Five Ways To Make Sense of a Demotion

COPING WITH a demotion can be tough. But before you decide to throw in the towel, step back and widen your perspective, suggests Shreya Biswas.

1 Figure Out Why Figure out what prompted the move – your performance, the market or the company’s change of strategy, says K Sudarshan, managing partner, EMA Partners International. 

2 Easy Does it A demotion can lead to salary cuts, a smaller role, reporting to a subordinate or all of these. “If it’s just a salary cut, it might be the result of market dynamics and there is no reason for you to panic,” says Sudarshan. 

3 Take a Closer Look It may be that the company has failed to perform in certain geographies and wants to focus on those that are strengthening its topline and bottomline. “However, if it has been at the back of a bad performance from you, you should be alert,” says Rituparna Chakraborty, senior VP and co-founder, TeamLease Services. 

4 Look for Options If you have been demoted with a salary cut and a smaller role, and your subordinate has been promoted to be your boss, the signs are loud and clear. “The only option is to start looking for another job unless you are ready to bear the humiliation,” says Sudarshan. 

5 Be Discreet Be careful about your search, to the extent you can. Else it might become apparent to people, post the demotion, that the organisation wants you out.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 26-10-2012)

Five Ways To Survive Poor Mid-Year Review

Mid-year reviews have just been completed, and if you are among those who did not get best ratings, worry not. There are ways to bounce back, says Devina Sengupta. 

1 Talk to the Boss A detailed discussion with the boss on what went wrong will help iron out any mismatch of expectations. Within the next 10 days, the employee should be given a roadmap for the way ahead. “One should ask if any coaching is needed to improve a weak spot,” says Deepak Shetty, HR head for Philips Innovation. 

2 Take up New Projects Starting new projects is an indication to the boss that you’re high on initiative, says a middle management employee with Titan who does not wish to be named. “The boss should be updated on the status of the projects as well as your contribution,” he adds. 

3 Don’t Jump Ship Yet A poor mid-term review should not lead to a knee-jerk reaction from the employee, says A Sudhakar, CEO of staffing firm Adecco India. “One has to understand the state of the markets and why a company has been forced to give poor ratings,” he adds. 

4 Turn to Peers for Help If others have goals similar to yours and have performed well, asking them how they got there works, says Shetty. 

5 Don’t Skip Levels An escalation to senior managers or skip-level meetings may not help because super managers may be involved in reviews. At the same time, mails to managers on initiatives the employee needs to begin must be documented and a status report given every few weeks.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 19-10-2012)

Five Ways To Look for Jobs after Retirement

RETIREMENT may not always mean fading into oblivion. Anumeha Chaturvedi shows how you can remain employable and occupied.

1 Tap the Network Alumni networks and professional institutes can help in enhancing the job search. “One can also apply for membership to professional bodies and policy think tanks which seek professionals for part-time assignments,” says Michelle Suradkar, HR director of Lowe Lintas & Partners. 

2 Contact Consultants Reaching out to job consultants who constantly need a database of professionals can open up new doors, says Harshit Bhavsar, MD of HR solutions firm Universal Hunt. 

3 Build your Image Subscribing and contributing to specialty magazines, participating as a speaker in educational institutes may not pay that well, but will build one’s image and reputation. 

4 Seek Advisory Roles Professionals should look for advisory roles which match their competence, instead of concentrating on the sector they have always worked in, says Bhavsar. 

5 Invest in a Resource Professionals in their early sixties should invest in a part time resource or a secretary if they wish to continue working for long, suggests Suradkar. “Professionals are used to having a blanket of support and infrastructure around them when they work, and the absence of this after retirement can be unnerving,” he adds.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 16-10-2012)

Five Ways To Manage Work Overload

OVERLOAD CAN LEAD to excessive stress at the workplace. A professional needs to delegate responsibility, manage time efficiently, plan work and strike a work-life balance. Rica Bhattacharya explains how. 

1 Farm Out Work It is important for a professional, particularly in a leadership role, to suitably delegate work. “Delegation of responsibilities will get the work done effectively, on time and without overload on one member. It will also give the manager free time for strategic thinking,” says Gourab Barik, assistant general manager – corporate HR, Emami. “Team members will automatically take more responsibility than you think them capable of,” says Abhishek Kumar, assistant professor, BIM-Trichy. 

2 Manage your Time Overload can be avoided to a great extent with effective time management. “Stop procrastinating. Working smarter rather than harder is the key,” says Anupama Beri, HR head, Snapdeal.com. 

3 Balance Work & Life Employees should be able to strike a balance between work and personal life. This will not only enhance productivity but also help avoid excessive stress. Taking occasional timeout and leave, pursuing hobbies and interests can be some ways to prevent work overload,” says Barik. 

4 Prioritise Tasks The ability to decide which task is important immediately and what can be done later is crucial in managing work overload. “You need to balance what needs immediate action and what needs discussion and deliberation and accordingly, act or postpone,” says Abhishek Kumar. 

5 Enjoy your Work It is important for every professional to be able to align proficiency with aspirations, and only then can one derive joy out of work. “If you enjoy or love your work the very idea of overload will be taken care of to a great extent and might even cease to exist,” says Kumar.

(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 09-10-2012)