SQL DATA TYPES

CHAR(LENGTH):STRING

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TEXT: TEXT OF 64KB

INT(LENGTH):INTEGER OF 10 DIGITS LENGTH

BIGINT(LENGTH):INTEGER OF 19 DIGITS LENGTH

DECIMAL(LENGTH, DECIMAL): DECIMAL NUMBERS . YOU CAN SPECIFY LENGTH OF NUMBERS AND SIZE

UNSIGNED: IF UNSIGNED IS USED WITH NUMBERS IT TAKES ONLY POSITIVE NUMBERS

SERIAL: AUTOINCREMENT NUMBERS

ENUM(VAL1,VAL2,..): ENUMERATE VALUES

DATE: TAKES DATA IN YYYY-MM-DD FORMAT

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Best Practices in HR

Introduction

HR strategies set out what the organization intends to do about the different aspects of its human resource management policies and practices. They will be integrated with the business strategy and each other. HR strategies are described by Dyer and Reeves (1995) as ‘internally consistent bundles of human resource practices’, and in the words of Boxall (1996), they provide ‘a framework of critical ends and means’.

APPROACHES TO HR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

The starting point of HR strategy development is the alignment of HR strategy to the business strategy and the organizational culture – the achievement of vertical integration. This provides the necessary framework for the three approaches to the development of HR strategies that have been identified by Delery and Doty (1996) as the ‘universalistic’, the ‘contingency’ and the ‘configurationally’. Richardson and Thompson (1999) redefined the first two approaches as best practice and best fit, and retained the word ‘configurationally’, meaning the use of ‘bundles’, as the third approach.

The best practice approach

This approach is based on the assumption that there is a set of best HRM practices and that adopting them will inevitably lead to superior organizational performance.:

The best practice approach

This approach is based on the assumption that there is a set of best HRM practices and that adopting them will inevitably lead to superior organizational performance.

The configurational approach (bundling)

bundling’ – the development and implementation of several HR practices together so that they are interrelated and therefore complement and reinforce each other.

This paper focuses particularly on best practices approach as learning about the Best Practices in other industries is quite essential for testing and adopting in our organization for achieving business excellence

Methodology:

The report is prepared from collecting the data from the secondary sources. The Annual Reports, company web sites, articles in business magazines, books are reviewed for preparation of the report. The bibliography is given below:

Best Practices

Google:

Personlized Gift Hamper on Child Birth

“Personalized gift hamper” from the company, to women employees is given by google on childbirth.

Bureaucracy Busters:

Google has developed 'bureaucracy busters', program where a Google employee can suggest ways of slashing red tape within the firm.

Time for Idea Generation:

At goggle 20% of time is given to employee to spent on the projects outside their typical responsibilities for innovation.

Preview of the week to come

Google CEOs gives a informal preview of the week to come, recap of the week’s events and forum to ask questions at their TGIF Meetings.

American Express:

AHA! Kids:

The company calls for a child nutritionist and a psychologist who took about 5 sessions with children and advise parents on child rearing and provides an idea of what a healthy balanced meal looks like etc.

Elevation Zone:

A platform that promotes mental relaxation, with puzzles, Nintendo games, an Xbox, iPods, and interestingly, a tread desk— a treadmill with a workstation so that if the employee is on call, s/he can exercise alongside

NIIT:

Chairman's Quality Club:

It is a club whose members come through the most stringent selection process and are personally mentored by NIIT's chairman for special projects

To my leader with love:

The Team members vote the leaders they love.

Conversations with the CEO:

It is a forum: where employees can meet and chat with the CEO whenever they want

Hats off:

It allows performers to collect reward points and redeem them through products over a period of time

NTPC:

PUPS (providing urban facilities at projects):

A program in NTPC  which aims at providing urban facilities on project sites that young people are used to—like cafes, libraries, wi-fi spots and social media.

DAD (directors at your door) program

The senior-most managers go to project sites to talk to officers and workers under a single platform.

Meet the CMD:

It is another program launched , which allows anyone to apply for a time slot with the chairman and managing director of the company

Ujjivan Financial Services:

Recruitment:

The supervisors at the branch level for the field staff visit the new recruit's residence and meet family members and neighbours. This is to make sure they hire people with right values and family background and build a bond between Ujjivan and employees' family.

Work-life balance:

Employees are forced to maintain a work-life balance as employees working later than 7 pm need special approval from the department heads and the CEO to stay late

Make My Trip (MMT)

Leaders vs Rookies

The initiative deals with the first 60 days of a new recruit, where the rookie has to introduce himself to the leadership in an innovative way (songs, poem et al.) apart from playing a game with the leadership team.

