By Nisha Salim

At the workplace, as in any social setting, a certain amount of teasing occurs naturally. But when it becomes insistent and repetitive, causing severe stress to the target, it crosses over to the line of bullying.

Premilla D’Cruz and Ernesto Norohna, Organizational Behaviour professors at IIM Ahmedabad, had conducted a study on workplace bullying among the ITeS employees in India, in 2010. The findings reveal without a doubt that bullying does exist at the Indian workplace. According to the survey, “A range of bullying behaviours were described including isolation, personal attacks, verbal threats and task-related difficulties.”

Premilla D’Cruz, who also authored the book Workplace Bullying in India, says that while workplace bullying does exist in our country, it is hard to determine the extent of it in the absence [...]]]> Bullying might not stop at high-school; how does one handle bullying when it continues into adulthood and follows you to your workplace? 

By Nisha Salim

At the workplace, as in any social setting, a certain amount of teasing occurs naturally. But when it becomes insistent and repetitive, causing severe stress to the target, it crosses over to the line of bullying.

Premilla D’Cruz and Ernesto Norohna, Organizational Behaviour professors at IIM Ahmedabad, had conducted a study on workplace bullying among the ITeS employees in India, in 2010. The findings reveal without a doubt that bullying does exist at the Indian workplace. According to the survey, “A range of bullying behaviours were described including isolation, personal attacks, verbal threats and task-related difficulties.”

Premilla D’Cruz, who also authored the book Workplace Bullying in India, says that while workplace bullying does exist in our country, it is hard to determine the extent of it in the absence of empirical data.

“Bullying is basically emotional abuse. It is a persistent, targeted kind of hostility or intimidation that one person or group shows to another person or group. It occurs with a certain frequency and makes the target feel powerless to defend himself or herself,” clarifies Premilla.

Anjana Verma*, a call centre team leader, is of the opinion that standing up to the bully and escalating the issue to the concerned line manager can help if the escalation procedure is robust. Anjana herself has been bullied by her own manager, which she successfully escalated to the next in line.

Bullying is basically emotional abuse. It is a persistent, targeted kind of hostility or intimidation…

So is it superiors who usually bully their subordinates?

“Most often it is the superiors who turn out to be bullies. I have also seen it the other way round where the superior is a woman and the men in her team bully her. This however, is rare,” says Anjana.

Rishita Pandey*, a middle level manager in an MNC, opines that it is better to deal with bullies tactically. She states, “Usually, a straight forward confrontation is not useful. Most bullies continue their behaviour since they are used to getting a positive response. Give them a non-routine response that will throw them off a little.” Don’t let the bully know that you are afraid or intimidated by his aggression.

Premilla agrees that bullies can be handled effectively, “If you have a supportive top management and HR who are willing to take up the issue and fight it through.” The other option, she adds, is, “To quit or look for another job. This may not seem like the ideal solution, but mostly people have no choice but to quit unless they have a highly supportive top management.”

Premilla narrates an incident where an entry level BPO employee was bullied by the team leader. The victim was given tasks that did not match his skillsets and then criticised for poor performance. The team leader also spoke poorly about the victim on the work floor within earshot of others, thus humiliating the victim. This issue was escalated to the team leader’s superior during a skip level meeting. The senior managers viewed the issue with some seriousness and appropriate action was taken.

When your line manager himself is the bully, the situation becomes complex because, “There is a lot of collusion between your superiors and other managers,” reminds Premilla. Usually, the victim is transferred to a different team where the chances of work-related bullying are minimized. Unless there is extensive evidence about bullying behaviour and complaints from other employees, there is little likelihood that the bully will be terminated.

Are women bullied more than men?

Both Anjana and Rishita agree that women are more susceptible to being bullied because they are generally perceived as the weaker sex.

“It is really difficult to look at this through the lens of gender,” says Premilla. She elaborates, “It is hard to say whether women are more susceptible to getting bullied than men because it is context-specific and culture can play a role. In a patriarchal society, women may experience greater gender-based harassment; but they may not perceive it that way because they often take some level of unfair treatment for granted.”

So far, there is no legislation to prevent workplace bullying in India. But there are internal policies in place in most companies.

How can you handle a bully at work?

Remember that bullying has more to do with the bully’s own insecurities than about what you do.

