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Tag: ✍️ Opinions

  • Things to Remember Before Purchasing Products From AliExpress

    We all love to buy from online portals and set ourselves free from the hassle of visiting brick-and-mortar stores for shopping. According to a report, the number of online shoppers will surpass 500 million by 2030 in India. Although buying online has its perks, however there are certain limitations too one needs to consider before purchasing from e-commerce websites. With the availability of inter-country payment gateways, it is now possible to buy products from any country without payment-related problems. Did you know most of the online products sold in India are imported from China?

    One such e-commerce website which makes up for the bulk of products imported from China is AliExpress. Before you get too excited to drop-ship from this portal, you need to be aware of the rules and regulations before buying from AliExpress to ensure a smooth and satisfactory shopping experience, one of the largest e-commerce websites in China that offers a wide range of products at affordable prices. It is owned by Jack Ma. Jack Ma which is a famous business tycoon and his rags-to-riches backstory provides invaluable motivation.

    This post will tell you everything about how to buy products from AliExpress while sitting in India. The impact of AliExpress in the Indian market shall also be covered. Indians have a mixed response towards AliExpress. Some find it highly useful, whereas others have had an unsatisfactory experience with the e-commerce portal. Whether you’re a seasoned shopper or a first-time buyer, this blog will provide valuable insights to help you make informed purchases on AliExpress. So, let’s get started.

    Things To Keep In Mind Before Making A Purchase From AliExpress

    Slow Delivery

    Slow Delivery - AliExpress
    Slow Delivery – AliExpress

    AliExpress isn’t an India-based shopping website which means certain import rules are applied every time you buy products from AliExpress. The normal time to ship products from AliExpress is 30 days and it may increase based on government regulations. AliExpress provides you with a tracking ID to trace the location of your product; other than that, you can’t do anything else but wait. If your delivery gets stuck somewhere, you are in for a really long wait. The shopping website uses Chinese delivery companies for product disposal and items tend to get misplaced enroute to you. If you have selected the free shipping option, you may receive your item after months.

    However, AliExpress has identified these issues and is working on improving its delivery network. It is integrating fast and quality-driven delivery partners into the network to boost sales and enhance customer experience.

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    Import License

    You need a trade license and a registered shop establishment if you plan to buy from AliExpress and sell in India. You also need an export-import license. And then there is the job of reaching out to a customs clearance agent. Licensing is one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to buying items from AliExpress and selling them in India.

    Buying from AliExpress is completely Legal

    It is totally legal to buy from AliExpress and trade products in India. Your purchases should not cross INR 10,000 per year and the products should be for personal use. If you want to purchase products in bulk, you need to get yourself registered, obtain an import-export license, and pay taxes and duties.

    If you have any queries such as the loss of your products in the course of delivery, your only option is to contact the AliExpress agent through chat support. You cannot contact AliExpress sellers by a call; chat is the only medium and there is a high chance the seller won’t reply. Hence, you need to be mindful of the possible delays, lost deliveries, and other factors before ordering from AliExpress.

    How to buy safely from AliExpress

    AliExpress Rules

    There are some other rules and regulations you need to know before making a purchase from AliExpress. For example, you need to pay around 30% of the total amount in customs and duty charges.

    Without import/export license

    • The maximum amount of order without customs duty is INR 2000, i.e, you can import only up to this limit without customs duty and that too for personal use.
    • If the order amount is above INR 2000, the package gets retained at the customs office.

    You will then have to prove/convince the customs officer that the items are meant for personal use and pay the customs duty to get your package out of there.

    With import/export license

    With the license, you can import goods of higher value and pay the standard customs duty on the product as per Indian customs regulations.

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    Is AliExpress Available in India?

    Currently, AliExpress is not available in India and is not delivering here as well. After the India and China situation, the Government banned many Chinese mobile apps in 2020, amongst AliExpress is one of them. Therefore, AliExpress is not available in India.

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    Is It Safe to Buy From AliExpress Now?

    It is definitely safe to buy from AliExpress now as it is owned by one of the most popular and well-known multinational companies Alibaba. The reputation of Alibaba makes AliExpress a reputable company to shop from.

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    Conclusion

    You can set up a successful business in India using AliExpress. But unfortunately, the shopping website got banned in India along with more Chinese apps for engaging in activities that are prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country. The government had banned 59 apps on June 29, 2020, and on September 2 it had banned 118 more apps including AliExpress. Previously apps like TikTok, Bigo Live, PUBG Mobile, which were all very popular in India, were banned.

    FAQs

    What is AliExpress?

    AliExpress is an online shopping website based in China owned by the Alibaba Group. It is an online store to buy products at much cheaper rates than Amazon.

    Is AliExpress from China?

    Yes, AliExpress is a China-based online shopping retail store for buying products at much cheaper rates.

    How to buy from AliExpress in India?

    • If you want to purchase products for personal use, your purchases should not cross INR 10,000 per year.
    • If you want to purchase products in bulk, you need to get yourself registered, obtain an import-export license, and pay taxes and duties.

    Is AliExpress banned in India?

    Yes, AliExpress is banned in India.

    Why AliExpress is banned in india?

    AliExpress is banned in India along with more Chinese apps for engaging in activities ‘prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country’

    How to buy from AliExpress in India after ban?

    This is the top trending question on Google with no clear-cut answer. However, Indian users of AliExpress were able to purchase products “unofficially” from AliExpress vendors. All you need is to change your route, consider using a VPN on your mobile devices or laptops, or partner with Oye Express. This is the perfect way to enjoy the ease of shopping online while keeping your data secure.

    What’s the difference between Alibaba and AliExpress?

    • Both the platforms are sister companies owned by Alibaba Group.
    • Alibaba focuses on the B2B marketplace while AliExpress focuses on the B2C marketplace cross-border.
    • Usually, manufacturers, wholesalers, trading companies and exporters sell their products via Alibaba whereas, in AliExpress, the typical seller is retailers.
    • Prices can be negotiated in Alibaba whereas AliExpress offers fixed-rate products.
    • On Alibaba.com sellers have to pay 0% on most transactions when it comes to the commission while AliExpress sellers pay up to 8%.

  • How New Age Indian Startups can Adopt Credible Mental Health Support for Employees? – Mr Ankit Malhotra, Founder, heyy,

    This article has been contributed by Mr. Ankit Malhotra, Founder, heyy,

    The Indian mental health narrative has started to change from the “Hush-Hush” policy to a “Let’s Talk” approach, especially post-pandemic. While the need for mental health support had always been there, it took a pandemic to pedal push the accelerator towards realising this need to take care at a nation-wide level.

