Gem of a Career
Preetinder Kaur

Precious stones have remained "neighbour's envy and owner's pride" since time immemorial. Jewellery and ornaments have always been coveted as exotic, unequalled and invaluable articles of personal glory. Apart from being symbols of wealth and power, gems and precious stones have been revered for their magical powers as well. There are very few substances which pack so much value in such small sizes. Fashions and trends keep on changing but the eternal appeal of precious stones, gems and jewellery never fades and neither does the value of this as a career choice. Changing times have changed as well as added new dimensions to the role of people wanting to work in this field and several new opportunities are available for you if you love the glitter and aura of gems.

Statistics suggest that 60 per cent by value, 82 per cent by volume and 95 per cent of the cut and polished diamonds all over the world get processed in India. Also considering the fact that India is the largest consumer of gold in the world and has an excellent infrastructure for diamond cutting, Gemology can prove to be a very lucrative and satisfying career.

Growth of the diamond market in India is the highest in the world for Diamond Trading Company, a De Beers Group company, according to Cherie 
Tandon Saldanha, the company’s marketing director for India.

In terms of volume, India is now the third largest market — accounting for seven per cent of the company's total business — after the US (50 per cent) and Japan (13 per cent).

“DTC accounts for 50 per cent of the diamond sale - both rough and finished - in the country and, keeping in mind the growth potential, 37 of our 92 sight holders globally are based in India," said Saldanha.

Owing to the availability of cheap labour, it is estimated that nine out of every 10 diamonds are cut in India. Due to the discovery and pilferage of imitations of diamonds and synthetic gems, the field is still evolving. The International Gemological Institute (IGI), the largest independent gem certification and appraisal institute with gemological laboratories in Antwerp (Belgium), New York (USA) and Bangkok (Thailand), has set up shop in Mumbai in recognition of India's immense potential in this field. Many other gemological institutes have been eyeing India in the recent past.

The practitioners i.e., gemologists identify, sort out and grade these stones. Gemology is concerned with the scientific study of gems and deals with the occurrence, physical properties and identification of natural gems. It is of great importance to traders, dealers and anyone who is fascinated with precious stones.

ELIGIBILITY

The modern day needs and technological advancement have increased the importance of training manifold. In order to be eligible for admission to a course in gemology, students should have completed Plus II (any stream) or graduation. The duration of the courses varies but they are of short term. A good command over English is a must if you want to progress in this field because not only does it gives an edge during communication with customers but also, the best books on the subject are in English.

COURSE CONTENT

Course content in this field mainly consists of gem’s identification and colouring, metal concepts, drawing techniques, metallurgical processes, elements of fashion, design methodology, computer aided designing, ornament designing, ornament making and traditional and modern processes with specialisation in jewellery designing.

Gemologists identify, sort and grade gemstones in order to advise jewellers regarding various properties of gems and the suitability of particular stones in different metals and settings. Thus, the functions of a gemologist include identification, measurement of weight, establishment of size and all other such aspects. You can specialise as a gem grinder, gem polisher, gem assorter, engraver, jewellery setter, researcher and scientist. You can also be involved in teaching and training people with relevant qualification and adequate experience.

SKILL SET

A keen sense of design and appreciation of quality. Excellent powers of observation, attention to detail, precision, ability to concentrate, initiative, an objective approach and a tremendous sense of responsibility are some of the qualities, which will make your progress in this career fast and smooth. Good hand-eye coordination, patience and concentration are required in great measures because the work is precise and delicate in nature.

It is a fact that Indian gem cutters and craftsmen are respected and held in high regard all over the world. Government's liberalisation policy has also opened up a whole new world of opportunities in India and abroad. Within India, Jaipur (Rajasthan) is among the world's largest gem cutting centers. Other emerging centers include Delhi, Mumbai, Surat and Ahmedabad.

PAY PACKAGE

Employment is not a problem for skilled workers. The salaries vary depending on the type of the job one is doing. Creative jobs generally fetch a starting salary of Rs 15,000 per month. People involved in this business can also be retailers, wholesalers of gems, where income levels vary from one extreme to another.

