Volume 16
sporting spirit: max olympics
Be
the Champion fun activities, races, games and much more
‘wear’ we have reached cover story
MYE incEntivEs plan fY20
max your earnings
now
Activity Activity
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in appreciation in appreciation of your of your remarkable remarkable eeort eeort forfor
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SportSman’S Spirit To win every baT Tle Dear readers, I thank you for all the suggestions that have poured in since our last issue when we requested you for your valuable feedback on Maxicon. Flip through this issue and you will find more for you and about you on every page. Do continue to keep us updated on your thoughts about Maxicon. Ideas, suggestions and even brickbats – everything is welcome! In this issue, we have covered one of the most eagerly awaited annual events at Max – the Max Olympics. Like every year, this time’s sports extravaganza saw enthusiastic participation by one and all. Team games such as volleyball, throw-ball, badminton, kho kho and kabaddi were big draws. But what shone through was the spirit of sportsmanship in every single participant who supported their teams to the utmost, wins and losses, notwithstanding. In this issue, you will also learn about the Max Your Earnings (MYE) Incentives Plan FY20, which gives you more reason to strive to excel in your area of work. There are attractive benefits in-store when you achieve your targets, and we hope many of you are able to utilise this very special opportunity. Max has been, as always, abuzz with activity. Read about how employees got to re-live their favourite memories at the office, celebrated birthdays together and created beautiful collages on the subject of ‘Unity in Diversity’. Everyone also enthusiastically took part in the Back to Basics initiative, a part of our War on Wastage (WOW) project, and tried to cut down on less-productive processes at work. To mark World Environment Day, there was a host of activities – from planting saplings to making ‘seed balls’ and presenting flash mobs in a bid to create awareness. We look forward to more such happy times, full of fun and learning! Drop-in an email at maxhr.blrcorp@landmarkgroup.in with your feedback on this issue. Nandini Mehta
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contents Speak’ with 04 ‘Top Nandini Mehta
An insight into the critical role that HR plays in an organisation by Nandini Mehta, Head Business HR... Here she talks about how the department goes much beyond being a support function to encompass a range of strategic and transactional activities.
Story: ‘Wear’ 08 Cover We Have Reached
Take your cues from the top half-yearly apparel industry trends. Our cover story analyses how constant innovation, global standards, leveraging technology and customer-first approach are behind the success of the $59.3 billion worth of this industry.
14 Dreamers and Doers
The Jayanagar store has been consistently performing well since it started back in 2010. Today, it has 9.5 lacs sales per day and holds the distinction of being the only store which was renovated without being closed for a single day!
Max Your 07 MYE: Earnings
When you put in your best, the results are bound to be rewarding. Learn more about our MYE (Max Your Earnings) Incentives Plan FY20 to understand what all you stand to gain with your sincerity, dedication and hard work.
10 with 16 Take Harshendra
Maheshwari
The National Head Visual Merchandising and Phygital talks about his inspiring journey over 20 years at Max, his ‘Never Say Die’ spirit, his love for scuba diving and his five tattoos.
18 The Home Run
The Max Olympics, a keenly awaited annual event, brings together employees to work as a team across organisational hierarchy. This year was no different, showcasing the sporting capabilities of our talented 2
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employees who participated with enthusiasm and excitement.
22 Fun@work
Some special occasions when employees switched off from work mode and came together to celebrate... Here’s a showcase of all that’s been happening at Max offices across the country.
Social 26 CSR: Initiatives
In a bid to promote environment conservation, the Landmark Group recently launched the ‘Prevent & Preserve” campaign.
Besides, our employee-volunteers have been busy conducting teaching sessions at Yemlur Government School to improve children’s English reading skills.
Weight 28 Lose Sell More!
Being overweight can make you less productive and more injury prone, and leave you looking tired. Here are some tips to help you out.
& Work-Life 30 Festivals Balance
Valuable advice from senior corporates and experts on how to create special memories without compromising on work during the festive season.
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10 Golden Rules for Front-End Staff
From body language to telephone etiquette, here are some indispensable tips to help you make a good impression.
concept, content & strategy: shveta sahu, Manjira Dutta DesIgn & art DIrectIon: Vipin gupta eDItorIaL: Manjusha Joshi, neharika Mathur
prInters: Vishwakala printers no 28, 2nd stage, Industrial suburb, yeshwantpur, Bangalore
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Top speAk
THE Human REsouRcEs (HR) DEPaRTmEnT is onE of THE mosT cRiTical aRms in an oRganisaTion. YET, iT is ofTEn consiDERED To bE a cosT cEnTRE. REaD on To KnoW HoW THE HR DEPaRTmEnT conTRibuTEs To an oRganisaTion’s ToP linE anD boTTom linE, WRiTEs nanDini mEHTa fRom THE DEPaRTmEnT
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eople are the heart of an organisation. They can make or break a business. Having the right people at the right place, ensuring that the workforce is engaged and productive and providing the right
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environment and culture where employees are aware of what is their role in the organisation and how do they contribute to the organisation’s goals... From this perspective, the Human Resources Department plays a very important
role. While all organisations consider Human Resources function as a support function, I wish to use this forum to enlighten everyone on the role of HR in an organisation. The HR department’s function can be divided into two
segments: strategic activities and transactional activities. Let me begin with the strategic role of HR.
with the organisation’s philosophy and be able to attract good resources to the organisation.
HR works with the Business Head on the organisation’s vision and mission. Based on this, the department figures out the optimum design of the organisation with key functions and roles, and the number of people to be hired. This gives rise to organisational structures, JDs (Job Descriptions), KRAs (Key Responsibility Areas) and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), roles and responsibilities. Ideally, this needs to be re-assessed every year. Based on the organisation design, HR works out the manpower budget in terms of cost and count, which also needs to correspond with the top line of the organisation (as a percentage of the turnover).