    The deep seated “stigma” that plagues mental health in the Indian scenario is difficult to get uprooted by a single pandemic, thus, the impact this stigma still has on “adopting” mental health care support in the country cannot be overlooked.

    Even though mental health needs are universal, there are no second thoughts about the fact that the pandemic has impacted the “working population” the most from the rest of the sections. 42% of employees remain stressed on a day-to-day basis and 1 out of 5 employees face a mental health issue at some point in their career trajectory. These figures have multiplied now due to changing lifestyles and evolving working scenarios. Juggling between offline-remote-hybrid work circumstances, have made life quite a struggle for both the employers and employees.

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    Startups in India are growing at a breakneck speed. By some estimates, we have 70,000+ startups in India employing more than a million employees. The average age of employees at startups is around 30 years. Means it employs some of the most ‘mental-health’ aware demographics in the country. For a startup to be successful long term, it is essential to understand the needs of this demographic at workplace and provide for it.

    The push-pull of employee-employer needs

    Staying engaged with employees

    Frankly, its getting tough to understand how employee behavior is evolving over the last 2-3 years. Covid, global recession, war – are creating scenarios that are difficult to predict and put a HR-template on.

    Inquire about employee’s wellbeing

    In such a scenario, startups, due to their leaner and flatter structures, can stay more grounded and have their ears to the employee needs. Stay engaged with employees and inquire about their wellbeing more periodically. There would be numerous insights that will come out.

    Moonlighting, flexible work arrangements, hybrid work are some of the new age working structures that are gaining traction with employees. Stay informed and staying flexible will go a long way

    Wellbeing policies

    No question asked mental health leaves, period leaves for women, mandatory time off from work, are some key initiatives that are creating really positive outcomes. At heyy, we have extended some of these since our inception, with very positive feedback from employees.

    Leaders stay vulnerable and open to feedback

    Culture where vulnerability is accepted, mistakes are welcome, grow faster as companies and innovate faster too. Flipkart is an example.

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    But what about mental health support that needs intervention?

    It would be wrong to assume that the above interventions are enough when it comes to mental health care of employees. 1/3rd of the day is spent in office, and it becomes employer responsibility to take care of their folks.

    Get professional help

    Mental health and wellbeing support comes in various shapes and forms. Best care is the one that is preventive and can solve for issues before they become severe. heyy, is such service in the preventive care space.

    Ask the right questions, and no white-washing please

    In a lot of cases, startups have extended mental health services through partnerships with insurance players. Ask if these are being adopted enough. Industry EAP / Digital care adoption rates are less than 1% for employees. This is not enough when more than 42% of employees are under stress. heyy, is pioneering industry leading adoptions with human-first care and more than 15% adoption by employees.

    End of the day, employees have to demand better services too. Staying tight-lipped will not help. In our experience, most of the HRs / companies are not exploring better solutions because employees are not demanding them enough. Startups give that freedom of expression that large enterprises can’t, employees should use that effectively.

    Several pain points of “stigma”, “awareness issues”, “scalability” being discussed and to an extent addressed using AI-Bot led platforms, EAP solutions or Self-Care Apps. Majorly the reason for not having “enough” credible mental health care platforms specifically in the workplace scenario is the absence of this “human connect”.

    Humans have always been the social animals that they have and in no way can an AI or standalone self-care replace the human touch to address as sensitive a concern as mental health. Also, the new age Indian startups, while thinking on the lines of making solutions available, need to broaden their horizon and think more preventative rather than interventive when addressing the need for mental health. That will be the game-changer. Having a “human-first, preventive model” that proves effectiveness of care is how the adoption of mental health support bolstering with light speed! While the “need to take care” should come from within, especially with mental health, a more proactive-high touch approach is what is required to make taking “mental health support” easy for an individual. Keeping it human-first, simple, affordable, proactive, preventative, and easily accessible in our approach. It may take many more startups like heyy, to combat this national overload of mental health need and extend care at a community level.

    Conclusion

    Mental health support for employees has always been needed. Employees need to speak up and demand better services. In our experience, most of the HRs / companies are not exploring better solutions because employees are not demanding them enough. Startups give that freedom of expression that large enterprises can’t, employees should use that effectively.

  • How to Succeed in Affiliate Marketing? – By Saksham Khanda, Founder of Ink Revenue

    How To Succeed In Affiliate Marketing? – By Saksham Khanda, Founder of Ink Revenue

    The internet has become more accessible to people around the world providing opportunities that never existed before. Entrepreneurs are able to make money by doing very little, while others struggle to get off the ground. However, affiliate marketing for beginners in 2023 could put you well on the way to success.

    Affiliate marketing allows people to benefit from selling products and services without spending any money. An individual simply promotes products among his audience and earns a share of the revenue when they buy something through that affiliate link.

    It has become one of the most popular marketing methods for entrepreneurs looking for easy startup strategies that will help them grow their income quickly.

    What Is Affiliate Marketing?

    5 Easy Steps to Become Successful in Affiliate Marketing

    1. Start With What You Do Best
    2. Write Valuable Content
    3. Share the Content Everywhere
    4. Keep Trust Front of Mind
    5. Become Data-Driven

    What Is Affiliate Marketing?

    Affiliate marketing is an online business model where you promote a company’s products through affiliate links or banner advertisements on your website. If any of your random website visitors click on the affiliate link/banner, and then makes a purchase, you will receive a commission for that sale.
    Anyone with a computer, a good internet connection and a willingness to learn new skills can follow this affiliate marketing business model.
    To promote physical or digital products for a business, you must first apply to an affiliate marketing program.

    5 Easy Steps to Become Successful in Affiliate Marketing

    To be successful in affiliate marketing, we must follow these five easy steps:

    Start With What You Do Best

    A person who best monetizes their content makes millions. The best way to get started is to write about a specific product content that you know about.
    Think about your content, the topics and trends you have already written about, and how you can find products that are relevant to your target audience. If you believe in the products you write about and they are connected to editorial content then it will be easier to create and much easier to monetize.

    Write Valuable Content

    Content is the key to success. Sit down and figure out what makes your content different. You need to know what your unique selling point is to your target readers and why they would come to your content over anyone else’s. Check your engagement statistics, understand the content that gets read more than others, and start repeating that format.