The writer is Project Assistant IIT Ropar Punjab

Institutes

n Gemstones Artisans Training School Jhalana Mahal, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

n Gemology Institute of India, 29, Gurukul Chambers, Mumbadevi Road, Mumbai (Maharashtra)

n Indian Gemmological Institute (IGI), F-32, Jhandewalan Flatted Factories Complex, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi - 110055. Phone: 011-23679732, Tele Fax: 011-23681111 Email: igi@gjepcindia.com

n Indian Diamond Institute, Katargam, GIDC, Sumul Dairy Road, Surat (Gujarat)

n The Indian Diamond Institute, Gem & Jewellery EPC, Rajasthan Bhavan, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

n Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Career Hotline
Population studies
Pervin Malhotra

Q. I am in the final year of Geography (Hons) course. I would like to do a postgraduate degree or diploma level course in population studies. Could you please tell me about the courses and prospects of this field? — Vineet Arora

A. With global population having reached dangerous levels, population studies has gained increasing significance. Specialisation in this field offers opportunities to work with international aid agencies like USAID, Population Council, Ford Foundation, UNFPA, Care, etc on their various surveys and research projects. Central Government offices like the Census Office, Registrar General and Census Commission and Ministry of Family Welfare also employ specialists in Population Studies as do some NGOs and professional bodies such as the Indian Association of Population Studies.

You could do your Masters in Population Studies at the following universities:

International Institute of Population Sciences, Govandi Station Road, Deonar, Mumbai(www.iipsindia.org). The only institute of its kind in the world, IIPS is a Deemed University that is solely focussed on the study of demography.

Course: Masters in Population Studies (MPS), also available through distance learning (1-yr).

Eligibility: Masters in statistics, maths, economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology or geography.

And here are a few others:

n Annamalai University, P O Annamalainagar, (TN).

n Bharathiar University, Maruthamalai Road, Coimbatore (TN).

n Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 2, Chittoor (AP).

If you wish to pursue higher studies in the subject, you could opt for an M Phil in Population Science from JNU. Eligibility for the programme is MA in geography. The course will cover fields like Human Settlement, Methodology, Morality, Urbanisation, Census and Vital Statistics etc.

Besides these, a number of universities offer PG Diploma courses in population studies after graduation: Maharshi Dayanand University, University of Madras, University of Burdwan, Punjab University, University of Rajasthan (post-MA Dip).

Extra edge

Q. I am doing BTech (IT). But with so many students opting for this stream, what will be the job prospects when I complete the course due to the competition? — Rashid Alvi

A. Information Technology has become an integral part of our lives. Without IT we can't do anything today.

A lot of fields like Telecom, hardware, Software, Signaling etc are open for IT professionals..

Also India is the biggest exporter in the IT sector and the major players include TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HCL, L & T Infotech, etc.

The job opportunities are going to be many in the near future. As is the case now. I would advise you to do some courses and certifications along with the main course in order to get an advantage over your colleagues and hence get a chance of a better placement in future. The course options are many, including: Java, .NET, PHP, Oracle OACP, CCNA, MCSE, RHCE, IBM Mianframe, IBM DB2, SQT, etc.

Career in bike racing

Q. I am in final year M A but don’t wish to pursue academics. Instead, I want to make career in bike racing. Is there any institution I could join to get some inputs for this? — Lokesh Mehra

A. With superbikes catching on in India, biking clubs are not far behind.

For instance, the racing school for beginners at the MMST Track , supported by TVS Motor Company Ltd. and organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club trains fresh enthusiasts who wish to join bike racing. There conduct theory sessions to acquaint the riders on basic track rules and practical sessions on bikes. Certificates are issued by MMSC on successful completion of training. There is charge to cover cost of fuel and food, use of the Track (half day: and for the Instructor. Accommodation is provided for outstation applicants.

The application form can be downloaded from the website of Madras Motor Sports Club (www.mmsc.in).

