TWSM#13

Colophon

#13 issue, Spring 2014

International publisher

GWH - Work Style (SA)

Riva Caccia 1d, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland

T 0041 22 548 00 06

W theworkstylemagazine.com E welcome@gwhswiss.com

US Address: The Work Style Magazine 2578 Broadway, Suite 150 New York, NY, 10025

Italy Address : The Work Style Editorial Board

Via Cesare Balbo 4, 20136 Milan, Italy

T 0039 380 6936502

Printing: Italgrafica, via Verbano 146, 28100, Novara, Italy. At Work Style we care about the environment, so we print our magazine on 100% recycled paper.

Periodical magazine registered at the Milan’s Court

Chairman: Mirko Nesurini

Editor in Chief: Rosario Imperiali d’Afflitto

Editor: Marta Scetta

Foreign Editors: Pina Draskovich, Filippo De Bortoli

Section Editors: Roberto Benzi, Luca Brunoni, Palle Ellemann, Allan Hall, Jennifer C. Loftus, Francesca Morelli, Nigel Phillips, Francesca Tonegutti, Peter Conrad, Sam Nallen Copley, Federica Milani, Cristina Milani

Section Illustrators: Doug Cowan, Paul Davis, Agata Karelus, John Joven, Hanna Melin, Sergio Membrillas, Goñi Montes, Eelco Van den Berg, Les Herman, Patt Kelley

Cover illustrator: Gary Venn

Authors’ illustrator: Alessandro Baronciani

Others illustrators: Natalie Andrewson, Brian Taylor, Luciano Bernasconi

Photographers: Paolo Mazzo, Roberto Benzi, Juno Calypso, Kurt Paris, Luca Fenderico, Francesco Di Loreto, Max Di Vincenzo

100 Work Cities

Paolo Mazzo, Filippo De Bortoli

100workcities.com

Advertising / Subscriptions

Roberta Donati

E roberta@gwhswiss.com T 0041 22 548 00 06

W theworkstylemagazine.com

09 Happiness and Competition

• Concentration by Arianna Fontana Short track Sondrio (Italy)

• Focus by David Moss Basketball player at Olimpia Milano Milan (Italy)

• Consistency by Natalie Segal Skier Melbourne (Australia)

• Smile by Tsvetan Sokolov Volleyball player at Trentino volley team Trento (Italy)

11 Happiness and Pride

• Competitivity by Jeffrey Fick Police officer, City of Walled Lake Walled Lake (USA)

• Emotions by Mark Yokoyama Chief of Police, Alhambra City Alhambra (USA)

• Satisfaction by Matteo Cocchi Chief of Police, Canton Ticino Bellinzona (Switzerland)

• Pride by Daniel Parkinson Chief of Police, Cornwall Community Police Service Ontario (Canada)

1THINKING OUT OF THE BOX

Happiness is a factor of well-being for people who work. Sixteen professionals thought about it for us, starting from 4 keywords: competition, pride, fatigue and success, to tell us how they see happiness in differenct sectors.

13 Happiness and Fatigue

• Leadership by Helle Bro Krogen Senior vice president HR & QHSE Soeborg (Denmark)

• Productivity by Sure Köse Country HR lead, Accenture Istanbul (Turkey)

• Relationships by Devrim Bahadinli Senior human resources, Mercedes Benz Daimler Rome (Italy)

• Meaning by Mary Ellen Slayter Career expert, Monster; owner, Rep Cap Baton Rouge (USA)

16 Psychology

15 Happiness and Success

• Insight by Larry Epstein Head of the Department of Arts and Entertainment Management, Drexel University Philadelphia (USA)

• Key Factor by Howard C. Cutler Psychiatrist and author Washington D.C. (USA)

• Collaboration by Jason Cohen Producer and director Los Angeles (USA)

• Positiveness by Peter Olesen, Professional engineer Chicago (USA)

Happiness is a perfect instrument to generate psychological well-being, even at work.

• Because I Am Happy by Carrie M Duncan, Seth Allcorn, associate doctoral researchers at Center for the Study of Organizational Change, Harry Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, Columbia (USA)

• Using Strengths to Feel Happier at Work by Joe Hatcher Jr, professor of psychology, Ripon College, Ripon (USA)

BEST PRACTICES

18 Meritocracy

• Corruption Commons by Alice McCool, communications officer at Transparency International UK, London (UK)

20 Recognition

• Gamified Training in the Workplace: a Game Changer by Yu-kai Chou, gamification expert, keynote speaker and lecturer at Stanford University and Google, San Francisco (USA)

• Games, Precious Allies in Training Programs by Gabe Zichermann, founder and CEO at Dopamine and Gamification Co, New York (USA)

22 Coaching

• Boosting Positivism by Allan Hall, WSM, Berlin (Germany)

24 Compliance

• Compliance in Trades Explained by Silva Annovazzi, senior associate at Grimaldi Law Firm, Milan (Italy)

26 Health

• To Be Happy: Reality or Utopia by Francesca Morelli, WSM, Milan (Italy)

27 Legal

• Sensitive Company Information: Are Social Networks a True Threat? by Fabrizio Jacobacci, founder partner at Jacobacci Law Firm, Turin (Italy)

28 Performance

• To Lead or Manage is Not the Question by Palle Ellemann, WSM, Bagsvaerd (Denmark)

30 Attachment & Pride

• Motivating a Workforce by Nigel Phillips, WSM, London (UK)

32 Communication

• Navigating Twitter Storms by Luca Brunoni, WSM, Neuchâtel (Switzerland)

34 Change Management

• From the Mile High to the Textile by Pina Draskovich, WSM, Lugano (Switzerland)

39 Culture Integration

• The Gift of a Millennium by Alex Di Martino, WSM, London (UK)

40 Training

• The Tradition of the Opera in Italy by Federica Milani, WSM, Lugano (Switzerland)

42 Joining the Company

• China’s Calling for Foreign Talents by Federica Milani, WSM, Lugano (Switzerland)

50

People to Watch

• Alan Deidun, Marine biologist and professor, La Valletta (Malta)

• Aya Kunitake, Restaurateur, Tokyo (Japan)

• Giovanni Cafaro, Queueist, Milan (Italy)

• Inés Novales De la Escalera, Director at FIBES, Seville (Spain)

• Tommaso Cazzaniga, Consultant and entrepreneur, Como (Italy)

• Luke Archer, Speaker and entrepreneur, Lyon (France)

• Sara Lenzi, Chef at Belli e Buoni, Brussels (Belgium)

49

Design for Work

• The German Design Award is an international premium prize, which successfully enhances the standing of both designers and companies.

... for Work: 64 Movies

• The Lunchbox

• The Grand Budapest Hotel 66 Books

• 40 book reviews and 6 original interviews with the authors 73 Our Choice

• Free time ideas 74 Fashion

• From the Cave to the Catwalk 77 HR Events

• HR events worldwide. There are reports of past events and details of upcoming ones. 82 Special Reports

• Drawing Jobs

• Following Rules and Passion

• Evergreen 110 Food

• We reinvent the “lunchbox” in a more modern and healthy way. 4 lawyers test their cooking skills, preparing 4 recipes from our past issue.

Other contributors: David Noack, project manager corporate communications and PR, German Design Award, Frankfurt Am Main (Germany), Yuko Saito, kimono teacher, Tokyo (Japan), Anne Ackred, designer, London (UK), Davide Vozzo, restaurant owner, Avignon (France), Marco Bernini, farm owner, Pozzol Groppo (Italy), Susanna Halonen, owner, Happyologist, Woking (UK), Wei Hsu, managing director, INS Global Consulting, Shanghai (China), Brian Renwick, managing partner, Greater China, Signium International, Hong Kong (China), Robert Pao, principal consultant, Globalite Hunter, Shanghai (China), Richard King, managing

director, Michael Page, Shanghai (China), Simon Lance, regional director, Hays, Shanghai (China), Mick McGeehan, director, J.M. Gemini Personnel Ltd, Shanghai (China), Trevor McCormick, managing partner, Foster Partner, Shanghai (China), Maria Silvana Pavan, musician, Milan (Italy), Lee Doo Young, singer, Daegu (South Korea), Jiyeong Son, soprano, Daegu, South Korea, Matteo Jin, baritone, Cheonan (South Korea), Joo Cho, soprano, Seoul (South Korea), Andrea De Amici, partner, InArt, Milan (Italy), Amedeo Mango, treasurer, Corpo di Napoli, Naples (Italy), Genny Di Virgilio, owner, Di Virgilio, Naples (Italy), Alice Muir, chartered psychologist and author,

Kilmarnock (UK), Heidi Hanna, author, speaker and CEO, Synergy, San Diego (USA), Rob Jolles, president, Jolles Associates, Washington D.C. (USA), Harry Paul, author, San Diego (USA), Michael Kallett, author and founder, Headscratchers, Greenwood Village (USA), Sarah Preston, press liason, Guedelon Castle, Treigny (France), Hitoshi Katori, freelance English teacher, Tokyo (Japan), Tetsui Okada, international development division, Tohmatsu Venture Support, Tokyo (Japan), Hizuka Oikawa, PR, real estate company, Tokyo (Japan), Megumi Ishida, business development manager, STR Global, Tokyo (Japan), Kazuki Sato, senior strategist, advertising, Tokyo

(Japan), Masayo Fukuda, lawyer, Pavia and Ansaldo Law Firm, Tokyo (Japan), Shinji Kawahara, general manager, Cosentino Japan, Tokyo (Japan), Wim Strickx, HR manager, Elia Group, Brussels (Belgium), Veerle Geysen, HR manager, Handson & Partners, Brussels (Belgium), Karen Corrigan, CEO, Happiness, Brussels (Belgium), Filip Gydé, senior vice president, CTG, Brussels (Belgium), Niko Parmentier, HR manager, Gouden Gids, Brussels (Belgium), Carole Jenssens, HR manager, Decathlon, Brussels (Belgium), Aagjie Pauwels, project coordinator, Great Place to Work, Brussels (Belgium), Jolien Nulens, project coordinator, GPTW, Brussels (Belgium).

WHERE TO WORK

120 Country Guide: Belgium

• Innovation is the Answer by Filippo De Bortoli, WSM Milan (Italy)

128 3 Work City Guides

• Eindhoven (The Netherlands)

• Shenzhen (China)

• Quebec (Canada)

132 Discovering the City

• Tokyo: Sardines in a Can by Cristina Milani, WSM Lugano (Switzerland)

150 Focus on Japan

• Welcome, Aliens! by Peter Conrad, WSM Tokyo (Japan)

152 Focus on Africa

• South Africa Post Mandela by Sam Nallen Copley, WSM Paris (France)

Buy online: www.workandpassion.com

Published and distributed by GWH - Work Style in collaboration with:

By ROSARIO IMPERIALI D'AFFLITTO

EditorialIs a happy climate important for productivity? Happiness at work cannot be detached from personal daily life, but what is happiness to start with? Rudolph Steiner, founder of the antroposophic philosophy, postulated that human beings have been evolving in the course of the past two millennia through our progressive detachment from the divinity, so that each individual could have acknowledged his own free and autonomous identity. The consequence of this process would be the strict relationship between the inner self and the body containing it and, subsequently, the identification of reality as all that is detected from sensory experience. Antroposophy is one of the few philosophic theories that reads the emphasis on pragmatism and materialism, typical of our era, as a necessary phase of human evolution. We have become accustomed to pay more attention to whatever causes an effect in the physical arena, ignoring what resides in the intellectual or spiritual domain. This happens also to words, presently perceived as simple instruments of communication, having lost the capacity to capture the true entity of which they are formal expressions. Today, words are used as abstract concepts, having ourselves become unable to catch the meaning of the sound produced by their pronunciation. Despite that, few still recall their inner power; words like “love”, “happiness” and “peace” are often cautiously used. Their deep and wide-reaching underlying concepts are not much compatible with the uncertain and precarious nature of our existence. Thus, being scared that the outside reality could prevent these words from becoming true, we would rather avoid pronouncing them, or a clear uneasiness surrounds us when asked to answer questions regarding our happiness, loving status or inner serenity. It is as if we were aware of our incapacity to master the outside reality, having forgotten, on the contrary, that happiness like love does really concern the state of our inner self which is not conditioned by external environment, both at work and at home.

There are passions that become jobs and jobs that can’t be done without passion.

Horses. PRE genetic development. Selection and taming in different disciplines.

People. Interviews with breeders. Presentation of equitation schools.

The Landscapes. The relationship between horse and bull in the architecture in Spain.

Smile

Happiness plays a very important role in my experience as a volleyball player. Certainly it helps you to have more enthusiasm in everything you do and, especially in my personal case, I feel very lucky because I managed to transform my passion into my job. This aspect gives me the incentive to carry out my tasks with great serenity. To be happy while competing in a volleyball match is a special condition, also for the final result of the competition you are involved in. I can perform better when I’m happy because I put my heart into playing volleyball and in the meanwhile I enjoy what I’m doing. However, despite happiness being a key element, it is not so deciding. In an athletic career like mine, I think that the feeling of happiness offers me more tranquility and my personal approach to training and matches is always with a smile, because it's the only way I know to do my job. Actually I can’t say it for sure because I’m the kind of player who does his job smiling and for sure this is made possible by the support of the fans. To me their help is absolutely a happiness producer because you have the responsibility to satisfy them.• [W trentinovolley.it]

Consistency

I believe that to be a successful and winning big mountain skier, you need to love what you are doing and, in order to love it, at some point the "job" has to make you happy and fulfilled. Happiness in general helps people, especially athletes, to have a much more positive outlook on life. But happiness is not a necessary factor for performing well in my sport. Passion, focus and preparation are, for me, much more important. Nonetheless, being happy or content following my performance is essential as that is what pushes me to continue to strive to be the best athlete I can be. I believe it is possible to get high performance standards at work without the “happiness factor” but I don’t believe that these standards are consistent or sustainable. The idea of “happiness” in your work is closely linked to the feeling of success, enjoyment and fulfilment. As a competitive athlete, happiness is very often derived from achieving goals and good results• [W nataliesegal.com]

TSVETAN SOKOLOV is a Bulgarian volleyball champion, playing in A1 league for Trentino Volley. Since 2008 he's also been a member of the Bulgarian national team.

DAVID MOSS is an American basketball player at Olimpia Milano. He has been a pro for 7 years and spent the last 5 in the Italian A league.

Happiness and Competition

Focus

I’m blessed because I can do for a living what I love the most. When I was a kid growing up in Chicago I was involved in every kind of sport. Only later my approach became more serious, especially at competitions, but at the end of the day I’m happy because I do what I love every day. When you are happy and you have fun everything comes easy and at the end of the day you have no regrets. In my work every athlete is different because not everybody is playing with a smile on his face. In basketball some guys maybe play better when they’re mad at someone or at something. There’s no rule. Sometimes being angry makes you focus more, sometimes it makes you try even too hard to a point you’re not helping your team. It’s important to use whatever you are feeling, or what your humor is, to stay focused. As for me, I feel confident because I’m prepared for everything because the coach gave me all the information necessary to face my opponent, making sure I did all I had to do in order to be ready to play up to my best capabilities. It’s not necessarily happiness, it’s being aware you are ready to go• [W olimpiamilano.com]

Concentration

NATALIE SEGAL is an Australian skier from Melbourne. In the last three years she competed in big mountain competitions including the Freeskiing World Tour and the Freeride World Tour.

ARIANNA FONTANA is the most talented Italian short track athlete. In the 2014 Olympic Games she won three medals.

If you are not happy doing what you are doing, it’s very difficult to get up in the morning and go to training sessions. Often happiness depends on the context in which you are conducting your career. In this aspect I feel very lucky: everyone around me, from trainers to members of staff and my team, are a great support for me in competition. With happiness as an ally I can concentrate better on my objectives and not suffer with tension at competitions. You are not afraid of failure because you know that you are doing your best and you also know that all the people who are working with you are doing the same. In my experience, as the short track season is very long and hard, both mentally and physically, an athlete needs to create a team that helps him to get in the right mood to face competition. For me, what makes me really happy is feeling my family’s support and getting rewarded for the efforts made, like winning at an important challenge• [W ariannafontana.com]

Productivity

In my personal experience, happiness helps to motivate people and it also creates a working environment marked by high concentration in carrying out our tasks. Even more important is the employees' engagement that results from a happy workplace, no matter the fatigue. From my point of view the previous generation of employees were more involved in company life and objectives, having a very different approach compared to the so called "digital generation". Companies now need to reshape their mind and their way of working and relationships between them. Having positive and happy relationships at work is a key element and not an optional one. To get it, employees should follow good practice, while team managers should pay attention to training programs. As for HR, we have a very important role, which is to spread the culture of respect to team managers and help them recognize employees' value. When they feel they are not rewarded they become unhappy and consequently demotivated, they lose trust and they can't do their job well• [W accenture.com]

Leadership

Happiness is in no way the only significant factor creating motivated and high-performing employees, but it is essential. Unhappy and stressed employees can momentarily be high performers but if employees are unhappy for longer periods their performance will suffer. How do you keep a team motivated when they cannot get an immediate answer from their leader to a question that keeps them from performing at their best? And how do you as a leader create the necessary trust and openness to make sure that the team will tell you as soon as a problem arises? These are some of the other subjects we focus on in our leadership training and it relates easily to work happiness, as we know that the teams where there is trust and openness towards the leader are the best performers and the ones most satisfied with their jobs• [W mth.com]

SURE KÖSE is currently working as country HR lead for Accenture Turkey. Her professional interests focus on human resources management, talent management and employee relations.

MARY ELLEN SLAYTER

is a career expert at Monster and the owner of Rep Cap, a content marketing firm.

MeaningHard work isn't what makes people unhappy. In fact, there are few things that feel better than that sense of exhaustion that comes when you know you've given your all to something. What makes people unhappy at work is feeling like there's no purpose to the work they are doing. It's feeling like they have no control over their lives. It's feeling like no one appreciates the time and energy they're putting into their work. That appreciation can come in the form of money, promotions or even simple thank yous. If you want people to feel good about their work− and I prefer the term "satisfaction" over "happiness" when we're talking about work− you have to communicate clearly about the overall mission of your team, the value of the role each person plays in fulfilling that mission, and how much you appreciate their contributions. As a manager, your primary job is to match people to the right jobs and clear the obstacles that keep them from doing excellent work. And build in regular breaks (real lunch breaks, proper vacations, etc.). We're not machines. Time away makes people more creative, productive and engaged in the long run• [W monster.com repcapitalmedia.com]

Relationships

HELLE BRO KROGEN is senior vice president HR & QHSE at MT Højgaard.

DEVRIM BAHADINLI is senior HR manager at Daimler A.G. Italy and is responsible for developing the overall corporate strategy for Mercedes Benz Italy.

New generations are projecting the same expectations both on their personal lives and on their work lives. This is how happiness at work became a topic of interest for many companies. Signing an employment agreement with an employer doesn’t mean you ignore your brain and your heart. Stress and fatigue don't necessarily come from working too much but from feeling bad while you work. Happiness at work doesn’t come from the organization’s policies, strategies, plans or values. It comes from the things that you do. It comes from results and relationships. It's about giving people plenty of responsibility, despite difficulties and fatigue, and realizing that nothing makes people happier than delivering on that trust. Nothing will matter if you don't have great people doing something they believe in and care about. Giving freedom to people, asking people and the team to be accountable for their choices, trusting people and being a person that people around you can trust•

[W mercedes-benz.it]

Satisfaction

Working as a police officer, the fact of being glad and proud in my everyday tasks makes me more confident, but what is more important is that it permits me to manage critical and complex situations. My tasks are related to a wide range of situations and interventions that can sometimes be critical and demanding, also an emotionally. For this reason being able to carry out my tasks in a happy mood makes it easier for me and for my collaborators, too. Being in a happy workplace contributes to everyone reaching their objectives with more personal satisfaction and greater results. During police operations it might be dynamics that imply firmness and speedy decision making without being influenced by feelings like anger, which can compromise the result of the operation. This feeling could be present at work, but it must not compromise the correct implementation of tasks. A good way to promote a happy workplace is to show gratitude to my police officers for having completed a good job, but it is important at the same time, when it is necessary, to be honest and to have an open dialogue and approach with collaborators and citizens• [W ti.ch]

Competitivity

Police officers by nature are competitive and proud and if you have the ability to harness that competitive spirit in a positive way, that department will achieve monumental success. Leaders have to promote a positive atmosphere, a place where officers feel they have the ability to make decisions. Looking at my professional experience, there are two things that contribute to my happiness. The first and foremost is why I got into law enforcement in the first place, to help people. I feel accomplished and proud knowing that I've helped someone in a positive way and/or given them advice on how to get out of a bad situation. Even if that means arresting them and making them go through the court process. The other thing is being challenged at work. I enjoy taking on problems which others have a difficult time solving or finishing, I love the challenge. Between these two things is why I’m proud of being a police officer• [W walledlake.com ]

MATTEO COCCHI with the rank of Colonel, is the Chief of Police of Canton Ticino (Switzerland).

MARK YOKOYAMA is the Chief of Police at Alhambra Police Department. He is also a cooperative and collaborative member of the city manager’s executive team.

Emotions

Staying “happy” helps set the tone and direction of the organzation I lead. Since it’s important to have good, positive role models in the workplace, if you have “happy” or positive people near you this generates an energy for others to work from. Being an agency head of a police department it is me who is ultimately responsible for setting the climate or tone within the workplace. Everthing starts at the top and is a reflection of me. There are certainly good days and bad days, but happiness is a mindset that I can control and I’m proud of this. Police officers have to work hard at controlling their emotions and for the most part do a great job of doing so when you consider the negativity they see in society on a daily basis. For me, I feel very proud when I see or get a sense that people themselves are happy and satisfied with what they are doing, days when people are serving the public and making a difference•

[W cityofalhambra.org]

Pride

JEFFREY FICK is a police officer in the city of Walled Lake, Michigan, in the USA. He has had a 16-year career asa police lieutenant and homicide detective with more than 1,500 hours of police and safety awareness training.

PARKINSON is the Chief of Police at Cornwall Community Police Service, Ontario, in Canada.

A positive workplace is a basic building block of a successful organization. Happiness brings success. I am a big believer in “servant-based” leadership. As the CEO of an organization, the Cornwall Community Police Service, I’m very proud to operate for those who work in my workplace. I have to ensure that my employees are well equipped, well trained, appreciated and motivated to do their jobs as well as they possibly can. I work for them. They don’t work for me. We work together and I feel happy and proud at my job when I help people reach their highest potential, when I receive positive feedback from members of the community we serve telling me that my employees are doing their jobs with excellence. But the happiest moment of my career was when I became chief. I have had the pleasure of leading a highly successful and positive workforce. I have been able to see many of my employees achieve personal and professional success • [W cornwallpolice.com]

DANIEL

Positiveness

My interpretation of happiness is more associated with individual feelings. In my professional experience I’ve seen people who enjoyed the challenge of being successful in performing as well as others who accepted the job as being necessary. An overwhelming portion of those that succeed in the workplace in terms of upward mobility were those that enjoyed the process. Those that lacked a sense of enjoyment in what they were doing then failed to gain the same rewards. To me, given a positive environment, it is still up to the individual and the old adage “is your cup half full or half empty?” reflects more on the individual’s personal attitude than their work environment. For these reasons I feel that the employer can definitely create an environment where employees can experience “happiness”, but it is still up to the employee to grasp the opportunity and actually enjoy the job. Attitude wins over environment•

[W fecdesigners.com]

Key Factor

Based on the evidence, “happiness” could turn out to be the single most important factor for both personal and organizational success. In fact, we can now believe that a happy and engaged workforce offers the greatest competitive advantage in the modern economy. Higher levels of happiness precede and produce greater success and there are many ways in which happiness can contribute to success at work. The results of 20 years of experiments have shown, for example, that when people are feeling happy their thinking becomes more creative, integrative, flexible, open to information, and more likely to find new and innovative solutions to problems. The cultivation of greater happiness can no longer be considered a trivial luxury, but rather a key factor for achieving working success. The benefits of happy employees are so immense and the downside is so low that companies who choose to ignore the “happiness factor” may soon be left in the dust• [W psychologytoday.com]

PETER OLESEN is a licensed professional engineer in numerous states and owner of the Entertainment Concept Inc., a consulting engineering firm. He has more than 30 years' experience in the study and design of family entertainment facilities.

JASON COHEN is an Academy Award-nominated producer/director. He has produced and directed all formats of film and television on projects that cover a broad range of topics over the past 20 years.

Collaboration

Knowing I am working on a project that will either entertain or impact someone with the final product is the full meaning of happiness for me. If my crew feels as if they are contributing to a worthy production, then I feel as though they will put more effort into it and get as much out of it as myself or the final audience. There is a sense of pride if people are able to align themselves with films that can make an impact. I encourage all crew members to contribute to the conversation and offer ideas I may have overlooked. The creative process in my mind is a collaborative effort and I believe people will work harder if they are fulfilled and feel like they are part of something bigger. I try not to take my job too seriously even when I am working on projects that are extremely heavy. I do think others thrive in an environment that can be playful at times, even in the most extreme circumstances. As a producer or director I am technically “in charge” of things on set or location, but I think it is a collaborative effort of everyone involved to set a tone and to look forward to the fruits of our labor• [W jasoncohenproductions.com]

Insight

HOWARD C. CUTLER is a psychiatrist, best-selling author, and speaker. He is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the science of human happiness.

LARRY EPSTEIN is the head of the Department of Arts and Entertainment Management at Drexel University in Philadelphia. He is an expert on the media industry and management of media businesses, having spent 25 years in broadcast management.

Happiness at a job is one of the most important factors for success in the entertainment industry, as I define “success”. In my opinion “success” is made up of many components such as career longevity, achievement of the things one says one will do as well as the things one is required to do, close, intuitive relationships with co-workers, superiors and subordinates, and interest in being the best one can be at one’s job. I have also found one other thing vitally important to success in the entertainment industry: no matter what your functional area, always think of yourself as an entertainment industry professional. The entertainment business is a fun, exciting field and the product makes people happy! There are too many people in the entertainment industry who blame others for their own unhappiness with their jobs. You have to know what makes you happy, identify why you are unhappy, and take the initiative to implement steps to minimize the causes of your unhappiness. If you don’t look out for your own happiness, it is unlikely that others will• [W drexel.edu]

Using Strengths to Feel Happier at Work

By JOE HATCHER JR

It comes as no surprise that happier people are more productive in their work. In fact, studies have found that making people even temporarily happier increases production. Aside from trying to hire happy people, what can a business do to increase the happiness of the people who work there? Ideas from

two different areas of psychology can be useful in increasing happiness in the workplace. The first idea, from John Gottman’s research on marital satisfaction, is that one’s happiness with one’s partner is affected by the ratio of positive to negative interactions. Couples that had five or ten positive interactions for every negative tended to stay married; those with more of an even ratio were more likely to part. This is a universal, applying to much more than marriage. How does your work setting rate in terms of positives and negatives?

Illustration by Goñi Montes, Decatur, USA

Psychology Happines Factor

By CARRIE M. DUNCAN and SETH ALLCORN

Because I Am Happy

A happy workplace also means a safe and an enjoyable one. To create this leaders need to contain anxiety which affects their own work. This allows them to foster an environment where employees feel more able to express themselves and experience happiness.

KEYWORDS

➜ Anxiety containment by leaders

Mission statements and strategic objectives often do not list happiness in the workplace as an explicit goal. Nonetheless, happiness at work is important to employees. Employees often report in surveys that they like their work but not their job. This can mean that employees like the people that they work with and gain satisfaction from the outcomes of their work, whether it is a service to others or making a product. What they often do not like is the feeling that managers and leaders treat them as objects that are subject to manipulation. Employees want to be treated as valuable people who are vital to the organization’s success.

HOW TO PROMOTE A HAPPY WORKPLACE

Happiness at work can be associated with employees’ ability to maintain their sense of self while remaining committed to their beliefs and values. Employees who are able to express core aspects of their selves through work are more likely to feel connected

to each other and their organization, and experience happiness at work. Leaders can create a workplace that is fun, playful and happy, but it requires a new, more reflective approach to leadership that makes the workplace a psychologically safe enough place to be playful, creative, and innovative. How can leaders promote happiness, a sense of pleasure, and even joy in the workplace? One way leaders can inspire a happy workplace is through containment. This means that leaders are able to experience anxiety without reacting impulsively or becoming overly controlling. Leaders may unwittingly deal with their own anxiety by asking or coercing employees into abandoning their beliefs and values. Coercion can take the form of unilateral, top-down decision-making that strips employees of their sense of worth and the joy that they have in their work. In this context, employees become alienated from themselves, each other and the organization. The capacity for containment begins with self-awareness. Leaders who are aware of their own anxiety,

WORKING ON WEAKNESSES TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE

Positives can consist of large elements like validation or recognition, or small things like flowers, a comfortable setting or ease of parking. It is often easy to add such things, and asking workers for suggestions is a good way to start. Since one negative requires about five positives to balance it off, it is also particularly important to identify and fix negatives. In one office setting in which I worked, a minor annoyance was that the pens issued by the office were of low quality and often didn’t work; the supervisor agreed to spend a bit more to have better pens and took away that negative.

THE LESSON OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

A second idea comes from the field of positive psychology. Martin Seligman’s work in that field indicates that people are generally

➜ Self-awareness

➜ Psychological safety and playfulness ➜ Humor draws people together

and that of their employees, can create a work environment where employees are not overwhelmed by anxiety, which can disrupt productivity. They do this by acknowledging how anxiety affects their own work as a leader, and the team that they are leading. Successful containment of anxiety helps leaders build and maintain an environment where employees feel connected to one another and are able to work together to solve problems, generate ideas and innovate.

SAFETY AND PLAYFULNESS

Containment fosters two key aspects of happiness at work: a sense of psychological safety and playfulness. When leaders successfully contain anxiety, they foster an environment that reduces defensiveness among employees and establish a sense of psychological safety.

happier when they are able to work using their strengths rather than their weaknesses. Combining the two ideas presented above, have team members take the VIA Signature Strengths test and bring their top five strengths to your next meeting, and have each member read theirs to the group. The group then comments on the strengths of each member and then, importantly, adds other strengths that they have noticed about that individual. This is an exercise that has never failed in many different contexts. Happiness in the workplace is too important to leave unattended. An intentional effort to create positives and reduce negatives and to allow people to work in the ways that best suit their strengths can contribute to a happier, more productive workplace.

Best Practices in HR Management Meritocracy

By ALICE MCCOOL

Corruption Commons

Transparency is a key word in the battle against corruption and all forms of favoritism, a way of acting which damages the whole of society is still widespread in western European countries and elsewhere.

KEYWORDS

➜ Everyday nepotism

➜ Domino effect on society

➜ A global fight against corruption

Have you ever “put in a good word” at your workplace for a family member or friend? Or asked for such a favor from your nearest and dearest? And how about “mates rates”? Ever been able to get something quicker or cheaper because of a powerful associate?

THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS

What harm do nepotism and cronyism do? The parents of 47 toddlers killed in a nursery in Mexico paid the highest price in 2009 when safety inspectors turned a blind eye to dodgy building work because it was owned by the wives of two local officials. Ten days later, a fire spread from a neighboring warehouse and quickly filled the area between the nursery’s high roof and the tarpaulin ceiling. But with fire alarms installed only below the tarpaulin, nothing alerted staff until it collapsed. This is why Transparency International fights against a widely accepted form of corruption: a form of favoritism based on acquaintances and familial relationships whereby someone in an official position exploits his or her power and authority to provide a job or favor to a family member or friend, even though he or she may not be qualified or deserving.

While the effects of “everyday nepotism” are perhaps less visible than this tragic incident, they are no less damaging to society overall: poor quality public services and incompetent employees

in both the public and private sector, to name a few. This creates a domino effect. Take the hypothetical example of a local government official granting a construction contract to her brother’s company – which turns out to be inexperienced and understaffed – which results in poorly built roads being left unfinished – which makes accessing healthcare, food supplies and other resources near impossible for local people.

