Click Of An Idea And Get-Go Or Get-Set-Go?

For some people the mere task of coming out with ideas and getting the chance to implement them is a Eureka moment. The ideas are largely either pulled in from previous Organizations’ successful ventures addressing the same issue or something really out of the box that promises ease and convenience to anyone who happens to use it. Some of them plan it out really well, and follow all the protocols one ought to and design a step by step stage to go about the process. Whilst others may not follow the usual routes and create their own methods of doing things. However there is one step/protocol both kind of task doers should indulge in – Pilot Testing.

Pilot testing is a terminology primarily used by training specialists in Organizations where an entire cycle is followed before the Training & Development team decides to implement a newly designed programme upon employees. Besides developing theoretical documentation of the system, real time users / testers are allowed to use and abuse the programme stretching it to all limits of durability. If one tries searching over the Internet, in fact one may find a lot of articles and blogs addressing the available types of pilot testing and the ways of administering it all the while keeping in mind its pros and cons.

Before any of the models can be brought out into the market for the end users/customers use, a small section of testers should always see, work upon and critically analyse the intention of the model, its intended utility, the correctness in the functionality and most importantly – how is it helping the end users. However many innovators or idea generators take a leap over this step and decide to face the end users on their own. For the IT industry this terminology is equivalent to beta testing that we keep seeing on newly launched software’s and websites every other day.

The same holds good for the HR industry as well. We are in a constant race of coming up with new ideas on employee engagement as we keep observing no idea lasts for a cycle of more than 4 – 6 months. An employee outgrows himself/herself on every one of the employee welfare schemes, recreational events and activities and employee engagement. Especially when the three form the foundation for employee retention to stay! Suddenly the HR guys need to reinvent themselves as the brightest of the artists coming out with whims and fancies that seem to go well with the Management and of course doesn’t land the Organization in soup or bring them at loggerheads with their policies and employee reaction.

With the growing advent of the Internet resource available at a mouse click, today anybody from anywhere can keep a tab with what is happening at some Organization miles away and at times Continents away too. However what may work best with Organization X may go sour or in worst case, bitter too with Organization Y. Special care should be taken when people shift sectors as in different kind of industries and try to add a feather to heir cap – coming out with innovations! There’s no guarantee that if you were a star performer and the CEO of the Organization shook hands with you in great appreciation, you may end up receiving the same reception in the new Organization.

For people who have just job hopped from the IT sector to the Manufacturing sector, there’s always a challenge up the sleeve - the concept of replacing manual labour by machines often taking a back seat and receiving flak as it threatens the job security of individuals. Here one would always be sceptical to find fine exhibition of latest technologies and software’s in the market on the roll. If one man earns a living by manual entry of attendance and daily tabulation of it across the Organization’s extended units, software by the country’s most promising technology builder of HR systems may lead to snatching of his job. The helpless Manager would always try to bring about up-gradation in the department, and at times may borrow ideas by introducing a swift transition phase by first working on internally developed programmes or systems and then graduating to ERP’s. Or introducing new employee engagement schemes that worked out super duper well at an IT industry however fails to stir the curiosity and results to dropping morale and enthusiasm in employees.

Man is plagued by the need to do something challenging, however to capture the right attention at the right moment has always been a tumultuous task. It’ll be always wise for the HR conglomerate on the whole if before they decide to handle the end users face up, a small section of the employees known to be neutral and good feedback givers test the feasibility of the new system or scheme. It could save many an embarrassing moments and help better structure the implementation phases of the new idea.

Ownership Ensures A Good Night's Sleep

Ownership today has become the fad among young generation of employees. Before joining an Organization the first thing they would want to know is how much space is available for ownership to blossom. Gone are the days when employees would keep requiring running to their bosses and seniors for approval of every step they need to take, or every procedure they need to begin with. Gone are the days when there would be one man calling all the shots. For if somebody did that today, the employee would consume hardly any reaction time and next thing that would land up is a resignation and a brighter future elsewhere.

So why has ownership replaced all measures of motivating an employee to give in their best. Why it is today that money and incentives do not derive equal pleasure and ensure a good night’s sleep as much as ownership does?

Today every person is eyeing to be an entrepreneur by their own means in some way or the other. Every induction in an Organization when somebody from the top management ask, “How many of you see yourself as future CEO’s of an Organization” instantly 70% of the crowds have their hands shot out! Even if 20% of them do not really know what it may take to be there, 25% may halt their dreams out of securing job and realizing it’s not their cup of tea, 15% may begin with something but never finish it due to early setbacks and out of the rest 10%, hardly 3% end up as CEO’s! So why is there this horde of people wanting to be the man who has the power and influence to turn tables for an Organization?

It’s all about the ability to be given enough freedom to do what they love doing. It’s about getting that space of their own where they can invent, innovate, experience, jump in joy and lie low in setbacks. It’s about feeling these moments of life on a personal account basis. Why should they let somebody else rule their chances of growth and learning?

In times like this Organizations have evolved to be smarter species and many people have edged themselves one level up compared to the EQ status of their employees. Ownership yes is provided but a controlled one. Employees get their share of responsibilities and much beyond than the actual deal of Job Description for the profile. Of course enrichment of profile is something that makes an employee gloat in content, however a controlled ownership would mean: one being free to gather all resources on their own, work out measures and strategies of approaching the issue, study the repercussion of the procedure that would soon be implemented; but just before the employee can go ahead with the grand plans – he ought to tell his superior about it. Here is where all the clipping happens, strategies are realigned to the business goals and the grand plans are modified to the superiors’ line of thought. Plus a good enough reason/feedback is rarely or never given to the employee. Resultant – the very happy an employee some time back, is not so amused now. However convincing the clippings may sound, however at the end of the day one needs to keep getting back to the management / superior for approval on matters. We have an unhappy employee now, who feels his freedom of action is curbed and encroached upon. It won’t be long when he would be at loggerheads with his superior and the Organization as a whole. It won’t be long before he would begin detaching himself with the excitement about working on something. A slow deterioration in his efficiency and performance would be strong indicators of a likely hop.

So for all managers and superiors who have at certain times practiced controlled ownership, time to think whether they can trust the instincts of enthusiastic employees and believe in their capabilities? Of course clearly mentioning the goals of the Organization before hand and how they plan to achieve it, before all work is done and then people sit and decide whether the new model suits them. Or continue with the age old hierarchy system of reporting, process flow model and operations.