MAXICON VOL 12

Volume 12

Goal 2022: 1 billion!

Max India passes on from one able leadership to the next in a seamless progression towards its goal to hit a billion dollars by 2022

SPECIAL MENTION TOP SPEAK

Vasanth Kumar bids adieu

UP NEXT

New CEO Shital Mehta speaks about his vision

COVER STORY

Asia is the new fashion and apparel hub

The Big games

g Sportin it Spir

Nandini Mehta HR, Head

The Journey Continues As Mr Vasanth passes on the baton to Mr Shital, the journey to success will continue with equal drive & persistence sat wondering as the years flew by in my head. What a journey it’s been for Max and the team that has worked in Max for various periods of time! As Mr. Vasanth says, it’s been a hockey stick in the way business has grown.

While business has flourished at a fast pace, tremendous hard work, passion, commitment, synergy and innovation have gone into making Max India a brand to reckon with. Beginning as a start-up with an unassuming office, trying to figure out how to get people to work with us, and for us, to having more than 200 stores, seven regional offices and a plush corporate office with 7,000 employees and a huge vendor base today, the journey has not been easy!

Mr. Vasanth has created not only a successful and amazing organization, he has also built a passionate and driven team. His leadership has taught us how to look at everything in detail, how to take ownership, how to balance between tasks and people, and, above all this, how to be humble, simple and yet persistent.

A leader with grit and tenacity, a leader whom everyone would like to work with. As Mr. Vasanth passes on the baton, his baby of

13 years, to Mr. Shital Mehta to take on larger responsibilities of managing Lifestyle International as the Managing Director... I again sit down wondering... I am sure another decade will fly by with equal passion, commitment, hard work, synergy and focus as Mr. Shital takes over as Executive Director of Max. He takes on from where Mr. Vasanth left at close to `3000 crores this year, to making Max a `5000 cr company by 2020 and a billion by 2022.

Hard work, passion, commitment and synergy have gone into making Max a brand to reckon with

The journey has to continue with persistence till we achieve our next milestone. On behalf of the entire Max team, I wish Mr. Vasanth Kumar and Mr. Shital Mehta the very best. As the journey unfolds into a new path the destination does not change.

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contents Creates 04 Max Movements

It was a packed activity box for employees with Max India’s employee engagement programme, refreshing and involving staffers in healthy competition. The activities included culture capsules, skits and mimes.

16 Top Speak

Mr Vasanth Kumar takes you through his journey in Max India through ups and downs, talking about the factors that carved out space for the company in a crowded market, and how enterprising teams are the backbone of any profitable organization.

08 Fun @ work

Max India’s bouquet of activities organized every year for employees to take a fun filled break from work, paid off as a wellconceived strategy to involve employees in activities that jogged their brains, fuelled their creativity and celebrated special occasions. The Road Safety Week was a valuable lesson to keep them safe while travelling.

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Sporting Spirit

Max’s annual sports gala goes much beyond the sporting activities. It brings in work-life balance and makes employees understand how different sports help maintain good health.

to know your new 25 Get CEO, Mr Shital

The new CEO of Max Fashion, Mr Shital, is all praise for the company he has just joined, and is bullish about taking it to greater heights. He talks about his experiences, ideas about work ethics and seeking work-life balance. A tete a tete with the man in the hotseat!

28 The ‘Nawab’

of Hyderabad

21 Onwards...

Mr Vasanth has taken Max Fashion through wonderful moments of success to touch 3000 cr. He gives over the baton to Mr Shital who is now poised with equal enthusiasm to take the company to the 1 billion mark!

This Inorbit Mall store has been a charismatic influence on the region’s success since inception. The store has a host of valued customers in techies, NRIs and celebrities.

30 Focus: Diabetes

Max India’s Social Initiative Programme this year focussed on the lifestyle epidemic of diabetes. Awareness programmes were the highlight of this significant initiative.

Medical 32 New Insurance Plan

Max India shifted to a new and better hospitalization benefit Medical Insurance Plan which comes with added benefits for all.

34 MaxYourLook campaign

The group went a long way in establishing Max as the fashion brand of choice for the Autumn Winter Collection by encouraging participation in the #MaxYourLook contest, & by enticing Max loyalty customers to come and check out the latest collection at the Max store or online at maxfashion.com.

36 Fashion comes East

According to McKinsey FashionScope, Asia is projected to account for almost 40 percent of global apparel and footwear sales in 2018. The Asian online apparel market alone is projected to reach US $1.4 trillion by 2020.

The improvement in the fashion-industry sales volume is forecast across categories. Apparel and accessories are returning to historic highs, driven by demand in Asia-Pacific.

41 Summer coolers to

keep you hydrated and healthy

Summer comes with high temperatures, dust and, of course, dehydration. We bring you a list of cool drinks which not only hydrate you but also keep your calorie intake minimal. Go ahead, sip in the energy-giving, healthy and tasty treats!

best dos for 44 The office breaks

Research has consistently suggested that quick and timely breaks from work at office keep the employees in a healthy work mode, pursuing productivity.

Here’s a list of the most energizing, refuelling and fun-filled quick breaks you can take without disrupting your average day’s work schedule.

