Social Media Everyday Keeps Resignation At Bay!

 

This is a good read for those who truly believe that keeping employees off Social Media portals boosts productivity. Here is something that may serve as an eye opener. It may just be the most fatal mistake you will ever commit. You may still disagree, so let us throw some light on why have we derived this conclusion (yes, there is much more than mere logic behind this). Human Resource Managers take notice of what will follow after this. May just shock you but all of it is surprisingly true. Try it at your workplace if need be. After all, your greatest challenge is to keep up the retention numbers.

A study by Evolv, a start-up that monitors hundreds of metrics from Fortune 500 companies is the brains behind this wonderful study. They have pointed out three important and startling aspects that got our creative juices flowing.

1. Social Media Creates Conversations

Hourly employees who regularly used up to four social networks — such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or LinkedIn — made more sales or handled customer service calls faster than those who weren’t on any social networks.

There could be several reasons behind this. For one, everyone loves to know what their friends and loved ones are up to. Every one experiences the need and urge to know more or constantly become aware about what the world is talking. Trending topics are the basis behind several conversations. Great conversations lead to great deals. Isn’t sales and marketing all about creating great relations after all?

2. Rise In Productivity

Not only has Evolv determined that hourly employees who use social networks are more productive in general, but it seems the more social networks you use, the more productive you are. Those who use five social networks or more are slightly better at converting sales and handling customer service than employees on four or fewer networks, by 1.5% and 2.8% respectively.

Everyone needs a distraction at work. Something that takes their mind off the usual run of the mill. So for most it could be taking a smoke but that too is a temporary solution. Social media on the other hand fills the gap of work life and personal life for an employee. A single tweet stating how they feel or a status update to share a good quote does a great deal to an employee’s morale. After all, when one receives several like and comments on a picture, they tend to feel they still have a life outside the four walls of an office.

3. Resign No More

Another discovery from the study was that those who access social media portals at workplace tend to stick around for longer (94 days of tenure with a company on average, compared to 83 days for those who shun social media). Now this should really get all employers thinking and all employees wondering.

Yes, it is a fact that there is no place as good as social media to vent out your workplace frustration. Unless, an employer can afford tiffs at workplace, it is best to allow employees to remove their anger or calm them down by playing a game over Facebook or reading some awesome tweets from formidable men like KRK.

So if these three reasons are good enough for you as an employer, then you must allow your work force to connect with their folks or play games on social networking sites. If you are an employee, then it is high time you indulged in these activities to ensure you allowed social media to improve your efficiency. It is ever employee’s wish to have an efficient and productive unit that is committed to an organization in the long run. We have just provided you a secret formula to practice just that.

 

 

Adios Amigos :’(

I entered Vitcom in the month of October,

Hoping to learn things,

which I wish to remember,

It has been a learning experience,

This I will not deny, The strong foundation which I have,

I will not defy.

 

Natasha is the ace of spades,

Someone with unmatched caliber,

Who would protect us like a shade,

Someone who I will always remember,

Held my hand and made me walk,

I was a blank slate and she was the chalk.

 

Then there is one, who is a drama queen,

Someone who is like a teacher,

Someone who has been a friend,

Protecting her had become a trend.

Attention from unwanted guests is what she would get,

Working with her is not what I will ever regret.

 

I was adopted the day I entered,

She was my boss,

As protective as a helmet,

For me, she is the biggest loss.

Taught me the most,

Trained me the most,

Even when I was lost,

Even when I would hit a low,

She was there like a shadow.

 

There is a cartoon,

For time pass Lal lal la she would go,

Honest at heart and down to earth by soul,

I wish her the very best,

May you reach your goal.

 

Twins by habits,

Twins by taste,

Had we been blood brothers,

A mirror wouldn’t be able to differentiate,

Patience and keeping my cool is what I learnt from him,

Someone who I trust right to the brim.

