Small Story Big Thought

Small Story BIG Thought!!! One fine day, a bus driver went to the bus garage, started his bus, and drove off along the route. No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well. At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a guy got on. Six feet eight,built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground. He glared at the driver and said, “Big John doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back. Did I mention that the driver was five feet three, thin, and basically meek? Well, he was. Naturally, he didn't argue with Big John, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened - Big John got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next. This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Big John was taking advantage of him. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff. By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So on the next Monday, when Big John once again got on the bus and said, " Big John doesn't pay!" The driver stood up, glared back at the passenger, and screamed, “And why not?" With a surprised look on his face, Big John replied, " Big John has a bus pass."

Management Lesson: "Be sure there is a problem in the first place before working hard to solve one." "Its your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault."

Thanks to Dr.David M. Burns

Hard Work

I rate this mail as one of the best ever i have read!!!

OLD VERSION...

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

MODERN VERSION...

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance). Opposition MP's stage a walkout.Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in
West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry.CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality. LOL !!!

Hope I did not hurt anybodys feelings.....

Thanks to Ms. Soujanya

Japanese vs. American management style

Two teams of American and Japanese corporations have a boat race. On the big day the Japanese win by a mile.

The discouraged Americans hire a consulting firm to investigate the problem. The findings are that the Japanese team had eight people rowing and one person steering while the American team had one rower and eight people steering. Based on these results, the American team is completely reorganized to include four steering managers, four steering area managers and a new performance review system for the person rowing the boat to provide work incentive. The following year the Japanese win again, so the Americans lay off the rower for poor performance and give the manager a bonus for discovering the problem.

Thanks to Soujanya

Sick Leave

I urgently needed a few days off work, but I knew the Boss would notallow me to take a leave. I thought that maybe if I acted "CRAZY" then hewould tell me to take a few days off. So, I hung upside down on theceiling and made funny noises. My co-worker asked me what I was doing. Itold her that I was pretending to be a light bulb so that the Boss wouldthink I was "CRAZY" and give me a few days off. A few minutes later the Boss came into the office and asked, "What are youdoing?" I told him I was a light bulb. He said, "You are clearly stressed out. Go home and recuperate for acouple of days." I jumped down and walked out of the office. When my co-worker followed me, the Boss asked her, "And where do you thinkyou're going?" (You're gonna love this.....) She said, "I'm going home too, I can't work in the dark."

Thanks to Ms. Soujanya

Software Engineer ... too funny !!!

There was a good old barber in Bangalore . One day a florist goes to himfor a haircut. After the cut, he goes to pay the barber and the barberreplies: I am sorry, I cannot accept money from you; I am doing a Community Service.Florist is happy and leaves the shop.The next morning when the Barber goes to open his shop, there is a"Thank You" Card and a dozen roses waiting at his door. A Confectioner goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber He again refuses to take the money. The Confectioner is happy andleaves the shop. The next morning when the Barber goes to open his shop, there isanother"Thank you" Card and a dozen Cakes waiting at his door. A Software Engineer goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay thebarberagain refuses the money saying that it was a community service.The next morning when the Barber goes to open his shop, guess what he findsthere......

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A Dozen Software engineers waiting for a free haircut... withPrintouts of forwarded mail mentioning about free haircut.

Thanks to Ms. Soujanya

Improve your leadership skills

Whether you are consciously aware of it or not, on some level you are continually leading yourself and others. As a result, it would only make sense that you strive to improve your leadership skills and get the most out of life for everyone in your sphere. If you desire to lead a passion-filled life wherein you are a positive influence to everyone, you will enjoy incorporating the following practices to assist you in consistently living your life as a conscious and strong LEADER.

1.Have a clear vision of yourself, others, and the world. Who are you? What do you stand for? What is your life purpose? How do you want to influence others? How do you want to contribute to yourself, your family, friends, colleagues, and the world? Answer these questions to formulate a concrete vision of yourself and your world. Then, start living your life as the leader who makes your vision a reality!