Besides TVS, Yamaha also has two biking clubs, The Frenzy Riders (Yamaha RI) in Bangalore and the more recently, the Yamaha Gladiator Club.

The Royal Enfield Company runs the Bullet Club, across Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata. The club boasts of a membership of over 3000 avid bikers.

Choose the straight route

Q. I’m from a small town in Punjab, but I have studied in an English medium boarding school. Is it still necessary for me to join an airhostess training academy if I want to become an air hostess? — Reema Bindal

A. Not really. You don’t necessarily need to enroll for an expensive course run by the private institutes that have mushroomed all across the country. Most premiere airlines put their cabin crew through a rigorous training programme to hone their skills. Many of the international airlines send their hostesses abroad for training.

The training is designed to familiarise you with aviation terminology, destinations to which the airline operates, refresher courses in geography, understanding time differences and different currencies, handling passengers, documentation, laws and regulations of travel. In-flight service training includes understanding the cuisine of different countries, bar sales, identifying different wines and cheeses etc. You’ll be taught how to serve passengers in all different classes -- First, Executive and Economy.

Post 9/11 passenger and aircraft security has gained paramount importance. Flight safety classes are conducted using simulated or mock evacuation drills.

Since an airhostess epitomises the warm and welcoming face of an airline, personal grooming and voice training form an important part of the training.

The Bharat-India divide is fast closing in and you’ll be surprised by the number of applicants from small towns queuing up for airhostess jobs.

No one is saying that it’s easy. But if you have the grit and determination you can surely get your wings for this high flying job.

So while it is by no means mandatory, join a training academy if you feel you are lacking in ‘polish’, confidence or communication skills. Also helps if you are open to other ground jobs or working at the front desk of a hotel, spa etc

Some budget airlines also tap into the products of these schools. But at the end of the day, it’s you who has to make the cut.

Currently, it’s virtually raining cabin crew jobs. Just open the ‘appointment’ pages of most leading dailies — and they stare you in the face. Alternatively, log onto the websites of the airlines and click on the “Careers” link to apply online/ see what’s on offer.

The writer is a noted career expert and director, Career Guidance India (CARING). Please send in your queries with your full name, complete address and academic qualifications to: The Editor, Jobs and Careers, The Tribune, Sector 29, Chandigarh-160030, or at careers @tribunemail.com

COURSE WATCH
MSc Robotics and Embedded Systems

ThinkLABS, a SINE IIT Bombay incubated company, has tied up with the University of Salford, UK to offer an MSc programme in Robotics and Embedded Systems awarded by the University of Salford .The course aims to create a skilled based education programme with four months of courses in Embedded Systems being delivered in Mumbai at ThinkLABS and the remaining eight months at the University of Salford in the UK.. One year programme is developed keeping in mind the industry requirements and is a balanced blend of theoretical knowledge transfer and experimental learning. The programme consists of four modules covering Embedded systems and robotics and a project dissertation for four months.

“The Robotics and Embedded systems arena is set to go through a high growth stage with a study by Nasscom predicting the embedded systems industry to triple its market size by 2015. Currently, the industry is witnessing a gap between the expertise required and the skill set available. We are collaborating with the University of Salford to bring in their technical expertise – with Robotics at Salford being one of the top ranked courses in the UK. We believe that this reputation, together with ThinkLABS’ established technical expertise in the field of Embedded systems, can lead to an instrumental part of the growth story of this industry”, said Gaurav Chaturvedi, Co- Founder and Vice President, ThinkLABS.

Attrition zooms up

The information technology (IT) and healthcare sectors are witnessing the highest attrition rates among talented employees, making retention of critical manpower resources a key challenge, says a survey. According to a study conducted by MyHiringClub.com, the IT and ITES sectors saw the highest attrition rate of 23 per cent in the first quarter of 2010-11. IT, ITES sectors witnessing the highest attrition rate in India

In contrast, the banking and financial services sector witnessed an attrition rate of 18 per cent, followed by healthcare (12 per cent), FMCG (11 per cent) and automobiles and manufacturing (11 per cent).

