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  • 10 Best HR Books to Read in 2024

    In a current challenging field of HR, there is always plenty of things to learn—especially this year brings a huge collection of books for Human Resource professionals. In this post, we have listed some best hr books that will help you to sharpen your skills, learn from the diverse perspectives, and keep up with the changing trends.

    People who are keen to become better in their work or personal lives, search for the books that show them different possibilities and ideas. Hopefully, this list we have put together will make your work life more fulfilling!

    10 Best HR Books in 2020

    1. Unleashing the Power of Diversity by Bjorn Z. Ekelund

    Unleashing the Power of Diversity by Bjorn Z. Ekelund

    With the changing world in a workforce, Unleashing the Power of Diversity highlights on how to ensure that your company works to improve the communication between the people from different cultural experiences. You will learn to break down the barriers to trust and unification is at the forefront mission of this book. This book helps the HR professional to ensure that diversity is sustainable and viable.

    2. People Analytics for Dummies by Mike West

    People Analytics for Dummies by Mike West

    It is the best HR book for novice HR professionals or one who wishes to start utilizing analytics to improve their HR strategies. The book shows that different data will help to point you in the right direction, keep workers satisfied, and enhance their motivation.

    Also Read: 14 Best Books on Leadership and Management 2020

    3. The HR Scorecard by Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, Dave Ulrich

    The HR Scorecard by Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, Dave Ulrich

    The book by Brian Becker, Mark Huselid, Dave Ulrich is arguably one of the oldest on our list –however the most timeless of all. In an HR Scorecard, Becker & colleagues explain in detail how people, performance, and strategy are quantified and linked. HRM hasn’t been regarded as hard science. To align HR strategies with an organizational strategy, and measuring an impact on the workforce does not come naturally to Human Resource. But, when it is done well, it allows HR to quantify the impact & measure effectiveness in their work.

    4. Predictive HR Analytics: Mastering the HR Metric by Kirsten & Martin Edwards

    Predictive HR Analytics: Mastering the HR Metric by Kirsten & Martin Edwards

    Predictive HR Analytics builds on their previous version and is used as the reading material for Human Resource analytics classes. This book explores analytics and metrics in a detailed form. Using many different case studies, this book explores metrics and analytics linked to employee attitudes, diversity, employee turnover, recruitment analytics, employee performance, and much more.

    5. The Essential HR Handbook By Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell

    The Essential HR Handbook By Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell

    This is one book that many Human Resource Professionals reach out for whenever any question and problem comes up. The newly updated edition for 2020, the book offers complete advice and information on just about each HR topic, which includes hiring & firing, managing the diverse workforce, telework, making compensation packages, as well as avoiding any legal pitfalls. You can find best practices, which will help you to attract talented workers, create positive relationships between the managers and employees, and navigate human resource issues in a complex business environment today.

    6. The HR Answer Book by S. Smith and R. Mazin

    The HR Answer Book by S. Smith and R. Mazin

    The HR Answer Book by S. Smith and R. Mazin is a go-to HR book for getting quick answers over HR problems. It is simple to read, precise and provides complete guidance on all the issues that are found in the Human Resource. Answers range from simple to complex and making it one best quick reference HR book for everybody interested in this professional and are working in this field. It’s one of the best books for the HR experts that must also be kept in HR libraries.

    7. SHRM Essential Guide to Employment Law by Charles Fleischer

    SHRM Essential Guide to Employment Law by Charles Fleischer

    SHRM Essential Guide to Employment Law by Charles Fleischer sets the foundation for the HR professionals to improve their knowledge of data and analytics as well as help to improve the overall performance of the business. The book covers practical aspects like data-analytic thinking, data collection, data management, applying human resource tools and analytics to the workforce, and planning, training, recruiting, as well as turnover analysis.

    8. Human Resource Management By Gary Dessler

    Human Resource Management By Gary Dessler

    Gary Dessler is known to be the pioneer when it comes to HR Management literature, and his Human Resource Management work is arguable the best read & studied HR books right now. The new edition covers important key aspects of Human Resource. This includes the practical and step-by-step details of the key cornerstones of HR. The author breaks it down into five important parts: recruitment, placement and talent management, training and development, compensation, as well as employee relations.

    9. Unleashing Capacity: The Hidden Human Resources by Rita Trehan

    Unleashing Capacity The Hidden Human Resources by Rita Trehan

    Human Resource professionals are on a lookout for different ways to improve their careers and skills. When a human resource is enabled just by taking on the new leadership issues, they will enhance the roles, skills, as well as processes in the organizations. The author tries to share the first-hand experience in simple-to-read chapters, which will help the HR experts at different levels to move the corporate ladder.

    10. Financial Analysis for HR Managers: Tools for Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy by Steven Director

    Financial Analysis for HR Managers Tools for Linking HR Strategy to Business Strategy by Steven Director

    One main part of being a successful human resource professional lies in the ability to manage the financial functions of your work. It includes assessing the financial impact of human resources in the long-term business goals, preparing meaningful rewards packages for the employees, and making sure that HR plays an important role in the bigger enterprise profitability.

    This book is a thorough guide, covering each and every aspect of the financial element in HR today. Filled with examples, the breakdown of financial numbers in simple-to-understand aspects, and step-by-step point towards designing the successful HR & financial roadmap –it is one best read for people who are looking to get the best strategy from CFOs.

    Keep Reading

    HR isn’t about leveraging authority, bit, it is about the soft power: Human Resource must co-opt and attract than coerce. So, these are some of the top-rated HR books, check them out and do not stop reading.

  • 5 Stages of Employee Life Cycle

    Like everything else, the employment of a person also has a life cycle. It has its ups and downs and consistencies. There is a time when your career peaks and then follows years of recession, not in the bad terms. But before it lies a few years of constant struggle. You have to give your best to the organization you are working for. Throughout your employment period, the level and nature of your engagement with the organization vary in many ways. This pattern of varied engagement with the organization is understood through a framework called the employee life cycle.

    Right from the start, i.e., the recruitment till the end, i.e., the retirement, the employee life cycle covers all stages. Although the basic framework involves five stages of the life cycle, different organizations and experts can manipulate it a bit and make it six or four depending upon their needs and other peculiarities. This article will expand with the five steps of the employee life cycle and everything you need to know about it.