A COMMON PRACTICE

Nepotism also continues to be common practice in western European countries; in 2011 young people in Portugal demonstrated against corruption. Many of the protesters were well-educated job seekers, unable to penetrate a job market where hiring by merit is not standard procedure. The UK is another case in point, where problems surrounding social inequalities are no secret. With a combination of the financial crisis causing unemployment rates across Europe to hit an all-time high and the rise in university tuition fees in 2010, the future of young people in Britain has never been less certain. In response to this, there is a fierce debate in the UK as to whether handouts from those in positions of power to family or friends are ensuring that young people from backgrounds where their relations cannot provide such assistance stay at the bottom of the “social ladder”. The UK is no stranger to family favoritism within politics either, and oth-

Photo The animation project “Mirror Wall” by Jeppe Hein consists of a sequence of images, realized with the help of a large mirror mounted on the wall. As visitors get closer to this mirror, its surface begins to flutter and it creates a distortion of the reflected image of the person who stands in front of the mirror and feels irritated by the vibrating reflection of himself. This sensation causes not only a vague feeling of dizziness but also a latent distrust of one’s own eyes and spatial perception. As the mirror displays a different picture of the space, viewers question their own position within the room, the space and the context they are in.

er liberal democracies are even worse; take the nepotism ingrained in the political dynasties of the US and Japan. History shows us these trends breed low voter turnouts and general public mistrust in government. This mistrust turned to anger and revolution during the Arab Spring when the people overthrew elitist governments who favored “their own” such as Gadaffi’s Libyan Arab Republic.

FIGHTING FAVORITISM

While the effects of some acts of nepotism may be worse than others, each and every one of us must refrain from favoritism in order for the global fight against corruption to be won. If we “put in a good word” for family or friends, we have no right to criticize those safety inspectors in Mexico because our actions are the same. While the direct consequences of their behavior may be easier to see, morally speaking there is little difference. In a survey of 114,000 people in 107 countries we did last year we asked, “In your dealings with the public sector, how important are personal contacts and/or relationships to get things done?” Countries that say personal contacts and/or relationships are “very important” include both the world’s more corrupt and least corrupt (based on perceptions after matching them up with our Corruption Perceptions Index). This makes sense. Still, countries where 45 percent or more of survey respondents said “very important” include Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Morocco, Paraguay, Pakistan and Egypt. All score below 37 out of 100 and therefore are perceived to have significant corruption problems. At the same time, people also say relationships are very important in the US, New Zealand and Israel. They are perceived to have relatively low levels of corruption.•

01 Jeppe Hein. Mirror Wall (2009), Mirror foil, wooden frame substructure, vibration system, Dimension variable, Edition of 3 + 2 AP.

Best Practices in HR Management Recognition

By YU-KAI CHOU

Gamified Training in the Workplace: a Game Changer

The corporate workplace can be a harsh place. Often employees only do the bare minimum to survive through the dreadful week of deliverables and reports so they can finally enjoy the weekend. In most work environments, there is hardly any incentive for employees to work harder or learn new skills beyond what it takes to keep their paychecks. As a result, employees often only work hard enough to not lose their jobs. If you knew you could improve productivity just by making work more engaging and motivating, would you do it? Of course you would. What if I told you this would require your employees to “play” at work?

PLAYING IS LEARNING

Developing competence, or “learning” in other words, is one of three innate human needs (the others being autonomy and social relatedness). This “intrinsic motivation” for learning is what makes humans curious and want to develop

new skills. However, conventional educational and training systems damage our intrinsic motivation to learn because of their overbearing need for common extrinsic motivators such as scores. This is where a gamified workplace can motivate employees to have fun while maximizing their learning and retention.

A “HUMAN-FOCUSED DESIGN”

Human-focused design focuses on optimizing for human motivations and feelings as opposed to “function-focused design” which optimizes for efficiency and output. Gamification is the best example of human-focused design because games was the first industry to master intrinsic motivation design. Games have no other purpose than to please the individual playing them. You have to do your taxes, go to work and finish your projects, but you never have to play a game. And so gamification takes the fun and engaging elements found in games and applies them to real-world productive activities

to improve and optimize, among many other applications, education, engagement, and productivity in the workplace.

THE TRAINING CHALLENGE

Many still believe that there is a lot of intrinsic motivation in current corporate training and education programs. However, if that were the case, employees would feel extremely excited about evaluations because they would be new opportunities to feel developed and accomplished! Unfortunately, that’s not the case. As mentioned above, the modern training challenge involves engaging employees, stimulating their interests, retaining their attention and maintaining a positive attitude in a nurturing environment. Key to these goals is the effort to develop a rich environment that encourages feedback and reinforcement, not only between the training environment and employees, but also between the employees themselves. These socially interactive mechanisms, with the proper

By GABE ZICHERMANN

AN ENGAGEMENT CRISIS

Game mechanics, or gamification as experts like to call it, really help in creating engagement within employee training programs, for sure. This method has been used in training for hundreds of years. For example, the Girl Scouts and the US military have used badging, levels, challenges and rewards since their inception. As distractions continue to increase in our world (smartphones, social media and so on), it's harder to motivate and engage employees in the workforce. Because of this engagement crisis, we are now seeing some of the world's largest companies adopt gamification as a key employee engagement and HR strategy.

HOW THE "G" FACTOR WORKS

The key to engagement lies in 3Fs: (F)eedback, (F)riends and (F)un. Game-based learning is a powerful tool grounded in a powerful neurotransmitter− dopamine. A study conducted by Jesse Schell shows the human brain releases almost twice as much dopamine when a person is playing a video game compared to when that person is resting. Dopamine activates a sense of pleasure

Distractions are everywhere and, of course, workplaces are no exception. But companies now have a precious ally to foster employees’ engagement and emotional involvement in what they are doing thanks to the "games strategy", a key instrument in companies' hands.

Illustration by Agata Karelus, Warsaw, Poland

Games, precious allies in training programs.

level of control for encouragement and discipline, can be designed in effective ways to create “fun” learning situations.

GAMIFIED CORPORATE TRAINING: PRACTICAL EXAMPLES

One great example of gamified corporate training is done by Morf Media. Morf Media sets out to gamify various legal training activities for financial institutions. As imagined, this material is extremely dull, yet important. Adhering to the intrinsic motivations explained in the article, Morf Media created an immersive platform where the employee becomes a rising star in a simulated company by learning critical real-world information through interactive onboarding tutorials that utilize their creativity. It is this type of game-play that ensures employees accumulate competitive skills and stay engaged in the workplace.

GAME ON!

If we successfully gamify education and training, then “assessments” will be seen as an exciting opportunity for employees to unlock new materials and skill-sets instead of just being a distraction from their work. Not only will training be more fun, engaging and interactive, it will also prepare our firms for a new economy where creativity and problem solving will become the competitive advantage over simple factual knowledge.•

KEYWORDS

➜ Gamification

➜ Human-focused design

➜ Applying engaging elements of games to the real world ➜ Encouraging feedback and enforcement between employees

in the brain and a great deal of it is probably released, not only when a toddler receives a reward during a learning game but also when a teen is playing a video game or a business tycoon increases productivity, sales and profits utilizing game-based learning. The pleasure people feel in the process motivates them to seek more of the pleasurable activity. Gamification can also help to change employee attitude towards tasks that were previously considered boring through positive and frequent feedback, and lead to more fun in the workplace. People love playing games and games are an excellent and non-threatening way of drawing people in, even if they have to un-learn old methods and learn new ones.

SUCCESSFUL CASE STUDIES

Currently, one of the best employee engagement examples is Delta Airline's “Ready, Set, Jet!” system. The company managed to compress

KEYWORDS

➜ Game-based learning strategy ➜ Engagement and emotional involvement ➜ Sharing the overall goal ➜ Loyalty programs and behavioral economics

4 years of training for its employees into 1 year by making it interesting and fun through a series of mini-games on geography, customer service, processes and the rest. Like Delta, top companies such as IBM and Deloitte have turned their entire employee training process into a series of games, which for Deloitte resulted in 50 percent higher employee engagement in their Deloitte Leadership Academy − an online training program for management/leaders. IBM, SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, Cisco and Microsoft have all engaged heavily in the subject of gamification of the enterprise. Most effort has been spent in gamifying training and development, recruitment and reviews.

SHARING THE GOAL

Creating a meaningful system that works in the long term requires far greater thought and intrinsic reward than classic games, teambuilding or social sharing. Nor can everything be gamified. While many environments would benefit from the application of appropriate engaging techniques, participation in a correctly gamified system is voluntary. If participants do not agree on the overall goal, the rewards and the evaluation principles, it will not motivate players. A good gamification solution has at its heart the aim to engage users with the best ideas from games, loyalty programs and behavioral economics. Because gamification is about the process, there is the need to develop an industry workshop that helps companies to learn the skills for designing the game mechanics. One of the most important events about gamification workshops is the annual GSummit conference, which will take place in San Francisco on June 10-13.

[W cisco.com deloitte.com delta.com ibm.com gamification.com microsoft.com morfmedia.com oracle.com salesforce.com sap.com sf14.gsummit.com yukaichou.com]

Best Practices in HR Management Coaching

By ALLAN HALL

Boosting Positivism

In the post-crash workplace world companies give a boost to new positive thoughts and values among the “survivors”.

NEW CHALLENGES

One thing is certain after the economic crash and resulting global depression of the past five years − nothing will ever be the same again. Not for survivors, not for corporations, not for the synergy between old and young blood in companies seeking to move forward in an ever more competitive and complex world. Positivism is the new buzzword − in thought and deed − from the office postal center to the boardroom. And the most important recipients of this new positivity are those left behind following waves of lay-offs that have decimated the workplaces of companies large and small.

Dr. Martin Seligman, the author of “Learned Optimism,” studied 1,500 people and their attitudes towards their jobs, wondering if that would make any difference. It did. At the end of 20 years, only one of the pessimistic people had become a millionaire, while 100 of the optimistic ones had become millionaires. “This is why, post-crash, it is important for companies to instill positivism into employees, to encourage them to believe that they have worth and are needed still,” said Dez Veares, a highly successful life coach in the UK. “Companies are introducing various things to boost positivism and, along with it, company performance. A company is only as good as its personnel. That is why so much needs to be done in this post-crash workplace world.”

Aniko Czinege of the management communication company Melcrum said, “The recession continues to impact many industries, with restructurings and layoffs creating concern among employees. When profits are threatened, companies often view lay-offs as a direct way to reduce costs; however, when efforts are

focused solely on managing job cuts, remaining workers are left in limbo. Managers are also likely to become more directive, communicating decisions rather than involving their teams in decision-making processes. Organizations don’t always recognize the impact this behavior has on remaining employees or anticipate the long-term negative effects. This creates a potential time bomb. Disenchanted employees will be the first to go when the economy starts to improve, leaving the organization without the workers it was most keen to retain. Rarely does a company allocate sufficient budget to deal with employee morale issues. Yet there are tangible, cost-effective steps for organizations to take in moving employees away from feeling like victims or suffering 'survivor syndrome.' These steps help employees feel more in control of their environment, so they are better able to understand why things have changed and how they can positively impact outcomes.”

POSITIVE VALUES: THREE PRAGMATIC STEPS

Melcrum advocates a three-step program to boost employee morale:

Stage one LISTEN Get feedback and ideas.

Stage two COMMUNICATE Solutions to business issues and employee concerns.

Stage three RECOGNIZE Business and employee accomplishments and successes.

In stage three, initiatives for saying “thank you” include establishing companywide recognition programs as well as rewards such as small bonuses and plaques. But equally important are infor-

Illustration by Natalie Andrewson, Charlotte, USA

mal gestures including such things as a warm “thank you” for a job well done, or a congratulatory email or hand-written note. “Public recognition includes acknowledging an employee or work group’s contributions in a meeting with their peers or in company publications. Being recognized publicly often has the added bonus of encouraging and motivating peers to strive for similar successes,” says Melcrum.

The Taylor & Francis Group, publishers of numerous scholarly journals and esteemed business researches, recentlypublished a paper on the perspectives of survivors and victims of the downturn that began in 2007.

NEW TEAM-BUILDING STRATEGIES

It said: “In order to successfully emerge from this crisis and sustain long-term viability for their organizations, managers needed to re-engage surviving employees and minimize the potential for retaliatory behavior by the victims of the downsizing activities. An understanding of the perceptions of both survivors and victims is critical when managers implement downsizing and recovery strategies.” It too recommended a reward system be put in place to honor survivors of the hard times while building a good team spirit with newcomers. Departing from the customary routine of meetings and cubicle life can go a long way toward building morale. The accounting firm Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman, based in Denver, Colorado, uses the concept of neighborhoods to shake things up. All 387 employees are organized into neighborhoods based on the floors or sections of floors in each office. These groups have regular get-togethers and shape the contours of meetings. For example, during an all-employee meeting day, as the firm staged a neighborhood basketball tournament, each group came up with team names, homemade jerseys, mascots and cheerleaders.

Fun, too, is emphasized. For the online discounter FatWallet, based in Rockton, Ilinois, fun is mandatory. All 55 employees are invited to play in a monthly Game Day, an in-house competition with activities ranging from Trivial Pursuit to bowling matches.

FUN AND GAMES

The company also offers quarterly “fun” rewards when staffers achieve certain goals, such as hockey games, casino nights, or playdays at amusement parks. Team-building events have included a city scavenger hunt in Chicago and a rooftop baseball game.

Positivism for 4Imprint, a maker of customized promotional products in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is the driving force.

During the height of the recession in 2009, employee morale became a big issue for the firm. The company's training team decided to try to boost morale by setting up classes for the 419 employees to watch and discuss videos with inspiring themes like Lance Armstrong's comeback from cancer and the friendly culture at Southwest Airlines. Since then managers report a “new team spirit” that has boosted revenues and helped secure jobs.

Offering time away from the office to do some good is another bonding tool used in companies worldwide. Studer Group, a Gulf Breeze, Florida-based management consulting firm, gives its 114 employees four paid hours a month to volunteer for a charitable initiative or organization of their choice. Departments also take on volunteer projects as a group, binding people together as individuals with no workplace hierachy coming between them.

Most importantly of all, people are people and they want to feel valued − that their contribution to the greater scheme of things really does matter. Marcus Erb, a senior research partner and senior consultant with the Great Place to Work Institute, focuses on the financial services, manufacturing and health care industries. He said, “Everyone wants to feel that his or her work has a higher purpose. Sometimes, though, that purpose gets lost in the day-to-day grind. One of the key ways that Snagajob.com, an online job-search company, based in Glen Allen, Virginia, inspires its 126 employees is by sharing 'I Got a Job!' stories that show them the value of their work. Circulated by email, the real-life stories come from grateful job seekers who recently landed a new job through the company's website.” Lutz Grieser, a Vienna, Austria,

psychologist employed by firms to coach post-crisis survivors into new workplace methods, said, “Never forget the human factor and never forget that we are all on this earth for just a short time. We have to enjoy what we do and we have to be made to think it matters.”•

KEYWORDS

➜ Instilling positivism into employees

➜ “Survivor syndrome”

➜ Listening, communicating and recognizing ➜ Never forget the human factor

(Because I Am Happy)

In this kind of environment employees feel safe enough to express their ideas and values without fear of reprisal, and they are able to engage with each other to reflectively and non-defensively explore anxiety-provoking events. Employees are less afraid to take risks and experience a sense of joy in overcoming, and even creating, change. A psychologically safe workplace allows playfulness to emerge. Playfulness is the ability to imagine, explore new ideas, and move beyond the boundaries of the status quo. Employees are able to use humor as a way of managing anxiety and building connections with each other. A playful environment that sparks humor draws people together. Employees feel more able to express themselves in their work and experience a sense of happiness even when they face anxietyprovoking problems. Self-awareness on the part of leaders can help them contain anxiety on behalf of employees. Containment gives employees a space where they can productively manage anxieties. As a reflective approach to leadership, containment fosters a sense of psychological safety, which in turn promotes a playful spirit of creativity. Ultimately, these factors promote healthy group dynamics, better team performance and a happy workplace.•

[W 4imprint.com eksh.com fatwallet.com greatplacetowork.com melcrum.com snagajob.com studergroup.com taylorandfrancisgroup.com yesicancoaching.co.uk]

Best Practices in HR Management Compliance

By SILVA ANNOVAZZI

Compliance in Trades Explained

Compliance is usually defined as the concept of conforming to a request, a rule such as a policy, a standard or a law; in business, regulatory compliance means an organization's adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines and specifications relevant to its business.

Whatever the motive, either coercion or willful choice to adhere to a certain regimen, the sensitivity of companies to compliance has been developing incredibly over the last few years. As internal misconduct raises important economic threats and, perhaps most importantly, the reputational loss suffered due to an offense may be difficult or impossible to repair, companies have been putting a lot of efforts − and money − into enhancing their ability to act according to both external rules that are imposed upon the organization and to internal systems of control that are imposed to achieve compliance with those external rules.

COMPANIES COMMITTED

Companies indeed show an increasing aspiration to succeed in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and regulations. Relevant examples of regulatory compliance laws include those enacted in the areas of accounting and financial statements, health and safety, anti-corruption, data protection, IT and information security, environment, anti-money laundering and antiterrorism. In addition, since the number of technical rules for specific sectors of business such as banking, insurance, energy, transportation, retail trade and healthcare. has increased since the turn of the century, regulatory compliance has become more prominent in a variety of organizations. The trend has led to the creation of a common path for companies that want to achieve compliance not only as a response to possible legal sanctions but also as an instrument to boost cultural transformation towards ethical standards. The adoption of compliance programs is viewed in fact as

one of the best options to keep the regulators happy and one of the most important ways for an organization to maintain its ethical health, support its long-term prosperity and preserve and promote its values. It is clear that adherence to compliance principles helps companies to reduce risks by preventing illegal conduct and by mitigating or eliminating punishments and liabilities for those offenses which still occur. It is often the case that the concept of compliance in an enterprise is usually also associated with the concept of honesty, and that ethical behavior is often related to real codes of ethics or ethical standards of business sectors.

THE FINAL GOAL

A compliance program’s main focus and ultimate goal should therefore be to find the perfect balance between the carrot and the stick, centering their attention on future compliance rather than the correction of past errors, and ensuring that an appropriate balance exists between incentives for compliance and sanctions for non-compliance. We all are aware that designing and maintaining a compliance and ethics program is no easy task: it is impossible to anticipate and prevent every possible scenario that could come back to expose the company to risk and liability. On a practical level, it is broadly accepted that compliance programs are based on an effective risk management system. First of all, it is necessary to identify the risks that an organiza-

tion faces, then to design and implement preventive measures and controls to protect an organization from those risks, and then finally to monitor and report on the effectiveness of those, resolving compliance difficulties as they occur.

FROM THEORY TO ACTION

Implementation is often the most daunting challenge of any program. This is the juncture where most failure occurs and also the aspect that is more vulnerable in the eyes of courts or agencies called upon to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of the program. The real challenge for companies comes from conforming to requirements and, in most situations, being able to prove that the organization has done so. It is important to understand that the test facing all organizations is making the policies they have created effective, deciding which of them need to be implemented according to company business, and enforcing those policies and measures

Illustration by Doug Cowan, New York,

KEYWORDS

➜ Companies are becoming more and more sensitive to acting according to the rules ➜ Compliance as an instrument to boost cultural transformation ➜ Perfect balance between carrot and stick ➜

Identifying risks ➜ Policies must be fit for the working environment

in the best way. On the surface this may seem like a simple mission, but what is quite hard is creating a policy that fits the company like a glove. In fact, having unclear policies or policies which are difficult to understand or inadequate for the structure of the company is rather like being thirsty in the desert and finding water that is not fit for drinking. That is why each policy needs to take into consideration the working environment, business practices, people’s expectations and technologies within organizations in order to make them truly effective. That is also why a great number of companies, especially if publicly traded, decide to appoint a compliance officer or a supervisory board entrusted with the task of preventing misalignment between business processes and the set of rules and policies inside and outside the company, assisting corporate structures in the application of rules, reporting the most recent regulatory changes in order to periodically update the documentation in place at the company, and managing and maintaining relations with the authorities and control functions inside or outside the company. In any case, the key point to integrating compliance and ethics – to addressing the “letter of the law” while promoting the “spirit of the law” – is that every employee needs to feel that they are integral to the company’s compliance efforts and that what they do will make a difference. Engaged involvement and continuous dialogue of all personnel, from a trainee to a key stakeholder, are critical to the successful implementation or major enhancement of a compliance and ethics program.

The purpose of this article is not only to discuss the opportunity and need to prevent misconduct by implementing compliance standards and a cultural transformation supporting the organization’s business objectives but also to make a general introduction to some of the specific topics on compliance which will be covered in the next issues. Relevant regulatory requirements, compliance issues and some of the most important court decisions will be covered. Stay tuned.•

A practical, safe and easy to install aluminium blind with stackable shutters, with best values for light, acoustic and thermal insulation.

✔ Apparent advantages.

✔ Low level of maintenance needed.

✔ Compatibility with other products.

call us or write to us

www.regapak.ch

Discover Regapak®! A consolidated and innovative product. Use it in your private or public construction projects.

Acoustic insulation

Solid structure isolating from external noises.

Heat insulation

Stop heat exchange with high density

PU insulated slats.

Light insulation

Closed = dark. No light passage.

Safe against burglaries

More safety in comparison to other products.

Safe against vibrations

It doesn't produce noises even with strong winds.

Safe in price

Warranty can be extended and 5 years insurance is an option.

Can be installed everywhere. Excellent for new buildings and renovations.

The product focuses on the sleeping area, where performance is at it best both for quality, efficiency and price. Together with the usual thin sheets venetian blinds (limited to the living area) it grants ideal applications for every environment.

✔ Efficient project: every product in its place.

✔ Wide range of colors.

✔ Excellent for the replacement of old products.

✔ Consolidated and innovative technology.

The exterior immage of the building keeps its unity, the area efficiency a specific advantage that a watchful designer grants to his clients.

“When we thought for the first time about Regapak® we wanted to bring to the market a long-lasting high quality product with a low demand for maintenance and compatible with all the customary building techniques and versatile with regard to the ample range of shading products. We kept on updating it, today it is innovative, consolidated and a best-selling item in Switzerland.”

Fabio Regazzi, Chairman Regazzi Holding

Regapak® the best blend of quality and design.

Best Practices in HR Management Health

By FRANCESCA MORELLI

To Be Happy: Reality or Utopia?

The most recent research has assessed whether happiness is partly genetic or partly correlated to personal behavior. The experts suggest some good rules to do one’s best to attain happiness and a positive state of mind.

To define happiness is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. The concept according to culture, state of mind and sometimes also faith is worthy of a variety of nuances. If you ask people the meaning of happiness or what makes them happy, you are likely to get a very wide range of responses, varying from “watching the sunset” or “spending time with good friends” to “finding a great shoe sale” or “winning the office football pool”, “attaining an objective”, or “realizing a dream”. Making an effort to narrow the definition of happiness, the most recent researches are trying to devise a series of questionnaires to measure life satisfaction, positive mood and subjective well-being. Some scientists are even beginning to use brain imaging to better understand the physiology of happiness and economists have jumped on the happiness bandwagon too, hoping to calculate the value of happiness within a sociopolitical context. The results of these studies are, somehow, surprising.

THE ORIGIN OF HAPPINESS

The discovery is recent, but it seems that happiness is partly due to genes, meaning that our level of happiness is not entirely predetermined by our “atoms”, but they do play a part, just as they play a part in general health. The links between the two aspects seem to be very strict: people “genetically” happy tend to focus their energy on things that give them the greatest instants of pleasure, which has implications even for health and state of mind. Happy people have in fact, say the experts, younger hearts, younger arteries and a younger age. “Certain personal attributes,” declare the researchers, “whether inborn or shaped by positive life cir-

KEYWORDS

➜ How to define happiness

➜ Happiness partly depends on genetic makeup and partly on general good health

➜ To be focused on positive attitude towards life

➜ Maintain good habits and enrich your social life

cumstances, help some people avoid or healthfully manage even important diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and depression. They also recover more quickly from surgery, cope better with pain, have lower blood pressure, and have longer life expectancy than unhappy people.” How do we attain happiness? First of all, by focusing on the positive and emotional vitality such as a sense of enthusiasm, hopefulness and engagement; by having an optimistic perspective that good things will happen and that one’s actions account for the good things that occur in life, and also by having a supportive network of family and friends. “But is it also important,” say the specialists, “to be good at self-regulation,” that is, bouncing back from stressful challenges and knowing that things will eventually look up again.

LIFESTYLE

A good state of mind, then, also correlates to a correct and moderate lifestyle. “Be your healthiest and happiest by eating a balanced diet with lots of fruit and

veggies, keeping stress levels to a minimum, getting regular check-ups, wearing sunscreens, laughing often, moderating alcohol intake, getting plenty of exercise, and not smoking. These attitudes, and in particular physical exercise, not only help keep you healthy but also keep you happy. Moderate exercise offers the biggest boost in happiness.” And if you think you may be living with a mood disorder, get it treated. Appropriate treatment can help reduce your symptoms, increase your sense of well-being, and get you back on track to a happy life.

SOCIAL SIDE UP

Don't forget that developing the social side of your life is crucial for well-being. Studies show that people who are socially active, who are compassionate and emotionally generous, have higher levels of happiness and live longer than people who lead a more solitary life.

“People who maintain good personal relationships” - conclude the researchers - “also fare better than people who are socially inactive. Open, trusting, intimate relationships are essential building blocks for a happy life.” So, we need to do our best to attain our happiness: maybe it is not a utopian ideal.

•

Illustration by Sergio Membrillas, Valencia, Spain

Best Practices in HR Management Legal

By FABRIZIO JACOBACCI

Sensitive Company Information: Are Social Networks a True Threat?

In the Internet age and these times of digital communication, the interaction between work life and private life is more frequent and their unclear lines of separation give rise to several issues. So what happens when an employee shares on Facebook, or other social networks, information related to their work, employer or job environment?

THE LAW FRAME

According to the Italian civil code (art. 2105 c.c.), employees have a general “duty of loyalty” towards their employers which includes, among other things, the duty to avoid disclosing any private information or news pertaining to the organization and the production method of the company; that is, any information which could potentially endanger the company. This consists of technical information such as processes or products (typically production and manufacturing knowhow), commercial information (clients and suppliers logs, economic practices and policies, business plans) and administrative data (UNI, EN, ISO 9001 quality certifications, internal administration information). Employees should not only respect the duties prescribed by the law, but also refrain from acting against the interests of their employer.

CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY

For example, an Italian court found that an employer had the right to terminate the employment agreement with an employee who had attempted to transmit confidential information to a direct competitor−although the information was never actually disclosed (Court of Appeal of Ancona, 8.9.2011). Employees can incur civil sanctions for disclosing confidential information they acquired because of their current employment

Illustration by Brian Taylor, Stafford, USA

with that company, whereas for criminal liability to apply it is necessary to demonstrate that employees acquired the information unlawfully disclosed during the performance of “their tasks or duties” (art. 622, 626 of the Criminal Code). Disclosures can be more damaging if made on social platforms like Facebook that are easily accessible by anyone everywhere. Italian courts recently held that privacy law does not protect information disclosed on a Facebook profile − even if limited to so-called “friends” − since this type of publication involves the risk of subsequent communication by the “friends”. The judges specified that only chat conversations are protected by privacy laws and, as such, could not be used as evidence in a trial. Employees can be further liable for defamation if they publish on Facebook false or defamatory statements regarding their employer. An ex-employee was found guilty of aggravated defamation − a criminal offense − because they published insults and false statements on their former employer’s Facebook page. The defamation caused by “means of publicity” constitutes a more serious offense, and there are also evidence and comments on the famous social network Facebook itself.

GOOD PRACTICES FOR EMPLOYERS

Employers should adopt company conduct policies explaining what information can be disclosed. Further, the company can specify what company information can be freely disclosed on social networks, for example through internal directives providing for a “common profile” of the company. Employees should be informed of these policies and be able to freely consult them. Employees in contact with sensitive information should sign “confidentiality

agreements”, preferably as part of their employment contract or a separate document upon being hired. This allows employees to understand which possible sanctions, including breach of contract, they could face if they disclosed confidential information. Violation of the duty of confidentiality by employees, if potentially detrimental to the company, can constitute a just cause for termination, independently of that obligation being included in the company's conduct policy (Italian Supreme Court, Judgments 18.09.2013 and 10.12.2008). Indeed, employees’ respect of their legal duties constitute the threshold for a trusting relationship. This should be at the center of every employer-employee relationship, especially in the context of this fastpaced digital world.•

KEYWORDS

Sharing information on social networks

Disclosure can be more damaging on social platforms

Employers should adopt company conduct policies

Violation of confidentiality duty can be a just cause for termination

Employees’ respect of legal duties constitute the threshold for a trusting relationship

Posting comments on social networks like Facebook has become common practice. Everyone wants to complain about something or someone, but what happens when complaints concern employers?

The disclosure of confidential information on social platforms could endanger companies, which should adopt specific conduct policies.

Best Practices in HR Management Performance

By PALLE ELLEMANN KNUDSEN

To Lead or Manage is Not the Question

Leadership and business need information to be successful. This statement is confirmed by some managers around the world who have adopted a very analytical and collaborative approach to developing ideas and new strategies.

We praise leadership skills such as the ability to listen, to show empathy and lead from one's inner self. We love stories about leaders meeting customers or employees on the shop floor and learning totally new things about the business. But is this really the full story about successful leaders and how they define the direction of the business? Stories are powerful communication tools and essential for branding – internally as well as externally. They are, though, just stories, typically showing single events or an individual’s perspective on specific issues. A leader’s world view is much more complicated than that. The globalization and digitalization of business (and everything else) has led to an explosion of data and complexity. Businesses can today gather extremely detailed data on consumer behavior at the same time that events taking place all over the world are impacting on key market conditions for any business, such as interest and exchange rates, commodity prices, consumer demand and regulation.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

“We measure everything,” says Henry Engelhardt, CEO of of Admiral Group. From systematically collecting information about how new employees imagine a great workplace to how many employees bring children to the Christmas party. And these data are not just stored in some kind of database. Engelhardt reads every description of a great workplace from new employees; just as well as he has met every one of the 4,000+ employees face to face to explain what the Admiral culture is all about.

It would just have taken a few meetings for the marketing department to spin a

story about how down-to-earth Engelhardt is when he meets new employees. But this is not what it is about. He wants to know and it has to be systematic to be sure that it captures the whole employee group.

Engelhardt has probably read Pfeffer and Sutton’s book on “Hard facts, dangerous half-truths and total nonsense”, where the case for evidence-based management is made. The book stresses how important it is to get the data right in order to make the right interpretations of a company’s market conditions or the trends in the workplace. If you don’t know, you are navigating in blindness and your Titanic will eventually hit the iceberg.

WHEN TOYS MAKE IT CLEARER

At the market leading toy-maker Lego, the

KEYWORDS

➜ Data complexity

➜ Collecting information and developing strategies

➜ Analytical skills and empathy

➜ Efficient management and effective leadership

CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp has a very analytical and collaborative approach to collecting information and developing ideas and new strategies. “I see myself as the membrane to the external world, and one of my main tasks is to translate what the external world means to the company. So I visit the shops, talk to people who conduct research into future trends, talk to energy partners, seek new knowledge, understand the political situation in China if we are going to establish a factory there one day, and so on. I have dialogue, take a few notes, chew things over, talk to a few more people, and chew things over some more. Then there is a directors' board meeting, a management meeting or a management seminar which provides the opportunity to talk about these things, and then I digest it in the writing process where my thoughts

The photos are from the series America’s Sweetheart Elegant women dressed in vintage finds and armed with tools and common household items, Kelly Reemtsen’s paintings create a paradoxically edgy air of nostalgia. Reemtsen’s accessorizing of her figures, with objects, clothing, titles and even the blank palettes provided by the heavy white impasto of her backgrounds, serve to highlight the coexistence of traditional femininity and strength in the modern identity of women.

