Five Skills Key to Successful Business Operations Management

Five Skills Key to Successful Business Operations Management

by | Jan 24, 2024 | Business, Performance

You cannot be a good business leader unless you thoroughly understand the Business Operations in your organization and how it links to its performance. I have noticed one big reason business strategies fail – it is the unbelievable reality that senior leadership many a times doesn’t understand the basics of their business. How it runs and what makes it run. An operations mindset is extremely critical for all leaders – No matter how good you are at framing strategy; it also has to get executed successfully for an organization to succeed. This is where the business operations team can play a big role, by not only providing insights to the leadership on the ways to improve business performance through profitable growth and strategic management of costs and risks but also to reduce the gap between strategy and execution through disciplined process implementation. Quite a few big buzz words there. But it boils down to one thing – to succeed in business, you have to understand and be good at operations. I strongly believe an operational mindset is a mental “muscle” that can be developed. For all those who want to develop this muscle or are thinking of a career in business operations, this post is for them.

So without further ado, here are the five top skills/loves that I believe are must-haves for those who want to enhance the performance and productivity of organizations through understanding and improving their operations:

Must-Have #1 – You love people:

Lee Iacocca said: “In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product and profits. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two.” Understanding people across multiple functions and roles and leveraging their strengths is extremely important to meet objectives – in an operational role where you have to work mainly in a matrix structure where you have lots of responsibility but not always the required hierarchical authority, this becomes paramount. You must know how to connect with people and energize and enthuse them. Communication skills, beyond the verbal and the written, the ability to listen and read between the lines is an useful asset to align people to your goals. And all this is not possible unless you have a genuine interest and love for people.

Must-Have #2 – You love numbers:

Does the idea of deciphering lots and lots of rows and columns of numbers spread across sheets give you the shivers ? As they say, the devil lies in the details and to be good at operations, making sense of numbers must excite you. Plenty of common sense plus and an ability to derive meaning out of the different ways numbers can be combined or dissected to arrive at the right performance metrics for early warning signals for the business as well as measuring the results is part and parcel of the operations role. Knowing your numbers and the different levers that can be applied to them makes you the master of the game.

Must-Have #3 – You love wearing multiple hats:

In operations, you have to be put yourself in the shoes of different functions on a day-to-day basis – sales, IT, finance, business, delivery – to be able to understand the requirements from all perspectives and execute on it. A specialist in operations with a generalist bent of mind to connect all the dots in the organization for the right solutions. You have to become the subject matter expert in many things at the same time. Quoting from an article by Vikram Mansharamani in HBR – there appears to be reasonable and robust data suggesting that generalists are better at navigating uncertainty. Professor Phillip Tetlock conducted a 20+ year study of 284 professional forecasters. He asked them to predict the probability of various occurrences both within and outside of their areas of expertise. Analysis of the 80,000+ forecasts found that experts are less accurate predictors than non-experts in their area of expertise. Tetlock’s conclusion: when seeking accuracy of predictions, it is better to turn to those like “Berlin’s prototypical fox, those who know many little things, draw from an eclectic array of traditions, and accept ambiguity and contradictions.” Ideological reliance on a single perspective appears detrimental to one’s ability to successfully navigate vague or poorly-defined situations (which are more prevalent today than ever before).

Must-Have #4 – You love solving puzzles:

Providing smart and creative recommendations for business process improvement is one of the key areas in which business operations team can be key contributors. As an operation person, you have to identify the problems, dig for knowledge in the vast amounts of available data and then analyze it to arrive at the areas of focus. As per research by Gartner, through 2012, 80% of organizations will struggle to recruit the talent required to meet their business analytics objectives. This needs an inquisitive mind, a persistent approach and deduction skills. If you are a crossword or Sudoku fanatic, you are in the right “zone” here ?

