Social Media Essay

Social Media Essay Social media and social networking seem to play an imperative part of peoples lives around the world. There are some who debate whether it is improving or crippling communication skills. Sitting behind a computer communicating with cyber friends can be easy and fun but can weaken a persons verbal communication skills. I will not only focus on the negative impacts on communication because there are some positive impacts on communication through social media. I will explore how social media and networking strengthens and weakens communication. Communication is defined as the act or an instance of communicating; the imparting or exchange of information, ideas, or feelings. (Collins, 2009). Communication involves the transfer of meaning or information from one person or group to others. (Baack, 2012). It is an integral part of everyones life. All communication areas are significant in that each area represents a system that operates within a broader system of destination management, and contributes to its overall efficiency. However, each area of communication has its own characteristics and the knowledge of these characteristics will ultimately help establish an efficient communication pattern. There can be no argument that technology has had a major impact on the world and how people communicate. (Omrcen, 2009) Accessibility that one has to the internet through smart phones, tablets, computers, and other mobile devices has made accessing information and connecting with people a touch away in some cases. People are communicating almost all day every day through texting, e-mail, and the ever-expanding social media. Because it has had such a modern explosion in popularity and usage, social media has become the new norm when it comes to communicating everything from huge life events like engagements and the birth of children to minute particulars like what one ate for dinner. Social media has had one of the most substantial impacts on how people communicate within the past decade. The internet has a greater impact on people today than ever before. It has been a continual source of news, entertainment, and education for users around the world for more than 20 years. However, the most innovative of its technologies, social media, did not achieve mainstream popularity until about ten years ago. Facebook, Twitter, and similar services are becoming the most visited destinations on the internet. These websites allow users to quickly and easily share pictures, links, ideas, and messages with other users; theoretically facilitating social interaction. These services, through a combination of accessibility, simplicity, and intuitive design promote positive social behavior by encouraging interaction among friends, relatives, and co-workers; facilitating communication between individuals, and fostering a profound sense of community. Social media is a rising trends in the world today. Communication skills are exemplified by use of social media networking. Social media networking allows for a communication outlet. Social media is being utilized by students, parents, businesses, and religious organizations. It is being used in many forms by many different platforms for many reasons. The transmission device is anything that carries a message, including sound waves, light waves, pieces of paper, mobile-phone signals and screens, the Internet, computer monitors, billboards, radio and television signals, and an endless number of additional carriers (Baack, 2012). Social media is employing many transmission devices, including mobile devices and computers. I am interested in the role social media plays in communication because I use some form every day and notice that it is becoming a rising trend. I have found myself checking my Facebook page without even thinking about it. I have also noticed that some friends post frequently and tell everything they are doing via status updates. The social network, Twitter, appears to be one of their first choices with celebrities tweets being the topic of many news discussions. At the bottom of nearly every commercial, there is a Facebook/Twitter link. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter have always encouraged their subscribers to come up with an online persona. They then build a personal network of friends that connects to an open worldwide community (Griffith Tengnah, 2009). Information is now shared freely between the two. These parties can communicate either publicly (writing on walls) or via the more discrete personal messages. Apart from connecting to a network of friends, a subscriber can join community groups with a specific interest. Here, the subscribers discuss different issues touching on that interest. More often than not, events are created where physical meetings are arranged. Briggs found out that an average Facebook user is connected to around 80 community groups (Griffith Tengnah, 2009). Most of these groups encourage the subscribers to give suggestions on how they should be run and to engage in debates. They also provide a social forum for members to interact amongst each other and with the leaders of the groups. There are other social sites like YouTube that give users a platform to upload and share videos. Here, users post videos of themselves for other users to view. YouTube has been a great platform for musicians and film producers as their fans can easily access their music videos. Other social sites like MySpace have also given users the platform to post videos on their profiles. Such sites enable easy access to a variety of videos like music, sports, documentaries, and movies. Social media has lessened the use verbal communication and increased the use of online messaging. People nowadays can have phone conversations over their computers. This has been enabled by the development of social sites such as Skype. Here, people that are connected will communicate by word of mouth. This is unlike Facebook and Twitter where the mode of communication is by writing. Most of the social sites have now incorporated webcams for their subscribers. Webcams enables friends to have a one on one conversation while at the same time watching each other. This communication is more private and very effective as subscribers get to see each other. There has really been an increase in popularity in webcam conversations. Facebook, Twitter, and Skype are popular social media platforms millions utilize daily. It is extremely rare to come across anyone in todays society who does not have an account on one of these platforms. Social media is not only people used by people but by businesses and organizations, as well. Most sites that I visit online has a link to their Facebook page, Qualman, 2009 states: Social media touches nearly every facet of our personal and business lives. In business, it is not just for Marketing and Public Relations department. Rather it is imperative for social media to be a part of the companys overall strategy. Social media is living and breathing and it touches every part of a company from Customer Service to frontline sales, even Human Resources and Information Technology. (p.13) With the rising growth of social media networking, businesses are turning to it as a means of advertisement. It allows businesses and organizations to reach millions of users on a platform they are using on a daily basis. Businesses and organizations reach numerous users on Facebook by creating pages and offering promotions and discounts to get fans. If there is someone on your page who is a fan of their page, your friends can share post that are displayed in your newsfeeds. This allows the business to reach the fan and the friends of the fans. It is important to realize that as social