“Attrition is a major problem with India Inc and it suddenly got increased in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. The major reason behind (this) was that firms had started paying more to newly hired employees.

“Beside pay packages, career level growth and relationships with supervisors are the other reasons for higher attrition levels,” MyHiringClub.com Founder and CEO Rajesh Kumar said. The main reason for switching a job is pay packages (21 per cent), followed by career level growth (16 per cent), dissatisfaction with supervisors (15 per cent) and work pressure (14 per cent).

Employees with experience of up to five years had the highest attrition rate of 39 per cent, while it was 27 per cent for those with 5-10 years of experience and 22 per cent in the 10-15 years' experience bracket. Interestingly, senior-level employees (experience more than 15 years) had a very low attrition rate of 15 per cent.

“Entry level and young blood employees want to reach on higher pay packages as soon as possible to fulfill there need and avail good facilities of life.

“If they continue with the same job, they can get a 10-20 per cent salary hike, but if they switch jobs, they can easily get somewhere around a 25-40 per cent salary hike from current CTC. A higher attrition rate causes panic among employers and the direct impact of a higher attrition rate comes in hiring costs,” Kumar added. The survey was conducted by MyHiringClub — an Asia and Gulf/Middle East recruitment tendering platform — among 11,800 employees and 249 employers between May and June this year. — PTI

Creative communication
Prabhanjan Chappar

The Animation industry in India, though a late starter, is considered as one of the fastest growing segments of the entertainment and media industry. In the recent past Indian animation companies and animation studios have been moving up the value chain to create their own intellectual property rights with Hanuman, Roadside Romeo, etc. and partnering with international studios to produce animated properties for the global audience. Though a majority of the work done by the animation industry in India is outsourced work, this is expected to change in the future with increased demand from the domestic entertainment industry.

With the industry flourishing and technology evolving, the ability of animators to contribute to film, television and games is growing faster than ever. Opportunities abound in character animation, computer graphics, special effects, motion capture, 2D and 3D animation and more in the field of full-length animation movies; feature films; games – computer, internet & video games, TV shows and even advertisements. The e-learning industry also uses animators and so do fields like medicine, engineering and architecture.

Although animation uses computer technology as well as drawing tools, it is not about programming or technical expertise. Animation is about bringing to life believable characters within a story that moves and inspires audiences.

Teamwork
As a career, animation involves teamwork, creativity and innovative problem solving. It is a career that offers unlimited professional and personal growth as the industry continues to take on new forms and technological advances enabling artists to continue pushing the creative envelope while telling their stories.

Opportunites
There are various opportunities in this sector. One can work as a Designer, Audio & Video Specialist, Visualiser, Graphic Designer, Multimedia Author, Web Designer, Content Developer, Modeler, Texture Artist, Rigging Artist, 2D Animator, Lighting Artist, Rendering Artist, 3D Animator, Compositing Artist, Editor, Storyboard Artist, Character Animator, Effects Artist, In-between Artist, Image Editor, Multimedia Developer, Digital Post-Production Artist, Special Effects Artist, Programmer.

Basic skills
Despite constant technological development, and the resulting changes in the animation industry, it is widely recognised that the most important skills needed by the professionals in this sector will remain the fundamental ones. One needs to have a flair understanding an interest in drawing, story telling, be artistic, creative and innovative and also a good communicator.

Getting in
Students willing to enroll into a degree course in animation must be Plus II pass. There are various diploma courses as well in this space for SSC passed students.

Today, most animation institutes impart the basic skills required to get a job in the animation industry. However, it is equally important to propagate the intrinsic artistic sensibilities and aesthetics within students rather than teaching only the software, which keeps upgrading from time to time, for an artist to never go obsolete.

Animation is a vast subject involving skills right from pencil-sketching to 2D Classical animation to digital animation, along with VFX. Practical training in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Visual Effects & Gaming, covering the stages of visualization, Pre-production, production and post-production adds that cutting edge to a professional’s resume.