 

Helpful, funny, creative and kind,

Are some of the traits they possessed,

The whole experience has been a joy,

I am going to miss them,

As together we would ploy.

They would always run helter skelter,

Be it work or food,

The most dynamic team,

When it came to their mood.

 

Team Endemol and Bindass is what they are,

All the very best I wish them,

May the good work continue without a scar

 

Mr. Butterfingers, how could I forget,

Knowing you has been a pleasure,

Nothing that I regret,

That 1 catch had you taken,

Champions we would have been,

Such a great photo opp, The world would have seen.

 

Partners in crime they are,

Fines and taxes they would collect,

Sweetest people that I have known by far,

They always made me think and reflect.

Mornings would be beautiful, Because they are full of life,

Always approachable and helpful,

Because they are very very nice.

 

The 4 wheels of this organization,

The men who are always running,

Every assigned task would get done.

Without cribbing or fussing,

From cigarette stores to media houses,

Everywhere they would go,

It was their daily exercise,

To run to and fro.

 

Today I bid farewell,

To what a lovely experience it has been,

Today I feel well equipped,

To go and witness what’s left to be seen.

The Pillar Of Strength

As I arrived late for class,

I knew I was in trouble,

With an assignment in my hand,

I knew my dreams would collapse into a rubble.

 

I hopped, skipped and jumped,

I ran as fast as I could,

I tried convincing the rickshawalla,

But, he said he wouldn’t.

 

I saw my favorite teacher in class,

I celebrated in joy,

I gently knocked on the door,

She said, “Oh Boy!”,

She questioned me, “What explanation do you have for this folly?”,

I answered back, “I am Sorry”

 

I was made the pillar of strength,

The first one from my class,

Facing everyone, I felt,

I should have stayed the other side of the glass…

EPL 2012 – 13 Preview

It is that time of the year when one starts to bleed Blue, Red, Yellow, White and in the colors of the team they support. Its time for the English Premier League to kick off once again. It seems like yesterday when Sergio Aguero scored the cup winner in injury time. But one can only leave that moment aside to create new ones in the upcoming season.

Teams looking stronger and better and raring to go as always. An extremely active transfer window has ensured that more world class player will now compete in the toughest league in the world. With the emergence of a new TOP 4, the clubs with history have been left shaken by those with money.

What to expect from the TOP 4?

Manchester City - Confidence or over-confidence is still unknown, but Mancini has not made any remarkable signings this season. Having said that, the citizens are the team to beat considering they hold the title. Tevez, Aguero, Toure, Kompany, Silva, Richards, Hart and Balotelli will hold the key this season as the challenge gets tougher. What could be the difference maker is the kind of form they find. They cannot afford to start slow or rely upon a single player to turn the game around. Considering the pressure of the Champions League will rise once again, it will be interesting to see how does Mancini align his troops this time around to battle their last year’s debacle. They are still considered to be the favorites to win EPL this year.

Manchester United -  Sir Alex Ferguson has clearly not taken last year’s trophyless season too lightly. Having strengthened his attacking “Arsenal” with acquisition of two award winning players Robin Van Persie and Shinji Kagawa, Manchester United look all set to challenge their noisy neighbors for the title. With the return of Vidic, Anderson and Fletcher the red devils will be raring to go. Sir Alex will face an issue in order to deal with is attacking options. In defense, Man Utd are still slightly weak as a single injury to any of the Center Backs could be fatal. A lot will be at stake after a disappointing season and the red devils would leave no stone unturned this time around. Champion’s league action will also test the team but, after a dismal last year, Man Utd should not take any games lightly.

Chelsea - With an active transfer window and the departure of their talisman Didier Drogba, Chelsea is the team to watch. With amazing signings like Hazard, Marin and Oscar, Di Matteo has added some speed around his premier striker Torres to assist him. Once again, Chelsea will look for that clinical finisher and Torres has a large pair of boots to fill into. Moreover, defense as always will be a cause of concern. With the title of the Champions of Europe, Chelsea will be riding high on confidence and should be hoping for some great results. Di Matteo will face an extreme challenge with both sides from Manchester looking stronger than ever.