    Also Read: Recruitment Life Cycle – Different Stages of Recruitment

    What is the Employee Life Cycle?

    The employee life cycle is a pattern of engagement that the employee follows during their employment tenure with an organization. It is a framework carefully utilized by organizations and companies to keep their output optimal. It usually has five stages, tracked from recruitment till retirement covering all the adventure that occurs in between.

    5 Stages of Employee Life Cycle

    1. Recruitment

    Recruitment is the very first step of the employee life cycle, crucial for the employee as well as the employer organization. It holds importance due to the gravity of this step. The employee needs to find a job which is best suitable for him, according to him. His skill- set, expertise, and interest should align with the company. Moreover, the perks and privileges offered instead of the services rendered should seem satisfactory to the candidate. Their entire career depends upon this significant step that they are about to initiate; therefore, it becomes crucial.

    On the other hand, the employer needs a perfect fit for the opening since it will be an investment. The kind of services they receive should be worth the money they are investing in. Moreover, employees can prove to be real assets and sometimes catalysts for developmental change. Therefore, the first step of the employee life cycle becomes essential.

    2. Onboarding

    Onboarding is the very next step that occurs post recruitment. Your baby steps with which you start your professional career is called onboarding. Often, employees witness a humble beginning. The privilege, recognition, and responsibilities are not huge contrary to the learning that takes place. Since it is the new time in the professional workspace, it teaches the newcomer new etiquettes, on-ground realities, and new interpersonal skills required in the workspace and can be taught only through a trial and error method.

    It becomes essential not only for the employee because it lays the stepping stone to further advancement but also for the employer since new employees can harbor recent changes with their passion and innovative solutions.

    3. Career Development

    Although career development in the employee life cycle occurs after onboarding, there not a discernable distinction between them. But career development as a step involves career advancement at a much higher pace. The rewards, responsibilities, and recognition drastically increase as compared to the previous stage.

    When the employee can make their career path a distinguished one by taking the right baits and delivering the best they can. One needs to be very mindful of the amount of time and resources one is ending at this stage. Even the slightest miscalculation can cause a considerable fall out considering the roles and responsibilities associated with one particular employee at this stage. This is the time where an employee becomes a real asset to the organization.

    4. Employee Recognition

    Having delivered their best and optimum output at the employee deserves concerning recognition and respect that comes with consistency. The employee earns rewards according to the reward system adopted by the organization. At this stage, the amount of output contributed to the organization doesn’t matter, but their involvement is respected and deemed necessary in the organization.

    5. Off-boarding

    Off-boarding is the last step in the framework of the employee life cycle. It merely refers to retirement or the process through which the employee breaks off the tie with the organization. It marks the end of employment tenure, and the employee is no longer obliged to render their service(s) instead of salary. However, few organizations may choose to provide a few of the benefits.

    It is an essential step for both parties, i.e., the employee and the employers, just because the investments done by both the parties seem to wane off with time. With recruits, innovation, and technology, new changes are welcomed, and the workspace is changed over time gradually. To keep up with the pace, the off-boarding is required by the employers to be initiated on time with due credit, respect, and recognition.

    The name and number of these steps might be slightly different for different organizations, but their meaning more or less remains the same and their importance too. These steps each depict a particular challenge thrown at the employee and employer throughout the engagement period to keep the organization going and growing. A separate case and trajectory need to be made of different candidates, maintaining their strengths and weaknesses in mind, which can benefit both employers and employees all at once and at its optimum.

    image source: https://www.digitalhrtech.com/employee-life-cycle/

  • 50 Group Discussion Topics for Interview

    Recruitment and the entire process that is built around it is daunting in many ways, not just for the candidate who is seeking a job but also the organizations that need the perfect candidate to join them with their given resources. An organization and people who have bestowed the opportunity to run the interviews and group discussion have to assess many qualities at once and within a limited time frame and resources. It is important to hire the perfect candidate because it will be profitable, a long term investment and surely work according to the company’s interest.

    An ordinary round of selection these days involves group discussions and interviews taken together to check the compatibility and skillsets of the potential candidates. Interviews have always been simpler to execute and manage since they have been longer in the game and also dealing with one individual at a time. Group discussions, on the other hand, remain a complicated and complex process for many. To assess a large number of people at once, to check and assess their knowledge of the concerned field, to check the quality as well as the accuracy of the arguments presented as well as assess persona attributes such as compatibility to work in teams, accommodation to contrary viewpoints and general behavior with fellow peers.

    Here’s is a curated list of tips to ace the group discussion both as a candidate and as an organization with hundred topics to practice with. But first, we need to understand how a group discussion works.

    Also Read: Do’s and Don’ts of Group Discussion

    Procedure for a Smooth Group Discussion and Other Tips for The Organizers

    The group discussion generally begins with all the candidates seated in a hall, often facing each other to make the communication more effective. The hall chosen for the meeting is usually disturbance free so that every word spoken is loud and clear as a crystal.

    The organizers, i.e., the company that is hiring, sends a team of professionals who are there to represent the organizers as well as assess them. They begin the group discussion as soon as everyone is seated. The organizers first need to introduce themselves and ask all the individuals to introduce themselves, too, to ease the assessment for the panel. Once everyone is familiar to everyone, the tension eases, and this familiarity helps candidates be a bit more confident.

    The topics are already chosen by the organization and need to be dealt with one at a time strictly to prevent confusion. The time slots for every topic must be decided beforehand to maintain decorum and prevent the discussion from swaying away from the given discourse. The organizers need to be mindful that all candidates must be provided with fair speaking time, and the discussion should not be dominated by a few voices. If any such thing happens, they need to interrupt and assess the candidate according to their discerned behavior. Assessment can be quite tricky, and therefore, the panel needs to be carefully chosen.