CONCEpT, CONTENT & STraTEGY: Don’t Be Content Shveta Sahu, Manjira Dutta CrEaTIVE DIrECTOr: Vipin Gupta DESIGN & prODUCTION TEaM: payal Bhuskute, abhilasha Tyagi prINTErS: Vishwakala printers No 28, 2nd Stage, Industrial Suburb, Yeshwantpur, Bangalore DESIGN & EXECUTION BY Don’t Be Content

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Max Creates Move MoveMents

l taIyee e r plo eM day

Max IndIa’s eMployee engageMent prograMMe for 2017 was, refreshIng & full of healthy coMpetItIon, showcasIng InnovatIve and creatIve theMes

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he annual employee engagement programme held between November and December last year had employees showcasing their talent enthusiastically.

The creative performances were held at all levels from the stores to the corporate office platforms.

Round One, an audition round, was on a

freestyle theme. The teams comprised six to 10 members. The winnings teams went up to compete in Round 2.

Round Two was an inter-store

competition themed on remixes (old vs new). Six finalists were shortlisted for the Grand Finale held at a glittering function.

The winners got `500 worth GV each.

Round Three was themed on “Tribute To An Actor/

Actress” (through a sequence of songs). It was innovative and engaging and had employees pitching for their favourite cinema stars with much excitement.

The Grand Finale had the six region finalists performing on professional choreography. The winners got `15,000 worth GV as a team. interesting highlight!`

The six selected teams from the regional level added value to the jig by hiring professional choreographers for their final performances.

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The b ig

stage

As pa rt Camp of the “I L ove M aign” ,e AX g u e st perfo very regio n had rman the d ces (s ay 2 kit Th e s e o f R E D – the G /mime) on skits/ rand mime the fo Fina s ll them owing “I L were based le. es: Fa ove M on irn ax Inclus ion; a ess; Diver ” campaig s i ty & nd W n Pa r t i c ork ip meme ating emp -Life Bala nce. loy ntos w orth ` ees were given 100 e ach.

themes for all rounds were carefully charted and brought out the best in the competing employees. the engagements led to an overall feeling of bonding amongst all!

KarnataKa

andhra Prades h

west

north east

tamil nadu

andhra Pradesh

east

a summing up of the events`

The Regional Office finalists participated at the Grand Finale. The theme for Round 1 was “Culture” (respective state/region culture) which had to be skillfully captured within three minutes of creative performances.

karnataka

The Round 2 theme was “Medley” with a short time frame of 4 minutes. All performers portrayed their themes in detail despite the short time the round allowed!

kerala

north

The costume budget for the finalists was `3,000 per team. The regional and corporate levels finales were was conducted and managed by the events management company Cocktail Events. tamil nadu

west

The winners got `20,000 worth of GVs while the first runner-up went away happy with `15,000 worth of GVs and the second got GVs of `10,000. All teams got `5,000 worth of GVs in addition to their prize money.

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fun@work

A clutch of activities are organised every year as Max India group’s well-conceived Fun@Work strategy to involve employees in some lighter moments during work

RO celebRates New YeaR

birthday celebration Birthday celebrations of employees have been an activity that is followed as a brand policy - and the employees really look forward to it. A cake-cutting ceremony is organized for the birthday boy or girl at his or her respective store in which all colleagues get together.

Employees of the regional office as well as the warehouse and outsourced employees, participated in the New Year celebrations held across the Max group. The RHR organized fun engagements, including cultural activities. There was a sumptuous lunch organized to add to the gaiety of the celebrations.

Diaries and pens were distributed to mark the occasion. And there was a delicious, cake to round off the festivities. Employees attended the events with enthusiasm and had a fun-filled day.

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CREATIVITY AT plAY

FREEDOM spOt

Store employeeS created attractive ‘hot SpotS’ around the theme ‘i love max’

All store employees and ROs, participated in a creative activity to make attractive ‘freedom spots’ at their respective store entrance to mark the Republic Day. The store manager had circulated contest details, and a poster was put up on the

notice board to announce the contest. The store arranged the materials required to put up the display - mannequins, shirts, trousers, accessories, kids wear and so on. Each store in the region nominated a team comprising 10 to 15 employees to represent their store. The

THE COMPETITION TO MARK THE SPIRIT OF FREEDOM, DREW

ENTHUSIASTIC RESPONSES AND WONDERFUL CRATIVE OUTPOURINGS! AS PRIzE MONEy PAN-INDIA WINNERS GOT `10000

competition allowed only one team per store; and a store team could use three mannequins (male, female, child) for the display. The competition was held between 8.30am and 10am at the customer entrance. The theme for this year’s event was ‘I Love Max’. All ‘freedom spots’ displayed this theme innovatively. The three regional winners were rewarded `5,000 worth Zeta GV per store.

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the big OUtiNg This activity is held to encourage employees to enjoy a fun day with their colleagues, away from the office. This time there were store outings and SM and RO outings.

The day-long outing is usually on a weekend. A safe venue is finalized by the RHR - no high altitude areas, sea shore, river, lakes and water logged areas. If the team is headed for a theme/ water park, the employees are fully briefed on safety around watersports - the company, as a policy is very clear on ensuring safety of its employees as first priority. (All are briefed about the code of conduct to be followed.)