Arsenal - The only side which looks weaker and likely to be dethroned from its  top 4 position, Arsene Wenger will have to dream about the extra ordinary now. The the departure of their captain, Arsenal will be looking for inspiration in their new players Giroud, Podolski and Cazorla. Quality is the plenty with Walcott and Chamberlain too providing the creativity. Depth in defense is a link missing and Arsenal will be an unpredictable package. Arsenal can either play safe football to save their top 4 position or go for the kill every single game to challenge for the title. This looks like it will be a meek season for the London club.

The Challengers

Liverpool - Anyone can never write off Liverpool as they tend to surprise too. After a disappointing season, Liverpool will be looking to make amends for the disappointment. Under Brendan Rogers, Liverpool look like they wish to rise from their ashes. Recent acquisitions like Joe Allen and Borini can prove to be a handful to the squad already flourishing with big names. Again, no big players in defense as they rely upon Agger, Enrique, Johnson, etc to provide a bit of magic. Once again, the side will look for inspiration in its captain Steven Gerrard and some clinical performances from Luis Suarez. These two men will hold the key to Liverpool’s progress this season.

Tottenham Hotspur - With Andres Villas Boas replacing Harry Redknapp, Spurs look like a side which is weaker than the last season. With Adebayor and Modric’s (almost) departure, they find themselves in a bit of a trouble. Although they have acquired Sigurdsson and Vertonghen, one must truly believe that Tottenham will be dependent upon Bale and Defoe for inspirational performances. Results against big clubs will decide this club and AVB’s fate.

Key Signings This Season

Eden Hazard – Chelsea – 40 million

Oscar Dos Santos – Chelsea – 32 million

Robin Van Persie – Manchester United – 31 million

Santi Cazorla – Arsenal – 20 million

Joe Allen – Liverpool – 19 million

Jack Rodwell – Manchester City – 15 million

Shinji Kagawa – Manchester United – 15 million

Oliver Giroud – Arsenal – 15 million

Lukas Podolski – Arsenal – 13 million

Fabio Borini – Liverpool – 14 million

 

There is no doubt that looking at the squads, this season could be an interesting one. In my opinion, Chelsea will start the season strongly along with Manchester City. Manchester United will have a slow start but November onwards will start ruling from the roost.

All of this and much more begins today. It is my favorite time of the year and i truly cannot wait. Let the games begin…

A trip to the Home of ‘Asiatic Lions’ at Sasan Gir, Gujarat

Situated 65 kilometers to the South-East of Junagadh, lies Sasan Gir also called as Gir Forest National Park. This national park is a part of a wildlife sanctuary and is the only home for Asiatic Lions, an extremely rare species of lions in the world. Not just to India, Sasan Gir is an important site for the entire Asian subcontinent due to the rare species of lions it houses. This sanctuary is as old as 47 years and is spread over an area of a mammoth 1412 kilometers. The national park is about 258 kilometers and the rest of the area belongs to the sanctuary. This sanctuary houses several animals like Asiatic Lions, Spotted Deer’s, Blackbucks, Peacocks, Indian Cobras, Wild Boars, etc. The lions and the deer’s are extremely famous amongst tourists.

Far away from the hustling and bustling towns of Gujarat, Sasan Gir is easily accessible via a private vehicle like a car or a cab. It is 65 Kilometers away from Junagadh. One can travel by train too by boarding from Junagadh or Ahmadabad which can bring them straight to Sasan Gir railway station. From the station the park is at a stone throwing distance. Once there, one needs to hire a guide along with a forest vehicle for the forest tour. The best time for visit is during the day as daylight offers the perfect viewing experience. There is no particular season to visit the venue as these lions are allowed to roam free in the park and can be spotted all over the national park. The tour vehicles place themselves around the lions and halt for a brief period wherein one can feast their eyes with a sight of these rare species of animals.