By recognizing that it is the bully that has the problem and not you, you regain control of your own feelings. Embarrassment, shame and fear are all normal reactions, but remember that these emotions are often misplaced and that is how all abusers control and silence the victims.

By recognizing that it is the bully that has the problem and not you, you regain control of your own feelings.

Record everything in a journal. Learn about your company policies regarding bullying and prepare to take action.

Have a backup plan in place. You may even want to look for another job, because when you have the security of a backup job, you feel more empowered to face the situation.

When you discuss the issue with senior management, provide ample evidence. Be prepared for the eventuality that you may have to quit.

Dealing with a bully can be tough. Limit the damage as early as you can, and get out of the company if they are unable to protect their employees.

*Names changed on request.

*Photo credit: Tim Caynes (Used under the Creative Commons Attribution License)

By Radhika Raheja

Media is supposed to play a constructive role in our society. But ask women journalists about their experiences and they’ll narrate gory details of how chauvinistic bosses can be. Working for a media organisation may seem all fun, but if you’re a woman, the journey may not be as gratifying as you might have imagined.

Those who report by brute strength

Journalists must be tough guns (read men), or so it is believed by the some in the industry. It was the winter of 2004 and I had convinced a not-so-hot-shot editor at a newspaper that I would make for an excellent intern. Four weeks on, after countless efforts of filing worthless stories, I decided it was time to give up. “Sir, I was hoping to work on a more challenging story, something serious perhaps,” [...]]]> The existence of gender bias even in a ‘progressive’ industry like journalism is surprising and deplorable.

By Radhika Raheja

Media is supposed to play a constructive role in our society. But ask women journalists about their experiences and they’ll narrate gory details of how chauvinistic bosses can be. Working for a media organisation may seem all fun, but if you’re a woman, the journey may not be as gratifying as you might have imagined.

Those who report by brute strength

Journalists must be tough guns (read men), or so it is believed by the some in the industry. It was the winter of 2004 and I had convinced a not-so-hot-shot editor at a newspaper that I would make for an excellent intern. Four weeks on, after countless efforts of filing worthless stories, I decided it was time to give up. “Sir, I was hoping to work on a more challenging story, something serious perhaps,” I beseeched. A roar of laughter echoed in the newsroom and I heard a sentence I would probably never forget in this life: “Every girl wants to be Barkha Dutt these days.” Needless to say, the opportunity of writing something worthwhile never came the little girl’s way.

Why do you even want to be a journalist? You think you can run around for a story like a man can?

After what seemed to be hardly a worthy experience to remember, the internship concluded, but not without its lessons. His exclusive wisdom for me came pouring down at the end. It seemed as if the grey haired man couldn’t contain his emotions anymore. Why do you even want to be a journalist? You think you can run around for a story like a man can? Imagine getting threat calls or being stalked. Just pick something convenient for yourself that you can keep pursuing after marriage. You’re such an emotional person; harsh news isn’t right for you, you should consider teaching – I strongly believe women make good school teachers.

Fortunately, I learnt my lesson the hard way. I made a decision that day; I wasn’t going to be treated like a second-class citizen. I knew that if I wanted to survive in this industry, I would have to fight my way up.

A paper’s party piece

In the last few years, a large chunk of female students who major in journalism lock up their dreams of bringing out the truth and doing social good and end up settling down for parallel streams. The hands of the news industry aren’t tight with just political and economic reports anymore. Lifestyle, fashion and gossip form big news for the media today. Shockingly, gender influences this part of the industry as well.

The most glamorous part of a lifestyle paper is its Page 3. Adorned with pictures of suave men, chic women and trendy society parties, Page 3 has all the limelight anyone would need. You’d think how fabulous a Page 3 reporter’s job is. Meeting all the important people and enjoying the lovely parties as your very job, what’s not to like, right? The reality however is not as rosy. Remember Konkana Sen Sharma’s character in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Page 3?

Page 3 is of such high value today that it is imperative for publications to plan it strategically. If you are a woman fashion enthusiast with a knack for communication, newspapers would be happy to have you onboard. It is a common belief in the industry that pretty female faces find it easy to befriend important persons, which naturally makes Page 3 coverage absolute. While there’s nothing wrong in being a Page 3 reporter, do it for too long and you’d be tainted as a reporter who does nothing more than attend parties. Not a good feeling for serious reporters, is it?