01 Kelly Reemtsen, Dig It. 02 Kelly Reemtsen, Neat Freak. Photo courtesy of De Buck Gallery.

[W debuckgallery.com kellyreemtsen.com]

become clarified. My job is to make a synthesis of what something in the external world means, if we are to invest billions and assess which risks and factors we need to take into account.”

Knudstorp prioritizes spending half and whole days talking with experts, some of whom are part of his global network that spans a wide range of knowledgeable people from different areas. The Lego CEO not only listens but encourages debate in the company about the issues where people disagree. The “conflict” is the key to developing better ideas and decisions.

Knudstorp is one of many new CEOs with a background in the management consultancy industry, where people are developing strong analytical skills taking into account a wide range of trends and data

points to advice clients. These former consultants are used to taking in multiple data points and already have the mega trends in technology, demographics and regulation on the backbone.

MORE COMPLEXITY IN THE LEADER ROLE

Analytical skills are increasingly becoming a key competence for top leaders, and something you cannot outsource

LEAD AND MANAGE: TWO MAGIC WORDS

due to increasing market complexity and the information overload that requires the ability to ask the right questions and draw conclusions across multiple and highly specialized data input. The situation in Ukraine is a perfect example of the complex and interconnected market reality that most companies are highly influenced by. Top leaders must assess risks and opportunities in the short and long term in the Ukraine crisis, where the geopolitical battle between Russia and the EU/USA will impact key market conditions such as stock markets, interest rates, trade regulation, energy supply and resource allocation. Top leaders not on top of this situation will in the best case scenario be able to follow the crowd and in the worst case scenario become the ones negatively hit by the changes.

Analytical skills can be considered part of managing the business, a technical skill as opposed to the soft leadership skills like empathy and two-way communication. While a leader may have core competences in either management or leadership, there is no way around the fact that today it is expected that top leaders will master both sides of the role. It is not a question about whether to lead or manage, but rather how to lead AND manage. The thirdgeneration CEO of Belgian shoe retail chain Schoenen Torfs, Wouter Torfs, modernized the old family business with a lot more of both leadership and management. He added strategy with five-year plans and bonus structures to the strong corporate culture founded by his grandparents, and he has over time introduced meditation at the annual strategy meeting and NLP-based coaching techniques. Wouter Torfs often shows up in the shoe shops on Saturdays to work side by side with the shop assistants. In this way he picks up new consumer trends and interacts with employees, who are otherwise spread out in shops all over Flanders, Belgium. Every shop is managed as a small business with a high degree of empowerment, while headquarters manages the brand and all back-office functions. This is one of the best workplaces in Europe and it is exactly because of the balance between efficient management and effective leadership that it continues to be recognized year after year and continues growing the business. Wouter Torfs is a credible leader, not just because he is an empathetic person who treats his personnel with lots of respect, but because he has shown how he can manage the business and ensure that people become part of the company’s success. Leaders need management systems, techniques and data to bring values, vision and mission into alignment with strategy, goals and action. People connect with leaders and a company when it makes sense what, how and why an organization does what it does. The leadership of one person should reflect the movement of an organization.•

Best Practices in HR Management Attachment & Pride

By NIGEL PHILLIPS

Motivating a Workforce

Top-performing companies know that employee engagement is a force that drives business outcomes. Research shows that engaged employees are more productive, more profitable, customer focused, safer and less likely to leave the organization.

KEYWORDS

A STRATEGIC APPROACH

In the best organizations, employee engagement transcends a human resources initiative; it is the way they do business.

Employee engagement is a strategic approach supported by tactics for driving improvement and change. The best performing companies know that developing an employee engagement strategy and linking it to the achievement of corporate goals will help them win in the marketplace.

Most firms want to motivate their employees, although not all of them do so effectively. There are various ways to go about it; from who you hire to how you remunerate them, and from what perks they receive to the sort of work/communication you pass on. We all have different views on what does and doesn’t work, and these vary with our culture and the effort we make to understand the issue of engagement within our firm. There is a definite financial impact in creating an engaged and motivated workforce because firms with highly engaged employees generally perform better in the short and long term than those with less engaged employees, and increasing the level of engagement will further increase your productivity/profitability. So working to create engagement is not just a “nice to have”, it is also a worthwhile investment; but how you go about the task will depend on who you are and what you believe in.

THE STUDIES

Sara Donoghugh is an econometrician and CEO of Pearl Metrics, a company that works with organizations to increase the value of their talent. Its focus is on the impact that staff engagement has on a company’s bottom line. Donoghugh says, “I’ll point you towards

an interesting researcher, called Ghazala Azmat, from LSE. She has shown that the best way to motivate people is to offer financial reward, but crucially the pay structure has to be made relative to the rest of the firm. Funnily enough, Google, who undertakes a huge amount of workforce analytics, linking HR’s employee levers to performance, deploy just this approach and it clearly works for them.”

The specific paper by Ghazala Azmat is called “The provision of relative performance feedback: An analysis of performance and satisfaction” and is worth having a look at. It studied the effect of providing relative performance feedback on individuals’ performance under two incentive schemes. In a laboratory setup, agents performed a real effort task. Relative performance feedback increased performance when performance was related to pay (piecemeal) but had no effect on performance when pay was independent of performance (flat rate). These effects were independent of the agents’ relative position.

Subjects were also asked to rate satisfaction during the experiment. They found that under flat rate, feedback had no effect on agents’ satisfaction, while under piece-rate, satisfaction was affected and depended on feedback about relative position. Relative performance feedback had a strong and positive effect on performance, an increase of 17% compared to those who didn’t receive it, even if ability and other personal characteristics were taken into account. On flat rate, feedback didn’t affect performance. Interestingly, control subjects performed similarly under both incentive schemes but relative performance affected performance only when payment was related to performance, meaning the information becomes “relevant” and we

➜ Developing an employee engagement strategy

➜ Highly engaged employees perform better ➜ Promote relative performance feedback ➜ Not tolerating mediocrity

react because relative performance information has consequences in terms of relative income (ie. strong effect under piece-rate but insignificant effect under flat-rate incentives). The study shows that relative performance feedback under piece-rate incentives is an important tool in increasing an individual’s performance, independent of the feedback content. Given that the provision of this feedback is easy to implement and almost cost free, it is an attractive policy to improve performance. However, individuals only react when relative performance information has consequences in terms of relative income (ie. under piece-rate, but not under flat-rate incentives). This implies that the incentive scheme under which the information is provided is important.

Netflix is held up as an exemplar of how to operate well, and they say that the key to getting a truly engaged workforce is based on who you hire, being clear in what you stand for and not tolerating mediocrity.

In the Harvard Business Review, Patty McCord, Netflix chief talent officer from 1998 to 2012, said, “Hire, reward and tolerate only fully formed adults. The best thing you can do for employees, a perk better than table football or free sushi, is hire only ‘A’ players to work alongside them. Excellent colleagues trump everything else.” So, if you hire the right people, much of what is done in the name of human resources becomes, if not superfluous, then at least of much

The photo is from the exhibition “Falling back to Earth”.

It features installations focusing on the striking beauty of Queensland landscapes and the exquisite imagery in historical Chinese painting and poetry, to express concerns regarding the ecological and social issues of our time.

The work of Cai Guo-Qiang has since crossed multiple mediums within art, including drawing, installation, video and performance art. Over the past 25 years the artist has held exhibitions at some of the world’s most prestigious art institutions.

01 Head on 2006, 99 life-sized replicas of wolves and glass wall, Installed dimensions variable.

Photo is a Courtesy of Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art.

[W caiguoqiang.com qagoma.qld.gov.au]

less importance. Gallup, who run “engagement surveys” and have drilled down into what makes employees engaged, created a list of the most important indicators to check with an employee to see if they are engaged:

• I know what is expected of me at work

• I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work correctly

• In the last seven days I have received recognition or praise for doing good work

• My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person

• There is someone at work who encourages my development

• At work, my opinions seem to count

• The mission or purpose of my organization makes me feel my job is important

• My associates or fellow workers are committed to doing quality work

• I have a friend at work

• In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress

• This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow

NOT JUST A QUESTION OF MONEY

TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is an annual set of global conferences, owned by the private, nonprofit Sapling Foundation, under the slogan “ideas worth spreading”. In 2013, one

of the questions asked was, “What motivates us at work?” Behavioral economist Dan Airley gave a talk and said, “When we think about how people work, the naive intuition we have is that people are like rats in a maze. We have this incredibly simplistic view of why people work and what the labor market looks like.” Regarding what makes us feel good about our work, Airley says, “When you look carefully at the way people work, you find out there’s a lot more at play, and a lot more at stake, than money.” He provides evidence that we are also driven by meaningful work, by others’ acknowledgement and the amount of effort we have put in; the harder the task is, the prouder we are.

During the Industrial Revolution, Adam Smith’s efficiency-oriented, assemblyline approach made sense, but it doesn’t work so well in today’s knowledge economy. Instead, Airley upholds Karl Marx’s concept that we care much more about a product if we have participated from start to finish, rather than producing a single part over and over. In the knowledge economy, efficiency is no longer more important than meaning.

“When we think about labor, we usually think about motivation and payment as the same thing, but the reality is that we should probably add all kinds of things to it; meaning, creation, challenges, ownership, identity, pride etc.”

The conclusions of his talk at TED are that:

• Seeing the fruits of our labor may make us more productive

• The less appreciated we feel our work is, the more money we want to do it

• The harder a project is, the prouder we feel of it

• Knowing that our work helps others may increase our unconscious motivation

• The promise of helping others makes us more likely to follow rules

A study ran in which signs were put up at a hospital’s handwashing stations, reading either, “Hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases” or “Hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases.” The results were that doctors and nurses used 45 percent more soap at the stations that mentioned patients.

• Helping others through “prosocial behavior” motivates us

• Positive reinforcement about our abilities may increase performance

Stressful situations can be manageable; it all depends on how we feel. We find ourselves in a “challenge state” when we think we can handle it; when we’re in a “threat state”, on the other hand, the difficulty of the task is overwhelming, and we become discouraged. We’re more motivated and perform better in a challenge state, when we have confidence in our abilities.

• Images that trigger positive emotions may help us focus

As noted earlier, everyone is driven by different desires and incentives, and what works for one may not work for another, but certainly, remembering my best times in advertising, awaydays were great; guns, helicopters, rivers and booze; fantastic. Everyone had a great day out apart from some senior managers who dreaded the idea of being shouted at, touched or possibly assaulted. So it’s horses for courses, but if you constantly praise your staff, offer them financial incentives and stick pictures of kittens on the wall, you won’t go far wrong.•

Best Practices in HR Management Communication

By LUCA BRUNONI

Navigating Twitter Storms

Today brands are facing an incredible revolution that stems from the social media complaints boom. Consumers get in touch and complain about products or services directly on brands’ social media pages; companies must find ways to deal with them effectively.

KEYWORDS

Disappointment isn’t hard to find on social networks. Everyday, millions of Facebook and Twitter users post complaints about relationships, politics, jobs, football teams and bad Valentine's day gifts. So why shouldn't they do the same when they are disappointed with a product or a service? It turns out that they not only do but they also expect brands to address their dissatisfaction immediately.

SOCIAL NETWORKS RULE

An enormous number of companies maintain Facebook pages that users can not only “like”, but also post comments on. Most brands are also present on Twitter, where interaction is as simple as including the brand’s profile name (e.g. @ Starbucks) in a tweet. Complaining or even striking back at a company on social networks is fast and effortless, and therefore highly attractive. A dissatisfied customer could instantly reach for his phone and tweet that the new @BurgerCompany special edition cheeseburger tastes horrible, and add the hashtag #badburger. Other users who share that opinion (or simply dislike the brand for other reasons) may retweet the post or weigh in on the issue by using the same hashtag. An hour later, the company could be facing a serious onslaught of criticism. “A lot of people as a result of seeing [such tweets] may think, 'I had that problem as well!'” says Dr. Lisa Harris, head of the digital marketing masters program at the University of Southampton. “It can mushroom. Companies need to recognize that people have more power than they used to.”

HOW TO REACT

The number one thing brands shouldn't do is turn a blind eye. Instead, they should immediately offer an explanation, provide

a solution, or at least reassure the community that the complaint will not be ignored. “Companies feel obliged to respond when it's in a public forum,” social media expert Will Francis says. “A tweet or a Facebook post are there for the world to see so a brand really has to respond to that.” Most users expect a prompt response: on Twitter, a study by social provider Lithium has found out, the accepted timeframe has shrunk to less than one hour. After that, people are going to start to question a brand’s commitment to the satisfaction of their clientele. This implies that brands – even those who are not present on social networks – must stay alert: constant monitoring of official pages, Google searches, and supervision of blogs and forums dedicated to a brand's product category are becoming mandatory.

NO CENSORSHIP Dialogue and responsiveness are the only ways out of a viral catastrophe. Censorship will only make things worse, as Starbucks India found out when a negative post that disappeared from their Facebook page generated a backlash of protest (they later stated that they were not responsible for its removal).

On the other hand, investing in customer service on social networks can boost the brand’s image and reputation.

“Forty percent of our customer feedback now originates on Twitter,” says BT's head of customer services Warren Buckley. “Clearly we are dealing with customers who aren't happy, and we are doing that very much in the public eye, but lots of customers respect the fact that we are on Twitter at all.” For major brands, keeping up with the flow of comments is no walk in the park. It may even call for a revolution in the way they structure and conceive their customer care services.

➜ Always respond ➜ Employ trained staff ➜ Customer service

TRAINING STAFF

“Big brands need to have 50-60 customer service staff trained to use social media,” says Conversocial CEO Joshua March, “as well as systems to monitor actions and keep up with the volume.” Some companies have resorted to creating separate Twitter accounts whose only function is to deal with customer feedback. Whatever the solution, the endgame is establishing a system that allows companies to rapidly turn disgruntled tweets and Facebook posts into satisfied ones: because satisfaction can go viral as well.•

Facts

• Twitter complaints are addressed faster than email complaints

• 72% of consumers expect brands to respond within an hour to Twitter complaints

• 135,000 twitter users are signing up every day

• 1,310,000,000 active monthly Facebook users

• More than 15,000,000 companies, businesses, and organizations have Facebook pages

The photos are from the exhibition Contradictions

The project has been realized (till now) between Cambodia, Vietnam, Mali, China and Italy, starting in 2007. Its aim is to point out the gap between the reality we live in and the ephemeral world of technologies. These instruments and the marketing behind social networks usually push the “religious” aspect of the experience and the users are pushed to live in an intense way the abstraction from reality, living technologies only as an idea and sometimes without even knowing their real functions. And, in the intention of the author, this aspect works for the social networks too. Writing the names of anything connected with social networks in slums of the Third World, the author points out the gap between the reality we still live in and the ephemeral world of selfpromotion.

[W bt.com conversocial.com lithium.com southampton.ac.uk starbucks.in]

Filippo Minelli is an Italian artist. His next exhibition project is Silence Shapes at Galeria Loewe, Paseo de Gracia 91 Barcelona, in Spain, from May 2014.

Photos by Filippo Minelli.

01 Youtube 2007, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

02 Twitter 2010, Milan, Italy

03 Facebook 2008, Bamako, Mali

Photos are courtesy of the artist, Filippo Minelli

[W filippominelli.com ruttkowski68.com]

Best Practices in HR Management Change Management

By PINA DRASKOVICH

From the Mile High to the Textile

Yuko is a young 40-year-old woman. She’s married with two kids. She arrives at the meeting dressed in a green kimono (the traditional Japanese garment) with cherry blossom prints in honor of the season.

We met Yuko Saito in Ginza, the most famous commercial district of Japan, one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world as well as one of the oldest districts in Tokyo.

In the past, Ginza was the area where the Shogun (Lord of War) lived, and it has always been an exclusive place; as a matter of fact, its name derives from Gin (silver). In 1990, at the height of the Japanese economic bubble, land in Ginza was the most expensive in the world (by far). At the time, land in the area was sold for 100 million yen per square meter. Since then, land prices in Ginza have fallen drastically, by about 90 percent. Nevertheless, it's still the most expensive zone in Japan. Every detail of Yuko's clothing is perfect, from make-up to hairstyle, the green of her dress, and the pink fingernails, like petals. She seems very shy and apologizes sincerely for the slight delay. But after a few minutes we make an astonishing discovery: to wear a kimono alone it takes around 1.30 hours. If you walk around Tokyo you may see a lot of young women wearing one and, contrary to common belief, this has nothing to do with tourism. It is a real tradition that all Japanese girls follow because

it is handed down through generations; in fact, every girl has at least one kimono at home.

ws How did this passion start? ys I was born on the island of Kyushu

and I moved to Nagusahi to complete my studies in English culture. At that time, I wanted to become a flight attendant for Japan Airlines. It is a very important and coveted job in Japan for girls, and not because only beautiful and clever girls can

Four exciting new life stories:

• Susanna Halonen

• Marco Bernini

• Anne Ackred

• Davide Vozzo

I was interested in work coaching and I founded my own company.

Susanna Halonen is an English coach, consultant and motivational speaker with international communications experience. She founded “Happyologist”, a company which helps people to reach high performance through a sort of happiness philosophy.

ws What were you doing before working as a psychology practitioner?

sh I started my career in a big, international corporation. I tried everything from product management to marketing communications to employee engagement.

hope to do it, but this type of job allows young girls to find a rich man to get married to, as social rules impose. Then, when my children were in kindergarten, many of the other mothers asked me to teach them how to wear kimonos properly, so this and the fact that at home I had a lot of kimonos made me decide to change careers and become a kimono teacher. A kimono can be very expensive, from a minimum of $5,000 up to $20,000. Last week in a shop I saw an obi (the traditional belt) covered with precious stones for $300,000.

ws Why have you chosen to become a kimono teacher?

ys Kimono means care for aesthetics. For example, as curves are not considered to be aesthetically pleasant in Japanese culture it is important to wear a kimono perfectly, hiding curves and reaching perfection. We must not forget that beauty in Japan is an absolute value.

ws How did you become a kimono teacher?

ys I took a 3-year college course that cost me around $10,000 excluding the price of the kimono. At school I studied different subjects such as types of material, locations of fabric production, the garment's symbolism, and the subtle social messages they transmit, colors and obviously the several steps to wear it correctly. The most beautiful materials are produced in the prefecture of Kyoto. There are around 9 different types of kimonos. Obviously there are also men's kimonos, but in contrast to women's they are far simpler, typically consisting of five pieces, not including footwear. Also the com-

KEYWORDS

➜ Study and discipline

➜ Teach the beauty

➜ Not easy to make the right decision ➜ Courage and perseverance to change

bination between seasons and colors of the kimono is extremely important; if not done correctly you can make a bad impression. A bit like in Europe when men wear white socks with the classic suit.

ws What were the biggest frustrations. ys During my training the biggest frustra-

tion was deciding the right color for the season. For Japanese people, making a decision may be very hard and often is a task left to others − those who have authority. This is often linked to the age of the person. That’s the reason why elders in Japan are so well thought of and respected. Now, being a teacher, I have

ws What made you change?

sh I had an “eureka moment” in a coaching session when I was asked, "What do you want out of life?" I reflected and I realized that I really liked to work in the positive psychology field, helping individuals find more happiness whilst helping teams and organizations find performance through happiness.

ws What kind of investment did you make in this career change?

sh I set up my blog on Happyologist, I completed a coaching accreditation

01 Yuko Sato, kimono teacher

02 Another difficult passage: arranging the bow, obi in Japanese

03 Fixing the fabric with a lace

course and I started coaching people on the side. Luckily when I left my job I managed to leave with some redundancy pay, which really helped me feel a bit more secure. Then I started doing some free talks and consulting jobs, which eventually turned into paying clients.

ws Are you happy now?

sh I get to do what I love every day: it really fits me. I get to use my natural strengths and make a real difference, hopefully inspiring others to do the same on the way. I end my workdays energized, not drained.

Photos by Paolo Mazzo, Milan, Italy

I always had a particular attraction for the countryside. Working on my farm, now I have the chance to discover the importance of hand crafts and traditional jobs from the past.

Marco Bernini is an Italian professional, managing a farm in northern Italy where he bought a plot of land for grazing and producing cheese − a considerable career shift compared to his previous job as an in-demand photographer, which has permitted him to move from one of the busiest cities in Europe to a place dominated by nature.

ws What were you doing before managing a farm?

mb I had a photography studio in Milan were I worked for 28 years, dealing with high-profile advertisement campaigns for brands like Gruppo Averna, Omnitel and others, participating in important backstages and in sport events like the famous Paris-Dakar race.

ws What is your occupation now?

mb Seven years ago I decided to stop working as a photographer due to the increasing economic crisis, which affected many companies. Then I bought a farm, now called “La Cavarchella,” in Pozzol Groppo, Italy, and a flock of goats. I started producing delicious cheese which has won lots of important awards so far, and I transformed my farm into a workshop laboratory open to school visits, too.

ws What investment did you make?

mb I had a budget for the purchase of the portion of land where my farm now stands, and I didn’t pay lots of money because the previous owners didn’t want it any longer and sold the property for a reasonable price.

ws Are you happy with this job?

mb I have really found the happiness formula. My new lifestyle is what I have wanted for years. In addition, my family and my son can live in a very inspiring place where it’s still possible to learn hand crafts and traditional jobs that have almost disappeard in modern cities.

05

04 Yuko looks in the mirror and everything is perfect

05 Yuko helps her students to wear a kimono

acquired authority, so I decide for my students.

ws What are the main differences between a kimono teacher and a flight attendant?

ys Substantially, there are no differences. Both of them enhance the grace and beauty of the girl, but in our culture the concept of mistake does not exist. The ritual of kimono is the maximum expression of this, so every passage must be perfect, and this generates a little bit of anxiety in the person. When I was a flight attendant I was more relaxed.•

aa I had always wanted to study at Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion, so in 2013 I signed up and did it. I took lots of parttime courses and I won a design competition with Elle magazine. Then I created an installation at a flagship store in Oxford Circus, so this was a great launchpad for doing other creative work and designing my own label.

ws What are you doing now?

aa I'm the designer and dressmaker behind a bespoke bridalwear collection called “This Modern Love”. So far I have made almost 200 dresses in my first year of trading and my designs are now sold in a bridal boutique just outside of London, as well as online. Currently I'm working on designing a new collection for summer 2014 and I'm looking forward to some creative collaborations.

When you start your own business you have to be really passionate about it as you will live and breathe it while it gets off the ground.

Anne Ackred is an English designer and dressmaker at the bridalwear collection “This Modern Love”. After years in an HR advisor role for a firm based in London, she had the courage to transform her passion for fashion into her job.

ws What were you doing before becoming a designer and dressmaker?

aa I was working in international mobility for an insurance firm in the city of London, and I'd been working in that field for several years after studying law at university.

ws What were the reasons for this change?

ws What sort of investment did you make in this career shift?

aa To me it has been a really big investment of time−learning skills and making the contacts I needed to take my business idea forward. I was also accepted on to the Prince's Trust Youth Enterprise scheme. They supported me with a business mentor as well as the practical steps I needed to take to launch my own business.

ws Are you happy?

aa I absolutely love working with beautiful textiles, and hearing back from a happy customer that they love the dress I've designed and made for them is such a great feeling. My work is full of challenges, but it gives me lots of reasons to be satisfied, especially because it concerns designing and making clothes according to customers’ needs.

Happiness is something more than loving your job, but my customers’ satisfaction when they come and eat at my restaurant is such a good feeling that I wouldn't ask for more.

Davide Vozzo is the Italian owner of a restaurant called “Italie, là bas” in Avignon, France. After 23 years as a journalist, he moved with his girlfriend to the south of the country and started again from the beginning.

ws What were you doing before you moved to France?

dv I was in charge of a team of journalists and my working days were intensive, but at the same time really satisfying.

ws Why did you decide to open a restaurant in Avignon?

dv I have always loved this place and after doing the job for so many years I was determined to leave the world of broadcast journalism and work somewhere different from Milan, which is a very big and crowded city.

ws What are you doing now?

dv After quitting my job I tried to open a restaurant with my girlfriend in Tuscany, Italy, thanks to her passion for cooking, but it was too difficult for us because of the red tape, so we went on holiday to try to forget this débacle and have a break, and fell in love with this French town.

ws What sort of investment did you make in this career change?

dv Actually my investment was not so large. Compared to beginning a new business in this field in Italy, in Avignon it was quite easy. My girlfriend and I got a loan from some French banks and we obtained some help to start up. With a investment of less than 100,000 euros we could buy premises for the restaurant right in the center of the town.

ws Are you happy with your new working life?

dv I think that running my business in this location made me find the right way to happiness: despite working 12 hours a day, I still have the time to enjoy myself. But what makes sense is, above all, my customers’ satisfaction when they come and eat at my restaurant.

brand implementationcommunicationcontract - interior workplace solutions International underlineglobal.com

Best Practices in HR Management Culture Integration

KEYWORDS

➜ The Millennials

➜ A generation endowed by an array of gifts with many contradictions

➜ Familiarity with social media and sense of community ➜ Narcissism

The Gift of a Millennium

By ALEX DI MARTINO

Social and digital is their first and sometimes only nature. We are talking about people who are getting through the millennium. A generation considered special and skilled, but in some cases also lacking in moral values, showing several facets and facing new challenges in the job market.

“THE MILLENNIALS”

They seem to be endowed with an array of gifts. They are naturals by default. But they are also accused of “Being no good. [Having] No hardship and no cause, equal boredom, anger and idiocy” (Buzz, Newsweek). We can read of them as being school bombers, test cheaters, inventors and users of a range of new drugs, bored by politics and eager to be pierced somewhere unutterable. They are Generation Y, or the Millennials. History has given them the gift of the millennium and they are growing across it.

It is a generation that morally spans extremes. A generation that is hardly acquainted with its origins – the previous Baby Boomers and Generation X (“I just do not understand '90s children,” said a Boomer mother, after her 16-year-old daughter had her and her husband arrested for growing marijuana in the basement). And a generation that can promise a totally new leadership for the 21st century. William Strauss and Neil Howe dedicated an entire book to them, Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation, which is a rather optimistic exploration of this complex cohort's several facets.

CONCRETE EXPERIENCES

To try to get a first-hand “feel” of this generation, I spoke to Monica Gallo, born in the '80s. Monica is from Venice and studied environmental engineering in Padua. We spoke about her generation and how she feels she fits into it. “I went to university feeling pressured by my family to study a scientific subject so as to improve my chances of getting work in an already difficult marketplace,” says Monica. “Indeed, I found work immediately after university and I worked in an environmental engineering firm for 4 years. But I didn't enjoy it, it wasn't for me, so at the

age of 28, without any other job waiting for me, I quit and decided to go for what I am passionate about, which is making cakes. I think the will to change, the flexibility and a bit of irresponsible courage are traits which I found in many people of my generation. I went knocking on dozens of bakery doors in Milan (in the meanwhile I moved to Milan) handing in my engineering CV,” continues Monica. “You can imagine their expression!

If you've got a 'serious' job, like a doctor, lawyer, engineer, you are that job for life!” Monica continues talking in a very relaxed, positive manner. She says she feels her life is like living in a fairytale. “Therefore there was no chance I'd get a job in Milan. But one day I went to visit a friend in London. He took me to one of the best ice-cream parlors there. I spoke to an Italian girl working there and she told me she was leaving and that if I wanted her job to give her my CV. That's it. And now I live in London, and after making ice cream

now I work at Bittersweet Bakers in Bermondsey and I am very happy!”“Will it be 'forever'”?, I ask. “I don't think so,” replies Monica laughing. “Continuity isn't my best friend. I like challenges because I think they are man's best friend. Changes train people to better themselves.”

IS IT A JOB FOR LIFE?

Jobs for life don't exist anymore and the experts say they will be disappearing completely in a few decades. I asked James Redwick, MD of Digital Rascals, a digital agency in Redmond that specializes in mobile apps and social marketing and employs a team of 18 in their 20s, what the features of this generation are. “They have an incredible sense of community. It is a subtle exercise, it doesn't seem to be an organized effort, like at the times of the hippy communes, for example. But maybe this is laid out by the familiarity with social media, like a natural consequence of being together, which also may mean not to exchange a word but just being there, available to share (other important keyword of this generation).” “Strauss and Howe go even further and define them as being 'civic-minded',” I add. “I think it is inevitable,” answers James. “This is the future leadership. And maybe the way they organize themselves socially now is a hint for how they will be leading countries, economies and industries in the future.” “Can't you see a discreet amount of narcissism in them?” I ask. “Yes, probably that is true. But personally I don't see narcissism as a negative value,” says James. “I understand that this is one of the negative connotations of this generation which contrasts with the sense of community and civilization we mentioned, but maybe we need to reshuffle (again) our value set, and how we perceive the world, the way we know it now.”•

Illustration by John Joven, Bogota, Colombia

Best Practices in HR Management Training

By FEDERICA MILANI

The Tradition of the Opera

in Italy

From the land of great opera composers to the country of talented opera singers, coming from Asia and particularly Korea, Italy has become a real “promised land” for Korean music students. However, their professional success is often waiting for them in their own homeland.

Italy has always been the homeland of great artists, inventors, scientists and musicians. Without any doubt one of the most appreciated expressions of Italian culture abroad is music, and especially opera, with famous masterpieces by Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini, Antonio Vivaldi and Gaetano Donizetti. A world beloved by Asian people and particularly by Koreans who consider the country a myth, and Milan the cradle of opera music because of the presence of Teatro alla Scala. In recent years it has been noticed that a growing number of singers have come from all parts of Korea to learn the secrets of opera. That’s why the city of Milan is full of stories of young and determined Koreans chasing the dream of performing on the international stage.

THE PHENOMENON Strolling through Milan, and especially near the two main music schools, the “Verdi” conservatory and the civic music school, which are not far from the heart of the city, it’s not difficult to chance upon groups of Korean music students living in the same buildings, attending the same courses and sharing the same experience.

A very different scene from that of 20 years ago when the Koreans who decided to leave their country to come to study opera singing in a place so distant and unknown, such as Italy, were very few. “The numbers of Korean people who choose to study opera are becoming greater and greater today compared to Italians,” says Maria Silvana Pavan, Italian pianist and music teacher for lyrical singers with international careers. “One of the main reasons is that the crisis of the last years which affected our country has

reduced the number of people who can afford this kind of study and this artistic career. While Korean people are looking even more to this charming career, bringing at the same time a considerable benefit to Italy and especially to the city of Milan where they live and study. They attend schools of Italian language and they often live in the same buildings, sharing experiences of life and of study. The result is that today in Milan we have some Korean communities who are here for the same purpose: studying opera and transforming their passion into a job.”

“Italy has always held a great attraction for Korean people. The current students enrolled at the conservatory represent the third or forth generation. They like above all the opera language and, as they are young, they become fond of Italian op-

KEYWORDS

➜ Italian opera tradition is a powerful attraction

➜ Studying opera In Milan

➜ Many Koreans become opera teachers in their motherland

➜ Success depends on music repertory

era. Music is a universal language and through singing they can express their feelings; an unusual thing in their culture,” adds Daniela Uccello, opera singing teacher at the Milan conservatory and artistic director of opera singing at the Voice Academy of San Marino.

ITALIAN EXPERIENCES

The Korean soprano Joo Cho was a real “pioneer”, being one of the first Korean singers to come to Italy for the purpose of studying opera. When she arrived in Milan in 1998, she had just finished university in Korea.

“After my university studies in medicine I felt that my real vocation was to sing, so I decided to come to Italy and enter the conservatory of Milan. In Korea, coming to Italy to study music is a tradition that

Images and story.