media evolves the realm of communication changes. The technological advances added to social media changes the way we communicate with people on daily basis. It has made communication quicker and more efficient. Social media sites like Facebook send daily reminder of friend birthdays. Instead of picking up the phone and traditionally wishing someone birthday greetings, you can simply type your birthday greeting on their page. This has eliminated the need to make a phone call or send a greeting card While receiving a birthday message from your friends online is okay, it feels impersonal. The feeling of opening a greeting card and reading a message someone picked out for you, fills my heart with warmth. That personal effect is not felt from a message left on a page I have created online and in most cases, I do not read them. Almost everyone young and old use social media in some fashion. Twitter is popular social platform for celebrities. I often watch the news and there is a story of what some celebrity tweeted to their fans or other celebrities. The use of social media and networking has elevated communication to a higher platform. It has helped social organization, businesses, churches and individuals reach audiences in which they could not reach before. It has even be used in politics with President Obama using twitter to keep Americans posted on what is happening in the government, The negative effects of social media on communication are the effect it can have on kids through cyber bullying and unwanted exposure. Younger people are using mass communication without the without realizing the consequences. (Wallis, 2012). There has been instances where young folks have committed suicide as the result of negative things that have been posted about them on the internet, Parental controls are available to ensure website are access that are inappropriate for certain age groups but they cannot protect young folks from what is being posted by their peers. Social media and networking is often used as an outlet and peers can post things that are potentially hurting to others. With the emergence and growth of social media there are benefits and disadvantages to the way communication is impacted. The real question is whether the benefits surpassed the disadvantages. I believe that the benefits of social media are helpful to the world and we communicate. As with anything, there will be disadvantages and it will be used to do things that it was not originally intended. Inmates in prison have access to social media and networking allowing them to stay connected to what is happening in the outside world. The television is slowly becoming obsolete with Facebook, Twitter and other sites providing news at faster rates then the local news at 10pm. The news station and newspaper also have Facebook and Twitter accounts that provide new stories, as they are unfolding. The ability to access social platforms via computers, tablets, and cellphones allows you access at all times throughout the day. The convenience and ease of access leads to social media and network addictions. Anyone who has a Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account have seen the user who is logged in all the time. There are some users who post everything they are doing throughout the day, which can be dangerous. Facebook also lets you to make groups, have applications and have as many friends as you want this assists you with getting in touch with people who like what you like, play games online, and make additional friends. One thing it lacks in is security from pedophiles. There is no report button to report users, even if they are irritating you. It also has a social bookmarking websites, allowing you to keep your favorite websites in one place, as well as all your friends. Another wonderful idea only integrated by Facebook is the friend finder. It permits you to find friends in an instant, allowing you to connect to friends. If you page is not private and can only be accessed by your friends, when you post your everyday activities it allows users to know your location and what you are doing. If you post that you will be going on vacation for the next couple of days, it lets potential burglars know that you are not at home and can lead to your home being broken into. There is no general rulebook on the dos and donts on how to effectively use social media without making yourself vulnerable. Privacy has been become a rising issue in social media and networking with the addition of locations and gps tracking. Recently, Facebook has made it easier to understand and adjust your privacy settings but it is up to the user to ensure their privacy is protected. The best way to protect your privacy is to be mindful of what you post and who can access and view what you are posting. I suggest not posting anything on the social media and networking sites that you do not want broadcasting to everyone. Although you believe your family and friends are viewing what you are posting, anyone can access it. Communication has improved greatly by emerges and continual growth of social media. Everyone from churches to schools use it to communicate with users. Social media has evolved communication to new heights. The ease of access and growth makes it very beneficial to everyone from pastors to politicians. As social media evolves, communication will improve and continue to soar to new heights. The positive impact on communication definitely overcomes the negative and makes it very beneficial.

I Lost the Chance :: Personal Narrative, Autobiographical Essay

I Lost the Chance My father and I are made from much the same mold. As my brother resembles my mom, I resemble my father. I inherited his enjoyment for puzzles, words and wit. I share much of his eclectic musical tastes. As I grow older, I see more and more of his traits consciously and subconsciously exhibited in me. I have spoken with my father one time in the past 8 1/2 years. Divorced parents are always a messy situation for the kids, and our family was no exception. My younger brother and I had our ups and downs with both parents, fortunately mostly ups. The time came when my father decided that he wanted us to live with him. He was very convincing... but never convincing enough to gain a commitment from us. Unfortunately, he refused to let it alone at that. I was, at the time, a sophomore in high school, my brother in 8th grade. Eventually, we cracked. Agreed to move in with him. All was right in his world. Except one thing. We could not bring ourselves to tell my mom. Eventually, though, it happened. A long, late-night discussion ensued with my mom, discussing the motivations for our decision, his request, and our feelings on the entire matter. That discussion was the difference. As alike as my father and I are, he never gave us that choice. Despite the enormous emotional stress this sudden announcement must have put on mom, she never once tried to coerce us to stay for one reason or another... and in the end that is why she won. The shoe on the other foot again, we were horribly hesitant to approach our father on the issue. One day it just happened. "We're not going to move in with you." I remember nearly everything about that evening. It was Thanksgiving weekend. My father told us to gather anything we wanted from his apartment. He berated us nearly the entire drive from his place to mom's house. "You'll fit in well in the business world... completely cold-hearted." He pulled up and we stepped out of the car. For seven years, the last words I heard my father speak were "Have a nice life" as he pulled away. Over the past four years, my brother and I have made attempts to contact him or meet with him, always with the same utter avoidance in response.