The writer is Business Head, Zee Institute of Creative Art (ZICA)

Institute Watch

Animation and Visual Communication

n Zee Institute of Creative Art (ZICA)

n Arena Animation

n MAAC

n Frameboxx

n Amity University, Noida

n LPU, Jalandhar

n Industrial Design Centre (IDC, Mumbai)

n WLC College India (Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai)

n National Institute of Social Communications (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

n Mother Teresa Women University (Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu),

n FX School

n DSK International

Guest Column
Make an informed choice

Manav Singla, CEO of Indo Global Colleges, Abhipur

A lot many students fall prey to the marketing gimmicks of private colleges. “It is unfortunate as marketing gimmicks, style and drama rather than quality education easily attracts the students. There are many colleges whose focus is mostly on creative advertisements with huge spends on all media luring students from even far flung area like Bihar and Jharkhand which are considered catchment areas. They are solely concerned about admissions and pay scant attention to recruitment of qualified faculty, good labs, skill development trainings, placements or academic excellence”, says Manav Singla, CEO of Indo Global Colleges at Abhipur, near Chandigarh. Here he lists the points that should be kept in mind while selecting a private institution:

Affiliation and Accreditation
First and foremost concern of a student and parents is to check the affiliation and accreditation. It is always beneficial to find out at the outset if the college is affiliated to a recognised university and is it approved by AICTE?

Standing & Reputation
How old and well reputed is the college?

Infrastructure
Good quality labs, Studen-Faculty Ratio, well qualified faculty with strong academic and industry exposure, good hostels, sports facilities, health & medical facilities, transportation facilities, wi-fi campus etc are some of the facilities that a good institution should be having. Now with many integrated campuses, it is also wise to check on the sharing of facilities.

Faculty
It is very important to have well qualified faculty conforming to the desired student faculty ratio as per AICTE norms.

Skills Training
Since soft skills training has become very essential to get good placements, it is very important to have such training programs as a regular feature on the Campus.

Industry Interface
A good institution must have strong industry interface with various opportunities for students, faculty and industry experts to meet and interact.

n Academic Activities like Seminars, Conferences, Workshops Seminars, Conferences and Workshops should be conducted by each Department from time to time for updating knowledge & exchange of ideas as well as to inculcate research work.

Location
The location of the campus must have pleasant natural setting and also not be too far from the City.

Sports and Events
Campus life must be vibrant with many activities to include sports, cultural as well as Academic which is important for overall development of the student.

Placements
Before selecting a college, student must check the placement track record of the college. For example with almost cent per cent placements and highest placement per College, Indo Global Colleges is ranked amongst Top 3 Colleges in Placements by Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.

Visual Treat

A course in visual communication exposes the students to the field of communication arts, puts the subject in a historic framework and explains the fundamental principles and rules that new technology has cultivated.

Visual communication courses integrate theory and practice that develop a range of professional skills which enable a student to enter the global design industry as a highly-creative ‘Thinking Designer’.

The course is designed to improve the capacity of students for advertising, graphic design, and web designing. They are given an insight into the how’s and the why’s of the development of these communication principles, enabling them to apply what has worked in the past and incorporate and assimilate it with the technological trends that are emerging today.

An individual who is looking at programmes in Visual Communication can get into different areas of specialisation such as photography, graphic arts, web design, illustration or animation. The manner of approach does not matter; visual communications programme is a combination of aesthetic and technical subjects and also includes a complete training in computer design.

An M Sc degree in visual communication and ensures a sturdy foundation in the field allowing a student to launch and kick start a successful career in the same field. The student learns to enhance his/her imaginative, intellectual and analytical capabilities through professionally designed curriculum. Self-negotiated ‘industry/live projects’ and internship are inherent part of the programme.

Job scope

Opportunities for a visual communications graduate can be found in advertising, book illustrations, record covers and web design fields. Individuals who are qualified in the area of visual communications can supply graphic work to enhance the appearance and functionality of published materials with the combination of creativity and drawing, design and photography, both computer aided and traditional.