The images of Moon Jin Kim, Jiyeong Son and Injae Lee were taken by Max Di Vincenzo for the series "Experiences and Image" in the San Babila's Tony&Guy salon in Milan. They reflect the experience of many Koreans who choose to study opera singing in Italy. A life and study experience putting together the cultural and historical status of the country, with the fast modernity characterized by fashion and design.

is transmitted from generation to generation,” says Cho who, having completed her sudies in opera singing and vocal chamber music, taught for three years at the civic music school of Milan. Now she is a professional opera singer performing in concerts all over Europe, and she still lives in Milan. “In Korea people are surrounded by music: children are taught to sing during religious ceremonies, at school we have many courses of music and there are specialized high schools for people interested in continuing to learn music. That’s one of the main differences between Korea and Italy, which helps to explain why in the conservatory there are no Italian students and many Koreans.” Following Cho’s experience, there are still many case histories of Korean students who decided to follow their pas-

sions and chase their dream of working as opera singers outside their nation. The first step for almost all of them has been studying first in their motherland and then coming to Italy, and obviously Milan, because of the famous opera tradition. One of them is Lee Doo Young, a 34-year-old singer who came to Milan to study opera singing and vocal music with piano. “I have been studying in Italy for more than 7 years and I chose Milan thanks to a friend’s suggestion. I found that Italy has a very deep culture of opera singing and this was the main reason why I wanted to study here.”

“My first Italian teacher, an 84-year-old man, gave me the Italian name of Lucia when I studied after winning an operasinging contest in my city, Daegu. He had lots of Korean students and he couldn’t

remember our foreign names. This happens to many young Koreans who come to study opera in Italy, like me,” explains Jiyeong Son, a 28-year-old soprano. “To come to Italy is the natural choice for those who really want to specialize in opera,” says the young baritone Matteo Jin, who has been studying singing in Italy since 2007: “If you want to become a professional opera singer you have to come to Italy, the country where in 1600 opera was born. It’s the same as people who want to learn how to prepare extraordinary sushi have to go to Japan.”

LOOKING FOR SUCCESSFUL CAREERS

Real life is not made only of dreams, and the way to success for Korean singers who complete their studies is a long road that doesn't always lead to fame and fortune. Most of them come back to Korea and become opera teachers in schools, but for those who decide to start a career in Italy or other European countries there are some obstacles. “The success of Korean singers depends above all on the repertory they choose to perform. In general, men who are tenors and baritones encounter less difficulty in becoming successful, but in my experience Koreans perform better in contests rather than at theatre,” affirms Andrea De Amici, partner at the agency InArt with long experience of working with young talents. “Koreans are very professional, less emotional at singing, and they generally have a constant efficiency in performance, but it’s not easy for them to have a successful career in Europe. I would say that half of opera singers from Korea find a job after their studies. This is because some European theatres have difficulties in hiring Koreans for traditionally Western plays. So they have more chances of success if they are singers who have a repertory very different from their competitors, especially in Italy.”•

01 The opera singer Moon Jin Kim holds one of her scores while posing for the photographer Max Di Vincenzo.

02 Jiyeong Son is posing in front of the mirror at the Tony&Guy hair salon, in Milan.

03 Injae Lee holds up a portrait of Maria Callas, her idol.

Photos by Max Di Vincenzo, Milan, Italy

Best Practices in HR Management Joining the Company

By FM

China Calling for Foreign Talents

In one of the biggest economies in the world one would expect a job market open to workers from all over the planet. But China’s road to a perfect trade-off between current social policies and the need for global talents is going to be a long one. In today’s globalized world where workers experience careers in different countries, a growing number of professionals are showing interest in China. The country is fostering a program aimed at inviting two million talented workers from abroad to locate to China during the period between 2011 and 2015. This includes, among others, 500 to 1,000 highly skilled foreign experts. The program is led by the former deputy director of state administration of foreign experts affairs, Zhang Jianguo. Despite the positive results of the plan, with 610,000 foreign experts coming to work in China in 2013, the country needs, in the very near future, several reforms to further encourage this trend. The reforms should affect visa policies and the protection of the legitimate interests of foreign expats, fighting against the desire of Chinese employers of privileged local talents.

THE LANGUAGE ISSUE

“In most cases, foreign professionals are sought in the beginning as they provide local businesses with added value through their expertise. However, once they acquire the know-how and distribute it to the company's local workers, they no longer have the same attraction as on their arrival because locals can do as well, if not better,” says Wei Hsu, managing director of INS Global Consulting. “Local workers also benefit from the advantage of the language. The working language of the company is their native language, which is a big advantage that foreigners do not have. Communication always goes better with local workers.” “Very few com-

panies now are looking for western expatriates,” agrees Brian Renwick, managing partner Greater China for Signium International. “In almost all cases local people are preferred because they understand the local language and culture in China. This can take many years for foreigners. Multinational companies sometimes post

their own people to China as expatriates for various reasons, but they very rarely seek them from the market.” “As most foreigners don’t speak Mandarin (not to mention read or write Chinese), we look for mostly local people,” adds the principal consultant at Globalite Hunter, Robert Pao. There are also no doubts for Richard King, MD of Michael Page Eastern China, who says, “Most companies in China are looking to hire Chinese staff rather than foreign talents wherever possible. Local talent typically has a better ability to communicate with a Chinese workforce and deal with Chinese customers or suppliers.” Although Chinese headhunter companies concentrate more on hiring Chinese people, foreigners are required by some domestic Chinese companies that would like to expand abroad, as underlined by Simon Lance, Regional Director of Hays in China. “Chinese companies in many industry sectors are seeking to develop their business abroad and bilingual expats are in a position to support such expansion,”

says Lance.

EXPERIENCED OR JUNIOR EXPATS?

Although for years it has been an in-demand destination for experienced managers, in the last few years the situation has changed and young expats are now going to China in search of a job.

“Traditionally, foreigners moving to China are mostly mid-to senior-level professionals who are transferred internally in multinational companies, but in recent years we have seen more junior-level expats relocating to China to seek new opportunities in this dynamic economy,” affirms Simon Lance. “Previously the majority of expatriates moving to China would be on assignment from their company, to take on a role with a subsidiary in China,” underlines Mick McGeehan, director of J.M. Gemini Personnel Ltd. “Over the last few years we have young expatriates finding roles in the service industries and education.”

“Actually, many people don’t know that only highly skilled experts are sought and

[W fosterpartnersgroup.com gemini.com.hk globalitehunter.com hays.com ins-globalconsulting.com michaelpage.com.cn signium.com]

In one of the biggest economies in the world one should expect a job market open to workers coming from all over the planet. But China’s way toward a perfect trade-off between current social policies and the need for global talents is going to be long.

KEYWORDS

➜ Plan of the Thousand

➜ Need for reforms in visa and social policies

➜ Cultural adaptability

➜ Local workers benefit from the advantage of speaking the language ➜ China experience is foremost

as a result the market is currently saturated with freshly graduated young professionals without experience who came to China in the hope of finding a job. All of them have heard great things about the country and the opportunities it offers, and they arrive with the certainty that their overseas profile and their degrees obtained from the most respectable Western institutions of higher education will give them a major advantage compared to other candidates. But this is no longer true,” comments Wei Hsu.

THE WORLD WANTS TO BE CHINESE Taiwanese, Malaysians, Hong Kong people, but also Spanish, Italians, French and Germans−Workers coming to China for job reasons are from many different countries, although the largest groups of people serving as expats in China are above all Chinese-speaking Asians. “Headhunter companies like ours are often asked by companies to find people from these groups of expats,” says Brian Renwick. “To a foreigner, the benefits of a career in China are not negligible although they are often accompanied by drawbacks,” comments Hsu. “They manifest a mix of fear and curiosity−curiosity to discover a new culture and fear of not being able to adapt−and the language barrier is also a matter of concern.” “Whereas a few years ago it was hard to persuade someone from Hong Kong, for example, to move to mainland China, today it is much more normal. Even then, there are a good many Hong Kong people who do not like to work on the mainland,” adds Brian Renwick. But in some cases, expats’ expectations are fulfilled and they find living in China a great opportunity. “Many expats see the huge potential that China offers them and see it as an exciting place to live and work,” says Richard King. “A visit to most first-tier Chinese cities by expats usually surprises on the positive side with many people being surprised at the quality of the infrastructure, housing, children’s education and overall quality of life.”

THE “CHINESE EXPERIENCE”

A high level of education and training, a complete professional experience, knowledge of the Chinese culture and market, a long-term commitment to China, but the

01 Wei Hsu, managing director, INS Global

02 Robert Pao, principal consultant, Globalite Hunter

03 Richard King, managing director, Michael Page

04 Simon Lance, regional director, Hays

05 Brian Renwick, managing partner Greater China, Signium Int.

06 Trevor McCormick, managing partner, Foster and Partners

key factor is represented by a real “China experience”. “China experience is foremost and, of course, you can’t get that until you have had several jobs in China! The other main factor is cultural adaptability, and this is sometimes hard to establish for expats,” explains Brian Renwick. “Chinese language skills (written and spoken) are a prerequisite for most externally hired positions in China. After this, an understanding of the Chinese market and culture combined with the relevant technical and softer skills to meet the company's requirements are usually expected,” reminds Richard King. “Demand for senior technical candidates remains high in IT, accountancy, finance and banking,” says Simon Lance. “Employers want expats with relevant experience and a proven track record to manage businesses of scale or complexity. Western candidates who are looking for opportunities in China also need to demonstrate a genuine and long-term commitment to China.”

HIRING EXPATS

The main issues encountered when Chinese companies hire people from out-

side the country are around cultural factors, which can also be an obstacle for the overseas Chinese and returning Chinese citizens, confirms Richard King. Moreover, difficulties faced in daily life also have an impact on professional ones.

“Many people say that the oversized cities like Beijing or Shanghai don’t provide an easy life framework and there is, in addition, the issue of the working visa and residence permits that must always be in good standing and renewed at the end of each of their contracts with their company,” points out Hsu. Immigration policy restrictions are in this way a big obstacle in attracting foreign workers. “Applying for an employment visa or work permit for an expat now requires higher standards, and taxation is another issue that overseas candidates need to investigate before accepting an offer,” explains Simon Lance. “There are many logistical issues to take into consideration,” affirms Trevor McCormick, managing partner of Foster Partners. “Kids into school, housing, dealing with the air pollution, transportation and many others aspects of life.”•

Cartoon by Patt Kelley, Boston, USA

Private Eye

The Business Side of Style

DESIGN for Work

The German Design Award is the international festival of excellence awarded by the German Design Council.

The award is divided into 10 categories to provide an adequate snapshot of the richness of the culture of product and communication. These categories cover all areas of everyday life including working spaces.

German Design Awards 2014 for the category working spaces: 1 Light Board LED by ERCO. A lighting system for any lighting task. 2

VINCENT Tevolution 2 by VINCENT Systems. A prosthetic myoelectric hand of the next generation. 3

TEVISIO by OCO Design. A magnifier luminaire great for all those work settings where eyes are put to the test. 4 XN-Series, Reagents by Design Studio S. An Equal Opportunity Analyzer for labs.

CyFox® by Partec GmbH. An all-in-one live-imaging gel electrophoresis device. 6 Swing Up by Sedus Stoll AG. Chairs for a number of different workplaces.

Alan Deidun

"If I could change something about my life, I’d try to find more time to rest and sleep, and start saying 'no' to more work.”

Alain Deidun (1979) is a senior lecturer at the University of Malta, with a specialization in marine biology, as well as a freelance consultant and a newspaper columnist. “Most of my spare time is spent with my family, and the little time left on my hands is spent on long walks in the countryside and caring for my plants during winter, and snorkelling or diving in summer.” Alan’s life motto is “Carpe Diem, grab the moment, make hay whilst the sun shines.” In 5 to 10 years, Alan sees himself as a marine biologist who is considered as a reference point by the public in general and by peers in view of his commitment to research and to the environment, and as the dean of the university where he now teaches. He’s a father of 2, a girl and a boy. In 2009, at the age of 30, he was a candidate for the European Parliament, but he soon discovered that “Politics takes away too much time from the important aspects of life.” Soccer is, after biology, the second passion of his life. He claims, “I started playing professionally at 16, but then I chose academia for my future.” Alan is a passionate environmentalist; his most rewarding moment was when his project Panacea started. He explains, “It’s a project promoting the scientific management of biodiversity in the protected area between Sicily and the coast of Malta.”

Aya Kunitake

“What I do is completely aimed at creating greater openness towards the world, towards the new.”

Aya Kunitake (1960) lives with her mother in the Nakano district, a cheerful area of Tokyo full of restaurants and where some bars are open 24 hours. She studied art and performance at Goldsmiths College in Tokyo, and then moved to London to study dance. There, Aya worked in an Italian restaurant, “To pay for my studies,” she explains. At that time she met Remix, a publisher who offered her a job. This was the beginning of her career, until a few years ago when she decided to go back to two old passions: catering and Pilates. Aya opened a restaurant that she manages with a friend. “The particularity of this restaurant compared to the thousands that can be found in Tokyo is in the philosophy of true hospitality, not only in design or quality of the products offered, but especially in ‘donate emotions’,” says Aya, who adds, “Usually Japanese people are very closed, less friendly. They are accustomed to controlling their emotions and given that they wear a mask it is difficult to read their feelings. In our restaurant, we Japanese offer, to our Japanese customers, smiles.” Aya has only two desires for her future: to continue what she is doing, trying to bring openness to her compatriots, and to one day go back to London for a while.

Photos by Paolo Mazzo, Milan, Italy

PEOPLE to Watch

PEOPLE to Watch

“In the future I hope to grow my business and have employees of my own!”

Gianni Cafaro (1971) started working in marketing in both the public and private sectors. The last company he worked for as a marketing director dismissed him. He explains, “The company decided to relocate abroad, and I was laid off.” After losing his job, he recounts, “I must have sent hundreds and hundreds of CVs, maybe 500, and I think I have received fewer than 10 responses.” He knew he had to reinvent himself, and one day an idea struck him. He explains, “One morning I was running an errand in a public office. While waiting patiently I realized how everyone around me was queueing up, stressed, anxious and bewildered. I had to do something about it, so I invented a new job, the 'queueist.'” Once back home he began setting up what would start to be his new business. Everything you need, he’s there for you. He is available seven days a week, evenings too. “The local tax office is almost my home,” he jokes. His main targets are pensioners, professionals, employees and simply busy citizens in Milan. “I get paid 10 euros an hour,” he explains. People contact him, they meet beforehand and when the errand is done he returns to the client with receipt and change. He confesses, “In spite of widespread distrust, when customers see me they feel reassured, and also the media hype that arose around me in such a short time definitely helped me build a reputation.”

Giovanni Cafaro

Photos by Roberto Benzi, Milan, Italy

PEOPLE to Watch

Inés de Novales de la Escalera

“Truth is, I’m very proud of my roots.”

Inés de Novales de la Escalera (1980) was born in Seville, and is the fourth of five siblings. According to Inés, her mother is her talisman. “An example to follow every day for her courage, strength and enthusiasm that she always passes on through life,” she says, adding, “Despite having had to cope not only with the death of my father, but also that of her own mother to whom she was very close, Mother still retains a vitality and 'joie de vivre' that is very hard to encounter.”

Inés holds a degree in advertising and PR, with postgrads in marketing. She is now the director of corporate development of FIBES and her family owns the oldest PRE stud farm in the world. “It appears that, even in 1723, our family’s brand was found on horses,” says Inés. “The truth is that for the type and volume of work I do, I have less free time than I would like to... however, I try to do some traveling, enjoy good food and being with my family and friends,” she says. Sports are generally her greatest hobby. Inés loves a healthy lifestyle, she explains. “I enjoy riding in the countryside, playing a game of tennis or just jogging for an hour.” In 5 to 10 years Inés sees herself married with children. She says, “I’d love to form a beautiful family such as mine, but in the meantime I enjoy my 7 nephews who are the treasures of the house!”

Photos by Roberto Benzi, Milan, Italy

PEOPLE to Watch

Tommaso Cazzaniga

“My motto is ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ It’s a popular British saying that truly reflects my attitude and way of thinking.”

Tommaso Cazzaniga (1980) has traveled the world and has lived in Paris, Boston and Geneva. He has worked in multinational companies such as GE, Chiquita International and Ogilvy&Mather. According to Cazzaniga, the work as a consultant “Brings out the good side of me, as I have the opportunity to choose companies and projects I want to be part of.” His major professional interest is CSR and the environment. He recently moved back to Italy because he’s planning to open a vegan food company with his fiancee. He explains, “Many think I’m crazy because of the current economic situation Italy is in, but I still think that this is the land of opportunity." Tommaso's biggest passion is traveling; he has traveled on foot and he says, “I spent an enormous amount of time in planes and trains that you can’t even imagine.” Lately, however, he likes traveling by motorbike. His plan for this summer is to travel the Silk Road from Como to Mongolia on his bike with his fiancée. He explains, “It’s a long trip. We’ll take approximately 2 months as we would like to visit the places and learn the culture and meet the people.” He adds, “We’ll write a four-hands book about this trip, and hopefully publish it.”

Photos by Roberto Benzi, Milan, Italy

Luke Archer

“Being an expat in Lyon I have more of an Erasmus-like friends base; they’re French, Tunisian, Egyptian, Brazilian...”

Luke Archer (1974) is an Irish entrepreneur and TED speaker from Dublin, who has been living in France for almost 20 years. He settled in Lyon out of destiny: France was the trip, post graduation, with a friend. Their intention was to go grape picking, and Lyon seemed to be the best spot. “Well, we arrived in Lyon and I found a job in a pub, and I’ve never left since.” After working as an English teacher he found himself training a team of business English teachers. He says, "My approach was so successful that it pushed me to open my own business.” Six years ago he set up a company called Betterfly, an institute that helps teachers developing their teaching skills. He explains, “We help teachers to get better at what they do. As society changes teachers need to adapt to this change. Information can be found everywhere; teachers are not providers of information anymore, they must be facilitators and motivators, help others find their vocation and their talent.” In the little time he has free he likes to play guitar and write music with his 12-year-old son, cycle and enjoy conversations with friends, “Which is one of the favorite things to do in my life; conversation is what I do.” Luke's life-motto is, “Everything happens for a reason.”

Sara Lenzi

“In Brussels I found the freedom to escape from expectations and from a system that is falling down.”

Sara Lenzi (1988) landed in Belgium with the Leonardo program to follow the dream of international cooperation, but today Sara nurtures another passion: cooking. “After graduating in international relations, I’ve had a few experiences in communications, working on projects that always had an eye for social issues,” she says. Two years volunteering in Africa and a Masters at SIOI landed her an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome. “It was here I had to face the reality of Italian bureaucracy; it’s able to destroy every project.” When she arrived in Brussels it was love at first sight. “I love this city, its energy, the opportunity to wander around and find ideas,” she continues. “At the beginning I tried to seize some glimpses of this life through photographs that I also exhibited.” One day Sara stumbled upon “Belli & Buoni”, a space mixing catering and retail offering the best Italian foods. Every ingredient is carefully selected with a variety of products from every region. She loved it so much that she became the chef. “Physical work is truly new for me and has changed me deeply. I look at myself in the mirror and I discover muscles I didn’t even know existed, and my hands always smell like kitchen.”

Photos by Luca Fenderico, Brussels, Belgium

PEOPLE to Watch

MOVIE for Work

In an Indian city, a man and a woman (Saajan and Ila) meet by coincidence. It is not a love story like any other, but it started and grew through the delivery of lunchboxes. In India every employee gets a daily lunchbox from their wife or a restaurant. The Dabbawallahs pick up the lunchboxes and deliver them to their destination. The job of Dabbawallah has existed for more than120 years in Mumbai; there are approximately 5,000 delivery men who pass the profession from generation to generation and make sure that people receive their lunch at the office, cooked by their wives. They are highly respected, mainly for their ability to never fail. In the story, two boxes are inexplicably exchanged, generating an epistolary relationship between Ila and Saajan. The two, writing confessions, start to externalize their situations to one another: on one hand, a wife completely indifferent to her husband, on the other, a man close to retirement who hasn't yet dealt with getting old. This is a story of love and friendship: it is subtle, delicate, without excesses. It happens by the will of fate (according to Harvard University there is one chance in a million that Dabbawallahs could mistake a delivery) and by their will to maintain their virtual relationship as an escape from their everyday lives. It develops through little hand-written notes, soaked in spices and curry. This is a "gentle" Indian story, embedded in a dense and chaotic metropolis, described by images of offices, public transportation and restaurants. A city that’s a thousand miles away from today's Western reality where relationships, although virtual, are managed through social networks and lunches are ordered online.

The Lunchbox

Review by

Sender. Recipient and Channel. Try to change the channel, and the story will still be valid the 99 percent of the time. Love of growing needs mystery and sometimes a mistake. The result in this case is that a poor guy is left empty-handed in all senses.

01 Saajan reads Ila’s note

02 Ila opens her lunch

03 Irrfan Khan as Saajan in the crowd

04 The movie poster

Characters

Created

Produced

Rangachari.

[W sonyclassics.com/thelunchbox]

A delivery mistake creates a wonderful connection to build a fantasy world of love and happiness.

Carasoo

Photos are courtesy of Happiness Distribution.

Irrfan Khan (as Saajan), Nimrat Kaur (as Ila), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (as Shaikh) and Denzil Smith (as M. Shroff)

and Directed by Ritesh Batra

by Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap and Arun

Reviews By FRANCESCA TONEGUTTI

We are in the Republic of Zubrowka, a made-up country, at the beginning of the post-war communist period, but with a jump to the past the story tells of a legendary concierge (Ralph Fiennes) who in the 1930s was the reference point of the luxury spa and hotel. In a surreal setting, the movie develops a complex plot, equally animated by several weird characters. Among them, the concierge and his trusty lobby boy Mustafa Zero stand out. They are involved in murders, a wealthy inheritance, the theft of a Renaissance painting and a daring escape from prison, a castle on the top of a mountain. Besides the beautiful screenplay and pastel colors, matched with care, that make Wes Anderson’s touch recognizable, we are struck by the character of Gustave H: an estimable, polite and ironic man who runs the hotel without smudging, and who’s able to support and satisfy customers, especially the wealthy old blonde women, regular guests of the hotel, with whom he establishes a true relationship of love and dedication. The movie, often ironic and distinguished by clumsy scenes, is thought-provoking in the story of the lobby boy who aspires to learn the profession by emulating his boss. He is often the victim of racism for being an immigrant; Zero is destined to pick up Gustave’s work and material legacy, but unfortunately the war will take his great love (Agatha, the beautiful candy maker in the famous Mendl’s) away. An imaginary world, populated by many characters (famous and talented actors appear in cameos) who move around the countless rooms in the hotel or in other charming scenes, telling a fable that is at times a little bitter.

01 Elevator life at the Grand Budapest Hotel

02 M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) and Zero (Tony Revolori)

03 Zero with a girl

04 The poster of the movie

03

The Grand Budapest Hotel

A legendary concierge and a lobby boy become trusted friends in a tale of theft and recovery, the raging battle for a family fortune and a love affair – all against the backdrop of the changing continent.

Review by Carasoo The topic here is of mutual devotion, but also of satisfied needs. A work topic that is done perfectly in a context of what's seemingly a relational chaos typical of our society. The aesthetics, the role of forms, color and known faces link everything together. Lesson for junior executives: roll up your sleeves and do. Lesson for senior clients: ask.

Photos

are courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Characters Ralph Fiennes (as M. Gustave), Tony Revolori (as Zero), F. Murray Abraham (Mr. Moustafa), Mathieu Amalric (as Serge X), Adrien Brody (as Dmitri), Willem Dafoe (as Jopling), Jeff Goldblum (as Deputy Kovacs), Jude Law (as Young Writer), Bill Murray (as M. Ivan), Edward Norton (as Henckels), Saoirse Ronan (as Agatha), Jason Schwartzman (as M. Jean), Tilda Swinton (as Madame D.), Tom Wilkinson (as Author) and Owen Wilson (as M. Chuck).

Created by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness Directed by Wes Anderson Produced by Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson [W grandbudapesthotel.com]

BOOKS for Work

Frank J. Pietrucha

Supercommunicator [AMACOM, 272pp, 17.95]

This guide will help anyone to deliver clear, persuasive messages that win hearts, minds and budgets. Supercommunicator explains how to: distill details and data into big ideas; deliver meaning to audiences; use storytelling to captivate and educate; humanize content to make complicated ideas more tangible; layer harder ideas on top of easier ideas; and strip away complex language.

Power up your Confidence [Pearson Business, 240 pp, 17,95]

It’s the single skill that matters most –whatever the situation. From meetings and presentations to negotiating, selling and managing staff, better confidence will give you better results. It’ll make you more capable and convincing, it’ll raise your performance and prospects, and it’ll give you the courage and determination you need to succeed.

Exciting New Releases

Find 40 interesting new releases and six unique interviews for fresh ideas on HR and business trends.

Ted Coine & Mark Babbitt

A World Gone Social [AMACOM, 256 pp, 24.95]

The Social Revolution’s impact on the business world cannot be overestimated. Like the meteor that likely precipitated the end of the dinosaurs, Social is the catalyst in an extinction event and business as we know it has changed forever.

A World Gone Social offers an eye-opening look at fundamental and powerful changes the social collaboration era has set in motion.

Morgen Witzerl

Management from the Masters [Bloomsbury, 192 pp, 29,40]

The belief that everything is changing led to the disasters of the dotcom era. This book reminds us that some fundamental rules do still apply by taking readers through 20 imperatives derived from the thinking of great leaders and management theorists. This entertaining run-down is complemented by case studies that document the consequences of ignoring these key laws.

Mark van Rijmenam

Think Bigger [AMACOM, 288 pp, 27,95]

Think Bigger covers the most important big data trends affecting organizations, as well as key technologies like Hadoop and MapReduce, and several crucial types of analysis. In addition, the book offers guidance on how to ensure security and respect the privacy rights of consumers. It also examines in detail how big data is impacting specific industries and where opportunities can be found.

ws Why did you write this book?

am My book brings together key features of today’s workplace and picks up on these common concerns, offering straightforward and practical hints and tips.

ws What is confidence? And why is it important for employees at any level?

am Confidence is one of those things you don’t think about until it’s not there. Since change is almost a constant feature one needs the ability to extend one's comfort zone for personal well-being and success at work.

ws How do you think you can make a difference with your text?

am Providing well-tried techniques and recommendations garnered from decades of experience helping people build their self-confidence. When these are put into effect, personal well-being and confidence will improve, and this can rub off on those around you. Company productivity and quality of service can pick up too.

ws Who is your book for?

am This book is for everyone faced with these kinds of situations in the workplace. Though the workplace is the main focus of the book, most of the material can side step quite easily into everyday life too.

ws How important are soft skills in business?

am In the workplace, confidence has been called a "soft skill", one of those personal attributes that make you a more effective person and enhance your "employability". I see confidence as the ultimate business skill.

ws How can confidence be grown?

am Confidence is grown by learning effective techniques and strategies that will help you perform better in those activities where you currently feel less assured. Putting these new ideas into action will enhance and energize your performance, and so build and maintain selfconfidence.•

Alice Muir

Paul B. Brown with Charles F.

Own your Future [AMACOM, 224 pp, 22,00]

When it comes to dealing with uncertainty, nobody handles it better than successful entrepreneurs. That’s why you want to take the same approach they do! Based on extensive research and interviews, Own Your Future shows how to apply the simple model they use − Act. Learn. Build. Repeat to reinvent the way you manoeuvre in an unpredictable job market.

Paul Gustavson and Stewart Liff

A Team of Leaders [AMACOM, 240 pp, 26,95]

Now imagine having a team where everyone steps up and performs all of the leadership tasks. Imagine a team that is constantly sharing knowledge and pushing the envelope − one that does long-term planning and produces outstanding performance. A Team of Leaders shows readers how to design systems that nurture the leadership potential of every employee − the key to creating high-performance teams.

ws Why did you write this book?

Koen Pauwels

It’s not the Size of the Data, it’s how you Use it [AMACOM, 240 pp, 29,95]

Mounds of marketing metrics are generated across touchpoints and channels. It can be information overload – too much, too scattered. But locked in the vast quantity of information are accurate, data-driven answers to every marketing question. Analytic dashboards are transformative web-based tools that gather and display essential data connecting marketing with performance.

Coaching Essentials [Bloomsbury, 288 pp, 27,75]

This accessible guide offers clear explanations of key coaching theories before putting that theory into context with a comprehensive selection of practical tools and techniques. Benefits and uses of each technique are explained and then followed with advice on how to apply the technique and make it work for you − allowing readers to achieve optimum results.

Heidi Hanna

Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress [Wiley, 208 pp, 21,80]

The solution to stress addiction is to build in and prioritize optimal rest and relaxation on a holistic level − body, mind, and spirit − in order to consistently recharge and create a more resilient operating system. Stressaholic shows you how to win the war on stress without limiting progress by creating an optimal performance pulse of stress and recovery for life.

hh I saw that people struggle with feeling the need to be “on” all the time. When you’re not used to it, taking it easy can be one of the hardest things to do – a bit like detoxing from any other stimulating substance such as drugs, sugar or caffeine.

ws What is stress? How can stress affect body and mind in the long run?

hh It’s important to understand that stress in itself is not bad, but simply a stimulus for change. Live experiences bring with them the need for an energy investment in order to adapt to a new set of guidelines, and while the outcome should be positive, if we’re running on empty even good stress can cause negative consequences such as fatigue, depression, anxiety, inflammation and exhaustion.

ws How do you think you can make a difference with your text?

hh It is my hope that it will help people become more aware of the pandemic we are facing with regards to unmanaged stress. It is my hope that readers will see stress in a new light and begin to develop a self-care strategy for building greater resilience.

ws Who is your book for?

hh For everyone, but especially for people who know they should slow down and find it difficult to make time to do it. I hope that recognizing the addictive nature of stress will be helpful.

ws What can we do to release stress and charge batteries every day?

hh Mini-meditations, or what I like to call Recharge Breaks, focus on bringing awareness to the breath and relaxing the body while you quiet the mind. It’s easier said that done, since we’ve trained our brains to be on high alert and do mental gymnastics throughout the day. This is why it’s important to focus on shorter training sessions at first, and as you practise you will be more able to sustain this calm state for longer periods of time and tap into it when you need it most during the day.•

Illustrations by Hanna Melin, London, UK

Kiefer & Leonard A. Schlesinger

Patricia Bossons, Jeremy Kourdi & Denis Sartain

BOOKS for work

Sona Sherratt & Roger Delves

The Top 50 Management Dilemmas

[FT Press, 256 pp, 34,99]

The Top 50 Management Dilemmas provides help on the most common hurdles that managers face. It will help you understand every situation better so you know exactly what to do, fast.

Russ Unger & Samantha Starmer

Speaker Camp: A Self-paced Workshop for Planning, Pitching, Preparing, and Presenting at Conferences [New Riders, 144pp, 19,99]

This book provides value for those who want to explore presenting at events and conferences. It provides a clear and concise approach to brainstorming ideas, creating an abstract, crafting a biography, organizing and structuring content, preparing to present to an audience, the mechanics of presenting material on a stage, and how to handle Q&A sessions.

Heather Townsend & Jon Baker

The Go-To Expert: How to Grow Your Reputation, Differentiate Yourself From the Competition and Win New Business [FT Press, 304 pp, 29,99]

The Go-To Expert provides no-nonsense advice on managing your transition into a well-known and trusted name within your industry. Discover:

- Simple steps to build your profile - How to market and sell yourself with ease and confidence - Techniques to make your clients come to you.

ws Why did you write this book?

rj I wanted to write a book to demonstrate how taking someone through a process that may very well upset them may be one of the most sincere acts of kindness we can extend to another. I wanted to write a book that demystified influence and drew a clear line between influence and manipulation.

ws Do you think that the ability to change minds is a talent one has in their DNA or can it be taught and trained, and hence improved?

rj I believe that anyone is capable of learning how to change the mind of another person.