    List of Group Discussion Topics for Interview

    Group Discussion Topics for Interview

    1. Impact of Covid19 Pandemic on the global economy
    2. Impact of COVID19 Pandemic on Indian Economy
    3. How can the Indian Economy Rejuvenate from the pandemic induced recession?
    4. How is the educational sector impacted by the pandemic?
    5. How is the startup sector impacted by the pandemic?
    6. What are the long term impacts of Covid19?
    7. How have digital communications navigated and bolstered communication during the Covid19 Pandemic?
    8. How have the health related startups responded to the pandemic?
    9. What policies should be adopted by authorities in the distribution of the Covid19 vaccine?
    10. What do you think gender equality has been impacted by the Covid19 pandemic?
    11. What the class of 2020 need realizes with regard to the recession, employment, and pandemic?
    12. What do you think the new normal is going to look like in workplaces?
    13. How has work from home impacted productivity?
    14. What were the limitations of work from home strategy?
    15. Do you think work from home can be adopted in the post COVID world to make the professional work environment more inclusive?
    16. What, according to all of you, is rejuvenation after the recession is going to look like?
    17. What, according to you, are the problems that children faced in the COVID induced lockdown?
    18. What were the different ways in which people tried to find sanity?
    19. How did the social sector respond to the pandemic induced crisis?
    20. How will textbooks remember Covid 19 pandemic?
    21. Women at the workplace: how to make it more inclusive
    22. How can diversity and inclusivity needs to be maintained
    23. How do international politics affect cross border trade?
    24. Migration and work-force
    25. How is brain drain affecting the Indian economy?
    26. How is overseas work migration impacting demography?
    27. How can cross border trade strengthen diplomatic relations?
    28. How have internships impacted the job market?
    29. What securities should interns enjoy?
    30. Do internships need to be paid?
    31. What policies do you think Indian Startups should adopt to maintain an all-inclusive workspace?
    32. How can women in leadership roles bolster the gender parity ratio?
    33. What are the areas in which the social and corporate sectors come together?
    34. What is the role of an organization in maintaining the mental well-being of its employees?
    35. How can workplaces be more sensitive towards the mental health of employees?
    36. How can organizations maintain the sense of social responsibility of the employees?
    37. How can businesses capitalize on social media platforms?
    38. How has business engagement changed with social media campaigns?
    39. What steps can organizations need to take to decrease plastic consumption?
    40. How can healthy work environments be created in organizations?
    41. What positive impacts can co-curricular activities at the workplace ensure/
    42. How can workplaces be more sensitive towards animal rights?
    43. What are the boundaries of healthy workplace banter amongst colleagues?
    44. What can be done to ensure a sense of security is enjoyed by minorities in the workplace?
    45. Engagement of businesses with media?
    46. What can be done to ensure proper customer redressed?
    47. How can the entertainment industry and startups collaborate?
    48. Influence of Pubg on society?
    49. How has content creation as an industry emerged with the internet and social media?
    50. Internet censorship: good or bad?

  • Strategic Human Resource Planning – Definition, Process and Importance

    As said “well begun is half done” and the beginning of anything great starts with excellent planning as planning is the initial step in the area of management. To manage everything well in any organization, the key factor is to plan everything perfectly. Since human assets are the most precious assets in the organization based on whom the journey of success starts so planning them well becomes even more essential, and this prospective approach for the human resources is called Strategic Human Resource Planning.

    What is Strategic Human Resource Planning?

    Strategic HR planning is an essential component of HR management. Almost every sized organization has a strategic plan that guides the organization in successfully meeting its mission. Organizations regularly complete financial plans to ensure they achieve organizational goals, and while workforce plans are not as common. Strategic HR management is defined as “Integrating human resource management strategies and systems to achieve the overall mission, strategies, and success of the firm while meeting the needs of employees and other stakeholders.”

    Strategic HR planning is a process that helps an organization to identify current and future human resources needs to achieve the end goals. It links human resource management to the overall strategic plan of an organization.

    Importance of Strategic Human Resource Planning

    1. Clarifies the Current Scenario and Indicates the Loopholes

    HR planning strategy, start with where you currently are. Here are several questions that can be used for self-assessment in the course of Strategic Human Resource Planning which gives a clear picture of the present situation.

    • What is going well right now?
    • Where do struggle is the most?
    • Which processes are running efficiently, and which ones are a constant pain?
    • Where does the team spend most of its energy and time?
    • Amount of manual tasks?

    2. Helps in Future Anticipation

    Success is not accidental. To keep moving forward and finish the race, you want to check out the long term and make a solid plan. Here are a few questions to consider when you predict the future to assure a brighter tomorrow:

    • How do the current assets and liabilities align with your goals?
    • Is welcoming new people feasible?
    • How to retain your existing and new employees?
    • Will a training strategy help your team build new competencies?

    3. Helps to Incline with Market Trends

    It’s possible to get lost in the ever-growing complexities in the market. Monitoring market trends and external factors are crucial elements of a strategic HR plan. The following questions will help to assess market conditions:

    • How is the labour market doing?
    • What are employees most likely to demand?
    • Which technological changes will disrupt the industry?
    • How is the economy expected to vary in the future? What impact will it leave?
    • What are the government regulations you need to be aware of?

    4. Assess the Workflows and the Delays

    Strategic Human Resource plan is to perform an internal scan on tech, and other inventory.its must convert your strategic plan into action. These questions will help you evaluate the current HR technology:

    • Is the current HR process capable of accomplishing strategic goals?
    • What are the frequent bottlenecks within the present HR workflow?
    • Is the current HR process plagued by errors?

    5. Unleashing the Power of Automation in HR Planning

    Strategic HR planning helps organizations absorb changes easily. However, before implementing strategic planning, eliminating the existing chaos in HR Processes is a must.

    Strategic Human Resource Planning Process

    Strategic Human Resource Planning

    The strategic HR Planning process has four steps:

    1. Assessing the current HR capacity
    2. Forecasting HR requirements
    3. Gap analysis
    4. Developing HR strategies to support organizational strategies

    1. Assessing Current HR Capacity

    Based on the organization’s strategic plan, the primary step within the strategic HR planning process is to assess the present HR capacity of the organization. The knowledge and skills of your current staff got to be identified. This can be done by developing a skills inventory for every employee. An employee’s performance assessment forms are often reviewed to work out if the person is prepared and willing to require more responsibility and to seem at the employee’s current development plans.

    2. Forecasting HR Requirements

    The next step is to forecast HR needs for the longer-term supported the strategic goals of the organization. Realistic forecasting of human resources involves estimating both to and fro. Questions to be answered include:

    • How many staff are going to be required to realize the strategic goals of the organization?
    • What skill sets will people need?