There are a number of challenging and rewarding careers in visual communications, however, the competition for these jobs is generally spirited, so the completion of a degree in visual communications is a crucial element in succeeding at a career in the same field.

Specialisation

Students can choose to specialise in Internet Marketing and Design, Advertising, Publishing, Film and TV production or even in Animation design. Students can easily get jobs in their chosen fields as trainees and gain valuable experience.

R.K Dargan, Director, Amity School of Communication, Noida

REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT
Hot PROPERTY
Jappreet Sethi

A real estate consultant has the complex and responsibility-driven role of dealing with high-value property assets. Hence, a potent combination of technical know-how, market insight and ethical values are the cornerstones of a perfect real estate professional. In a market like India, this role compounds dramatically, since there is a huge amount of growth happening in a largely disorganised real estate sector.

There are many challenges on the path to professional excellence. These lie primarily in understanding clearly what each client is looking for, aligning these requirements with the broader market scenario and being able to consistently deliver value in a very complex and unstructured marketplace. In developed countries, where transparency is an established norm, professional real estate consultants may often only need to play a guiding role in a transaction. In India, however, they have to assume a greater burden of risk and responsibility attached to each transaction.

A focus on ethics cannot be over-emphasised. Not only must aspiring real estate professionals have a firm understanding of sound business ethics - they must also believe in them. The Indian real estate market is now adapting to international best practices, and the future belongs to polished professionals - not mercenaries.

The relationship of trust that a reputed international real estate consultancy has with serious property buyers is based on its track record and the fact that it follows an inflexible rulebook. In a highly volatile business environment such as real estate, such a company represents a core of steadiness and reliability. In other words, astute clients will accept the judgment of a branded real estate consultancy, since such clients know that this judgment is backed by integrity and real market knowledge.

When an aspiring real estate professional joins an international property consultancy, he is expected to do a lot more than just put clients and properties together. He must be able to create a synergy by identifying and assisting clients to capitalise on their real estate deals to the optimum extent possible. He must be able to anticipate, understand and overcome the intricate angles that are part of many transactions today.

If the aspiring professional is able to meet these challenges, he becomes a true asset to a real estate consultancy - and the benefits can be significant. Knowledge and expertise-driven real estate services are highly valued both by domestic and international clients, and a professional property consultancy values qualified and experienced real estate experts highly for these reasons.

All who aspire for a career in an international real estate consultancy should educate themselves to the maximum extent possible on all aspects of the property sector and the business world, and not rely on knowledge alone but avail of expert mentoring before actually venturing into the field. Finely-honed people skills and negotiation abilities are absolutely mandatory to succeed in this field, and these are best picked up by observing seasoned veterans.

The writer is Vice-President, Human Resources, Jones Lang LaSalle India

World Education Summit-2011

Best Innovation jury award
Amrita University has won the Best Innovation jury award for its ingeniously developed e-learning platform A-VIEW (Amrita Virtual Interactive E-Learning World) under Higher Education (Open and Distance Learning) category at the World Education Summit - 2011 held in New Delhi recently. The World Education Summit – 2011 was organised by IGNOU in association with the Centre of Science Development and Media Studies (CSDMS) and Elets Technomedia. The World Education Awards have been instituted with the aim of felicitating and acknowledging unique and innovative initiatives in the field of education globally.

A-VIEW, e-learning platform helps teachers collaborate with students from different geographies and this high-bandwidth satellite network has made Amrita University a fully interactive, multimedia-capable, multidisciplinary virtual university. Students from any Amrita campus can attend and interact in lectures and courses at any other campus or country. The aim of the project is to make quality education available to the whole student community with no barriers of distance. Thus Amrita E-Learning Research Lab developed state-of-the-art e-learning software which is totally user-friendly for both teachers and students economically.

