Just technical training does not help;employee motivation is a must

I went to impart training to a big IT giant. It is very important for a trainer to understand the reason behind the training. Upon meeting their training head came to know that one of the team got poor customer rating and hence the project manager decided that the team members would undergo specialized training. The training module had theory as well as case studies. Problem solving was one of the chapter of that training. At the end, the team was given a problem to solve and each of the team member was asked about their approach to solve the problem. Guess what I got? Many answers; though same attitude.

*Will wait until the issue gets assigned to me. Why should I take a lead? Even if I don't solve it, I'll get the same salary.
*Will do something about it and wait for 24 hours so that the issue gets assigned to the next level as per SLA.
*Will go to my colleague for help who will solve the issue for me.
*Why should I solve this issue? I'm a senior person and hence I should be given only complex problems.

The list goes on........

The problem solving chapter emphasized on usage of statistical tools to solve problems. So, I wanted to know whether the organization; especially this team uses any such tools. 'Yes' was the answer. They even confirmed that after using the tools such as brainstorming, root cause analysis etc the requirement of this training was identified.

Since then, I've imparted training to 5 or more batches and observed the similar attitude of lack of interest, blame game, ego etc. After the training was over, I informed the training head about my observations. Hope the training department would do something about employee motivation.

This was not the only organization where wrong analysis for poor performance was done. There are many organizations which emphasizes on technical training and in the name of motivation they have policies which does not please every employee.The key to helping to motivate your employees is to understand what motivates them. Consider, for example, time with family, recognition, a job well done, service, learning, etc. How is your job configured to support your own motivations? What can you do to better motivate yourself?

Technical training just makes employees competent; but only motivated employees can perform & deliver.

When Best practices comes out to be worst

In the northern part of India is an ITES company, which in turn is the part of a big group. I served this organization for several years. Divya (changed name) used to work in the Graphics department. She had taken a week's leave to visit her hometown to see her ailing father. But when she returned after 15 days, her name was enlisted in the absconding list. She meet the HR Manager and informed him that her father passed away the very morning she was supposed to come back. With this started the Q & A round. "You could have informed us" said the HR Manager. She explain that her mobile had no signal and that she comes from a village in Bihar which is yet to see electricity. "Do you have your father's death certificate with you?" was the next question. The answer was 'no' as in her village people does not follow the process of collecting Birth certificate or death certificate. The HR Manager asked Divya to produce the receipt of woods that might have been purchased at cremation ground. She was shocked. In that place, people are not given receipt on purchase of anything. She had no choice other than putting down her papers.

I entered the cabin to seek some information on recruitment drive and came to know about the issue. Few minutes later, I came out of his cabin. HR Manager was talking policies and procedures and the poor female was explaining where she comes from. I could not take this and spoken to several other managers and we all had the same thing to say about the issue. How could Human Resource person be so inhumane. Finally, HR Manager came to know about the general feelings of employees across the organization and considered Divya's situation. Divya continued there for several months and then moved to a different organization. Obviously, staying there would keep reminding her this incident.

I've also moved to the other challenges of the industry and no more part of that organization. But I can't forget this incident in my lifetime.

I believe the reason of this incident was not the HR Manager alone. He was playing safe so that his seniors may not question him. The old economy organizations follows only rules and policies and the mindset in such organizations stops people to use their cognitive abilities for critical thinking and analyzing any situation freely.

Baby show or Admission show?

Mother's Pride organized a so called "baby show" on 21st March 2010 for age groups 0-3years. The advertisement said "Delhi's most magical Baby Show is back. A show that will showcase your baby's most spellbinding antics and qualities........".

I enrolled my daughter who is less than three for the show. The moment we reached the venue, saw a gentlemen arguing at the reception saying this was not a "baby show"; the concept is different and so, he wanted the registration money back. I was inquisitive to know what was "different". But could not speak to that person due to rush. We were taken almost every corner of the building at sec-19, Noida premise; filled the same version of the forms at each room.

I had to write several papers during "most aware woman" session. Actually, this was nothing but the promotion of their group company named 'Adiva'(healthcare segment). I realized that it should have been a mother's show as I was given more questions than the baby.

Finally, our daughter was asked questions on body parts, shapes & colors; which she replied perfectly.At the end we were told that we should go for admission counselling. When we informed that my daughter already been admitted to a formal school, they insisted that it was part of the process and we must follow the process. Upon meeting the counselor, we informed her the same and she said that this process was not meant for us.

By this time, we had a fair idea what that gentlemen must have gone through. We reached the reception and inquired about the registration gift that was promoted with the baby show and the result. We were told that the gift was applicable only for those participants who have registered at Mother's Pride and the result would get published next day.

Lately, we realized it was not a baby show; rather an admission show which also gave them the platform for marketing group companies and some fund raising activities. I am hurt that an educational institution is making fool of us. What value they will inculcate in the kids? What stops them from having formal admission process like other schools? What hinders Ms. Sudha Gupta from hiring a good marketing professionals? Hmm, some questions to sleep upon.