Must-Have #5 – You love WORK:

Back end work, strategic work, boring work, last-minute deadline work, grunt work, thinking work, transactional work, delegated work, filling in for someone else work – your work landscape in an operations role will constantly be changing and switching. So, you must have a great love for work by itself and in itself in all its myriad shapes and forms. If you are particular about doing only one type of work and consider certain types of work below you – this is certainly not the role for you. The duties and responsibilities in this role are fluid and are different from company to company or even business head to business head. I have rarely across a defined job description that remains constant over a period of time in my career. So, your guiding principles and measuring stick for your work should be based on what you want to achieve, not what type of work is needed to get there. A passion for work coupled with an ability to set your own standards for excellence is crucial in this role.
In addition to the above, a business operations person must be able to exude confidence, have conviction and be firm on what he/she believes is the right thing to do. It is only then that by focusing on some of the points where structure, processes, people and systems intersect, and engaging and influencing all the stakeholders involved to work on those critical junctions, the business operations team can release benefits that ripple across the organization.
What other skills do you think are necessary for successful business management and operations? What have I missed? Please share your experiences below. I would love to hear and learn from you.

Time Is Money: How SharePoint Timesheets Transform Workforce Management

Time Is Money: How SharePoint Timesheets Transform Workforce Management

by | Oct 20, 2023 | Business, Business Operations, Management, Productivity

In today’s highly competitive business environment, staying ahead means effectively managing your most valuable resource – your employees. Efficient time management and accurate tracking of employee hours are crucial for success. The challenges organizations face in tracking time, managing projects, and ensuring compliance can be formidable, but they are not insurmountable. One of the key tools that organizations rely on for achieving this efficiency is a timesheet system. But what if you could take it a step further and integrate it seamlessly with SharePoint, one of the most versatile collaboration platforms out there? In this article, we’ll explore the key pain points that organizations face when it comes to workforce management and how a SharePoint Timesheet System can be the solution they’ve been searching for. Whether you’re a small business owner, a project manager, or an HR professional, this guide will provide you with valuable insights into how this powerful combination can transform the way you manage time and resources within your organization. From small businesses to large enterprises, HR departments to project managers, the benefits of such a system are far-reaching.

Target Audience and Pain Points:

Let’s start by understanding who the target audience for a timesheet system developed using SharePoint are and the pain points this system can resolve for them. By tailoring the solution to address specific needs, you can unlock its full potential

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs):

  •  Pain Points: Inefficient manual or paper-based timesheet tracking, difficulty in monitoring employee attendance and project hours, limited resources for managing complex timesheet systems.

Project-Based Organizations (e.g., consulting firms, IT service providers):

  •  Pain Points: Difficulty in tracking billable hours and project expenses, project delays due to resource allocation challenges, inaccurate project cost estimation.

IT Departments:

  •  Pain Points: Maintaining and supporting legacy timesheet systems, ensuring data security and system reliability, managing user access and permissions.

HR Departments:

  •  Pain Points: Time-consuming manual data entry for payroll and leave management, lack of visibility into employee work patterns, ensuring compliance with labor policies and employment contracts.

Finance and Accounting Teams:

  •  Pain Points: Difficulty in reconciling project costs and employee hours, inaccuracies in client billing, lack of real-time financial insights into labor expenses.

 Project Managers:

  •  Pain Points: Limited visibility into resource allocation and project progress, challenges in optimizing resource utilization, project scope creep due to inadequate time tracking.

 Executives and Decision-Makers:

  •  Pain Points: Lack of real-time insights into labor costs and productivity, inaccurate project profitability analysis, difficulty in making data-driven strategic decisions.

The SharePoint-based timesheet system can resolve these pain points by providing features such as automated time tracking, real-time reporting and analytics, integration with payroll and accounting systems, and compliance with labor regulations. It streamlines the process of capturing and managing employee work hours, leading to increased accuracy, efficiency, and transparency in labor management and project tracking

Benefits of a SharePoint-Based Timesheet System:

Incorporating a timesheet system into your SharePoint environment offers a range of benefits across various departments and roles within your organization.

Streamlined Time Tracking:

  •  Employees can easily record their work hours, tasks, and activities within SharePoint, eliminating the need for manual or paper-based timesheets.
  •  Managers gain real-time visibility into employee work patterns and project hours, facilitating better resource allocation.

 HR Efficiency:

  •  HR departments benefit from automated time tracking, simplifying attendance and leave management.
  •  Ensuring compliance with labor laws and employment contracts becomes more manageable.

 Project Management:

  •  Project managers can track billable hours and project expenses accurately.
  •  Improved resource allocation and timely project completion become achievable goals.