Workforce Planning

Group 2 Manage Workforce Planning Autism Victoria – Workforce Plan By James Watts, Jessica Lim, Luke Farrugia and Kair Aueil For Jan Kelly 06/04/2012 Table of Contents 1. The Necessity of Workforce Planning3 2. Overview of organisation3 2. 1. Autism Victoria’s services3 3. Strategy3 3. 1. Autism Victoria’s Vision3 3. 2. Autism Victoria’s Values3 3. 3. Autism Victoria’s Mission4 3. 4. Autism Victoria’s Strategic Priorities4 3. 5.SWOT Analysis4 4. External Factors4 4. 1. Global Factors5 4. 2. National and Regional Factors5 4. 3. Challenges5 5. Internal Environment6 5. 1. Business Planning Process6 5. 2. Internal Changes6 5. 3. Labour Issues6 5. 4. Organisational Structure6 6. Current Workforce Profile7 7. Future Workforce Profile7 8. Gap Analysis and Closing Strategies7 9. Conclusion and Recommendations8 10. References8 1. The Necessity of Workforce PlanningWorkforce planning is a comprehensive process that provides managers with a framework fo r making staffing decisions based on an organisation’s mission, strategic plan, budgetary resources and a set of desired workforce competencies. (Dessler, Griffiths & Lloyd-Walker 2007 pp78) Workforce planning allows managers to anticipate changes in the external and internal business environment and how they will impact their organisation’s workforce needs.It also provides a basis for managers to devise strategies to tackle said changes and generate the maximal amount of value for their dollar. As Autism Victoria is a non-profit organisation, it relies heavily upon government grants and funding. The limitations on this form of income make it imperative that Autism Victoria invests every penny wisely. And because the hiring and payment of workers is so costly, significant effort must be put into the workforce planning process in order to ensure that it isn’t costing the company more than it benefits it. . Overview of organisation Autism Victoria, trading as Amaz e, is a member-based not-for-profit organisation and is the peak body for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in the state of Victoria. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for people affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders, their family and carers. They also provide a range of services to individuals and agencies with an interest in Autism Spectrum Disorders (including Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS). 3. 1. Autism Victoria’s services Autism Victoria offers the following services: free phone support for individuals and organisations affected by ASD * certified and customised training programs for professionals and businesses * information and education sessions for individuals and families including the Early Days workshops * autism accreditation for services, schools and practitioners * administration of the FaHCSIA â€Å"Helping Children with Autism† funding on behalf of government * information Services – Autism Library, Spectrum Magazine, eSpectrum newslett er, online resources, Fact Sheets and more 3.Strategy 4. 2. Autism Victoria’s Vision That all people affected by an ASD have the best quality of life outcomes possible 4. 3. Autism Victoria’s Values * Diversity * Co-operative spirit * Willingness to learn * Background in dealing with an ASD 4. 4. Autism Victoria’s Mission To provide the best quality range of information, advice and support to families and individuals and advocating for systemic change, the establishment of networks, links and communities and the provision of training and accreditation to the service support system. 4. 5.Autism Victoria’s Strategic Priorities Autism Victoria’s most recent Board of Directors meeting yielded 5 priorities for this quarter. They are: 1. To confirm and enhance the role of Autism Victoria as the Peak Body on Autism Spectrum Disorders in Victoria 2. To ensure Autism Victoria is a robust and functional organisation 3. To develop and adopt a number of divers e income streams to ensure the financial viability of the organisation 4. To provide comprehensive quality information and advice on all matters related to Autism Spectrum Disorders 5.To take direct action to improve the provision of service and standards to people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder 4. 6. SWOT Analysis 4. External Factors There are several external factors which currently have an influence on Autism Victoria’s workforce planning considerations. Some of these external factors have a positive influence; others, negative. In this section, several strata of external factors will be discussed. 5. 7. Global Factors As Autism Victoria is a state organisation, there aren’t many global factors currently affecting it. The most notable factors would be the new developments in ASD diagnosis and treatment.The American-developed DSM-X diagnostic tool will be replacing the current DSM-IV version, and this has the potential to cause a great deal of uncertainty in the di agnosis of ASDs. Autism Victoria predicts that 20% of would-be autistics would be failed to be diagnosed. This would lead to a large population of ASD symptom carriers being deemed unfit for access to quality knowledge and care. One potential global factor that could be beneficial for Autism Victoria involves a conference that is currently being held by them every two years. This conference is streamed into 9 regional centres in Victoria.With the advent of new media technology that is available today, they would have the opportunity to stream the conference live into surrounding nations, spreading knowledge and awareness much more effectively. Autism Victoria is constantly on the lookout for new research and technologies which have the potential to benefit their cause. This would greatly influence their workforce planning process, as technological knowledge and skills would be a crucial part of assessing an applicant’s suitability. The advent of this technology may even creat e new job positions. 5. 8. National and Regional FactorsA national factor which has the potential to affect Autism Victoria is the introduction of a new National Disability Insurance Scheme by the Victorian Coalition Government. It is still unknown whether this new process will have a positive or negative effect on Autism Victoria and their beneficiaries. The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has released an Autism State Plan for Victoria, which is committed to supporting all children affected by an ASD. In conjunction with Autism Victoria, they have been promoting the spread and knowledge of ASDs through the Victorian school system.Autism Victoria is also constricted by the funds and resources they have at their disposal. Though the amount of funding they have received has increased greatly over the last few years, there is still room for growth, as there are still a large number of ASD sufferers in Victoria. 