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2020 was the year that changed alot of things for all of us. While we liked some, there were other things which we did not! And as the new year, 2021, dawns upon us, it brings new goals, new perspectives, new promises and new resolutions. Let us take a moment to thank and show #gratitude for all that we liked in the previous year and also everything that we did, accepted and adjusted to. Show #gratitude for all the #newbeginnings and resolve to be stronger and #resilient through the high and low tides and #appreciate all that we have. Let us develop an #attitudeforgratitude.
Here is my article on showing #appreciation and being thankful for all the big and small things we have. Do like, comment and share.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nandita-krishan-17a8951b/detail/recent-activity/shares/

Leadership is not about titles, positions, or flow charts. It is about one life influencing another. John C. Maxwell.

An article on my aspirations, my efforts and about the journey i intend to enjoy.

Please share your views and your story in the comment box if you enjoy reading this article.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leader-i-see-myself-prerna-arora/?trackingId=9T35XleV88oPGI9hpYmM%2Fw%3D%3D

Innovation is the key to success for every sustainable business and we, at Marching Sheep are constantly evolving and innovating. Through COVID and Lockdown, we learnt the art of virtual interventions and by conducting surveys and panel discussions, we understood the need of diverse industries. Through a topsy-curvy path, Marching Sheep has emerged among the Top 25 HR Consultancies in the country and Top 10 in Delhi/NCR. We have constantly contributed to the society through various knowledge sharing panel discussions. In a recent interview today with The People Management, our founder – Sonica Aron spoke about the new POSH Guidelines, Challenges of a #WomenEntrepreneur, #DiversityandInclusion and our Survival Technique during COVID. Thank you team People Management for this opportunity to share our thoughts and experiences through this platform which helps shape the young HR Leaders.

Team Marching Sheep is so excited to welcome our three new interns from TISS ODCL Subhashree Sekhar Abhijit Manwatkar Prem Kumar Dayyla. New projects, new learnings, new journeys, we are all looking forward to new experiences together!

5. Shruti’s Article

Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.”
– Morticia Adam

Like any modern-day individual, a person with disability would prefer to be self-reliant and be able to fulfil their roles as an individual. However, often the natural environment or the social environment may not be favourable in completely achieving such a goal.

The current pandemic has increased the complexity of the unique challenges and opportunities persons with disability face even today, where some disabilities are invisible. Therefore, we look forward to rising up to the occasion of building a better, inclusive, accessible and sustainable Post Covid world with collective efforts by, for and with persons with disabilities.

Sharing some thoughts through this article and highlighting a few areas where we still need to focus on while working towards the inclusion of persons with disability during and Post Covid times.

Looking forward to your views and insights!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/lot-disabilities-invisible-your-reaction-them-isnt-shruti-srivastava/?trackingId=zLovC8EdeppZNeASw6PuCQ%3D%3D

“Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet — thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing — consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.” —Lance Secretan, The Secretan Center, Inc.

As we all battle the impact of the pandemic, Entrepreneurs, and business Leaders are uniquely poised in a situation where they have an opportunity to lay the foundation for an organisation that is resilient today and tomorrow. With consistency and authenticity in Leadership, right people management skills, policy and processes that enable and empower their teams to break barriers and reach for excellence, now is the time for leaders to pause, reflect, reboot their management style and people management processes for business recovery, continuity and growth.

Here is my article on – People Management Processes and Skills: A Must for all Business Owners! Do read, like, share and leave your comment and inputs! Happy Reading!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/people-management-processes-skills-must-all-business-owners-krishan/?trackingId=Ru9YAHCCRFo0Ms%2FykKjb4g%3D%3D

Domestic Violence was always a serious issue. But the pandemic has had a #catastrophic impact with a surge in cases witnessed and reported in the last few months across the world. Considering the fact that most victims do not even complain, the magnitude of the #problem is unimaginable!

With our homes becoming the new workplace today, The boundaries between workplace and home have blurred. Where leaving for office could have provided a respite, today, there is no respite.