Marc Van Eck, Ellen Leenhouts & Judith Tielen

The One Page Business Strategy [FT Publishing International, 144 pp, 17,95]

Most business strategies are so long and complex that many are never referred to again after their initial creation. This book offers managers and entrepreneurs a new way to structure their plans that will make them tangible and accessible to anyone. The volume is based on a well-known planning tool called OGSM, widely used by companies such as P&G, Mars and Coca-Cola.

Rob Jolles

How to Change Minds [BerrettKoehler, 240 pp, 17,95]

Rob Jolles knows this scenario all too well − as a salesman, father, friend and colleague, he’s seen it repeatedly in business and in life. In this book, he draws on his highly successful sales background to lay out a simple, repeatable, measurable process for changing someone’s mind. It begins with understanding how people make decisions − what Jolles calls the decision cycle.

ws How do you think you can make a difference with your text?

rj By writing a book that allows anyone to acquire the skills to ethically influence the actions of others we can literally save lives. The fact is, most people do not naturally fix small problems; they fix big problems.

ws Who is your book for?

rj Who doesn’t need to learn how to ethically influence the action of others? The workshops I conduct are now filling with parents, managers, doctors, lawyers, chiropractors, dentists, police officers, NASA scientists... the list goes on and on. Quite frankly, I’m not sure who wouldn't benefit from learning these skills.

ws What is, in your opinion, the difference between influencing and manipulating?

rj It all comes down to who the action of influence benefits. If it only benefits the person who is using the process, it is manipulation. If it clearly benefits the person we are looking to persuade, it’s influence. Strangely enough, in the end, it all comes down to intent.•

Bruce Hoverd

Powering Through Pressure [Pearson, 240 pp, 21,22]

Empowering and inspirational, Powering Through Pressure shows readers how they can take control of their stress and make pressure at work work for them. Stress management specialist Bruce Hoverd expertly takes readers through the primary techniques that can be used to fight back against pressure in the workplace.

Jim McGrath

The Little Book of Big Management Questions [Pearson, 216pp, 21,22]

The Little Book of Big Management Questions cuts straight through all the noise to give managers the very best, most up-to-date and proven-to-work insider knowledge. Every question is quick and easy to read and the answers are practical, understandable and will resonate with aspiring, new and experienced managers.

The volume gives managers insights and ideas that they can apply in an instant, and can be used as a reference book whenever needed.

Amy C. Edmondson

Teaming to Innovate [Wiley, 136 pp, 15,26]

This little book is a roadmap for teaming to innovate. We describe five necessary steps along that road: Aim High, Team Up, Fail Well, Learn Fast, and Repeat. This path is not smooth. To illustrate each critical step, we look at real-life scenarios that show how teaming to innovate provides the spark that can fertilize creativity, clarify goals, and redefine the meaning of leadership.

Julian Birkinshaw

Becoming a Better Boss: Why Good Management is So Difficult [Wiley, 176 pp, 31,00]

The author stresses the importance of taking management seriously, reveals where management practice often goes wrong, and dives deeply into the worldview of employees. He then explores the common personal biases and frailties of managers and discusses the vital importance of experimentation to overcome the limitations and idiosyncrasies of a particular organization.

ws Many say, “It is easy to be a great workplace if you’re a millionaire multinational.” Is it true?

pe Sure, money helps, but at the end of the day it is all about trust and creating a meaningful workplace. Trust and meaningfulness can be developed under all circumstances and cost nothing, but make people stay and give their best.

ws What distinguishes a good workplace from a bad workplace?

pe In bad workplaces, people are disengaged and just waste too much time and energy on non-productive things. In a good workplace, relationships are based on trust and people find meaningfulness in what they do.

ws How do you think you can make a difference with your text?

pe I hope that many people will be inspired by the exceptional practices of these seven organizations and not least understand how values, vision and mission fit together with strategies, goals and actions.

ws In your book you bring some real cases like Admiral, TORFS, Telefonica Latin America. Why?

Does it Make Sense? (Self-published, 115 pp, 15,00].

This book looks at the how and goes much deeper than the benefits and practices in order to understand what has driven the development of seven recognized great workplaces and how the workplace has impacted their business. The analysis will bring out learning points for leadership, branding and the business of great workplaces. And it will give actionable advice for what you can do to create your own great workplace and great business.

pe These cases are hand-picked from working ten years with the best workplaces in the world. Writers tend to focus on the “usual suspects” and it is somewhat diverting the focus and making people suspicious, because these companies are some of the most well-known brands with the biggest advertising budgets.

ws Is being a great workplace wanting to do good or purely a branding move?

pe I think most people feel that it is the right thing to do, but now the ethical reasoning for doing the right thing is almost playing against people’s case for building great workplaces, because it can be opposed in the business world as going soft. This is a pity, because “doing the right thing” is actually an incredibly strong driver.•

Palle Ellemann

BOOKS for work

Jason Thibeault & Kirby Wadsworth

Recommend This!: Delivering Digital Experiences that People Want to Share [Wiley, 272 pp, 27,30]

Digital marketers and communicators seeking to harness this newfound power are finding challenges in engaging digital audiences. Recommend This! is an exploration into the digital consumer and how their expectations are forcing marketers to rethink the way they interact and engage with audiences.

Mark Pastin

Make an Ethical Difference [BerrettKoehler, 216 pp, 24,95]

The book shows how to apply tools using actual ethical dilemmas drawn from Pastin’s decades of experience as an advisor to governments, corporations and NGOs. The point is to show how a tool that can be applied to any situation is used in one particular instance. And once you’ve reached a decision he offers strategies for building consensus with those who might disagree with you.

Ram Nidumolu

Two Birds in a Tree [Berrett-Koehler, 192 pp, 18,95]

Two Birds in a Tree takes its title from a parable in the Upanishads. The bird at the top sees everything and understands it is part of a larger whole. The higher bird is in touch with and symbolizes what the Upanishads call Being, the fundamental reality that underlies the very essence of existence.

Judith

H.

Katz & Frederick A. Miller

Opening Doors to Teamwork and Collaboration [Berrett-Koehler, 168 pp, 18,95]

This book is for any individual or team, from the shop floor to the executive suite, in search of higher performance, greater collaboration and game-changing leaps forward in speed and quality of decision making, problem solving and the ability to create breakthroughs.

Harry Paul, John Britt , Ed Jent

Who Kidnapped Excellence: What Stops Us from Giving and Being Our Best [Berrett-Koehler, 168 pp, 22,95]

Drawing on years of study and decades of experience, authors Harry Paul, John Britt and Ed Jent have zeroed in on five core qualities of excellence. In this entertaining and enlightening book, they tell how to give and be your best in each of these five critical dimensions and foster excellence in your organization and in your life.

ws Why did you write this book?

hp I began a journey to understand excellence but soon found that a significant barrier existed. Excellence did not have a generally accepted definition. In short, a common working definition of excellence must be derived. It was in this spirit of inquiry that my coauthors and I wrote this text.

ws What is excellence?

hp First, we must "get a handle" on what is true excellence? I first looked at what makes up excellence and found that there are many traits. But ultimately I found all the traits fit into five core qualities of excellence: Passion, Competency, Flexibility, Communication and Ownership. A self-evaluation tool in the back helps you see where you are on your journey towards excellence.

ws What prevents great talents being excellent?

hp We get so caught up in the day-to-day demands of work and family and start to look at accomplishment as quantity, not quality. We get focused on what is right in front of us and forget that what we are doing is part of something much larger and involving so many, and we stop paying attention to what is important. Stop focusing on any one of the five pillars of excellence and average starts its insidious creep into your life.

ws How can obstacles be overcome?

hp A good way to maintain a focus on excellence is having a clear understanding of the vision, mission and values of the organization. Implementing the five pillars of excellence. Looking within for your excellence, do not measure your excellence against others but do, be and give your best and know that excellence is your best.•

Edgar H. Schein

Humble Inquiry [Berrett-Koehler, 192 pp, 16,95]

In today’s world, a free flow of information is crucial. Anybody anywhere could have that vital idea or insight that could mean the difference between success and disaster − or worse.

Humble Inquiry was inspired by Schein’s twenty years of work on safety in highhazard industries and the healthcare system, where honest communication can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Carol S. Pearson

The Transforming Leader [BerrettKoehler, 294 pp, 39,95]

Overall, The Transforming Leader reframes the challenge of leading in today’s interdependent, unpredictable world. Its message is that if we update our thinking, enhance the quality of our being, deepen our sense of relatedness with the ecology of our natural and social worlds, and practice transformational communication, things no longer have to be so hard.

Josh Linkner

The Road to Reinvention [Wiley, 256 pp, 31,75]

Throughout the book, Linkner explores the history − the great rise, unprecedented fall, and now rebirth − of Detroit. Linkner brings an insider's view of this incredible story of grit, determination and creativity, sharing his perspective on Detroit's successes and setbacks as a profound example of large-scale organizational and personal transformation.

David L. Dotlich, Peter C. Cairo, Cade Cowan

The Unfinished Leader: Balancing Contradictory Answers to Unsolvable Problems [Wiley, 288 pp, 31,75]

The book provides the mindsets and tools to recognize contradictory requirements, understand competing demands, and still be able to take action helping leaders understand and excel at their true task: guiding themselves and their teams through ongoing paradoxes, reconciling competing outcomes, continually changing and adapting, and thereby building lasting success.

ws Why did you write this book?

mk It was 2003. I was an executive at a big company. We were 20 people in a meeting discussing what we wanted to be in the future. Most people seemed to hone in on just being “bigger”. There was little discussion about quality, customer satisfaction, services to our customers, or growth for our employees. There wasn’t even much discussion on how to get bigger. At one point, I asked myself if anyone in the room was actually doing any “thinking”. The answer was no.

ws Your book means that intelligence can be increased and trained? How?

mk Actually that’s not quite right. I do not claim, and it’s very controversial, that intelligence can be increased or trained. What can be increased and trained is the ability to use your intelligence in a better way.

ws How do you think you can make a difference with your text?

mk In this highly competitive, fast-changing and more and more complex world we live in, people need better thinking skills. Thinking is the foundation of everything that everybody does. We all make so many unnecessary errors, and many of these can be prevented with just a little more thinking.

Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and DecisionMaking Skills [Wiley, 240 pp, 28,50]

The book is the comprehensive guide to training your brain to do more for you.

It is filled with real-world examples that demonstrate how the tools work in action, in addition to dozens of practice exercises applicable across industries and functions. Think Smarter is a versatile resource for individuals, managers, students and corporate training programs.

ws What does "critical thinking" mean?

mk To me it means taking yourself (your brain) out of “Automatic” mode and putting it into “Manual” mode. Automatic is your everyday thinking, often not thinking, just doing. Manual mode is stopping and being cognizant of what’s going on.

ws Thinking requires a lot of energy. How can people invest even more energy after their full days at work?

mk Ah, yes, thinking actually does require a lot of energy… one of the reasons why we don’t do too much of it! Nevertheless, much of Critical Thinking actually can be accomplished in just minutes and save a tremendous amount of time afterwards. •

Michale Kallett

BOOKS for work

Step Up: Lead in Six Moments that Matter [Jossey – Bass, 224 pp, 31,75]

Based on their extensive experience, the authors help you understand how to act wisely and decisively when those moments arise, showing how to get angry, not stupid; decide already; act when you are the problem and leverage pessimism, among other things.

Jeremy Eden, Terri Long

Low-Hanging Fruit: 77 Eye-Opening Ways to Improve Productivity and Profits [Wiley, 224 pp, 25,00]

Every day thousands of hidden and ignored problems frustrate workers and customers and, in turn, reduce profits. This book provides rules that, if followed, will allow employees to harvest all the low-hanging fruit – and some that is not so low hanging – that will grow earnings, make customers happier, and increase morale.

Beverly Kaye, Sharon Jordan-Evans

Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay [Berrett - Koehler, 336 pp, 28,50]

This best-selling guide provides 26 strategies to keep talented employees happy and productive. Citing research and experience with dozens of organizations, the authors present many examples of how today's companies have applied their retention strategies and increased their retention rates.

Mila Baker

Peer-to-Peer Leadership: Why the Network Is the Leader [BerrettKoehler, 240 pp, 28,50]

Baker still advocates the need for toplevel executives and senior leaders, but advises them to give up traditional notions of power and become focused on the health of the network rather than achieving personal leadership goals.

D.A. Benton

The CEO Difference: How to Climb, Crawl, and Leap Your Way to the Next Level of Your Career [McGraw - Hill, 256 pp, 28,50]

In The CEO Difference, Benton gives you the insight and tools to make subtle changes in your presentation, attitude and leadership style that will dramatically increase your leadership effectiveness − and, consequently help you enjoy work and life. Learn how to differentiate yourself with tangible steps to get where you want to go.

Ekaterina Walter, Jessica Gioglio

The Power of Visual Storytelling:

How to Use Visuals, Videos, and Social Media to Market Your Brand [McGrawHill, 256 pp, 31,75]

The Power of Visual Storytelling explains how companies and brands can develop a strategic visual marketing strategy as an extension of their overall marketing and social media plans.

It explains how to define goals and create, curate and promote highly visual content and stories that engage audiences across a range of social media platforms.

Everything Connects: How to Transform and Lead in the Age of Creativity, Innovation and Sustainability [McGraw – Hill, 288 pp, 33,50]

The book provides a process view for understanding the problem at hand, initiating the preparatory actions required to jumpstart positive change with the use of access to enabling technologies combined with innovative economic models, and reaping the rewards of creativity, innovation and sustainability.

Harrison Monarth

Breakthrough Communication: A Powerful 4-Step Process for Overcoming Resistance and Getting Results [McGraw – Hill, 256 pp, 22,00]

The book presents concepts to help professionals at all levels maximize the chances of success after a communication process has taken place. That "process" may be seen in an instant or it may develop over the course of a long time, as is often the case in product development, policy implementation, or the improvement of an important interpersonal business relationship.

Henry Evans, Colm Foster, Marshall Goldsmith

Faisal Hoque, Drake Baer

Hiroshima, Mon Amour by Alain Resnais 01

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by J. Diamond

My Ferrè eye-sight glasses Alitalia Hotel Glymur, Arkane, Iceland

Arnolfo, Colle Val d’Elsa, Siena

A Montblanc fountain pen Road trip in South Africa

Sagrantino di Monte Falco, Italy 06

The Incredibles

Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger 02

The Legend of 1900

Shibumi by Trevanian

Security Shoes 03 Air France Camping Maçanet de Cabrenys, Spain

La Magie des Sens, Saint-Amand en Puisaye Lambretta LD 125 05

Holiday in the foothills of the Spanish Pyrenees

Sancerre, France

My peace necklace Turkish Airlines Cà Pisani, Hip Hotels, Venice 04

Ferah Feza, Istanbul, Turkey Design stationery

Spending a month in Italy

Brouilly, vignoble du Beaujolais, Rhône

Mister Smith Goes to Washington

What is the What? by Dave Eggers

My iPhone 5S, 32 GB Virgin America Harvest Inn Saint Helena, Napa Valley

Jardiniere, San Francisco Sneakers Nike Runner Trip to China

Chateauneuf du Pape, France

Francesco Di Loreto — photographer and partner at F38F, Sarah Preston — PR officer at Guedelon Castle, Serra Titiz — social entrepreneur and owner of Mikado Consulting, Sebastien Gay — lecturer, economics department at the University of Chicago.

FASHION for Work

From the Cave to the Catwalk

A primordial garment that was worn by cavemen and women to protect their most delicate parts, after thousands of years this piece of clothing has seen quite an evolution and is today one of the most worn and versatile articles of clothing in the world.

Skirts have changed throughout time. Today’s shapes are revised so as to add extraordinariness, personality and style where ultra-feminine silhouettes have got fluidity and modern poetry. Contemporary reinterpretations are the reminders for a palpable present that is already capable of seeing the future.

#SKIRT #S/S14

Skirts come in many shapes, lengths and colors, according to Siobhan McGirr, senior press officer at Ted Baker, who says, “The key trends Ted Baker presents for Spring/Summer 2014 are striking prints, color and strong silhouettes,” adding, “The must-haves every woman should hang in her wardrobe this season are NEON separates, such as the JULEEN neon pink minikirt.” For a more sober look for work businesswomen can look at pencil skirts, as Marisa Ritts, director of marketing and public relations at Sanctuary Clothing, explains. “We have various pencil midiskirts, that have a tight fit and are cut below the knee; these are getting a lot of play this season and can easily be paired with a blousy top,” and adds, “They’re very versatile items, as they can also be worn with boots and tights during colder seasons.”

According to Sara Powell, public relations officer at Rebecca Taylor, “White will definitely be big, as that was seen a lot on the runways, as well as pastels.” Powell also says, “And then there’s the evergreen floral, which is always a big pattern for the coming season.” This warmer season will also see a lot of new ideas, as designer Karen Kane claims. “For this spring, I'm really excited about all the new textures and prints you’ll see.” She concludes, “Expect plenty of denim and chambray, tons of ikat and exotic-inspired prints, and lots of navy.”

Veronica Di Luzio, press officer at Kristina Ti, thinks that in the new season we’ll see long and short skirts as there is not a right or wrong, but “must haves are lace and precious working,” says Di Luzio, who adds, “Legs must be covered but sensually

Our choice

Work Style Selection

We researched producers and designers of skirts until we had approximately 50 brands. Then our jury, including fashion aficionados, managers and professionals, voted on the skirts. The jury was composed of • Paola Bettinelli, managing director, Al360milano, Milan (Italy) • Orsólya Anna Tóth, CEO, Drungli, Budapest

(Hungary) • Citlalí Brida, digital planner, Mindshare, Milan (Italy) • Kama Timbrell, publicist, Amacom, New York (USA) • Christina Chaplin, USA development director, Womenalia, Madrid (Spain) • Matteo Resta, senior digital manager, MEC, Sydney (Australia) • Xavi Ramiro, illustrator, Barcelona (Spain) • Nicolás Ovalle, commercial director, Audify, Montevideo (Uruguay) • Jerzy Potocki, president, AIMS International, Warsaw (Poland).

to match with long culottes; there are lengthened culottes, made of tulle or jacquard, in various workings, which come out of the skirts. ”According to Michelle Smith, founder and designer of Milly, “This season, we’ll love the midi-skirt for its elongated lines and tailored silhouette,” and she adds, “Sheer and transparent looks are having a moment. As well as technical fabrics, femininity will be important for spring.”

WHAT WOMEN WANT

Despite today’s debate on gender, skirts are very much still a garment worn by women. If we exclude the traditional Scottish kilt or extravagant artists, it is highly unlikely you’ll see your male boss, employee or colleague entering the office wearing a suit with a skirt bottom.

According to Ritts, some women prefer to wear skirts because they are versatile and easy-to-wear items of clothing. She explains, “They can be dressed up or down using various accessories, depending on the occasion. Whether a woman is trying to draw attention away from her waist or purchase a skirt that makes her look taller, there are skirts for every shape and size!”

Versatility aside, another significant reason that pushes women to favor skirts to trousers is comfort. Powell says, “I think comfort is a big factor, and fit has a lot to do with it; for example, someone on the more petite side would probably not wear the same silhouette as someone very tall,” and adds, agreeing with the versatility of this piece of clothing, “I think there are a lot more – it is a very versatile piece. Categories you can wear a skirt for – a casual daytime outing, a work setting, a wedding.” Comfort is essentially a big incentive, but then per-

sonal taste also kicks in. Kane says, “It’s all about personal taste and what they feel comfortable wearing,” adding, “I don't wear skirts often, but when I do, I want it to have a great fit and be able to work as well on weekends as it does during the work week.”

Di Luzio is all about image and what we want to say with clothes, as she claims, “Dressing oneself to tell oneself.”

MANUFACTURING

The production of skirts needs to follow a very structured process. Kane explains, “We begin by sourcing fabrics, and then design patterns once we begin to see the prints and colors coming in,” and adds, “Every style has to go through a rigorous sampling and fitting process until it makes it on to the line.” Once orders from stores are placed, the season is planned out, and each piece is cut and sewn. Each style goes through an inspection to ensure the best quality possible, and is then tagged before heading to the stores. Smith designs and manufactures her ready-to-wear collection in the USA, in the heart of the Garment District in NYC, where she creates custom prints and uses the most luxurious European fabrics and works with the nature of the fabrics.•

01 MAX MARA 02 ALICE & OLIVIA 03 VERO MODA

Thanks

We at Work Style want to thank all the brands that have taken part in the article:

• Sanctuary Clothing. Marisa Ritts. USA

• Karen Kane. Karen Kane. USA

• Rebecca Taylor. Sara Powell. USA

• Kristina Ti. Veronica Di Luzio. Italy

• Milly NY. Michelle Smith. USA

• Ted Baker. Siobhan McGirr. UK

• Max Mara. Magnolia Laurenzi. Italy

• Alice and Olivia. Shana Hechler. USA

• Just Female. Sanne Brunse. Denmark

• Essentiel Antwerp. Hannah Lawrence. UK

• Vero Moda, Noisy May and Juna Rose. Isabel Boyschau Hansen. Denmark

HR EVENTS for Work

AGENDA 2014.1

REPORTCountry: UNITED KINGDOM

City: Manchester

What: Manchester HR Summit

Date: 27 February 2014

Who: Forum Events Web: forumevents.co.uk

The Manchester HR Summit 2014 was hailed as a resounding success by all who attended. It was held on the 27th February 2014 at the Midland Hotel, Manchester. The event saw over 60 delegates and 30 suppliers visiting and exhibiting from across the UK. The Manchester HR Summit’s proven format of pre-matched face-to-face meetings is beneficial because it exclusively targets only the most qualified buyers and brings them together with suppliers who are pertinent to their needs. The event focuses on productive one-to-one appointments, industry related seminars and multiple networking opportunities throughout the day to build valuable business relationships. The 2014 Manchester HR Summit was opened with a presentation by Suzanne Ross, a senior lecturer from Nottingham Business School, who discussed “Change-resilient leadership”. Further seminars throughout the event featured excellent and well-known speakers, including Stuart Chamberlain from Croner, author and employment law consultant, with a presentation entitled “Employment law in 2014: Where are we?” Paul Davies, personnel director, and Dave Burglass, head of learning, talent and new entry programs at Tesco Bank, hosted a seminar on “Building Our Bank... Celebrating our 5th Birthday!” Finally, Adam Burden from Hay Group spoke about “HR apps; a tipping point for HR tech adoption”. “It’s great to have organized meetings with organizations who have requested to meet with us,” said a representative of Saville Consulting. Some

of the confirmed HR professionals who attended were from companies including Baxi Heating UK Ltd, Burberry, Co-operative Banking, Co-operative Foods, Danwood Group, Iceland Foods, Kellogg’s, Late Rooms, Maplin Electronics, Santander, TalkTalk, Tesco Bank and Warburtons. The event was held in collaboration with several suppliers, including Aon Hewitt, Croner, De Montfort University, Hay Group, Mary Gober International, MidlandHR, Nottingham Business School, Red Letter Days, Reed Online Ltd, Smith & Henderson and XpertHR

Country: LUXEMBOURG

City: Luxembourg What: HR One Gala Date: 21 November 2013 Who: Farvest Web: gala.hrone.lu

Training and the Luxembourg HR community. Nicolas Schmit, minister of employment, labor and immigration, insisted on the importance of this annual meeting. This human resources event is crucial for sharing visions because, now more than ever human capital is a company's greatest asset. According to Schmit, the HR professional is an essential business partner for the company. Nicolas Schmit reminded attendees how important it is to create a favorable environment inside a company and in a global system. He also focused on education, orientation and training of future employees. A new generation of students needs to be guided in order to overcome the next employment market challenges. The industry sector still needs to be promoted but, most importantly, companies and administrations must work together to build an efficient system that will retain talents and promote Luxembourg's working places.

Changing the Face of HR. Thomas Edig, dep. chairman of the executive board, and member of the executive board, human resources, at PorscheAG, reminded to the audience that Porsche is an historical brand with its own strategy and, most importantly, its own values, which hadn't changed since 1948. As a matter of fact, the group has expanded considerably over the last decades, growing from about 10,000 employees in 2002 to more than 18,000 in 2013 while integrating the Volkswagen Group in 2012. This growth is also noticeable in the results of the group, reaching 2,439 billion euros in December 2012. To achieve this outcome, the group relies on strong values shared by every employee around the world: innovation and tradition, performance, exclusivity and design. Recruitment of young talents sharing Porsche's values. This strategy is a major challenge for human resources enabling growth, recruitment,

development and retention of qualified employees. Talent management is one of the most successful achievements of the group. The system, built by Thomas Edig, includes a strong relationship with the academic system but also a talent evolution inside the hierarchy. Every year, Porsche rewards 250 universty students of science and mathematics for their success. It also welcomes 500 young professionals as trainees in the service of their choice in the company. In this process, Porsche pays close attention to the male/female ratio. It is a matter of great importance for the Porsche Group to promote diversity within its employees and further develop its appeal to female workers. Over the span of two years, this program has been able to retain 80 percent of the talent. Now 75 percent of new recruits are former trainees, which ensures that they share the values of the group.

Re-skilling of HR. For Dimitri Ronsse, HR director at Husky, size doesn’t matter but HR innovation must be a priority on the agenda of the company. Nicolas Rasson, HR director and head of corporate administration at ING Luxembourg, reminded us that human resources management is one of those positions where you have the widest scope of skills under your control. Thus, outsourcing is a part of success. Your team must be built with specialists who can offer you the best expertise using their skills. Then you can have a clear view of each one of them and make the synthesis. Dimitri Ronsse, who insists on diversity in an HR team as he believes its members should come from different departments in which they previously specialized, shared this opinion.

HR Technology. On this point, the audience discovered two really different points of view. Grace de Latour, senior VP and corporate HR at SES, insisted that SES strongly believes in technology. In order to grow, you need HR information and quick access to it to maintain transparency and efficiency. On the other hand, Dimitri Ronsse believes that HR technology is important and we can learn a lot from it but, based on his own experience, he was disappointed most of the time. HR technology does not always deliver on its promises, especially if you consider the time and effort you have to invest in order to master it. For Ronsse, you need to invest in technology. The added value will be based on the questions you ask. You can have access to better analytics and efficiency if you clearly define what HR technology should bring you.

The HR community was invited to join a networking cocktail party before taking part in the Luxembourg HR Awards dinner during which the winners of the Luxembourg HR Awards were revealed.

LUXEMBOURG HR AWARDS WINNERS 2013

• HR MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Caroline LAMBOLEY, HR director, BDO

• YOUNG HR TALENT OF THE YEAR

Sonia OLIVEIRA, HR partner-HR project, University of Luxembourg

• BEST INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Ampacet represented by Julian TROIAN, HR director EMEA

• SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE HR INITIATIVE AWARD

Loyens & Loeff Luxembourg S.a.r.l, represented by Véronique HOFFELD

• HR TEAM OF THE YEAR

CFL Multimodal represented by Sylvie NOTARNICOLA, HR dir.

• BEST CHANGE MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Ajilon HR Solutions

BEST COMPENSATION & REWARDS SOLUTION

SYMPASS

BEST HR STRATEGY FIRM

RH Expert

• BEST LABOR LAW FIRM

MNKS

• BEST LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS Luxembourg School for Commerce

• BEST PUBLIC PARTNER

TUDOR

• BEST RECRUITMENT SERVICES

DO Recruitment Advisors

• BEST TALENT MANAGEMENT FIRM

Hudson

• BEST HR TECHNOLOGY

HR Access Solutions

• BEST WORKLIFE BALANCE & WELL-BEING SER VICES Sécurité & Santé au Travail Luxembourg

UPCOMING

Country: OMAN City: Muscat

What: MENA HR in Oil and Gas Congress Date: 4 – 7 May 2014 Who: IQPC Web: hroilandgas.com

A look at most successful HR strategies around the globe to develop and retain staff in the oil and gas sector in order to support nationalization and economic development.The HR industry in the oil and gas sector is facing significant challenges in the region. Most of the technical managers of national and international oil and gas companies point out that, for technical advancements to be successful, availability of trained and competent employees is critical.

Country: CANADA

City: Toronto

What: Change Management 2014: Engaging the People, Managing the Process Date: 5 – 6 May 2014

Who: The Conference Board Web: conferenceboard.ca

Effective change management has become a core requirement for your organization,

and for you as a leader. You face many challenges, including global competition, new technology, a changing workplace and market demographics, and more. To respond effectively, you must become more agile, cut costs, invest in innovation, and create a resilient culture that embraces change, all while adapting to and adopting new technologies such as social media, cloud computing, and big data.

Country: USA City: Tulsa, OK

What: 2014 Oklahoma HR State Conference & Expo Date: 5 – 6 May 2014

Who: Oklahoma State Council for HR Management Web: okhrconference.com

Bringing the conference and expo to downtown Tulsa will allow conference vendors and attendees alike to see Tulsa's BOK Exposition Center for themselves and experience the urban revitalization that is well underway while taking advantage of the distinctly urban-designed hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues in the burgeoning business and entertainment districts of Tulsa. We look forward to seeing you!

Country: AUSTRIA

City: Vienna

What: HR Minds Forum Date: 15 - 16 May 2014

Who: GLC Web: globalleadingconferences.com

In the 21st century’s unfollowable pacing economic climate, businesses have to drive new ways of working and react quickly and efficiently, and so it is essential for HR to do the same. Organizational readiness has become the biggest competitive advantage and HR has become the leader of this transformation. We are saying goodbye to the old ways of seeing the relationship between finance and HR, putting the emphasis on flexibility and efficiency instead of cost-cutting. With the 24/7 pace of constant meetings, incoming calls and emails, people tend to feel as if they are kept from doing their real work, and this is where HR comes in. While feeling tested every moment, employees need to adapt to new working practices and feel engaged with the corporate objectives.

As the biggest asset today is the power of human capital, leaders are to be found at every level of the organization, mostly driven by job satisfaction when it comes to production and creativity.

The will to win the talent war has become a key business priority, while corporates have to update internal methods of work with the technological breakthroughs of today to stay in the game.

Country: GERMANY

City: Berlin

What: European HR Directors Summit Date: 19 – 20 May 2014

Who: WTG Events Web: eurohr.eu

The European HR Directors Business Summit will feature the most successful European practices to help you deliver on people, productivity and profits by aligning the HR function to meet the future needs of the business. The annual European HR Directors Business Summit has been designed for senior HR directors with a European or international remit and provides the ultimate platform for you to come together to network and to share best practices.

Country: USA City: Chicago, IL

What: 15th HR Shared Services & Outsourcing Summit Date: 19 – 21 May 2014

Who: IQPC Web: hrssoutsourcing.com

This event showcases practical sessions that provide actionable takeaways, unmatched benchmarking opportunities and fresh perspectives relating to HR shared services best practices. Join us in Chicago this May to make new connections, strengthen your existing professional network and exchange proven strategies for success with the industry’s brightest minds.

Country: LUXEMBOURG City: Luxembourg

What: HR Factory Date: 3 June 2014

Who: Farvest Web: hrfactory.lu

The HR Factory Luxembourg 2014 aims to gather the key decision-makers of the HR sector. The event is organized by HR One, the Luxembourg HR Community, founded in 2002, which brings together about 6,000 HR decision-makers. An original structure with a day of keynotes and panels in plenary sessions interspersed with expert masterclasses and networking sessions make this summit essential for reaching a targeted audience of HR professionals.

Country: TURKEY City: Istanbul

What: Talent in Emerging & Growth Markets Date: 4 – 5 June 2014

Who: Tucana Global Web: tucana-global.com

Talent in Emerging and Growth Markets addresses the challenges faced in bringing a Western company to a non-Western market, and in harmonizing local culture and working practices with the demands of a global enterprise. This event will bring together global, regional and local leaders in talent, branding, recruitment and development to share their experiences, local knowledge and groundbreaking work in effectively acquiring and managing talented employees in new and growing markets.