5. 9. Challenges There are several challenges that are currently being faced by Autism Victoria. In Australia today, 1 in 100 children is diagnosed with Autism. This places a large demand on the services and support Autism Victoria provides. Funding and manpower is a significant part of the fulfilment of these demands.Autism Victoria’s CEO organises a quarterly board meetings in order to discuss a wide range of matters. The current purpose of their next meeting, which is due to happen as of now is to develop a paper for the government underling what policies Autism Victoria believe should be changed or added. They also prepare papers on how much funding is needed. Recently Autism Victoria has been lobbing with education ministers to get the amount of experience teachers get with autistic people while studying to become teachers increased.There are currently no guidelines on how much time teaching students get hands on with Autistic children, with many universities offering no hands on time with Autistic children while studyin g teaching. This is something that the current CEO of Autism Victoria believes strongly in and is trying to get changed. 5. Internal Environment 6. 10. Business Planning Process Every year Autism Victoria holds their Annual Planning Day. This is a day where planning for the next year is done. The strategic plan is revised by the Board of Directors, and all managers are required to do SWOT analysis of their departments. . 11. Internal Changes As Autism Victoria as an organisation has had enormous growth within the past 3 years, during the increase in size of Autism Victoria’s operations they have had hire many new people to meet the demands of the organisation and the community. As a result, current offices have become cramped and there is no free office space within their current offices, due to this they are currently looking at moving to a new larger office. 6. 12. Labour Issues Autism Victoria’s only current problem with labour is an oversubscription.They recently e ncountered a problem in which 100 applicants applied for a new position that Autism Victoria had made available, this in turn created a problem of having to interview lots of applications. The CEO of Autism Victoria states that they only interviewed the people that where in the yes category because there where so many applicants it was not worth there time to interview the maybes as well. 6. 13. Organisational Structure At the head of the organisation structure of Autism Victoria is the current CEO Murray Dawson-Smith. Below him 5 work teams which are headed by respective managers. There are roughly 5 staff per work team.Autism Victoria’s Organisational Chart: 6. Current Workforce Profile The current workforce employed by Autism Victoria is more than adequate to perform the tasks and operations necessary at the organisation. Though the company is expanding and will be able to hire more employees, the supply of workers desirous to gain employment at Autism Victoria far exceeds the demand for employment by the organisation. This means that Autism Victoria has a great deal of control over both the internal and the external elements of hiring and promotion, and the luxury of choice when it comes to filling any position within the organization.The internal supply of workers, however, is largely tapped out. Though the workforce is highly qualified, experienced, and performs their tasks/fills their roles in a manner that meets or exceeds expectations, individuals at the organisation are also well-suited to and satisfied with their current positions, making internal promotion or lateral movements to fill vacancies and new positions undesirable and an ineffective and inefficient way to meet current workforce needs.External supply is also quite extensive, meaning Autism Victoria has many choices when it comes to filling current workforce needs. A high level of experience is not actually a requirement for considering employment, as extensive training is available for the right candidate. When seeking employees in the external workforce, then, personality, values, and ability to fit in with the other individuals at the organization are the key considerations. 7. Future Workforce ProfileThe most significant difference between the current and future workforce profiles at Autism Victoria is the planned expansion of the organisation, which will enable it to hire fifteen more individuals. As the organisation is devoted to providing autism assistance services, the new hires will need to be willing to work in this environment and to receive ongoing training and development towards providing individuals with autism and their families with always-improving services; however current knowledge or experience in the area is not really required.Even so, there are many applicants on file in the external workforce with experience, knowledge, and a strong desire to work at Autism Victoria, such that if the experience and knowledge considerations were to becom e more important in the future this would not present a problem to the organisation in the slightest. The desire to work for Autism Victoria in the wider external workforce is so strong, in fact, that the company should not have problems filling any open positions for some time, even with the company’s emphasis on ability to personally integrate with the other members of the organisation in a productive fashion.Such strong embedded cultures can be prohibitive to outsiders, but with a large pool to choose from this should not be an issue. In addition, former employees will and do apply for open positions. Even in the external workforce, then, there are potential employees known to be a good fit with the organization. The supply of available employees in the external workforce is more than enough to meet the organization’s needs. 