    3. Gap Analysis

    The next step is to determine the gap between where the organization wants to be in the future and where it is now. The gap analysis includes identifying the amount of staff and therefore, the skills required within the future as compared to the present situation. Gap analysis must encompass these below questions to be answered:

    • What new skills will be required?
    • Do our present employees have the required skills?
    • Are employees currently in positions that use their strengths?
    • Do we have enough managers/supervisors?

    4. Developing HR Strategies to Support Organizational Strategies

    There are mainly three HR strategies for meeting organization’s needs in the future:

    Training and Development Strategies: This strategy includes:

    • Providing staff with training to require new roles
    • Providing current staff with development opportunities to organize them for future jobs in your organization

    Recruitment Strategies: This strategy includes:

    • Recruiting new staff with the skill that your organization will need within the future
    • Considering all the available options for strategically promoting job openings and inspiring suitable candidates to use.

    Outsourcing Strategies: This strategy includes external individuals or organizations to undertake and try to do some tasks. Many organizations look outside their staff pool and contract skills. This is incredibly helpful for accomplishing specific, specialized tasks. Each outsourcing decision has implications for meeting the organization’s goals and will, therefore, be carefully assessed.

    Are you in the process of Strategic Human Resource Planning, end up with us? Zigsaw provides the best-outsourced recruitment service to fulfill organizational prospective goals. 

  • How to Make Salary Slip with Sample Formats

    The salary slip. The payment proof of your hard work. It is a document given by the employer to the employee. It is generally issued monthly after the salary is credited to the employee’s bank account. It can either be provided as a physical piece of paper, or its e-version can be mailed to the employee’s account. The company is under the legal obligation to issue a salary slip to the employee to have a record of the salary payments and deductions.

    Components Of Salary Slip

    Most of the employees do not pay much attention to this document as many are majorly concerned only with the salary credited into their respective accounts. A salary slip shows the salary of the employee broken down into various components like the basic salary, deductions, allowances and many more. A salary slip can have various formats, but some of the most important headings of a salary slip are:

    • Basic salary: The essential component of salary that constitutes the largest part of about 40%-50% of the total salary. It varies according to your position in the company. This forms the basis for all the other components of the salary.
    • Dearness Allowance: This is paid on top of the basic salary, and this component varies according to the prevailing inflation rate. It is generally 30%-40% of the basic pay, and for income tax, both the basic and the dearness allowance is taken together.
    • House Rent Allowance (HRA): All the companies must pay some amount under this heading which varies between 10%-35% of the basic and depends upon the position of the employee in the company. This is tax-free up to a certain limit provided the house rent proofs are furnished.
    • Conveyance Allowance: The amount that the company pays to cover the work-related travel expenses. This is also free of tax up to a certain limit.
    • Medical allowance: Many companies also provide a medical allowance which can be availed at the time of an accident or some major mishap. This amount will be disbursed only if a proof is provided and is limited up to the amount of INR 15000. 
    • Target linked pay: This is a performance-based component, provided as a lump sum amount quarter wise or semi-annually. This component is also tax-deductible.
    • Income tax or Tax deducted at source (TDS): This is a deduction that the company does according to the tax slabs as specified by the government of India. This is called tax deducted at source, and the final income that the employee receives is after the tax deduction.
    • Professional Tax: Levied by the state government, every working professional must pay this.
    • Provident Fund: As mandated by the government, the employer deducts 12% of the basic salary every month and makes a similar contribution to the employee’s provident fund account which is tax-free and is kept as a means for the employee’s retirement, so it is part of the employee’s investment portfolio.

    The basic components of a salary slip are described above. There can be some other headings also, which varies from company to company. 

    How to Make Salary Slip with Sample Formats

    Importance Of Salary Slip

    A salary slip is not only provided just because it is a legal requirement of the company to do so. But a salary slip has it’s own importance and uses. Some of the importance of a salary sip are:

    • Planning of income tax: Different components of the salary has different tax treatments as authorized by the law. So, having a clear idea about different components can help the employee to maximize the tax savings for the given financial year.
    • Employment proof: Apart from the offer letter, this salary slip is something that forms the proof of an employee’s employment for a particular company. It can also be submitted as proof of the last salary drawn when applying for a visa to a foreign place or for various programs at various universities.
    • Loans/ Credit Cards: This salary slip can also help in availing loans where it can be submitted as proof and can also help the institution to gauge the employee’s ability of debt repayment. It also serves as proof when applying for any borrowings, mortgage or credit cards.
    • Retirement Savings: Having an idea about the provident fund, gives a clear indication regarding the retirement savings that the company will provide the employee.
    • Helps in further employment: Knowing the various components of the salary slip can help in assessing various job offers and can also help the employee to negotiate salaries while switching jobs.

    Sample Format For Salary Slip

    Apart from the components of a salary slip, some of the other mandatory things that need to be there in a salary slip are Date, Name of the company, Logo, Address, Month, Year, Employee Code, Employee Name, Designation, Bank account number and many more. Let us look at some of the sample formats of a salary slip.

    Sample 1:

    Salary Slip Sample 1

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    Sample 2:

    Salary Slip Sample 2

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    Sample 3:

    Salary Slip Sample 2

    Download Sample

    Here are some samples for a salary slip. The basic details remain the same, only the kind of allowances and the deductions change. Providing the employee with a payment slip is mandatory for every employer. A salary slip, as discussed above, has its importance to play and must be saved carefully. Thus, salary slips are important for any employee to avail of various long-term benefits.

  • Do’s and Don’ts of Group Discussion

    The recruitment process is one of the first and possibly the most intimidating process of bagging a job at any organization belonging to any sector. The process is long and challenging and seems daunting for a newcomer. It is equally elaborate for the organization as well since conducting the entire process is a lengthy task. Finding potential recruits, arranging logistics as well as panels for the interview, making sure the interview is fair and just, conducting group discussions and following back with processed results is no easy job. 

    It takes time, effort and a whole lot of other resources to compile a set of questions which may assess the candidates in an overall manner. Judging the capabilities of these candidates based on half an hour interaction is not an easy task as well. The organization needs to recruit the best promising candidate as much as the candidate needs the job. We can say that it is a mutual negotiation between recruit and recruiter.