HR EVENTS for Work

Country: USA

City: Orlando, FL

What: SHRM Annual Conference and Expo Date: 22 – 25 June 2014

Who: Society for HR Web: annual.shrm.org

The most comprehensive and relevant professional development programs for HR professionals for the best price on the market. Plan now to attend and experience this one-of-a-kind educational opportunity to network with your peers, challenge your mind and learn tools, tips and techniques that you can apply immediately back at work.

Country: USA

City: Anaheim, CA

What: California HR Conference Date: 23 – 25 July 2014

Who: Professionals In HR Association Web: cahr14.org

In today’s economy, you have to justify every dollar you spend, including the money and time to attend the California HR Conference® by the Professionals In Human Resources Association. You also need to stay competitive in today’s market. By investing in attending the California HR Conference®, you can benefit your organization by advancing and fine-tuning your skills, finding new ways to cut costs and gain important new leadership skills. If you need

to gain approval for your travel and professional development costs, follow these guidelines to gain support from your supervisor.

Country: USA

City: San Antonio, TX

What: Annual Conference & Expo 2014 Date: 28 – 30 September 2014

Who: College and University Professional Association for HR Web: cupahr.org

The annual conference is the place where higher education HR professionals can make connections that last a lifetime. It’s where they find support from their peers. After all, there’s no one better to understand their challenges. The conference not only provides the critical knowledge and resources HR professionals need but also inspires improvement and spurs change on.

Country: MEXICO

City: Cancun What: HR Leaders Exchange Mexico Date: 1 – 3 October 2014

Who: IQPC Web: hrleadersmexico.com

It is important for HR leaders to recruit the best talents for their companies and to ensure the strategic growth of the same. This can be challenging

because retaining talent is also part of the job of HR executives. Among the topics to be discussed at the event are leadership, talent acquisition and retention, training and employment development, and other issues affecting HR executives. HR Leaders Exchange Mexico will serve as a headquarters for HR executives in Mexico where they can meet, share ideas, compare and discuss solutions to real problems, offering corporate, interactive learning opportunities for prequalified professionals to obtain actionable information and improve the process of attracting talent.

Country: USA City: Phoenix, AZ What: Chief Human Resources Officer Exchange Date: 26 – 28 October 2014 Who: IQPC Web: chro-exchange.com

CHRO Exchange offers a variety of unique learning styles and sessions that you can select from to build a customized itinerary that reflects your current initiatives, priorities, and future strategic objectives. During our various Conference Sessions, BrainWeaves, MasterClasses and Roundtables we will be discussing topics such as maintaining your HR technology systems in an era of permanent change, how to win among the generations through 2020 as millennials move into leadership, and workplace flexibility and telework: balancing the metrics.

Your window on the evolving working world.

You can subscribe online with a click, visit workstyleshop.com

Paper

Ask for a free issue of Work Style

If I like it, I’ll receive 3 more issues (a total of 4 in all) for just 36,00 Euro (+ tax). That’s a savings of 35% off the newsstand price!

PDF

Ask for a digital copy of Work Style If I like it, I’ll receive 3 more issues (a total of 4 in all) for just 24,00 Euro. That’s a savings of 57% off the newsstand price!.

Special Report Drawing Jobs

By MT

Job Illustrated

Stereotypes start, it is inevitable. They start by exasperating, sometimes in an exaggerated and generalized way, the characteristics of a nation and its people, a profession or famous person. However funny stereotypes can be, they should be treated with extreme caution.

STEREOTYPE

In the trades, for example, a doctor is always represented in a white coat with a stethoscope around their neck, an icecream vendor is always represented as dressed all in white and a judge is always represented with a white wig, a wooden hammer and a black tunic, but is that always the case? Certainly not, but alas, this is the collective imagination.

THE NEAPOLITAN TRADITION Stereotypes are easily discernible in the famous Neapolitan crib, a traditional and globally renowned nativity scene characterized by statues representing people in traditional trades. The result is an easy identification of the figures in the scene. This crib is, as Amedeo Mango, treasurer of Corpo di Napoli, says, “A perfect mechanism.” Everything is placed, postured in a very specific way to represent something, Mango explains. “For example, Saint Joseph represents faith, humili-

STEREOTYPES BY JUNO

Juno Calypso is a UK photographer. She explains, “I recently began working with self-portraiture, which led to the creation of a character named Joyce. Within elaborately staged large format photographs I draw upon personal experience to perform critical studies into modern rituals of beauty and seduction. Objects once perceived as radical, innovative, fun and nutritious have become joyless and oppressive.”

ty, paternity and hard work as well as old age and fatigue. He’s the father par excellence and he’s always portrayed as an older man. Or again, the washerwoman is always portrayed near a fountain; the water is often combined with purity, and so is the washerwoman. Another example lies in the grinder, a figure representing time and the eternal return. The innkeeper as well as the butcher represent the Devil, the first because by tempting pilgrims it prevents them from reaching the nativity, seen as the light, and the second due to the cruelty of his job that brings animals to death.”

Neapolitans also have another tradition that was invented by the Di Virgilio family, who are updating the art of handcrafting the nativity scene’s statues. They build statues of characters that come from the worlds of politics, showbusiness or the news. In 2012, Berlusconi was represented as a baby in a suit in Beppe Grillo’s arms. Lucio Dalla, a fa-

mous Italian singer who died in 2013, was represented by a much smaller statue (because he was short) wearing a skullcap and with wings; and Francesco Schettino, the commander of the Costa Concordia, which sunk by the Isola del Giglio (literally the island of the lily) was represented in his uniform wearing a duck-themed life belt. Genny Di Virgilio, the current owner of the family’s shop, says, “I listen to the news and add some irony to it to create my statues. A statue of 30 cm costs approximately 400 euros and requires 20 days to be finished.”

NEW EMERGING JOBS

Stereotypes can be funny when they are not offensive. Nowadays new jobs have taken a space in the job market, with the advent of the Internet and of social media. Today we see social media managers, web analysts, project managers and Wall Street brokers. Illustrator Luciano Bernasconi, who has been com-

Photos by and courtesy of J. Calypso.

missioned to draw tiles depicting crafts, says, “It's complicated to create designs for these new trades because they are not characterized,” and adds, “These are more brain jobs, and give little incentive to drawing.” According to Bernasconi, however, something can be conceived and illustrated. For example, a financial analyst in the stock market may be represented as a guy who yells in Wall Street, surrounded by others who, just like him, yell as well.

Speaking about the Neapolitan crib, Mango says, “Professions represented in the crib recall those of the eighteenth century, according to a functional precept representation of good and evil, life and death, hope and disappoinment,” and adds, “New jobs such as the project manager could be represented as a symbol of hope and disillusion, of good or bad depending on the objectives they pursue through their work.”

THE FEMALE WORLD

Juno Calypso, an artist, explains, “In my work, the stereotypes that I became interested by were female job roles that had become stereotyped by the adult industry. Nurses, air stewards, office workers, and so on.”

Somewhere along the line these uniforms became replicated and sold in mass quantity in fancy dress shops and sex shops. They became a symbol of mainstream sexual desire, she says, “Although it wasn’t too long before they too became a tired cliche. A cliche of a cliche. A dull staple at the back of Ann Summers.”

When a woman’s career is reduced to just another potential sexual servant it undermines a woman’s own desire; to aid the sick, to explore the world, to run a business. The problem isn’t sexual fantasy. The problem is that when the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred women are left with very little

Luciano Bernasconi is an Italian illustrator born in Rome. He started collaborating with Carlo Cedroni at 20 after a brief stay in Brazil. He found fame when collaborating with Peppino De Filippo, with whom he invented Pappagone. In 1967 he draws the Ciccio and Franco comic series, inspired by the duo of comedians from Palermo. He currently works for Fisietto and drew the 3rd issue of the noir comic The Dead. He has drawn the professions, of which we see a sample in these pages, strongly based on stereotypes related to jobs.

All illustrations are by and courtesy of Luciano Bernasconi.

02 The accountant 03 The cardiologist 04 The cooper [W lucianobernasconi.com]

power to shun the stereotypes forced upon them. Calypso says, “I recently read about a female welder who, every time she turned up to a job, would hear people comment ‘Who ordered the stripper?’ It’s awful.”

So perhaps stereotypes begin with an iconic uniform, a pill-box hat or a pair of heels, but if we look closer, beyond the thinly woven layer of harmless sexual frivolity, “There is a dark stain of misogyny soddening these clothes and the women who wear them into symbols of subservience instead of professional achievement, which is why the end of a stereotype won’t be made by wearing trousers to work but by improving how our society chooses to treat women.”•

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

By MIRKO NESURINI

An Ongoing Journey

After the publication of the book Rules and Passion, the story of the fascinating world of horses continues with five new visits to as many stud farms in Spain and around the world.

In the book Rules and Passion (available in our online shop for 24 euros) we have focused our attention on a series of key points. One is the need for patience to work and live in this industry.

It is from patience that the work we had left last November, after the successful presentation at SICAB (the PRE horse fair in Seville) where the photos of authentic quality taken by Roberto Benzi and Paolo Mazzo were highly appreciated and where the documentary was shown for the first time, starts again.

BEYOND PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos are a filter to tell facts. They are aligned one after the other and build a coherent plot between people, places and products. This triad that is created doesn't allow the elements to divide. They stay together and support each other.

THE CULTURAL BINDING AGENT

The great difference we have found between those professionals we are used to interviewing in big cities and those we meet in the farms is serenity. We don't want to tell you the same old story about how life in cities makes us all stressed while in the countryside we work outside and we are therefore well.

The environment is a facilitator, but not the interpretation of work. The cultural glue between all breeders we met is passion, in a context made of rules that survive due to the enormous patience of people.

PATIENCE

Patience can be observed from different perspectives, just like an image through a prism brings back many coup d'oeils. We were struck by two faces of the prism, two ways of conceiving patience.

Patience is a virtue without which horse breeding is impossible. The first kind of patience is found in the time necessary for gestation, growth, and doma. The second is patience for repetitiveness. Horses are delicate animals; they eat three times a day, and they are very refined in what they eat. They expect to live in a big and clean stable, hence they are a big emotional weight for those who breed them. Without the patient repetitiveness of daily gestures, the horse doesn't live well and consequently the breeder loses their game with success.

THE LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE

It is apparent that the patience we spoke about has a mid- to long-term perspective with no guarantee of success. Mendel has taught us some things about genes; at the end of the lecture he even told us that nature is uncertain and oddly mischievous. You may expect a champion from two excellent horses and for some reason you get a stupid or ugly horse. With the same degree of doubt, nature is able to play the inverse joke in respect of what we described.

THE ENTRANCE BARRIER

In terms of human resources and career choice for people who intend to get into this world there is only one serious obstacle; other challenges can all be overcome. The barrier to entrance is the will to start down a mid- to long-term path that is highly demanding, and doesn't do favors for anyone, as well as not guaranteeing success in economic and visibility terms.•

02 Paolo Mazzo is a photographer who specializes in architecture. He has exhibited in the best galleries and has worked with some of the world's archistars.

03 Mirko Nesurini, is a branding specialist who has worked with many Fortune 500-ranked companies all over the world. Here shown with Jaime Guardiola.

01 Roberto Benzi is a photographer and videographer with a career in the editorial industry. He has published his works in many magazines.

A common project by:

Breeders for passion.

04 Jaime Guardiola is a breeder and owner of the Yeguada Guardiola Fantoni, family-run farm since 1888. The animals are kept at the Ranch "El Pinganillo" in Utrera (Seville). The family cultivates cereals and breeds PRE horses as well as bulls. Mr. Guardiola has been a famous torero.

05 Miguel Ángel de Cárdenas is a breeder and owner of the Ganadería Cárdenas. His lands are dedicated to agriculture, but primarily to breeding PRE horses for competition. His animals are found at the San Pablo ranch in Écija (Seville).

06 Vicente De La Escalera is one of the sons of breeder José Luis De La Escalera, owner of the Yeguada de la Escalera. They form part of a very prestigious family of breeders for more than 300 years. Their horses are kept at the Pozo Santo (Holy Well) ranch located in Fuentes de Andalucía (Seville). 07 Enrique Lovera is a breeder and current manager of the Yeguada Lovera, which he inherited from his grandfather and father. His ranch is a heavenly place surrounded by olive trees. The farm is located in Santaella (Cordoba). 08 The Book Rules and Passion (ISBN: 978-88-906114-0-7). Cover price 24 Euros, Published by GWH (SA).

Path 2014

We will meet 5 breeders. Reports are built starting from a common origin: a story of people who breed horses in fantastic workplaces.

In this issue: 1. Yeguada Guardiola 2. Yeguada José Luís De La Escalera 3. Ganadería Cárdenas 4. Yeguada Ayala 5. Yeguada Lovera

On the dedicated website workandpassion.com you can also have a look at the reportages we did in France at the Elevage Garcialagos and in Belgium at the Yeguada Alegria.

The images of the reports are published on the same site just next to the images of the book Rules and Passion.

During the Spring of 2014 we'll run 2 photographic exhibitions with the images of the book.

At Equisur 2014 from May 15 to May 18 in collaboration with IFECA Jerez.

In Vejer de la Frontera during the summer 2014 in collaboration with Club Hipico La Mimbre and Ganadería Sarmiento.

Ethiopia Africa

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

Guardiola 1888

The Guardiola Fantonis are a family of breeders and farmers who own enormous tracts of land where they grow cereals and breed bulls and horses. Cereals have certainly been a central element, but during the interview with Jaime Guardiola, he simply said that the land is good and well irrigated. On the other hand, Guardiola's eyes lit up when he started talking about his horse stock, truly unique and recognizable, but most of all when he started telling the fascinating story of his perfomances as a torero. The stereotype of these Spanish noble land owners outlines baroque subjects, who are not too prone to hard work and enjoy life surrounded by servants. In reality Guardiola is completely different from the stereotypes. First of all he has known the tragedies of life, losing three brothers in dramatic circumstances. After his law degree he started managing a complex farming and breeding enterprise. Moreover he has also looked bulls in the eye during the corrida. For us foreigners, the story of bulls and bull fights, its epic gestures and the death of the animal, causes mixed feelings of horror and compassion. Frankly it's an absurd sport and I hope this won't offend our Spanish friends. We can understand one thing: it is a sport that requires courage, passion and compliance with many rules; it is not for sissies. The bull when seen up close is a scary animal, a bulk of nimble muscles that leave you no way out. Jaime Guardiola is not an aggressive man, au contraire, he is the display of “nobility” and for this reason we forgive him for the sport he loves so much.•

The aristocracy of breeding represented by a relaxed human.

01 Don Jaime Guardiola

Dominguez with horse Victorioso XIV (2003) with Javier Fuentes Muñiz

02 Emilio Ale González with broodmare Campanera LV (1999) Young Spanish Champion at SICAB 2003 and curious foal

03 Emilio Ale González with Cantinero CXXXIV (2010)

04 The entrance of the ranch El Pinganillo

05 José Ramos Jimenez riding Campano VII (2008) in doma vaquera

06 José Ramos Jimenez riding Victorioso XIV (2003) in the track

07 Bull Bravo Lidia from the ranch El Toruño

08 Javier Fuentes Muñiz

09 Carlos Colado Carmona working in the stables

10 Javier Fuentes Muñiz with horse Victorioso XIV (2003)

11 Javier Fuentes with horse Victorioso XIV (2003)

12 Emilio Ale González with Celemina (2001)

Guardiola's horses. The most appropriate word we have decided to adopt for Guardiola's horses is "clean". They are recognizable in the Spanish line, nothing exceeds between height and shape. Everything appears to be perfectly balanced. Genetics has established all fundamental tracts, thanks to a carefully looked-after mating process. Buying a Guardiola horse means making provisions for an excellent reproducer, or a strong mother that will give birth to excellent foals. The work. Skills here are kept by a narrow family circle. The historic mayoral of the Guardiola's Pepe José Ramo has given his place to his son Antonio. The people who work with horses in the classic doma as well as in the doma vaquera were born and brought up a few steps away from the stable. Trying to pick up the tricks of the job is impossible. Here there are no formulas or industrial processes, but only the experiences of many generations that are worth as much as a secret kept in a safe.

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

The Brothers De La Escalera

José Luis, a photography aficionado, is the extroverted communicator of the house. Vicente, the rider, is the introverted organizer. José Luis drifts away from the stereotype of the Andalusian breeder of an ancient family: he's creative. Vicente seems to come out of a Velázquez' painting of the 18th century. He is a typical Spanish man, both in appearance and gait. The 300 years of documented history of this family is apparent in their PRE horse at coup d'oeil that maintains the baroque shapes of yore. Straight muzzle, considerable height, powerful, both in male and female horses. The horse of the De La Escalera brothers is less aestethic than the horse bred by their cousin Manuel Novales De La Escalera. This branch of the family looks for animal functionality in competitions of classic doma. Their farm in Fuentes de Andalucia is called Pozo Santo (Holy Well), but water, during summer when temperatures reach 40 degrees, is scarce. Buildings are ancient; it is the location of the original brand. When in 1973 the De La Escalera families separated, the son José Luis kept his father's lands while the daughter Maria Fernanda joined her husband Novales nearby. The workforce is limited. The father, his two sons and a couple of trusted employees who have been living with the family for years. The doma is outsourced with collaboration with the Real Maestranza de Caballería in Ronda. These collaborations define the importance of these horses. At SICAB 2013, the horse Curioso JLE has won the classic doma competition.•

Three hundred years of horse breed selection within the same breeding family.

01 Josè Luis de la Escalera, co-owner

Vicente de la Escalera, co-owner

Manuel Tirado with mare Voluntaria JLE (2010)

Yard establishment

Facilities

Manuel Tirado with horse Chulo JLE

Chilena V (1993) with Sevillana JLE (2007)

Broodmares drinking at the waterwheel

Milagrosa XVI (2001) with her filly Curiosa JLE (2014).

Vicente riding Tormento II

Broodmares galloping

Highlights

The mayoral Manuel Tirado is a well known individual in the sector, as a result of his 30 years' experience in presenting the farm's horses in competitions. Functionality here means perfect movements, therefore a mix between genetic predisposition and breeding. The functional horse is not always the best on a morphological level. In these terms the horses of this branch of the De La Escalera family are higher at the withers (165-170 cm), with chestnut coats (for 300 years) with a notable muzzle and a linear profile. The muscle structure is powerful in both male and female specimens. Matings are done with stallions of the same line, and sometimes external champions. The broodmares seem like twins, foals are all similar to one another. The strength of this line is the coherence of the shape and the chestnut coat. Getting out of the car in Fuentes de Andalucia in July and August is like walking into an oven. The heat doesn't allow you to waste time gazing at the landscapes. In one of the slowest places in Europe, you must take photos in the shadow. Our interview with the De La Escalera brothers starts this way and continues in the same manner. Calmness. Agitation. Calmness. Agitation. A pattern that ends when finally the horses go out to the pasture, Vicente leaves for a professional training course, even forgetting to say goodbye (he will do it kindly later on) and José Luis opens the photograph album and talks about his passion.

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

Cárdenas and Fuego

Mister Cárdenas is plain-spoken. Determined and clear in the presentation of his activity. The story of the family (the more recent one) starts with a clever financial move of his grandfather that gave him a lot of money to invest. The capital was used to buy land and start the breeding farm. Thanks to these events at the beginning of the 1940s, the family wound up with prosperous land for farming and the opportunity to grow and consolidate the facilities dedicated to horse breeding. The activity of this business today is a mix between agriculture, breeding and competition in classic doma. A new indoor training track for the classic doma (the real speciality and passion of the house) has been recently inaugurated.

Cárdenas doesn't waste too much time talking about agriculture, as for the type of horses he breeds it is enough to look at them. They are all alike, very handsome. The cobra (group of females who move in line, just like in the photos in these pages) is magnificent. Ninety-nine percent of the topics dicussed by the owner are dedicated to horse breeding for competitions.

Employees move around the owner; just like in every farm the hierarchies are flat. The man who paints the fences, the mayoral dressed to the nines, the two house riders, the guy working the tractor, they are all on the same level, they all work together for the same goal. A thought comes to mind: perhaps if this was done in big corporations and in the tertiary sector where managers have often never been down to the lab, our economies would improve. In this kind of work setting, the relevant thing is the humility with which jobs are carried out.•

Mister Cárdenas and Fuego look like two old friends sitting on a bench looking at the landscape, while they exchange jokes regulated by the routines of a lifetime.

01 Don Miguel Ángel de Cárdenas with horse Fuego de Cárdenas (1998)

02 Vicente Jesús Jurado Díaz with the horse Pálpito Mac (2005)

03 José Ramón Tirado García holding a saddle

04 Juan Manuel Priego Gómez standing on a tractor wheel

05 Daniel Pérez Calvo dressed in typical clothing

06 Antonio Ceballos González painting the facilities

07 Daniel Pérez Calvo handling a cobra performance

08 A cobra performance

09 Daniel Pérez Calvo handling a cobra performance

10 José Ramón Tirado García riding Quisquilloso Mac (2006)

Key points

Cárdenas breeds dapple-gray horses known for their excellent functionality. The house champion is Fuego, who attended the last Olympics in the Spanish team. Looking at him, in his stable, with his jacket embroidered with the house brand, he seems an elegant sir with a cashmere cardigan. One of many sirs, who are well combed, anonymous but neat. The story changes when you see him on the track. Even non-experts understand that in there Fuego is a maestro. It looks like he's flying, his steps are graceful and strong. His harmony with the rider is perfect. The rider, follows Fuego from time immemorial. On a professional level the role of the jinete with the horse reflects the dynamics of a dance duet. One doesn't exist without the other. Even if, it should be said, the quality of the horse is essential for the success of the performance. In this sector, the profession of the rider is the one with the most rules to follow. Repetitiveness, regularity (themes and gestures), patience to help the horse grow. The horse is an animal with a great memory that needs to be stimulated with repetitive and precise gestures. It is like learning a poem: when you have learnt how times turn, what's the meaning of the text, then you'll remember it and never forget it.

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

Ayala Screams

The visit to the Ayala stud farm started with an intense auditory experience. It is the owner who, in the middle of a green field, screams like crazy. Soon he is joined by his horses. He tells us that every breeder has their own way to relate to the animals; the final goal is to calm them down, make them feel the human presence.

The breeding farm is on a 120-hectare property divided into fenced pastures. In spring horses live by eating the grass, in summer they rest under the eucalyptus trees. Ayala, unlike all other breeders we have met, is the founder of the farm. A man with clear ideas and the physique for this type of activity. We don't know if he has the patience this sector requires, but only time will tell. For now he has rushed into all things, imposing his name in the main competitions. Ayala, together with his four daughters, manages a representative business of products for equitation as well as the farm.

The workforce employed with the horses is limited. A couple of men take care of nutrition and taming. Occasional services (veterinarian, blacksmith) are provided by external collaborators. The most important point for businesses like this is marketing. This subject is "home-made", without big structures dedicated to the topic as in other organizations around the world. Nonetheless, goals are consistent. Where can customers be found for this number of products? How can economic values be defined? Is there a benchmark analysis?

The answers remain a mystery to us, not only for this company, but for all the companies in the industry.•

Hearing him without an adequate introduction makes you worry, but then you realize that the aim of those screams is to calm the herd down.

01 Rafael Ayala Muñoz, owner

02 Hay in the shadow of a tiled roof

03 The entrance to the stud farm

04 Wheelbarrow and hay near the stables

05 Wooden stables

06 Herd of horses in the pasture

07 A chestnut, dapple-gray and white horse in the shadow

08 Green field

09 Horses free in the fields

10 Álvaro Maestri, stableboy

11 Ernesto Tejero, stableboy

12 Broodmare with her foal on soil

13 Broodmare with her foal in the field

The Ayala line is relatively recent. It is not a historic breeding farm but was founded in 1985 by Rafael Ayala. The farm has won a lot both at SICAB as best breeder in 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010 and in other competitions in Spain. The trophy room is truly impressive. The farm at one point had 600 specimens, today there are 200, 75 of which are broodmares used for reproduction. Mating takes place in freedom. This means that a stallion is given 20 or 30 broodmares and the task to entertain himself with them in January and May. From the different lots - as these small herds are called - available for a stallion, after 11 months the season's foals are born. The original line comes from a great Guardiola horse, Educado X. Horses are both dapple-gray and chestnut. In this farm there is no difference, the only important thing is the quality of the horses. For many years in Spain quality was concentrated in dapple-gray horses for numerical reasons. Dapple-gray specimens were much more common than chestnut ones, and the species selection is also a matter of numbers. Today the difference in numbers of dapple-gray and chestnut horses is less, therefore the qualitative discriminant doesn't exist anymore. The farm's business is the sale in Europe and the world of untamed horses that are around 3 years old.

Special Report Following Rules and Passion

Lovera Surrounded by Olive Trees

The distinctive element of this breeding farm is its location, right in the middle of an enormous plantation, looked after to perfection, as if olive trees were bonsai. The central building, where the horses live, is in the center of an articulated facility that develops around a square where we did the photo session. In this agora the stables of broodmares meet those of foals, as well as the big stall of male horses, the country house, the barn and behind the corner the representative places with the huge trophy room and the indoor track. Enrique Lovera is the current manager, son and nephew of the previous managers. The mayoral worked with his dad and the mayoral's son now works under Enrique and has his father as a superior. A bind that grants continuity in management, innovation and perhaps that makes this working world closed on itself.

Seeing them move, father and son, the helper and Enrique seem one; very few words and many gestures. A foal was the only thing able to mar a visit that in all other ways would have seemed way too perfect; his age: a couple of months. Following his mother, attached to the cobra, he went crazy and was up to all sorts of things. He unleashed all of his energy and it was at this point that we were able to see the organizational machine function. The mayoral, when the cobra separated under the pressure of the foal's playtime in the indoor track with a stallion waiting to be photographed, calmly and firmly didn't say a word; he just stopped everyone. He moved independently and with strong and firm gestures re-established calmness. A great example of leadership that is done with simple and decisive gestures.•

The stud farm is hidden between olive trees and reaching it means negotiating a difficult path between the rows created by the work of man.

01 Olive trees at the Lovera's farm 02 The young foal in his playtime, son of Solera 03 Pedro Mata, mayoral with a cobra 04 Cristóbal Mata, rider 05 José Luis Alcantara, stableboy and stud farm attendant 06 Enrique Lovera, owner 07 Divisa Lovera with her nosey son peeking through 08 The beverage room at Lovera's 09 Typical Andalusian architecture at the Yeguada Lovera 10 The Lovera's barn 11 A wheelbarrow to carry hay 12 Cristóbal Mata with horse Desafío Lovera (2011) 13 Cristóbal Mata with horse Navegante XVIII (2000)

Lovera's horses. Lovera's Norte is the champion of the farm. Currently he's one of the leading horses of the Spanish national team who participated in the World Equestrian Games in the USA in 2010 and in the European Championships in 2011. The dapple-gray coated line started at the end of the 1800s and has attributes of nobility and versatility. Because of the quality of the genetic line, the farm offers the market the system of reproduction of embryos for the great champions of the house. Lovera's Norte, unlike other functional horses, has a past as a champion in morphology contests. He is therefore one of those cases where beauty and functionality come together.

Pure Spanish Horses of Carthusian bloodline. Salvador Cortés García is a breeding farm unique in its genre and characterized by coherence of its horses’ genetic line. The Carthusian horse is known for his wide movements, perfect functionality and for a tame character as well as for its dapple gray coat and elegant morphology. A Cortés horse is excellent for the professional rider, the breeder and the amateur who uses the horse in various disciplines.

Special Report Evergreen

By ROBERTO BENZI

Trades that Don't Change

An experiment that is relevant from the Middle Ages up to today brings to light not only the similarities in actions, but rediscovers what working together means.

TEAMWORK

The central point of this project of ours is to rediscover the similarities of teamwork. For many years organizations have been searching for the perfect group activity, in order to create and maintain a close team. After-work activities, parties, team-building initiatives, these were all the ideas.

At Guedelon Castle we have visited a huge instructive park for young people who are interested in discovering basic trades, those which can be learnt quickly and used to immediate effect. These are the old professions that are developed with recognizable tools: the bricklayer works with a trowel, the carpenter with a saw, the blacksmith with a hammer. Try to understand and draw the IT guy or the financial analyst!

THE GUEDELON CONSTRUCTION SITE

At the Guedelon construction site, kids learn and have fun. The idea began when a quirky businessman decided to build a castle using the construction model of the 13th century and medieval techniques. He hires able workers, some trained at the site, and many decide to participate for free as interns.

Around the initiative, he then built a touristic and instructive business that pays for the project. Bravo!

WORK CONDITIONS

There are around 70 people working at the site and they get into work at 9 am. At 12.59 they run to the canteen (for medieval meals that are simple, but nutritious). From 2 pm to 6 pm they go back to work and then leave and go home. They talk a lot about their work to the visiting kids so that they can learn on site.

The first curious element of these craftsmen of the learning-castle is their ability to provide an overall description of their specific role, as well as their role within a chain that goes from the raw material to the decorator. They know what they're doing, how they do it and what the fruit of their trades are for. Try asking to the 99 percent of workers if they can describe their profession specifically or their job within their productive chain.

TEAM BUILDING

What this peculiar construction site teaches is also the quality of the work environment, which is facilitated by the

super-relaxed rhythms, between a chat with schoolchildren and some work, done in shifts, all in all short ones and done in a magnificent place surrounded by nature. The climate, however, is based on awareness. Everyone there, as said, knows what to do; they discuss with each other how to complete tasks, they solve simple professional problems such as how to break a stone or square off an angle, all with a can-do attitude. In the evenings, when off or during holidays: to each their own.

JUST WORK

Well, drawing a conclusion and preaching morals is not nice; this magazine doesn't do that. However, it comes to mind that when work is simply work, particular alchemies are not necessary to build a positive climate, do team building or to create incentives through special activities and social life within the group. Work is an all-embracing and satisfactory activity.•

The castle is mid-way between Paris and Lyon and it can be reached by both public transport and car. The site is open from the beginning of April to the end of October. Timetables are published on the web-site www.guedelon.fr. For kids, the privileged visitors of the castle, it is possible to participate in practical workshops of stone-cutting, flooring and pottery, among other things. The entrance fee is 10 euros, kids from 5 to 17 years of age pay a reduced fee of 8.50 euros. Guided visits can be organized and food is available. The tools and construction techniques belong to the 13th century, and visiting the site means entering a working world that is entirely manual and where gestures are simple, repetitive, and coordinated on the different trades, which are at the same time perfectly integrated with one another.

Practical information on how to access Guedelon Castle

Philippe Delage (59) stonemason at Guedelon

In the greatest technological era, dominated by high tech instruments even at workplaces, at Guedelon castle you can see people working hard according to the Middle Ages’ rules. Nothing so distant from nowadays working experiences. But don’t take it for granted. Gestures, tasks and the working aptitude are still the same.

Elio Carmi (61) creative director at CarmiUbertis, Milan (Italy)

Thierry Beaupain (52) woodsman at Guedelon Giampiero Berni (42) lumberjack at Fratelli Zanetti, Croglio (Switzerland)

Florian Renucci (48) master-mason at Guedelon Stefano Guandalini (42) engineer at Pini Swiss, Lugano (Switzerland)

Laëtitia and Bruno, carters with Ardennais horse Kaboul

Vincent Granon (47) blacksmith — 02 Guillaume Glotin (31) stonemason — 03 Bruno Feval (43) tile maker — 04 Tito Brandano (50) tonemason —

Stéphane Boudy (43) carpenter — 06 Baptiste Fabre (28) stonemason — 07 Nicholas Touchefeu (33) carpenter — 08 Laëtitia Roux (38) carter —

Alexandre Hecker (31) quarryman/roofer — 10 Martin Claudel (26) blacksmith — 11 Didier Sirlin (56) guide —12 Thierry Darques (59) guide.