8. Gap Analysis and Closing Strategies Autism Victoria is in a good state to fulfil their current strategic obligations.However, with the impen ding relocation on the horizon, they will need to focus on expanding their workforce capacity in order to cope with the coming staffing demands. This will not require a large increase in staff-seeking expenditure or effort, as Autism Victoria already has the exposure necessary to warrant oversubscription. Another area Autism Victoria should focus on is increasing the technological capabilities of its workforce. With the advent of new diagnostic and treatment tools, a workforce capable of utilising these developments stands to retain its usefulness far into the future.Autism Victoria can promote this focus by developing technological training programs for its staff. An increase in funding is imperative to secure the aforementioned developments. Thus, it necessary for Autism Victoria to continue to promote government funding at every available opportunity, as this provides a layer of buffering in the event that said developments fall through and contingency plans must be introduced. 9 . Conclusion and Recommendations Autism Victoria has had the good fortune of rapid expansion within the last 5 years, and has thus far been capable of adapting to the changing environment of the industry’s workforce.But in order to secure its place in the future and fill out its expanding business scope, Autism Victoria will have to take the following actions: * Increase its workforce by 15 staff in order to adequately expand into its new location * Develop a training program to education staff in the use of the DSM-V diagnostic tool * Secure a 50% increase in government funding through the lobbying of ministers It is reasonable to believe that through the use of these recommendations, Autism Victoria stands to perform exceedingly well in the industry in a period out to 2020. 0. References Dessler, G, Griffiths, J & Lloyd-Walker, B 2007 Human Resource Management, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Australia Workforce Planning India shines Shalini Shukla 18 Apr 2012 In the last two decades, India has gone from being one of the least globalised economies in the world to one of the most dependent on international commerce. â€Å"Our markets are more open, we enjoy a wider range of consumer items than ever, and those who go abroad (far more than ever before) finance their travel expenses with foreign exchange,† says Shashi Tharoor, elected member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala and former Minister of State for External Affairs. Business process outsourcing has (also) tied large numbers of Indians to foreign work environments and business partners. † This year, India is poised to over take Japan as the third largest economy in the world, based on purchasing power parity. James Agarwal, consulting director and head – India, BTI Consultants, a part of Kelly Services, says that main growth drivers seem to be a variety of internal and external factors , including investment-friendly public policies and regulations. India has also successfully raised its aggregate savings rate to levels that would allow sustained high levels of domestic capital formation, in turn helping high growth,† says Agarwal. While India’s economy is one of the world’s most dynamic, corruption, sloppy standards, a lack of decent staff and too much red tape are common gripes amongst businesses. Prince Augustine, EVP – Human Capital at Mahindra & Mahindra, says there is much to be improved. â€Å"The potential of India has not been fully tapped in terms of its resources and people capability,† he says. There is ample scope for growth looking at the vast expanse of the country, its population and rich cultural heritage. † The country’s labour force is one to be reckoned with. It boasts the world’s largest labour pool, with 270 million entering the workforce over the next 20 years, says McKinsey & Company. It also has the world’s youngest workforce, with 70% of the population falling under the age of 35, according to the latest Indian Census. â€Å"By and large, people (in India) are hard-working, and management is participative, forward-looking and quite performance-oriented,† says Augustine.Agarwal agrees and says work culture in India requires one to be acclimatised to the behavioural as well as cultural variations of the country. â€Å"For instance, here, people consider their family when accepting job proposals, although Gen X is emulating the west gradually,† he says. â€Å"Also, workers in India have a strict work ethic; they do not mind even working on weekends if the demands are such, unlike most other countries where weekends are almost exclusively considered personal time. However, Agarwal added that Indian workers can be rather particular about certain festivals which cannot be ignored, such as Diwali. Gender equality While India has certainly done some things right on the business front to achieve double-digit economic growth, gender equality in the country still has a long way to go before it comes even close to levels of other economic giants. According to the Gender Sensitivity Benchmark for Asia 2011 report, India is the worst among six top Asian economies when it comes to the representation of women in the workplace at the junior- and middle-level positions.Indian multinational companies studied had the lowest number of women employed, at 24. 43% of the total workforce in India. Agarwal laments that despite the fact that recent times have witnessed a boost in the status of women, such discrimination still seems to exist. â€Å"Discrimination here relates to matters like pay, conditions pre- and post-employment, promotions and other opportunity matters,† he says. â€Å"For a developing country like India, gender equality is still a long way off, coupled with unprecedented efforts to grant women an equal status and the reby ensure her development. There is a silver lining though. In spite of all the challenges, India has shown and worked on progressive policies. Today, most of India’s companies are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all. Employers are increasingly realising the value of trained human resource, especially women in India. Diversity hiring intent among leading companies has gone up by almost 500% since 2010, according to a study by the Chennai-based FLEXI Careers India, which sources only women executives. Some organisations are changing their HR policies to retain their valuable employees,† says Agarwal. â€Å"There are