Idea Cellular:

Online directory created  that allows an employee to search for solutions to problems ranging from routine to complex

Philips Electronics:

Blueprint', a case study competition, was conducted across B-Schools as a hiring activity. Teams were required to identify step-out growth areas for the company and devise business plans. The winners got to spend a day at the company and an opportunity to interview with them at a later stage

Accenture

"Hours That Help"

It is an option in leave policy wherein employees who have extra leave can put them into a virtual bank and have needy colleagues use them in emergencies. "This initiative avoided a situation where employee had to take leave at a loss of pay.

Infosys:

Knowledge Management System:

Infosys “K Shop” a knowledge management system where knowledge is being among its employees through codification of tacit knowledge.

Infy Bubble, a social network platform for a two way communication with employees.

BPCL:

Employee Satisfaction Enhancement Cell

It facilitate the process of redressing genuine  employee grievances as quickly as possible and laying down a framework for prompt redressal of genuine grievances of  all the employees, since these have the potential of lowering the morale and energy levels in the Organisation. The  members of the ESE team undertake visits to the different offices and locations across the country, with a view to have direct interactions with the people posted there and  understand the problems that may exist. Once the grievance  is brought to the fore, efforts are made to resolve the same  at the earliest and if required, the involvement of the highest  levels of the Organisation is sought

ESE - Roshni.

Through the program, the employees and their family members can avail of counselling services provided by professional counsellors for which the costs are borne by the Company. The program is available to all the employees of the Company across grades. In addition, a number of articles relating to important topics like work-life balance, parenting etc. are made available to the employees.

Socratix: It is a  case study challenge for employees.

Mercurix:– The concept of using story-telling as a leadership technique,

HDFC Bank:

M-training module was developed by HDFC which uses mobile as a mode of disseminating information and training in the remotest areas. Under the module, a 20-minute clip flashes on subjects like regulatory guidelines, softer issues, credit and operational risk, etc. The training has already covered about 1,400 new recruits in the last six months.

Tata Motors

ITeach :

It is an innovative practice of getting line managers to take ownership when it comes to sharing their knowledge and experience. This ensures tacit knowledge transfer, breaks silos, develops leadership, reduces cost of third-party training and earns reward points for people sharing their knowledge with colleagues.

learning advisory councils’ [LACs]

It has been acknowledged as a world-class practice. Through LACs the business or the functions identify their learning priorities, which they own, review and reinforce .

Mindrover:

A successful case-study contest for students across Indian B-schools. A similar engagement with students from top engineering campuses this year, where we invited them to provide solutions to technical problems .

Friend ++:

It is an internal employee referral programme, where an earns an employee a bonus over their referral award if they refer a woman. 

Tata Group

Tata Second Career Internship Programme:

SCIP is an initiative by the Tata Group, which would like to benefit from the expertise of Women Professionals who opted to take a career break after some initial years of work. Tata group companies will provide 'Live' business projects of approximately 500 hours of engagement spread over 6 months on a flexi-time basis. The programme does not guarantee full-time employment at the end of the project. However, both the SCIP participant and the guide have the option of exploring full-time employment on mutually acceptable terms. 

Tata Group companies will offer projects, which can be completed in 5 to 6 months, across multiple domain areas. SCIP participants will get a project stipend between Rs.2 & 4.5 Lakhs for 500 hours of project period in monthly instalments, less applicable taxes. The exact remuneration for each project will be decided by the Tata Group Company based on experience & skill sets required for that particular project & is not open to negotiations

Tata Group: FAST TRACK SELECTION SCHEME:

The Fast track selection scheme is a bench mark programme aimed at providing a unique opportunity for employees to accelerate the pace of their careers at Tata Motors. It evaluates individuals on their managerial and leadership qualities and provides a platform to develop and explore new avenues within the company and across subsidiaries. The programme encapsulates intensive training, educational inputs and rotational assignments.

 The employees can choose all or any of the three streams within the scheme as follows:

 1. Executive Selection Scheme (ESS) - This focuses on General Management competencies and is suitable for placement in any functional area.

 2. Operations Managers Scheme (OMS) - This focuses on Operations Management competencies and is suitable for placement in Plant based functional areas.

 3. Commercial Managers Scheme (CMS) - This focuses on Commercial Management competencies and is suitable for placement in Sales & Marketing areas.

Benefits to employees:

Compensation Package Revised: A declared compensation range for OMS / CMS and for ESS cadre.

