Engagement

Engagement 101 – Looking Beyond a Rangoli

by with No Comment Employer BrandingEngagementHuman ResourcesStartups

Does Engagement start with making a rangoli on Diwali and ending with Chocolates on New Year?

HR is often and mostly best synonymous with Rangoli and at worst with No Calls.

I remember during one of the Diwali celebrations, all of the HRs lamented that we didn’t have anyone to make a rangoli and we would be deprived of festive joy because of our serious lack of Rangoli-making skills. But that Engagement event went without a hitch and no one missed a well-made or worse-made Rangoli.

So the question remains how does one Engage an employee?

Is Rangoli the right answer for it? Engagement begins with understanding the DNA of the organization. It truly matters what kind of organization you are and aspire to be.

It also has to be a multi-pronged approach. It doesn’t have to have fancy gifts on every festive occasion or a plant in the onboarding kit to be environmentally friendly.

In one of the retail organizations- I used to give a Rs 10 chocolate to every Team Member I met in the store, it was one of those low-effort engagements that cost very little but made every team member a little bit happier.

On a very different organization – one of the key events was a hackathon and it was celebrated more than Diwali as it was predominantly an engineering organization.

So the answer is WHO is the organization, the key demographic, and what kind of culture you would like to cultivate.

If you start your engagement plan with a top-to-bottom approach, you will never even reach the middle, even if you know how to make a rangoli.

Your Engagement should always start with most of your employees and slowly go to the top.

A person's hand holding people representing hiring

The Modern Hiring Dilemma: When Silence Speaks Louder Than Words

by with No Comment HiringHuman ResourcesStartupsTalent Acquisition

In today’s competitive job market, effective communication is paramount. Yet, a troubling trend has emerged among hiring managers: the lack of timely feedback and engagement with recruitment vendors and candidates. This not only hampers the recruitment process but also tarnishes the employer’s brand.

The Ripple Effect of Delayed Feedback: When recruitment vendors submit profiles, timely feedback is crucial. Candidates invest time and effort in interviews, and the expectation is that hiring managers will reciprocate with constructive input. Unfortunately, many hiring managers remain silent or take weeks to respond, leaving both candidates and consultants in limbo. This lack of communication can lead to frustration and disengagement from top talent.

The Irony of Urgency: Adding to this dilemma, hiring managers often turn to consulting companies with a sense of urgency, demanding candidates “as of yesterday.” They expect a quick turnaround while failing to provide the same urgency in their feedback and decision-making. This disconnect creates a frustrating cycle where candidates feel undervalued and left waiting, only to be met with irritation when they pursue other opportunities.


Holding Candidates Hostage: Even more concerning is the tendency for hiring managers to keep candidates hanging without a clear timeline. Candidates are often left waiting for an offer that may never come, causing them to explore other opportunities. When these candidates inevitably receive another offer, hiring managers often react with annoyance, despite having contributed to the situation through their inaction.

The Cost of Poor Communication: In a time when top talent is scarce, this behavior can have dire consequences. Companies may find themselves losing out on qualified candidates who feel undervalued and unappreciated. Moreover, a reputation for poor communication can deter future applicants, impacting the overall talent pool.

A Call to Action: As we navigate this fast-paced hiring landscape, it’s essential for hiring managers to prioritize communication. Providing timely feedback, setting clear expectations, and respecting candidates’ time can foster a more positive hiring experience for everyone involved.

Let’s work together to create a recruitment environment that values transparency and respect. After all, in the world of talent acquisition, every interaction counts. Let’s ensure that silence doesn’t overshadow opportunity!

Four people are shaking hands, two men, two women

Why Leaders Need to Hire Their “A” Team?

by with No Comment HiringHuman ResourcesJob MarketStartupsTalent Acquisition

In the world of talent acquisition, one golden rule stands out: “A” teams hire “A” players, while “B” teams hire “C” players. This principle highlights the crucial importance of building a top-tier team from the very beginning. Here’s why leaders should always aim for their “A” team:

1. Excellence Breeds Excellence
“A” players are high achievers who set and maintain high standards. They inspire and challenge their peers, creating a culture of excellence. This domino effect ensures your team consistently performs at its best.