Best Classroom Assessment Tool
Mexus Education, an Educational Innovations Enterprise, was awarded the Best Classroom Assessment Tool at the World Education Summit for its Iken Assessment solutions for schools, which have been popular among Indian schools for the past two years. Mexus Education, through Iken Assessment System, has introduced the idea of formative assessment system in the Indian schools. This is not very different from the famed Kaun Banega Crorepati whereby set of multiple choice questions are projected in a sequence on the screen with four alternatives. Every student gets a remote. To answer a question, they have to simply press one of the options on their remotes.

SMART STRATEGY
SWEET pill
Communicating negative messages in a positive way is an art that a successful boss ought to master, writes Shikha Sondhi

Communication at workplace involves conveying both positive and negative information. While a positive message can be delivered easily and quite comfortably, it is very difficult to communicate negative messages like refusals, dissatisfactory performance and rejections, etc. There is certainly no dearth of people who have the ability to deliver and relate “bad news” in a very harsh and unsophisticated manner. But what we call work ethics, etiquette and professionalism suggest such issues to be handled in a very positive and effective manner. Delivering or conveying negative messages in a positive way is a challenge and a skill over which not everyone can have a command.

Avoid comment
By delivering negative information in a positive and effective manner we mean, telling the person how it (a particular task assigned or a situation) should have been rather than commenting upon what it is not. In simple terms, rather than highlighting the errors and shortcomings, one should talk about the improvements required to lead a certain thing (or situation) to the expected result or the desired outcome.

Analyse repurcussions
Everyone differs in approach and attitude towards situations and circumstances. Some people prefer putting things directly and some in a little manipulated and twisted manner. While dealing with a negative situation, one must first analyse the repercussions and anticipate the reaction and behaviour of the people who are going to receive the negative information.

Best approach
Indirect approach is mostly the most successful and fruitful in this regard. While direct revelation of the negative would mean completely disregarding a person; the indirect way will lead a person to, at least, introspection and self-revelation of his actions, faults, shortcomings and thus he may endeavor to improve and learn from the mistakes.

Transmitting negative message using indirect approach involves beginning with appreciation of the person’s efforts and performance in the past, then talking about how a particular work should have been perceived and was expected to be done and then suggesting a solution, if possible.

It is very important to appreciate and acknowledge the good work and efforts that people put for completing a task. So even if we feel like rejecting someone, we should never let the other person down. If we pose as veterans we must encourage others to keep trying and put their souls to work. We should always remember that appreciation works better than condemnation.

The writer is Lecturer in Chitkara University

Best workplaces

Google India, Makemytrip, Marriott, Intel and American Express were adjudged as the best companies to work in India this year in a study conducted by Great Place to Work Institute.

As per the study, Google India, Intel Technology, Makemytrip, American Express India, Marriott Hotels are top five among the top 50 companies in India, Great Place To Work Institute India's CEO, Prasenjit Bhattacharya said in Mumbai recently.

Great Place to Work Institute is a pioneer in studying and recognising best workplaces around the world. For over 25 years and in 45 countries, the institute has been conducting studies to identify and understand the best workplaces.

Bhattacharya said the overall expectation of employees remain the same as in 2010. Companies are putting in place new initiatives to retain the talent like Makemytrip.com offering 70 per cent Esops to its workforce and American Express has special pregnancy care programme for female employees etc.

The top 50 best workplaces are concentrated in Mumbai, NCR and Bangalore, but also have representation from Chennai, Pune, Vizag, Ahmedabad and Ludhiana.

38 of the top 50 have more than 1,000 employees, with 19 out of 50 having more than 5,000 employees. Only 12 of the top 50 best workplaces saw increase in employees at more than 30 per cent in the previous year, and five actually reduced its workforce.

While 8 out of top 50 best workplaces have employee attrition of over 20 per cent, however, in all major industries, attrition for the top 50, on an average, is less by one-third to two-third of the industry average, Bhattacharya said.

Overall, one of the biggest improvements in workplace culture shown by the best workplaces over the years has been in the area of work-life balance, flexibility in being able to take time off when required, and creatively designing and implementing practices and policies which are perceived as special and unique benefits, by employees.

