Impacting CSR in Asia

Those inclusive HR best practices serve not just a company or sector, but also the broader business community, was the resounding chorus at the recently concluded Diversity & Inclusion in Asia 2010 Conference, in Hong Kong.

The conference was organised by the Hong Kong-based Community Business, a non-profit organisation that helps companies improve their positive impact on people and communities.

Now in its fourth year, the Diversity & Inclusion conference has become the must attend diversity event for the region – raising the profile and debating the issues as they relate to Asia. The theme of this year’s conference was “Facing the Issues in Asia”, including economic and social divisions, caste, gender, homosexuality, generational diversity, disability, etc.

During the event thought leaders touched up on not just the most common aspects of diversity, but also addressing some of the tougher and more sensitive issues relevant to Asia, those that are diverse from the best practices of the West.

Nirmala Menon, CEO, Interweave, was the table host representing India at the breakout working lunch session. It was a great opportunity for Nirmala to discuss Diversity and Inclusion in India, touching upon issues pertinent to our cultural and social sensibilities.

With plans to bring the Diversity and Inclusion Conference to India next year, Interweave has partnered with Community Business to actively impact change in the D&I space in India.

Real and attainable: Building confidence in women employees

As part of our expertise in diversity management and inclusiveness, we often tackle the unique and different challenges faced by women in the corporate world, including significant obstacles that are often invisible.

Women face several challenges in the workplace, including social and cultural stereotyping, gender bias and the struggle to balance work and family. However, there is one challenge which is entirely dependent on women themselves and under their control – that of confidence.

While women in workplaces across India today seem to face fewer entry barriers, thanks to increasing anti-discrimination practices, many women create their own glass ceiling thanks to a lack of confidence that prevents them from projecting themselves and their careers effectively.

This eye-opener was among the many interactions shared with participants at our confidence-building workshop for empowering women. The workshop, titled, Yes We Can! was conducted for the employees of a global internet search major, saw candid exchange of experiences and first-hand lessons, including how to raise visibility in the workplace, 360 degree networking with peers and sub-ordinates, and working with socialised limitations.

Packed with practical tips, techniques, and examples, the workshop was aimed at enabling women to tap the power of confidence and communication to persuade, motivate, establish authority – without sacrificing their integrity, compassion, or femininity. The various modules of the workshop – Pride and Prejudice (working with and around socialised limitations); Through the looking glass (packaging yourself professionally and nurturing a unique identity at work) helps ease the path of corporate success real and attainable for the participants.

Across the world, companies have realised the need for equitable gender participation in leadership. Workshops such as this are an assertive step by companies who want to empower their women employees to achieve their highest potential. What are you doing to help your team walk this path today?

Did you know……

"In absolute numbers, there will be approximately 63.5 million new entrants to the working age group of 15-59 years between 2011 and 2016. Further, it is important to note that the bulk of this increase in the population is likely to take place in relatively younger age group of 20-35 years. Such a trend would make India as one of the youngest nations in the world. In 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years old, compared to 37 in China and the US, 45 in West Europe and 48 in Japan. This trend is seen significant on the grounds that what matters is not the size of the population, but its age structure”

Source: Ministry of Labour and Employment (Annual report published in July 2010)

The first wave of the Millennial Generation—born between 1980 and 2001—is entering the workforce now. This generation may have been labelled reckless and impatient but are also known to be result and delivery oriented. Organisations are undergoing changes to accommodate the various needs and demands of this generation.

Are they bending over too much too soon?

Or does the Gen-Y hold enough promise to warrant these changes?

Share your thoughts. 

Also, read about “Brats At Work” in Business Today’s September 19^th edition.

 

Welcome! Gen Ys at the workplace! :)

Check out Interweave in the news!