2.Know and utilize your strengths and gifts. You have unique gifts that you were born with and personal strengths you've developed over your lifetime. Realizing and utilizing these gifts and strengths will assist you in being a formidable leader.

3.Live in accordance with your morals and values. Making choices and taking actions out of accordance with your morals and values leaves you with a nagging "Bad" feeling. This feeling seeping in from your subconscious mind hinders your success in your career and your relationships. On the other hand, making choices and taking actions aligned with your morals and values helps you succeed almost effortlessly. People sense integrity and will naturally respect your opinion and leadership.

4.Lead others with inclusiveness and compassion. The greatest leaders are those who include everyone in their sphere of influence by recognizing each person's greatest value. To be one of these leaders, look beyond the obvious and see others with insight and compassion. Many of history's greatest leaders have admitted that they rose to the top because another leader recognized and harnessed their potential.

5.Set definitive goals and follow concrete action plans. You have to know where your destination is before you can map out a plan to get there. To improve your leadership skills, first set specific life goals with appropriate timelines. Design your goals by moving backwards from the end of your life to the present week. Then, formulate action plans you can commit to that will get you to where you want to be.

6.Maintain a positive attitude. No one respects a grumpy or negative person. With a positive attitude you are looking at the bright side of life. People are naturally attracted to you when you have a positive attitude. By being positive, you will lead a happier life, as well as be surrounded by other positive people. You will also magically attract exciting offers and possibilities.

7.Improve communication skills. Having great leadership skills includes your being able to clearly and specifically communicate your vision, goals, skills, intentions, and expectations to others. This also includes your ability to listen to what other people are consciously or unconsciously communicating. To become a great communicator, continually strive to improve your verbal, nonverbal, and listening skills.

8.Motivate others to greatness. A leader is as powerful as his team. As a leader, you will want to surround yourself with a powerful team by assisting others in recognizing and utilizing their strengths, gifts, and potential. Motivating others to their own greatness will improve the group energy, increase the vitality of your projects, and move you forward toward achieving your goals and vision.

9.Be willing to admit and learn from failures and weaknesses. Face it - No one is perfect, and everyone has made a mistake or two in their lives! The most successful leaders know that the key to success is not in avoiding falling or failing, but to learn from their mistakes. As a strong leader, you will also be able to communicate your weaknesses to your team, so that you and your team can appoint someone who excels at that particular task or activity.

10.Continue to educate and improve yourself. Great leaders continue to improve themselves in every possible way. The person who thinks he is an expert, has a lot more to learn. Never stop learning. Be receptive to everyone's perceptions and information from around the world and beyond.

10.Continue to educate and improve yourself. Great leaders continue to improve themselves in every possible way. The person who thinks he is an expert, has a lot more to learn. Never stop learning. Be receptive to everyone's perceptions and information from around the world and beyond.

House of 1000 Mirrors

Long ago in a small, far away village, there was place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit it often." In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again." ALL THE FACES IN THE WORLD ARE MIRRORS. JUST OBSERVE WHAT KIND OF REFLECTIONS DO YOU SEE IN THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE YOU MEET?

Dont Let Others Make A Slave of You !

There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out in the woods. He Practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting A little discouraged, he headed back for dinner. As he was Walking back he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the slingshot fly, hit the duck Square in the head, and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile, only to see His sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing. After lunch the next day Grandma said, " Sally, let's wash the Dishes." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in The kitchen." Then she whispered to him, " Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go Fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need Sally to help make Supper." Sally just smiled and said," Well that's all right because Johnny told Me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, He finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck. Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long You would let Sally make a slave of you." Thought for the day and every day thereafter? Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done... don't let others make a slave of you. Always remeber, the devil keeps throwing it up your face but the God will be standing and watching at the window

