Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Firing Employees - An Alternative

Cost-cutting is an essential component of survival.
Companies are looking to save money, and cutting salaries yields larger savings. Restructuring correctly is not an easy task, nor a decision to be taken lightly.

Before you start firing employees, here are three alternatives to consider:

1. Automate decision making and manual tasks

Workflow software automates employee tasks enabling to relocate employee resources from their current jobs to jobs that need manual intervention, thus releasing workloads and making the employee's contribution to the company more efficient.

2. Make existing employees more efficient.

Your goal is making employees work smarter, faster, more consistently and with more focus on value creation.

  • If organizational changes cause employees to find themselves less effective - retrain and relocate them.
  • Automating and improving internal business processes increases efficiency, productivity, and operational visibility facilitating better utilization of available human resources.

3. Re-evaluate employees that don't contribute

  • Look for the person who is invisible and flies under the radar
  • Look for the person who never says anything
  • Look for the person that has others doing his tasks
  • Look for the person that has survived because of their social skills, not their productive skills.
  • Look for the person that their work quality is never above mediocre

Talk to these employees, explain your concerns. Get their approval to be moved to another group in the organisation for a trail period. Enable them to "start a new page".
Moving these employees from their current group to another group causes vacuums in the organization, leaving opportunities for existing employees to grow and show their worth.

Your employees are the ones that ultimately deliver customer satisfaction and create value in your business.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

My extempor after a long time

Today, as part of recruitment process, I was asked to write on a topic of my choice. And after writing few lines about this topic, I felt little good.

My topic of choice would be: Our Quest for Knowledge

Each one of us has been gifted some time to spend here in this world. We all are born with a particular specification (genome in biological lingo). We all then spend initial years while learning the ways of this world. And then a time comes when one gets a chance to have a first hand experience of this world. This transition happens quite a many times in our life span it seems. Any such transition. say, from a mother’s lap to the floor, from home to school, school to college, one company to another company, one business to another business, one region to another region, gives us an immense opportunity to learn new things, things which are peculiar to the new environment and hence is new to us. Change is always for the better, be it in short term or long term. And hence I believe that the process of learn, then un-learn and re-learn keeps continuing for us as long as we wish it to continue. And I personally believe that the day we stop this process, our growth would cease. The very belief that each day that I live would give me an opportunity to learn something new or look at something I already know from a different perspective instills energy and motivation within me. I just hope I keep myself among people and in an environment where I can stand upon my belief without any doubt.

I intend to keep it as a record for myself, so that I can come back and look at it every time I feel lost or alone here in my journey in pursuit of happyness.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

!! Do it Anyway !!

I read this article at http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/2009/03/Better-Days-Ahead.aspx?source=NEWSLETTER and found it quite a learning. Hence have put it here for future.

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"Do you like doing things for people?" I asked a friend.

"Yes, most of the time," she replied.

"Most of the time?"

"Well, I love to do things that are unexpected. I like to do little things most people wouldn't think about doing," she said.

"But why did you say most of the time?"

"Well, sometimes after doing those little things people take advantage of you. I mean, they expect you to do it again. They ask you to do it. That's when I don't like it."

It was odd that I had this conversation. This just happened to me. I too love to do little things. I will pay for a meal card for the people in the office every time we have a meeting there. Not a big thing. It's a little thing. $5.30 will pay for almost five lunches. Hey, big spender!

But it's not the amount, it's the idea, the fact that I did something.

I also ran out a few weeks ago and bought a bag of animal crackers for a friend at work. She was having a tough day and not very happy at all. I drove down to the Wal-Mart and picked up a huge bag for under $2.00. Her smile was worth it.

But this week she said, "Bob, we ran out of crackers. We love them so much." I didn't want to do it. I smiled and she persisted. I finally admitted, "It's different when I do it because I want to, but now you are trying to make me go get them. It's not the same."

So that voice inside of me struggled with it. I tried and won out over that feeling and stayed right there in the office a while longer so as to avoid caving in. That is until I overheard her talking. The boss was having "one of those days" and unfairly chose her to point the finger at her in front of everyone. She was almost in tears when I heard her sharing the moment with a coworker. I had to go.

It’s about five miles to the store from there. I had to park at the extreme lower end of the lot. It was bitter cold—in the single digits on Tuesday. But when I got out of my car I stepped into summer. How?

Seagulls. Yes, there were three or four gulls flying above me. I heard one cry out as it glided on the cold, brisk air above. I immediately closed my eyes and I was transported from a strip mall parking lot to the seashore at Wildwood, New Jersey. I pictured in my mind that I was walking along the boardwalk, and the birds provided the perfect background sounds. "Ahhhhhh, summer!"

I hurried to the cookie aisle and found what I was looking for. Rushing out to the register, I walked through the bakery and stopped dead in my tracks.

"I'll get some bread to feed the gulls. Just like Wildwood!" I rushed out the door and walked down to the other end of the lot.