13 Pascale Massenet (48) stonemason — 14 Matthieu Rigo (35) quarryman/banker mason — 15 Abdelilah Abid (44) banker mason — 16 Jean-Paul Masseron (39) banker mason — 17 Peter Ginn (36) BBC television presenter — 18 Mélanie Baillet (32) stonemason — 19 Valérie Hurtault (44) pigments producer — 20 Eugène Kedara (48) banker mason — 21 Aymeric Guillot (34) guide — 22 Patrice Stephane (56) site foreman — 23 Elodie Michel (31) ropemaker — 24 Fabrice Maingot (39) stonemason.

Stonamasons working on the western curtain wall

Carpenters working at the carpenters' lodge

Vincent and Martin at the forge

FOOD for work

Lunchbox Cooking Test 2014

THE CHALLENGE

THE CHEF

To create in a matter of minutes a healthy packed lunch at home to enjoy later at the office.

MORENO CEDRONI, an Italian chef who holds two Michelin stars, has brought an avant-garde spirit to Italian cuisine. Born in Ancona in 1964, he opened his first restaurant, La Madonnina del Pescatore (regarded as one of the top 10 fish restaurants in Europe) in Senigallia, when he was only 20 years old.•

ELISA ALESSANDRA

THE CHALLENGE

Cooking the celeriac, lime purée and arugula sauce.

ALESSANDRA DEGANIS assists clients on matters on employment law and industrial relations. After earning her JD at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan in 2007, Ms Deganis received an LL.M with merit from Queen Mary University of London in 2012. Ms Deganis became a member of the Milan Bar in 2010.•

THE CHALLENGE

Cooking a soft omelet.

ELISA ROSATI assists clients with matters connected with the application of anti-laundering laws, data protection and anti-corruption programs. After earning a Masters degree at the Sole 24Ore in 2012, she got a Masters degree in fashion law in 2013 at Altalex. The course focused on design, copyrights and criminal law in the fashion industry.•

THE PROJECT

Moreno Cedroni prepared 8 recipes for Work Style (12/2013 issue) aimed at bringing tasty and healthy Italian cooking to the office. We wanted to put 8 business lawyers from Milan to the test. They opened their kitchen doors to us. Four of them are presented in the following pages, the other 4 will be published in the 14/2014 issue.

THE OBJECTIVE

We often forget that lunch is a fundamental appointment of the day, even when we work. Too many people eat a sandwich at the office or have a meal in the street. Only a few people take the necessary time to have a good meal. Taste starts with preparation, this is where the idea of the 8 recipes by Moreno Cedroni started. We wanted to encourage readers to deal with this important issue.•

AMALIA PIERLUIGI

THE CHALLENGE

Cooking tataki of white tuna, with sweet and sour quinoa, tuna sauce and Campari light broth.

AMALIA MUOLLO has specific expertise in urban planning and energy due diligence, notably in renewable energies and the urban and construction aspects of real-estate transactions as well as in the procedures to obtain government subsidies and in assisting, also in court, with the procedures to revoke subsidies.•

THE CHALLENGE

Cooking eggplant, tomato and burrata.

PIERLUIGI FRANZÒ has gained a long-standing experience in fiscal and financial matters, assisting many companies, banks and hedge funds on diverse and extraordinary national and international operations of purchase of corporations and of industry parks, as well as of corporate groups reorganizations.•

01 Moreno Cedroni — 02 Alessandra Deganis — 03 Elisa Rosati — 04 Amalia Muollo — 05 Pierluigi Franzò.

Alessandra Deganis cooks a very good celeriac, lime purée and arugula sauce

Wash a celeriac weighing around 500 grams, peel it with a peeler, slice it into 2 centimeter slices and boil in two liters of water with 12 grams of salt. Boil for 20 minutes until "al dente". Drain and put the slices in the fridge for a few minutes to stop them cooking, then warm a non-stick pan, pour in a drizzle of oil and braise the celeriac slices on both sides with a little bit of salt. Then flavor with a spoon of salmoriglio. For the salmoriglio, mince some rosemary and add to 50 grams of extra-virgin oil, sprinkle on some lemon juice and a pinch of salt. For the purée , simmer in water (without salt) 500 grams of potatoes and once cooked dry them, peel them, mash them and add 200 grams of diced butter, which will melt with the potatoes high temperature. Mix together with a whisk and add 100 grams of hot milk. Finally grate in the peel of a lime and add salt to taste. For the green sauce, put 50 grams of arugula in boiling water for a minute, drip it and whisk it with 100 grams of cooking water, then add 20 grams of extra-virgin oil and a pinch of salt. Make a base of the lime puree, place the celeriac slices on top and add some fresh arugula. Add the green sauce at the end.•

22 Alessandra's style 23 Moreno's style

CELERIAC, LIME PURÉE AND ARUGULA SAUCE.

Elisa Rosati cooks a sophisticated soft omelet

SOFT OMELET

For the omelet mix together 200 grams of egg, 80 grams yolk, 50 grams cream, 1 gram salt (06) and a pinch of white pepper. Peel 200 grams of Jerusalem artichokes, dice and cook in a liter of boiling water with 5 grams of salt for about 8 minutes. Take 200 grams of tomatoes, wash and slice them. Then put the tomatoes in a pan with 20 grams of extra-virgin olive oil and 10 grams of chopped white onion, add tomato paste, cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Warm a non-stick pan, heat up two teaspoons of tomato, pour in two-thirds of the eggs and allow to thicken. Take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the egg to keep the omelet soft. Add Jerusalem artichokes dices and minced parsley.

Artistic license in respect of the original recipe: potatoes were used instead of the Jerusalem artichoke in the original recipe because the product is currently out of season.•

TATAKI OF WHITE TUNA, WITH SWEET AND SOUR QUINOA, TUNA SAUCE AND LIGHT CAMPARI BROTH.

For the quinoa, cook 50 grams of quinoa and 6 grams of salt for about 20 minutes in a liter of water and then drain. Season with vinegar, sugar and salt mixed together. For the tuna sauce (05), stew 25 grams of carrots, 25 grams of celery and 25 grams of onion with 30 grams of extra-virgin olive oil over a low heat in a small covered saucepan. Then drain and cool down. Whisk together a tin of white tuna, desalted capers, anchovies in olive oil, and vinegar.

For the light broth, whisk together water, Campari, pink pepper, raspberry vinegar and a pinch of salt and then strain it. Clean and wash some tender salad. Briefly sear the white tuna fillet in a hot non-stick pan, marking all of the sides. Cool down and cut into slices. Place the quinoa at the bottom, add the tuna sauce and the white tuna slices. Place the light broth and salads on the side and add a little bit of salt.

Artistic license in respect of the original recipe: red tuna was used instead of the white tuna in the original recipe, an ingredient too difficult to find in Milan's shops.•

59 Amalia's style

60 Moreno's style

Amalia Muollo cooks a passionate tataki of tuna, with sweet and sour quinoa, tuna sauce and light Campari broth

Pierluigi Franzò cooks a Southern-style eggplant, tomato and burrata

EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND BURRATA

Slice 400 grams of eggplant into 5 cm slices. Heat a non-stick pan and switch to low heat. Place the eggplant in the pan and cover so that the steam will soften the vegetables. Cook it for around 10 minutes until it melts inside. For the sauce take 200 grams of tomatoes, wash them and cut them into slices, put 20 grams of extra-virgin oil and 10 grams of grated white onion in a pan, add the tomatoes, cover and cook for around 10 minutes. Add salt to taste and then whisk. Slice 10 grams of burrata. Flavor the eggplant with tomato sauce, burrata and basil.

Note: in this case the recipe included all the ingredients from the original one. The artistic element here was Mr. Franzò's great interpretation.•

75 Pierluigi's style

76 Moreno's style

Westende MIddlekerke Ostend

Koksijde Veurne

De Haan Blankenberge

France

Knokke-Heist Damme Gistel

Antwerp

Bruges

Jabbeke Diksmuide

Maldegem Beernem Ruddvoorde Torhout Tielt

Aalter Kortemark Houthulst

Ichtegem

Kaprijke Assenede Wachtebeke Evergem Zedelgem Wingene Deinze Izegem Zulte Waregem

Ghent Kortrijk

Gavere Poperinge Ypres Comines

Europe

Menen

Harelberke Ronse

Maarkedal Kain

Lille

Belgium Africa

Kalmthout Stabroek Brasschaat Schoten Berchem Ranst Zandhoven Nijlen Lier Berlaar Duffel

Oosterzele

Dendermonde

Zelzate Stekene Sint-Niklaas Lokeren Zele Bornem Laarne Wetteren Lokeren Aalst Asse Zottegem Ninove Oudenaarde Brakel Geraardsbergen

Frasnes-lez-Anvaign Enghien

Leuze-en-Hainaut Brugelette Peruwelz

Kontich Boom Willebroek Zemst

Merchtem

Mechelen Vilvoorde Jette Zaventem Herent

Brussels

Beersel Halle Tubize Braine-l’Alleud Nivelles Braine-le-Comte Soignies Beloeil Jurbise

Lessines Seheffe Manage Courcelles

Waterloo

Ath Binche Thuin

Tervuen Overijse Wavre Gembloux

Tournai Mons La Louvière Charleroi

Fleurus Frameries

Heist-op-den-Berg Sambreville

Gerpinnes Walcourt Florenne

Philippeville

Belgium

Fosses-la-Ville Mettet Beaumont Chimay Couvin

Brecht

Hoogstraten Ravels Turnhout Malle Zoersel Retie Lille Kasterlee Zandhoven Herentals Olen Geel Mol

Lommel Hamont Bocholt Bree Peer Meeuwen Leopoldsburg Meerhout Laakdal

Nijlen Berlaar Kirooi Maaseik Dilsen Beringen Zonhoven Diest Tremelo Aarschot Rotselaar Herent Leuven

Heist-op-den-Berg Genk Hasselt Herk-de-Stad Linter Tienen Sint-Truiden Landen

Overijse Wavre Gembloux

Wepion Sambreville Anhee Dinant

Florennes

Bilzen Lanaken

Aachen

Germany

Fosses-la-Ville Mettet Philippeville Hastiere Houyet

Maasmechelen Tongeren Waremme Hannut Braives Ramillies Eshezee

Vise Oupeve Herstal Henri-Chapelle Raeren Roetgen Eupen Verviers Trooz Seraing Huy Amay

Liège

Villers-le-Bouillet Fernelmont Andenne Ohey Modave Havelange Durbuy Hamois Ciney Manhay

Nandrin Spa

Esneux Sprimont Aywaille

Assesse Gesves Wellin Beauraing Gedinne Bièvre Paliseul Bertrix Bouillon Chiny Florenville Étalle Virton

Theux Jalhay Bütgenbach Amel St Vith Vielsalm

Hotton Marche-en-Famenne Rochefort Nassogne Tenneville Houffalize Bastogne Saint-Hubert Saint Ode Libin Libramont-Chevigny

Stavelot Gouvy

Arlon

Luxembourg City

Where to Work Country Guide Belgium

By FILIPPO DE BORTOLI

Innovation is the Answer

Low houses, gardens never too big, well groomed, the feeling of order together with the “countryside life” you would expect from a quiet country like Belgium, particularly once you come out from the urban conglomerate of Brussels and Antwerp. But so far this isn't news; it's just cliché…

The discovery lies in meeting people who, from the inside of firms, transmit the energy of a community even too humble − according to the citizens themselves, professionals, business people… the surprise is discovering that the Belgians don’t take themselves seriously, but are committed to work with great pragmatism and a sense of duty, going step by step towards an intense, strong innovation that is anchored to the practical sense of doing things well that everyone recognizes in a good artisan.

The gratitude for hosting European institutions (and the widespread prosperity that comes from this) is often accompanied by a sense of distance that is very marked, very similar to that which is breathed across the whole EU, especially when younger people get close to them.

In conversation the “Europe subject” is actually dismissed with great speed. It’s not an “issue” exactly, as it is not as serious as the tensions between the Flemish and Walloon people over the “national issue”.

INNOVATION AT FIRST

“Anticipating and focusing on innovation”: the motto of the Elia group seems to fit several companies based in Belgium looking for a “European vision” that could work as a key to enter the new millennium. A master key to live in the new time of globalization able to pierce through bones and marrow, with its conveniences and ever-present and pervasive standards of comfort, so strong as to dictate

increasingly often the guidelines for the “newcomers” in the job market. People immediately begin looking for a balance between work and private life, with the scale leaning towards this last one relentlessly…

It makes no sense to proceed with a linear tale to try to explain what kind of workplace Belgium is nowadays, but it’s more effective to go ahead with “hashtag”, useful to fix some coordinates to follow the thread of narration that focuses on this country, so close and at the same time so unknown. “Evolving” is the first word, precisely in the dynamic sense expressed by the gerundive. In the company that is the symbol of the Belgian electricity system, you can breathe a positive atmo-

sphere, an intangible perception of progress, of a community that moves forward. But not only that. To satisfy citizens’ expectations, which are getting higher and higher, explains Wim Strickx, HR manager of Elia Group. “Flexibility” is another keyword, a benefit often requested by employees and a good practice of many companies, a way of organizing business that works particularly well for Elia.

“It wasn’t easy to introduce a concept like this in a company which has shed its skin, passing through the sphere of ‘public’ par excellence (typical of the companies of public services and utilities) to a management more characterized by rules and procedures typical of private business.” The magic formula adopted by

Carole Jenssens, HR manager, Decathlon Belgium.

The company currently has an employment plan in full swing in the country, with 100 open positions in a development plan that aims to double the company's presence in Belgium by 2020.

[W decathlon.be]

All photos were taken by Luca Fenderico, Brussels, Belgium.

Two key factors that support the work environment in Belgium are job ethics and a great educational system, with a particular emphasis on multiculturalism.

Where to Work Country Guide Belgium

Elia is training; it puts everything in the right perspective. “Especially when you do it entering the reality of a community of street children,” explains Wim. Thanks to a partnership with an NGO as part of the company's CSR activity, employees will meet street children in Romania for a project called Mobile School. “We' ll go there in teams of 12. At first it will be a shock because managers think they're going to do something and then are struck by a completely different situation as they'll find themselves having to learn from the beginning, from basic values, standing in front of these boys.” According to Wim, this project helps because living on the street instills in people a very concrete approach where finding an immediate solution is a must. The project is also developing in Latin America and, as Wim claims, “It's not a joke, it requires a lot of motivation – the first quality we want to see in our managers.” In a social climate marked by the crisis, motivation is one of the most valuable currencies, because it’s not easy to face customers and public opinion much disposed to saying “no”, whether it’s a case of high-tension electric cable passing close to one’s home or

windmill blades to be installed some kilometers from the shore.

“It’s a contest influenced by a lack of inclination to say thank you, to pause on the well-done things, on the positive results, too easilily taken for granted, because it is easier to notice the errors,” – a little bit also because in this field the margin of error is often evaluated in human lives.

“But, in this way,” notes Wim, with a smirk on his face that leaves you in no doubt, “you risk not seeing a lot of work that is done well. The necessary approach we are looking for in our managers should arise spontaneously from the leader without the need to explain to them that they should appreciate their collaborators and workers more.”

In Kontich, about halfway between Brussels and Antwerp, in an ordinary row of houses with visible brickwork and sharp roofs, you can breathe the air of a place in which you could easily disappear from the world, even while remaining in conditions that are totally “civilized”. Another discovery, a “microcosm” to look at with attention – like all the realities that in controlled dimensions include a certain quality that it is necessary to pay attention

to. Realities that, once you look closely, demonstrate all their “normal exceptional nature” in the perfect operation of their gears.

A financial consultants’ life asks by its nature, flexibility: is there something more obvious and expected…?

PRIVATE AND WORKING LIFE: THE PERFECT TRADE-OFF

At Handson & Partners the trade-off between personal life and working life is a cornerstone in the organization of resources: from home training and trying to locate projects as close as possible to the consultants' homes to an intensive use of the most technological solutions (read mobile computing) in order to develop the most effective teleworking formulas. Everything is done to look at the job “in a very human way”. At the top of the list of the characteristics which distinguish this young company is the absolute desire to share knowledge and experience as well as mentality.

This is made simple by training and by creating occasions every month for getting together and sharing time in informal settings such as sport, events, parties…

Veerle Geysen, HR manager at Handson & Partners, a service provider with roots in one of the large audit and consultancy firms. Its services include ad hoc practical advice, temporary staffing and full outsourcing with no standard solutions, but custommade services thanks to its worldwide partner network. The company is headquartered in Antwerp.

Senigallia Italy

Andalucia Spain

Ethiopia Africa

La Lustrerie. Born in one of the endless French banlieues, at the age of 9 Eve Vaucheret (29 years old) moved to Brussels with her family of engineers. At 16 she had an eye-opener: her world would be made by porcelain. After a first refusal by her parents, she enrolled in the Ecole Superieure La Cambre, in Brussels, where she attended various courses, among them the manufacturing of ceramic. She learned the rudiments of porcelain manufacturing, in addition to some essential notions of management formation. She created a little laboratory at her parents’ home and her first achievements were soon to come, also using tam-tam and digital instruments. In 2012 she decided to buy a space at the exhibition center La Lustrerie, where she developed a great laboratory called Porcepolis: “the city of ceramic”, open to creative artists, graphic designers and illustrators. She now specializes in the creation of porcelain dolls, which will be exhibited at the Ceramic Event of Brussels in September.

01 - 02 Artwork details

03 The artist Eve Vaucheret

Where to Work Country Guide Belgium

what the technicians call “team bulding”. Here you get the feeling that it looks more like the “conviviality” of an informal structure with honest relationships, and for this reason it is strong.

Then every four years there is a “moment of truth” that in a fully transparent way makes it clear to everyone the state of projects, of customers, of instruments and so on… offering a panoramic view of “where the company is going”: an effective and immediate way to relaunch personal responsibility in conducting projects as well as to open a discussion on the issues that lie at the heart of the problems that an employee may have.

Second on the list is the need for professional training, internal and external, to be up to date. “Hands on” doesn’t refer to the founder’s name, but the proper idea of putting a finger in every pie.

It's not by chance that in the selection of new employees equal weight is given to a person's background, their technical skills and their personal attributes. It is important that they are dynamic, flexible and have good communication skills − fundamental “soft skills” needed to deal with customers. “In my job,” explains Veerle

Geysen, HR manager, Handson & Partners, “There is a strong psychological component evaluating attitude, the ‘sentiment’ our consultants have when they work.” Third on the list – and it seems to be a credit order, not a fortuitous placement – comes remuneration made up of a significant package including salary and benefits.

Traveling along Belgian streets, it becomes clear how the economic aspect has got its weight, not secondary of course, but not so decisive.

This is reminiscent of the ongoing experiment by Rudiger Fox to apply the concept of “Gross National Happiness“ to companies.

IN THE NAME OF HAPPINESS

The lively energy of the light reflects on the white walls spread out in a space that matches the name of the agency in it: “Happiness”, a program of life and work firstly, then the name of one of the most interesting communication agencies in Belgium. “It’s much more than a promise,” explains, Karen Corrigan, energetic and brilliant CEO.

The comfortable lemon-yellow sofa and

the even more inviting massage sessions that the agency offers for free once a month to all its employees (who are in fact taking turns on the table during the whole conversation with TWSM) are all there as proof of the sacrosanct principle that happy people do great work. Here is the flip side of the equation: doing great work makes people happy. Boys' and girls’ faces (average age between 20 and 25, the creative director is 31) speak for themselves. “People love staying in a place warmed up by light, well lit, where they can feel at home… Indeed, here the familiar form is reproduced by different generations, between most ‘paternal' and 'maternal’ figures and others more ‘filial’, in a reciprocal relationship of giving and having.” Happiness is a house open to the world. The different cultures, races and countries of origin − Scotland, Holland, Israel, Ukraine and Belgium − blend together to produce a cocktail of an original flavor. “A Belgian company 360 degrees, stressing the best example of a country that is the permanent host to more than a million foreigners and where it’s calculated that 1 in 5 of its inhabitants has no Belgian origins.”

Filip Gydé is senior vice president of CTG Belgium. CTG is an IT solutions company with over four decades of experience, specializing in services for the improvement of the management and delivery of both business and IT projects. It was founded in 1966 in the USA and expanded to Europe in 1976. CTG Belgium has been named One of the Top 10 Places to Work in Belgium in 2014.

[W ctg.com]

And Brussels can make claim to be at the heart of Europe, the crossroads to absorb suggestions, provocations and materials from many different sources, “A perfect space for this kind of vocation.” Happiness' vocation is to comprehensively explore the field of communications, transforming research into new business models in a venture called “PRD”, that is to say “Prototype Research Development.” It’s the method that permits a completed, integrated cycle of communication, from ideation to modernization. Dynamics that produce, for instance, an app through which a photo of a dish taken with a smartphone can calculate the cost of a meal and hand over the equivalent amount as a donation to an NGO that is fighting against hunger. Instead of using devices and digital sensors to transfer directly the moods and perceptions of a tree (right, of a tree) on social networks, letting everyone know how people are feeling is like listening to what a “talking tree” has to say in the park next to the office. “We have ideas, we know companies and their needs, we know how to realize the ideas, we know how to test them, then why don’t use these talents to value the whole cycle?”

“One should use everything,” laughed an amused Karen, “from the B52 to an AK47…” Here they are then, the values of the agency gathered in its name: “H for Hungry, A for Agile, P for Positive and Professional, I for Innovative, N for Natural and Noble, E for Entertaining, S for Strong and Sexy.” They are not always the same: values and thoughts are put to the test and redefined once a year when the agency goes in January to a “recreation park” and confronts itself with all the world to find the spirit of the moment. At that moment, it fixes a second group meeting after the Oscars of the advertising world in Cannes, “where we only go if we've won the gold award,” explains Karen, not in a snobbish way but in the name of practicality, “because it must be worth it to go.” In Cannes, the agency gathers itself on the basis of the projects that have been planned and the news gleaned from its competitors. It’s like going back to square one… And to play, especially with words, people from Happiness seem never to have enough. In white spaces and gold where it overlaps with creative people, copywriters, graphic designers, wizards of technology and accounting, energy rever-

berates in ways that are always new: they call it “UPMS”, Unidentified Perpetual Mutating Specimen. Once more “evolving and innovating”.

A CULTURAL APPROACH

One undertaking by CTG is a plan that has got an extremely precise horizon: the job culture, the outcome of the investment on the equation “happy people produce greater results”.

Filip Gydé, senior vice president of the leading company in IT solutions for businesses, has 27 years of expertise in bringing to reality this certainty, working hard on the quality of the product starting from this “cultural” approach. “And you can’t copy a culture, if you don’t have it inside…” To give pratical and concrete meaning to this culture, CTG has identified 8 people who are in charge of taking care of the development of full time work in the best possible conditions.

CTG – Connecting Through Giving: like the name the company has given itself, the keystone is “giving”: take the initiative, offer time, space, energy and intelligence to a project, create a professional opportunity for a young person at the begin-

Wim Strickx HR manager at Elia Group. The company is Belgium’s high-voltage transmission system operator, operating over 8,000 kilometers of lines and underground cables throughout the country. Boasting a pivotal location in Europe, Elia is also a key player in the energy market employing more than 1,100 professionals in Belgium.

[W elia.be]

Where to Work Country Guide Belgium

ning of his or her career. “My open-door policy,” explains Filip, “has a particular method for the newcomers: I personally take care of receiving each of them, and what's more before they start to work effectively with us (on average about 6 months earlier) I give them access to our platform to get used to the merits of its contents and our company’s specificities.” This style is developing over the course of time, “following the real needs of each one. Belgium has got lots of rules which mark the line between workers and companies, but there is an important space where we found the answers to the specific requests of every employee.”

For some it means changing car because their family has grown, for others it means shortening the distance traveled to meet their customers, and for some others it means having the opportunity to have a break because of events in their personal life. “Everyone has got their own way, and we try to give people maximum support. I, myself, 11 years ago, have personally experienced this as I needed to reduce my hours spent at work when my wife got sick. It’s a commitment that renews every year.” Filip’s observation sounds almost expect-

ed, but he adds, “because it’s a long way to go through day by day, year after year, involving people, not the management to enter ‘inside’ our values, to make them experiment how and how much they can make a difference. For instance, when in 2009 we had a visible decrease in our ranking, we used the occasion to get together, as a team, so it allowed the employees to express themselves, to understand what needed to change, and to formulate an action plan. This permitted us in the following years to recover and improve. In the pauses in the discourse you can guess that Belgium doesn’t keep pace with the changing rhythm produced by companies because," notes Filip “flexibility can reach a certain level.” Two key factors that support the “Belgian work environment”: job ethics and the education system, with a particular emphasis on multiculturalism, which it expresses particularly in fluency in different languages. “And this is another way ‘to give’, to your interlocutor, shortening distances.”

EMPLOYEES-CENTERED PROGRAMS

The transition of Gouden Gids has been a epochal one: from the printed paper in the most analog meaning of the term (physically producing the agendas, reporting telephone numbers and addresses of citizens and companies) to an approach that is completely digital after the arrival of the Internet, which has completely modified manners, schedules and characteristics of research into people, shops and activities. A complete transformation to reach the same objective: to get to the customers in the best possible way. This transformation itself has meant creating 50 new positions and competences in the last 5 years, with an internal training offer always open and active.

“We have started from the lowest point,” says Niko Parmentier, HR manager at Gouden Gids, “Asking our 60 employees (half work in selling roles) to tell us their priorities. They have come up with 4: • it starts with you • quality is the key • get out, get social • future starts today.”

To proceed from the lowest point means to listen and then listen again. A register

Niko Parmentier is HR manager at Gouden Gids Belgium. Gouden Gids is Belgium’s most trusted source of local business phone numbers and addresses with more than 500,000 businesses listed. Currently the company is enforcing a completely digital approach and it has created 50 new positions and competences in the last 5 years along with an internal training offer. Its workers come from 10 different nationalities.

[W goudengids.be]

Where to Work 3 Work City Guides

Eindhoven

is located in

the Dutch province of North Brabant, situated in the south of the country. Eindhoven grew from a little town in the 1200s to one of the most important cities in the Netherlands. Much of its growth is due to Philips, among others. Because Eindhoven is where Philips based itself it is also known as the city of light. Eindhoven’s economy is largely founded on technology and innovation. Brainport Eindhoven Region is a top technology breeding ground for innovation and home to world-class businesses, knowledge institutes and research institutions.

Shenzhen

is a coastal city in South China, located in southern Guangdong on the eastern bank of the Pearl River. At present, Shenzhen tops all the municipalities in mainland China in per capita GDP as one of the municipalities with the best economic returns nationwide. As the outpost of the Pearl River Delta Area, Shenzhen is the bridge connecting mainland China and Hong Kong and is an important transport hub in the coastal area of South China. The Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor will bring about closer mutual links upon completion. Hi-tech, modern logistics, financial services and cultural industry are the four economic pillars that Shenzhen is striving to develop.

Following in 2014: Tel Aviv, Libreville, Medellin.

Quebec City

is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. The walls surrounding Old Quebec were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 because they are the only fortified walls in the Americas north of Mexico. Most jobs in Quebec City are concentrated in public administration, defense, services, commerce, transport and tourism. As the provincial capital, the city benefits from being a regional administrative and services center: apropos, the provincial government is the largest employer in the city. Around 10 percent of jobs are in manufacturing. Principal products include pulp and paper, processed food, metal/wood items, chemicals, electronics and electrical equipment, and printed materials

100 Work Cities

The top 100 cities for workers over the next decade are profiled in a project put together by GWH (SA) - Work Style.

Free consultation of the guides of: Brazil: São Paulo Chile: Valparaiso China: Shenzhen France: Marseille Germany: Düsseldorf Greece: Thessaloniki

• Tel Aviv is the second most populous city in Israel. It was built on dunes and is unsuitable for farming. Instead it developed as a hub of business and scientific research.

• Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon. The city is home to a shipbuilding industry, brewing industry and sawmills.

• Medellin is the second-largest city in Colombia. Medellín's main economic products are steel, textiles, confections, food and beverage, agriculture (from its rural area), public services, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, refined oil, and flowers. Fashion is a major part of the economy and culture of the city.

Italy: Turin Japan: Kyoto Kazakhstan: Almaty Malawi: Blantyre Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Nigeria: Lagos Norway: Bergen Portugal: Oporto Russia: Ekaterinburg UK: Manchester Ukraine: Mariupol USA: Denver, Albuquerque Slovenia: Ljubljana The Netherlands: Eindhoven Turkey: Izmir Spain: Seville Lebanon: Beirut Venezuela: Caracas

China Shenzhen

Canada Quebec City

Colombia Medellin

The Netherlands Eindhoven Israel Tel Aviv Gabon Libreville

Where to Work Country Guide Belgium

that indeed shows itself in the familiarity of the relations in the workplace, resetting any obstruction from the CEO to all of the employees. To listen also means a “people session”, where twice a year 8 employees are chosen at random and gathered together to discuss the state of the art with the CEO with total freedom to ask about any issue, to make proposals, to raise topics or to table suggestions, because enthusiasm and being willing matter more than diplomas and certificates. Unfortunately, once again there is a risk that the entrepreneurial spirit will not be adequately rewarded because, “If 9 in 10 cases are successful, the attention probably woud be paid to the one that struggled and didn't meet the required standards.”

In the meantime, new ways of thinking about work fight forward, moving in the direction of balancing time working and personal time better. “Regarding this, we are equipping ourselves with a series of 'anti-stress' programs, maybe made up of little things but those that have an influence on everyday life. From occasions to stay together in a social environment to nutrition advice on eating the most healthy diets.” Belgian national legislation

seems to be offering new opportunities to reprogram timetables and working schedules.

So what's on the horizon for Gouden Gids: to stimulate training, aiming for elearning and self-learning (leaving a wide margin of choice in the type of training preferred by employees) and an overall office reshaping to adapt the space to new criteria of flexibility, promoting active forms of collaboration and combining the employees according to departments and divisions of provenance – taking into consideration that workers come from 10 different nationalities: Canadians, English, Portuguese, South Africans, Brazilians and Dutch combine with Belgians.

“Personal development” is one of the cornerstones at Decathlon, which gives its employees ultimate freedom in how any position inside the company functions, in a way that allows the greatest possible flexibility in addition to being the responsibility of all. Overall well-being is furthermore the beacon of a company that specializes in all that revolves around sport and leisure, because the objective is helping to build “self-confidence”, giving all employees all the means and the oppor-

tunity to practise well-being. The perfect representative of the athletic spirit that permeates the company, Carole Jenssens speaks more like a “coach”, a personal trainer, rather than an HR manager. “We have a monthly meeting to open a discussion among employees and managers,” the expression of a totally horizontal approach which supports and encourages the concreteness of Belgian people.

“We encourage the ‘doers’, we believe in the culture of action and for this reason we try to make the development of ideas and new projects as easy as possible.” United by the inclination not to take oneself too seriously – and to be able to enjoy themselves – the method clearly gives results, considering the employment plan in full expansion, with 100 open positions in a development plan that by 2020 aims at doubling the company's presence in Belgium! •

Karen Corrigan is CEO, strategic director and co-founder of the agency Happiness, a communications company managed by 4 partners and 2 generations combining female intuition and flair with male creativity and power. The agency employs people of more than 15 nationalities and from many different backgrounds. In April 2014 Happiness was awarded a golden Brand Impact Award for a TV campaign with the highest impact in Belgium. This campaign started in September 2013 and has led to 700,000 daily visitors to the site who have shared a total of 4 million articles. [W happiness-brussels.com]

Social responsibility

mixed with start-up entrepreneurs: this is the cocktail you can find at La Lustrerie, a solidarity-oriented business center, closely involved in the life and revitalization of Schaerbeek’s district in Brussels. Appreciated by companies in creative fields, it today houses architects, silkscreen printers, photographers and web designers, and occasionally organizes or takes part in cultural events. Its team strives to make the center a place of conviviality under the “umbrella” of creativity, while its small size gives it a “family” character.