    Firstly, it has to be quality content and secondly, to make it commerce content, you have to engineer the content so that you can help people start their buying journey.

    Share the Content Everywhere

    When you start with content it is really important to think about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how you can make your commerce content rank well in search engine results.
    When you start producing very specific content related to products or marketing, you can use very specific keywords, which are exactly what search engines look at when deciding to rank content prominently in search engine search results. Theme posts around these special keywords and you should see your organic traffic start to increase as yours get indexed the most, and people search for them on different social media platforms.

    Keep Trust Front of Mind

    Trust is key to affiliate success. Audiences need to trust you’re making genuine recommendations about what they should buy and are savvy enough to tell when you’ve sold them up the river.

    So when you write commerce content keep a few things in your mind :

    a. Think about whether you would genuinely buy the item

    b. Consider if you like the brand and its products

    c. And in an ideal world, make sure you’ve tested the product and know it’ll be perfect for what your readers are looking for

    Readers can tell when you believe in a product or brand because your enthusiasm will be evident in your writing. The better the quality of your recommendations, the sooner people will start to trust you as a place to learn about the products they want to buy and will start purchasing based on your recommendations.

    Become Data-Driven

    Once you start using affiliate marketing strategies to make money, you will start generating data that you can use to inform your affiliate strategy and help you make more money. Merchants will pay a fixed commission to publishers when they are directly responsible for driving sales. So when looking for products you want to review, keep in mind the commission rate the merchant is going to pay you. The better the rate, the more money you’ll make if you drive sales.

    It’s better to think about conversion rates as well. A merchant may offer a high commission rate, but if their conversion rate is low, it means people rarely buy their products and this reduces your chance of making a sale.

    Conclusion

    Affiliate marketing is all about taking your destiny into your own hands. The correct strategy is the key to being able to steer one’s ship into that part of the ocean where a certain kind of calmness can be found, which pervades the atmosphere as the ship moves calmly along.

  • How to Establish a Supportive Workplace for Transgender Employees? – Sanjay Kaul, CEO of Innovaworkspaces

    Tips to Establish a Supportive Workplace for Transgender Employees – By Sanjay Kaul, CEO, InnovaWorkSpaces

    India is a young country, with its majority population under the age of 30. The new generations come with their own beliefs and individualities –changing India’s consumption and economic story. Where most organizations fail in attracting the right millennial talent is the right culture. The culture doesn’t imply a fun environment, a high pay scale or gaming zones, but an inclusive and diverse workspace, that accepts people as individuals, and not on the basis of their gender.

    Creating a trans-inclusive workplace will be the focus for many companies across the world, in the next few years. These younger generations need a workplace that doesn’t burden them emotionally, based on their gender identity, or disregards them. It’s high time companies realized this and looked into some ways to make their culture more gender agnostic for trans people.

    Few Tips to Make a Supportive Workplace

    Supporting the LGBTQ Community With More Inclusive Policies

    The very first step in this direction would be more transparent gender agnostic non-discriminatory policies –which protect the trans community and promotes their rights as individuals. Such policies with strict bearings on violations will help the section of the trans workforce be more open and confident in professional settings, and in the long term will also contribute to people accepting the community and their ideas.

    Education and Awareness Drives Within the Organization

    Thrusting inclusive policies for an organization will never be enough. The population needs to be educated about different gender identities, and the trans community, in particular, to help them clarify their assumptions and encourages sensitivity. One of the reasons the transgender community is neglected is that they never feel open and accepted by their colleagues. This will eventually come through additional efforts by companies that educate and train their employees about gender discrimination issues, and diverse identity cultures.

    The Pronouns and Their Usage

    A trans-inclusive workplace needs to normalize the pronouns, they, them, their and let people use them freely and unapologetically. This should be one of the key steps of the organizational trans-culture policy. Normalize asking for accepting preferred pronouns and titles that the trans community would like to use to define their identities.

    Ensure Inclusivity When It Comes to Workplace Amenities

    When it comes to implementing and achieving the inclusion of diverse communities and genders in the workplace, organizations need to ensure that this is embedded in the physical space. This implies amenities, restrooms, medical facilities and so on. The workforce, HR managers and leaders – all need to accept the new aspects of this inclusion, while it helps employees feel more comfortable and connected to their workplace.

    Ample Opportunity and Fair Exposure

    It is essential that an organization is not only trans-inclusive in its books, but also needs to provide ample opportunity for trans people to showcase their creativity, collaborate with other employees, and get the right exposure that they deserve in their roles. They should be valued and feel fulfilled considering that they are impacting the business.

    Some Trans-Community-Focused Initiatives or Benefits

    While an organization is expected to be fair and gender agnostic in its policies, some benefits and initiatives designed specifically for the trans community will help boost their confidence in the workplace. It also speaks to the inclusion of such minority communities, an example of which can be fertility benefits and policies, in which transgenders are often excluded.

    Conclusion

    Trans people often experience stigma and discrimination, hostility from others, and pressure to “manage” their identities in social settings, including the workplace. It is important to have a positive and supportive environment to work in. Governments have taken a series of steps and policies to support trans people but until the common people do not change their perceptions, the situation remains the same.

  • How do Cross-Training Programs add to the Overall Efficiency of your Firm? – Mr Sagar Pandey, Head- Human Relations, Swastika Investmart Limited

    This article has been contributed by Mr. Sagar Pandey, Head of Human Relations, Swastika Investmart Limited

    Most companies are understaffed most of the time. So, while the human resources department is busy filling the vacancies created by people who are on notice or about to leave, they get stacked with new openings.

    This, in turn, traps the entire onboarding team in a vicious circle. Attracting the right candidate for a particular job can be a tough task. Segregating skills and funneling out the ideal person is all essential to save the time involved in the hiring process.

    Obtaining a talented candidate’s attention is another difficult process. Moreover, maintaining overall efficiency and avoiding unwanted disruptions to sustain the incessant workflow is imperative. Well, in such instances, cross-training could function as a lifesaver and could solve multiple problems at once.

    We’ve all heard “Jack of all trades, but master of none,” but this is only half the truth. This adage can be paraphrased as “Jack of all trades, but master of none is frequently better than master of one.”

    Cross-training could help nurture “jack of all trades” by making employees learn the skills from other departments or by contributing to operations that are beyond their department, such that their daily vital results are not affected, and this could be helpful in multiple ways.