Road Safety Week

jatn h

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Max observes the Road Safety Week every January to highlight the need for safe roads. Awareness is created through posters and the SM talks about adopting road safety measures. A road safety video is played for employees. Employees share their experience of any road mishap they may have witnessed. Quizzes around the topic are organized and chocolates given away to winners. To round up the event, all employees take a road safety pledge.

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Happiness MoveMent, a sinGULaR initiative!

ess ark Happin The Landm ed was launch Movement y 7 this year b on February e agtiani at th Ms Nisha J ce. The rporate Offi group’s Co ll stores took off at a t n e m e v o ss m group acro rk a m d n a L of the bruary 9.

India on Fe HR 11

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The

Big games

The max Olympics, a high energy TOurnamenT played BeTween emplOyees, is an annual evenT drawing huge crOwds & wide parTicipaTiOn

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he Max group believes in the dictum, ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’. Keeping this in mind, a whole lot of fun and games are organized annually to provide an opportunity to employees to come out of their daily work schedule and take a sporting break in a competitive environment.

The Max Olympics is an event that the employees wait for eagerly every year, and this year was no exception.

All employees from stores, RO and WH participated in the games spread out from January to March this year. Max’s annual sports gala was conducted in the regions with great fervour and saw active participation from Stores, Warehouses and Regional Offices.

Team Lease employees along with the Specially Abled staff, Housekeeping staff and the Security staff too participated. Besides providing a platform for employees from across the group to interact with each other, the event also brought out the sportsmanship in staffers.

The events that were included in the Max Olympics were: 1) Carrom Tournament for Men, Women and Mixed doubles

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The annual event goes a long way in encouraging employees to find a work-life balance, and spend some off-time with colleagues.

Another takeaway is the importance of maintaining a healthy, energetic lifestyle on a day-to-day basis HR 13

2) Chess Tournament for Men and Women 3) Max Premier League Cricket Match where men and women employees participated 4) Sprints, Relays and Long Jumps 5) Kho-Kho for Women Some regions held full-scale Badminton, Volley Ball and Throwball events. The colourful jerseys with the team names and the enthusiasm for the sports event could be witnessed a month prior to the activities with teams engaged in practice sessions. It was a celebration of the spirit of the company that the employees took part in the games with enthusiasm and camaraderie.

The participation for this high-draw and fun-filled event was comprehensive. The winners were awarded trophies and showered with gift vouchers and movie tickets.

‘Sports is such a great teacher.

I think of everything they’ve taught me: camaraderie, humility, how to resolve differences’ - Kobe Bryant

These annual games go a long way in restoring work-life balance in employees’ lives, and give them moments to savour out of their busy work schedules with their colleagues. Another big plus of the Max Olympics is that the games help to remind and underline the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, something employees may tend to overlook.

The event has paved the way for employees to practise and play a variety of sports to keep up their energy levels and maintain overall good health.

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‘Achievement does not end A journey’ Vasanth kumar talks about his eVentful journey in max through ups and downs, and how enterprising teams are the backbone of any profitable organization

What are the three factors that set Max fashion apart?

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Max brings in international fashion with freshness – every 45 days a new range of international fashion is showcased in our stores for customers to choose from.

At Max, customers can finish shopping in half the time as compared to other stores. There’s also the bonus of versatility which brings in the concept of mix and match. Showrooms are accessible and friendly. We ensure that shoppers always feel at home.

Overall customer service is very efficient, be it getting help from assistants or help with exchanges and delivery options at home, alterations’ information, about CRM points, redemption and consumer friendly offers.

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What are the landMarks in Max’s india journey?

The first landmark was the opening of the first Max store in a metro — Commercial Street, Bengaluru, in December 2006. Max was a non-entity in a highly evolved market full of biggies. That year, Max took Bengaluru customers by storm. It didn’t just come about unexpectedly; it was the culmination of efforts of the backend team which started work in March 2005.

After 20 months of work for just one store, we got the feeling that ‘yes this concept has landed on its feet now, and now we don’t stop, we have to start running’.

The second landmark was when our chips were down, making losses five years in a row. It was only in the HR 17

sixth year that we broke even. The collective wisdom of teams garnered this breakthrough. A new fashion brand breaking even in its sixth year is a big achievement. We are a 100% private label which became profitable so quickly. After this, in the next five years, we went on to become the most profitable brand in the segment.

How long does it generally take to break even?

The success rate for a 100% private label is 1 in 10 and those who make it become profitable, but 9 out of 10 don’t.

We we were fortunate to be 1 in 10. wHicH personal strengtH Has impacted business and How?

My first personal strength, I believe, is clarity on the overall goal to be achieved and how that gets communicated to any team member – clarity on the company’s goal is important for every team member.

Second, is truly believing in the team and structuring and enabling high performance. I don’t see any team member as inferior just because he/she is in a supporting role. They are still important and linked. In a multi-legged race, if one trips, the entire team falls.

Enabling teams to realise their full potential by structuring and aligning them to a common goal is crucial.

Realisation of the goal will then be in the right direction.

The third strength I believe I possess is being humble and down-to-earth.

In this high-risk industry, anything can go wrong, so being aware of this vulnerability is a plus.

max breaking even in its 6th year is a big achievement.

We are a 100% private label Which became profitable so quickly

people sHape company culture. sHare your tHougHts on team max’s culture.

Our culture is to encourage ownership at the operating level. We give every new team member role clarity, guiding principles on which to operate and a 18

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perspective on the organizational and functional mission and vision.

