The Custommerce National ConventionMarriott Jaipur

24th January, 2014

CREATING AND SUSTAINING “ICONIC” PEOPLE NETWORK

What two aspects do you think are common between this combined List of US Based and Indian Organizations?US Based Organizations (some are also present in

India)1. Wegman Foods 2.

Publix Super Markets3. Starbucks Coffee Company 4. USAA5. Four Seasons Hotels 6. Marriott

International 7. Rackspace Hosting 8.

Recreational Equipment Inc.9. Nordstrom 10.

Zappos.com11. FedEx

12. Southwest Airlines13. American Express 14. Google

Indian Companies2. MakeMyTrip 2. Blue Dart

Express3. NIIT 4.

IndiGo Airlines5. The Oberoi Group 6. Taj Hotels,

Resorts, Palaces7. Classic Stripes 8.

Godrej Consumer Products

The two aspects common between all these organizations are -

They have won awards and repeatedly appeared on lists of companies whose products & services delight their Customers

and

They have repeatedly appeared either in Fortune Magazine’s annual lists of “100 Best Companies to Work For in the US”

or in The Economic Times’ annual lists of “Best Companies to Work For in India”

As organizations who attempt to and care for their Employees, thereby creating a strong sense of Trust, Pride and Camaraderie in them

They believe that there is not only a strong correlation, but causality between creating highly engaged, inspired and strongly networked workforce and delighted customers & superior organizational performance.

Experience and belief of leaders, people managers and employees of “great workplaces” alike suggests that building and sustaining a great workplace for its employees is all important to delivering great customer service!!

Great Workplaces significantly outperform Market (Indices) by around 4 times, in terms of cumulative long term returns to investors (US Data)!!

Creating a Great Workplace has significant Shareholder Returns & Business Benefits … (India Data)

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Even from a low starting point of not very trusting, proud and well bonded employees, the “journey to becoming a Great Workplace” can begin to yield all round results in a few years after purposeful efforts!! – Scripps Health

Why are highly engaged, inspired and networked employees the key? What are the ingredients of the recipe for caring for and delighting customers?

1. Service more often than not, involves interaction between people – the ones who seek service and the ones who provide it.

2. Seekers are seeking to fulfill substantive needs and emotional needs – only people can really fulfill both!!

3. Service seekers don’t always first encounter those who are qualified and tasked with providing service – their first point of contact could be anyone within the organization!!

4. Service experience is proximate in time and space. 5. Therefore, whoever the service provider on the spot

must be: – Inspired & committed to serve the customer, – Capable & trained, and, – Resourced, networked & empowered to act in a suitable manner to serve the customers.

What is being “networked?’ Isn’t it the feeling of Trust, Pride & Camaraderie, that prompt employees to share information and work cooperatively towards a common goal? In such environment, employees are and feel:1. Trusted and empowered,2. Trained, supported and appreciated,3. Involved in decision making, and,4. Treated with respect and fairness

This results in employees:5. Feeling pride in their own work, their team and their

organization, making them “ambassadors” of the organization

6. Being friendly towards and caring about each other7. Believing they are all part of a cohesive “team or family”8. Being happy to always extend the hand of cooperation, and,9. Committed to sustained excellence and going the “extra

mile” for customers of the organization

Great Place to Work® Engagement Model / Framework

Employees

...have pride in what you do...

Job...and enjoy the people you work with

Other Employees

Trust the people you work for...

Management

Relationships are the key…..

A great place to work is one where you (employees) -

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Trust is the Key Driver…

Employee

... Encourage and enable employees to give their personal best at all times

Job

... and work together as a cohesive team/family

Other Employees

Align employees to achieve organization’s objectives

Management

in an environment of Trust…..

Great workplace culture enables managers to

Essential elements / dimensions of a Great Place to Work®

Individuality is valuedWelcoming AtmospherePart of something larger

Two way Candid Communication Managers’ Competence

Integrity – Reliability of Management

Professional SupportCollaboration

Demonstrated Caring

In Own JobAbout my Team

In the Organization

EquityImpartiality

Justice

TRUST

Credibility

Respect

Pride

Fairness

Camaraderie

What do great “People Managers” do to build great workplaces?

People managers at great workplaces consistently focus on 9 equally important areas of people practices

1. Hiring and Welcoming2. Inspiring 3. Speaking 4. Listening & Collaborating (and addressing Grievances & Appeals) 5. Thanking (Appreciating & Recognizing) 6. Developing 7. Caring (Balancing, Supporting & Including) 8. Celebrating & Enjoying 9. Sharing (Rewarding their People & Contributing to

Society)

How do People Practices impact employees positively?

1. Alignment to achieve organizational objectives

2. Employees give theirpersonal best

3.Work together as acohesive team/family

Right practices of people managers enable them to achieve three key organizational objectives

How to become a great workplace?

Four Tiers of Effective Trust Building and Employee Engagement at Great Workplaces

4 levels of actions for employee engagement to build trust and drive attraction, learning, performance and retention

Organization & Top Leadership - Inspiring, communicative, competent and demonstrate values and integrity

Employee Fit - Talents, strengths, values, passionate interests, needs & aspirations match with roles, organizational values and offering

Immediate Work Environment - People managers & peer group provide constructive feedback, positive reinforcement, learning, friendship, fun and camaraderie, which is highly engaging

Effective People Practices - Equitable & impartial, caring & inclusive, respectful & supportive, created in a consultative & collaborative manner, which create a sense of community

Learning from Annual Studies – Aspects most positively correlated with Overall Employee Perception

Aspects that are “statistically” best correlated with Overall Employee Perception (Final Outcome Statement)

Important to employees - Possible “Drivers” of Retention!?1. Fair evaluation of performance2. Providing opportunities for career growth3. Providing special and unique benefits4. Thanking and appreciating extra efforts & good work5. Showing sincere interest in employees, creating an emotionally

healthy place6. Treating employees as full members regardless of their position

(egalitarian culture) 7. Creating a “fun and friendly place to work”

Learning from Research / Annual Studies - Seven Key Differentiators between the Best and Rest

To become a great workplace, the following aspects seem to be critical, foundational and essential:

1.Open, honest, regular, two way communication2.Strong ongoing demonstration of integrity by leaders – walking the

talk and keeping promises3.Consultative, collaborative decision making, particularly on issues

that directly affect employees4.Caring for employees, encouraging work-life balance & fun at work5.Minimizing favouritism & politicking and ensuring fairness in

performance evaluation, promotions & careers6.Creating, in a caring manner, unique and special benefits tailored to

expressed employee needs, preferably collaboratively7.Equitable profit sharing and compensation

Inputs, Ideas, Remarks, Comments??!!

Thank You