Just as employees need jobs, organisations need employees to deliver goals and generate business. Hence, an organisation needs to work on strategies to help retain top talent, and who else but HR can build those strategies! This is where ‘Engagement’ and ‘Learning & Development’ (L&D) functions play a critical role. The HR department needs to work closely with the Business Head to plan an employee engagement strategy that is in line with business deliverables to ensure that employees are not just happy to come to work but are also productive. L&D strategies need to be built around business requirements to ensure employees upskill themselves regularly and learn how to deliver their best. Ultimately, the organisation is able to achieve its goals as employees grow in their careers.
Once the budget is decided, the HR works on sourcing and hiring strategies – whether to develop people from within or hire from outside or use consultants; whether to use job portals or employee referrals. Hence, an annual recruitment plan for new hires and replacements is created. Other strategies that HR works on are employee benefits such as ESI (Employees’ State Insurance), PF (Provident Fund), Medical Insurance, leaves and other facilities. These need to be in line
Culture is an important element in any organisation. To build, sustain and bring about any change in the organisation culture, the leader depends a lot on Human Resources. This is what we call ‘Organisation Development’ (OD). This function requires the HR department to work closely with leaders in managing and sustaining the company culture and bringing about any change based on changes in expectations
‘Corporate SoCial reSponSibility’ iS another key hr funCtion. it buildS a Strategy to
enSure that employeeS and CuStomerS are proud to be aSSoCiated with the brand
An organisation is definitely as successful and strong as its HR functions, and I have seen this in my journey at Max from the leader. This function of HR also includes identifying critical resources and working on interventions to develop and retain them. Human resources are the only ones in an organisation that have a head and a heart, thoughts and feelings, which can create friction and issues at the workplace. The most complex aspect of an organisation is managing and resolving these frictions and conflicts in the form of grievance handling. The HR plays a key role in ensuring that an organisation runs with minimal friction and conflicts through various interventions and policies that ensure a safe, diverse, collaborative and happy workplace where employees enjoy working together towards one common goal. For an organisation to be known in the market, it is important to work on its ‘Employer Branding’. This requires an organisation to showcase its culture and the various initiatives it has taken to make the workplace happy and conducive for its employees. Human Resources works on Employer Branding too. HR 5
Great Places to Work survey and also being in the top 50 across industries over the last seven years through our various interventions in OD, L&D, Engagement and now, technology. It has been a huge journey that we have taken in being able to partner with business at a strategic level by aligning all HR interventions to the organisation and business leaders’ goals and driving the business strategy along with the Head and leaders.
Hats off to the Human Resources team of Max and Landmark Group India that has taken this wonderful journey under its able leadership. It would be any HR personnel’s dream to work in such an organisation ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ is another key HR function. It builds a strategy to ensure employees and customers are proud to be associated with the brand/ organisation for their community service. Many organisations arrange retreats and meets for senior leaders to discuss the year gone by, and the way forward. Another function of HR is to work with the Business Head and senior leaders on this. On this basis, the organisation’s future is decided with regard to its goals and vision. The transactional activities where HR plays a critical role include Payroll Management where HR needs to ensure that all employees get salaries and other benefits on time. Employees’ daily needs also need to be taken care of. There are also many compliances that need to be met at both the 6
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organisational and individual levels, such as licenses, ESI, PF and bonus. The HR department needs to ensure that all these are applied for and renewed or dispersed. So, what does the HR do at Max and the Landmark Group? By now, you may be wondering whether I have downloaded a synopsis of HR theory from the internet! However, my dear friends, I wish to state here that over the last 10 years, the HR functions at Max and Landmark have been able to create a huge impact as it moved from being only a transactional function to becoming a transformational function, contributing immensely to the strategic role of being a business partner. We have been able to support the business in creating an ‘employer brand’ by consistently topping the charts amongst retailers in the
An organisation is definitely as successful and strong as its HR functions, and I have seen this in my journey at Max. With HR interventions becoming strong, people have become more engaged with the organisation and have shown ownership in driving the organisation’s goals. This is clearly seen with engagement scores going up, attrition coming down, internal growth increasing and, above all, the business growing year by year at an incredible rate. Hats off to the Human Resources team of Max and Landmark Group India that has taken this wonderful journey under its able leadership. It would be any HR personnel’s dream to work in such an organisation that has seen amazing growth in every facet over the last decade. I wish I could write more as I have not even started with every initiative that we have implemented, but I can assure you that while every manager may think that HR is simple, they will surely change their mind after reading this article. I am truly proud to be a part of the leadership team in HR at Max!