For example, Max Fashion’s mission is to become a 1-billion-dollar company by 2022 and our vision is to democratize fashion for India’s aspirational middle class family. In sync with this, each function has its own mission, be it HR, Marketing or Operations and we explain the mission to freshers.

For instance, for the HR, the aim is to make Max the most preferred workplace by selecting and nurturing the right talent, forming a performance driven culture and providing clear career paths with continuous learning opportunities.

We tell our teams that anything they do should enhance this mission. Through this understanding, they should realise the corporate mission, thereby

achieving the 1-billion-dollar-by-2022 goal. To achieve this, there are eight guiding principles:  Commitment  Authenticity  Validation  Orientation  Relevance  Accountability  Speed  Friendliness It is made clear to the teams that all members have to abide by this, and violation of these principles will not be tolerated. This gives them confidence and a conducive atmosphere to think independently and align with the organizational and functional missions.

engagement, I feel happy about it. Second, the fashion industry is unpredictable and no day is a repetition of any other day. That creates its own excitement. This uncertainty cascades into your role as well, demanding innovation and creativity from team members. As the head, how I facilitate their work challenges is what I see as daily fulfilment. what are your thouGhts on work-life balance? what measures have you have taken to make it a healthy balance?

For many it’s a tough challenge to balance life outside work. What I do is during weekends I try and cut off from work activities. Of course, the mind still thinks about work, but I try to avoid related physical activity except for visiting the store as a customer not an employee. When you visit the store as a customer, you also see the other side of what happens, and you use that as an opportunity to go with family and be objective and receptive. do you shop at max as a family?

They craft their role innovatively and use creativity in their contributions. This helps Max propel itself further. They are not boxed by what’s written in the JD, they are encouraged to go beyond the JD but with the functional mission as the objective. This ensures that teams don’t go astray in having their own agendas which work against the corporate missions.

Give us a Glimpse of your day in office and what you enjoy the minute you walk in.

First, before I start for work, I put down the 3-4 important things to be accomplished in the day and plan what is required to meet the objectives. In each of the objectives for the day, I keep the end customer or the other team member in mind and see what that team member would like to accomplish and ensure that it’s done in a way where the organizational goals are also met. So, my job is to ensure that the individual team goal is met and, at the same time, the organizational goal, vision and mission is accomplished. When I’m able to accomplish a win-win situation in every

I shop a lot for my family at Max. To me it has a dual purpose: I can engage with my family better and it is far more affordable!

Also, I am working and making mental notes and at the same time, I don’t feel guilty about indulging at Max as I take the opportunity to be updated with all the new trends. What is unique about Max is that apart from going international, customers feel updated with the latest trends. how would you rate vasanth kumar on a scale of 1-10 as a corporate professional?

A corporate professional needs to be good at balancing the needs of the organisation and individual team members, without compromising on either.

In my corporate career, I have tried my best to balance both, purely from a corporate point of view. I feel I have contributed adequately for both the organisation and individual team members to be happy so I would rate myself on a cumulative basis between 8-9 out of 10.

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How would you rate yourself as a boss?

I believe in facilitating team creativity and, at the same time, giving clarity on all organisational goals. On these two parameters as a boss, I rate myself 8 out of 10. as a family person?

Of late, I have been consciously giving more time to family and trying to meet their needs. Demands of children in their teens are higher so I’m giving more importance to my daughter. For now, I will give myself a 5-6 rating. wHat attributes would you like to see in a perfect employee?

The perfect employee should first be a good leader. He or she should be able to inspire his or her team to meet the goals. To me, leadership capability can be exhibited even at the junior level.

Leadership qualities and accountability are the hallmarks of a perfect employee. your vision for lifestyle?

balancing is a challenge. in weekends, i cut off from work. the mind still thinks about it so all i do is visit the store as a customer

Lifestyle is the No. 1 fashion department store in India with a network of 70 stores across the top 20 cities and a turnover of `4,000 crore.

This was built by Kabir over the past 14 years with his visionary leadership and well supported by Lifestyle’s senior management team. Lifestyle’s mission statement is to be a youthful brand offering a seamless shopping experience backed by remarkable service. At Lifestyle, the young and wellconnected customer is kept at the heart of business.

Continuous innovation keeps pace with change. It is no surprise that Lifestyle International has been rated as the best organization by industry peers as well as stake holders. Also it was consistently ranked high amongst the Top companies to work for six years in a row by GPTW. Similarly, with its network of 39 stores and close to a `1000 crore turnover, Home Centre has established itself as the leading home furniture and household products’ retailer in the country for the aspirational consumer.

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I am honoured to head this accomplished Lifestyle and Home Centre team, and am confident that both these formats will scale up to even further heights in the years to come. professional tips you would like to sHare witH tHe team.

The competition we now face is no longer restricted to brick and mortar stores. It has transcended into an e-commerce world with global players entering the Indian market with deep pockets and aggressive ambitions.

All need to realize that continued success depends on synergising teams, more so in an omnichannel world wherein creativity, innovation and agility are demanded across functions. I was blessed to have a great team at Max. This team helped Max and me to reach the heights we did! My advice to the team members is be down-toearth, grounded, sensitive and proactive to changing customer tastes. Any player can fall if he or she doesn’t recognize that anybody can trip him or her. Those who are successful realize this, those who don’t, trip and fall.