companies which are providing flexibility so that female employees at various life stages could benefit from these policies, like working from a different city, sabbatical from corporate life, and extended maternity leave. † A host of companies, like Godrej Industries, Pepsico, Genpact, Kraft, P&G, Deutsche Bank and others, have all stepped up their gender diversity hiring recently.Progressive companies such as Mahindra & Mahindra believe in equal opportunity and do not discriminate in any form. â€Å"Our philosophy is that the right person should be selected for the job. We have an evolutionary approach to diversity as the working population base needs to be aligned to ensure that there is a rich supply of employable workforce,† says Augustine. â€Å"In the manufacturing sector primarily in engineering, although the number of woman employees is limited, we have good representation. IBM is another company that’s been championing diversity in the workplace. Three or four times a year, a team from IBM goes on a recruitment drive with a difference – they screen and select only female employees. Conservative estimates suggest IBM has added well over 2,000 women in two years, with the proportion of female workers increasing from 24% of the workforce to 26%. â€Å"We keep trying to fin d new ways of hiring women,† Kalpana Veeraraghavan, diversity manager for India and South Asia at IBM tells The Economist. This is not just about filling a talent crunch. There is a strong correlation between success in the marketplace and having a diverse workforce. † Other examples include Genpact, where the overall ratio of men to women is 60:40; Kotak Mahindra Bank, where two out of 10 employees are women; and KPMG, which has increased its headcount for female employees by 75% as compared to its figures for 2010. Schneider Electric has also bumped up its percentage of women in the workforce from just 9% in 2009 to 20% in 2011. Money talksCompanies in India are cautious, but also confident of long-term performance this year. Organisations have emerged in a mature way post-downturn with a stronger compensation philosophy in place, designed around ‘pay for performance’ and a comprehensive view for long-term sustainability. According to the Hay Group Compens ation & Benefits Report 2011, the country witnessed an actual average salary increase of 11% in 2011 and is optimistic about seeing double-digit growth this year at an average of 12% across levels.Sridhar Ganesan, managing consultant and Rewards Practice Leader, Hay Group India, says, â€Å"in a short span of the last five years, the Indian employment market has witnessed a range of behaviours with employers on a hiring spree and also in rightsizing mode. The market is now stabilising and maturing to the next level of employer and employee relationships. † Graduate salaries are also picking up with monthly salaries touching Rs 40,000 (US$758) in industries including engineering, sales, marketing and even in support functions such as finance and HR.Salaries are going up at a good time as India experiences its highest inflation rates yet, with the annual inflation rate for the country accelerating to a 13-month high of 9. 78% in August 2011. For instance, Mahindra & Mahindra do es regular Mark-to-Market comparisons and appropriate changes are made in compensation based on market realities. â€Å"Employees are aligned to these realities,† says Augustine. Ganesan also observed that there is a constant reinforcement of pay for performance. Bonus figures have been continuously showing an increasing trend year-on-year, as organisations now believe in pay for performance with controlled merit increments. † More organisations have certainly designed variable pay to induce a performance-driven culture. The target bonus percentage ranges between 8% and 44% of base salary at junior management levels, 11–63% of base salary at middle management, and 15–75% of base salary at senior management levels. The Hay Group report found that around 79% of the organisations participating paid some form of bonus in the last 12 months.When it comes to bonuses, Diwali is the time when employees expect them in India. According to The Economic Times, Diwali bonuses range from 10% to over 200% of basic pay. Consumer durables companies and IT and business process outsourcing companies are the most generous, with the former giving out 20–250% of basic pay during the festive season and the latter shelling out 80–100% of basic wages as bonuses. Bonuses in the financial services sector range from more conservative figures of 16–50% while those in the automobile industry fluctuate between 10% and 25%.The retail sector can give out anywhere from 9% to 60% of basic pay in bonus pay-outs during the festive season. LG Electronics India is a case in point. The consumer durables company gives out a total of 200–700% of basic salaries to its 4,500 employees annually through six bonuses, including two half-yearly performance incentives in January and July, a Diwali bonus, a post-Diwali bonus, an LG birthday bonus in May and a retention bonus to employees who have completed two years of service at LG.The retention bonus is a maximum of 400% of an employee’s basic monthly salary and is paid in three instalments in every consecutive year. Talent development There is no doubt that India’s vast manpower pool has played a vital role in its economic success story. It is increasingly obvious that the success of Indian companies is not just based on superior access to raw materials or technology or patents, but also fundamentally upon human skills.The major challenge, though, seems to be the issue of upgrading skill sets of this human resource through training & development in the face of high attrition and competition, says Agarwal. â€Å"Indian companies are recognising their responsibilities to enhance the employee’s opportunity to develop skills and abilities for full performance within the position and for career advancement,† he says. The India that is going global is also a remarkably young country. â€Å"India’s youth population remains an under-utilised economic as set,† says Tharoor. Census figures show that nearly one-fifth of India belongs to the 15–24 year age group.Each year, the country will add around five million young adults in that age group – five million potentially productive workers providing India with the fuel it needs to drive productivity