Reporter by the day

If you are a working woman in the National Capital Region, this one wouldn’t surprise you one bit. The city that shamefully remains the rape capital as well has made work life doubly strenuous for women. With recent incidences of crimes against women journalists, even media companies are becoming increasingly conscious of whom they hire. Forget about competition and lack of credentials, you could simply lose an opportunity because you live some 50km away from the office. Women travelling back home late in the night is not just a strain for their families, but organisations as well.

With recent incidences of crimes against women journalists, even media companies are becoming increasingly conscious of whom they hire.

Media does come with its own baggage of responsibilities, which not all people have the strength to fulfil. However, women who fight their way up in journalism are indeed valued. But with the condition of crime in the city, women have only two options, either pick a profession that lands you home well before the sunset, or move to a city more female friendly. The bias doesn’t always come from an organisation; it may be a result of a situation. As far as the media companies are concerned, losing a good resource to crime remains one of their worst nightmares.

Kofi Annan once said, “Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance”. I say, gender equality is a state of mind. In an industry that preaches about liberty, human rights and expression, inequality on the basis of gender is simply duplicitous.

*Photo credit: woodleywonderworks (Used under the Creative Commons Attribution License)

By Aarti Krishnakumar

Inadequate preparation, not matching the company to one’s work-life requirements, wearing the wrong outfit – these make a world of difference when meeting with your prospective employer.

It doesn’t help that women are often asked tricky interview questions about their personal lives. What common mistakes should women at work be aware of when on the job hunt? Read on!

Being unprepared for personal questions

Being prepared and doing some groundwork is essential for any interview. For women, in the Indian context, it is a fact that personal questions are often asked; hence, answers to these should also be part of one’s preparation. It helps if you can connect with someone who works with the prospective employer to gain some insight.

Sangeetha Sridhar, a HR professional with Agthia Group in Dubai says that women [...]]]> What are the top 5 mistakes made by women during a job interview? HR professionals tell us the mistakes to avoid.

By Aarti Krishnakumar

Inadequate preparation, not matching the company to one’s work-life requirements, wearing the wrong outfit – these make a world of difference when meeting with your prospective employer.

It doesn’t help that women are often asked tricky interview questions about their personal lives. What common mistakes should women at work be aware of when on the job hunt? Read on!

Being unprepared for personal questions

Being prepared and doing some groundwork is essential for any interview. For women, in the Indian context, it is a fact that personal questions are often asked; hence, answers to these should also be part of one’s preparation. It helps if you can connect with someone who works with the prospective employer to gain some insight.

Sangeetha Sridhar, a HR professional with Agthia Group in Dubai says that women are sometimes caught unawares when requested to sign a bond, and have not discussed this possibility with the husband or father, which they may be expected to do. She also mentions that young women are often asked about marriage or motherhood plans, and answer these vaguely. While personal questions may annoy, it helps to have a firm answer to them such as, “While I don’t foresee my personal situation changing in the short run, in the event of any unexpected developments, I will ensure that I help the company to work through the challenge smoothly.”

…young women are often asked about marriage or motherhood plans, and answer these vaguely.

Rupa Gandhi, working with the Wildlife Trust of India says,“Women who are asked about their marital status, especially if they look of marriageable age get cornered and are unaware of what to answer. Do they say they are engaged or that their parents on the lookout, but they are unaware of what the future holds?” One needs to have a suitable answer in mind.

Lack of clarity in expectations

For working mothers or those with commitments to the elderly at home, it is especially important to have clarity in one’s expectations and availability. Anita Nandini, a freelance HR consultant and guest lecturer adds, “Many a time, when asked if the lady is ready to take on a position that will require frequent travel, they hesitate or start talking about their personal situations in length.” Instead of going into details on your personal situation, it helps to be specific in terms of how you can fulfill the job role given your constraints.

It also helps to do some research with acquaintances in the same industry and check if your personal commitments will allow you to take on such a job. Usha Raju, who runs her own HR consulting firm in Chennai says, “Women apply for a Project Manager position or logistics roles that will require long hours and heavy work load, but during the interview they ask if they can work from home or explicitly reveal their inexperience but eagerness to learn. These are good points, but the company might be looking for someone with experience if the requirement is urgent”.

