Latest news with #BankimChandra
Forbes
23-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Work-Life Balance: The New Siren Call For Employees
Bankim Chandra is Director & CEO of Dotsquares. Always committed to innovative solutions and mentoring the next generation in the industry. In years gone by, and especially after key economic or socio-political events, workforces across the world in key and emerging economies have often borne the brunt of reviving economic prospects. This was certainly the case in the 20th century and before (e.g., the Industrial Revolution). But now a new mandate has emerged in the consciousness of these workers: the importance of pursuing the optimum work-life balance. As the term implies, it's about finding an equilibrium between an individual's professional and personal lives. It's about discovering the precious balance between work hours, duties, and other responsibilities and personal time involving family and leisure. In today's world, the worker has shifted from a more manual-intensive focus to the industries that dominate economic output, such as service-based organizations. Even those industries that were once dominated by manual labor now have a huge focus on back-office operations and departments focused on enhanced customer satisfaction and retention. This shift into a more sedentary work profile has helped accelerate the focus on what opportunities might be beyond the office windows. There are, of course, plenty of benefits to adopting this approach. If you achieve that balance, then there are the possibilities of improved mental and physical health. This, in turn, can lead to increased productivity at work, along with higher levels of engagement. That balance will reduce the potential for exhausted workers facing burnout and improve overall workplace retention among employees. If workers are more in tune with their overall health, then an increase in positive workplace culture can often be experienced. This, of course, affects job satisfaction and motivation to accelerate organizational goals. The pandemic in 2020 accelerated this further. As this massive event interrupted labor markets and triggered a shift to flexible work arrangements, people realized that their jobs and work continued regardless of outside factors. The shift in our working environment laid the foundation for what is euphemistically called the 'new normal.' This entails the focus on more flexible work arrangements and challenges the more deeply rooted traditional relationships between employees and employers. Since the pandemic, many workers have adjusted to working from their 'workspace' of choice, be that at home or another remote location. This is a double-edged sword, however. Having come out of the pandemic, that 'new normal' also entails something of a legacy. The pandemic forced many workers to become accustomed to working longer hours, primarily during the pandemic, to keep the organization alive. This has continued post-pandemic, where we see many (not all) remote workers juggling increasing workloads and the expectation to be always 'on.' That delicate balance that was the aim to be attained has been blurred and, in extreme cases, flipped. So, how can that perfect balance be attained in the post-Covid workplace? Several organizations are now walking back from the hybrid working model, and many big names are demanding that workers return to the office far more frequently than they have been, if not permanently. This exacerbates the dilemma when recruiting new talent. Data from Forbes shows that as remuneration rises, so too does the percentage of workers who either have a hybrid work setup or work exclusively from home. Can we deduce that as an individual progresses through an organization that the new panacea is not simply a bigger paycheck but a more harmonious approach to work? In the U.S., "81% of workers said remote work is the most important factor in a job, more than salary," while a staggering "46% of U.S. remote-capable workers would likely quit if remote working was taken away." Complementing that is that over 80% of employers say remote working options are critical to attracting and retaining talent in their organizations. So, we can see that throughout our recent history (or at least since our modern concept of 'work' has been formalized), there have been changes in how we work, often shaped by external events. The idea of work-life balance is something that has gained prominence relatively recently as a greater understanding of all factors both inside and outside the workplace has taken shape. The advent of a major external event, in the shape of the pandemic, has highlighted, in essence, that our concept of 'workplace' has shifted, and anywhere (depending on role) with a good degree of connectivity can be considered. With this firmly at the fore of job applicants' minds, and their knowledge now of the perceived benefits, is it any wonder that the clamor for a work-life balance gets louder and louder? Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How AI Can Turbocharge Your TQM Program
Bankim Chandra is Director & CEO of Dotsquares. Always committed to innovative solutions and mentoring the next generation in the industry. Over the years, business owners and management professionals have been faced with an ever-increasing number of business process models, including Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen and total quality management (TQM), to name a few. All of this is further complicated by artificial intelligence (AI). The big question is: How will we use AI in these legacy models? What benefits can it offer, and how will those benefits manifest for end customers? Let's take a look at TQM and how it might benefit from AI. TQM is, as the name implies, focused on facilitating quality improvement. The International Organization for Standardization describes it as "a management approach of an organization centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long term success through customer satisfaction and benefits to all members of the organization and society." It is essentially a management approach that aims for long-term success through customer satisfaction. Key elements of this approach focus on strategy, data and effective communication to optimize processes, products, services and the culture of an organization. TQM also easily integrates with other approaches, such as Six Sigma, lean manufacturing and global ISO (9000 series) standards. Is it the data element of TQM that can be furthered by the adoption of AI? As we know, generative AI can sift through huge quantities of data quickly to derive insights from those datasets. For example, sifting through multiple communication channels, including social media, can help you discern what the customer actually wants. There are many ways in which AI could be a real game changer for TQM. AI can analyze any historic legacy data to accurately predict any potential quality issues before they occur. In manufacturing, cameras and sensors can identify defects much more efficiently than a human eye. As machine learning progresses, these quality management practices could become more accurate and efficient, spotting anomalies quickly and suggesting preventative measures. AI can also be tasked to look for the insights in customer feedback. By analyzing the data from reviews, surveys, social media and other sources, AI can quickly ascertain any trends and highlight potential areas for improvement. Similar processes can be used to identify and mitigate risks in the supply chain. But AI can also help in other areas of the business, such as identifying process improvements. By looking at legacy and current data, it can identify roadblocks in business processes and suggest improvements. This could lead to potential AI-designed 'experiments' in, for example, business process data flows. Two important elements need to be considered here. The quality of the data being is imperative, as is the choice of AI model the algorithm it applies. Combined, these can give businesses a great competitive advantage, providing key insights and allowing informed decisions to be made in real time. In software development, there is already a plethora of AI automated testing tools being used to both write and check code. Coding assistants such as GitHub Copilot and Google AI Studio are already prevalent in many organizations, allowing coders to concentrate on more intricate tasks. There are many AI tools available, and of course, choosing the right one for your industry and organization is going to be critical. Before you make your choice, you need a clear view of the challenges and goals that your implementation might face and achieve. Review current market offerings and their relevant case studies. Once you've narrowed down those offerings, evaluate your choices firsthand by trying them out. Pay close attention to the reputation ascribed by peers to the tools you review; that will tell you a lot about its market position and whether it will become one of the major players in its particular niche. Additionally, take into account the speed by which organizations are able to derive real value from the tool. Assess the migration potential for any legacy data that you'll need to import into the tool. Furthermore, assess the tool's security infrastructure and how safe that data is going to actually be. See how much support the vendor offers to those who use their tool, too. Any TQM program now has a wealth of resources available to them. With these tools, you can pull even more value from your data, which can help you build better relationships with customers, drive your bottom line and more. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