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MYE your earnings MAX YOUR EARNINGS (MYE) INCENTIVES PLAN FY20 PROMISES ATTRACTIVE bENEFITS TO ALL ACROSS THE bOARD – FROM STAFF MEMbERS TO STORE HEADS - wHO ARE wILLING TO PUT IN EFFORTS
F
or charting performance and achievements, and keeping track of yearly incentive payouts, all MAX stores are categorised as one of three: Wannabe, Spotlight, or T60 stores. Under this umbrella, all Max store employees are identified as belonging to one of the following ranks: Staff, DM, ASM, SM and Store Head. The MAX FY20 incentive plan is organised around these groupings. Simply choose your store and identify your employee rank to know all the incentives. Here’s a look at the monthly potential earning for employees across all stores. Wannabe: In a month, the staff of Wannabe stores can earn a minimum of `1,000 and a maximum of `3,400. The minimum monthly earnings for DMs is `1,800 and the maximum is `5,800. Store Heads stand to earn a minimum of `2,500; their earnings can go up to `7,700 per month. Spotlight: For Spotlight store staff, the minimum
monthly earning potential is `1,000 and the maximum is `3,400. DMs stand to earn a minimum of `1,800 and a maximum of `5,800. For the ASMs, the minimum is `2,500 while the maximum is `7,700. ASMs can earn up to `9,400 per month, while their minimum is earning is `3,000. T60: All staff members of T60 stores can earn a minimum of `1,200 while their maximum earning potential goes up to `4,400 per month. For DMs, the minimum earning is `2,000 while the maximum limit is `6,800. ASMs stand to earn a minimum of `3,000 and a maximum of `8,400 in a month. SMs can earn a minimum of `3,500 and a maximum of `11,100 every month. All employee incentive payout slabs are linked to their store achievement and store category. For further details, you can reach out to your respective HR team. HR 7
r a e w ‘ we hav y e a r ly f l a h p To
’ r aave reached rends T y r T s u l ind e r a p p a a r ly Ing `5,408 a whopp t n e p s 22, s IndIan 018. by 20 2 In l e r .3 n appa orth $59 w bIllIon o e b o t ly. try Is set t global s the Indus e g r a l the sIxth l bIllIon n, globa Io t a v o n t In nology & h C e t Constan g In ag ds, lever r a d re behInd n a a t h s C a o r pp ! r-fIrst a ues here C Custome e m o s ess. take the suCC
self-disruption New technologies, social media and the number of young consumers demanding novelty have driven established brands to undergo a process of ‘self-disruption’ – disrupting their earlier ways of thinking and re-inventing themselves. Challenger brands using social media and e-commerce distribution models have taken up a major portion of the market share, forcing established brands to change rapidly. Creative officers of some brands have undertaken brand makeovers, while others have revamped the existing business models. Louis Vuitton, for example, has introduced a more playful ‘streetwear” style to their range to appeal to the younger Gen Z buyers.
digital presence With spreading internet access (there were 460 million internet users in 2018, set to double by 2021 to more than 900 million), branding and IT teams of apparel companies have worked rapidly to establish a digital presence for their company. Many have set up individual digital platforms for their companies, while others have linked up with multi-brand websites to enable online
are s r ye bu ey – a in ing e r n mo mon billio e buy d ls an tic 3 re plas 38,13 impu r. o M ing e ` ng cto us ssiv drivi rel se ma 18 – ppa 20 the a in
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advertising and selling. Many are also leveraging social media platforms such as Facebook to connect instantly with consumers and compete effectively against online-only sellers like Amazon. As the online sales for fashion, particularly for apparel and footwear, continue to increase rapidly, branding officers will continue to upscale and develop expansive digital plans to make their brands the consumer’s preferred choice online.
‘Gold collar’ worker Disposable income in India has grown from `0.7 lakh in 2012 to `1.4 lakh in 2019 (GNDI), creating a new kind of consumer. As Sanjay Kapoor, founder of Genesis Luxury (an Indian luxury retail conglomerate) says, “We are moving on towards the ‘gold collar’ worker. It’s a term that defines the highly paid professionals who are happy to look good, happy to feel good, and are expanding the consumption of today.” The changes in lifestyle, rising aspirations and awareness of global trends of this new class are driving them to demand personalisation of apparel, making
production consumer-centric rather than brand-centric. The ‘gold class’ worker is no longer satisfied with a ‘one size fits all’ solution. This new class of consumers will continue to demand more of the product development officers, both in terms of apparel categories as well as how well they can cater to personal needs.
social media influencing buying decisions Picture this scenario: you are scrolling through your Facebook or Instagram account and you come across your friend’s selfie wearing a trendy jumpsuit. Or you look at the Facebook post of your distant relative’s wedding and start comparing what you wore with what everyone else was wearing. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest and other trending social media platforms have become key influencers in shaping the buying decisions of young girls and boys. In fact, as per a McKinsey report, a whopping 74% of online customers make purchasing decisions influenced by social media. Social media officers and data analytics teams are already analyzing this data to understand what products to launch when, and this trend is likely to increase further as this year progresses.
Growing women’s wear segment While the market share of the men’s wear segment was still the largest at 41% in FY2018, women’s wear is on the rise at 38%. The number of new-age working women with high incomes has grown, as has the number of college-going females – all key drivers of this change. Women are no longer satisfied with regular patterns and colours. Product development officers have introduced different styles and categories of readyto-wear apparel in various colours, sizes and patterns to meet this demand. Interestingly, even though many women – especially those in metro cities – are experimenting with different styles and categories of western wear, women’s ethnic wear constitutes the major share of the market and is expected to account for 65% market share even by 2023, as per a McKinsey report. Product development officers will do well to continue to introduce new styles in Indian ethnic and Indo-western fusion wear if they want to continue to dominate the women’s wear market.
Kidswear on the rise The kids apparel segment has grown tremendously, at a CAGR of around
Tween fashion 9-15-year-olds are the newest generation of consumers. Far from the Mickeys and Donalds, they want to look like adults! How are brand officers meeting this demand? • A new “Tween” category exclusively for this age group • New kids fashion wear that imitates adult fashion • A smaller size “S” within the adult range US Polo, Flying Machine, Titan and Lifestyle are some of the brands targeting tweens.
