Words Of Wisdom

Experts answers to enthralling Questions

Q: What is meant by the term "Comparable worth" and how is it different from Equal pay? (ARAVINDA - Banglore)

A: Comparable worth is the concept of equal pay for similar or comparable work. Using this concept, individuals seek increased compensation on the basis that the work is just as valuable to the workforce or as difficult as other jobs that pay more. Equal pay, on the other hand, is an issue of pay between genders. The Equal Pay Act is an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act that prohibits employers from discriminating between men and women by paying one gender more than the other "for equal work on jobs the performance of which requires equal (1) skill, (2) effort, (3) responsibility, and are performed under (4) similar working conditions." This does not mean that the jobs have to be identical, but that they should be substantially equal in comparison to the four criteria mentioned above and be in the same physical establishment.

Q: We have two employees who are continually fighting. I've talked with each of them and they get along fine with other people, but cannot get along with each other. What should I do?
(Prajnay - Pune)
A: Try a session with both employees present. Explain that this situation cannot continue and that they need to come up with a solution on how they can get along. If they cannot come up with a workable solution, then you will have to deal with the situation, which could result in disciplinary action and possible termination of employment for both of them. Document the meeting in writing and provide a "last chance agreement" for each employee. Alternative actions could include shift changes, transfers, etc. However, be careful that only one employee is not treated adversely. It is important that both employees receive similar treatment for the same behavior.

Q: How can I motivate my employees?(Sanjay - Hyderabad)

A: Motivating employees is challenging because different people are motivated by different things. They key to be remembered is, that one size does NOT fit all when it comes to motivation. Just like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs says basic needs must be met to move on to more fulfilling needs, basic job needs must be met before moving on to motivation. In other words, the most motivated employee will find it difficult to be motivated if they do not have the basic tools to do their job. Once these basic needs are filled, more complex and psychologically oriented needs become increasingly relevant. There are five basic things that motivate people:
The work itself, achievement, recognition of achievement, responsibility and advancement.
A wise man once said that the only way to get a person to do just what you want is to cause that person to want to do it. Ways to accomplish this: discover what a person wants, show him/her that what you want will benefit them, show him/her that it will give them power and influence, show him/her that it will bring prestige and approval of others, make it easy or attractive and interesting for him/her to do. Some basic motivation guidelines: Tell people what you expect of them. Be fair and consistent. Offer praise and credit for work well done. Give access to yourself, your time, and your information. Know your people and respond to their needs and perceptions. Provide interesting and challenging work - utilize their talents. Get your employees involved. Give them a feeling that they are making a contribution; that they make a difference.

Q: How can we measure our recruiting costs?(Raahat - Hyderabad)

A: Organizations have unique needs and use unique methods to recruit causing many different metric ways of calculating recruiting costs. The most important aspect in tracking recruiting costs is to assure that you are being consistent and that you are tracking the same information over time. Given that, a common measure is the cost-per-hire ratio. Depending on how your company recruits, the numerator could include such costs as advertising, agency fees, employee referral bonuses, applicant/staff travel, relocation, recruiter pay/benefits, time involved, and other non-financial costs. The denominator would be the number of people hired. This provides the company with a benchmark and a control value. Other common ratios are those hired over the total amount of offers made and a hire-by-source ratio. If your recruiting remains the same, tracking those hired over the amount of offers made helps you see if your recruiting is being effective. If the ratio drops, your recruiting has become less effective and your overall costs are raising. Tracking the hire-by-source allows you to compare costs of various sources and see how many applicants are coming from what source. The key is to find the least expensive source that provides the most qualified or viable applicants.

Q: What are the rules regarding meal breaks and rest breaks? Do the rules differ for part-time and full-time employees? We have too many employees returning late from lunch and dinner breaks. Can we require employees to take their meal periods (especially dinner) on company premises?(V.V.Kumar - Banglore)

A: In almost every Company the rules are the same for breaks and become self-explanatory regarding part-time and full-time employees: an employee is entitled to a minimum for a 30-minute meal period when an employee works more than five hours a day. A 10-minute rest break is required for every 3-4 hours worked - or fraction thereof. Many organizations simplify the process by giving 15-minute break periods morning and afternoon and anywhere from 30-minute to one-hour lunch periods. You cannot compel an employee to take their meal periods on company premises unless you provide eating facilities, such as a cafeteria, on company premises. If employees are habitually late returning from breaks, you can of course dock their pay. State this policy in the employee handbook or manual.

from the Expert Panel SCOOP