Low confidence level/defensive attitude

An open mindedness, proving that one can adapt to different situations and right attitude are what corporates look for. This confidence in one’s ability is something that women fail to project at times, especially if there has been a career gap. Mudita Arora, an Assistant Director of Patient and Clinical Services with a healthcare firm in the US adds, “When asked about the gap in their career graph, women sometimes beat around the bush, stating vague answers such as ‘it’s personal’. Sometimes the gap is over 4 years, which means she will need to make a fresh start from scratch.”

Instead of being defensive over a career gap, prepare an explanation as to how you have kept yourself updated in the intervening period, and what you bring to the role.

Fashion faux pas

Wearing the right attire makes all the difference when you want to make an impression, and when going for interviews, one should wear smart clothes. This could be either Indian or western, but something appropriate. Many Indian women seem to go for interviews wearing a salwar kameez with a lot of glitter or where the dupatta keeps sliding off and they are left fidgeting with it.

Women are very conscious of their appearance, and tend to keep adjusting their outfit or wiping their face, fumbling around, all of which are signs of being stressed.

Vidya Rajagopalan, an IT consultant based out of the US quips, “Women walk in for an interview wearing bold colours with strong perfumes that startle the interviewer.” Wearing loud colours, chunky jewellery, carrying a gold or similar handbag are all not appreciated during interviews. Mudita says, “Women need to learn about corporate culture and the position applied for when they dress for interviews.”

Aarti Christeen, who used to work with a PR firm also says, “Women are very conscious of their appearance, and tend to keep adjusting their outfit or wiping their face, fumbling around, all of which are signs of being stressed”.

Taking the home along

It is difficult but critical to draw a firm line between home and work. Aarti says, “Many times women land up at an interview lost in their daily routine, and look rushed. When asked to wait, they will respond saying they have to leave to pick up their son from school.” On an interview day, try and allot sufficient time – sometimes, if the company likes you, the HR person may want you to meet the business manager or even CEO rightaway, and you don’t want to pass up that opportunity.

Next time you are called for an interview, remember to prepare, dress right, be clear on what you are looking for and go for it!

*Photo credit: connor212

By Chitra Iyer

The question is not so much as ‘should it’ because any rational mind will tell you that undoubtedly it should not. However, the truth is that at the workplace, as indeed in any other place or situation where men and women interact, gender often provides a subliminal framework for interaction. While gender-dynamics are a given across the world and the boundaries of ‘normal’ vary across societies; as a practicing woman professional in India I have found gender to be a more dominant influencer here than in other cultures.

Irrespective of what is legally and morally acceptable in the modern Indian corporate workplace today, how we actually behave is another story altogether – one that starts when we are very young and impressionable. How many of you find [...]]]> Is gender equality a reality in Indian offices or can one percieve subtle differences? Should gender influence how we interact at the workplace?

By Chitra Iyer

The question is not so much as ‘should it’ because any rational mind will tell you that undoubtedly it should not. However, the truth is that at the workplace, as indeed in any other place or situation where men and women interact, gender often provides a subliminal framework for interaction. While gender-dynamics are a given across the world and the boundaries of ‘normal’ vary across societies; as a practicing woman professional in India I have found gender to be a more dominant influencer here than in other cultures.

Irrespective of what is legally and morally acceptable in the modern Indian corporate workplace today, how we actually behave is another story altogether – one that starts when we are very young and impressionable. How many of you find the below situations familiar?

How much is too much?

For example, we should ideally feel totally comfortable hanging out after work socializing and getting a drink with our team, back-slapping the men and cracking jokes as we would with friends. Unfortunately, the reality is that for an Indian woman – especially mid-career – drinking, smoking and staying out late is still described with various euphemisms: from the downright archaic ‘fast’ (fair game to hit on her, she is asking for it) to ‘empowered’ (does that mean women who don’t drink or smoke are not empowered?), ‘liberated’ (is that all it takes? Why didn’t someone tell me before!) etc. Plus, there is always the aspect of heading home to take care of dinner and the kids, being alienated from the team for not ‘joining in the fun’ etc. So you have to find a balance – be a part of it, but not too much!

Consider other situations; how much ‘sharing’ of personal information is appropriate? Should one show interest if a male colleague begins to share too many details of his marital problems with you? Should you be sympathetic, listen and provide suggestions on how to handle the wife (because you are woman), or should you back-off because you just don’t want to know too much? As a woman, too much sensitivity is bad; you are a softie. But stay aloof, and you are a cold-bitch. So you show interest, but not too much.