Change our vision

There was a millionaire who was bothered by severe eye pain. He consulted so many physicians and was getting his treatment done. He did not stop consulting galaxy of medical experts; he consumed heavy loads of drugs and underwent hundreds of injections. But the ache persisted with great vigour than before. At last a monk who has supposed to be an expert in treating such patients was called for by the millionaire. The monk understood his problem and said that for sometime he should concentrate only on green colours and not to fall his eyes on any other colours. The millionaire got together a group of painters and purchased barrels of green color and directed that every object his eye was likely to fall to be painted in green colour just as the monk had directed. When the monk came to visit him after few days, the millionaire's servants ran with buckets of green paints and poured on him since he was in red dress, lest their master not see any other colour and his eye ache would come back. Hearing this monk laughed said "If only you had purchased a pair of green spectacles, worth just a few rupees, you could have saved these walls and trees and pots and all other articles and also could have saved a large share of his fortune. You cannot paint the world green." Let us change our vision and the world will appear accordingly. It is foolish to shape the world, let us shape ourselves first. Lets change our vision..!!

Thanks to Dan

Warren Buffet, the second richest man,but!!!

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

1)He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
2)He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.
3)He still lives in the same small 3 bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.
4) He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him. 5)He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world¢s largest private jet company.
6)His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis.
7) He has given his CEO¢s only two rules. Rule number 1: do not lose any of your share holder¢s money. Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.
8)He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch television.
9) Bill Gates, the world¢s richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.
10)Warren Buffet does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk.
11)His advice to young people: Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself.

Amazing individual indeed.

Become a Lake

The old Master instructed the unhappy young man to put a handful of salt in a glass of water and then to drink it. "How does it taste?" the Master asked. "Terrible," replied the boy. The Master then asked the young man to take another handful of salt and put it in the lake. The two walked in silence to the nearby lake and when the guy swirled his handful of salt into the lake, the old man said, "Now drink the water from the lake." As the water dripped down the young man's chin, the Master asked, "How does it taste?" "Good!" remarked the boy. "Do you taste the salt?" asked the Master. "No," said the young man. The Master sat beside this troubled young man, took his hands, and said," The pain of life is pure salt; no more, no less. The amount of pain in life remains the same, exactly the same. But the amount we taste the 'pain' depends on the container we put it into. So when you are in pain, the only thing you can do is to enlarge your sense of things..... What is required is to change our paradigm and make a shift in our focus. Too often we are more focused only on the gain, and miss out on the gain. Stop being a glass. Become a lake! Failure doesn't mean when we fail, but when we don't want to come up again. Let us sit down and make a List of all our Pains. Also, let us analyze the containers we have been using and how today we can make a shift and gain from it. "The greatest aim of Education is not Knowledge but ACTION"

Creative Ideas for Retaining Employees

Abstract:

Most companies are suffering from staffing difficulties, increasing the importance of employee retention. Creative approaches are giving many employers a competitive edge in the war for talent. Examples of the strategies of enlightened employers offer models to follow and may stimulate some refreshing ideas for you. If you're like most employers responding to opinion surveys today, finding and keeping competent workers is your major challenge. Employee turnover is costly, causing workforce instability, reduced efficiency, lower effectiveness, and negative impact on the bottom line. While everyone agrees that turnover is a problem, there seems to be a reluctance to invest resources to retain top talent. Part of this hesitancy comes from a sense that counter-turnover efforts really don't make a difference; people leave anyway. Ignoring employee turnover won't make it go away. The risk of doing nothing is great. The loss of customers, supplier confidence, investor support, and employee morale can be very expensive. Can you put a value on these costs? What does it cost when you lose a valued customer because you can no longer provide the level of service, expertise, or reliability demanded in today's competitive market? Some business leaders are reluctant to invest very much in building retention because they fear it might be disproportionately expensive to keep people. However, an increasing number of employers are finding ways, usually inexpensive, to hold the interest--and the loyalty--of their people. As employee retention specialists for over a decade (Roger wrote the seminal book in the field, Keeping Good People, in 1990), we have collected a treasure chest of best practices. We share them with you here in hopes that you will learn and be inspired to make a difference in your organization. In our research, we have found many companies that do some unique things to attract, optimize, and hold their valued employees. Others engage in more common practices, but do them well. Some approaches may seem a bit out of the ordinary, but that's what helps position those companies as Employers of Choice. To be chosen by the employees you want is a worthy objective, especially when your competitors are eager to hire the same people.