    Simply put, it is the practice of training employees for several positions within a single corporation. In contrast to the traditional practice of having specialized personnel who are not expected to perform outside of their tightly defined tasks, cross-training programs provide significant benefits to both employees and corporates.

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    The Many Benefits
    For the Dire Times
    Leveraging the Inside Talent
    Rising Cooperatively

    The Many Benefits

    Benefits Cross-Training Programs-StartupTalky
    Benefits Cross-Training Programs

    Firstly, cross-training programs could help in rebalancing the workload between overloaded and underloaded employees which in turn could lead to a smoother flow of work. Division of work is no doubt crucial but finding a balance between workload and segregating the duties during dire times helps in the overall efficiency of the firm. Secondly, cross-training is also an excellent practice to induce a sense of ownership or intrapreneurship amongst employees since they are not just contributing to what they are supposed to but also to where they want to. Moreover, this also grooms the employee’s thought process by making them see what is going on beyond their department and, in turn, have a consolidated view of the problem that the organization is solving at large.

    For the Dire Times

    Finding someone to step in for an urgent position or vacancy can be challenging, especially if each department only has a single worker. Cross-training allows individuals to work in multiple positions amid serious instances. This further boosts productivity in times of increased demand or workforce shortages. Employees can assist each other in collaborative projects thus, increasing the supply of quality inputs.

    Cross-training programs can further assist businesses in emphasizing their commitment to tackling workplace challenges such as diversity and inclusion. Employees have the chance to broaden their skill sets and work duties through cross-training.

    A new distinctive work might provide opportunities for the advancement of an employee while concurrently keeping them motivated and engaged. Effective engagement plays a great role in the overall teamwork of any firm. Teams get stronger as a result of their increased sense of value inside the company.

    Leveraging the Inside Talent

    These days, it is often observed that the management is looking forward to starting a new stream of ventures aligned with its current operations. Then in such cases, cross-training could be a technique that could do wonders by utilizing the unique traits of the existing workforce and, in return, help the company save time, money, and effort. For instance, companies that are planning to go digital are asking employees who have some knowledge about SEO, social media algorithms, content creation, etc., to contribute to the process rather than hiring a completely new team for this task. A company can save a lot of time required in onboarding and training new employees and instead invest in current employees who have a much better idea of how intra-department functioning works and have a concise picture of the problem that the company is working on.

    Rising Cooperatively

    Being vital and required is a source of self-esteem for certain workers. Everybody likes to get something more than just an acknowledgment. It is necessary for any firm that appreciates its employees’ capacity for mutual assistance. It further promotes the idea that single points of failure are a weakness that affects the entire organization rather than individual positions. Employees should be shown that their willingness to assist their co-workers in need will be beneficial to them when they require more assistance.

    It has also been observed that employees’ learning curves start flattening after joining corporations, and they get indulged in a daily mundane life cycle, busy doing repetitive tasks. To resolve this aspect, cross-training could do wonders by not just steepening the learning curve again but also adding new tasks in a 9-to-5 job, making it exciting again. However, the preliminary note is that cross-training is more efficient when employees are given a chance to choose their domain of experimentation, but either way, cross-training has proven itself to be an efficient and pragmatic methodology.

    Conclusion

    Briefly, cross-training is a proven and efficient practice that could solve various problems in an organization and smooth out the work operation without hiring new workers. Therefore, reducing costs for the organization and ultimately adding to the mutual growth of both the firm and its employees.

    FAQs

    What Is an Example of Cross-Training in Corporate?

    For example, if person A knows about handling a customer’s problem then he or she can learn other skills like identifying and addressing problems within products or services offered by the company or for that matter learning sales skills.

    How Do You Create a Cross-Training Program?

    First, identify a few skills that you want your employees to learn and also related to your company’s work. Second, hire good trainers to teach them and also make your employees aware of the benefits of cross-training and finally, put a reward system for the best performers.

    What Are the 12 Benefits of Cross-Training?

    The twelve benefits of Cross-Training are:

    • Rebalancing the workload
    • Inducing a sense of Ownership
    • Grooms employee’s thought process
    • Better collaboration and understanding
    • Improves problem-solving skills
    • Improves efficiency
    • Makes the company more acrobatic
    • Great ROI on investment
    • Builds empathy for other’s work
    • Boosts team spirit
    • Increases workforce sustainability
    • Improves efficiency

    What Is the Purpose of Cross-Training?

    The purpose of Cross-Training Program is to train the employees in many skills rather than in one specific skill. It helps them to build professionally well-rounded and good team workers.

  • 8 Ways Organizations Can Handle Communication During Layoffs – By Sridhar Laxman, Executive Coach, Lucid Minds Coaching

    This article has been contributed by Sridhar Laxman, Executive Coach, Lucid Minds Coaching.

    Layoffs, terminations, downsizing, and reorganization is a challenging and complex processes.

    Companies hire employees when the business demand is high, cash flows are healthy, and the external environment is favorable for a quick and sustained expansion.

    However, uncertainty is a given in life, just like everything else. Even the most accurate projections and company plans are often contested and abandoned during difficult times.

    Most times, macro environments influence organizations to explore their ability or inability to retain employees. However, with the decision comes the responsibility to effectively communicate and manage the process of layoffs.

    Communication becomes crucial during layoffs. Layoffs impact multiple stakeholders differently, Not only do the employees who are asked to leave get affected but the remaining employees across geographies also face anxiety, stress, and confusion.

    From the moment the decision is made until the last identified employee hears it, communication plays a crucial and active role in the entire process.

    Below are 8 ways that will help businesses handle communication amid layoffs compassionately and efficiently.

    Be Proactive
    Be Comprehensive
    Be Guided by Values
    Be Compassionate
    Be Supportive
    Be Clear and Patient
    Be Mindful
    Be Alert

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    Be Proactive

    Develop a crisis communication plan even before the need arises. We live in a dynamic world with constant disruptions. The longevity of any organization is constantly challenged today because of the unprecedented times we live in.

    Be Comprehensive

    Ensure the crisis communication plan addresses and supports the needs of all stakeholders, not just the impacted employees. The crisis communication plan needs to address all stakeholders including employees, customers, vendors, and investors.

    Be Guided by Values

    Adhere to values while decision-making. This will bring clarity to what’s essential and reduce noise and distractions. Taking a value-driven approach to building the actual piece of communication can ensure real needs of stakeholders are met and addressed objectively.