    One of the few steps of the entire process of recruitment is called group discussion. Group discussion might sound a simple process, as denoted by the name but it too crucial to be taken lightly. As a candidate applying for a job, the way you present yourself at the Group Discussion amongst all the other peer members can determine whether you will be trusted with the opportunity or not. Therefore, it becomes essential to know the dos and don’ts of a group discussion. But before that, it would help to understand why group discussions are considered essential and on what basis the organization is going to assess your performance.

    Why are Group Discussions Important?

    Group discussions are first and foremost important to judge how you conduct yourself amongst other peers. Your basic skills and knowledge about the specific sphere are already assessed in the interview, which few organizations may conduct while others may conduct after the group discussion. In the group discussion, you have to present yourself, your knowledge of your experience while sitting in between like-minded individuals who might be your future colleagues and competing individuals.

    It is going to depict whether you have the knack of working with peers. Whether you showcase mutual respect, accommodate a various point of view and how do you amicably present your own opinion, especially when it is contradictory.

    It shows your compatibility, accommodating capacity and ability to create a dialogue when confronted with a polarizing point of views. The organization needs a candidate who could portray all of these characteristics and help the organization in growing both in terms of quality and quantity.

    Do’s of Group Discussion

    Do’s and Don’ts of Group Discussion

    1. Introduce yourself before making your first point

    Group discussions are generally a process where you would have to speak time and again. You might need to take stands and present convincing arguments. So, before making your first statement, politely introduce yourself to your group and panelists. It will help the panelists as well as your peers to interact with you or refer to your point quickly. Do give an elaborate introduction, kindly mention your name and background in two sentences without taking much time.

    2. Formulate an opinion in your mind before speaking

    When you venture into speaking about a particular issue without giving it a good thought, it is sure that you might lose track of the argument or even mumble and fumble for words. It is better to give yourself some time to think about it, form an opinion and formulate that opinion in witty words. Remember, the first impression that you create is going to matter.

    3. Allow others to speak

    One of the critical characteristic to show that you are accommodating and readily listening person is by giving other members a chance to speak. It is most important to keep in mind that you don’t interrupt when someone else is speaking. If you don’t understand or agree with something, you need to keep patience and speak up when others have finished speaking.

    4. Be Assertive about your opinion but stay calm

    Group discussions involve a lot of people together speaking on a single subject. The time is also limited, which makes people easily cut other’s point in between which is not a good trait, as said earlier. You need to be assertive but not lose your calm since it might cost you a few good points.

    5. Speak up. Don’t hesitate

    When a group discussion is taking place, extroverts will likely dominate the conversation. In such scenarios, it becomes difficult for introverts to speak up. People who struggle with imposter syndrome or under-confidence might also face difficulties. It is very important, therefore, to pay special attention to the conversation and speak up whenever you feel comfortable. Don’t rush but also don’t let the opportunity pass. Speak less but make your presence felt.

    Don’ts of Group Discussion

    1. Don’t be argumentative

    Since group discussions are generally a place where a lot of diverse opinions come together, there lies a high probability that these might breed arguments and unhealthy interpersonal debate between people. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that the discussion shouldn’t end up as an argument.

    2. Don’t let the discussion see the hegemonised conversation

    Discussions can easily be hegemonised by a handful of people if equal chances to speak are not provided to everyone. This not at all reflects well upon people who are trying to create the hegemony. There remains a healthy way to put forward your opinions in an amicable manner, follow that course.

    3. Refrain from making personal comments

    Personal comments made while arguing in a professional sphere seems highly unprofessional as well as disrespectful. It would look a lot more professional if you could keep personal out of professional and move along the subject-specific discourse to sustain the credibility of the group discussion.

    Dos and don’ts of group discussion don’t stop at mere bullet points, but as long as you are patient, optimistic and respectful, you are good to go and ace the GD!

  • Best Answers for “What Does Teamwork Mean to You” Interview Question

    Answering questions with firm clarity of what you are speaking helps us portray ourselves in a good light. It allows you to show that you have got enough confidence and accountability and the skill set required by the said job. Answering questions don’t have to be immediate and impulsive; you can take your time. Analyze the question, look for the answers they are looking for, take your time to put the answer in coherent thought, and speak.

    The above given advice sounds easy for anybody to ace the interview or group discussion and bags the job they are striving for, but like many other things, it is easier said than done. The questions asked in the interview are relatively simple, but the answer might not come out easily. The questions can be tricky at times, but answers might be fairly simple. It is upon our minds to find out what the interviewer is looking out for. It can be related to the job and position you are seeking, but it can also be entirely detached from the employment. 

    Although numerous questions can be asked in a group discussion, one of the most commonly asked questions is- ‘what does teamwork mean to you?’ Now you remember the drill. Pay attention and follow it. The simplicity of the question might urge you to jump right into blabbering your thoughts. Still, if, by any chance, they sound incoherent, not aligned with the agenda, and not reflective of your personality, your words can do serious harm to the impression you are trying to create. Therefore, follow the steps, analyze the question, look for the kind of answer they are looking for, take your time to put the answer in line of coherent series, and then start mouthing it patiently, realizing the importance of every word you are speaking. 

    We have put together a few potential answers to the question of what team work means to you. You can sincerely follow these answers or make a few amends here and there to align it with your needs. But before jumping on to that bandwagon, let us try to understand what does teamwork means and why do organizations insist to ask this question while recruiting candidates. 

    What Is Teamwork? Why Are Organizations Seeking This Quality?

    Best Answers for What Does Teamwork Mean to You Interview Question

    A simple google search will tell you that teamwork refers to the combined action of a group, especially when effective and efficient. This clever and poignant explanation of the term gives a clear reflection of why does this quality is much sought by organizations. 

    Organizations, as the work itself, denotes that it is a group of people working together in different capacities for a goal. It, therefore, becomes really important to coordinate and manage the tasks in an equally dispersed mechanism. Lack of coordination amongst people who are working to deliver a goal can seriously hamper production and mess with the quality of product the organization is trying to manufacture. Not only this, lack of teamwork creates an unhealthy and negative environment which is not at all conducive to production. 