11% during 2013-2018. CARE Ratings has touted it as the smallest, yet fastest-growing segment. Product development officers of more and more Indian and foreign brands that previously only catered to adults are stretching their product lines to include kidswear. With rise in the number of nuclear family setups in metros and growing disposable
incomes, working parents are spending more on the comfort and convenience of their children. The close-to-375 million young population in the country under 15 years of age, many of whom are avid internet users, are now themselves choosing what they want to wear. Capitalising on this, advertising and marketing officers are using focused advertising, right product selection and visual merchandising to attract both parents and children to their new, or existing, kidswear brands.
new retail stores Retail outlets are on the rise – organised retail has risen from $18 billion in 2012 to $1,245 billion in 2018. As more malls open up, footprints increase and more ready-to-wear options and more private labels come up, this number is expected to increase even further. Also increasing are the number of HR 11
retail outlets at airports... the middle class section that can now afford both domestic and international air travel, as well as fancy vacations, and the new Gen Z work travellers, are target customers for apparel stores here. But as more and more of the young, tech-savvy Gen Z become the new big spenders in 2019 and Gen X and Y become more aware of fashion trends, the marketing and branding teams of apparel companies will have to re-invent their retail stores and create what are called ‘experience stores’. Digital marketing displays, improved checkout experience and the use of augmented reality for displaying outfits on consumers will be some of the key hallmarks of this change.
digitalization This is the age of digitalization. Innovation and IT teams of apparel companies are actively understanding and leveraging technology to provide a better experience to consumers. Many have used technology to make the post-purchase experience smoother and happier by providing accurate, real-time tracking of products out for delivery. Others are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to introduce customer service chatbots on their websites. Data and analytics experts are using these tools to understand the tastes of individual customers so that companies can appeal directly to individual tastes. As technology further advances, AI may be able to predict fashion trends and help fashion officers decide what and when to sell. They may also be able to leverage technology and data to reduce the time to market by shortening development timelines and producing in small runs. That may be the best way forward
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to earn customer loyalty and ensure repeat purchases.
sustainability New gen consumers – millennials and Gen Z – look at not only the products but also the company’s ethos and nuMero uno values before they One of the few brands that make a purchase, design, manufacture and making market their own denim, Numero Uno has expanded companies its product range to include more cool, stylish patterns; shades conscious of and designs of shirts, tees, jackets; and accessories that social and are best for the growing environyoung consumers. mental issues. CSR teams Wrangler of
MonTe Carlo Launched in 1984 by Oswal Woollen Mills, the brand is one of the first fashion apparel brands in India. Alongside knitwear, it offers a wide range of clothing for men, women and tweens. It has also been a clothing partner for hit Bollywood movies such as Barfi and Mary Kom.
To p appa re bra nd of 20 19
An American clothing company established in 1947, Wrangler sells clothes for tough, outdoor jobs as well casual wear for both men and women. Best known for its rugged and stylish jeans, Wrangler continues to appeal to the youth of today.
PePe Jeans
Pepe Jeans is the go-to forwardbrand for denims and casual looking wear among the youth. It industry continues to appeal to Gen Z players with its high-quality clothing that includes T-shirts, jeans, are looking regular fit shirts, polo shirts, at building a capris etc. for men, women ‘Circular Fashion and juniors. Industry’ globally. This will involve using resources efficiently, gradually phasing out substances of concern, utilising clothing effectively and improving recycling. Many innovation officers are doing this by either shifting to alternate materials or using innovative retail
MufTi Launched in 1998 by Mr. Kamal Khushlani, it’s an exclusive menswear brand offering an alternative dressing solution for men who don’t conform to mainstream fashion. It has expanded its collection beyond shirts and denims to cater to the new demands of millennials.
allen solly One of India’s largest and fastest growing brands, it is known for its high-end clothing and style. With both massmarket and high-end options in its product range, it caters to every age group, having recently launched Allen Solly Junior to tap into the rising kidswear market.
models. For instance, Wills Lifestyle has stated that it will utilise only natural fabrics. Chennai-based startup Trustrace is using blockchain technology to improve transparency and traceability in the supply chain, while others such as Flyrobe are looking at new retail models of rental and levi’s It is the go-to brand for second-hand Gen Z consumers who love clothing. the comfort of the jeans and casual wear – the main focus areas of Levi’s.
To p pa rel ra nds of 20 19
Provogue Launched in 1998 as a menswear fashion brand, it now also offers women’s fashion apparel and accessories. With its own garment manufacturing facility in India, Provogue continues to meet fast-to-market demand and evolve garment designs, introduce new categories and enhance its retail environment.
van Heusen
Park avenue Having earned the title of the leading “Ready Made Garment” for men in the country, this trendy brand launched its women’s wear collection in 2007 to tap into the rising demand, particularly in the northern part of the country.
Known for its gorgeous textiles and tailored fitting, the brand is best at creating niche formal clothing. It is now expanding its collection to include new categories such as athleisure, and also offers party wear and ceremonial wear for both the new-age man and woman.
Sustainability may soon become the only way forward for apparel companies.
strong urban apparel market As per a CARE Ratings report, 20% of apparel is still bought in the top metro cities of the country, making the cities
of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru Chennai etc. the largest consumers of apparel in India. “Considering that less than 20% of India’s population lives in these cities indicates the higher purchasing power in urban areas and frequency of purchases,” the report noted. These markets also sell more women’s western wear as compared to Tier-II or Tier-III cities. Increased migration to urban cities, easy access to malls and other organised retail chains and increase in disposable income for migrants continues to drive growth in urban areas, making it a lucrative ground for product officers to continue introducing new products and styles in both the Indian and western wear categories.