Development Rotations: Selected Candidates will undergo development based rotational assignments for a period of one year.

Educational Inputs: Candidates will be provided educational and leadership inputs through premier institutes. 

Leadership Development: Impetus programme and nominations for general management initiatives.

Mentoring: Enhanced developmental support is provided to the candidate under the ‘Anchor Me’ initiative. On completion of the rotational assignment they are placed on critical and challenging roles as per the organizational needs on a full time basis. Performance is monitored and further training inputs in functional area are provided.

Mobility:

The FTSS program blends individual aspirations and organizational needs to create a talent pipeline. It is of paramount importance that participants of this program are mobile across locations. The developmental projects and final placements are based on organizational and individual development needs. Registration of the process is considered as consent of mobility by the participant.

The Round Table:

A unique knowledge sharing platform, The Round Table, has  created a brand and won the hearts of many especially the  youngsters. It is a platform for individuals to get together,  share with each other their ideas, and join in thoughtful  conversation with knowledgeable persons in the pursuit of holistic learning

Hindustan Unilever:

Sparkle:

‘Sparkle’ is a centrally hosted intranet based tool that supports skill mapping, skill assessment, performance assessment, gap analysis and enables training plan identification which is customised to each workman basis priority areas.  Sparkle has been a pioneering tool in the area of workmen capability development that promotes higher transparency and focused training intervention linked to individual and business needs.

Career by Choice:

A unique re-hire programme, provides a platform for women looking for real  opportunities to work flexibly and part time for live business  projects

From some of the reputed MNCs:

 
SAS provides Pediatric helath Care to its employees through pediatric helath care centere. The health Care provider  is available by phone during evening, weekend & Holidays for infant mothers.

At BCG small group of employees are invited to Senior Laeader ship meetings with the understanding that this group of employees will communicate back to the rest of the Organization.

As part of Microsft’s focus on manager support, the Manager portal was Launched. The site is desgined to assist managers with employee communications, providing with comprehensive information on critical topics in order to addresss the question of employees.

Zapoos.com offers a resignation package of $2000 after two weeks of initial training. By offering resignation package after the new employees experience Zappoos.com, its leader hopes that the new hire would rightly evaluate whether zapoos is truly right for them. 

At the JM Smucker Compnay, a US based food products company, training on values and culture is not only for new hires. A specific Training programme, called “Back to Basics” serves as refresher course for employees who have been with smucker for five or more years to reinforce company’s culture and share responsibility.

Partner Connectivity at PWC calls for every partner at PWc, including senior partners, to take up to 15 staff under his or her wing and get to know them personally as well as professionally-becoming acquainted with their families, personal goals, hobbies, and interests to build relationship.

During their second month at Microsoft, employees attend a second orientation course to spend time discussing their experience to date, a financial over view and talent Management. The course assists the employee tin understanding learning curve and structure of business.

Microsoft started Mashup days to offer every employee to share creative ideas. The event consists of fun, creative brainstorming and feedback on test product.

Milkiline , a textile manufacturer provides classes to associates to maximize their income  and to reduce impulse spending using three step system. Participants learn how to eliminate personal debt and strategize for strong financial future.
 
Genzyme a biotechnology company has an on-the-spot cash bonus program the managers can use at their discreation at any time.

Robert W baird provides training on “Crucial Conversation” , W.L. Gore and Associates’ training on”I Message” are training programmes in giving feedback.

Quallcom has innovation programme a web based “Idea Management System” aimed at triggering entterprenurial system. The system contains forums, feedback on ideas, resources, white paprers, people, research, mechanism etc.

Recreation Equipment Inc, Pictures of employees participating in outdoor activities are posted on the walls of every store, and employees are routinely involved in the community outreach projects.

Microsoft hosts DigiGirlz days and summer camps each to educate High School Junior girls about career in technology

Notes on Learning Theories

Learning: Relatively permanent change in the behvaiour that occurs as a result of experience .

Learning Theroires:

Behavioral
(a) Classical Condition:

 Giving Food an unconditioned stimulus gives an salivation an unconditioned response. Ringing bell is conditioned stimulus gives conditioned response.

Application

(1) can be used to train pets
(2)
(b) Ope-rant Conditioning:

Cognitive

Humanistic

Social Perspective

Notes on Job Design and Role Analysis

What is Job?
Job is group of Tasks.


What is Job Design?
Job design defines what work is to be done and how it is organized and performed.


Not understanding  different fundas in HR. There is job description, job analysis, job design, There is role profile, there is position description,. what is the difference and what should you use? and why should you use?