    What Should Be Included In An Ideal Answer?

    An ideal answer to the question of ‘what does teamwork mean to you?’ should reflect your ability to coordinate with your fellow members through effective communication and inclusion. Mention equal and fair distribution of responsibilities, adequate communication network set up amongst team members, a healthy exchange of ideas and favors in an environment conducive to productivity, and overall positive being. You can put in interesting anecdotes from your prior experiences to make your answer more engaging and aligned with your personality. But make sure you do not elaborate an answer so much so that it becomes boring and stretched. This will only make the interviewer less interested and conclude that you cannot comprehensively produce your thoughts.

    Sample Answers

    Answer 1:

    I would like first to mention the literal meaning of the word itself. Teamwork means when an activity is undertaken by a group of people together with proper co-ordination. Although we cannot vouch for equal distribution of responsibilities under all circumstances since organizational hierarchy might come into operation in a few instances, we can mention the fair distribution of responsibilities. Teamwork builds a healthy environment where good productivity is ensured with the assurance of the mental well-being of the individuals partaking in the production process. 

    Teamwork is essential in any organization that aims to build a healthy work environment where a specific goal is achieved. A healthy trust is to be made amongst people working for the organization.

    Answer 2:

    Teamwork is a very crucial component of any organization. Therefore, its meaning should be inclined with what work you are doing at the given time, like many other things. Teamwork is also subjective to certain conditions. Although there cannot be an equal division of responsibilities due to hierarchies, we must try and bridge the gap as much as we can. A healthy cycle of learning and disseminating information should be built with people who are part of the team. Mutual respect and trust also come into play.

    Therefore, teamwork, in my opinion, means this particular healthy cycle of exchange and a fair share of responsibilities.

    Answer 3:

    From my point of view, teamwork is indispensable and present at all stages of an organization. An organization cannot be run by one person; the extent to which the teamwork is healthy or not matters. Healthy teamwork consists of just distribution of roles and responsibilities as well as accountability. Strong communication and ethical exchange of work talk, as well as workplace banter, is what makes it healthy teamwork, which should be strived to be maintained in every organization.

    As mentioned earlier, you can make slight changes, modify these statements, or go with one of your own according to the steps mentioned above. Don’t forget to breathe in and out before attempting an answer, and you will indeed create an everlasting impression.

  • Gamification in HR – Working, Importance and Example

    Gamification is the use of recreation-wondering and recreation mechanics in non-recreation eventualities inclusive of commercial enterprise surroundings and procedures, specially in recruitment, schooling and improvement, and motivation, with a purpose to interact with customers and remedy problems, as described through Gartner Group.

    According to Gallup studies launched in April 2012, much less than one in 10 personnel are ‘engaged’ in their jobs. The closures are ‘now no longer engaged’ (60 %) or are ‘actively disengaged’ (32 %) – the maximum dangerous shape of disengagement. The goal is to take strategies from recreation layout and effect them in non-recreation contexts so that the general revel in for the worker or ‘user’ is extra enticing.

    The writer of Gamification of Learning & Instruction, Karl Kapp, says the important thing to gamification is how addictive it could end up throughout all generations of people. Kapp believes the benefits which might be a part of gamification inspire customers to live engaged and engage with each other, constructing more potent relationships. Several companies like Marriott, Cognizant, Deloitte, Aetna, and others are using gaming to enhance staff alignment, decorate worker skills, remedy complex troubles, and faucet into new expertise pools. Typical recreation layout strategies encompass intention setting, competition, real-time comments, and rewards. There also are systems inclusive of eMee and MindTickle that facilitate Gamification in companies.

    TCabs, a nearby radio cab provider issuer from Pune, India, has converted its everyday Call a Cab commercial enterprise right into a gamified consumer-enticing offering, using the eMee gamification engine. TCabs has added one of the first consumer loyalty software for cabs in India, referred to as TMiles. They have additionally brought recreation mechanics to inspire consumer sports like presenting comments at the cab journey, encouraging customers to actively take part in enhancing their provider, and sharing their TCabs revel in with their friends.

    Gamification in HR

    How Does It Work?

    The energy of Gamification works like this: it makes use of the aggressive streak all of us have inside us, and as we play a recreation, we end up extra absorbed and engaged, we experience a different experience of fulfillment and are extra inclined to head the greater mile in both making extra efforts to pick the proper people or finishing extra schooling programs, or maybe assisting personnel to live motivated. And as we progress, we retain to boost our engagement with the sport and attain new levels.

    In Recruitment and Selection

    Marriott International Inc. became an early implementer to check how gamification may be applied in recruiting the proper people. It advanced a motel-themed video game, much like Farmville or The Sims, to acclimatize potential personnel with the Marriott as an organization, the corporation tradition, and the motel industry. Anil Garg, VP-HR, Whirlpool, said at some point in the latest TimesJobs.Com boardroom convention that they had been drastically using social media and gamification (cryptic puzzles) to interact with potential personnel to preserve the emblem join alive. It’s clear that gamification withinside the recruitment sphere has proved to achieve success for those businesses and is getting outstanding results.

    Also Read: Difference between Recruitment and Selection

    In Training and Development

    The famed Deloitte Leadership Academy has skilled 10000+ executives from everywhere in the international, grants getting to know gamification through Badgeville to boom expertise sharing and emblem improvement. TCS has additionally stepped withinside the international of gamification through imposing recreation engines that permit the introduction of real-existence environments with integrated networking features, allowing the improvement of such Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). The software of MMORPG for real-international commercial schooling and simulation can cause extra collaboration and group play and decrease the dreariness concerned in solo-schooling, says the group.

    In Retention of Employees

    Accenture is the use of the gamification gear for worker engagement and administrative center conduct modification. The World Bank’s Evoke is a social collaboration recreation for fixing social problems. A very promising region of engagement and retention wherein gamification may be applied to worker health. For example, Mindbloom’s Life Game being used by Aetna is a freemium online social recreation aimed toward enhancing worker fitness and health through encouraging interactions with a metaphorical “self.” In essence, customers can preserve a test on their health by choosing and growing plans to foster health.