Tier -ii & Tier-iii markets on the rise Yes, urban cities control the major share of the apparel market, but apparel spends are rising in Tier-II and III cities with rise in disposable income, proliferation of e-commerce and the popularity of the mall culture in Tier-II cities such as Indore, Surat and Kochi. Brands opening stores in non-metro locations has only facilitated this. Further, shoppers in Tier-II and Tier-III cities are also net-savvy now with ample exposure to social media platforms, making them more conscious and aware of global fashion trends. But this segment of the population continues to remain value conscious, making the medium and economy-price apparel the preferred purchase options. But as development officers of more and more brands continue to explore Tier-II and III cities as viable markets, the economy-price category may soon vanish, and brands may need to introduce luxury goods even in these markets. HR 13
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DReameRs anD DoeRs DeDication is the magic formula for the consistent success of our Jayanagar store since its opening in 2010. The work mantra at the store is to provide great customer service. As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Similarly, while today the store has a large and loyal customer base, it wasn’t achieved in a day. It is a result of our consistent dedication and passion for our work. We foster relationships at the Jayanagar store with our clients and believe in the power of 14
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bonding, and thus our approach remains customer-centric. It is because of this approach that when the management decided to renovate the store, the staff took it upon themselves to make sure that the renovation doesn’t affect any sales. Team Jayanagar created a benchmark by being the first store in the country to go under full refit without shutting down, proving that it is possible to completely revamp the store without compromising on customer experience and sales. The store was renovated without being closed for even one day. And this very hunger to be the best among
the best has yielded great rewards for us as an average of 3,500 footfalls on weekends is a very basic number for us, and we are hungry for even more! Numbers are also on our side as the 100% YTD achievement with 3% LFL growth is one of our main achievements, amongst many. In today’s predatory marketing environment, achieving 9.5 lacs sales per day with an average basket size of 4.0 is a sign of great things to come in the near future and is also a reflection of our team’s dedication, hard work and passion. So here at the Jayanagar store, we are a team of dreamers, but we dream with open eyes and keep working towards our goal. And we do not hold back till we have accomplished it.
The JouRNeY oF JoY(JAYA)NAgAR SToRe So FAR hAS BeeN FILLeD WITh SToRIeS oF STRuggLeS, SucceSS, FIghTS, FuN AND JoY. cuLTuRe MADe up oF FReeDoM, TRANSpAReNcY, FLexIBILITY, SpeeD, FAST gRoWTh, A SpIRIT oF eNTRepReNeuRShIp, eNeRgY, eNThuSIASM, AND LoTS oF FuN MAkeS uS DIFFeReNT FRoM oTheR SToReS IN ThIS MARkeT. The FLexIBILITY, eFFecTIve BuSINeSS pRAcTIceS AND AN AgILe AppRoAch oF eveRY SINgLe TeAM MeMBeR hAve heLpeD uS NoT oNLY eNhANce cuSToMeRS’ ShoppINg expeRIeNce BuT ALSo MADe MAx oNe oF The FAvouRITe ShoppINg DeSTINATIoNS oF JoY(JAYA)NAgAR. The DILIgeNce, SeLF-MoTIvATIoN AS WeLL AS The DeDIcATIoN oF ThIS TeAM To ALWAYS go The exTRA MILe IN oRDeR To AchIeve The BeST poSSIBLe ReSuLTS hAve MADe The coMpeTITIoN NoT oNLY RuN FoR The MoNeY BuT ALSo FoLD up BuSINeSS. uNDeR The ABLe LeADeRShIp oF MR SRINIvAS, JoY(JAYA)NAgAR SToRe hAS goNe FRoM STReNgTh To STReNgTh. IN The LAST YeAR, The SToRe TeAM hAS ALSo BeeN INSTRuMeNTAL IN SeAMLeSS execuTIoN oF SToRe ReNovATIoN WITh NoT eveN A SINgLe SquARe FooT oF AReA hAvINg BeeN coRDoNeD oFF, WhILe IT MADe SuRe ThAT A FReSh & AWeSoMe-LookINg SToRe WAS DeLIveReD oN TIMe. TeAM JAYANAgAR hAS ALSo SeT A BeNchMARk BY BecoMINg The FIRST SToRe IN The couNTRY To hAve goNe uNDeR A FuLL ReFIT WIThouT ShuTTINg DoWN AND pRoveD ThAT IT IS poSSIBLe To coMpLeTeLY RevAMp The SToRe WIThouT hAvINg To coMpRoMISe oN cuSToMeR expeRIeNce AND SALe. I AM pRIvILegeD AND pRouD To Be A pART oF ThIS TeAM FoR WhIch WINNINg hAS BecoMe A hABIT. WIShINg TeAM JAYANAgAR ALL The veRY BeST FoR The upcoMINg FeSTIve peRIoD. 2019-20 ShALL WITNeSS The AchIeveMeNT oF MANY MILeSToNeS AND NeW BeNchMARkS FoR The coMpeTITIoN To SuRpASS….!!! PiyuSh Sharma, TerriTory head
MAx JAYANAgAR SToRe IS oNe oF ouR Top T-60 SToReS IN The RegIoN WITh AN SpD oF `10 LAcS, LocATeD IN SouTh BANgALoRe. The SToRe hAS hAD A STRoNg eMoTIoNAL coNNecT WITh The cuSToMeRS FoR 9 YeARS oF ITS opeRATIoN. The SToRe ReceNTLY uNDeRWeNT A coMpLeTe ReNovATIoN WITh A NeW Look & NeW FeeL, gIvINg cuSToMeRS A ReJuveNATINg expeRIeNce. WITh The coNSTRucTIve & couRAgeouS AppRoAch ouTSMARTINg The coMpeTITIoN, The SToRe IS AT poSITIve LFL uNDeR The ABLe LeADeRShIp oF MR SRINIvAS AND The eNTIRe TeAM oF JAYANAgAR WARRIoRS. ouR SToRe IS FoRTuNATe eNough To pRoMoTe MAxIMuM TALeNTS AND DepLoY TheM AcRoSS The SToReS IN The RegIoN
“success is not final; failuRe is not fatal: it is the couRage to continue that counts.” Benjamin SilaS – area manager
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Take 10 know more about the life and work of the super-energetic harshendra maheshwari, national head visual merchandising & phygital
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Give us a peek into your journey as a professional so far? It’s been an absolutely exciting journey! For the last 20 years, I’ve never hesitated to ask for help and never received a ‘NO’ in answer. Leaders, mentors and even newcomers have inspired me to keep myself relevant to ever-changing customer needs. I’ve always worked hard, and the rewards of success have eliminated the pains. Sometimes we win, sometimes we learn.