 

Unlike other lions witnessed at other national parks, the ones at Sasan Gir are one of its kind and are extremely rare. Asiatic lions are bigger in size than other breeds of Indian cats like the Bengal Tiger. Although they were diminishing in number in 2005, due to great breeding activities this number saw a rise of 52 lions 5 years later in 2010. The forest officials ensure that no harm is caused to them in the course of tourism activities. Once found in different parts of Africa and Europe, currently most Asiatic Lions of the world reside at Sasan Gir.

Another species of animals seen in large numbers are Spotted Deer’s or Chital Deer. Referred to as Hiran in our national language, Spotted Deer’s are only spotted in South-East Asian regions of the world. Apart from India, they are widely seen in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc. When seen under direct sunlight, these species appear extremely beautiful due to the spots all over its body. It is herbivorous in nature and has the capacity to survive without water for several days. At Sasan Gir, they are at times hunted down by fellow Carnivorous inhabitants.

With so many unique species of animals residing, forest officials need to take care of their food and water demands. In terms of water reserves, the forest has plenty for its species. Seven rivers flow through the Gir region and there are four reservoirs at four dams. The Kamleshwar dam is the biggest reservoir in the area and is also called as ‘The Lifeline of Gir’. The fauna in the sanctuary includes about 400 species of plants. The herbivorous animals rely upon this fauna for their food demands, whereas the carnivores resort to hunting and many a time, forest officials leave raw meat of chicken and mutton for the animals to feed upon and quench their hunger. The forest contributes enormously to the economy as it provides around 5 million kilograms of green grass and about 15,000 metric tons worth of fuel wood each year.

If at all one does visit Gujarat, a trip to Sasan Gir is a must. After all, one gets very rare chances to see such rare breeds of animals across our country. Forest officials put in immense hard work in maintaining this highly coveted forest reserve in Gujarat and its species, a trip to Sasan Gir is a memory for a lifetime.

Cafe XO

I happened to visit this Restaurant yesterday and it is really FAR. Staying in Andheri, Govandi East is very very far but overall it was worth the travelling. Cafe XO located at Sai Commercial Centre is in a dingy location but once there it has a very warm, cosy and nice ambiance. With a giant screen and a great collection of songs, this place kept me entertained throughout my meal.

Their portions are really big, for someone like me with a large appetite I barely finished my 4 course meal. First was the Chicken Soup which was really good and considering I had a bad throat it really helped. Fried Chicken for Appetizers was very heavy thanks to the quantity and its deeply fried nature. The lemon ice tea actually had blue curacao so that was pretty average. The main course consisted of Chicken Pot Rice and Chicken Chilly which was very well cooked and thoroughly enjoyable. Desserts consisted of Vanilla Ice Cream and who does not love Ice Cream.

Overall the meal turns out to be around Rs. 700 – 1000 which is fairly good. The food is very well cooked and equally tasty. Although the location could have been better, the place has decent table rotations. I ate a hearty meal and thoroughly enjoyed it at Cafe XO.

Jannat 2 – Not so Heavenly After all

When you enter the cinema hall you are filled with high hopes and aspirations considering the first Jannat was pretty likable, but this one truly disappoints. Very predictable story, Bad guy falls in love with a pretty good girl and wishes to change himself to spend the rest of his life with her and in the process digs a deeper grave for himself.

The Plot

Sonu Dilli KKC (Emraan Hashmi) is a small time dealer of arms who is happy with his life until he falls in love with Jhanvi (Esha Gupta). Now this street smart lad wants a clean life so as to lead it with his maiden with dignity. ACP Pratap (Randeep Hooda) turns Sonu into an informer so as to bust this racket of illegal arms once and for all. All hell breaks loose in the process and Sonu looses his childhood friend Balli (Mohammed Ayyub) too in the process. Although they do manage to nail the kingpin Mangal Singh Tomar and the cops involved in the racket Sonu looses his life too.