 Financial Accuracy:

  •  Finance and accounting teams can reconcile project costs and employee hours with precision.
  •  Accurate client billing and real-time financial insights into labor expenses become possible

Best Practices for Implementing a SharePoint-Based Timesheet System:

Drawing from our extensive experience in implementing organization-wide timesheet systems, implementing a timesheet system within SharePoint requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to ensure a successful rollout:

  • Engage Stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders from HR, finance, IT, and project management departments in the planning and design phases.
  • Training and Support: Provide comprehensive training to employees on how to use the timesheet system effectively and offer ongoing support.
  • Data Security: Implement robust data security measures to protect sensitive employee information and timesheet data.
  • Customization: Customize the system to align with your organization’s specific needs and workflows.

The Power of SharePoint in Timesheet Systems:

Now that we’ve identified the potential audience and their pain points, benefits and best practices, let’s dive into why SharePoint is the ideal platform for your timesheet system. SharePoint offers several advantages over other technologies when implementing a timesheet system, making it an attractive choice for businesses of various sizes. Here are some of the key advantages of using SharePoint for a timesheet system:

  • Seamless Integration: SharePoint can seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft products and services, such as Microsoft 365, Azure, and Power BI making it easy to incorporate timesheet management into your existing workflows. If your organization already uses these tools, you can leverage existing investments without incurring additional integration costs.
  •  Centralized Collaboration: SharePoint provides a centralized platform for collaboration, allowing team members to access and update timesheets from anywhere, enhancing team productivity.
  •  Licensing and Ownership Costs: SharePoint is a Microsoft product, and many organizations already have licenses for SharePoint as part of their Office 365 subscription or SharePoint Server licenses. This means there may be no additional licensing costs associated with using SharePoint for a timesheet system.
  •  Customization and Scalability: SharePoint provides a robust platform for building custom solutions, including timesheet systems. It is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor your timesheet system to your organization’s unique needs and requirements. Instead of purchasing a proprietary timesheet software package, you can use SharePoint to meet your specific needs without the need for extensive custom development costs.
  •  No Additional Hosting Expenses: If you are already using SharePoint Online (part of Microsoft 365), you don’t need to worry about hosting costs, as Microsoft handles the infrastructure and maintenance. This eliminates the need for investing in separate hosting services.
  •  User-Friendly Interface: SharePoint offers a user-friendly interface that reduces training and onboarding costs. Employees and team members can quickly adapt to the system, minimizing the need for extensive training programs.
  •  Scalable Pricing: SharePoint Online offers scalable pricing plans, allowing organizations to pay only for the number of users they need. This can help control costs, especially for smaller companies or those with fluctuating workforce sizes.
  •  Built-in Security Features: SharePoint includes robust security features, including role-based access control and data encryption. This reduces the need for investing in additional security solutions, potentially saving on security-related costs.
  •  Compliance and Data Governance: SharePoint provides compliance and data governance features, which can be crucial for industries with strict regulatory requirements. Avoiding fines and penalties associated with non-compliance can save significant costs.
  •  Support and Updates: Organizations with SharePoint subscriptions receive regular updates and support from Microsoft. This eliminates the need for dedicated support contracts or additional support staff.
  •  Community and Resources: SharePoint has a large and active user community. Access to community forums, documentation, and resources can reduce the reliance on expensive third-party consultants or support services.
  •  Cloud Flexibility: SharePoint offers both on-premises and cloud-based options. This flexibility allows organizations to choose the deployment model that aligns with their budget and infrastructure requirements

Conclusion:

A timesheet system developed using SharePoint has the power to revolutionize how your organization manages time and resources. By addressing the pain points of various stakeholders, streamlining time tracking, and offering numerous benefits across departments, this integration can unlock unprecedented efficiency and accuracy. When implemented with careful planning and attention to best practices, the combination of SharePoint and a timesheet system can become a cornerstone of productivity within your organization.

So, whether you’re a small business looking to streamline your workflow or a large enterprise in need of comprehensive project management, consider harnessing the power of SharePoint to transform your timesheet management. It’s a step toward greater efficiency, productivity, transparency, and success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

SharePoint Timesheet Systems provide a comprehensive solution to these challenges. From automating time tracking to providing real-time insights and ensuring seamless integration with financial systems, these systems empower businesses of all sizes to optimize their workforce management processes.

