Just today, I was reading an article on CNN where a tourist from New York was arrested in Hawaii after he posted beach pictures on Instagram, when it seems, he was supposed to be in quarantine. 

With the ever increasing presence of social media applications, it seems like- anything we say or do easily becomes public knowledge… and everyone feels they have a ‘right to express their opinion’, even though in ordinary terms, it could be construed as mean, rude or even legally punishable- defamation!
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Governments in many countries routinely monitor social media activity to not only catch terrorists and other anti-social elements, but also to ensure that their citizens are abiding by the rules and norms of their region. For e.g. it is very well-known that CRA (Canadian Revenue Agency) routinely checks its resident’s public profile and matches it with their tax filing details to ensure their reported income is in sync with their touted lifestyle.

Companies are now checking potential employees’ social interaction to determine their true match with the organization’s vision and work culture. Many individuals have lost an otherwise viable opportunity because the hiring organization was uncomfortable with their social feed or network engagement. 
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Social media is a two-edged sword- on one side, it allows us to showcase our personality, create and express our own unique personal brand, which just until a few years ago, was reserved famous people and pop celebrities. And on the other hand, it leaves us exposed to a constant barrage of unsolicited feedback and demoralizing opinions.

Handle your social media presence like you would handle your own personal brand. If an information is not something that you could share with a casual acquaintance or work colleague, then do not share it with your social network.
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Remember- being aware of your social interaction, will not only help you to build a strong personal brand that you can leverage for your own advancement, but it will also ensure that you do not lose opportunities or get into any kind of trouble with government authorities.

​Sandhya Bhat MSc, CSSMBB, CSSE has developed several new (under patent filing) and enhanced existing strategic methodologies to improve technology and human capital utilization, produce greater ROI on investments and streamline service delivery. She is an acclaimed author, speaker, a sought after thought leader and an avid world traveler.

​#socialmedia #socialnetwork #socialprofile #personalbrand #branding #strategicbranding

​As we think of Agile and Kanban type of project management methodologies that heavily depend on quick, easy access to team members, open project spaces are specifically welcome. Infact, given the high cost of corporate office rents in most major cities, the concept of open office has become more of a norm instead of an exception. 

Coming back to Agile teams, it is quite a common sight to see an entire team occupy a large work room in a completely open environment. Sometimes they do not even have any separators or privacy walls around their desks!! Is this way of working truly productive?? 

In my experience, I have found that it lowers individual productivity which ultimately increases overall inefficiencies of the project team. Easy access, quick discussions and monitoring boards are all a great way to bring together a project team. But we need to be mindful of the fact that people have different working styles.

Constant background activity and noise which is an undeniable aspect of an open project room or office setting, can seriously impede delivery timeline and adversely impact work quality. Here is a nice article highlighting the many challenges faced by people working in open offices.

You can read it: Why open offices are bad for us
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​#openoffice #humanresources #organizationaleffectiveness #projectmanagement #agile #kanban

In today’s diversified workplace, several norms which at one time may have seemed quite acceptable, maybe even welcome like hugging a colleague who is leaving the company or hugging someone who has lost a close family member; need to be revisited. There are many who may find such attention very unwelcome and even an encroachment on their privacy. 

In the age of the MeToo movement and multi-cultural, diversified workgroups; there are many challenges that face Human Resources. They need to draw out corporate policies that not only accommodate their workforce and acceptable behaviors, but also continue to maintain the “human-ness” within their workplace.

A nice read titled: To hug or not to hug: A 5-step guide to embracing at work
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​#humanresources #workplace #etiquette #workforce #planning

The extent of damage that can be caused by process inefficiencies and improper workforce planning are often overlooked!! During good times, executives tend to think of 'continuous improvement' as (at best) just a good-to-conduct steps.

They forget that reducing wastes, increasing efficiencies and properly planning your workforce are not just nice to have process/operational features, but many times they can be the determining method by which an organization is able to stay afloat during market and economic downturn...
 
When challenges come, the weakest link breaks off first! Continuous Improvement is not just about reducing costs and increasing profits... Yes, it can do that and more. During economic downtimes, efficient ways of working can help you to better utilize the same set of inputs to produce better, cost-efficient out-puts.

​This article is about the Oil & Gas industry, but frankly the lesson is for all verticals. It is time that leaders realize and start to utilize true potential of continuous improvement strategies and methodologies.

Read the article: Shale Executive Sees “Another Round Of Bankruptcies” Looming

​#oilandgas #oilprice #shale #continousimprovement #workforceplanning #oilindustry #layoffs #news

​Here is a good article on BBC that shows the hidden bias in Education. But frankly it is also very evident in the workplace. Being a Continuous Improvement consultant, I get a chance to work with all layers of personnel in an organization, from the less college educated and more technical school worker to the Ivy league executive. 

It is important to be aware of this hidden bias in others with respect to their own education level and how they may perceive our perception of them. Once we can see this hidden bias then we will be able to bring it to light within others, so it can be addressed and if it happens to be within ourselves, then we can consciously work towards rooting it out!

Bias of any kind hinders honest open communication and it is very important to maintain a clear dialogue with our colleagues and client (internal or external to the organization).

Read on…

​#EducationBias #BiasedWorkforce #ClearingBiases #OpenCommunication #IncreasingOrganizationalEffectiveness