Dear Freinds / Seniors,
My Organization has branches pan India. We have zonal managers to take care of their respective zones, with HO in mumbai. these managers are not deputed at mumbai office.
Few of our top management people feel that to empower zonal managers, this years increment letters (which are released from mumbai) be signed by the zonal managers alone, for their respective zones.
I, as HR, have opposed to this and suggested that there should be 2 signatures on the letters. One from head office and one from zonal managers. i feel these signatures should not be delegated to one person.
Can i please have your suggestions on this......
Best Regards
DS
From Singapore, Singapore
3My Organization has branches pan India. We have zonal managers to take care of their respective zones, with HO in mumbai. these managers are not deputed at mumbai office.
Few of our top management people feel that to empower zonal managers, this years increment letters (which are released from mumbai) be signed by the zonal managers alone, for their respective zones.
I, as HR, have opposed to this and suggested that there should be 2 signatures on the letters. One from head office and one from zonal managers. i feel these signatures should not be delegated to one person.
Can i please have your suggestions on this......
Best Regards
DS
From Singapore, Singapore
Dear DS,
Empowerment does not lie just in signing letters but giving authority in deciding the increment percentage or amount also. Question of signature comes later. What is the use of Zonal manager signing increment letter if increment amounts were to be decided by your HO?
Two signatures on the increment letter will make your organisation more bureaucratic. You may take into account this fact also.
Secondly, why you want to send increment letter to every individual? I doubt whether this practice is followed in every organisation. I found top management deciding increment amount or percentage and sending this letter to HR department. Increment amount employees will come to know when they receive their salary slips for April 2012.
Other senior members may also give their opinions.
Thanks,
DVD
From India, Bangalore
Empowerment does not lie just in signing letters but giving authority in deciding the increment percentage or amount also. Question of signature comes later. What is the use of Zonal manager signing increment letter if increment amounts were to be decided by your HO?
Two signatures on the increment letter will make your organisation more bureaucratic. You may take into account this fact also.
Secondly, why you want to send increment letter to every individual? I doubt whether this practice is followed in every organisation. I found top management deciding increment amount or percentage and sending this letter to HR department. Increment amount employees will come to know when they receive their salary slips for April 2012.
Other senior members may also give their opinions.
Thanks,
DVD
From India, Bangalore
Dear
I largely agree with Dinesh in that the real empowerment occurs only when you allow the Zonal managers the power to assess the performance and percentage of increment for the employees working under his jurisdiction, By suggesting that the increment letter shall also bear the signature of Head Office, you seemed to be more concerned about loosing HO authority and say in the matter of deciding increments. Any issue of delegation of powers shall be decided from the point of view of promoting efficiency of administration, expediting decision making & fostering employee satisfaction etc. but not from the perspective of show of authority.
B.Saikumar
HR & Labour Law advisor
Mumbai
09930532927
From India, Mumbai
I largely agree with Dinesh in that the real empowerment occurs only when you allow the Zonal managers the power to assess the performance and percentage of increment for the employees working under his jurisdiction, By suggesting that the increment letter shall also bear the signature of Head Office, you seemed to be more concerned about loosing HO authority and say in the matter of deciding increments. Any issue of delegation of powers shall be decided from the point of view of promoting efficiency of administration, expediting decision making & fostering employee satisfaction etc. but not from the perspective of show of authority.
B.Saikumar
HR & Labour Law advisor
Mumbai
09930532927
From India, Mumbai
Dear Mr. Saikumar / Mr. Dinesh,
Thank you very much for your valuable replies.
Actually, I am also of the same opinion as you both are. The argument put in by me in front of management was that if the managers have no say in deciding the increment then why involve them in signing. This will not empower them at all. In fact it will be like authority without responsibility. I have no problem delegating. As rightly said by you it will foster smooth functioning. However, i am against this part delegation, but i am unable to convince my management since they don't want to loose their say in deciding. At the sametime i don't want my managers to be scapegoat. Accordingly, I was trying to find a solution so that we have a win win situation.
Regarding issuing of increment letters alongwith increment, it is a very good practice. They contain words of appreciation.
Best Regards
From Singapore, Singapore
Thank you very much for your valuable replies.
Actually, I am also of the same opinion as you both are. The argument put in by me in front of management was that if the managers have no say in deciding the increment then why involve them in signing. This will not empower them at all. In fact it will be like authority without responsibility. I have no problem delegating. As rightly said by you it will foster smooth functioning. However, i am against this part delegation, but i am unable to convince my management since they don't want to loose their say in deciding. At the sametime i don't want my managers to be scapegoat. Accordingly, I was trying to find a solution so that we have a win win situation.
Regarding issuing of increment letters alongwith increment, it is a very good practice. They contain words of appreciation.
Best Regards
From Singapore, Singapore
Dear DS,
By keeping decision making powers with themselves and by authorising zonal managers to issue the annual increment letters, your management wanted to find someone's shoulder so as to keep their gun on it but keep the trigger with them.
Sometimes it is juniors who keep the gun on the senior's shoulder and fire the shots. Very few times you will find person keeps gun on one's shoulder and fires too!
Management by "Remote Control" is quite discernible in Indian politics. So it would not baffle anyone if corporate sector adopts this legacy!
Anyhow this is what the world is.
Lastly, you have said that by issuing the increment letter to every individual, the employees will get motivated. But then what about de-motivation if the employee is not satisfied with the increment amount? As long as strength of the company employees is low it is fine to issue the individual letters. However, imagine your company's employee strength rises to 1,000. To type, print and post the every letter will take at least 5 minutes. This means 5,000 minutes are spent in this motivating activity. Plus cost of stationery needs to be included (1,000 letterheads and 1,000 envelops). Hope you include these costs too in your Cost-Benefit-Analysis (CBA) of employee motivation.
Ok...
DVD
From India, Bangalore
By keeping decision making powers with themselves and by authorising zonal managers to issue the annual increment letters, your management wanted to find someone's shoulder so as to keep their gun on it but keep the trigger with them.
Sometimes it is juniors who keep the gun on the senior's shoulder and fire the shots. Very few times you will find person keeps gun on one's shoulder and fires too!
Management by "Remote Control" is quite discernible in Indian politics. So it would not baffle anyone if corporate sector adopts this legacy!
Anyhow this is what the world is.
Lastly, you have said that by issuing the increment letter to every individual, the employees will get motivated. But then what about de-motivation if the employee is not satisfied with the increment amount? As long as strength of the company employees is low it is fine to issue the individual letters. However, imagine your company's employee strength rises to 1,000. To type, print and post the every letter will take at least 5 minutes. This means 5,000 minutes are spent in this motivating activity. Plus cost of stationery needs to be included (1,000 letterheads and 1,000 envelops). Hope you include these costs too in your Cost-Benefit-Analysis (CBA) of employee motivation.
Ok...
DVD
From India, Bangalore
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