Are you ready to revolutionize your workforce management? Consider implementing a SharePoint Timesheet System and experience the benefits firsthand. It’s a step toward greater efficiency, improved project management, and compliance with labor regulations.

At Sincera Consulting India, we specialize in providing SharePoint Timesheet System solutions tailored to your organization’s needs. Contact us today for a personalized demo and take the first step towards optimizing your workforce management.

Five Skills Key to Successful Business Operations Management – You Could be Great at Operations if..

Five Skills Key to Successful Business Operations Management – You Could be Great at Operations if..

by | Jul 15, 2021 | Business, Business Operations, Career, Leadership, Management, Managing Yourself, Performance, Productivity, World of Work

You cannot be a good business leader unless you thoroughly understand the business operations in your organization and how it links to its performance. I have noticed one big reason business strategies fail – it is the unbelievable reality that senior leadership many a times doesn’t understand the basics of their business. How it runs and what makes it run. An operations mindset is extremely critical for all leaders – No matter how good you are at framing strategy; it also has to get executed successfully for an organization to succeed. This is where the business operations team can play a big role, by not only providing insights to the leadership on the ways to improve business performance through profitable growth and strategic management of costs and risks but also to reduce the gap between strategy and execution through disciplined process implementation. Quite a few big buzz words there. But it boils down to one thing – to succeed in business, you have to understand and be good at operations. I strongly believe an operational mindset is a mental “muscle” that can be developed. For all those who want to develop this muscle or are thinking of a career in business operations, this post is for them.

So without further ado, here are the five top skills/loves that I believe are must-haves for those who want to enhance the performance and productivity of organizations through understanding and improving their operations:

Must-Have #1 – You love people:

Lee Iacocca said:  “In the end, all business operations can be reduced to three words: people, product and profits. Unless you’ve got a good team, you can’t do much with the other two.” Understanding people across multiple functions and roles and leveraging their strengths is extremely important to meet objectives – in an operational role where you have to work mainly in a matrix structure where you have lots of responsibility but not always the required hierarchical authority, this becomes paramount. You must know how to connect with people and energize and enthuse them. Communication skills, beyond the verbal and the written, the ability to listen and read between the lines is an useful asset to align people to your goals. And all this is not possible unless you have a genuine interest and love for people.

Must-Have #2 – You love numbers:

Does the idea of deciphering lots and lots of rows and columns of numbers spread across sheets give you the shivers ? As they say, the devil lies in the details and to be good at operations, making sense of numbers must excite you. Plenty of common sense plus and an ability to derive meaning out of the different ways numbers can be combined or dissected to arrive at the right performance metrics for early warning signals for the business as well as measuring the results is part and parcel of the operations role. Knowing your numbers and the different levers that can be applied to them makes you the master of the game.

Must-Have #3 – You love wearing multiple hats:

In operations, you have to be put yourself in the shoes of different functions on a day-to-day basis – sales, IT, finance, business, delivery – to be able to understand the requirements from all perspectives and execute on it. A specialist in operations with a generalist bent of mind to connect all the dots in the organization for the right solutions.  You have to become the subject matter expert in many things at the same time. Quoting from an article by Vikram Mansharamani in HBR – there appears to be reasonable and robust data suggesting that generalists are better at navigating uncertainty. Professor Phillip Tetlock conducted a 20+ year study of 284 professional forecasters. He asked them to predict the probability of various occurrences both within and outside of their areas of expertise. Analysis of the 80,000+ forecasts found that experts are less accurate predictors than non-experts in their area of expertise. Tetlock’s conclusion: when seeking accuracy of predictions, it is better to turn to those like “Berlin’s prototypical fox, those who know many little things, draw from an eclectic array of traditions, and accept ambiguity and contradictions.” Ideological reliance on a single perspective appears detrimental to one’s ability to successfully navigate vague or poorly-defined situations (which are more prevalent today than ever before).