    Be Compassionate

    Be compassionate in your written and verbal communication. Layoffs are not just about reducing roles; they impact the livelihoods, health, and well-being of employees and their families. Respect and dignity are compromised, which leaves the opportunity for fear, anxiety, and a feeling of helplessness to take over.

    Therefore, communication must be thought through and designed to be genuinely compassionate and empathetic. Every effort should be made to lessen the impact of the unfortunate development.

    Be Supportive

    The plan needs to support the livelihood of those impacted. No matter how courteous your message is, it must also offer assistance to people who are affected.

    In addition to compensation, companies should also provide other forms of psychological support.

    For instance, businesses could provide employees with the various types of support outlined below to help them cope with the situation.

    • Access to a Counsellor or a Coach at no cost.
    • Access to relevant courses, skills, and career advancement material.
    • Contact details of reputed head hunters, and recruitment firms.
    • Links to open opportunities within group companies, and allied industries.
    • Free access to ebooks and audiobooks for a few months.
    • Links to consulting and vendor services required by the firm.
    • Letters of acknowledgment, and recommendations for future employers.

    Be Clear and Patient

    Layoffs are complicated; there’s no denying the harshness of the experience; companies could soften the impact by presenting the information in a clear, transparent, and patient manner instead of harsh or vague.

    Impacted employees will have numerous questions, concerns, and clarifications; they will have worries and anxieties. Communicating clearly and ensuring questions get answered will reduce the pressure felt by impacted employees.

    Be Mindful

    During layoffs, legal counsel will have an approach of keeping the organization’s best interests in mind. It’s neither unfair nor wrong; it is what it is. However, communication designed mindfully can balance the need for risk mitigation with much-needed compassion and empathy.

    Be Alert

    In an age of fake stories and deliberate misinformation, unethical competition can run smear campaigns to discredit the organization.

    Preemptive, proactive communication of facts and accurate information can prevent confusion and reduce the extent of the damage caused by misinformed campaigns.

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    Conclusion

    Despite all of the above, layoffs still cause pain and suffering. This is a business decision that is made in the absence of other alternatives.

    Layoffs not only impact employees but also other stakeholders of the company such as the customers, vendors, and investors.

    In a layoff scenario, customers are more likely to be concerned about the service quality and contract fulfillment whereas, the vendors would need clarity on whom to interact with to continue serving the company.

    In contrast, company investors are more likely to be anxious about the impact layoffs would have on their investments and returns. Similarly, potential company investors would tread cautiously and may withhold their investment decision.

    However, communication is essential to maintaining corporate confidence in all of the above instances. With concise and clear communication, a business may influence how the many impacted stakeholders perceive, consider, and respond to the decision.

    Organizations should therefore spend more time planning their communication to support individuals affected in a kind and compassionate way.

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    FAQs

    How do companies communicate layoffs?

    Generally, most companies follow email as the main communication channel for conveying layoffs.

    How layoffs will be communicated with the individual as well as within the company?

    The best way to communicate about layoffs with individuals as well as with the company is to organize a meeting at the individual level followed by a unit-level meeting.

    How do you manage a team in layoffs?

    During or after layoffs, managing a team is a bit of a challenge, well communication and motivating them is the key. Identify gaps between teams and avoid over-work.

  • Content Scraping: What Are the Risks Involved? – By Manthan Koolwal, Founder of Scrapingdog

    This article has been contributed by Manthan Koolwal, Founder of Scrapingdog.

    While web scraping is an essential tool for many business holders and has changed and transformed the scenario of collecting data, there are certain drawbacks attached to the term. One must understand that such tools can only be beneficial when used ethically.

    Different web scraping tools and APIs offer a similar facility for web scraping and is not an illegal practice itself. But unfortunately, there are some risks involved in the long run.

    If you are a company using content scraping, you must be aware of both its pros and cons and also the risks involved.

    In this article we have covered every necessary detail about content or web scraping and whether is it dangerous or not.

    Content Scraping – Dangerous or not?
    How to Protect Yourself from Illegal Web Scraping
    How Website Owners and Builders Can Protect Themselves From Content Scraping?
    Future of Content Scraping

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    Content Scraping – Dangerous or not?

    As mentioned earlier, data scraping is not in itself an illegal practice and there are many cloud providers which offer different web scraping tools to do the job correctly. You might find different web scraping API tools that are automated in nature and efficiently helps you to scrape the needed data ethically.

    While this process has helped businesses over time to easily get relevant and real-time information quickly, its usage is not restricted to such beneficial purposes.

    Just like any other life-changing smart technology solution has both its pros and cons, content scraping faces the same dilemma. It depends on the user interacting with the technology which determines whether it is useful or dangerous.

    Similarly, Data Scraping might be used for illegal practices as well and involves the risks of losing safety and the security of personal information. When the content is scraped off from a website with private features without their permission, it is considered illegal and can be dangerous.

    Generally, to access and abuse the personal information accumulated. Most of the time you might not be able to manifest this illegal practice for a long time. By the time someone abuses your data you might already have forgotten about it.

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    How to Protect Yourself from Illegal Web Scraping?

    It is important to understand that there is a certain type of risk involved every time you share any information online. Thus, as a user of the website, you must carefully manage what information you share about yourself on that website.

    You must check for websites that offer regular privacy checks for your safety and only engage with such portals that can assure privacy in whatever you share. Ultimately the responsibility lies in your hand regarding what you share about yourself and how you manage it.

    However, when your data is available on your webpage and someone collecting it won’t be an illegal activity. As it is meant to be public for a reason. Right?

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    How Website Owners and Builders Can Protect Themselves From Content Scraping?

    In the case of website owners and builders, some technical tricks can be applied to secure your content. But before that, you must keep in mind that everything visible and accessible to your users is also visible to scraping bots.

    Strategies To Prevent Illegal Content Scraping

    Website owners and builders can adopt the below-mentioned strategies to ensure and prevent any malicious or illegal content scraping attacks.

    Check for visitors with similar IP addresses

    The easiest trick you can adopt to recognize a scraping attempt is by checking a high number of requests sent to your website from a single IP address. You can either block or restrict the suspicious IP address so that they cannot access the content any longer.

    Changing HTML

    Regularly changing your HTML will restrict and confuse scrapers from conducting any malicious activities on your website. This is an effective method that forces them to switch from your website. However, the strategy could be quite confusing for the developers as well.

    Using technical tools

    The use of CAPTCHAs and lots of media files can also help you successfully protect yourself from unwanted content scraping attacks.

