Ever heard of Human Resources Customization! I’m sure you’ve not and that is because this is not a term or a feature that you usually look at while buying a product.

Customization in the day and time is what keeps the sale of a product or service going. But let me tell you no matter how well a designer assembles a product or how well a programerbuilts a software, these can not reach the ultimate point of the utmost use of the feature of ‘customization’ and that is exactly why there are always *conditions applied.

In the case of humans, however, there are almost never these exceptional cases that one would see or even expect for that mater. Humans are the most personalize resource of all time and so they can not be termed under just products or services.

Currently, I am responsible for handling 3 organizations at the same time. As much as I am privileged to be working with a bunch of brilliant leaders who are incredibly farsighted at the same time I have realized that each of them who have been so fortunate to step closer to their larger goals every second but they all have not necessarily taken the same path. And this is where my skill of customization needs a spot-light.

Well, as much as each organization has different business models, in the same way, there are other softer aspects that are distinct and unique at the same time. The culture, demography, ideology, vision or values of each organization are different and I do not only want to sound politically correct but all of these still stand true even after all the dissimilarities.

Let me now walk you through what role do I play towards been ‘the one’ that each organization desires to have. The human resource has to create a working space for each which is subject to the principles that the founder walks with. We need to hire a team member that could fit the culture, we are required to set policies that are subject to the organization’s dynamics. We need to handle grievances very sensitively keeping in mind the other side of each coin. We want to bridge the gap between the leaders and the followers. Having structures and processes in place that would promote the vision. All of this without jeopardizing the core values of the organization. And above all, we are also accountable to practice what we preach.

Now, why do I say that a person representing the human resource is customized is because I am playing the role of the representative for 3 different organizations but all stand independent and unconventional from one another. I function for what is best for the organization as a whole but the same may not work for another organization. I am walking towards specializing to be a Human Resource Business Partner who is personalized for an organization and I think in today’s age one would not just hire a Human Resource but would subscribe to it.

Sorry to come out straight like that, but that is pretty much the question that stands in our way most of the times in the face of growth. What seems safer (control) may not always be the best (efficient).

The same question is faced by every business for HR. In-house or outsource?

Looks like an easy one, right? Definitely, in-house –

(a) it will be cost-effective;

(b) we will have more control of their operation;

(c) what happens in the office, stays in office.

Surely, we would happily agree, only if it was all that simple! Only if you were not dealing with humans but machines, if more control meant better management and efficiency. A straight line, without any bends and curves. A beautiful dream, but not true.

Just a peek into the reality shows us the possibilities of a situation when in-house resource absconds or quits. It’s complete chaos, not just because you lost a department, but because you lost a part of your own company. Or let’s not go that far, what if the in-house team doesn’t complete the work assigned? They are in-house, so any and every responsibility from performance to well-being is yours. Will you be auditing all documents every month?

This is where we would like to shed some reasonable light onto a dark misconception about outsourcing HR. Most importantly, at 7sHR –

(a) your data remains with you. Nothing will leak no matter what.

(b) it is audited by a senior resource from 7shR each month. This means you are not dependent on having a resource yourself and work doesn’t suffer even if they quit.

(c) you get strategy support too and do not have to spend time training your inhouse resource yourself.

Not just that but outsourcing HR with 7sHR means you don’t have to pay a year-round salary for things like training and recruitment which happen a few times in a year on need-basis. Our various packages mean you can customize our service the way it suits your company. Finally, our highly professional team comes in with the experience of years of working with different types of workforces. This essentially means that your company is in the best hands possible.

Let do it once again! Shall we?

Control or efficiency? Be honest!

If you’re a small/mid-size company, I am sure these thoughts must’ve crossed your mind. Let us help you clear some air and put this into perspective. 

Small businesses, especially, come to believe that because their workforce is less, they do not need an HR. But even if you have a single human resource – one single employee – effective HR management is the backbone of your company as you grow. More so if a small business needs to grow rapidly. Employees drive your culture and your performance, and hence it is imperative to set the right expectations from the 1st employee, as the legacy carries on.

HR (Human Resources) is like any other department – sales, marketing, operations. HR can calculate a good return on investment and is not just a cost-centre. What sets HR apart is the way it deals with resources which are, in its case, people.

It’s important to understand that there is a difference between machines and people. Not just for moral concerns, but even for economic and efficiency, which is directly proportional to your businesses success or failure. This is where HR adds value, especially in small and mid-sized companies. From hiring skilled people, training and developing them to be a productive part of your company’s ecosystem; confirming their smooth growth up until termination, ensuring they respect the HR policies, company values and culture and a lot more which builds the organization. 

HR isn’t about delegating workstations to people or giving salary slips. It’s much more than that. It’s managing your most precious resource which is pivotal in the success or failure of any endeavor – people. Employees represent your company, be it one or one hundred. Hence, recruiting and aligning talented people on the vanguard who complement the organization’s culture is key to ensuring success with a happy and productive work environment. 

Have you ever heard of burnout? Yes, it’s a real thing. As a small business, say you are happy with one of your employees as they are working at an incredible pace. To keep them happy, you promote them with regular bonuses as they continue with the phenomenal efforts. But eventually, what if they just stop performing the way you want them to. Or worse, leave the organization for reason’s like “I need a break.” – this is burnout. And burnout isn’t your friend. It causes stress, reduces efficiency and can also cause mental health issues for the employee. HR, on the other hand, comes in to help maintain the work-life balance of such and other employees so they avoid killing all motivation to work and therefore can be retained as they produce the best results for you. 