One of the most difficult areas where the best employers have fared much better than others is in fair pay and fair share of profits. Corporate India has loosened its purse strings in 2011 and in the Top 50 best workplaces this year, 4 per cent more respondents in our survey are agreeing with the statement that they receive a fair share of profits made by their company and 3 per cent more agreeing that they are paid fairly for the work they do, Bhattacharya said.

Fair pay and fair share of profits had seen the biggest dip in our previous study at the beginning of 2010, he said.

Bhattacharya also pointed out that the company now plans to expand its operations in neighbouring SAARC countries and may have segment wise studies for corporate sector. — PTI

Workers prefer longer shifts, fewer work days

It has emerged that modern employees favour longer shifts with fewer days over the traditional nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday working system. And it appears that more Australians are embracing three 12-hour shifts a week because it gives them an extra long weekend.

The 12-hour day has typically been used in mining and emergency services but is now appearing in other industries, said Dr Rebecca Loudoun, senior lecturer at Griffith business school at Griffith University and author of the research.

“It’s creeping into all industries. We see it now in hospitality, retailing and health services. I can’t think of an industry where it’s not happening,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Loudoun as saying.

“Australia has one of the highest uses of extended shifts in the world,” she stated.

Employers say longer shifts can improve productivity, and workers in a variety of fields told The Sun-Herald it gives them greater flexibility than traditional nine-to-fivers.

Dr Loudoun said the 12-hour, three-day-a-week model was also increasing because it suited a lot of employers.

“There are the reduced costs of rostering, there are only two changeovers in a 24-hour period as opposed to three,” she said. — ANI

Happiness @ work
Gems of ancient wisdom
Kill many birds with one stone

It is human nature to keep pushing a complicated problem under the carpet. But when you finally make up your mind to tackle one, think of a solution that would also ease related complications and in the long run.

When Gandhiji arrived in India on January 9, 1915 at Bombay’s Apollo Bundar, India was split into many religions, kingdoms, castes and languages. There was widespread illiteracy. The Freedom Struggle was confined to a few revolutionaries and peasants. The self-sufficiency of villages was under threat due to British policies. So he chose the non-violent way to deal with all these problems in one go.

When Satyavati, a fisherman’s daughter, realised that she had a chance to become the queen of Hastinapur, she also understood that she would have to contend with a stepson in the chivalrous and mighty Devavrat. To ensure that her descendants occupy the throne, she subjected him to two conditions — that he would not ascend the throne and that he would not marry. For taking these terrible vows, Devavrat became renowned as Bhishma.

When Adi Sankaracharya came on the scene, many ills had crept into Hinduism. There was too much emphasis on rituals. There were as many as 72 schools of thought. Masses and scholars were drifting away from Hinduism. So Sankara started off on a pilgrimage of India, debated and defeated many scholars, reestablished the supremacy of Advaita and set up muths (monasteries) and cantonments.

To make King Dashrath fulfil the promise he had made to her father Ashwapathi that Kaikeyi’s son would be crowned king, Kaikeyi not only got the throne for her son Bharat, but also sent Rama into exile for 14 years.

While she realised that Yama, the god of death, was pleased with her, Savitri, daughter of King Asvapati of Madra and daughter-in-law of exiled king Dyumatsena of Salva, got multiple boons from him. She got her father-in-law’s eyesight and kingdom restored, got sons for her father, a 100 sons for herself and finally, her husband Satyavan’s life.

When Guru Hargobind, sixth master of the Sikhs, heard how his father Guru Arjan had been tortured to death, he decided to wear two swords — one of bhakti and the other of shakti. He combined in him piri (renunciation) and miri (royalty) and formed an army of saint-soldiers.

While Valkhilya sages had already made him stronger than the then Indra, capable of going anywhere, mustering any measure of strength and assuming any form at will, Garuda, the king of birds, also got freedom from disease and death from Lord Vishnu.

Remember, winners turn crises into opportunities!

— Sai R. Vaidyanathan

The writer can be contacted at svaidyanathan@tribunemail.com