How much ‘glamour’ is OK? You know for a fact Renu down the hall just got promoted and it’s not because she looks like a model – she is actually extremely competent. Unfortunately, that’s not what you hear in the halls. It’s always jokes about her high heels or pencil skirts and how her boss must have a hard time resisting her demands. And even as you silently seethe within, you don’t want to pull up your male colleagues – because the last time you did that, you were called a feminist. Vanity is bad. Be feminine, but not too much.

…as woman professionals we are constantly looking over our shoulders and watching ourselves for any behaviour that may be interpreted as either too feminist or too feminine!

How much aggression is ok in meetings? Risk being run-over by your louder colleagues or being branded loud yourself? Fact is women need to be that much more visible and engaged to achieve the same level of acknowledgment that men feel normally entitled to. It’s a vicious cycle – to be noticed you have to deliberately make yourself more visible; and then you are labeled as visible because you are louder/ more aggressive (and not because you had a valid point). So speak your mind, but not too much or too often!

The fact is, as woman professionals we are constantly looking over our shoulders and watching ourselves for any behaviour that may be interpreted as either too feminist or too feminine!

A few questions to think about

Does the onus of doing away with gender-biased office dynamics fall only on us women? Does doing away with these differences or influences mean we need to act more like men or less like women? Do we expect men to act more like women? Obviously no extreme measures will help, as any human interaction (irrespective of sex) is fraught with grey areas and uncertainties. In fact, stereotyping by itself is not uncommon and may be too hard a target to erase – it’s only when the stereotyping makes judgments on one’s performance that one could step in and clear the air.

The irony is that female managers and senior women leaders have a great opportunity in today’s world to ‘normalize’ workplace interactions between the sexes. As Craig Storti says in his book Speaking of India, “The typical Indian subversion to hierarchy could mean that the manager-subordinate dynamic will overshadow the gender dynamic.”  Unfortunately, my experience has been that as women rise on the ladder, it seems as if they almost forget the gender aspect of workplace dynamics and do not leverage the opportunity their hierarchical position offers. As they become more ‘accepted’ into the big boys club at the top, you hear them say, ‘I never had any difficulty as a woman in the workplace; I never felt any biases; I never had to act differently around my male colleagues; all my male colleagues treated me exactly equal and normal’. As a woman professional struggling to not appear ‘too feminist or too feminine’, you can only shake your head in despair, but you also understand where it’s coming from.

…female managers and senior women leaders have a great opportunity in today’s world to ‘normalize’ workplace interactions between the sexes.

The trick is to strike a balance between being a woman and a professional without sounding feminist, de-feminizing’ oneself in order to ‘fit –in’ or oversimplifying the Indian reality.. In other words, the challenge is to be ourselves! And that brings us back to the million-dollar question – what is the right balance? Here, experience is the best way to learn and share – so if something has worked for you at your workplace, we would love to hear it!

*Photo credit: Martin

By Aarti Krishnakumar

Creating a balance between work and life is a juggling game, and one that people master with time and experience. Everyone needs this balance, but it’s tough especially for mothers with children or those with elders at home who need additional care.

While they do not want to compromise on work quality, many organisations are coming to terms with the fact that people do need to spend time away from work and fulfill their personal commitments to boost their productivity.

Scheduling: The working woman’s best friend

Says Archana Avinash, a Communications Executive, “I have a set schedule every day, which means setting aside specific time dedicated for the family and myself. There have been times when I was called in for a meeting on Thursday [our weekly offs are Thursday and Friday], [...]]]> Are multiple commitments and shuttling between work and home modes leaving you stressed or feeling low? Learn the work-life balance.

By Aarti Krishnakumar

Creating a balance between work and life is a juggling game, and one that people master with time and experience. Everyone needs this balance, but it’s tough especially for mothers with children or those with elders at home who need additional care.

While they do not want to compromise on work quality, many organisations are coming to terms with the fact that people do need to spend time away from work and fulfill their personal commitments to boost their productivity.

Scheduling: The working woman’s best friend

Says Archana Avinash, a Communications Executive, “I have a set schedule every day, which means setting aside specific time dedicated for the family and myself. There have been times when I was called in for a meeting on Thursday [our weekly offs are Thursday and Friday], but those are far and few between. I don’t blame my company, because when it is urgent, they require my presence, but otherwise they have not disturbed me during my days off. I feed in tasks and meetings into Google calendar and use the alerts to keep track of my schedules.”