Can employers play a role to help employees who might be victims of #domesticviolence? If yes, what role can they play? What are the #boundaries?

Sharing some thoughts on this critical topic through this article. Eager to hear your views on this #pertinent subject.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/domestic-violence-workplace-concern-today-rupali-kaul/?trackingId=fhafd7uFE8OLPbBgFu8JTA%3D%3D

Another accolade for Marching Sheep! Super-excited to share that Sonica Aron, our Founder and Managing Partner has been recognized amongst the top 10 Transformational business leaders of 2020 by The Enterprise World for her futuristic vision as a leader and for creating a niche place for Marching Sheep in the #evolvingmarketplace.

Thank you The Enterprise World for acknowledging our journey from being a one woman army to building and successful HR Consulting firm which is amongst the most recognized and awarded firms in India today for its high impact, contextualized and ROI driven offerings across industries and sectors. Proud, yet humbled, the journey has just begun. We want to continue to #makeadifference.

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We at MarchingSheep are extremely proud and delighted to share that our Founder, Managing Partner, Sonica Aron has been recognized amongst the #top 10 #women #entrepreneurs in India by Forbes India for her significant contribution to the business world. She has been acknowledged for her admirable efforts in taking Marching Sheep to the next level of growth and success in a short span of time. In her journey, Sonica with her grit, perseverance and passion for work, has been successful in creating a niche space for herself and team Marching Sheep in the corporate world. She has built a strong, closely knit team, which has emerged stronger and successful with each passing day in this journey, under her leadership.
Also, heartfelt gratitude to all clients and partners who have shown faith and offered continued support in her and Marching Sheep’s journey so far.

Sonica Aron your energy, laser focus and determination has inspired and motivated team Marching Sheep everyday to work towards creating a meaningful difference in the society. At this proud moment, on behalf of the whole team at Marching Sheep, to a #friend, #guide, #mentor Sonica Aron, wish you lots more success and many more accolades in times to come!

Marching Sheep, under the leadership of our Founder and Managing Partner – Sonica Aron, has emerged as a thought provoking, leading HR firm in the country and among the Top 10 HR Consulting Firms in Delhi/NCR. Specialists in the frame of Diversity and Inclusion, we have also carved our niche in HR Consulting practice for SME & MSME sector, and building emotional resilience and psychological safety in the workforce during COVID pandemic. Recently, Silicon India published an article on Marching Sheep, calling us trendsetters offering a wide range of holistic services – D&I Strategy and Implementation, Strategic HR Consulting, Leadership & Talent Development, Emotional Health and Wellness Portfolio. At Marching Sheep, we believe that we all have a role to play and do our bit towards the community and industry, and we continue to do so and we March forward with resilience and grit!

“This Independence Day, let us free ourselves from all shackles. Let’s unite and tap into the potential of collective strength to triumph over the current turbulent times and emerge stronger and better as people, professionals and society.”

We will be celebrating Independence Day on 15th of August that marks the end of 190-year-long British rule in India. In 1947, India was declared as a free country on this day. In 2020, India will complete 73 years as an independent nation.

Independence Day is one of those significant days in Indian history that reminds us of the bravery of our freedom fighters. With buildings illuminated and tricolour proudly adorned on top of buildings and caps. People pay homage to our leaders and great fighters who fought and gave up their lives for India’s freedom “Our Freedom”.

This year again we seek freedom but not from foreign rulers, but from an unknown enemy that has caught us all in waves of fear, uncertainty, anxiety, stereotypes and biases.

It’s time to pause and reflect with a heart full of gratitude and remember the strife, struggles and the sacrifice of the countless brave hearts. It is because of them, we continue today to live with hope and optimism of a better tomorrow and a brighter future.

Today stands as an opportunity for us to unite and fight with renewed spirits. To break away from Active Inertia of our past patterns that have held us back from triumphing over the current turbulent times. Our shackles have marked the lives of people, society and economy with fear and conflict.