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tell us more about your family. ‘Hum do, humare do!’ We’re blessed with two wonderful daughters – an absolute sponge to
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take away all the stress of late nights & hard weekdays. We’re an eclectic mix of Gen X, Gen Z and Gen Alpha! The whole family is high on gadgets and music and art. Our weekends usually end up as getaways and backpacking trips!
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What is the most cherished moment of your life? Oh! There have been so many and I’m sure more are to come! Every day is a great reason to celebrate life.
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What keeps you mentally and physically enerGised? The stark contrast of life – the speed of life and the stillness of waves crashing on a shore – it’s the Yin & Yang of work and life that keeps me going. I was warmly welcomed by my seniors and mentors and I extend the same to my colleagues.
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What are your favourite sports & travel destinations? Mostly the racquet for sports and adventure excursions for travel. I love to go scuba diving or just driving to the countryside. I’ve been to over 20 countries and four continents!
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Who or What inspires you? A ‘Never say die’ spirit and sincerity to one’s work inspire me! It’s important that we give our best to everything that we do to make a difference.
I’m proud of what my wife and I have been able to achieve over the years and next is to see our daughters find their purpose and passion. It’s the unmatched skill and talent of everyone around me that keeps me striving and learning.
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What is it that you enjoy doinG in your me-time? Oh, I have a set routine. Gardening, swimming and meeting friends for some good brew are my me-time favourites.
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describe a typical day in your life. I hate to get out of bed, but once I have tied my shoelaces, I’m a supernova. I’m full of contagious energy which makes me last all day, sometimes even without food. I like to meet challenges, solve them and celebrate every day.
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share somethinG that nobody knoWs about mr harsh. I have FIVE tattoos . What is next for you? I’m proud of what my wife and I have been able to achieve over the years and next is to see our daughters find their purpose and passion. HR 17
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The
home run
The Max OlyMpics is a big draw fOr eMplOyees (acrOss The specTruM), geTTing bigger and beTTer wiTh each passing year
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here is nothing like a sports event to create a buzz in an organization. A time to bond and a time to recognise diverse talent, sports bring out the best in people. The Max Group firmly believes: a team that plays together, stays together. Enthusiasm, energy, bonhomie and comradery mark the Max Olympics, an annual event that is much awaited across the organisational hierarchy, without exception. Right from the senior managers to the junior-most employees, the Max Olympics involve everyone in varied capacities. It has become an event to forge stronger bonds, showcase talent, interact with
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colleagues across divisions and build relationships across the length and breadth of the organisation. This year was no exception. The Olympics give an opportunity to employees from the stores to come face-to-face with those working in the warehouse, across regions and verticals. Everyone, whether regular, contract or housekeeping staff, comes together as one on the same platform for the love of sport. The colourful mailers giving details of the upcoming events leading to the mega Olympics start popping up in the employee inboxes quite some time in
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Besides The fun and games, The evenT fosTers Team Bonding (appreciaTion for each oTher’s TalenT) and muTual Bonhomie ThaT TranslaTes inTo deep work-place engagemenTs and Builds collecTive pride HR 19
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advance. The frequency and the enthusiasm continue to build up till the time the finals eventually take place. Rules are carefully thought through and clearly laid down for the competitions to avoid any confusion and disappointments. The detailed thought process can be evidenced from the basic rule that a minimum number of female
The evenT Brings everyone on The same plaTform, cuTTing across regions (divisions) and hierarchies, wiTh TalenT Being The (only) sTar of The day 20
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employees is made mandatory for team games like cricket. Diversity has clearly been embraced in the true sense in all walks of The Max life. Rigorous competitions take place at the regional levels for the final clashes. The event deepens the employee engagement and builds pride in the work place. Employees get a chance to step back from their hectic work schedules and appreciate what the company and they collectively stand for. A whole host of modern games are included along with the traditional ones to increase the diversity and the fun quotient! There is volley ball, throw ball and badminton competing with kho kho and kabaddi to attract the best talent. Considering the diversity in India, specific suggestions from the regions are welcome too. Considering the pride and quantum of participation, generous budgets are set aside to leave no stone unturned in making the event memorable. There are colourful jerseys, movie tickets and over-arching spends for the Olympics. A big attraction for the teams is the separate budgets just for trophies, which find a pride of place on the workstations, motivating everyone to practice harder for the next Max Olympics. A welcome break from the hectic work schedules, the Max Olympics has become a keenly awaited event. Each year builds up higher expectations for the next and 2019 was no different. HR 21
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fun@work
Every now and then, life at Max becomes all about switching our work-modes off and having some fun. Here are some great memories of Team Max bonding over celebrations & events!
Relive Small JoyS
back to basics When we let go of the little things we don’t need, we are living off the basics. As an essential part of our War on Wastage Project (WOW), Max launched Back to Basics as the activity of the month in April. All our teams identified activities and processes that were least productive and continued to eliminate some of them. This made their daily tasks simpler, employees happier, and ensured a lot less wastage – of time, efforts and resources!
Our favorite memories are always from a long time ago. July saw such beautiful old memories come to life for 3 lucky employees from each store/RO when Max decided to recreate their fond memories. Employees shared their wishes – like visiting their schools or spending a day with their parents and Max fulfilled these ‘small joys’, forming new, magical moments for each of them.