higher, powering its economy even further. The education system is working to create a steady stream of young talent. According to National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), each year over three million graduates and post-graduates are added to the Indian workforce. However, there is still room for improvement in terms of developing this talent. Today’s new graduates seem to be grossly lacking in all-round skills – something that’s expected, given their formal education,† says Agarwal. Augustine agrees, saying some big concerns include the employability of fresh graduates and how aligned these graduates are to business re ality. Still, many reforms are underway, from governance structure of higher education and decentralisation, to major investments in faculty development, for both private and public institutions. â€Å"A lot of effort is being put into expanding tertiary education, especially for low- and middle-income students,† says Agarwal.Corporates are also doing their business to improve the quality of education and hence increase the number of employable talent. For instance, Wipro works closely with the Indian school and college system through the Wipro Applying Thought in Schools (WATIS) programme. The strategy revolves around systemic education reform and transforming the current nature of schools and pedagogy, it works through building capacity of social sector organisations working in the space of education and directly with schools. The WATIS programme has engaged with over 2,000 schools and 30 social organisations across 17 states of India.Mission10X Learning Approach (MxLA) is another program by Wipro that focuses on improving the potential for employability of engineering graduates in India. It does this through direct engagement with engineering colleges and faculty capacity development. The program reaches out to over 300 colleges and has trained 10,000 engineering college faculty members. Aditya Birla Group offers Management Trainee Programmes through which the company recruits exceptional management graduates from the best business schools in the country.Siemens India’s one year training programme sees newly recruited management trainees undergo a rigorous five-week classroom training, six stints of three weeks each in Sales, Operations, Finance, HR and Corporate Strategy, and a 26-week project within a business unit or corporate function. The synergy between the public and private partnership with a strong focus on key HR programmes such as talent management and employee capability-building, coupled with attraction and retention will be pivot al as India continues its journey of rapid growth.Laws to keep in mind when doing business in India+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to James Agarwal, consulting director and head – India, BTI Consultants, some important Labour Acts which are applicable for carrying out business in India are:+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employees’ State Insurance Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Workmen’s Compensation Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maternity Benefit Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Factories Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Minimum Wages Act+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Payment of Wages Act|JugaadA Hindi slang word, jugaad (pronounced ‘joo-gaardh’) translates to an improvisational style of innovation that’s driven by scarce resources – a case of ‘get it done, by hook or by crook’. Just as Guanxi describes the central idea in Chinese society, jugaad is almost a way of life in India. Most workers in India embody this intrinsic trait of jugaad in their day-to-day work, allowing them to creatively come up with products and services that are more economical both for the supplier and consumer, and maximises resources for a company and its stakeholders in as little time as possible. Resolutions for 2012The English daily, Mumbai Mirror, sums up some of the biggest workplace resolutions that people in all industries will try to keep in 2012:+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Encourage leadership – This comes in handy as companies transition from closed to open source leadership formats this year+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Monitor workplace gossip – Managing office gossip is important in keeping major conflicts at bay+  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strike a connect – Know the ‘why’ and then focus on the task, helping to avoid miscommunication, politicking, etc†¦|POISED TO: Cool, calm, collected or waiting at attention : as in poised to strike. purchasing power parity : aggregate:accumulated,  added,  amassed,  assembled,collected,  collective,  combined,  composite,corporate,  cumulative,  heaped,  mixed,  piled,total

The Benefits of Raising the Federal Minimum Wage - 1334 Words

Picture this: You are a single parent of two, you work 40 hours a week plus occasional overtime at a minimum wage paying job, you struggle to put food on the table to feed your family, and then you receive a call from the bank saying that your home is being foreclosed. This is the situation faced by thousands of Americans every year due to low income and wealth inequality. The federal minimum wage (FMW) as of April 2014 is $7.25, which is not enough to keep a family of two above the poverty line. There are certain questions on this topic that should be addressed, such as why is poverty and wealth distribution an issue in the United States today? Should the FMW be raised and why? How would raising the FMW affect American families? What are†¦show more content†¦Patterns show that this gap is only widening as time goes on, specifically between 2007 and 2010. The disparity between the upper and lower class is immense and is critical to understanding the need for a FMW raise. Fam ily income is the most direct way to evaluate poverty today. As previously stated, approximately 46.5 million Americans were living in poverty as of 2012. Currently, there are two proposed increases to the FMW from $7.25 standing at $9.00 and $10.10. According to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) projections for 2016, there would be a net income increase of $5 billion for families under the poverty threshold by today’s FMW standards. They also project the increase would lessen the income of families making more than 6 times the poverty threshold, or approximately $116,000, by $17 billion. This creates a $12 billion dollar imbalance making headway in diminishing the gap, and while in the grand scheme of American inequality this is not much, it is needed progress. Economist David Neumark addresses the potential for this exchange in his article â€Å"Do Minimum Wages Fight Poverty?