Also, achieving is not the end objective. The journey goes on. There’s never a finishing line. Lastly, in any journey you undertake, never forget to smile!

onwards...

max’s success story continues. mr vasanth moves on to manage the lifestyle group after inculcating a rare work ethics in the team. he hands over the baton into capable hands

r in He’s a leade tHere nse. tHe true se e learnt w is so mucH indeed, from Him. s you we will mis H! mr vasant

I was blessed wIth a great team at max.

I wIsh them all the best for meetIng the goal of makIng max a bIllIon-dollar company!

it’s a pleasure to be taking charge of a company that thrives on a loyal team which works with unanimity & commitment

go-getter

mr Shital iS determined to take max FaShion to the billion dollar mark with zeal, determination & planning

As Mr VAsAnth pAsses on the bA ton to Mr shitAl, the journey to AlwAys rAise th e bAr continues

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‘Our next gOal: HIt a bIllIOn dOllars!’

THE NEW CEO OF MAX FASHION, SHITAL MEHTA, IS ALL PRAISE FOR THE COMPANY HE HAS JUST JOINED, AND IS BULLISH ABOUT TAKING IT TO GREATER HEIGHTS...

A TETE-A-TETE WITH THE MAN IN THE HOTSEAT

What made an engineering graduate take to the fashion industry?

When I graduated in 1992, I had not imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be in the fashion industry! Academically, I was quite strong and was among the top 50 in my state (Gujarat) in the Class 12 science exams. Nothing other than technology was on my mind! The

turning point came when I decided to pursue a management degree and took up marketing as my career choice. It was pure coincidence that in that year - 2000 - Birlas were looking to rebuild the organization post their acquisition of Madura Garments. Given my strong brand management background, I joined them as Brand Head of Van Heusen.

If you were to define ‘Shital Mehta at work’, what would it be?

I am a passionate go-getter. I bring in a lot of energy wherever I go.

Strategy is critical but often I feel execution is not as glorified as it should be. In an industry such as ours, execution is critical. God is definitely in the details! For me, it’s about balancing and connecting

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is called a GROWTH mindset. A continuous learning mindset allows one to win big over a period of time.

The tendency when you are winning is to continue doing the same things and not challenge yourself with new ideas and perspectives. This leads to poor learning and does not prepare you to face an uncertain future.

Indeed, “Mindset” is a beautiful and easy read which has left a huge impact on me personally.

‘I feel happy that the organIZatIon already senses that what got us here may not get us there... It’s a great poInt to buIld up from’ with ground reality and yet being able to delegate and develop a new set of leaders. I like to encourage people to plan not just weeks but months in advance. ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’. This is what I live by.

A personality, book, movie or any other muse that has inspired your work and personal life in a particular way?

I am a huge fan of Saurav Ganguly and his leadership style. I am truly inspired by how this man single handedly changed the course of Indian cricket. He was a master at spotting young talent and allowing them to express freely without fear of failure. He toughened up the entire team mentally and instilled a neversay-die attitude in the team, which 26

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gave confidence to everyone even in the most adverse circumstances.

His greatest contribution to Indian cricket though is how he developed the concept of Team India. In an era when Indian cricket was all about individual performances, he shifted the focus to team performance as against individual records.

Then, there are a couple of books that have influenced me - ‘Execution’

by Ramcharan being one. I had the fortune to work closely with Ramcharan, a much-respected writer and management expert.

Another book “Mindset” by Carol Dweck got me thinking on Growth vs Fixed mindset. If one is only obsessed about winning, one is likely to end up with a FIXED mindset. You need to develop a mindset where in learning is even more important than winning. That

What strengths do you see in Max Fashion? What areas would you like to focus on?

We have created an outstanding business in the last decade or so.

Max is a unique retail business with “Value Fashion” model at its core. We discovered this space and were the first to tap into its potential, and that is why we enjoy such phenomenal brand equity and appeal across gender and age groups.

This concept of Value Fashion and simplicity with which we executed it has been phenomenal. None of it would have been possible without the great team behind it. We are a rarest of rare retail concept where several leaders have been here from the beginning. To me that is the single biggest competitive advantage we have, which can never be replicated.

We are now embarking on an exhilarating journey to make Max, India’s first ever 1bn $ Fashion brand. I am very happy to see organizational maturity to appreciate that “what got us here, may not get us there”. While we make sure that we build on our proud legacy and leverage our core strengths, we also need to prepare ourselves for challenges that lies ahead in future.

We have been an outstanding product company, and while we further strengthen it by focusing more on fashion, trends & looks, I see a very large opportunity in contemporising our Store Experience - by upgrading retail ambience, enhancing visual merchandising impact and integrating digital touch-points.

I also see an opportunity to strengthen our back-end – by building partnerships with large & vertical vendors, exploring global sourcing and developing quick-response models to exploit fast-fashion opportunities. Finally, just as we pioneered Value Fashion model, we should pioneer and scale up our Omni-channel initiatives, be it Online, Click & Collect, Return to Store or EASY kiosks.