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Birthday CeleBrations
Max EMployEEs dEsErvE an EnTirE cakE aT lEasT oncE a yEar! WE call THEsE cakE days THEir birTHdays.
special birthdays fOr special peOple... Max lOves tO celebrate tOgether!
All our employees bring something fabulous and new to the table. If it were possible, Max would love to celebrate each of us, every day. But special is rare, and thus we spotlight all our joy to each of our employees on one special day – their birthday! Max loves to celebrate birthdays by taking some time off from
the everyday routine of work schedules and come together as a team to make the ‘special one’ feel a little extra special on this one day! Birthdays are so much fun at Max with all the team members singing and feasting. The birthday boy or girl spends this day sharing all the merriment
with colleagues and team-mates. The birthdays become even more special as the employees get to know their co-workers a little better, which otherwise becomes difficult even though we work together every single day! And to top it all, there’s always the sweet, cherished memories of delicious cake! HR 23
world environment day efforts that It’s the smallest of the planet count in making greener. We at better, kinder and small campaign Max initiated a World in June, marking ay, to pace a few Environment D r own little way moves ahead in ou th’s most crucial alongside the Ear . needs of the hour our employees We arranged for in and around to plant saplings e malls. There wer stores, ROs and ’ ing ‘seed balls workshops on mak flash mobs at and we presented eate awareness public places to cr eatAirPollution. about how to #B
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Collage What better way to define ‘Unity in Diversity’ than to have all our different team members come together to create art – merging colours with ideas, words with values, cultures with awareness? We let the idea of a work of art come out of this heartwarming concept in May and received an amazing response from our employees. Teams from all across the country sent their collages strung with pictures and words that expressed their version of this beautiful quote in their own unique
way! Whether we call it an assortment of ideas or contrast of opinions, we were astonished to see that such a diverse range of employees sent in their artworks, all unified in ideals and principles. The best part about this competition? Every team included not just the employees who work together on a daily basis, but also our outsourced workers, helpers and all the in-house leaders. Each of them put in their thoughts together for the collages, creating diversity within unified groups! HR 25
HR Social Initiatives A pr i l to J u ly 201 9
GROWTH OF A DIFFERENT KIND At Landmark Group, the roots of our business expansion and goals prosper with the outgrowing stems of our essaying environmental and social enhancements.
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Prevent & Preserve camPaign On 5th June 2019, Landmark Group launched ‘Prevent & Preserve’ campaign in India to create action-oriented awareness on environment conservation and wellbeing. As part of the campaign, employees acted upon various initiatives on #BeatAirPollution in and around their respective areas of operation. Sapling plantation drives were conducted across various locations in the country. An ‘Upcycling of Waste’ workshop for corporate employees was organized in partnership with Urvee Foundation to showcase how can a ‘Paper Bag’ be created from ‘Waste Cloth Fiber’. Additionally, few locations created awareness through cleanliness, ‘bring your own bag’, and seed bombing drives. In order to make these initiatives inclusive of local communities, a mini-urban forest was created near Bellandur Lake in Bangalore City in association with SankalpTaru Foundation. This effort was further extended to larger audience through an online plantation campaign on Landmark Virtual Forest platform.
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Employee Volunteering – STEP UP FOR INDIA INITIATIVE Landmark Group has been supporting the Step-Up volunteering program at Yemlur Government school, where employee-volunteers conduct teaching sessions to help ameliorate the English language level for children of Grades 4 and 5. With over 120 hours of volunteering time, almost 100 students have benefited from the program.
Over 75% of children have shown improvement in their English Reading skills. Step Up India is an initiative aimed at reducing high dropout rates in primary government schools through a modular English program that harnesses the time and effort of volunteers.
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You maY be an amiable and efficient sales personnel, but are You fit? obesitY makes You feel – and look – tired and lethargic, making it difficult to motivate the potential buYer. research saYs overweight emploYees are also less productive, more injurY-prone, and need longer breaks to recuperate. if You suspect You are putting on some, no worries! read on for tips on how to staY on top, in bodY and mind, and give Your best to Your customers through the daY – even as You work to drop the ‘extra’.
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Start your day with exercise
Take advantage of the morning hours before you need to meet customers. Chalk out a morning exercise regime. Get in 75 minutes of vigorous activity such as running; or 150 minutes of moderate activity such as walking, at least 4 days a week. Far from making you tired, it will, over time, make you feel more energetic - and of course drop the calories!
2 Eat right
Ditch the chocolates and chips (or reduce portions) – switch to baked soya puffs, dry roasted namkeen or nibble on fresh fruit and salad, if possible. Get a lunch dabba from home instead of ordering in and substitute the oily gravies and gulab jamuns with grilled or baked foods. Apart from losing calories, you will feel fresh and energetic for a longer period and oh, reduce body odour as well – definitely a plus when you’re trying to make a sale!
3 take water breaks
Stressed at work? Drink water instead of coffee, tea or energy drinks. Water keeps your brain active, raises your metabolism, flushes out toxins and reduces bloating. Sip just before you eat – research shows that you will eat an average 75 calories less. The glow on your skin is an added benefit!
4 Catch up on your sleep Sleep requirements vary but most people need at least 6-7 hours. (Trying waking up without an alarm
for 7 days and you can get the ideal number of sleep-hours you need.) Your body works even as you rest. The number of calories you burn depends on various factors but, on average, a person weighing around 57 kg burns 38 calories per hour of sleeping. On the other hand, lack of sleep, produces a hormone called ghrelin, the ‘hunger hormone’ and makes you want to eat more!
5. Be lively being cheerful and positive is likelY to make You feel readY to take on the world – and that exercise regime! of course, the number of customers who close the deal thanks to Your appeal will all add up in Your next appraisal!