    Employing bot prevention software

    You might even opt for abort prevention software that will help you restrict and analyze such web scripting bots. They usually conduct a deep behavioral analysis to pinpoint bat bots and prevent them from illegal content scraping.

    Even after using these techniques, you must ensure that you need to take action against such data scribbles and warn them against the process. This will further forbid them lawfully to pursue such conduct.

    Future of Content Scraping

    Content scraping poses a challenging future for its exceptional advantages and disadvantages. On the one end, the process of content scraping has helped many business owners in developing and progressing rapidly.

    While in the other case it leverages web scraping bots, cybercriminals, hackers, and spammers to effortlessly steal whatever pieces of content they want. This creates a dilemma in the use of such a technology and is a growing challenge for website owners and users equally.

    The process could indeed be dangerous when used in the wrong manner, yet it possesses great potential for businesses that use it ethically. The data scraped through the websites that encourage such functions can help business owners to get a detailed insight into the relevant data efficiently.

    When the manual process required a huge input of cost and time, the automated process of web scraping has efficiently made the process much quicker and faster.

    Thus, we cannot judge the power of technology based on the user and his intention of using it. Any technology dedicated towards development and growth can contribute significantly to the right hands.

    In the future, we hope for the introduction of better content scraping tools that can effectively help business owners to access the data legally. Also, there must be the adoption of different techniques that efficiently restrict such malicious practices by recognizing them initially.

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    Conclusion

    Content scraping is a practice that continues to raise some eyebrows, because of its diversified nature. But the user needs to understand that it is not the technology that is right or wrong in itself. Rather, web scraping is a legal practice that has successfully transformed the entire process of data collection.

    Businesses have efficiently scraped the data legally through different web pages as per the requirements and used the relevant information for a detailed analysis and other similar functions. The usage of different web scraping APIs has successfully aided the process and business owners to connect the relevant data efficiently.

    So, it is not the process of content scraping that is harmful or risky for any business, rather, it might help you to smartly extract or retrieve your data effectively. The data collected or scraped through different sites can further be utilized for meaningful business activities.

    You can predict, forecast, or optimize your entire business strategy based on the insights of such valuable information accumulated. Just keep the protocols and legal formats while conducting content scraping and you are good to go.

    FAQs

    What is a content scrape and the term “scrapping” used for?

    Content scraping or web scrapping is a process in which a bot scrapes some or complete data from different websites without their owner’s wish or permission.

    How does content scraping work?

    Content Scrapping involves, scrapping data or part of any data and making sense of them, and publishing them somewhere else.

    What are some best tools for Content Scrapping?

    Some best tools for content scrapping are:

    • Scrapingdog
    • Scrape.do
    • Scrapingdog
    • AvesAPI
    • ParseHub
    • Diffbot
    • Octoparse
    • ScrapingBee
    • Grepsr
    • Scraper API
    • Scrapy
    • Import.io

  • Strategies for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Workplace – By Ms. Sonica Aron, Founder of Marching Sheep

    This article has been contributed by Ms. Sonica Aron, Managing Partner and founder of Marching Sheep

    Over the last decade, the business landscape has seen a remarkable transformation. Global economic growth, technological advancements, talent dynamics, and evolving macroeconomic conditions contribute to this transition.

    Due to this, businesses have found themselves operating in extremely challenging, and ever-evolving conditions. And to cope with this, organizations have had to evolve with the changing times to remain relevant and competitive.

    Today’s diverse talent dynamic has been a driving force, which has compelled organizations across geographies, sectors, and life stages to broaden their narrative around diversity, equity and inclusion.

    As today’s workforce is multi-generational and multicultural, from diverse life phases with evolving expectations for where and how they want to work as well as grow. Thus, it is not only about recruiting diverse talent, it is also about creating inclusive, transparent, and empathetic cultures where everyone can bring their authentic selves.

    In the scenario, DEI—diversity, equality, and inclusion—has become a watchword in recent years. Despite the fact that there is yet much work to be done, several businesses have taken measures to address DEI in the workplace by embracing it. But, before we get started, let us first grasp why it is critical to implement DEI strategies.

    DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    DEI Strategies to Adopt at the Workplace

    DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    DEI comprises of interventions, programs, and policies that enhance diverse group representation and participation authentically. Persons of all genders, races and ethnicities, abilities, beliefs, cultures, ages, and sexual orientations are included, as well as people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, talents, and expertise.

    The objective is not just to hire a diverse workforce, but also to put in place structures and procedures that allow all employees to participate in company decisions and have their voices heard.

    DEI is not simply a moral necessity, but also a commercial imperative. While many businesses view DEI through the lens of compliance and reputation management, they also acknowledge that diversity benefits both individual employees and the financial performance of the business.

    The ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion are mutually reinforcing for an organization. Because an employee’s sense of belonging (inclusion) and sense of justice (equity) is so crucial, focusing alone on diversity is insufficient.

    Thus, in this current day, when individuals are trying to learn everything and keep up with the trends, it has become critical for organizations to comprehend the importance of DEI and promote it throughout the company by implementing various DEI initiatives.

    DEI Strategies to Adopt at the Workplace

    Increasing Awareness

    In today’s world, every organization comprises diverse people, and when we talk about DEI strategies, the first thing that comes to mind is women employees, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities as they face both societal and workplace bias and challenges.

    However, diversity among people is much broader. The workforce today represents people from all walks of life. Different socioeconomic strata, geographies, language preferences, educational backgrounds, generations, and whatnot. Diversity is a fact however, inclusion is a choice.

    It is key to creating sensitization and awareness among all layers of the organization that every individual, irrespective of their differences, needs to be valued and included.

    Building managerial capability in driving inclusive teams, building awareness around appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, and inclusive and non-inclusive language should be an ongoing effort in all organizations.

    Building courage in people to drive bystander inclusion, calling in, and calling out instances of non-inclusion should be encouraged.

    Beginning at the Top

    Organizations with diverse leadership are more successful and have higher market value. With DEI embedded not just in the HR strategy but in the business strategy, in Leadership speak, and in values and culture, there will be increased organization-wide commitment, clear expectations, and collaborative dedication.

    A leader’s visibility and active engagement in DEI activities speak loudly in the workplace. Putting firm beliefs into action act as a role model for employees and helps to keep the momentum going. Employees observe leaders’ actions, words, and conduct to determine their genuineness.

    Leaders may demonstrate their commitment to their people through proactive communication and collaborative allyship actions. Consistent leadership efforts will reinforce the organization’s mission and values while fostering a common commitment to the movement.