“So even though we face difficulties of today and tomorrow, I have a dream…,” said Martin Luther King

Let us together take charge of our dream for a brighter tomorrow with freedom from…

1. Freedom from Fear

“The enemy is fear. We think it is hate, but it is fear.” –Mahatma Gandhi

It is natural to feel anxious and fearful when the journey ahead is unknown. We have long forgotten how to empower ourselves as well as people around us when hit by uncertainty. Presently we are gripped by the ‘virus of fear’ rather than the deadly virus itself, it has paralyzed the world. As we all brace and prepare ourselves for exiting the lockdown, the path towards healing and recovery journey will be more of a reflection, discovery and evolution. But this wouldn’t be possible without courage, clarity, patience and persistence.

2. Freedom from Bias (‘INCLUSION’ can make way for a united front)

Humanity is battling an invisible enemy that is COVID-19. We believe in order to combat the situation there is a need to recognize our inherent biases that can cripple our efforts. These are errors of judgement in thinking that affect our decisions and course of action. Some have advocated weeding out these biases that we succumb to unconsciously. Therefore, another aspect that needs to be considered is Inclusion. We have witnessed that the challenges presented by the pandemic need the united effort of the people towards the journey of healing and recovery as we move forward. As the impact of our decisions and course of action today will impact a collective than a selected few.

3. Freedom from Insecurity (Attitude & change behaviour to adapt and thrive)

The world has changed we have moved from VUCA to VUCA 2.0 today, yet the way we operate needs to evolve, there is a need to appreciate, communicate and have a strong network of individuals to end insecurity. Let’s not forget our attitudes and behaviour causes a ripple effect on people around us. It is important for us to take responsibility of ourselves and people around us as well.

4. Unshackle Yourself (Building a learning muscle is crucial to reinvent, adapt, progress and grow)

The ongoing pandemic is a global phenomenon which hasn’t left any aspect of life within its sphere untouched. Some view it as a challenge of a lifetime, while some look at it as an opportunity. It really depends on how one chooses to perceive and respond to the scenario – ‘you can either see the glass half empty or half full, or even better, look at it as space with scope to reorganise’. Innovation and reinvention can only be achieved with the attitude of learning, unlearning and relearning.

5. Building a Stronger and Resilient Society (A way to seek meaning and look at the bigger picture in times of crises)

Systemic action is a necessity for sustainable and resilient economic and social recovery. In order to achieve this, there is a need to invest in building not only the strong but also the vulnerable section of our society. Most important is nudging a long-term change in behaviours and attitudes of individuals by through empowerment, inspiration and modelling values that demonstrate resiliency and adaptability.

Let us not forget there are a few who have demonstrated the above. Some lost and some yet fighting, reminds us of the undying power of the human spirit, valour and courage.

The venerable leaders of newly Independent India charted a path that did not perceive independence only in terms of transfer of political power, but rather considered it a stepping stone in the long term and the larger process of nation-building. Their objective was to improve the quality of life of each individual and the wellbeing of society as a whole. Even today, this intention still holds its relevance.

As we celebrate our 73rd year as an independent nation, we are indeed at a crucial juncture. A juncture that heralds the era of the implementation of resilient efforts towards social and economic recovery with sustainable development; a plan which reflects the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of our people and which sets out the strategic objectives required to address some of the major emerging challenges of current times.

Perhaps the most important among these cross-cutting issues that will touch every citizen alike are – health care, education, and infrastructure, crimes against our humanity and unemployment or underemployment. Although we may share different political and religious beliefs and value systems, these areas touch the very core of who we are as a people and therefore, if our underlying goal is the progress of this nation, we will share a collective outlook.

May this year be a year of breakthrough for all us!

This pandemic might have impacted the society globally, but this crisis has been disproportionately harder on women than men. Whether it is economically, physically or mentally, women have been the most vulnerable to its impact.

Women are on the front lines of the fight against the virus, making up 70% of global healthcare workers and as much as 95% of long-term care workers, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). They are not only putting their lives at risk, but also make up majority of employees that have been exposed to the risk of losing jobs due to lockdowns across countries.