2. Innovation and Growth
Top talent thrives on innovation and creativity. “A” players are not just problem solvers but also visionaries who push the boundaries, leading to groundbreaking solutions and continuous growth for your organization.

3. Strong Leadership Pipeline
Hiring “A” players creates a strong pipeline for future leaders. These individuals possess the skills and mindset needed to step into leadership roles, ensuring your company’s long-term success and stability.

4. Positive Workplace Culture
An “A” team fosters a positive, collaborative, and dynamic work environment. They bring enthusiasm, dedication, and a can-do attitude, which boosts morale and employee engagement across the board.

5. Attracting More Talent
High-caliber professionals want to work with other top talents. By establishing an “A” team, you create a magnet for attracting more elite performers, perpetuating a cycle of excellence.
Avoid the “B” and “C” Team Trap
“B” players, while competent, often feel threatened by “A” players and thus hire “C” players to avoid being overshadowed. This creates a downward spiral in talent quality, leading to mediocrity and stagnation.

Your hiring decisions set the foundation for your company’s future. Prioritize assembling your “A” team, and watch your organization soar to new heights.

Untitled design

Hiring Gone Wrong?

by with No Comment HiringJob MarketStartupsTalent Acquisition

One of the key factors, when we have discussions internally or with clients, is why hiring goes wrong in certain cases.

The question remains how do you qualify someone as a wrong hire?

It is especially true when someone doesn’t align with the culture and working environment and in some cases, the alignment of roles and performance doesn’t match.

-The Problem of Culture Fit?

One of the key ways to avoid this problem is to be extremely clear on who you are as a company and that can only happen if you can pinpoint your employer brand.

Ask your employees how they associate the company and what as a founder or captain of the company, how you perceive it. The amalgamation of these two will give you the answer.

Although a long interview process is exhausting, take that as a point of discussion- one round simply is not enough and one needs to understand who the candidate is and whether they thrive within the culture of the company. You can avoid a lot of Culture Fit mishaps by being open and transparent.

Make your interview process a discussion first process.

-The problem of performance-

Is the employee unable to perform basic duties or are you not providing the right tools?

In this case, have multiple rounds of discussion, and understand the pain points for them, and with resources provided, they most likely can perform and in the unlikely scenario that they still can’t perform, make a clean break.

Performance is indicative of both the organization and the employee. Introspection is very important but so is to understand when you cut your losses as an organization and as an employee.

Not even a match will work out, but if you look for the right behavioral traits and indicators, you are bound to find more matches that work in your favor.

Fractal CHRO

The Rise of the Fractional CHRO: A Game-Changer for Modern Businesses

by with No Comment CHROHuman ResourcesStartups

In the dynamic world of business, agility is key. Enter the fractional Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), a strategic solution offering top-tier HR expertise on a part-time basis. This innovative approach allows companies to benefit from seasoned HR leadership without the full-time cost.

Why Consider a Fractional CHRO?

1. Cost-Effective Expertise:
Access high-level HR insights without the hefty price tag of a full-time executive.

2. Flexibility and Scalability: Scale HR support based on your business needs, ideal for startups and growing companies.

3. Diverse Experience:
Benefit from best practices across various industries, bringing fresh perspectives to your HR challenges.

4. Immediate Impact:
Experienced professionals can quickly implement effective strategies, driving immediate improvements.

5. Strategic Focus:
Focus on long-term goals and strategic initiatives, leaving day-to-day tasks to your internal team.

When to Bring in a Fractional CHRO

– Transition Periods: Provide stability during mergers, acquisitions, or leadership changes.
– Rapid Growth: Develop scalable HR processes to support your expanding workforce.
– Specific Projects: Implement new HR technologies, revise compensation structures, or enhance training programs with expert oversight.