I am a firm believer in the concept of “WOW - War on Wastage”. If

we have to build fast-growing & profitable business on a very large scale, we need to work towards simplifying processes, so as to cut out any wastage of precious resources, be it time, money or efforts. It is critical to embed these thoughts and ways of working in the collective consciousness of the organization.

positive conflict and friction. These are the key ingredients of a powerful, high-performing team. It also delves into commitment, alignment and performance. Being able to commit yourself to the cause of the team is important. Individuals who rise above personal glory are of great value to an organization, and at Max we have many such minds.

Please share with us your top mantra for team management Not Finance. Not Strategy. Not Technology….. It is the TEAM WORK that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare!

What in your book defines the ‘perfect professional’?

To me, a perfect professional has many qualities. The first quality is AUTHENTICITY, which is about being able to walk the talk….do as you say and say what you think.

This is a very critical quality I look for in people. The second quality is SEAMLESSNESS, which is being able to collaborate across functions and layers.

An ironically titled book, ‘The 5 Dysfunctions Of A Team’ by Patrick Lencioni examines this aspect. It is about creating a foundation of trust in an organization, and encouraging

It is about putting team agenda above one’s own agenda and being able to sacrifice personal views/ desires for the greater good.

The third quality is PASSION. Passion is about having fire in the belly. It is about being able to get things done, no matter what the challenges are.

A few lines on your idea of work-life balance.

Honestly, my idea of work-life balance is still evolving. It is something which I am yet to master.

What I am aiming for is to be able to create an environment where there is equal emphasis on health, happiness and professional success for everyone in the organization.

I love cricket and Bollywood movies, but what I enjoy most is the annual break with my family where we cannot be traced!

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The r a T s k c ro sTore THE InorbIT MALL STorE IS THE nAwAb store of Hyderabad and a fashion destination for the youth and IT professionals.

It consistently contributes to the region’s success with its mantra of store hygiene, customer delight and employee happiness.

Taking over the store responsibility four months back was a huge dream come true for me as the IB Mall outlet has always been a dream store to handle for any Max store manager. The store has a great catchment profile and an excellent team, coached to handle challenges.

A total of 15 Senior CREs were 28

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promoted over 3 years. It is is a benchmark for competitors in display standards and customer service.

years, the store has achieved many milestones that have made it a jewel in the crown of the Hyderabad region. A few to enumerate are:

Being the region’s flagship store, it has the attention of all functions that have made the store deliver more than 10k SPD on an average.

The success of the Inorbit Mall store circles around its employees whose dedication is unmatched.

The HR initiatives and employee engagement programs have helped build a strong team culture.

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The handshake culture from the store leader which touches evel the CRE level, sensitizes employees to the importance of respecting each other. In its journey of 8 successful

Recorded the highest ever single-day sale of `33.33 lakh during the Diwali festive season of 2016-17.

Recorded the highest sale of `1 crore in five days and `2 crore in 10 days.

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Won the best POG Store Award 5 times in Maharatna segment for 2017-18.

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Honoured for being the Best LMR Customer Enrollment with 95 per cent DQR report delivered.

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— Store Manager, Kalyan aKella

Topping it in Hyderabad THE InorbIT Mall STorE IS undoubTEdly a ClaSS aParT with its charismatic influence on the region’s success ever since its inception. It is a great honour for me to be associated with the store and lead its enthusiastic team. More than eight-years-old, the store still remains a favourite shopping destination in the city and is indeed an anchor store. The store embraces as it’s most valued customers - corporate techies, NRIs and celebrities - creating both singular challenges, learnings and unwavering dedication to ensure a great shopping experience.

The store has created many milestones in the region, highlighting the capabilities of an enthusiastic team. The team has proven and sustained LFL growth in steep cannibalization in 2016-17 and 2017-18 after the opening of another store in a 2 km vicinity.

It has piloted key projects to enhance shopping experiences at various touchpoints such as the trial rooms, MOT and cash desks. The store leaders have been passionate and committed as we have seen two Business Managers growing into the next level from this store. Considering the emerging market and competitors, Max Inorbit will be visually revamped in this financial year which will further enhance the customer shopping experience.

The InorBIT mall Is The shehenshah of max hyderaBad. The regIon’s success largely depends on The success of ThIs sTore as IT conTrIBuTes To around 8 per cenT of The regIon’s BusIness.

The mall Is dependenT on max for fooTfalls and so we are The anchor sTore of The mall.

I have no douBT ThaT ThIs sTore, despITe The cannIBalIzaTIon lasT year and ThIs year, he sTore wIll conTInue To grow and perform consIsTenTly. The sTore manager of The sore Is consIdered To Be The fuTure clusTer manager In TraInIng as IT Is ofTen referred To as The gaTeway of promoTIon. The fuTure would Be BrIghT for The sTore wITh renovaTIon plans under way. ITs fuTure look would gIve The cusTomers a wow shoppIng experIence. I am glad ThaT I had The opporTunITy To have a BrIllIanT sTore and Team under my leadershIp whIch Is a sTandIng example for oTher sTores. viveK sharma, territory head, aP & tg

The IB mall sTore Is The reason BehInd my success. IT Is specIal for all, parTIcularly The memorIes wITh The Team. IT was a prIvIlege BeIng The sm of ThIs sTore - Thanks To The learnIng and close InTeracTIons I had wITh The Top leadershIp. every day & momenT were challengIng as we had To delIver our BesT To keep The regIon on The Top. srinivas thangedaPally (Cluster manager)

Kamal Kishore Purohit (area manager, aP & tg)

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The sweet threat Max India’s Social Initiative Programme was carried out from October 2017 to February 2018 with a focus on managing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes

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BEAT DIABETES Continuing its battle for the last seven years, the Beat Diabetes Campaign made its mark this year too by creating awareness about the condition.