Worst hit industries have high women representation

The economic dip caused by the virus is not like the past recessions we have witnessed, The worst hit sectors this time are hospitality, retail, travel and leisure where women make up a large share of the workforce with high female employment rates. Also, the type of roles women hold in these industries are more customer centric and a major reason for the disproportionate rate at which women are losing jobs compared to men. As per a new Citigroup report more than 220 million women globally are in these vulnerable sectors. They expect 31 million to lose their jobs, as opposed to 13 million men. Another report by Business Insider suggests , 60% of the Americans laid off in the past two months have been women. Most of the jobs were in the travel and hospitality industries, as restaurants, hotels and airlines were largely shut. On the other hand, Technical jobs, where male workers are higher in proportion, were easily moved to work-from-home positions, and job losses have been less extensive there.

Work from Home is not the same for Men and Women

Since women are considered primary caregivers and domestic workers not coming, they have been relegated to unending household chores because everyone is at home all the time. Women are managing childcare with children out-of-school and care needs of older persons with overwhelmed health services even though both are working from home. The latest report of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) points out how women are taking on a far bigger share than men of housework, caring for elderly relatives or children, and even home schooling. And that is over and above a full-time job in most of the cases. This has been adversely impacting women in terms of:

• Employability – the current situation is impacting their availability to pick up extra assignments/projects at work, reducing their flexibility when employers are trying to find reasons for asking employees to leave, might need to cut their working hours or take frequent leaves. All these factors would be detrimental to their current employment and even future employment prospects.
• Mental Well being –Women already shouldered the household responsibilities before the pandemic, Now, physical, and emotional demands of family members are soaring post the pandemic and so is depression and anxiety amongst women. Boundaries are blurring between home and office post the pandemic which has disproportionately affected women’s well being. A major study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found young women are faring worst as compared to men – with the overall mental health of women aged between 16 and 24 found to be 11 per cent worse than before the crisis.

Increase in Domestic Violence

Due to forced proximity, lack of mobility and no access to public spaces during lockdown across countries, domestic violence has increased worldwide. During the first months of the COVID-19-related lockdown, Indian women filed more domestic violence complaints than recorded in a similar period in the last 10 years. In response to the alarming incidence of gender-based violence during the pandemic, the UN is encouraging governments to treat legal, medical and related responses to domestic violence as emergency services.

Unpaid Work during Pandemic

This calamity has made the fact evident that maintenance of daily lives across economies is built on the invisible and unpaid labour of women. With school closures, increased hygiene requirements at home, elderly care and household chores, unpaid work by women has intensified exponentially over the last 4-5 months. But it still remains unaccounted for, in the global economic response. Unpaid care work has long been identified as a major reason for gender inequality and with the crisis at hand, it has exacerbated the already existing gaps in income, education opportunities, and their impact on health of women.

Clearly, this pandemic is having serious impact on the economic prospects of women. Talking about India, 94% of the women who are counted as being in the workforce remain concentrated in the informal sector. In sectors apart from agriculture, women are usually working as domestic workers, construction laborers, garment factory workers, beauty, salon and spa services providers etc. With the lockdown everything came to an abrupt halt and as it is being eased, the overall slowdown in economic activity is not a positive for women employment. In fact, some leading economist are calling the current crisis as “she-cession” instead of recession leading to reinforcement of many already existing gender inequalities in the society.

These are all points to ponder on. We cannot heal and recover unless we heal as a whole. Excessive negative impact on any part of the society, will take years to undo. This is an opportunity to rethink gender norms, start afresh and root out gender biases from the society and workplaces. Policy makers and corporate leaders need to recognize these inequalities, address them by building a robust gender inclusive policy and economic response and help women navigate through this pandemic. This is the time for organizations to strengthen their Diversity and Inclusion efforts. Ensure equity while making hiring or lay off decisions, offering inclusive policies and benefits with focus on offsetting the repercussions this pandemic has had on women.