The fractional CHRO model is transforming how businesses approach HR. By offering flexibility, cost savings, and expert guidance, it’s a game-changer for companies navigating the complexities of modern human resources.

Embrace the future of HR leadership. Consider a fractional CHRO to drive your business forward with confidence and agility.

Performance v/s Potential

Performance v/s Potential Hiring

by with No Comment Job MarketStartups

Recruitment seems like a fairly transactional process, you have a role, a place for a person in your organization, and you give that vacancy to your recruitment team, elaborating what kind of person you are looking for and what will be their roles and responsibilities.

Once this is done, you can advertise the role, screen the resumes, hold interviews, and voila you are done with the process. What we fail to realize is that all sides of this transaction are with people.

Manpower Planning – When the vacancy is identified, it is usually on a singular basis in a team. If it is a large organization, then it will start as a requisition (in case of a new role) and then be approved if it is a replacement, it will go straight to HR.

In MSMEs or start-ups, usually, the head will have the autonomy to hire. And will have a similar requisition structure. The possibility of an internal fulfillment or IJP can be introduced, depending on how the policies of said organization and how old the organization is.

On the surface, Recruitment is a fairly easy process but if not done properly, it leads to overhiring, correction, and misfit employees that don’t gel within the organization.

Three main points to ask while hiring-

Performance or Potential
If it is a replacement hire, you hire a candidate who is well-versed in the field. If you are hiring a new resource, hire for their potential

Fresher Hiring

One of my managers said that freshers should be hired based on their sincerity and ability to learn. Rest can be taught

Culture Alignment

If you are a fast-paced organization, you hire from a legacy organization, they will most likely feel outpaced, and similarly, start-up folks feel they have been put in slow-mo when they use more traditional organizations. Hire people who not only know what to do but are also able to fit with the existing teams and culture.

Sustainable Choice for Attracting Top Talent

A Sustainable Choice for Attracting Top Talent

by with No Comment DiversityEmployer BrandingInclusionJob MarketStartups

Gen Z are looking for companies that walk the walk on sustainability, not just talk the talk. Going green isn’t just good for the planet, it’s a smart business decision that attracts and keeps top talent.

By implementing eco-friendly practices, you’re not just protecting the environment, you’re creating a conscious workplace culture that resonates with today’s generation.

So, what’s the ROI on this “investment” in Earth?
It’s a win-win! You get a dedicated, engaged workforce and a healthier planet.

Let’s break it down:
ROI stands for Return on Investment. It’s basically how much you get back for what you put in. When it comes to Earth, the “investment” is protecting its resources, and the “return” is a thriving business and a happy planet.

Here are some easy eco-actions you can take at work to attract and retain top talent, with benefits for everyone:

  • Give your office a makeover with a sustainable twist! Use recycled pallets for furniture, or host a competition for teams to create eco-friendly decorations from recycled materials.
  • Open the blinds, and embrace the golden hour vibe (save energy).
  • Ditch the Printer Habit (unless double-sided & recycled paper!) – Go digital!
  • Encourage your team to carry their refillable bottles, coffee mugs etc.
  • Skip the plastic utensils, straws, and cutlery at the office.
  • Reuse those notebooks, pens, and paper clips.

It’s those small efforts that can add up to big results!

Group of multiracial people, girl in wheelchair, lgbt person and elderly woman . Concept of multiracial and multicultural community. Vector flat illustration of diverse characters

Are we living in an echo chamber?

by with No Comment DiversityEquityInclusionStartups


For innovation to foster and ideas to flow, a diverse set of voices is vital. The idea that diversity is a checkbox to tick rather than a long-term initiative to be taken to make room for all voices is detrimental to an organisation’s health.

As a manager or a founder or even a business owner, here are a few reasons why promoting diversity will be beneficial for your team, start-up, or business.