[W lalustrerie.be]

01 The backstage of a performance at la Lustrerie

02 Artwork

03 - 04 A group of artists working at La Lustrerie in Schaerbeek's district

All photos were taken by Luca Fenderico

Working in Belgium means trust in management, sharing the company vision and comradeship, moderated and filtered by a Flemish modesty.

By Aagje Pauwels and Jolien Nulens, project coordinators at Great Place to Work Belgium

We don’t talk about successes, there's almost a certain fear of saying “how good we are” when we obtain important results. It’s a real pity because many companies do a lot, but they communicate much less. Taking into consideration the weight and the importance of job

AAGJE PAUWELS

data in Belgium, real social status to which is transferred the power of defining personal identity, is a pretty paradoxical situation. For this reason, it's also not so easy to find the right trade-off between working life and the private and familial dimension. They are developing, they explain, new fronts of scientific research aimed at exploring the behavior of those people who work from home.

Complex situations occur in this area of work due to a misplaced sense of total availability, which becomes an everlasting lack out of fear that if the home-worker doesn't immediately answer an email or phone call people will think they are not working at all. Even if the GPTW's research form has been the same for 10 years, the ingredients that make the difference (in the formulation of companies' ranking) are always the same: confidence, trade-off with private life, and communication. This last one includes important dimensions such as transparency,

which has characterized objectives and evaluation criteria, inefficiently if not communicated.

Actually, recently there has been a change of pace, first of all in the perception of “the world of work”, put to the test by these years of crisis, which has contributed to the rise of even more core values, beginning with the resistance of the level of confidence recognized in those who lead the company.

The real match is played on the process, on the way of researching elements that can make an ideal company a place to spend one’s own working life. It’s in this way that GPTW wants to assist companies, helping them to improve.

JOLIEN NULENS

Where to Work Discovering the City

Tokyo: Sardines in a Can

If work in Tokyo is a tough experience due to the many hours worked, for all employees the first test they must pass is to reach their workplace.

40 MILLION PASSENGERS DAILY

With a population of 35 million, Greater Tokyo is the world’s biggest metropolitan area. Public transport within Tokyo is dominated by the world's most extensive urban rail network (over 130 lines, over 2,000 km of operational rail, over 3,500 km of unique daily services and over 1,000 stations) run by a variety of operators. Forty million passengers use the rail system daily with the subway representing 22 percent of that figure with around 9 million using it daily, making it the busiest metro in the world.

TSUKIN JIGOKU: COMMUTER HELL

Last April, we spent 10 days in Tokyo to analyze Tokyo employees’ commuting. Our questions were: How good are public transportations? How long do Tokyo’s employees spend on them? What do they do during their journey?

The first thing that strikes us about the Japanese stations is the order and cleanliness. There is no litter on the ground, the subway cars do not have graffiti and inside there are comfortable seats covered by velvet, which invite you to doze off. The rush hours run from 7am until 9am and 5pm until 7pm and it’s easy to see

employees’ mashed faces against window glass, as uniformed attendants push men and women alike into the packed metro in order to keep the trains moving, with the aim of respecting the timetable (during the rush hours trains pass every 2 minutes). So it’s no surprise that the common term for riding the subway in Tokyo is “tsukin jigoku”, translated literally as “commuter hell”, and these are the only circumstances when the “no contact” rule of Japanese social and business interactions is broken.

SPECIAL RULES FOR WOMEN

The trains are run with a uniformed professionalism and an esprit de corps that put even the Swiss in the shade. Only earthquakes or a terrorist attack have the potential to cause major disruption (the Aum Shinrikyo cult’s sarin gas attack on the underground in 1995 killed a dozen commuters and railway staff). On the other hand, “jinshin jiko” (literally, “human-body accidents”) cause many lesser disruptions each year. These are the “jumpers”: those driven by depression, or by shame at losing their job or accruing debts, to throw themselves in front of an oncoming train.

Rules like no cell phones, courtesy seats, consideration for expectant and nursing mothers and prohibited activities are the same as in other developed countries, but in Tokyo you can also find “women-only cars” usually active during the peak hours. We suppose that this it’s due to the fact that every year 2,000-plus train “chikan”, or perverts, are arrested for groping women and schoolgirls − the vast majority during the morning rush hour, causing minor delays. For years, women just put up with the indignity of groping, either out of embarrassment or out of fear that their claim would not be taken seriously. But habits are now changing, and women will hold up the offender’s hand and shout “Chikan!” The world is the same everywhere we would say by observing the activities carried out by these employees who go to work on the train. Except for someone sunk in reading Manga and others who play with their smart phones or read books, most of them sleep.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION

If you experience Tokyo’s transportations you will wonder why Tokyoites are always sleeping on the train. A report by the World Sleep Federation explains that

Rice is the staple food symbol of Japan. The island is inaccessible, the land tiny. Until the nineteenth century, the Japanese have replaced animal breeding with fishing and rice cultivation. We applied the tale of Le Petit Poucet, written by Charles Perrault, to the commuting because, although Poucet was the youngest of seven children in a poor woodcutter's family, his greater wisdom

compensates for his smallness of size. When the children are abandoned by their parents, he finds a variety of means to save his life and the lives of his brothers. One of these was to leave the breadcrumbs to find his way back home. After being threatened and pursued by an ogre, Poucet steals his magic seven-league boots while the monster is sleeping.

Work Style Troupe in Tokyo Journalist CRISTINA MILANI and Photographer PAOLO MAZZO

Authors of the report

Cristina Milani, Swiss born, now lives and works in Milan. She’s a cognitive phsychologist and founder and chairwoman of the international NGO Gentletude and freelance journalist for Work Style Magazine and other publications.

Paolo Mazzo (Italy, 1961) has been a professional photographer since 1988. He’s the author of various reportages on a number of topics, including the urbanistic analysis of the cities where he has lived. Paolo is a partner in F38F Photographers, a company that specializes in advertising, editorial and architectural photos. He currently lives and works in Milan.

Some links of interest about Tokyo:

• gotokyo.org

• metro.tokyo.jp

• tokyometro.jp/en/

• worldsleepfederation.org

• japan-rail-pass.com

• japan-guide.com

Where to Work Discovering the City

Tokyo workers average 36 minutes less sleep every night than New Yorkers and 54 minutes less than Parisians. Tokyo, it turns out, has the biggest sleep-deprived population in the world. But you may also marvel at the ability of people sleeping deeply (some snoring as well) to go in a split second from their sleeping state to striding off the train at their stop. Maybe this sensitivity has developed with earthquakes. In a city where people work until late at night and tend to feel uncomfortable leaving work while others are still working, the government is starting to allow some bus routes to run 24 hours a day (currently the last train is at 1am and the first around 5am.) You might be struck by the fact that the average commuting time for Tokyoites is only around 30 minutes compared to the 72 minutes travel time to work in Italy. When we looked at this in depth, we were told that 30 minutes is a extremely long time. Given their very high care in time management and extremely low tolerance (like Swiss people) for delays, for the Japanese, 30 minutes commuting could be translated as a loss of time.•

The results of the last Work Style photo journey in the discovery of a city were the half-empty streets of Detroit in the USA.

Here we are again with images where the human factor is at the center. Detroit is a place of the past that is being revived despite many problems: a deep economic crisis and people who abandoned the city. Tokyo, which has always been under pressure from earthquakes, both economic and natural, is unabashed in its apparent tranquility. For the person who works in these two cities, there are two opposite conditions helped by a dense urban fabric: on one side the calm area generated by the absence of crowds, on the other the crowd is quiet.

The architectural icons of Detroit are apparent, to demonstrate a past tied to the major brands of car manufacturers. The icons of Tokyo − large buildings designed by famous architects such as Philippe Starck, Herzog & de Meuron, Toyo Ito or Kenzo Tange − amalgamated into the city in a constant motion.

The creativity of the city that was reborn in Detroit with Shinola, as opposed to the continuity of calm of Japanese product companies.

In Detroit, a city in the service of man, in Tokyo man adapts to the city. The photographic history of opposites Detroit and Tokyo is on: www.theworkstylemagazine.com

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ 38 years old, born in Katori city. He has studied in Los Angeles and London to become an English teacher. He is not married. Before he was 30 he traveled a lot working as model. During his free time he loves to go dancing in Roppongi and Shibuya and read books about history and science. In Tokyo he lives in the residential area of Shimouma, Setagaya, two metro stops from Shibuya, in a small apartment which he shares with a friend.

Hiroshi Katori

COMMUTING

Time: around 30 minutes (15 minute walk and 15 minute metro). He uses the time on the metro to read or listen to music, but only when it rains as usually he prefers to use his bicycle.

➜

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ He is now a freelance English teacher. He worked for a college in Tokyo as teacher, but from September 2013 he was just working as a substitute. As living in Tokyo is quite expensive, he has invented himself as a freelance English teacher. The particularity is that the lessons are done in the city, inside stores, restaurants and cafes. He organizes the lessons through Lime, a social network, and new students are involved thanks to word of mouth. He generally has from 2 to 6 students aged between 20 and 30 years old. Most of them take English lessons because they want to go abroad, or because they simply love the language. The average price for a 2 hour lesson is around $10, as well as food and drinks.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ Masayo is 43 years old and she is married with a 8-year-old daughter. She finished her studies in law in 1996 at the Keio University and in 2004 she registered herself as a lawyer. She lives with her family in Chiyoda-ku district in an apartment of 100 square meters that she bought some years ago. She does not have any particular hobby, she uses all her free time to spend time with her daughter.

Masayo Fukuda

COMMUTING

Masayo is one of the lucky few. Since her house is very near to her workplace, she usually walks to work, taking advantage of this benefit to take her daughter to school.

➜

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ Before starting work one year ago at Pavia and Ansaldo, an international law firm, she had a brilliant career working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her role in her current work is to give legal advice to foreign companies that plan to settle in Japan. Given that she works with different nations, her greatest frustration at work is sometimes due to these cultural differences. For example, Japanese people are always on time, something that we cannot say about Italian people for example, she states. At her current workplace she does not have a contract. She is a partner in the firm and she receives the 20% of the clients' payments. Usually, she follows 4 or 5 big clients per year. Her daily work time is from 8.30am until 5/5.30pm as she must pick up her daughter from school.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ Megumi is 33 years old and lives in the district of Saitama, the north part of Tokyo in a city called Kawaguchi. She lives near her parents in a small flat of about 35 square meters, for which she pays around $300 per month. Being the only daughter she could not find another place as comfortable and cheap where she could stay near her parents. She has a fiancé who lives 1.30 hours away from her; for this reason they can only meet at the weekend. Only recently, they decided to find a house so they could live together and she hopes to remain in Kawaguchi. She does not have any pets given that she is allergic. During her free time she loves to play saxophone and once a week, after work, she loves to run around the Imperial Palace. She studied international economy and after graduation she has had the opportunity to go to Vancouver to study hospitality.

Megumi Ishida

COMMUTING

Megumi’s commute takes around 30 minutes. She takes a direct train from Akabane's station after a 5 minute walk from her office. If the train is not completely full, she reads the Nikkei, a business newspaper, or she works on her iPad mini; otherwise she simply listens to music.

➜

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ She works for STR Global, which benchmarks hotel data for over 6.4 million hotel rooms worldwide. Her office is located in Marounochi, a commercial district of Tokyo. At the company, she is a business development manager. She started working for this company in 2010. At that time her main role was to settle the company in Japan and develop its business. "The particularity of this company is that it is focused on collection and personal data analysis, things that a few years ago were unthinkable in Japan," she says. Actually, the team is composed of two people. She works with an account manager and they manage around 550 hotels from all over the country. Her professional dream is to expand the Japanese business of this company. From her point of view, this is a contribution to push the country to become more open. She earns around $60,000 plus insurance, health tickets and transportation. She tries to save money by bringing her lunch from home (bento box).

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ He was born in Toyama, a leading industrial prefecture on Japan’s sea coast, which has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity from abundant hydroelectric resources. He is married and has two children of 12 and 17 years old. He lives in a residential area of Tokyo called Machida-shi, in an independent house of 140 square meters with a small garden, that he built in 2005 and cost around $800,000. The purchase of a house in Japan is an exception given that the costs are very high. During his free time he loves to play tennis and golf. He has a dog named Taiyo.

Shinji Kawahara

COMMUTING

Shinji's commute takes around 70 minutes. He wakes up at around 4.50 am. He takes the bus and then the metro and he also must walk for a while. On the bus, he usually reads newspapers or books, or he does some work by sending emails, While on the train, if he finds space, he sleeps a while. For the commute his company pays him around $200 per month.

➜

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ He is the general manager of Cosentino Japan, a world-leading producer of Silestone, quartz surfaces designed for quality kitchen and bath countertops, which operates in more than 50 countries. He began this new job in September 2013 and before that he was the president of a leading Japanese machinery company. Before that, he worked for 16 years for another Japanese company. "The low turnover and the loyalty during many years to the same company is in Japan a peculiarity for about 70 percent of the employees," Shinji tells us. Almost all companies apply the concept of “promotion by seniority” which means companies hire employees (also without any skills) and through training lead them to have greater and greater degrees of responsibility until their retirement.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ 40 years old, he was born in Tokyo. He finished his studies in business management in the USA, and then he gained the Business Consultant Certificate issued by the Japanese government. He is married without children and he has a cat. He lives in Roppongi in an apartment that he bought and he is paying a mortgage. Roppongi is a district of Minato, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area with an active nightclub scene. Many foreign embassies are located in Roppongi, and the night life is popular with locals and foreigners alike.He loves Aikido and he teaches this art to young people, usually on Sunday evenings. He also loves to eat Izakaya (Japanese-style pub food).

Kazuki Sato

COMMUTING

➜ He usually uses the metro to get to work and his trip takes around 30 minutes. Given that it's a short journey, he would like to use his bicycle, but as it is prohibited to park bicycles on the street in Tokyo, and given that his apartment is 45 square meters, he had to opt for public transport. He spends about $290 every 6 months on his Commuting Pass.

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ He works as senior strategist for an advertising company located in Meguro. Meguro is a special ward in Tokyo, predominantly residential in character, but also home to light industry, the Komaba campus of University of Tokyo as well as fifteen foreign embassies and consulates. He has worked for this company since March 2014, and before that he worked for JWT. His income is around $100,000 per year.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ She was born in 1982 in Aichi prefecture located in the Chūbu, the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. She studied history of art at the University of Tokyo. She has been married for three years and does not have children. She lives in a condominium with her husband in Koto, a residential area very near to the city center. Their apartment is about 60 square meters, a standard size for a young Japanese couple without children. They are planning to move to another apartment that they recently bought, but they have to wait until the renovation works are finished. This new apartment cost them around $800,000 and it is 80 square meters. In her free time she loves to listen to music, especially rock songs. In the future she would like to have 2 children but also have the opportunity to continue with her career.

Shizuka Oikawa

COMMUTING

➜ Her commute is very short, around 30 minutes (15 by metro and 15 walking). Even though she takes the rapid "Tozai" line, during the rush hours it is one of the most crowded. People make their journeys crushed, standing without moving, and at the stops the employees of the transportation company, equipped with white gloves, gently push the commuters into the cars in order to maintain the two-minute interval between trains. While on the train, she usually checks her Facebook page or replies to messages.

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ Since 2011 Shizuka has worked as a PR for an estate company, which has more than 1,000 employees in Japan and boasts the leading position in the Japanese market, operating a spectrum of businesses in diverse fields related to real estate. The company's area of operation is not confined to Japan; it includes the United States and the United Kingdom and extends to such Asian countries as China and Singapore. Before working for this company she worked for an English school as HR manager. She works for this company 5 days per week, from 9am to 6pm, though in truth never leaves the office before 8 in the evening. Anyway, luckily this company (unlike others) pays the overtime. She earns around $50,000 per year.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

➜ Tetsui was born in Tokyo 25 years ago. He lives in a small apartment of 50 square meters with his fiancée. They do not have pets. He has studied finance and economy at the University of Tokyo. He loves rock music and eating sushi.

Tetsui Okada

COMMUTING

➜ He lives near the University of Tokyo so his journey from the office to his house is very short, just 30 minutes, during which he mostly reads newspapers and sends emails or messages. His commuting costs are around $80 per month.

PROFESSIONAL INFO

➜ He works for a company that provides auditing, consulting, financial advisory and risk management services. In the company he has two roles. The first, in a team, he supports start-ups, and advises companies on innovation matters. For the second one he teaches entrepreneurship at the Keio High School. He started to work for this company 3 years ago immediately after graduation, and he earns around $50,000 per year. His professional dream is to create a company that deals with training for entrepreneurship.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION

➜ Tokyo office workers sleep at least 30 minutes less than their counterparts in New York, Paris, Shanghai and Stockholm each night, averaging six hours, or 14 percent less than the recommended minimum, a study said.

➜ Find the complete report on www.theworkstylemagazine.com

Photos by Cristina Milani

Where to Work Focus on Japan

By PETER CONRAD

Welcome, Aliens!

Japan’s closed attitude towards the rest of the world is not due to racism or an imminent rise in nationalism; it is due to its isolation and its people’s shyness, language barriers and a deeply rooted attachment to traditions and culture.

Tokyo: 10am. Before heading to Japan’s Immigration Bureau, I check their website and find the following mission statement on the front page: “By connecting Japan and the world through proper immigration control services under the motto Internationalization in compliance with the rules, making efforts for smoother cross-border human mobility, and deporting undesirable aliens from Japan, the Immigration Bureau, the Ministry of Justice makes contributions to sound development of the Japanese society.”

ALIENS ON EARTH

At that point I wondered if I had read correctly “a sound development of Japanese society through deportation of undesirable aliens”. Yes, I had read correctly, and we are not in North Korea or Uzbekistan, we are in Tokyo, Japan. That’s when I peeked at my ID card where it says “Alien Registration Card”. I thought aliens were those green monsters from other planets, reminding me of the sci-fi movies I watched when I was a young man, and now I was an alien too!

THE DIFFERENCE OF AN ISLAND

Japan has a slight image as a racist country, but I think it’s worth further investigating the complex relationship between the Island and the Others (the rest of the world).

Japan’s history is all about isolation. During many centuries the interaction with other cultures was minimal. During the Edo Period (1603-1867) it was forbidden to enter or to leave Japan; the country was, in fact, sealed like a vault, until US ships and Commodore Perry forced them to open to foreign trade by threatening a war in 1854. The follow-

ing century was a mix between extreme admiration for Western societies during the Meiji Period and a subsequent sudden countermove to a nationalistic imperialistic spirit leading to military expansion in Asia.

Modern Japan is one the most peaceful countries in the world, both internally and to the outside. But isolation continues.

WE ARE ALL GAIJINS

The main link between Japan and the rest of the world is in trade; there are many products that Japan imports and exports globally. However, culturally, there has been, until now, very limited impact or influence from outside. All foreign styles or brands that you see everyday in Japan, from Italian fashion to French bakeries and American fast-food is just a facade; it is merely the appreciation of certain aesthetics or taste or style, but has little to do with cultural osmosis. We might wear perfect Italian suits, and cook better French food than they do in France, but inside we are Japanese. Many Japanese travel but don’t have the time to understand or absorb elements of other cultures, and moreover, Japan is one of the most ethnically homogeneous countries, with 99 percent of its people belonging to the same group. You’ll rarely hear a Japanese say, “I met an American,” or “There were a lot of French people at the event.” They will much more likely use the word gaijin, which literally means “person from the outside.” We, foreigners, all fall into the same big group of outsiders.

IT IS NOT RACISM

And yet it’s not about racism. I always feel there is a lot of curiosity and often admiration for other countries. It’s just

All photographs are courtesy of Stanley B. Burns, MD & The Burns Archive

The Burns Collection & Archive, New York, contains over one million historic photographs, which over the past forty years have been the source of hundreds of books, films and exhibitions. One area of concentration is Japanese photography.

In 2006, Stanley B. Burns, MD and his daughter Elizabeth published Geisha: A Photographic History 1872-1912. These handcolored photographs were exhibited in “Working Life in Meiji Japan 1868-1912” at the Resobox Gallery in New York. Every autumn The Burns Collection & Archive exhibits vintage photographs displaying various aspects of nineteenth-century Japanese life and culture at the Resobox Gallery.

that we look different and sometimes it’s just that Japanese people, being so shy, are scared by the fact that they don’t know who we are, how we behave and what we say. The “iitoki-dori,” which literally translates into “adopting the best elements of a foreign culture,” exists, though it is probably more lived in adopting products and skills rather than cultural traits.

One of the biggest hurdles for Japan’s internationalization is still the language barrier. Let’s admit it, only a small minority can speak some English; even in central Tokyo, and even people working for foreign brands in prime locations often can’t speak a single word. This is a true problem, especially in the era of communication, social media and the Internet. Most people, even youths, will read and use only Japanese news, blogs, social networks and websites. Japan has a very strong cultural identity, refined through centuries, with a complex system of values and beliefs, deep rooted inside, much more than for Western people with a history of interaction with other cultures and among different European groups.

FOR JAPANESE ONLY

There are some Japanese words related to their way of feeling things, emotions, situations, that are almost impossible to translate, like the idea of “wabi-sabi”, an imperfect, impermanent or incomplete beauty, or “mono-no aware”, the empathy towards things, but to fully capture the meaning one must be Japanese.

FOR THE WORLD

As a foreigner you can enjoy the Japanese hospitality, the politeness, sometimes the innocent naive questions about your country; you can get close to their culture, but you will remain an outsider, and the biggest possible achievement is to be an insider among outsiders. Still, there are no negative feelings about this. People seem to enjoy the diversity in their own Japanese way, where differences don’t have to be evened out in a politically correct hysteria as happens today in most countries.

THE FUTURE

That said, Japanese politicians, companies, and social institutions need to make a coordinated effort to open up to the outside world. The biggest threat for Japan is demography; its population is both shrinking and aging: a very dangerous combination that is posing an imminent threat to the survival of the country. As the population is unable to grow at the right pace organically, immigration is paramount, yet de facto there is no immigration in Japan. Just to mention, last year small Switzerland accepted 3,000 people seeking asylum from other countries. Japan accepted only 6. Moreover Japanese companies have to become more attractive to work

for, as in the yearly world ranking for the top 50 best employers there is usually no Japanese company.

NATIONALISM IS NOT THE RISK

The risk for Japan is not a rise in nationalism, despite some territorial disputes with China or Russia; the threat is to procrastinate the vital exchange with the rest of the world.

Without substantial immigration flows and dramatically improved language skills, Japan’s international weight will continue to decrease. And that’s a big loss, for the rest of the world too.•

Where to Work Focus on Africa

By SAM NALLEN COPLEY

South Africa Post Mandela

The death of Mandela represents a loss for the whole world and not only for South Africa. He was the father of a country that he taught to walk; it now needs to go on its own.

2013 saw the deaths of many world leaders. With street parties erupting on the streets of Miami as Hugo Chavez's cancer got the better of him, and novelty record “Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead” hitting the UK charts after Margaret Thatcher passed away, many departures were celebrated, not grieved. When Nelson Mandela's heart stopped one December evening in Johannesburg at the grand age of 95, however, the world seemed unified in its sadness at the loss of a man who had transformed his country from a racist backwater into a modern democratic state. Celebrities and heads of state flew in to mourn publicly. More striking, however, were the crowds of ordinary citizens, people who had seen first hand Mandela's rise to the presidency, who gathered on the streets of Johannesburg to pay their respects. As soon as the festivities ended, most of these black South Africans hiked back to their iron shacks and got on with their lives of silent poverty. These moments were not the ones captured on camera. For the average black worker in Johannesburg, life is still tough. Whites, on average, earn around six times more than blacks, and unemployment still lingers at an astonishing 25 percent. The fight for political freedom may have been won, but how much does this matter for those trying to earn a living in South Africa's largest city? A handful of middleclass whites are doing well, but very few black business people are punching at the weight they should be considering how rich their country is in natural resources. Mandela may well have revolutionized political life for South Africans, but socioeconomically the country still has serious issues in need of resolving.

PRISONER/PRESIDENT

Nelson Mandela was born in 1918 in South

Africa's Cape Town Province. Known initially as “Rolihlahla” or “troublemaker”, he went on to become the first member of his family to attend school and later university. In 1941 he arrived in Johannesburg, where he immersed himself in anticolonial politics under the ANC (African National Congress) banner, while practis-

ing law. In the late 1950s, he was unsuccessfully prosecuted for disobedience to the white government. In 1961, he founded the Umkhonto we Sizwe (The Spear of the Nation) in direct response to the Sharpeville Massacre, in which the South African police killed 69 people. In 1962, Mandela was arrested for conspiracy to

South Africa

Rise and Fall of Apartheid: Photography and the Bureaucracy of Everyday Life is an encyclopedic view of apartheid and photographic practice and represents the culmination of more than a decade of research supported by the International Centre of Photography in New York, which organized the exhibition.

Curated by Okwui Enwezor with Rory Bester, the show features the work of more than 70 South African photographers and artists and includes over 800 images, 27 films, and a book.

The exhibition is a field of narratives about diverse photographic practice from colonial ethnographic studies to “insurrectional” image-making during apartheid, with some reflection on contemporary, post-apartheid views.

01 Photograph ©Chris Ledochowski. Plasterer, name unknown, 1980

[W riseandfallofapartheid.org]

overthrow the apartheid government, and sentenced to life imprisonment. After 27 years in three prisons, Mandela was finally released in 1990. Four years later he became the first black, and first truly democratically elected, president of South Africa.

WORK FOR ALL Mandela – the rolihlahla – and his radical ideas were intimidating to most Western governments. He was only removed from the American terrorism watch list in 2008, and his story – that of a man fighting for

the rights of an indigenous population to have a say in how their country is governed – understandably resonates with those involved with Palestine, West Papua or Tibet. When asked about his close ties with the apartheid government, Shimon Peres, former Prime Minister of Israel, stated, rather shamefully, “Since I cannot change the past, why should I deal with it?” The past he refers to is one in which non-white skilled professionals were restricted to employment within designated areas, an era in which blacks were banned from going on strike or marrying other races. Mandela changed this, and there is little debate over the immensity of his political contribution to his country. Socioeconomically, however, have things changed all that much? Mandela's inaugural speech contained the line, “Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.” Twenty years on, many South Africans struggle to get any of the above.

RACE, MONEY & POWER

In one key respect, professionals in South Africa are still haunted by apartheid policy; race, money and power still share the bond they used to, albeit in a weakened form. South Africa, last year, saw another highly publicized death – that of Reeva Steenkamp by Oscar Pistorius. A white athlete shot his white model girlfriend in a Pretoria bachelor pad in the small hours of Valentine's day morning. The incident was horrific. Certain newspapers, however, painted this scene with almost US soap opera-like brushstrokes, focusing on the couple's sexual history and flashy lifestyle within the classy Silver Woods community. Indeed, the case Pistorius's has most often been compared to in the international media is that of O. J. Simpson. In both incidents, a glamorous blonde was allegedly killed by a mainstream celebrity, with the trial televised, seemingly for the sake of the general public. There is, however, one stark difference – Simpson was both rich and black.

Mandela's political reforms changed the institutionalized nature of discrimination in his country, but the fight against racial inequality is still going on. Along with Brazil, South Africa is considered the least “equal” state on earth based on IFR statistics. The problem is particularly notice-

Where to Work Focus on Africa

able in the republic's rural areas, like Orania – a small settlement in the Northern Cape Province. The town was founded as a bastion for Afrikaner culture, and it is still exclusively, and deliberately, inhabited by whites. Of course this of little consequence for the black workers of Johannesburg, but unlike their moneyed white compatriots, such as Oscar Pistorius, many are working for a little as $2 a day. Over the last twenty years, the white share of income in SA has dropped from just under 60 percent to just under 50 perent. The difference, however, has been made up by Asians. Most black and mixed-race workers have seen no change at all in real economic terms – proportional to their country's wealth – since Mandela came to power.

SKIN COLOR & EMPLOYMENT

An ugly flip side of a country so acutely aware of its ongoing racism is positive discrimination. A so-called “affirmative action” policy was adopted to ensure that “qualified people from designated groups have equal opportunities in the workplace”, states the Department of Labour. This has led, however, to a systematized racism against non-blacks in certain instances. In a well-publicised 2012 experiment, trade union Solidarity sent off two applications for cadet pilot training offered by South African Airways (SAA). The profiles of the two candidates were identical in qualifications and background, but differed in one key area – one applicant was white, and the other was black. The white was immediately rejected, while the black candidate progressed to the next level of the selection process. The decisions made by both the government and businesses like SAA almost certainly come from the right place, but attempting to achieve an equal society through discrimination is ineffective, and even rather perverse.

POVERTY, DISEASE & CORRUPTION

Other ailments add to South Africa's pain. The gap between rich and poor has widened, and HIV runs rampant across the country, with no thanks to the nonsense spouted by ANC President Zuma, who famously recommended showering as a preventative measure against AIDs. A few weeks ago, South Africa faced the largest

Where to Work Focus on Africa

stoppage to mining operations since the end of apartheid due to strikes at Lommin. Memories of the Marikana strikes in 2012, in which police shot scores of workers – many in the back – are being reprinted in journals covering the story. On top of this, on March 19 of this year, Zuma demonstrated the potential for corruption in his country by installing a pool and cattle enclosure at his private mansion, at a cost of $23m to the tax payer.

A BRIGHT FUTURE

We have reasons to be optimistic however, and the future may well be bright for business in Johannesburg, so long as South Africa plays its cards right. Having hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the city's image changed dramatically – it is now Africa's most visited city, which is great for the local tourist industry. Last year's Anholt-GfK Roper City Brand Index listed the city at number 44 on its list of the world's 50 most important business cen-

tres, and it is growing at an immense rate in response to this.

Indeed, South Africa is, in general, a much better place today than it ever has been. Democratization has led to a free press and a multi-party political system (though don't expect the ever-popular ANC to lose an election anytime soon). The country is now the main financial force in the region, free from all economic sanctions and home to truckloads of natural resources. Crime and poverty remain problems, but nowhere near the extent of the early 1990s, and all of this is largely due to Mandela. The rolihlahla transformed his country from the top down. It is now time to work from the bottom up. The late Helen Suzman, a white South African antiapartheid politician who visited Mandela in prison, once stated, “The more rapid the economic development of this country, the more apartheid will come apart at the seams.”

With plenty of resources to go round, and

an ever-increasing interest in the country from both tourists and investors, SA now needs to address its social problems. South Africa has immense potential for economic growth – so much so it recently joined BRIC (forcing it to become “BRICS”) – but will only truly be accepted by the old-time developed nations as an equal once it deals with its internal issues of violence, racism, corruption, poverty and disease. Inequality in South Africa is no longer about state-given rights, but rather material conditions. The hoards of laborers traipsing back to their shanty towns in suburban Johannesburg live in what is undoubtedly a politically freer country than their parents did, as do the white celebrities in their barbed-wire compounds. Through proper management of resources and greater investment in education, this gap will narrow, and Johannesburg's poorer black workers will, in time, be rewarded with houses, clean water and the material equality they deserve.•

GENTLETUDE COMICS AWARD 2014 AN INTERNATIONAL CONTEST TO SPREAD KINDNESS FOR A BETTER WORLD Look at:

INTELLIGENCE AND INSIGHT GATEWAY TO MARKETING IN EUROPE

- Current postal and email addresses targeting marketing and communication decision makers

- In-depth and up to date insight and intelligence on European advertisers and agencies, brands and media (geographic location, sector participation, number of employees etc.)

- The relationships between the advertisers and their agencies (who works with whom?)

- Advertiser spend across media (e.g. who is spending most in digital media in France)

- Detailed contact information for key target people including job title and function www.tbsgroup-europe.com

TBS UK is a company of TBS Group, leading intelligence solution and software provider for Marketing

Join the Happiness Revolution!