Did you know……

"In absolute numbers, there will be approximately 63.5 million new entrants to the working age group of 15-59 years between 2011 and 2016. Further, it is important to note that the bulk of this increase in the population is likely to take place in relatively younger age group of 20-35 years. Such a trend would make India as one of the youngest nations in the world. In 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years old, compared to 37 in China and the US, 45 in West Europe and 48 in Japan. This trend is seen significant on the grounds that what matters is not the size of the population, but its age structure”
Source: Ministry of Labour and Employment (Annual report published in July 2010)
The first wave of the Millennial Generation—born between 1980 and 2001—is entering the workforce now. This generation may have been labelled reckless and impatient but are also known to be result and delivery oriented. Organisations are undergoing changes to accommodate the various needs and demands of this generation. Are they bending over too much too soon? Or does the Gen-Y hold enough promise to warrant these changes?

Do share your thoughts.


By:Neeti

Keep it safe!

High profile cases of sexual harassment in the press have certainly had an impact in the Indian workplace. An increasing number of Indian corporate firms have now stopped pushing issues under the carpet and instead, address them as important business issues. This, not only creates a ‘healthy’ work environment, but also safeguards against, reputational, operational and legal risks.

All this and more was discussed at our "No Excuses for Sexual Harassment" workshop, conducted in Delhi on the 25th of July this year. This was our fifth workshop on the subject and was well received by over 30 participants, representing 21 corporations. Mr Som Mittal, President, NASSCOM, opened the session and impressed upon the participants, the need for better awareness and understanding on the subject.

The workshop focussed on educating employers on their responsibilities on recognising and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. The interactions with the participants, and the candid exchange of experiences during the training, were indeed eye-openers for many participants, some of who came forth with first-hand experiences. The session was followed by a sharing of best practices from organisations that had robust practices in place. A legal perspective was provided on all these cases, by a lawyer panel member.

We are glad to note that HR professionals present in the room were unanimous that although employees may cringe at the thought of having anything to do with sexual harassment, it is important to educate them on the occurances and types of sexual harassment. Most cases, unless voiced by the victim or another employee, go undetected and breed scared, unhappy employees, often leading to attrition. In other instances, the harassment matters get out of hand and attract unwanted media attention and legal wrangles.

Verbal and non-verbal advances, quid pro quo harassment, and harassment of male employees are no longer rare occurrences and are potential legal exposures in the office environment. Employers therefore are establishing policies to create respectful work places as part of their business mandate. This workshop was an important step towards this.

We, at Interweave, sure look forward to hearing the success stories emerging from there. Do keep us posted!

Yes we can: Identifying and pushing our comfort zones

It was an interesting experience to listen to Prabha, an employee of a large public sector enterprise, at our workshop in Mumbai, last month. A qualified professional, Prabha reveled in playing the roles of a traditional homemaker as well as a high-performing professional in a non-traditional industry for women. Working in an all-male bastion such as the Oil and Gas sector is a commendable feat in itself and stands testimony to the determination and grit of these amazing women we met.

Conducting our first-ever workshop for the public sector, we loved the interaction with this amazing group of high-performing women who are at ease with heavy machinery and equipment, be it in the boiler rooms or on the shopfloors. Their experiences in trying to overcome some of their socialised limitations, were inspiring, especially in the midst of the prevalent prejudices that exist in a male-dominated work environment. These committed individuals are high performers today, and are indeed, valued employees at the company

The ladies were glad to have all-woman participation in the workshop. The candid discussions we had amply reflected this, as each of them opened up to talk about their day-to-day challenges in their professional environment. Listening to their varied ways of dealing with the challenges was quite a learning for us and for the participants, who realised that all of them were battling similar situations and could use each other’s experiences to learn from.

Our workshop, “Yes we can!” focused on helping these women set realistic goals and put their priorities in perspective. They were eager to learn and willing to push their comfort zones. We encouraged them with our modules on assertiveness and developing the confidence to speak up, influence others and seek support when needed. The inputs were very well received.

At Interweave, this workshop has re-iterated our belief that talent and potential is out there in varied forms and sometimes all it needs is a push in the right direction. This particular enterprise has done a commendable job at leveraging the potential of women who are statistically an under-represented talent pool at workplaces. We believe, that this pioneering effort will cascade into discernable benefits for the organisation. After all, engaging employees to leverage their full potential is a critical business need in corporate India today.

Please feel free to share with us any of your thoughts on this or let us know of any such initiatives at your workplace.