Best practices for meetings, telecons and discussions

Team,

I want to put down a few best practices for how we should handle ourselves during meetings, telecons and other work-related discussions.

1. Every meeting should be minuted.

• For learning sessions, ensure Manisha or Alpesh know beforehand and have the digicam and tripod ready to capture video.
• Similarly, anything drawn on the whiteboard can be photographed and shared along with the minutes.
• For meetings outside Trivone House, please get a dictaphone if needed and if it is allowed (most smartphones have voice memo apps which can be used for this purpose).
• Team leads will be responsible to choose who will minute each meeting before it starts. If necessary, delegate on email.
• Also clearly list out the action points and who has agreed to do what and by when. This is especially so for client teams that commit to sharing documents, information, etc within a timeframe.

2. Ensure meetings are not interrupted by phone-calls or unrelated discussions.

• Sticking to the agenda helps you use the meeting's scheduled time efficiently and productively.

P
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On visits to client premises...

1. Please wear your IDs at all times. Especially when you go to client offices for meetings. Wearing your IDs sends out a clear signal that you 'BELONG' somewhere. The way people treat you WILL change if you do this. Plus, your level of confidence and security WILL go up.

2. Please remember that you visit client offices for business. Keep your visits to the point. Do not loiter around after the meetings, especially not in the lobbies or cafeterias. The visit should be brisk and crisp. You go in, finish your business and you're out.

posted by paul@trivone.com

Access Cards and ID Cards

Please swipe your access cards while entering the office and at the time of leaving. Your daily attendance is recorded through the access control system. In case if you forget to get your card please write an email to me with your in time and out time for that day before you leave office.

Lost or misplaced ID cards

Please be careful not to lose or misplace your id or access cards. In the event that you do misplace them, you have to pay a fine of Rs. 500 after which you will be issued new cards. This is owing to the substantial cost incurred by the company in procuring them.

posted by manisha@trivone.com on 03APR12

Telephone calls within the office

I recommend taking phone calls, especially work related calls in the conference room (as of writing this post, we don't have one yet) or one of the empty rooms upstairs. It is preferable not to disturb the person next to you or in the same room while working. 


Please keep personal phone calls to a minimum during office hours; ideally no more than 5 minutes. If your personal call takes longer, I recommend informing your team lead. 


Keep mobile phone ringers on silent or low volume. 

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posted by paul@trivone.com on 29FEB12

Breaks for chai and lunch

All team members from managers to office boys are permitted three breaks during each work day: One fifteen minute break for chai in the mornings (around 11:30am), one 45 minute break for lunch (whenever you wish to take it) and one fifteen minute break for chai in the afternoons. People who work other shifts will have corresponding breaks.


Please note: 

1. Any other breaks require permission from the Team Lead, even if you're only meeting the client. HR manager and Project Manager to also be kept in loop. 
2. Team Leads will be responsible if work suffers as a result of giving permission for an unscheduled break to a team member. 
3. If a team member takes a break longer than the allowed time, team leads may escalate to me. 
4. If despite repeated escalations (2+), a team member does not change behavior, we will be forced to take disciplinary action. 

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posted by paul@trivone.com on 28FEB12

Leave policy & working from home

Leave

1. All leaves longer than 2 days must be requested minimum one week in advance. The same applies if you're combining a leave with a weekend or holiday.
2. Emergency leaves, such as when you fall ill must be communicated to your reporting TL, me and Manisha by 8am the same day on email. SMS will not do.
3. Please use the Trivone leave application form; HR should have it. Use it to document on email every leave request you make.
4. All leaves must be 'OKed' by the respective team lead as well as approved by the Project Manager. Leave requests must therefore always be marked to Team Leads, HR and Project Manager. 
5. Leave requests which do not get OK from Team Lead and Project Manager Approval, if availed or taken, especially around weekends, will be treated as leave-without-pay. 

Working from home

1. All Mumbai Trivone employees will be allowed to work from home one working day in a month. Coordinating work on weekends and holidays is the only exception we're allowed to this rule.
2. All (WFH) instances require email approval (latest by 11am on the said work day and no later) from the Team Lead and Project Manager. Manisha should be marked on these emails as well. 
3. Any instances of working from home that do not adhere to the above will be treated as leave.

Remember that your leave record and your regularity at work affects your KRAs. Also, repeated non-compliance will lead to loss-of-pay. 


posted by paul@trivone.com on 23FEB12