Across India, 1,01,557 customers availed of the free random blood sugar measuring facility at 50 Max stores in the year. The 10-day campaign from November 10 to November 19, 2017, was spread across 25 cities and 13 states.

Since 2010, Max India’s Beat Diabetes Campaign has reached out to 3,21,000 individuals through testing and awareness kiosks set up at Landmark Group stores. Brochures related to diabetes and lifestyle management were also given out to customers.

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GET ACTIVE

This program creates awareness about Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) among slum community, and manufacturing industrial workers, by conducting free NCD screening. The screening involves tests for anaemia, hypertension,

diabetes, CVD & dyslipidemia. The ‘at risk’ individuals are counselled and made to interact with specialised doctors through tele-consultation.

This year, the program reached out to 2,73,278 individuals across Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi/NCR and Pune. It was well received.

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LIFE AHEAD

‘Life Ahead’ aimed at building the capacity of women slum dwellers to manage and prevent NCD among their family and community. Capacity building Social Health Education sessions on various topics were held for women in their neighbourhood. Audio-visual content was provided in the respective regional & colloquial languages to make the subject simplistic and interesting.

PLANTATION DRIVE

As part of Max India’s environmental initiative, a plantation drive was held around Bengaluru in Shivanahalli.

As many as 900 saplings of native plants such as Bhagini, Karadi, Ulchi, Terminalia Elliptica, Madhuca Longifolia and Saraca Asoka, to name a few, were planted.

The Landmark Group supports the plantation, nurturing and maintenance of these plants.

For more updates, please visit our website: www.landmarkcares.in

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your best health guard Group Medical insurance is an iMportant health protection plan that Max india provides for its lifestyle india eMployees and their dependants. here are soMe hiGhliGhts of this new plan

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GMC POLICY

All our employees and their dependents are covered as per the mediclaim policy of the company. For details, please refer to the employee handbook.

The dependents include (self + spouse + 2 children + parents or in-laws) as per the declaration made by the employee in People Apps till April 2, 2018. Any new addition (spouse/baby) should be communicated to the HR department within 15 days of the event.

GRADE

OLD SUM INSURED

The dependenTs include (self + spouse + 2 children + parenTs or in-laws) as per The declaraTion made by The employee in people apps Till april 2, 2018. any new addiTion (spouse/baby) should be communicaTed To hr wiThin 15 days

NEW SUM INSURED

ROOM RENT ELIGIBILITY

A2, A3, A4, A5

`50,000, 75,000 & 1,00,000

`100,000

Up to `1,500

A6

`1,50,000

`1,50,000

Up to `2,250

M1 & 2

`3,00,000

`3,00,000

Up to `3,000

M3 & 4

`5,00,000

`5,00,000

Actuals

M5 & 6

`7,00,000

`7,00,000

Actuals

POLICY TERMS  All pre-existing diseases would be covered for existing, as well as new joinees.  No waiting period of 9 months would be necessary for availing maternity benefits.  All newborns would get covered up to `5,000 as part of maternity limit.  In case twins are born during the second delivery, both children would get covered along with the first child.

Particulars Network Hospital Reimbursement Claim Form Claim status

ICU ROOM RENT ELIGIBILITY

ACTUALS

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e have changed our Group Medical Insurance service provider to Star Health for facilitating better services to our employees. Here we list the changes that have come into effect from Aprll 1, 2018.

`50,000 for Normal and `75,000 for C-Section For pre/post-natal on OPD it would be 5% (max `2,500) Split maternity benefits also applicable

 One can claim up to `10,000 for availing air

ambulance during major accidents in India, and `2,500 for availing any emergency ambulance service.  Oral chemotherapy and avastin injections will now be covered, with 50% of the amount being reimbursed by the insurance service provider.  Instrument charges to be restricted to `10,000.

Links https://www.starhealth.in/network-hospitals https://www.starhealth.in/sites/default/files/CLAIMFORM https://www.starhealth.in/claims/claims-status HR 33

brand to the fore The campaign drew in customers to create winter looks and win a presence in Elle magazine

#Maxyourlook

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Autumn-winter 2017 Max fashion india’s brand proMotion caMpaign #Maxyour look was a success story which ran across india with a coMprehensive coverage across MediuMs which included radio, television and social Media

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ll brands in the value fashion segment take a price vs options route pioneered

by Max (3000 styles under `599).

But Max shifted the paradigm from selling individual garments to selling looks as a package. In this drive, Max played educator, inspirator and facilitator.

air, the RJ engaged with listeners through a contest on style tips.

The group established Max as the fashion brand of choice for its Autumn Winter Collection by encouraging participation in the #MaxYourLook contest and enticing loyalty customers to check out the latest collection at the Max store or online at maxfashion.com.

During the festive season, the brand came out with digital films created keeping in mind the younger audiences and inspirations that drive them to consume content. Max’s campaign theme ‘Endless Ways’ was given a spin with everyday nuances which the youth connect with, thereby driving exceptional performance on FB & Youtube.

