma Gandhi, started the Charkha movement against the cotton mills of England. Today, international certifications are the only way of doing business, be it foodstuffs, cement, HVAC, professional services, etc.
xii. Credentials of the Author: I have been a topper in Bhagat Singh College, a gold medalist in Delhi University in 2 subjects, next PGDM from LBSIM, and then completed 1.5 years of PhD in Change Management with 90% from AIMA. Then came various courses like WRAP, COPC, Performance and Competence Developer, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Psychometric Testing Professional, ISO 9001, ISO 27001, Six Sigma Champion, WRAP, SA 8000, ETI, IEC 17025, ISO 27001, etc. During my career, I have worked with leading brands: American Express, HCL, Paras Group, April Cornell, Zamil Group, with a fair amount of expat assignments. I have been a department head since October 2003 and an advisor to the CEO since December 2006.
Anuradha, I do not appreciate and shall not be entertaining any further unwarranted statements from your good self. If you beg to differ, kindly cite specific instances. I will explain. Kindly note, no further personal statements. Next, a brief on your academic/professional credentials will be appreciated and is the need of the hour. This will help me and others understand you in a better light.
Thank you,
Warm regards,
Surya