Right postuRe foR
weight-loss good posture not only makes you look slimmer – and create that great first impression on customers – but it also helps reduce belly fat and tones hips over a period of time. learn how to do this with these easy steps:
• Standing poSture Keep your chin level with the floor, shoulders back and stomach in. Learn by standing against a wall – the back of your head, shoulders and butt should touch the wall, with arms at your side. This keeps your stomach in and helps you lose fat. • Sitting poSture Keep your thighs at a 90° angle to your calves and shin, shoulders straight
Got some time in between customers? 10 minutes of jumping jacks or spot running can help suppress those mid-day hunger pangs!
and square, with your head upright. Your head, back and heels must be aligned. This makes hips and bellies less prominent, and helps reduce them over time. • Sleeping poSture If you are sleeping on your back, place one pillow under your head and one under your knees. This keeps the stomach in and speeds up the process of burning fat.
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Home & family
Work & Money
Meeting friends & get-togethers
Analysis & counting
Festivals, shopping & gifts
Strategy & time management
FESTIVALS WORK-LIFE BALANCE Not easy! But here are some suggestions that you may like to try out. We spoke to several senior corporates (who have been-there-done-that) and experts in the field of corporate management and here’s what they say
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he arrival of the festive season puts smiles on our faces – we wait for the good times throughout the year. This is the time to create wonderful memories and enjoy ourselves, living life to the fullest with family and friends. Yet, these are often terribly stressful times because
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work pressures are invariably more – unless you are among the lucky few whose offices shut down for the festivities. However, all is not lost! Here are some tips (and tricks!) to get you on track to find the perfect work-life balance during the coming months. So read on and pick what suits you.
PRIORITISE, PRIORITISE Not easy – true! Make a list – even if you are not a ‘lists person’... a physical list on your laptop, phone or the simple old-fashioned dhobi list with pen and paper. You won’t believe how this helps. Give special
priority to work projects which come with tight deadlines. Do this the night before for each following day. No, it does not take away the fun from family time but gives your time-off more value and meaning, and you do it guilt-free, without any distractions.
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TIME IS OF ESSENCE
How well you compartmentalise time for each activity – be it on your work front or for your family engagements – is the most significant aspect. To begin with, put a time frame to every activity on your list and buffer it up suitably. Then try and stick to it. If you find you’re going to need still more time, plan to finish up that task at the end of the day if possible. Avoid pushing it to the next day. The trick is to fit in only as much as you know you can! Still, if you must fit in lots, formulate ways to speed up things. For instance, if you have to shop for different things, try and go to a market or mall which would have all the products or at least most of them under one roof which would cut travel time. Buy whatever you can online – saves money, energy and time. You may choose what you wish to buy together with the family – that too is fun. Or, consciously minimise your social media activity. It’s the season to live in real-time!
CREATING BOUNDARIES Try and stick to work timelines strictly or start a bit early. So, if your office starts at 9 am, arrive about 30
minutes earlier if possible and finish off on time instead of extending the after-hours in office. Try discussing this with your boss and colleagues so all are aware that you may not be available till late hours. Try and divide inevitable late days with cooperative colleagues. For instance, if you are keen to get off early on Pujo days, stand-in for the colleague who would love to be home on time for the Diwali time. On the other hand, make sure that your home and festive activities do not intrude on your work. You must maintain boundaries – can’t be entertaining long calls of Bijoya greetings interrupting that presentation.
SAY ‘NO’ (POLITELY)
Learn to say ‘no’. Your manager may approach you with a new project – something that you may have been vying for. Still, you may choose to take a pass for the sake of family time this once. Of course, before declining the offer, you may evaluate the time the project or responsibility will take and try to postpone it if possible. Otherwise, just go ahead and take a pass if it means late hours in office during the festive season.
FOCUS ON HEALTH
In order to do more – yes, even to have more fun and socialise more – you need to keep your energy and health levels up. Of course, there are parties which translate into lots of eating and drinking, but a few simple steps will keep you fit. If drinking alcohol, have a glass of water between your drinks; eat everything you like but try and minimise portions; get that sleep – try and get started on your parties earlier to get some decent shut-eye (tough in our Indian approach to celebrations, but give it a shot!)
PLAN SMALL GET-TOGETHERS
Focus on meeting smaller groups of people and keep the menu simple. Festive times are to meet people you like, catch up on life... While good food is part and parcel of Indian celebrations, you may keep the menu limited – it cuts the stress of elaborate cooking. You could try potluck for a change – no it’s not a sacrilege. Enjoy! HR 31
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10 Golden Rules foR fRont-end staff
Good manners and kindness never go out of fashion! Here is a simple breakdown of must-keep-in-mind for front-end staff
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first Impressions: Be professional and friendly. Greet customers and immediately ask how you can help. Honesty: Don’t overpromise or try to cover up for what you don’t know. Instead, inform that you’ll get the information from senior staff. focus: Many things compete for attention at front-end services - but remember when you are talking to a customer, you must give him or her your undivided attention. Body language: Stand straight and look customers in the eye. Lean slightly forward to indicate attention and do not fold your arms.
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demeanor: Remain calm, particularly with flustered customers; listen to them without interrupting or rolling your eyes. Then say you are going to escalate the issue right away.
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Work area: A clean and organized work area is a must. So remove clutter and keep the space neat.
technical Knowledge: Learn all you can about your work so you can answer questions and don’t need to say, “I don’t know”! telephone etiquette: Answer phones cheerfully and professionally. If you’re helping a customer and need to answer the phone, excuse yourself politely, finish quickly and apologize for the interruption. Personal service: Address customers as ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’. Offer services that exceed expectations such as serving water or offering a seat. Avoid over-friendliness.
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final Impressions: As the last person customers may see, thank them for their visit and wish them a pleasant day.
The New Gen Rewards and Recognition Program
Coming Soon...