Must-Have #4 – You love solving puzzles:

Providing smart and creative recommendations for business process improvement is one of the key areas in which business operations team can be key contributors. As an operation person, you have to identify the problems, dig for knowledge in the vast amounts of available data and then analyze it to arrive at the areas of focus. As per research by Gartner, through 2012, 80% of organizations will struggle to recruit the talent required to meet their business analytics objectives. This needs an inquisitive mind, a persistent approach and deduction skills. If you are a crossword or Sudoku fanatic, you are in the right “zone” here 🙂

Must-Have #5 – You love WORK:

Back end work, strategic work, boring work, last-minute deadline work, grunt work,  thinking work, transactional work, delegated work, filling in for someone else work – your work landscape in an operations role will constantly be changing and switching. So, you must have a great love for work by itself and in itself in all its myriad shapes and forms. If you are particular about doing only one type of work and consider certain types of work below you – this is certainly not the role for you. The duties and responsibilities in this role are fluid and are different from company to company or even business head to business head. I have rarely across a defined job description that remains constant over a period of time in my career. So, your guiding principles and measuring stick for your work should be based on what you want to achieve, not what type of work is needed to get there. A passion for work coupled with an ability to set your own standards for excellence is crucial in this role.

In addition to the above, a  business operations person must be able to exude confidence, have conviction and be firm on what he/she believes is the right thing to do. It is only then that by focusing on some of the points where structure, processes, people and systems intersect, and engaging and influencing all the stakeholders involved to work on those critical junctions, the business operations team can release benefits that ripple across the organization.

What other skills do you think are necessary for successful business management and operations? What have I missed? Please share your experiences below. I would love to hear and learn from you.

Image courtesy – http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelheiss/3090102907

5 Small Investments you Can Make to Boost Employee Engagement

5 Small Investments you Can Make to Boost Employee Engagement

by | Jan 18, 2018 | Management, World of Work

Employee engagement is not just another buzzword or a metric that your organization needs to keep track of. It is all about creating a work space, where your employees can get up in the mornings and say, “Great, I’m going to work. I know what I’m going to do today. I’ve got some great ideas about how to do it really well. I’m looking forward to seeing the team and helping them work well today”. (source)

The best definition we could find on what employee engagement really means is this, “Employee engagement is a workplace approach resulting in the right conditions for all members of an organisation to give of their best each day, committed to their organisation’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organisational success, with an enhanced sense of their own well-being” (source: engageforsuccess.org).

The process of employee engagement is a continuous one which begins during the on-boarding process – right at the outset, and carries on. And to really make employee engagement a continuous process, one of the best ways to go about it is through making small investments, which make a big difference.

Here are five proven ways of increasing employee engagement, without having to spend any money (or atleast not much).

  1. Creating a culture of Mentoring

    Bringing about changes to the organizational culture is often hard, but without a doubt, one of the best ways to bring about the change you want to see in your organization. Having a culture of mentorship or mentoring, within your organization is a great way to boost employee engagement. When your employees know they can reach out to trusted mentors within the work place to help them address issues they are facing at work, or help them be more productive with valuable guidance, it provides a definite boost to the levels of their engagement.

  2. Recognizing the value of Mental Health

    Making investments in caring for your employees’ mental health should not be an exception anymore, but a rule. While countries in the West have started taking mental health awareness and interventions with more seriousness than before, India though picking up pace, still has a long way to go. To let your employees know that their mental health comes before anything else, is an indispensable way of you showing that you care. And a place where employees feel cared for, will be a place they will devote their 100% to. Have you read our previous blogs on metal health yet? And do you believe that mental health should be your number one resolution for 2018? If you don’t, maybe you should have a look at this.

  3. Recognizing the value of Feedback

    Without a system of regular and consistent feedback, there can be no way for employees to know how they are faring. Their growth may be stunted, and despite possessing talent and skills to mature within the organization, they might begin to slack. This is the very reverse of what employee engagement aims for. Creating a system of feedback goes a long way in ensuring employee and employer satisfaction. Issuing constructive and timely feedback helps employees to stay focused and confident to do their best.

  4. Recognizing the value of Flexibility

    By giving your employees the gift of “choices”, you move towards creating a workplace with significantly higher levels of employee engagement. Making space for flexible conditions for work is a powerful way of boosting productivity. For example, many organizations still associate the option of working from home as one that triggers lower levels of productivity. Research though, has shown results quite contrary to this assumption.  Allowing your employees flexible schedules, and the option of working from home could actually be a win-win situation for both parties!