A bird flew over and I motioned that I had food. It hovered above waiting patiently for the treat. I ripped open the bag and threw a slice in the air. He grabbed it just like they always do. I looked around for the other three birds and...out of nowhere...without exaggerating...at least thirty gulls came to see what I had.

"Screeeechhhh...Caaaaaawwwwww!" They crashed into each other as they dive bombed me. I was overpowered by the number and finally dumped the entire loaf on the ground and ran to my car. I was laughing and so full of excitement. The tip of my nose was frozen and the tears of joy running down my face burned against my dry, cold skin. "Summer! I love it!"

So what 's my point here? Every time you do little things, big things happen.

Upon my return I expected her to be thrilled that I went out of my way. She hardly acknowledged me. I shrugged it off and left. I did what I thought in my heart was the right thing to do.

She got the cookies. Me? I got to feed seagulls at the Jersey shore in early March, and I got a glimpse of better days ahead.


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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Rose

Here is a sweet poem about two lovers. When I read it the first time, it really brought tears to my eyes. And since then, I have kept it close to my heart. The best part of this poem is that it brings out the power of love and proves how eternal it is.












Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose.

And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.

The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.

The card said, "Be my Valentine", like all the years before.


Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,

"I love you even more this year, than last year on this day.

My love for you will always grow, with every passing year.

"She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.


She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.

Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.

He always liked to do things early, way before the time.

Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.


She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.

Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.

She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair.

While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.



A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate.

With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.

Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,

The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.


She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.

Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop.

The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain,

Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?


"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,

"The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know.

The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance.

Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance.


There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,

And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year.

There also is another thing, that I think you should know,

He wrote a special little card... he did this years ago.


Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here,

That's the card...that should be sent, to you the following year."

She thanked him and hung up, her tears now flowing hard.

Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card.

Inside the card she saw that he had written her a note.

Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote...

"Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone,

I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome.

I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.

For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel.


The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.

I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife.

You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need.
I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve.


I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.

That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.

When you get these roses, think of all the happiness,

That we had together, and how both of us were blessed.


I have always loved you and I know I always will.

But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.

Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days.

I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.


The roses will come every year, and they will only stop,

When your door's not answered, when the florist stops to knock.

He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.

But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt,


To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him,

And place the roses where we are, together once again."



Thursday, February 26, 2009

These lines are dedicated to someone very special in my life. I would wish this person lives happily ever in life.
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They said it: Love is about giving ... giving happiness and care ... giving love, there is no question of asking love in return.

Love is not a business.

Its not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game, that counts!

Work like you don't need the money.

Dance like no one is watching, and love like you have never been hurt.

When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen.

There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly.
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Thursday, February 19, 2009

Tax benefits from Health Insurance

Health, though important, is by far the most neglected aspect when it comes to health expenses. Notwithstanding the rising medical expenses - thanks
to the hectic lifestyle - not many people in the country today have adequate insurance covers.

While the public may not be concerned, government ensures that citizens protect themselves and their dear ones with adequate medical cover by giving tax breaks on expenses incurred for getting health insured.

HEALTH INSURANCE

Premium paid up to Rs 15,000 on a medical insurance policy is exempted from tax under section 80D of the Income Tax Act. A tax-payer paying premium toward insurance cover of dependant parents shall be entitled to an additional tax benefit of up to Rs 15,000.

If the parents are senior citizens, then this limit gets enhanced to Rs 20,000. Thus, the maximum tax benefit that a taxpayer can now avail by insuring the health of his/her entire family (including dependant parents) is Rs 30,000 or Rs 35,000 as the case may be.

MEDICAL EXPENSES

Salaried employees are eligible for taxfree medical reimbursement from their employer up to a maximum of Rs 15,000 per annum. If the tax-payer incurs expenses (up to Rs 50,000)for medical treatment (including nursing, training and rehabilitation ) of a disabled dependant, the same shall be reduced from the taxable income per annum under section 80DD. Where however, the dependant suffers from severe disability, the amount of deduction shall be Rs 75,000 per annum.

Disability, for the purpose of this section includes autism, cerebral palsy and also mental retardation.

Any amount spent on the medical treatment of a dependant suffering from diseases like cancer, AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, chronic renal failure, Thalassaemia etc. can be claimed as a deduction from the taxable income up to a maximum of Rs 40,000 under section 80DDB of the Income Tax Act. In case the dependant is a senior citizen, the amount of deduction shall get enhanced to Rs 60,000 per annum.

LIFE INSURANCE

Any amount paid as a premium to cover the life of the tax-payer , his/her spouse or children shall be eligible for deduction from the total taxable income under section 80C of the Income Tax Act, up to a maximum of Rs 1 lakh per annum.

It is however important to note that this deduction is applicable provided the amount of premium paid does not exceed 20% of the sum assured by the insurance policy. (Sum assured is the amount ought to be received by the policy-holder from the insurance company after completion of the policy term. This term is usually referred to in case of endowment and money-back plans.)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009