Job Analysis: Iit is process of developing job description and job specification


Job Description
a written statement of job title, purpose of the job,key responsibilities derived  thru job analysis.




Job Specification

A statement of employee characteristics and qualifications required for satisfactory performance of defined duties and tasks comprising a specific job or function. Job specification is derived from job analysis.

Job Design

Arrangement/rearrangement of Work arrangement (or rearrangement) aimed at reducing  job dissatisfaction and employee alienation arising from repetitive and mechanistic tasks. Through job design, organizations try to raise productivity levels by offering non-monetary rewards such as greater satisfaction from a sense of personal achievement in meeting the increased challenge and responsibility of one's work. Job enlargement, job enrichment, job rotation, and job simplification are the various techniques used in a job design exercise.

Job design can be done before or after Job analysis to make the job more interesting thru tools such as job enrichment, job enlargement etc..

Now to understand clearly about meaning of Role, Job and Position:


Job is group of positions. For example secretary in an Organization is a Job. Secretary to a Manager in HR Department is position. The expected Functional and Behavioral competencies required to perform the job of secretary is Role.


Therefore Jobs are analyzed. Thereafter, they are designed/redesigned. Then positions are filled. The Job Description and Position description is required to be defined. For example Officer-Information system is Job. The Job description of the same would be

Job Description - XYZ Company Ltd

Title: Officer-Information System

Reports to: Director-Information system.

Job purpose:

To programme various software modules depending on user Requirement. To maintain software packages associated databases and suggest management on section third party softwares after techincal evaluation for purchase.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

Full lifecycle application development
Designing, coding and debugging applications in various software languages.
Software analysis, code analysis, requirements analysis, software review, identification of code metrics, system risk analysis, software reliability analysis
Object-oriented Design and Analysis (OOA and OOD)
Software modeling and simulation
Front end graphical user interface design
Software testing and quality assurance
Performance tuning, improvement, balancing, usability, automation.
Support, maintain and document software functionality
Integrate software with existing systems
Evaluate and identify new technologies for implementation



Job Specification
Education:

Educated to degree level (2.1 from a top university preferred) in Computer Science or Computer Systems Engineering

Excellent knowledge of C and C++ programming, HTML, ASP, JAVA

ASP.Net application software  development experience

Detailed knowledge of modern computer architectures

Ability to learn quickly

Good written and verbal communication skills

Excellent time management skills an

Experience:
Possess 5 years of solid experience in application development and programming using various Microsoft development environments like ASP.NET, VB.NET, ADO.NET, WinForms and WCF.

Position Description/Profile would be similar as above but for particular position. Officer-Database Administration

_______________________________________________________________________________________


Notes on Role:

Role is set of behaviors associated with some one occupying position. Recent trend in HR is to define Role profile instead of Job Description as Role Profile is more flexible than Job Description.

Role Profile starts with Role Analysis. Role Analysis is process of determining role description and role specification

Example of Role Profile:






Role title: Database administrator


Department: Information systems


Purpose of role: Responsible for the development and support of databases and their underlying environment. 

Key result areas

➢ Identify database requirements for all projects that require data management in order to meet the
needs of internal customers.
➢ Develop project plans collaboratively with colleagues to deliver against their database needs.
➢ Support underlying database infrastructure.
➢ Liaise with system and software providers to obtain product information and support.
➢ Manage project resources (people and equipment) within predefined budget and criteria, as agreed
with line manager and originating department.
➢ Allocate work to and supervise contractors on day-to-day basis.
➢ Ensure security of the underlying database infrastructure through adherence to established protocols
and to develop additional security protocols where needed.
Need to know
➢ Oracle database administration.
➢ Operation of Designer 2000 and oracle forms SQL/PLSQL, Unix administration, shell programming.
Able to:
➢ Analyse and choose between options where the solution is not always obvious.
➢ Develop project plans and organize own workload on a timescale of 1–2 months.
➢ Adapt to rapidly changing needs and priorities without losing sight of overall plans and priorities.





Need to know
➢ Oracle database administration.
➢ Operation of Designer 2000 and oracle forms SQL/PLSQL, Unix administration, shell programming.
Able to:
➢ Analyse and choose between options where the solution is not always obvious.
➢ Develop project plans and organize own workload on a timescale of 1–2 months.
➢ Adapt to rapidly changing needs and priorities without losing sight of overall plans and priorities.
➢ Interpret budgets in order to manage resources effectively within them.
➢ Negotiate with suppliers.
➢ Keep abreast of technical developments and trends, bring these into day-to-day work when feasible
and build them into new project developments.


