Using Actual Working Time well

Using Actual Working time well

During my research to understand the evolution of the Performance Appraisal System in India, starting from the well documented MBO efforts of T.V Rao and late Udai Pareekh at L&T, to more advanced practices suggested by leading consultants from the world over, I came across a simple, one page appraisal format used in an old PSU undertaking. Besides the typical parameters on performance, attitude etc, was a simple parameter, ”uses actual working time well”

Fascinated by this little gem that captured almost everything that a corporate should look for in an employee, I tried to get to the source of this information. I learned that this format originally came from a PSU bank, designed by a very senior and highly respected banker, who was particular that the appraisal report captured what was most essential for the job besides performance, skills needed and areas for improvement. And for all these, he made the effective use of actual working time as the common measurement parameter.

I liked this concept and started a little informal survey, all on my own, among friends and working colleagues including a very busy CEO, on the meaning of actual working time. It turned out that most of us work real hard and conscientiously for around 4 to 5 hours in a working day. My actual average from the responses of over 100 participants was around 4.47 hrs., the lower end had the typical loafers who would be at their desks all through but actually worked for around 2 hours with the CEO and some in a call center, working more than 6 hours.

We all know how, even the busiest of employees actually spend a lot of time on unnecessary add ons which could be delegated, postponed or simply shortened. Think of the times when we have wasted 10 minutes or more in a meeting only because the coffee ordered comes late or the time wasted when we have to wait all afternoon for a boss who finds time for us only after 6,with an effective 5 minute meeting spread over half an hour due to frequent phone calls.

The end result of all our working efforts, indicates our contribution and gives legitimacy to our position in the organization. And for this, the effective use of available working hours matters more than anything else for maximum efficiency. A lot of people nowadays, with flexi time and work from home facility, do have different types of work schedules though even here it is doubtful if they put in a lot of time at real work.

The immediate application I see of this concept of actual working time is in manpower planning. Most organizations do have well laid out processes such as workload identification, KRA/KPI as well as business targets for the year based on which the required manpower is estimated. What if we became a little more numerical, just identify the actual time required to complete a task, assume an average of 5 actual working hours available per day and then simply divide the task hours by work hours and then see if the number that results is sufficient. My own premise is that if we make sure the required staff actually work effectively, the given task can be accomplished in less time with a lesser number.

These assumptions by no means are intended to belittle the number of hours a large number of staff in the unorganized sector put in. But then they are paid by the hours ; many more have fixed hours such as in a retail store, in facilities management, in the broking/ banking sectors which have defined customer hours. My focus here is the general office work which is not necessarily regulated by just the quantum of work, but the eventual outcome.

Circulating this information to my HR colleagues, some of whom may find merit in the concept and use it as a parameter in the upcoming appraisals . Your feedback as always, is most welcome.

Job Xavier

jobxavier@gmail.com

11th November 2011

With so much being written about this unique date, there is just one bit that I want to add:

The world and a huge number of gullible souls have been devouring every little bit they come across such unique dates. My argument to all these guys is that every single date in history is unique; thus 10-11-2011 is also as unique as today as both do not get repeated ever.

As for the numerological impact, the less said the better as the Hindu calendar which probably is far more scientific than other modern calendars, does not see anything unique about this date( they follow a different samvat year anyway)

So where does that leave us? At the end of the day, today will be just another day for the universe, more are born, some die, the sun sets for some, it rises in other parts later and nature has the last laugh with the birds and bees going about their duties as for any other day except silly mankind, who will spend hours reading stuff and watching stuff on 11-11-11- till they fall asleep, little realising that one more day has gone by leaving all of us older but less wise.

Job Xavier

9892329188

A Call to revise the HR Policy

Dear Friends

As an HR Consultant, I have come across a number of organisations which have a very vibrant HR department with well qualified HR professionals who manage all aspects of HR both routine as well as more complex, in an efficient manner. In most such organisations, there is very little that an outside HR professional can contribute and most meetings end with talk of common friends and the promise of a call in case of need.

Of late however, I have come across an interesting issue related to the most pedestrian, vanilla activity of the HR dept; the HR Policy and in case some of you feel this is a business pitch, you are absolutely right, but not in the normal sense as for an HR assignment.

During the last month, I happened to meet some senior HR functionaries at conferences/ their offices etc and discussed this very same topic..While many of them have introduced cutting edge HR processes, one area left a gaping hole; yes, it is the humble HR policy. Every company revises their HR policy at least once a year, revising travel reimbursement, hotel tariff etc. But the essence of the policy probably has not changed even for ten years. Sounds exaggerated? Let me explain.

The HR policy, usually condensed into an Employee Handbook is normally given to every new employee when she joins. In a major Bank I joined in the 80s, I was surprised to see last month, essentially the same HR policy that I had received as a new employee almost 30 years ago, of course with revised limits for travel, stay etc. The language, the curt" you are not allowed to---" tone continues and the same 32 page Employee Manual is being given out to new recruits even today. The story repeats in most other far more progressive firms also.

And what does the new employee, bred as she is on sms lingo and everything brief do with these handbooks? one glance, may be at some photos and charts if any, and lo, it goes into the bottom of a drawer, never to be looked at again. Ask this same young lady about when the company was formed, who their current MD/ Board is and one draws a blank or a wink at best. In short, the HR handbook has not served its purpose to be informative, to act a welcome document, to be referred to as we were taught, to understand the culture and working style of the organisation.

My suggestion to all my HR colleagues, holding responsible positions in industry is PLEASE DUST THOSE HR MANUALS and make them palatable to generation Y, Add some colour, life and make a talking , walking version of the manual so that the future generations joining our organisations do not dismiss the collective wealth of our organisations by that one gesture-flip to the bottom of their drawers.

Let us be contemporary, just as most of us try to catch up with our teenagers at home with their Facebook, Twitter and sms attitude, let us help the new entrant feel that someone cares about the look and feel of the first company document that they receive on joining.

All the best.

Job Xavier, Mumbai

98923 29188