The Review

Esha Gupta is extremely disappointing as an actress. She cannot act on screen and sticks to one expression all throughout. The story line is weak and falls apart at many places. Shot in old Delhi, the locations are good and at times the story feels realistic. Emraan Hashmi does a fairly decent job but Randeep Hooda’s acting truly stands out as an emotionally driven cop.

This Vishesh Films production does well on the music aspect which is composed by Pritam.

Rating – 2/5 stars

Gameweek 29 – Report

9 games were played in this Gameweek, with the champions thrashing the relegation strugglers and Man City edge past Chelsea just slightly.

Fulham vs Swansea - Sigurdsson double to win the man of the match pretty much showed their dominance over Fulham. A one sided affair where Fulham looked on slippery ground.

Wigan vs WBA - Relegation hopefuls sweat it out in this encounter. A deserved result as McArthur and Scharner scored for their respective sides.

Wolves vs Man Utd - The champions dominate their opponents with a 3 attacker formation. Wellbeck, Chicha and on the comeback Valencia on the score sheet. Impressive performance from an Impressive team

Newcastle vs Norwich - The toons merely hang onto the victory in this one through a Cisse goal. Newcastle finally manage to win and Norwich slip to 14th on the table.

Blackburn vs Sunderland - Rovers manage to drag themselves further away from their crisis as now they are 5 points clear. Hoillet and Yakubu scored in this dominating home performance from Blackburn.

Man City vs Chelsea - Chelsea lead and then fail to continue to hang on to it constantly. Cahill managed to put the home side up but 2 goals in 10 mins from Aguero (penalty) and Nasri pretty much drove the game the home team’s way.

Tottenham vs Stoke - Spurs all of a sudden start stumbling and have started to lose their grip on their Europe spot. Stoke started with dominating the game via both flanks. Van Der Vaart late goal saved Spurs some respect at home in this one.

Everton vs Arsenal - Vermaelen scored of an RVP corner to push Arsenal to 3rd place in the EPL. Arsenal managed to hang onto their lead effectively as Everton struggled most of the 90 minutes to crack the Arsenal defence.

QPR vs Liverpool - Liverpool go 2 up and then in a turn of events in the last 20 minutes they concede 3. No one has any clue why Liverpool are playing this kind of Football where they struggle against small clubs. Important points for QPR as they are 17th on the table.

Next gameweek a struggling Tottenham face Chelsea to resurrect some respect as Swansea and Everton would be another exciting encounter.

Gameweek 28 – Report

The team on top of the table was finally toppled thanks to a slip and the champions made no mistake in cashing in on the opportunity. Manchester City now trail Manchester United and there is no doubt that they have the tougher fixtures

Bolton vs QPR - A denied first goal and a lot of bad luck is what denied QPR atleast the single point that they deserved of this fixture. With Bolton 1 point clear of the relegation zone and QPR on 18th, QPR need to find some victories under their belt

Aston Villa vs Fulham - A sluggish slow game which went Villa’s side thanks to a Weimann goal. Fulham now slip to the 10th position and they truly deserve better

Chelsea vs Stoke - Di Matteo pulls a victory as he lives upto the hopes of the club owners and expectations of his fans. Drogba scored the winner for the Blues who continue to believe they can still make it to Europe

Sunderland vs Liverpool - Again ill luck and a lot of shooting at the crossbar steals points away from Liverpool. Bendtner managed to score for the Black Cats at the right time to seal the 3 points. The dreams of Europe surely fading away for Merseysiders.