Your Laundry's Ready

Wilton Conner Packaging Company, Charlotte, North Carolina, enjoys .5 percent turnover. Yes, that's half of one percent. In addition to having a caring, enthusiastic CEO who rides around his 1,000,000 square foot plant on a bicycle, the company's 634 employees enjoy some unique benefits that inspire them to stay. Wilton Conner employs laundresses who work in a fully-equipped facility attached to the plant. Workers bring in their dirty clothes in the morning. While they are working, their clothes are washed, dried, folded, and packaged to take home at the end of the day--for a dollar a load. Some of those employees commute back and forth to work in company-provided vans. When the maintenance employees aren't busy at the plant, they hop in a company truck and travel to employees' homes where they perform minor repairs for the cost of materials only. No more worries about leaky toilets, squeaky doors, or broken windows.

Celebrating Special Occasions

Each of us has a birthday to celebrate--once a year, every year. We also celebrate important events like wedding anniversaries, the date we joined the company, and children's birthdays. These dates are important to us. If we get a card, a phone call, a letter, flowers or even a gift from a company executive to celebrate the occasion with us, it's special. And it matters. Mary Kay Ash, the charismatic founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics in Dallas, Texas, knows that her people appreciate her attention to special occasions. They tell her so. She personally signs each and every birthday and anniversary card sent to her employees. She also recognizes other special occasions. New babies receive little silver banks in the shape of ducks. She acknowledges weddings with silver bowls. Employees receive free lunches (for two) or free movie tickets on their birthdays. Plus, employees receive a $100 savings bond for every five years of service.

A Paid Vacation, Plus Expenses

Motek, a software company in Beverly Hills, California, understands the value of a good vacation. Each year, the CEO, Ann Price, gives each of her employees one month off--with pay. Price also gives each employee $5,000, but there is a catch. That $5,000 must be used for airlines, cruises, hotels, and other travel expenses. The $5,000 is earned by employees week by week. For each week they work, $100 goes into their vacation fund. Employees are expected to take this time off to rest and rejuvenate. With $5,000 and thirty days to spend, they're able to enjoy much more substantial vacations. Forced vacation? Payoffs to spend time away from the office? It may sound crazy, but it works. Price reports that having employees who feel fresh and relaxed create a better office environment, produce better quality work, and are happier people. The stable workforce has built a camaraderie that supports high productivity and customer satisfaction. If employees leave the company, they lose their vacation fund, but if they stay, it's a wonderful benefit. It's easy to understand why there is practically no turnover at Motek. Note: Motek has been recognized as an Employer of ChoiceSM. See www.employerofchoice.net. Oh, one other thing. Motek also provides lunch for all employees.on payday and the day before payday.

Overcoming the Sleepies

People get sleepy at work, with potential negative impacts on productivity and safety. What can we do to help alleviate this problem? Some companies have installed nap rooms at work, while others encourage nutrition to boost higher energy levels. Other organizations recognize that physical activity can also wake people up and re-energize them. A few firms are even sponsoring scheduled recesses with intramural games. Gymboree, Burlingame, California, operates/franchises more than 400 interactive parent/child play programs worldwide. Corporate leaders realized that there might be an interesting synergy between their products and their desire to keep their employees happy and fresh. Applying the company's "celebrate childhood" philosophy Gymboree began a once-a-week program of "corporate recess." Every Thursday at 3 pm, a bell sounds over the public address system. Recess lasts for 20 minutes. Their campus sports a lake with a walking area, and hopscotch is available. The purpose is to get employees to spend a few minutes together outside of the work environment catching up with one another, getting some fresh air and exercise, and further creating a sense of teamness. There's more: each Wednesday at 3 pm, Gymboree provides snack time for its employees. This break also lasts for about 20 minutes, during which time workers come together in a central location to munch on snacks that range from chips and salsa to cookies and milk.