> Varied Perspectives – Living in a world where there is only one perspective, leads to decisions that are binary in nature and don’t appeal to a larger audience.

> Creativity – When you have people from all walks of life, it is bound to bring in fresh ideas from what they make of the world

> Culture Awareness – Understanding differences is the first step in building internal and external culture for your organization.

> Open Communication – The moment you open yourself and by extension your organization to diverse voices, open communication follows. Which helps in creating both trust in the teams and also building channels for honest dialogue.

This Pride Month and ahead – let’s have a celebration of diversity from the aspect of bringing diverse voices to the table.

One person being made to choose a happy or sad emoji as feedback

Are Your Employee Surveys Failing to Get You the Right Insights?

by with 3 Comments Startups

Having two-way communication with your employees is vital and fosters open communication within the organization. When it comes to taking feedback from the employees, traditionally it has been done every quarter or yearly, similar to the performance management that takes place. 

With remote becoming a new reality and organizations embracing these new norms, it has been especially challenging for organizations to check the pulse of their employees but inadvertently has become all the more vital. Organizations that can correctly gauge the engagement of their employees, will always be more productive and agile in a world that keeps on changing at a breakneck speed.

Organizations are investing in making sure that their employees have channels to give their opinions, with the size, reach, and employee base, the hurdle lies in creating meaningful impact and value for the feedback they receive. If the communication remains one way, where feedback is received but no action takes place from that feedback, the organizations lose the trust of their employees over period of time.

To maintain this trust and set clear expectations with your employees, it is not only important to work on the feedback but also communication how does that feedback had led to actionables within the organization. This sets the most vital part of gathering feedback, are we asking te right questions, are we asking these questions to the right people and lastly, how many of these people are responding to this questions. Once we have aligned the basics of feedback mechanism, we need to gather meaningful insight from the feedback received and work towards an action plan that does justice to the issues raised or suggestions given.

All in all, a tool or a process that can help you streamline the process of asking the right questions, to the right people and nudging them to share feedback, and building action planning and strategies through that feedback can make sure Employee Surveys are being used to build two way communications and culture of feedback in the workplace.

Four People on Bar Chart moving towards Success

Unlocking Success: The Reasons Why Startups Thrive with Human Resources Assistance from Subject Matter Experts

by with No Comment Startups

Within the ever-evolving realm of startups, each decision possesses the potential to determine success or failure. All facets, ranging from product development to marketing strategies, require careful consideration. However, an essential component that is frequently disregarded is human resources (HR). Although perceived expenses or limited resources may discourage some startups from investing in human resources, forming strategic alliances with organizations that specialize in HR can have a transformative effect.

Just consider the following:

1 .One should prioritize core competencies. By delegating HR complexities to professionals, startups can concentrate on their fundamental capabilities. Recent research indicates that 82% of startups encounter difficulties with HR-related responsibilities, which detracts from their primary business objectives.

2. Cost-effectiveness: As opposed to conventional wisdom, HR outsourcing can be economical. As an alternative to maintaining an internal HR department, startups can achieve a 30% reduction in operational expenses by capitalizing on the knowledge and skills of HR specialists.

3. Risk and Compliance Management: For startups, navigating employment laws and regulations can be daunting. Compliance is ensured through collaboration with HR specialists, which reduces legal risks and potential fines. 75% of startups, according to reports, face legal challenges as a result of HR noncompliance.

4. Flexibility and scalability: The HR demands of startups increase in tandem with their growth. HR outsourcing enables startups to expand without interruption, accommodating evolving needs without the burden of recruiting and instructing supplementary personnel.

Embark on your HR journey with Navvyasa by your side!  Whether you’re a budding startup or a seasoned entrepreneur, we’ve got your back with our comprehensive end-to-end HR support services. From recruitment to employee engagement, we’re here to streamline your HR processes and drive success for your business.