    The marketplace for gamification is anticipated to develop drastically, withinside the subsequent coming years. The Gartner studies suggest that through 2015, 50% of companies that cope with innovation procedures will gamify the one’s procedures, and that through 2014, extra than 70% of Global 2000 companies can have as a minimum one gamified app.

    Importance of Gamification

    1.  HR can alternate the education content material with the aid of using revamping it right into a game. Activities may be added if you want to permit personnel to advantage factors and badges via levels.
    2. Onboarding costs bureaucracy, and files may be very time consuming and complicated. Reward factors via gamification can result in performance withinside the commercial enterprise processes.
    3. It facilitates the HRs to install a difficult machine for worker well-being. There is an organisation answer known as Welbe, which aggregates information from wearables and worker well-being right into a dashboard. All people can determine every difference via leaderboards.
    4. It lets personnel understand every difference via aggressive and collaborative processes to commercial enterprise processes, necessities, and events.
    5. It lets in personnel to cost every difference once they excel at a specific activity. This is carried out via the assist of cost badges and lifestyle factors supplied to personnel if they comply with the agency values appropriately.

    Example of Gamification

    In 2015, PWC Hungary introduced a sport referred to as a Multipoly video game that carried out the commercial enterprise demanding situations right into a digital surrounding wherein the personnel get a hazard to check their flair and abilities via means of receiving guidelines and remarks via the in-sport performances. It now no longer best improved worker retention however additionally boosted the agency recruitment,

    Another New Zealand famed agency, Deloitte, used a recruiting video that became gamified and interactive. It went by way of the call of ‘Will you be healthy in Deloitte?’. It defined the firm’s offerings and agency lifestyle in information permitting applicants to play a position to get entry to their sports via desired points.

    From getting to know and improvement to recruiting, gamification withinside the destiny will migrate from the place of work surroundings to new domain names if you want to assist HRs to realise excessive appearing personnel. If you’re one of these people who’s searching ahead to growing an attentive, worthwhile, and interactive workforce, it’s time which you to leverage their intrinsic motivators via exceptional gamification approaches.

  • Best Answers for “Why Shouldn’t We Hire You” Interview Question

    Wait, wait, wait. Read the question again. It isn’t the normal, routine question that you might have faced in the interviews stating “Why should we hire you?”. As soon as you are gearing up to deliver your practised version of the answer, the realization will dawn upon you, that a trick question has been sent your way and the actual question stands as “Why shouldn’t we hire you?”.

    This trick question is becoming pretty popular nowadays, and it is being used to throw the candidates off-guard. So, a well-prepared answer to this question is also one of the mandatory preparations that you have to do before facing an interview.

    This question can be considered as an exaggeration to the question “What are your weakness?”. This question should be a well-prepared one. The main motive of answering this question is to highlight a strength wrapped up as a weakness. Although asked as a trick question, if answered nicely, then this question can allow you to shine. 

    Why Such Trick Question?

    Every question in an interview is asked with a purpose. Reasons, why an interviewer asks this question, are: 

    • To see how swiftly you can think on your feet, when a question, quite different from the traditional ones are asked. The interviewer wants to check how nimbly you can find your way out of an unfavourable situation.
    • Another reason is that the interviewer wants to get an idea about both the strengths and the weaknesses of the candidate so that they can better assess them. 

    Some Tips to Follow While Answering This Question

    A perfect answer demands lots of research and hard work. To turn this question in your favour, continuous practice is a must. For practising, a great answer is required. So, to prepare a great answer, some of the tips are: 

    • Be honest: There is a reason honesty is called the best policy. No person is perfect. So, don’t fall into that age-old trap of “I don’t have a weakness.” This answer will put you in a negative light, so be honest and think of a reason that can be stated when such a question is asked.
    • State a reason but with some corrective measures: An answer has to be given, so if you are stating a weakness as the reason, make sure to add some corrective measures that you are taking, improving that weakness as it will give a good impression. But be careful, do not mention a weakness, that can hurt your chances of getting the job, or that is related to the job profile. 
    • Identify your strengths: One of the best ways to answer such kind of questions is to mention some small weakness in a passing manner, followed by a vivid description of your strengths.
    • Make your research game pretty strong: You can prepare your answer based on the kind of job profile the company is offering. If a certain characteristic is required for the job, you can answer the question by stating the opposite of that characteristic. For example, The job entails to be working in large groups, so you can answer by saying that “You should not hire me if you want someone who can work independently on your projects.” 

    Do Not Do These!

    It is a trap question. So, falling in this pit-hole is quite easy. So, there are certain NOs which you should follow to avoid falling into the trap. These are:

    • Do not be cocky: Do not be one of those who answer along the lines that “You do not have any reason not to hire me!”. This creates a bad impression and can drive your interview downhill from that point forward.
    • Do not spread negativity: State your weakness, but not continue to dwell on them. Do not use this question as an opportunity to point out a weakness in other candidates.
    • Do not give them a reason not to hire you: Do not state a reason, that can straight-away give the employer a reason to disqualify you. So, have good background research about the company and the job profile.
    • Do not dodge the question: Answer it. Do not try to avoid it. This will do more harm than good.

    Sample Answers

    Best Answers for “Why Shouldn’t We Hire You” Interview Question

    Some of the sample answers for the above question are:

    Sample 1:

    “Well if the job demands an individual that can head-on lead the department, then I may not be the correct person to do it. I am more of a team player. Heading a department will be something very new for me. But, the part that is my forte is bringing a plan to life, i.e., it’s execution. In meetings generally, a lot of ideas are thrown around, but none of those comes to its fruition. I shine at identifying potential ideas, following up these ideas, and executing the most suitable idea.”

    Sample 2:

    “I am great at delivering my deliverables at exact deadlines. I never miss an important deadline. But one weakness that I seem to have is, I am not the kind of the employee that can come sharp at 9 AM to the office. I am a person who prefers working late and can put in extra hours, but being chirpy and full of energy early in the morning is very difficult for me. So, if this is a judging-criteria, then I think I am not a correct match.”

    Sample 3 (When you shine at a certain skill that is required, use it as leverage):

    “If you are looking for a person who is great at managing people, so I may not be the right choice, as my management skills are quite rusty. But, if you are looking for someone who has great expertise in handling the reports and the statistical data, so I am the person, who has good experience in MS-Excel and being a statistician, I know all these, like the back of my hand.”