Making a Difference

DataTel, Inc., a software developer in Fairfax, Virginia, sells a fully integrated enterprise resource management system that supports every aspect of college and university operations. The 350-employee company enjoys a 13 percent turnover rate in the middle of the suburban Virginia hi-tech corridor. An integral part of DataTel's culture is giving back to the community. Employees consistently report that they want to really affect change in their lives and in the lives of those around them, and the company has responded. Every May 1, the company's Founder's Day, employees, family, and friends participate in a community service day. Projects on these days have been widely varied. Employees and friends have remodeled a house, rebuilt trails at a local park, helped with track and field events for Special Olympics, and helped make a child's wish come true through the Make a Wish Foundation. Some employees even mentor and tutor students at a local elementary school. Through their DataTel Scholars Foundation, another charitable avenue open to employees, the company has awarded over $1.2 million to over 1000 students who are enrolled at their client sites. Employee participation in the various community service activities is recognized by awarding badges that look like lapel pins, each with a symbol representing a particular event or activity. Outside each employee's office or cubicle is a small bulletin-board with a display of the symbols earned by that employee.

When Disaster Strikes

When disaster strikes, corporations can be angels for those who have suffered. Some companies will just give because they think it's the right thing to do. Others will concentrate their giving in communities where they have facilities or employees. Some concentrate on really taking care of their own employees and their families, reaching out as a corporate family. When Hurricane Floyd caused unprecedented damage and personal loss in North Carolina--mostly from flooding, corporations sprang to the rescue. Boddie-Noell, an operator of over 350 Hardee's Restaurants and other ventures, is based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, one of the areas hardest hit by the storm. The company's attention was immediately focused on their people and their communities. During the initial recovery period, the company arranged for two truckloads of critically needed drinking water to be distributed in their home area of Nash and Edgecombe counties. Next, the attention turned to relief efforts. Company restaurants outside the affected area collected food, clothing, and supplies for affected co-workers and others in their communities. All the stores got involved in fundraising that produced over $100,000 for flood victims. The company then focused on the 18 employees whose families were displaced by Hurricane Floyd. A home office team member assumed responsibility for follow-through with each family, with care continuing long after the storm was gone. One effort focused on making sure that every child in a displaced family still had a great Christmas. The company's culture was reflected in the corporate and employee response to care for any employee who needed help with an outpouring of love and warmth.