Most importantly, employee issues and consent are two major concerns which can turn out to be a severe challenge to small and mid-size businesses. There are laws which can be easily turned against a company in cases of disputes. HR recognizes these various laws and their implications to help you keep away from any trouble. 

Such issues or lawsuits can seriously injure small or mid-size businesses as they do not have the time nor the resources to forge a battle of law. Good HR support can highly reduce the occurrence of such anomalies and ensure a smooth running and constant growth of the firm.

How did that feel? Yes, it’s for you. Thank you! That’s how simple yet powerful appreciation can be.

But how is that relevant to your business? Believe it or not, this is one of the keys for developing and maintaining your workforce. It not only builds employee morale and makes them feel better about themselves, but it helps them build a strong relationship with the organization as well.

This means, they are not just working for the payslip anymore, but like you, they too are committed to seeing ‘their’ company grow.

This leads to enhanced performance (show us your smile now). Our brains are wired in a way to do the things we are encouraged for. We tend to do it more often and effectively. Ultimately, this results in better performance and increased productivity for your firm, by just a few words conveying that you value your employees.

Convinced but confused? The ‘how’ of appreciation is really simple. Let us show you.

You have chosen to read this out of the million other things you could do right now. Thank you so much for your time and effort to understand this very crucial aspect today!

See? It doesn’t have to come from an extraordinary place. It stems from gratitude. And there is nothing warmer than a few cherishing words straight from the heart.

Small but heartfelt gestures make all the difference. You don’t need to spend on lavish gifts or take the clan out partying every weekend. No, you don’t have to go about saying “Thank you”“Good job” all day, to everyone either.

It shouldn’t be expensive or boring. It should be simple and thoughtful.

Send them a surprise email, a handwritten letter, talk about their family, a few kind words for a challenge they are currently facing. All these will go a long way, not only to build your organization but also the organization culture.

Just a caution! Don’t be surprised, if you start seeing your employees appreciating each other very soon after you start the practice. Kindness has the power to transform the hectic work environment into joyous partnerships of getting things done with focus, efficiency and happiness.

What are you waiting for?

Pass on the gratitude.

Thank you!

“Management is the art of getting things done through people” – Mary Parker Follett.

What is Delegation?

Delegation is the act of entrusting the responsibility and authority to the subordinate to carry out specific tasks, activities and projects while dictating expected outcomes and timeframe of completion. However, the person who delegates the work remains accountable for the result of the delegated work.

Why is delegation important? What are its benefits?

• Decreases your stress
• Gives you time to focus on other tasks or projects
• Helps you build your leadership skills
• Balanced workload
• Increases the overall productivity of the organisation
• Better use of human resources
• It increases the job satisfaction of employees
• Helps in developing new leaders and building new skills.

What not to delegate?

• Tasks that contain confidential information
• Tasks that you don’t like doing
• Your specified responsibilities

What is not delegation?

• Dumping work
• To give orders
• Lack of accountability for the work to be completed successfully

Steps in delegation:

1. Identify tasks and person:

Identify the lists of tasks or projects that can be delegated. Clearly understand the skills and competence required by the job and choose the right person to delegate.

2. Demonstrate:

Communicate the requirements, specification, expected outcome and the deadlines for the assigned tasks. Give examples of similar work if any. Make sure that the subordinate has understood what needs to be done. Ask for clarification.

3. Allocate Authority, information and resources:

Grant the authority to determine the process. Provide access to all the necessary information.

4. Support and Monitor:

Schedule follow-up meetings. Review the progress. Assist when requested, appreciate the progress and give feedback. It’s okay to help and support but do not encourage “reverse delegation” as this will create a pattern in the upcoming projects.

For managers, it is necessary to delegate tasks, but a few managers do not implement this at the workplace due to a few reasons such as:

• Their ego- They want to be on the limelight, and they feel that delegation may reduce their influence in the organisation.
• They like things to be done in their way only and feel that only they can do it better than anyone else.
• They feel like their subordinate may not accept the additional work.
• Lack of trust/confidence in the subordinate: They feel that the tasks may not be completed on time or it may be incorrect and they will have to redo it.
• They feel that it’s easy and faster if they do it themselves instead of explaining how to do and then monitor it.
• Fear of competition: what if the subordinate does the task better then them? What if that leads to their replacement.
• Lack of skills: Some manager may not have the ability to lead the subordinate, communicate effectively, train/guide people and not knowing the concept of Delegation.

Similarly, there may be obstacles in successful delegation due to the subordinates as well, such as:

• Dependency: Some subordinates refuse to take responsibilities, and they depend on their managers to tackle problems or make decisions
• Fear: They fear that if they make any mistakes, they will be criticised or punished
• Lack of Information: If improper information or no information is provided, it creates a hesitation to accept the task
• Lack of self-confidence: Not confident to take new challenges
• Superior- subordinate relationship: if the manager is very critical, not giving appreciations, trying to control the subordinate, and micromanaging the person. These become a barrier in the successful delegation.

Having a clear understanding of when to delegate, what to delegate, how to delegate, how to overcome the barriers will help you in successful delegation which will in return yield benefits to the superior, subordinate and the organisation.