†. He writes about the trade off that might happen alongside a FMW raising, st ating â€Å"over a one- to two-year period, minimum wages increase both the probability that poor families escape poverty and the probability that previously nonpoor families become poor.† Purely in terms of the FMW, this exchange in revenue could lessen theShow MoreRelatedRaising The Federal Minimum Wage889 Words   |  4 Pages In my report, I will go into detail and show how raising the federal minimum wage would positively effect the economy. In doing so, I will be discussing how an increase in the federal minimum wage would make a vast improvement on the way many low income families live, and also how raising the federal minimum wage would boost the economy as it desperately needs. In raising the federal minimum wage, one might argue that it would cause a spike in the unemployment rate. The reasoning is that it wouldRead MoreRaising The Federal Minimum Wage1277 Words   |  6 PagesThe idea of raising the federal minimum wage that has developed nation wide attention, including protesting and arguments, has caused many discussions on why it could potentially help the economy grow and how it could result in the crash of the economy. Many people feel like raising the federal minimum wage is a must, while others think it will destroy the economy. There are many benefits that come with raising the federal minimum wage, but those benefits also come with many disadvantages. TheRead MoreA Full Time Worker Earn $ 5.15 An Hour1378 Words   |  6 PagesA full time worker earning $7.25 an hour will make approximately $15,080 a year (â€Å"Minimum Wage†). That’s barely more than what students pay for housing and food at some colleges, and we expect a family to live off of this? The poverty line is at $20,000 for a family of four, so how are these people supposed to raise their children in a healthy environment while working full-time to not even be on the poverty line? If this raise is done correctly, employment and prices won’t be hurt, and we will onlyRead MoreU.s. Federal Minimum Wage Essay1162 Words   |  5 PagesThe current U.S. Federal Minimum Wage is $7.25 per hour. In just two years from 2013, the demanded from advocates for raising minimum wage rose from $9 to $15. However, raising the minimum wage is more complex than simply raising the number of federal standard of pay for employees. Relative control groups and other market activities play a part in the outcome of the minimum wage. For example, one instance of market activity was observers said that raising the minimum wage did not hurt individuals;Read MoreMinimum Wage Should Be Raised910 Words   |  4 Pagesmaximize the American Dream on the minimum wage† (Benjamin Todd Jealous). In 1938, minimum wage was created by the federal government in order to protect workers by ensuring a minimum of twenty-five cents per hour worked. Though President Roosevelt had the right idea in protecting the workforce, something needs to be done to ensure that Americans are getting a reasonable amount of money for the amount of hours they have worked. As Benjamin Todd Jealous stated, minimum wage is not enough for the averageRead MoreFederal Minimum Wage Should Be Increased1180 Words   |  5 Pagesstarted to come to conclusions that the federal minimum wage is excessively low. The government can stand to help people gain more money, resulting in a less poverty -stricken country. The cost of living or gaining has increased significantly over the past twenty years, and the minimum wage, for most isn t enough for them to support themselves. There have been efforts to increase the federal minimum wage, but none has succeeded in getting approved. Minimum wages are too low for a human, to provideRead MoreMiimum Wage and Power to the People1746 Words   |  7 PagesThree – Power to the people The third and final alternative minimum wage is to allow the local people in the community vote on a living wage. This alternative would put all the power in the hands of the people; allowing them to decide what is best for their neighborhoods. If the people are allowed to vote in such matters, they will be permitted to use their voice and at the very least express their concerns with the gaps in minimum wage and cost of living in their community. However, there are drawbacksRead MoreThe Benefits Of Raising The Minimum Wage706 Words   |  3 Pages Minimum wage is a difficult number to decide on because it affects different income earning citizens in different ways. According to Principles of Microeconomics, by N. Gregory Mankiw, minimum wage is a law that establishes the lowest price for labor that and employer may pay (Mankiw 6-1b). Currently, the minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour. For many years politicians and citizens have argued on what should be the minimum wage that would benefit the economy and society in generalRead MoreMinimum Wage Should Not Be Increased1669 Words   |  7 PagesFederal minimum wage is a huge controversy around the world and especially in the United States today. It is the lowest wage that employers can legally pay their employees. The world’s first minimum wage law was passed in the year eighteen ninety-four in New Zealand. New Zealand’s minimum wage experiment caught the attention of other countries. It made them start considering the law for their own countries. The United States passed their federal minimum wage law in nineteen thirty-eight. The federalRead MoreThe Federal Minimum Wage Law962 Words   |  4 PagesThe federal minimum wage law was signed in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt in order to keep people out of poverty and increase consumer purchasing power. This has done the opposite by hurting businesses and reducing employment, while minimum wages go up, so will the costs of living. Most of the people working for minimum wage are 16 between 24 years old, 37% of workers are going to school working part time. Enrollment tuition has increased over the years, and raising the minimum wage could