Anita Nandini, a HR consultant and Guest Lecturer for Management courses chips in, “Since my husband travels a lot, we try to create a schedule so we catch up with each other while he is in town. I have made it a point to take a few days off every month for a break. With clients, I ensure at the 1^st meeting they are aware of my working hours and agree to them before taking on the project.”

I feed in tasks and meetings into Google calendar and use the alerts to keep track of my schedules.

Be specific about non-tech zones

Being passionate about your work is good, but sometimes we let it take over our lives. This blurs the line, leaving us little energy or time away from work. It sounds good when you say, “I will not touch my Blackberry once I get home or I will check emails only once over the weekend”, but what happens when your colleague calls on Saturday morning asking for inputs? Stay focused and take a decision on what you will do post the call.  It is ok to be firm at work and explain to your colleagues that they can call you, but only in situations of real urgency. If your employer disagrees, look for ways around the problem (like asking around if your team or boss has any challenges on Friday afternoon, instead of waiting for them to call over the weekend) or see if you can convince them.

Another option is to create de-stress zones that take you away from technology. Archana says, “The best solution I discovered was to get out of the house, and spend as much time as possible outdoors, at the park or the beach.” Can you take a slight detour enroute home and get a massage? Or catch up with a friend over coffee before heading over for a meeting? These are simple things that are not only doable but that will help re-energize your spirits.

Creating a work mode that works for you

Creating a work mode that is right for you is easier when you have stayed with a firm for some years and people know your worth. Avni Rajesh Iyer, Asst. Vice President HNI Desk at Ventura Sec Ltd has a daughter who turns one in a few days time. She says, “I have been with this company for a while, and so when I got pregnant, I put down a few thoughts and shared it with my colleagues and boss. Weekends I don’t work, and during weekdays, I am out of the office by 6, especially since in a city like Mumbai the commute is long and tiring. Once every 3 months, I take off a few days and go on a holiday with my family. Every Saturday, I spend 2 hours with my daughter, when my phone is switched off and the rest of the world is left aside. My boss insisted I carry a Smartphone, so I am available round the clock; I complied but have set times to check emails and messages outside office hours.”

My boss insisted I carry a Smartphone, so I am available round the clock; I complied but have set times to check emails and messages outside office hours.

Some mothers with young children move from employee to Consultant roles to find a better balance. Anita says, “I have spent upto 14 hours at office, getting home exhausted. But once my son was born, I had to take a conscious decision to change my life. I spoke to my Manager, explained my position and convinced them to let me work as a Consultant. This gave me time to take on other projects, and spend some time by myself, when my son was away at school.”

In conclusion, while at work, create your own best work-life balance by making sure you focus on the task at hand, and complete it within set time frames. This gives you time out from work, and more for your personal life. Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done and utilize that momentum to celebrate over a drink with friends or a movie.

*Photo credit: lululemon athletica

By Chitra Iyer

Resolution 1: I shall not feel guilty if I don’t do everything. And if I don’t get everything done on time.

Reality: Do you sign up to do a million things at home and office, for friends and even your housing society? And then spend time making excuses for not being able to do them? And then spend even more time feeling guilty about it? Let go of the ‘I want to be Superwoman’ complex and just enjoy being you.

Resolution 2: I will stop promising to mentor young executives at conferences. And actually get down to doing it

Reality: Every year, our companies send us to ‘industry events’ to network, learn, bring back packs of CD’s stuffed with presentations, and volunteer to ‘give back’. Spontaneously you [...]]]> 2012 has just begun and we are in resolution mode! How about considering some of these resolutions to make your work and life run smoother?

By Chitra Iyer

Resolution 1: I shall not feel guilty if I don’t do everything. And if I don’t get everything done on time.

Reality: Do you sign up to do a million things at home and office, for friends and even your housing society? And then spend time making excuses for not being able to do them? And then spend even more time feeling guilty about it? Let go of the ‘I want to be Superwoman’ complex and just enjoy being you.