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    Responsibility and Understanding

    Many executives regard diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) as the HR responsibility and are not fully involved in the initiatives in letter and spirit. Such organizations are unlikely to benefit significantly from the DEI strategy.

    However, it is not simply an HR job; it is the responsibility of everyone who works in the organization. Because DEI is linked to innovation, creativity, productivity, and profitability. According to Sonica Aron, a key role for HR is to have a continued performance while simultaneously encouraging employees.

    Every management and employee must understand what inclusive and non-inclusive actions are, that they, too, may become victims of inequality and that an overarching culture of respect and inclusion is required.

    360° Approach

    It is a fact that nothing changes in business until everyone is held accountable for it. As a result, firms may improve their DEI strategy by using a 360-degree approach that tackles infrastructure, policies, HR practices, communication, and attitudes and involves people to drive diverse initiatives and hold them accountable. The 360 strategies, on the other hand, will give the organization a DEI plan that includes solutions for every dimension and stage of diversity.

    Conclusion

    With the benefits of a diverse workforce in view, organizations must adjust DEI policies and nurture their diverse employees at every stage.

    Whether you are an MNC, an established conglomerate, a mid-sized firm, or a startup, at the end of the day, every person has to feel valued for their contributions irrespective of their differences and uniqueness, which is why incorporating DEI into the culture from day one is vital.

    FAQs

    Why is DEI important in the workplace?

    There are ample reasons why DEI is important in the workplace. Some of them are DEI brings work-life balance for the employees, improves employee retention rate, it also promotes a healthy working environment that indirectly improves the creativity level of employees.

    What is the full form of DEI?

    The word DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

    How do you bring DEI to the workplace?

    DEI can be brought to the workplace by implementing a number of practices. Implementing practices like empowering people of all levels to the sensitive issues, focusing on the norms, practices, and policies in the organization that create a better internal environment, creating a leadership plan, etc.

  • 5 EVP Strategies to Avoid Moonlighting, and Keep Employees Engaged – Mr. Sukesh Jain, CEO, BI WORLDWIDE, India

    This article has been contributed by Mr. Sukesh Jain, CEO, BI WORLDWIDE, India

    For better or worse, the pandemic has changed the way many approach the concept of work, and their notions around what a truly fulfilling & engaging job entail. Also, with a changing demographic and more participation from millennial and Gen-z employees, aspirations and expectations of job-seekers are evolving. It’s clear that employees want a stable yet stimulating environment to be able to thrive and add to their employer’s success, therefore it’s now more important than ever for employers to take bold steps and define their core employee value proposition (EVP) to keep employees motivated and engaged.

    Simply put, EVP is the overall value that an organisation promises to deliver to its employees; it’s what an organisation will do day in and day out for their employees in return for their best work. EVP focusses on making every moment count across the entire employee lifecycle – the hiring process, the first day, the first year, the entire tenure and even after an employee leaves the organisation.

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    Employers who focus on communicating their EVP to employees every day, in every interaction, are then better able to mitigate disruptive employee trends such as moonlighting (i.e., working two full-time jobs at once without either employer knowing). In recent times, moonlighting became prevalent more so in the Indian IT sector, especially among employees working remotely. The debate on whether this is ethical and legal continues to be had, however from an employer’s standpoint, moonlighting is a situation best avoided; and a customised EVP strategy is the best solution available.

    5 Keys EVP Strategies to Curb Moonlighting

    Enhance the Onboarding Experience
    Make Rewards and Recognition Integral
    Make them Learn and Grow
    Make Innovation a Practice
    Building Brand Advocacy

    Enhance the Onboarding Experience

    A well-defined onboarding program is the best way to set the right tone with employees from day one. Put together a comprehensive guidebook that new employees can refer to in the initial weeks so that they can seamlessly adapt into their new workplace. While its contents may vary based on business needs, a few common ones include links to all HR policies, guides to tools and apps that are routinely used, and document templates. This not only indicates to a new employee that the company is organised and thoughtful but is also an efficient way to streamline and standardise the onboarding process for all new employees, who may join at different times and stages of the business cycle.

    Make Rewards and Recognition Integral

    Building a culture of recognition for big and small wins alike, is integral to overall employee motivation levels. Employees experience the dopamine effect – a rush of happy emotions – when they are recognised and celebrated for their contribution at work. More importantly, what is recognised is often repeated, and therefore a strategic recognition and rewards program only adds to a company’s success. Employees that are recognised and rewarded for their efforts feel validated and incentivised to do their best workday after day, as they then see that the company’s overall success is equally their success on a personal level. This kind of employee mindset is what companies need to thrive and succeed at a larger scale. While curating a rewards program, employers must remember to include rewards that will be meaningful and relevant to their employees. A mix of brand merchandise, lifestyle and travel incentive rewards are popular choices.

    Make them Learn and Grow

    The world around us is rapidly evolving and there are plenty new advancements in technology, business practices and the like that employees need to stay updated with in order to bring their A-game to work. If employers proactively arrange training programs for their employees to upskill, it not only improves employee performance but also signals to employees that the company is invested in their overall professional growth beyond just their daily job responsibilities. This in turn prevents employees from moonlighting and looking outside the confines of their jobs to satiate their quest for knowledge. Moreover, it helps keep company culture fresh and exciting, and also serves as an important team-building exercise in the case of group training sessions.

    Companies can approach qualified experts to conduct customised learning modules for their employees, or even opt to partner with any of the large number of edtech platforms to deliver training to their employees in an easy and cost-effective manner.

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    Make Innovation a Practice

    When employees have been surveyed for why they may resort to moonlighting, a significant percentage report boredom as one of the main reasons. Employees often feel like they stagnate and stop learning when their requests or suggestions to do things differently at the workplace are met with a lukewarm or negative response. In order for employees to be deeply committed to a long tenure with an organisation, it’s important that the culture encourages innovation and is open to employees being curious and creative in context of their job responsibilities. If employees are genuinely motivated and incentivised to think outside the box, they bring their whole selves to work and approach their job with a higher degree of care and ownership; and don’t feel the need to look elsewhere for professional satisfaction by moonlighting. They also end up gaining knowledge, and often discover more efficient ways of carrying out their tasks, which is beneficial to the organisation on every level.