Behavioural competencies
➢ Aim to get things done well and set and meet challenging goals, create own measures of excellence
and constantly seek ways of improving performance.
➢ Analyse information from range of sources and develop effective solutions/recommendations.
➢ Communicate clearly and persuasively, orally or in writing, dealing with technical issues in a nontechnical
manner.
➢ Work participatively on projects with technical and non-technical colleagues.
➢ Develop positive relationships with colleagues as the supplier of an internal service.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Now after busting the jargon now we have to understand what we should use Role Profile or Job Description.


It is suggested to use Role Profiles instead of Job description as Role Profile bring in more clarity on the specif behavioral and technical competencies required by the job holder.

Role Analysis

What is Role?
 A set of expected behavior patterns attributed to someone occupying a given position in a social unit. Like roles of police officer, lawyer, doctor etc..

 What is Role Identity? 

Certain attitudes and behaviors consistent with a role.

 Nursers should be empathetic, defense personnel should be brave etc.

 What is Role Perception? 

An individual’s view of how he or she is supposed to act in a given situation.

What is Role Expectation? 

How others believe a person should act in a given situation.

What is Role Analysis?
Role Analysis is process of finding out  the role expectation and  skills required to achive the expectation.

What is Role Profile?

The Result of role analysis are role profiles.

What is difference between role and job?


Roles are flexible and jobs are inflexible.  Therefore, role profiles are being used instead of job description.

What role profile consists of?


Role title

To whom to report to:

Who are reporting to role:

Key Result Areas:

Technical Competencies required:

Behavioral Competencies:

How to analyse behavioral competencies?

Five methods to analyse behavioral competencies:
1. Expert Opinion:
    Listing the attributes elicited by the experts working in the same department about the role.

2. structured Interview
Listing the attributes elicited by the experts and interviewing the Role holders on positive and negative    behaviors . Then behavioral competencies are ascertained thru responses.

3.Workshop:
Step 1:Experts and role holders come to an understanding on Key result area.

Step 2: Decide the positive and negative behaviors of the Job

Step3; Distill the competencies from the list of positive and negative behaviors

Work shop uses two methods two obtain information on positive &negative behaviors:
A.Critical Incident:

Each KRA is identified and shared with experts. Then participants are asked to tell the particular incident pertaining to the area and what they have done and what is the outcome.

Thereafter, each incident is rated on a scale of 1 to 5. The list of critical behaviors are distilled

B. Repertory Grid

Repertory grid uses Personal Contruct as tool to analyze Positive and Negative behaviors if a role.

Notes on Knowledge Management

What is Knowledge?

Data represents a fact or statement of event without relation to other things.

Ex: Apple fell from the tree

Information: when there is a relation ship in data like casue and effect then it is Information.

Ex: Apple is ripen therefore it fell on the ground.

Knowledge represents a pattern that connects and generally provides a high level of predictability as to what is described or what will happen next.

Ex: Since apple is ripe and earth has gravitational force apple fell on the ground.

Wisdom embodies more of an understanding of fundamental principles embodied within the knowledge that are essentially the basis for the knowledge being what it is. Wisdom is essentially systemic.

Ex: Apple fell on the ground. The wisdom embodies what is gravitational force, why gravitational force, etc.


what is Knowledge Management?

Knowledge Management is process of managing wisdom of operations, techniques available in the organization.

Why knowledge Management is required?
As per resource based view theory of management, knowledge is one of the competitive advantage a firm has.

What are types of Knowledge?

Intellectual capital theory suggests that there are three types of knowledge in an Organization.

1.Human capital: Knowledge possessed by Individual

2.Social capital: Knowledge possessed thru social Interactions

3.Organizational capital: Knowledge in the manuals, procedures



What are the concepts of Knowledge reside in an organization?

Explicit Knowledge: It is the Knowledge which is available in Manuals, Document Libraries etc.

Tacit Knowledge: It is the knowledge which is acquired through experience.


what companies do on Knowledge Management?
A company can follow two strategies for Knowledge Management

Strategy1:Codification strategy

It is codifying or document in the knowledge available in the Organization. This done throug
1.Document Libraries/Data ware Houses
2.Intranet
3.Operating Manuals
4.Decision supporting systems
It improves the Human capital and Organizational Capital

Strategy 2:Personalisation strategy

knowledge is closely tied to the person who has developed it and is shared mainly through direct person-to-person contacts.

1. Communities of Practice Ex: professional forums such as cite hr
2. Using of Group wares, emails
3.Mapping sources of internal expertise by, for example, producing ‘expert yellow
pages’ and directories of communities.