Resolution 2: I will stop promising to mentor young executives at conferences. And actually get down to doing it

Reality: Every year, our companies send us to ‘industry events’ to network, learn, bring back packs of CD’s stuffed with presentations, and volunteer to ‘give back’. Spontaneously you promise to mentor a kid, and deliberately you play hide and seek with the organisers till they finally stop reminding you…and then, you accept your invitation for the next conference…In 2012, make the time. Remember, you were a trainee once too.

Resolution 3: I will learn to network effectively and sincerely. Especially online.

Reality: Try to stay on LinkedIn long enough between Facebook updates to actually do some meaningful networking and value-addition. See what others are writing, take time to think about it and post thoughtfully. Get back in touch with old colleagues. Look at it practically – this way when you need a favour, you wouldn’t have to start making polite conversation from scratch. Isn’t that why everyone networks?

Resolution 4: I will negotiate that pay rise and promotion this year. And I will finally figure out what all the acronyms on my CTC breakup actually mean.

Reality: It is typical to avoid doing the things we dislike or are uncomfortable with. This one includes both – discussing money and pushing for what’s due to us. 2012 is not the year to be modest – if you don’t ask, you shall simply not receive. Bring out those HR manuals, calculate your CTC, practice your pitch one last time and negotiate like you’ve been doing it all your life. While you are at it, update that CV too.

Resolution 5: This year, I will go green. And not just at the carefree life my kid sister seems to live.

Reality: Every day, you walk past the posters lining the corridors of office, and somewhere you register the words green and eco. And then you come home and you hear the words on TV. And then your five year old tells you that you must recycle. As you hit the ‘print’ button at work on emails you don’t really need to print, you ask yourself what it all means. This year, find out. Practice. Pass it on. Make your workspace inspiring to yourself and to others.

Resolution 6: I will finally unpack that ipad (or kindle or camera or any other gadget that’s been lying around for months that you haven’t found time to learn yet).

Reality: This may sound like a cliché but gadgets are not usually a girl’s best friend. Every time I try understanding advanced features on my phone, I get the dreaded error message. Calling the ‘helpdesk’ is fraught with even more dangers. But this year, I’m getting my gadget groove on. After all – it’s only a machine, not a man!

Resolution 7: I shall exercise and not tell myself that walking to the canteen and back counts as cardio. I shall stop buying clothes one size too small for ‘when I reduce’.

Reality: Last year you lost 5 kilos. Last year you had measles. Don’t spend this year hoping you will get lucky again and get yourself off to that gym today. What? Already blew a bundle on the gym last year? Never mind – the office is a great place to keep fit: take regular breaks from your computer every half hour or so, take a few minutes to rest your eyes by looking out the window at the sky or greenery, and stop wasting money on clothes that will never fit. Set realistic fitness goals that will make you the yummy mummy you deserve to be.

Resolution 8: I will clear up my desk and throw out all the junk I’ve collected over the years. Yes, that includes all the junk on my laptop too.

Reality: The problem begins with the New Year itself – how to throw away all the sweet cards and delete the emails your friends and family send you? Add to that every scrap, bit, bob, wrapper, pressed flower, CD, brochure, coupon (expired), books (yet to be read), email, downloaded articles (yet to be read) and quizzes, photos, other assorted virtual clutter and you get my drift.  After all, you’ve got to make space for this year’s junk.

Resolution 9: I will find more time for myself. I will switch off instant messaging, cell phone and twitter updates when at the salon.

Reality:  Maybe easier to sell ice to an Eskimo. But as always, you will try. And while you are at it, actually find the time to go to the salon.

Resolution 10: I will finally sign-up to those courses I’ve been ‘exploring’ online for the least one year.

Reality:  Yes. Life is an education. But you no longer need to feel bad about missing your chance to go to an Ivy League University. Everyone from Harvard to MIT is offering free online courses to help you get your skills and knowledge sharpened. So Google free online university today and find the course you always wanted to do. The best part? No exams. Learn. Just because you want to. 

So what is the story behind your resolutions? Do participate in the ‘As You Write It: Resolution Story’ and tell us – who knows? You could end up getting published on Women’s Web!

*Photo credit: aliwest44

By Anne John

Education, Administration, Arts, Science, Law, Sports, Defence, Politics – the list of fields in which Indian women have excelled this year seems like an endless one indeed! Here are some path-breaking women who we noticed for their pioneering achievements. Did you come across any such inspiring women this year? Do leave a comment and tell us!