    Building Brand Advocacy

    One of the most positive outcomes of having a highly engaged workforce, is for employees both old and new to refer their friends and acquaintances to join the organisation. Research reveals that new employees referred by current employees are more productive and more likely to stay longer at organisation than non-referral candidates. This is because the human tendency for confirmation bias comes into play – essentially, we tend to seek out others with similar beliefs, values and perspectives. Motivated and fulfilled employees therefore tend to recommend candidates with similar mindsets to join the organisation, thereby functioning as the most authentic and effective brand advocates an organisation can have. Employers can also customise referral rewards programs to incentivise their employees to refer new candidates – where the generosity of the rewards increases based on the number of referrals that are hired.

    Giving employees reasons to want to join, do their best work, and stay at an organisation is no easy feat, and getting this right is a crucial business priority. Real-world application proves that happy employees translate to a better customer experience for the organisation as well, and in turn, a healthier bottom line. It’s well worth any organisation’s time, money, and effort to invest in keeping their employees engaged, motivated and happy.

    Conclusion

    We read what is meaning of moonlighting. Moonlighting means working two full-time jobs at once without either employer knowing. If we think from an employer’s standpoint, moonlighting is a situation best avoided and a customised EVP strategy is the best solution available. We read 5 EVP strategies to curb moonlighting.

  • Building Positive Relationships at Work – By Mr. Ratish Pandey, Founder of Ethique Advisory

    This article has been contributed by Mr. Ratish Pandey, Founder of Ethique Advisory.

    As companies look to navigate the post-pandemic operating environment, one thing is clear: Relationship building gets the front seat. The Covid-19 pandemic completely upended the traditional work environment bringing in a new norm of remote/hybrid jobs.

    This new paradigm, like any other, has its pros and cons. On the one hand, remote working allows for better work-life balance and reduced travel stress. On the other hand, it does not bode well for building work relationships or a commitment to the organization, making retention a challenge.

    The traditional employee annual turnover of 17-18% has shot up to 30-40% in the new normal. Employees cite a lack of motivation, engagement, and collaborative opportunities in the work environment as the reasons for quitting.

    So what can companies do to foster workplace relationships and build positivity at work in the new normal of remote/ hybrid working? Let’s take a look.

    Why are Positive Relationships at Workplace important?
    How does an Organisation Build a Positive Work Environment?

    Why are Positive Relationships at Workplace important?

    Creating a high-performance work environment involves several moving parts, but a team with positive relationships is perhaps the most crucial influence on productivity, collaboration, and excellence.

    Increased productivity

    The impact of positive relationships cannot be understated.

    It spans the relationships between colleagues, supervisors, and leaders.

    Developing positive relationships at the workplace is the bedrock of employee engagement. It can lead to a 41% reduction in absenteeism and a 17% increase in productivity.   When employees feel comfortable and supported, they are more likely to communicate openly by asking for help and offering assistance when needed. Employees feel a stronger sense of ownership, driving higher employee engagement, which is something that modern work environments are finding difficult to tackle.

    Reduced Attrition

    A recent Gallup report showed that only 36% of employees were actively engaged in the workplace, costing businesses between $450 and $500 billion each year.

    Creating a positive work environment that nurtures strong relationships at the workplace improves retention, as employees feel happy and accomplished. A recent survey reinforced the point, as strongly motivated and engaged employees were 87% less likely to leave their place of work than those who were not motivated.

    Builds a progressive culture

    Another benefit of positive relationships in the workplace is that it helps create a progressive culture that focuses on quality and excellence. When employees feel supported in the workplace, they take on more ownership.

    Employees are more likely to move out of their comfort zone, extend themselves, try new things and innovate, leading to faster progress, better collaboration, more efficiency across the organization, and ultimately high-quality output.

    For a high-performing workplace, positive relationships are the guru mantra. By fostering positive relationships, companies can create a more engaged, motivated, and productive team, which can help drive business growth & success.

    How does an Organisation Build a Positive Work Environment?

    Here are a few well-trodden steps that can help an organization create an environment to develop positive work relationships. –

    Encourage Open Communication – an element that is more critical than before as now all team members may not be at the same location. All team members should be heard and encouraged to share ideas and provide feedback to one another. To create the habit and make it a part of the culture initially, one may need to formalize the timing for the team members to connect and discuss.

    Another step to encourage open communication and collaboration is implementing an open-door policy. Open-door policy refers to the freedom provided to team members to approach anyone across the organization for help and advice and not tow the hierarchy line.

    Finally, creating opportunities for team members to work together on projects helps build relationships and encourages collaboration. For the initiative to succeed, clear roles and responsibilities need to be assigned to each team member. In the absence of such projects, team-building activities can help build team dynamics.

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    Support Employees Through Training

    Living in a world where change is a way of life, skilling and reskilling is the ask. Investing in employees to help them stay relevant in their roles and grow as individuals and at work is no longer an option but a mandate for organizations.

    Apart from imparting technical & soft skills to staff, one key element that most organizations miss that employees need is mentoring. In the current scenario of remote and hybrid workplaces, mentoring has gained importance. It helps provide guidance, support, and advice to employees as they tackle daily challenges and navigate their growth in the organization as they work to develop their skills and abilities. A survey reveals 93% of employees said that well-planned training programs positively impacted their level of engagement. Supporting employees through these programs is a no-brainer.

    Appreciation and Recognition

    Adopting a culture of constructive feedback  goes a long way in creating a positive environment. It helps employees feel appreciated for their contributions while understanding their areas to improve and grow. Organizations can also provide opportunities for employees to share their successes and accomplishments with the rest of the team by creating a platform to share their successes with the broader organization. A survey found that less than half (45%) of employees said they received recognition from their employers, so companies must create an environment where employees feel that their efforts are praised and recognized.  

    Building an Inclusive and Respectful Workplace

    Policies and practices that support diversity and inclusion training on unconscious bias, cultural sensitivity, and clear communication about organizational expectations are some tools for creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. It needs to be supported by clear communication about the organization’s expectations.

    Invest in Employee Well-Being

    Organizations need to help employees manage their work-life balance and reduce stress. One way to invest in employee well-being is by offering flexible work arrangements, such as allowing employees to work from home or have flexible hours. Another way to invest in employee well-being is by providing access to counselling services, support groups, or wellness programs.

    Conclusion

    Positive relationships at work is the key to employee productivity which translates to the growth and success of the company.

    Hence, Organizations need to take a cognitive approach to take actions required to build a culture & environment that fosters positive & productive work relationships, nurtures collaboration, improves morale, and reduces attrition.