  5. Implanting Trust

    Trust perhaps, is the single most important investment you can make in your employees. Think back to the process of recruitment you may have, and you will realize how most of the process was in fact a scrutiny of whether you can trust the job you want to give out, at the hands of the person you are looking to hire. It is the same trust that must be preserved and nurtured after you complete the process of hiring and the recruit glides into his/ her role. Matters like choosing to delegate (and then letting go until the completion of the task!), being open to new ideas, being open to flexibility and feedback, are some small yet significant ways that help you show that you trust your employees. Could there be a better way of keeping them engaged, and happy? We think not!

Still wondering what employee engagement is all about?

Your employees can said to be truly “engaged”, when they are committed and motivated towards what they have been entrusted to do. And it leads to happier workplaces and happier bottom-lines.

Gender Equity before Gender Equality – Why Women Need More

Gender Equity before Gender Equality – Why Women Need More

by | Nov 24, 2017 | Gender at Work, World of Work

What is Gender Equity?

In one of our earlier posts, Implementing Gender Equality at the Workplace, we briefly spoke about the concept of equity, and how gender equity is a precursor to gender equality. In this post we explore the concept of equity in a deeper sense. It is not enough for women to have equal rights. Equality does not put them at the same footing with men. Without really understanding the concept of equity, equality will remain a distant dream. To achieve gender equality, women need more – they need equity.

To address gender discrimination, we first need to acknowledge the deep-rooted history of gender inequality and discrimination world over. In doing so, we realize that women have been deliberately subjected to a backward footing, as compared to men. Hence, more than equality, they need equity. But what is the difference between equality, and equity? Here is a common yet effective anecdote that brings out the difference beautifully –

Imagine that you are at a baseball game and have to look over a fence in order to see the game. There are also several others who are in the same situation as you are. The fence is quite high so everyone needs a stepping stool of some sort to see over the fence. In equality, everyone would get the same sized stepping stool. Thus, one can immediately see a glaring problem! Not everyone is the same height. This is where equity steps in. In being equitable, everyone would get different sized stepping stools so that they could all see over the fence. Everyone would get a chance to view the game.

Positive Discrimination to bring about Gender Equity

One of the ways we can bring about gender equity, is through what has been termed positive discrimination,i.e., the practice of favoring individuals who have suffered historical discrimination. Policies at the work place are one of the most effective instruments of bringing about equity. An effective way to practice positive discrimination to ensure equity for women, is by looking into and analyzing the existing workplace policies.

One way to do this, is to ask questions. Questions are always a great way to begin constructive and meaningful dialogue.

  • Does your organisation promote work from home for women?
  • How inclusive is your organisation when it comes to recruiting women staff who have been on a career break?
  • How fair do you think the over all recruitment policy of your organisation is? Are they transparent about their reasons for rejecting one candidate over another? Are women asked questions like, “are you going to start a family any time soon?”, during the interview process?
  • How high is the glass ceiling in your organization?
  • How stringent are the sexual harassment policies of your organisation?
  • Does your work place have a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) committee?
  • How about the much debated, and controversial maternity rules – what is your organization’s stand on them?

To understand what a manifestation of gender equity would look like, let us have a look at companies who are leading by example –

Fortune.com has come out with their list of 100 best workplaces for women, and these are the five companies on the top of the list:

  1. Texas Health Resources
  2. Ultimate Software
  3. Edward Jones
  4. Marriott International
  5. Pinnacle Financial Partners

They explain in their methodology of curating this list that factors such as flexibility, paid leave and no harassment are only the basic factors that lend these companies the title of being ‘the best’ work places for women. What are the other factors?

  • Healthy work-life balance
  • Transparency
  • Environment of Inclusion

We don’t need to look to as far as the USA for good practices when it comes to gender equity in the workplace. Some companies in India are leading by example of being the best work spaces for women, some of which are -Accenture, Cummins India, Deloitte in India,  Hindustan Unilever Limited, IBM India, ICICI Bank, Intel Technology India and Mindtree.

Above everything else, the presence or absence of gender equity at your workplace is about the larger culture of the organisation in question. The foundation, and the culture of an organisation is what influences all other factors. At its inception, an organisation or a corporate entity makes a few choices about being fair, or unfair, inclusive or exclusive, supportive and nurturing or extorting. These choices are reflected in the recruitment and human resource policies, and in the larger culture and environment of the organisation.

How would you score your organisation in terms of gender equity? Need ideas for organizing work shops to bring about awareness regarding gender equity at your work place? Write to us and we will be happy to help!