    Sample 4: 

    “I have this habit of getting too engrossed in my work and doing it till it is executed perfectly. So, if you don’t want your customers to have an individual and immersive experience, then I may not be the perfect candidate, because I believe in serving each customer on a personal level.”

    Sample 5:

     “If you want someone who thrives working independently, so I am not the right choice. I like working in teams because I feel that I am at my maximum efficiency when I work with a group of people. Working in groups brings out the best in me as different ideas bounce off each other, and together, we can reach a great decision.”

    Sample 6: 

    “You should not hire me if you are looking for someone great at small talk. Though I love socializing with people, I like to talk to them, to get to know them, not just the formal Hellos and Byes. I need to get to know people who are in my team and share a great camaraderie so that we as a team can give out 100 per cent.”

    Sample 7:

    “You should not hire me if you want someone would stick to the official 9-5 job and would not be thrilled to put in extra effort just for the sake of the benefit of the company. I am the kind of the person, who believes in giving my 100% when it comes to projects so that I can deliver them to the finishing line as soon and as accurately as possible.”

    So, these are some of the classical answers, where you can portray your strengths as the reason why you should not be hired. Taking a clue from these, you can create your own modified version of the answer, depending upon your strengths, the company and the job profile. This question gives you a chance to convert your interview to a huge success, so do not waste it and use it your advantage. 

  • Top 5 HR Trends in 2024

    HR trends are an important part of HR operations. HR trend depends on a lot of internal and external factors. These include market conditions, changing social dynamics, changing political dynamics, laws and legislations, predictive analysis etc. HR professionals predict and study these various trends to get an idea and decide on how the HR operations are going to take place.

    HR trends are important both in terms of the welfare of the organisations as well as from the perspective of the employees.

    2020 was a roller-coaster year in terms of everything. It has changed the economic situation, changed the social dynamics and completely shifted how workplaces used to work. With almost all the entire planet in lockdown and confined to their homes, the work has shifted to the homes as well, and all work has gone digital. With all the workforce going digital, it is only natural that the HR trends will take a digital turn too. Let’s find out a few top HR trends in 2024.

    Top 5 HR Trends in 2024

    HR Trends

    Image Source

    1. AI in The Recruitment Process

    Artificial intelligence has made its way in the various sectors in the market. Be it baking, finance, health, marketing, retail, artificial intelligence has operations everywhere by substituting the traditionally used human labour.

    AI will also make its way in the HR hiring and recruitment process. It is not only supposed to be saving a lot of time but also supposed to yield more accurate results. Chatbots are going to be implemented in the recruitment procedure. This would largely eliminate the repetitive tasks of the recruiters by providing automated responses. Most applicants have several Frequently Asked Questions, and by employing the bot to answer them, the recruiters will save upon a lot of time that they can use somewhere else.

    Screening and elimination of candidates will also become easier and faster. The job requirements of the candidate would be recorded by AI, and the candidates would be screened accordingly. Otherwise, to screen candidates for a single hire, it takes 20 hours on an average by recruiters. As an additional advantage, the AI-based recruitment will not only be faster but also more accurate due to the absence of human bias.

    Also Read: Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Recruitment

    2. Implementation Of Data Analytics

    Data analytics will make a striking presence in the HR trends in the coming years. Instead of the observatory and recorded information, HR decisions will be guided by data-driven results. This can help HR professionals to attract potential best candidates for their jobs. Data analytics will also help in retaining talented employees. Employee absenteeism, turnover rate, level of engagement etc. will have tremendous scope to be recorded under data analytics. Studying and predicting these trends by analytics will give HR professionals a great added advantage.

    Implementation of data analytics will have varied impacts on the HR domain. Employee satisfaction and experience can be greatly improved by the use of data analytics. This will eventually lead to greater productivity. Studying the trends will also help in reducing employee turnover rate. Planning of workforce and development of training can also be improved by the use of data analytics.

    3. Employee Experience Platforms

    Ensuring a good employee experience is not just important to the employees but also hugely important to the company. Just a good pay and a healthy work environment are not enough to keep the employees satisfied. With widespread digitalisation and such a great social forum, employees can anytime take to websites like Glassdoor and review their current company. The reviews can be based on their workplace policies, compensation, benefits, etc. If an employee is not satisfied, negative reviews on these forums can impact the goodwill of the company.

    Hence improving the experiences of the employees is an important part to focus on. This is where changing HR trends come into play. This means that global experts suggest that implementing HR technologies can positively impact the experience of these employees.

    Hence, Employee Experience Platforms or EXPs can be used. These help in managing and designing different kinds of employee interactions that take place across the company. EXPs will help a great deal in to economise on cost and time that help in the development of custom employee portals, developing backend integrated systems etc.

    The EXP will also help in integrating several processes on a single platform. These include the development of career, administration of benefits, performance management, payroll management, onboarding procedures, etc. The EXP uses an intuitive procedure to perform these tasks. In totality, HR will see an amalgamation of HR and IT functions that would lead to higher productivity.

    Also Read: 7 Workplace Rules for Happy Life

    4. On The Job Training

    Training is very important for the employees to understand the functions of the organisation and to be able to fit in with that. On the job training is an important part of the entire training procedure where the employees are provided hands-on training about how to perform their specific job roles to meet the various long term and short term goals.

     However, the traditions methods of training are most likely to be replaced by more technologically advanced ones in the coming time. The companies can make use of augmented reality, virtual reality, gamification, etc. to provide training to their employees before they get on with their jobs. 

    5. Feedback Tools

    Feedback is an important part of engaging the employees in an organisation. Engaging the employees also mean increasing the possibility of their retention and improving their satisfaction. Hence an important trend in HR would be about employing feedback tools to increase employee engagement in the organisation. These tools would largely help in managing and tracking the concerns of the employees and thereby taking corrective measures.

    All of these trends are based on predictive analysis and are not be trusted in blindsight about determining the functioning of a company. However, they are made by extensive studying of patterns, and other external factors and hence can be used as a framework upon which the operations will take place. These are created after analysis and in real-time should be implemented in steps after considering the needs and current status of the company.