Emergency Childcare

A major challenge for employees today, particularly for working mothers, is childcare. More and more employers are finding ways to provide childcare on-premises or nearby. Some companies pay the total costs, others subsidize the expense. Backup childcare and emergency childcare are among the most rapidly growing family benefits available, and they're among the most cost effective. The costs associated with an employee missing a day of work are far outweighed by the price of a day of daycare. Employers contract with a childcare provider to deliver backup childcare, in case of weather emergencies. BankBoston employees certainly appreciate the gesture in their climate, where a few snow days each year are all but guaranteed. The company benefits since fewer employees are forced to take half-days and full days off, in order to care for kids who are home from school. The number of BankBoston employees registered to use the company's Snowy Day program is growing each year. More than 400 employees are signed up to take their children to a safe respite on snow days when schools close. The program is offered at seven BankBoston locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut and is free to all 16,000 employees. At the corporate office in Boston, the Snowy Day program is held in a big, bright conference center on the 35th floor. While BankBoston provides the materials for activities, crafts, and games, as well as a VCR, television, and snacks, the actual oversight of the program is managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Help Me Learn Employers, faced with employees with insufficient education to perform their jobs, are investing more in remedial education for their people. Others are engaged in teaching English as a Second Language, often with a culture component, for Hispanic employees--and their spouses. The increasing prevalence of quality initiatives, the use of computers, and other processes that require literacy and numeracy skills have revealed that there is a significant proportion of workers who lack fundamental knowledge. Basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, for various reasons, eluded many students during their growing years. For quite a while, schools were allowing these students to pass from grade to grade and even to graduate. These unfortunate people, as a result, are not adequately prepared; they don't possess the capacities to communicate and calculate that are so essential to success in today's more sophisticated world of work. Ames Rubber, Hamburg, New Jersey, suspected that these deficits might be the case with a large number of its employees. The company initiated a new quality management program in 1987 and discovered a serious problem: Their fears were well-founded. Ames' employees often didn't have the reading, writing, and math skills required to just participate in everyday work. Ames decided to require their entire workforce to take a reading and math test. Everyone from the CEO to the janitor took the test at the same time--in the same environment. Of the 400 employees who took the test, 185 only had skills in fourth- to sixth-grade levels. To address the problem, Ames partnered with a local community college to develop a comprehensive training program in basic skills and English as a Second Language (ESL). Funding from the New Jersey Department of Labor paid the costs for materials and community college instructors; Ames paid for the employees' wages during class time. Classes were held once a week for 13 weeks. Those who needed further training were enrolled for another 13 weeks. The ESL classes are ongoing one-on-one tutoring sessions. The program was such a success--both in terms of creating not only more productive employees, but happier employees as well--that it has become an integral part of the Ames culture. People appreciate the opportunity to learn, to improve themselves, and will stay with employers that help them grow.

Taking Care of People

There's an increasingly strong movement underway today to become--and stay--more physically fit. More people are concerned about nutrition, exercise, stress management and avoiding habits like smoking or consumption of alcoholic beverages. Employers, as they become sensitive to the needs and interests of their workers, are finding ways to support those employee initiatives. In some cases, the employer actually initiates the higher attention to wellness, encouraging the employee to invest more time and attention in keeping his or her body in shape. While not all employees buy into this wellness movement, those who do really appreciate the interest and support of their employers. That support comes in many forms, varying from company to company and even among groups of employees within companies. The motivation of the employer varies as well, with some genuinely interested in responding to their people and some also seeking ways to better manage insurance premiums. Whatever the rationale, more employers are investing in wellness. The Taylor Group, an applications service provider and solutions integrator in Bedford, New Hampshire, believes in taking care of its people--literally. Health benefits at Taylor are quite comprehensive. Beyond what you'd think of as "normal" healthcare benefits--reimbursement for doctor's visits, dental, eye, etc.--Taylor reaches further for overall wellness. The organization believes that healthy employees are happy employees. With annual flu shots, CPR training, tuition reimbursement for wellness classes, career development training, and a CD-ROM library, Taylor moves people care to an entirely new level. After the annual company meeting in February, massage therapists are available for the employees. Physical examinations given to employees each year as part of the employer's benefit program can have far-reaching impacts. A Massachusetts company which gives employee physicals every year won the loyalty of an employee--and her co-workers--by insisting that all employees participate in an annual health screen. The woman learned that the medical examiners discovered the early signs of kidney disease. Because the problem was diagnosed so early after the onset of the problem, medicine was prescribed that eliminated the problem before it got worse. She testifies that the company saved her life; she's likely to stay with that employer for a long time.

