The business world is witnessing new trends and expectations of consumers and so is the case with employees. The prime objective of organizations has shifted from Profit-making to survival and to survive one need to excel or out-beat the competition. In order to move ahead of time, the enterprise must think out of the box and prepare today to cope up with tomorrow’s challenges. Tomorrow’s enterprise will not work under bosses, follow the conventional principles and wait for the opportunity to come at doorstep; it will be value-driven and will strive hard in advance to manage itself. The idea of “Employees first; customers second” by visionary Vineet Nayar has revolutionized the concept about managing an enterprise.I present you the 6-point mantras for running tomorrow’s enterprise:
1)The 5D injection:- Employees are the core assets of any firm and hence they should be made focused. For that purpose, I have considered 5Ds which any firm needs to inculcate in every employee. First D, Discipline, which is the core to any success, be it individual or organizational. Discipline does not imply only abiding with the codes of conduct, it actually evolves act of respect and humility in person. The second D, Dignity at work. Dignity reflects the innate right of respect and ethical treatment. Every employee demands his dignity at work and should also show dignity towards the job and organization. Dedication, the third D, ensures best efforts of employees towards the common goal. A dedicated employee is crucial in adopting changes, making innovations and keeping aside personal interests for the benefit of organization. Fourth D is Determination which makes an employee motivated to attain organizational objectives. Determination leads to firm commitment from employees to stand ahead of the competitors and win at all situations. And Devotion is the last D, which follows the basic principle- work is worship. A devoted employee considers the organization as his own and then acts accordingly.
The 5D develops a complete sense of belongingness in the minds of employees which keeps them motivated and committed for betterment of enterprise. Today the companies are working hard to reduce the attrition rates and stabilize their workforce. A company can devise ways to implement this 5D model in their own best possible way.
2)Industry-Academia friendship:- I emphasized on ‘Friendship’ to make it clear that friends look more for mutual benefits than for personal gains. The concept of Learning Organization can be more re-energized if the enterprise creates relationship with the educational institutions to harness mutual benefits. Industry does not get what they want from institutions in terms of best-fit fresh graduates and Institutes does not know what exactly the industry needs. So to reduce the cost of training the new recruits, the company can assist the institutes in their syllabus and in return can get best-fit trainees. On the other hand, today’s organizations focus on continuous learning and up gradation, which can be possible only through this sort of friendship.
3)Communicate heart and mind:- Transparency and Adequacy can be obtained only when the stakeholders communicate their hearts and minds. Mind provides the necessary and useful information and fills up all the communication gaps whereas Heart expresses the sentiments and emotions arising due to the relationship. Communication does not only ensure flow of information, it also exhibits the flow of relationships. By using several communication modes one can ensure safe and transparent flow of information which acts as motivational factor for all. Even Vineet Nayar has used intranet to make the communication of HCL efficient and effective. The communication channels should also pave way for the flow of emotions and sentiments to make everyone part of same family.
4)Making the two ends meet:- This mantra mainly focusses on Sales and Delivery aspect of any enterprise. The effective supply chain management will not only reduce the cost but also enhance the operational efficiency of the enterprise. Those organizations who implemented the supply-chain techniques with perfection, they are the leaders in their particular fields. The objectives of organization can be achieved only when the objectives of Manufacturing and Selling can be synchronized.
5)Restructure the structure:- ‘No one is boss but everyone is an entrepreneur’ is the major crux of today’s organization structure. The conventional organizational structures need to be restructured in order to match the current circumstances. The pyramid shape is getting restructured to vertical structure with different dimensions and fields. The organizations are reducing their hierarchy with re-defined lines of authority. Every enterprise needs to work for a customized framework for its efficient operation.
6) The New CSR:- Not to be confused with traditional CSR, the new CSR stands for ‘Comprehensive Social Responsibility’. I personally feel that any firm needs to look after the society just as a guardian since it gets everything from the society. Ecological balance, Educational development, Health awareness, support to weaker sections and so on must be taken into consideration by the enterprises. It should emphasize on relationship, responsibility, accountability and so on. Social audit and relationship accounting are few emerging concepts towards Comprehensive social responsibility.
Adaptability, Innovation and Involvement have been explained through above 6-point mantras. The organization must develop their employees because they are the one who interact with the customers and the above mantras also try to enhance the potential of employees through several areas. The enterprise needs to be very adaptive to changing environment and make necessary alterations to tap the untapped opportunities. Last but not the least, lets prepare today for tomorrow so that we maintain ourselves as leader and do not perish in future due to uncertainties.
by Bishesh Kumar Sah