Wolves vs Blackburn - A Holliete double pulled Rovers to the 17th position and 3 points clear of the relegation zone. It sent Wolves deeper to the 19th position. A game which Rovers truly dominated and deserved the result

Everton vs Tottenham - Spurs too slipped in this encounter as an in form Everton bagged 3 points thanks to a Jelavic goal. Although playing with a strong side, Spurs seemed lost throughout the game

Man Utd vs WBA - A double for Rooney ensured that Man Utd went to the top of the table. WBA played well in the first half, but truly lost the plot in the second one. All the Red Devils need to ensure that they do not slip until the derby in April

Swansea vs Man City - Sinclair missed a first half penalty, but super sub Moore scored off a header in the second one. Vorm the savior once again ensured a clean sheet as Swansea defended deep and ensured Mancini’s men dint score. Man City’s slip now finds them a point behind their neighbors.

Norwich vs Wigan - Another deserved result for both sides as Hoolahan scored for Norwich and Moses for Wigan. Wigan need something special to climb out of the relegation zone.

Arsenal vs Newcastle - A 95th minute winner from Vermalean brought Arsenal just a point away from their North London rivals Spurs. An even game where Arsenal played fashionable football to take away the 3 points. Newcastle truly missed Ryan Taylor in this encounter

Liverpool vs Everton - Merseyside Derby, Steven Gerrard’s 400th game, he scores a hat trick… Enough said.. Liverpool dominated and thrashed their rivals in this one. The kind of display their fans would want to see more often.

Next gameweek, Man City face a uphill task to get maximum points against an inform Chelsea who under Di Matteo managed the unthinkable in Champions league last night.

Gameweek 26 – Report

A legend proves it to the world why he deserves to be where he is, a team continues its top domination and a derby which left people spell bound. All this and much more happened in this gameweek

Chelsea vs Bolton - After disappointment internally, Chelsea put up a strong stand by beating Bolton by 3 goals with some inspiring aggressive play and vigor.  AVB will have his hands full over the next few weeks to silence his critics and hopefully his performances will speak for itself.

Newcastle vs Wolves - The Toons go 2 goals up only to lose their lead to Wolves who face the relegation danger. Jarvis truly the player of the game to lead this fight back for the men in orange.

QPR vs Fulham - Fulham continue their top form as QPR find themselves more in trouble. A Pogrebanyk goal was enough to seal the 3 points for the side which dominated most of the game.

WBA vs Sunderland - West Brom humiliated the black cats with 4 stunning goals in this encounter. Sunderland who looked promising and favourties to win where slammed harsh in this game. Odemwingie the player of the game as he bagged 2 goals.

Wigan vs Aston Villa - A crucial point for Wigan to keep fighting away from the relegation zone. An injury to Bent in the first half truly knocked the wind out of the Villa attack as they could not create clear chances as soon as the England International was off

Manchester City vs Blackburn - The leaders continue their domination as they send the Rovers further into the relegation zone by a clean 3 goal sweep. A sweet victory for Mancini’s men

Arsenal vs Tottenham - The game of the week without a doubt. What a comeback from the gunners to score 5 goals after trailing by 2 goals early on. It was an all Walcott and RVP show as they shocked the Spurs. This is the Arsenal we all wish to see

Norwich vs Man Utd - 900th appearance, 500th start, tearing his rivals apart since 1991… This was a game written in heaven for that lad as he scored the 92nd minute winner for the Red Devils. Norwich fought really hard, but this was a result which the team and all their fans wanted for this legend. Man Utd continue to chase Man City as the gap continues to be 2 points

Stoke vs Swansea - Swansea truly missed their in form keeper Vorm, as Stoke scored 2 stunning goals from great build ups in this one. The first one of a corner as they outplayed Swansea in this one

Next gameweek will decide the course for Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and Man Utd as the table leaders have a easy fixture but Liverpool face Arsenal and Man Utd travel to London to face Spurs. A must win for Man Utd to keep the pressure on the leaders and a must win for Liverpool and Arsenal to prove their intentions of playing in Europe next season