Thanks to Ms. Kalpana for Contributing

Tips for writing a good CV

The first part of the candidate screening process at any good company will be a resume review. We use a resume to help us determine whom to invite to our interviewing process. Therefore, it is important for your resume to be the best possible reflection of you and of your achievements to date.
Your resume should not only accurately reflect your achievements to date, but also provide some sense of the scale of those achievements. A successful resume will also give the reader a sense for who you are as a person, as reflected in the activities and achievements you view as important in your life. With this in mind, I have put together some tips on writing a good resume.
Dear friends, I hope you find this to be helpful in your job applications.
We advise you to tailor your resume/CV to the employer you are sending it to, but here are some broad tips on the overall layout of a good resume/CV: Your resume/CV should be neatly typed and clearly laid out.
Use a reasonably sized font (e.g., size 10 or larger) and allow some margin around the text for reviewer's notes. Do not be overly creative with the formatting – it will only distract from the real focus of the document, which is you.
Write clearly and don't forget to check your grammar and spelling.
Include your name and contact details at the top, with daytime and evening phone numbers and an e-mail address.
Lay out your prior jobs (if any) in reverse chronological order, with your most recent role at the top.
It is best to list dates on the left hand side.
You should be able to explain any gaps in your career or educational history.
The length of your resume/CV will depend on you and your achievements – but don't pad it out! The trick is to be concise, but not incomplete.
Remember, the person reading your resume/CV may not be familiar with your specific credentials.
Avoid using any jargon. Ask friends from different backgrounds to read it for you. If they're impressed without being confused, you're looking good.
The first part of the candidate screening process at at any good company is a resume review. We use a resume to help us determine whom to invite to our interviewing process. Therefore, it is important for your resume to be the best possible reflection of you and of your achievements to date.
Your resume should not only accurately reflect your achievements to date, but also provide some sense of the scale of those achievements.
A successful resume will also give the reader a sense for who you are as a person, as reflected in the activities and achievements you view as important in your life.
Our resume/CV reviewers look for evidence of achievement in the four key skill areas outlined in What we look for. We find the following resume/CV structure most helpful in giving you a fair review:

Education

We prefer to see details of graduate work and college/tertiary education first. Include your degree subject, university, degree grades, or GPA at each major milestone of your course (for example, magna cum laude overall, summa cum laude in first year) and any major prizes or awards, specifying key dates. You should also include any significant academic projects ( e.g., senior thesis, major research work, etc.) that you feel help illustrate your academic ability.
• Depending on your national background, it may be important that you provide details of your results in all subjects in key examinations ( e.g., high school diploma, 'A' levels, baccalaureate grades).
• Applicants who have taken standardized tests such as the GMAT, LSAT, SAT, etc. should also include their scores.
• Providing as much detail as possible here is key. If you have academic transcripts showing detailed grades, send us a copy. If you studied in an academic system unfamiliar to most, try where possible to translate your result to help the reviewer understand ( e.g., top two percent of students nationally).

Work Experience

If you have work experience, emphasize what you have achieved in each major role beyond your key day-to-day responsibilities. We are most interested in the impact you have had in your career ( e.g., the key things that changed because of your direct involvement). You may also describe unique skills and experiences that will help us understand the strengths you bring to the table.

Other Skills and Achievements

We are interested in any volunteer or charity work, or positions of responsibility in professional bodies – particularly where they demonstrate leadership, initiative-taking or extraordinary commitment. If you have been involved in significant activities of this type, please list them.
• Similarly, you should include leadership positions, significant involvement in extracurricular activities, and significant participation in sports, games, societies, or hobbies. For example, a high level of achievement in a sport tells us something about your commitment and drive to achieve. Don't just tell us about your hobbies, tell us what you have achieved in pursuing them.
• Generally you should only include items that you feel will help us understand your strengths better (rather than including something just for the sake of having it).

Languages

Include any foreign languages for which you have business conversational ability or better. For languages, a good idea is to rate yourself as either basic, competent, or fluent.

What they look for..?

We look for people who demonstrate capabilities in four areas. Each of these areas is critical to success in the day-to-day work we do. The companies hire distinctive people, so we look for outstanding potential in each of these areas during the interview process.
• Problem Solving: Companies help clients solve tough problems in their businesses and implement the solutions. This not only requires outstanding intellectual abilities and rigor, but also a good, practical sense of what works and does not work in complex organizations.
• Achieving: Companies constantly strive to deliver distinctive client service. To achieve this while handling multiple stakeholders and often tight deadlines requires outstanding energy, determination, and judgment.
•Personal Impact: Companies work with a wide range of individuals in their day-to-day jobs. Developing and implementing sound recommendations requires the involvement and support of these individuals. Skills in interacting with people in sometimes tough situations are critical to driving distinctive client impact.
• Leadership: Leading people and fostering effective teamwork are key to success both within Companies and with their clients. Companies need outstanding leadership skills in order to drive positive change in complex organizations. I wish you all the best in all your future endeavours....