Women At Work

By Kiran Manral

Come festival season and many small business owners and employers have a tough time figuring out appropriate, yet attractive gifts that stand out from the sundry pen stands, clocks, gift hampers and such.

Business gifts these days not only need to be innovative and different, they also need to carry the brand/company image and create a feeling of positivity in its use.

What to keep in mind when selecting a business gift

Business etiquette necessitates that you consider the profile of the person you are gifting to. Choose your gift keeping in mind the recipient. Think about the use the recipient would have for the gift. If your gift is not of immediate use to the recipient, in all likelihood it will be passed on [...]]]> The festival season brings with it the dilemmas of proper gifting for all entrepreneurs and small business owners. Here are some festival gifting ideas to help you out!

By Kiran Manral

Come festival season and many small business owners and employers have a tough time figuring out appropriate, yet attractive gifts that stand out from the sundry pen stands, clocks, gift hampers and such.

Business gifts these days not only need to be innovative and different, they also need to carry the brand/company image and create a feeling of positivity in its use.

What to keep in mind when selecting a business gift

Business etiquette necessitates that you consider the profile of the person you are gifting to. Choose your gift keeping in mind the recipient. Think about the use the recipient would have for the gift. If your gift is not of immediate use to the recipient, in all likelihood it will be passed on and your effort and money would go down the drain.

For a genuine touch, try to remember the likes or dislikes of the concerned person.  If you interact with the person you might already be aware of this. If you don’t, it would be worth the time to speak with people within your organization who would know their tastes and interests in order to help you make an informed decision, especially if you plan on picking up a big ticket item. Says Shailaja Mohan,* Marketing Head with an FMCG, “One of the most memorable gifts I got from one of our dealers was a gift hamper of sugar-free fine handmade chocolates. It wasn’t a gift that was high in value, but it was memorable because the gentleman had taken the effort to source sugar-free chocolates knowing that I avoid sweet things thanks to my borderline sugar levels.”

Gifting a top management level person a pen set with your company logo on it would be considered totally tacky.

The personality and seniority of the person you are selecting a gift for is another important factor. Gifting a top management level person a pen set with your company logo on it would be considered totally tacky. Of course, personalizing gifts becomes easier to do if you are shopping for a small number of people, rather than buying in bulk for over a hundred. Even if you are buying for a large number of people, see if you can break them up into a few types (by industry, seniority or location, for example) and buy accordingly.

Find out the company policy on accepting gifts. Some companies have strict policies in place about what is acceptable and what is not in terms of gifting. While some might allow gifts of upto a minimum value to be accepted, others might allow just mithai and sweet boxes or assorted hampers. Checking out what a person can accept without compromising company policy makes it less likely to result in an embarrassing situation where the person has to decline the gift.

What to gift whom

It might be tempting to have your logo placed on all the corporate gifts you send out but remember people in senior management levels might be reluctant to use such promotional items. Such gifts might work better for junior or mid level employees. For senior and upper management levels, personalized gifts with their names or initials might be perceived as more likely to be used.

At the senior level, non-controversial gifts could include luxury gift hampers from places well-known hotels or restaurants. Depending on your budget, these could be extremely indulgent (such hampers have included Cuban cigars, the finest alcohol, specialty teas, gourmet chocolates, luxury hair and bath products or even silver coins). Customizable gourmet hampers with any mix of in-house products, from preserves to vinaigrettes and all-Italian hampers are also available.

It might be tempting to have your logo placed on all the corporate gifts you send out but remember people in senior management levels might be reluctant to use such promotional items.

Your gift could combine a social message especially if you source them from a charitable organization. For instance, the Women’s India Trust, a not-for-profit  organization which works at making women self-sufficient, offers gift packs containing a jar each of marmalade, jam, chutney and pickle as well as some unusual preserves such as three-fruit marmalade, made with orange, lime and grapefruit.

Another thoughtful gift could be a health food gift basket with exotic fruits, tins of herbal or green tea or a range of flavored olive oil. Go eco-friendly and have the hamper wrapped in recycled paper rather than standard wrapping paper.

Gifts that are always well-received are collectibles in crystal which can be placed either at home or in the office depending on their size and the recipient’s preferences.

Whatever you do decide to gift, ensure it is wrapped professionally, accompanied by a handwritten note on good quality stationery and if you can, deliver it professionally for it to make the maximum impact.

*Name changed on request

Pic credit: Ben Earwicker