Contribute by :: Ashok Kumar CV

Inspirational and Motivational Story

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, "What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely." Another tree said, "Dear pine, do not be sad, we can not have everything." The rose turned its head and remarked, "It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest." A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, "Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them." The red rose replied, "I see everyone looking at me and admiring me." Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!" The pine tree said, "Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns too." The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, "I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You can not compare my thorns to that of the cactus." "What a proud flower", thought the trees. The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like: This plant is useless? How sorry I am to be his neighbor." The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying, "God did not create any form of life without a purpose." Spring passed, and the weather became very warm. Life became difficult in the forest, as the plants and animals needed water and no rain fell. The red rose began to wilt. One day the rose saw sparrows stick their beaks into the cactus and then fly away, refreshed. This was puzzling, and the red rose asked the pine tree what the birds were doing. The pine tree explained that the birds got water from the cactus. "Does it not hurt when they make holes?" asked the rose."Yes, but the cactus does not like to see any birds suffer," replied the pine. The rose opened its eyes in wonder and said, "The cactus has water?""Yes you can also drink from it. The sparrow can bring water to you if you ask the cactus for help." The red rose felt too ashamed of its past words and behavior to ask for water from the cactus, but then it finally did ask the cactus for help. The cactus kindly agreed and the birds filled their beaks with water and watered the rose's roots.

Lesson to learn from the Story :Thus the rose and all of us learned a lesson and never judged anyone by their appearance

How attitude can change the Destiny?

During a momentous battle, a Japanese general decided to attack even though his army was greatly outnumbered. He was confident they would win, but his men were filled with doubt. On the way to the battle, they stopped at a religious shrine. After praying with the men, the general took out a coin and said, "I shall now toss this coin. If it is heads, we shall win. If it is tails we shall lose." "Destiny will now reveal itself." He threw the coin into the air and all watched intently as it landed. It was heads. The soldiers were so overjoyed and filled with confidence that they vigorously attacked the enemy and were victorious. After the battle. a lieutenant remarked to the general, "No one can change destiny." "Quite right," the general replied as he showed the lieutenant the coin, which had heads on both sides

The Monkey & The Wooden Apples

There once was a happy monkey wandering the jungle, eating delicious fruit when hungry, and resting when tired. One day he came upon a house, where he saw a bowl of the most beautiful apples. He took one in each hand and ran back into the forest. He sniffed the apples and smelled nothing. He tried to eat them, but hurt his teeth. They were made of wood , but they were beautiful, and when the other monkeys saw them, he held onto them even tighter. He admired his new possessions proudly as he wandered the jungle. They glistened red in the sun, and seemed perfect to him. He became so attached to them, that he didn't even notice his hunger at first. A fruit tree reminded him, but he felt the apples in his hands. He couldn't bear to set them down to reach for the fruit. In fact, he couldn't relax, either, if he was to defend his apples. A proud, but less happy monkey continued to walk along the forest trails. The apples became heavier, and the poor little monkey thought about leaving them behind. He was tired, hungry, and he couldn't climb trees or collect fruit with his hands full. What if he just let go? Letting go of such valuable things seemed crazy, but what else could he do? He was so tired. Seeing the next fruit tree, and smelling it's fruit was enough. He dropped the wooden apples and reached up for his meal. He was happy again. Like that little monkey, we sometimes carry things that seem too valuable to let go. A man carries an image of himself as " productive" - carries it like a shiny wooden apple. But in reality, his busyness leaves him tired, and hungry for a better life. Still, letting go seems crazy. Even the worries are like the sacred apples - people keep on holding to them, they moment you release it you're free. So let's "let-go" all the wooden apples from our life.. today and be happy.