RADIO SPOTS

A lot happened through the radio.

The RJ’s social media page splashed the “Look of the Day” pictures to cross promote the brand online. On

The #MaxYourLook campaign was promoted with RJs participating as influencers to create additional impact on digital and in-store platforms.

DIGITAL CAMPAIGN

#MaxYourLook was an aspirational campaign to showcase looks keeping in mind the idea of Max being a fashion kitchen which provides end-users with opportunities to create their own looks under Endless Ways.

To boost customer engagement, the #MaxYourLook campaign was run in association with the Elle magazine.

customers created their own looks, clicking selfies and posting

them for featuring in elle

Customers were asked to create winter looks, click pictures in the ‘Elle zone’ set up at the stores, and post them on the #MaxYourLook app. The best curated look was featured on the Elle India webpage. Customers curated 21,000 Max Winter Looks.

Digital Films had a reach of 6,165,000 in the men’s and 7,626,354 in the women’s section. With 36 million hits, Max maintained high spontaneous recall in the south markets, and gained major share in Mumbai & Delhi during the campaign.

BRAND EXPANSION

For brand expansion, among the measures taken were on-ground activations across regions, RJ & blogger visits to stores, customer interaction with RJ & bloggers, and customer engagement through selfies featured on Elle.

As part of the TV campaign, 99% (2054) spots were implemented, of which 76% were on primetime.

For TV Integration the brand associated with Bigg Boss. The first round integration was all about winter looks for every contestant through a display set-up in the Bigg Boss House. The second round comprised a fashion show by women inmates, judged by the men in the House. Two winners each won a wardrobe makeover through gift vouchers worth `25,000.

The campaign ran across seven cities, including Bengaluru.

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East is thE nEw wEst

In 2018, for the fIrst tIme, more than half the apparel and footwear sales wIll orIgInate outsIde europe and north amerIca, and asIa wIll be the new bIg house. a report

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here are good tidings for the apparel market in Asia, especially India and China. Global fashion trends monitor McKinsey & Co.’s “State of Fashion 2018” report predicts this progression after a challenging couple of years, with the industry sales growth nearly trebling from 2016 to 2018, rising by 3.5% to 4.5%, from 1.5%.

In this changing environment, emerging markets will become a crucial source of growth, with half of apparel sales originating outside Europe and North America for the first time in 2018. The main sources of emerging market growth are Asia-Pacific, which is forecast to grow at a robust 5 to 7.5%. The outlook for Europe is a modest 2 to 3%, while in the US the impact of policy changes prolongs uncertainty, with markdown pressures, market corrections and store closures continuing.

With two thirds of the world’s e-commerce unicorns, more than half of global online retail sales, and countless digital and tech innovations, Asia is no longer waiting for Western companies to step up. Asian players have started asserting their power and leadership even more through pioneering innovations, global-scale investment and expansion.

The global fashion market’s centre of gravity had gradually and long been shifting East but it is this year that it will show a marked move. Asian economies have experienced strong economic growth. The GDP growth in

Asia remains much higher

than in Europe and the US. Accompanying this growth is the rise of Asian consumers’ fashion expenditures.

According to the McKinsey FashionScope, Asia will account for 40 percent of global apparel and footwear sales by 2018. The Asian online apparel market will reach US $1.4 trillion by 2020.

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Asia Hi Tech Hub

Asia’s influence is growing not only because of its role as a battleground for sales and new consumers but also because the region is becoming a source of technology innovations. Asia now boasts two-thirds of the world’s 45 e-commerce unicorns, China being one of the world’s most

active digital investment and start-up environments.

China’s unique digital ecosystem continues to spawn giants such as news aggregator Toutiao, which like other online leaders such as Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, offers advanced solutions and local innovations. The pace of innovation is spurred by China’s uniquely-demanding consumer landscape where 20 percent of internet users rely on mobiles alone to access the internet, compared to just 5 percent in US. The phenomenon of digitally-savvy consumers is not limited to China.

Ninety-five percent of APAC’s 1.5 billion social media users access social media via mobile devices, the highest

According to the McKinsey FashionScope, Asia is projected to account for almost percent of global apparel and footwear sales by 2018. The Asian online apparel market alone is projected to reach US $1.4 trillion by 2020

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companies moving Eastward, to Asian companies moving outbound. Some companies will follow the lead of Urban Revivo, a Chinese fast-fashion player making inroads in Europe.

rate globally. The innovation leadership fostered by this environment reaches far beyond China’s borders.

Asian companies’ lead on innovation and digitisation can also be witnessed in the fashion industry, from Chief Purchasing Officers in McKinsey’s 2017 Apparel CPO Survey ranking China highest in sourcing digitisation, to Japanese brands such as Issey Miyake, long known for experimenting with technology, to drive materials innovation.

Asian Brands Growing

In 2018, more Asian brands will leap onto the global fashion scene. Asian fashion players are already beginning to increase their presence and influence globally.

This year, Gentle Monster from Korea attracted investment from LVMH-backed private equity firm L Catterton Asia, 15; and Anita Dongre, the Indian brand backed

by General Atlantic, opened a store in New York. More designers from Korea, India, China and Japan are displaying their wares at fashion weeks in Europe and the US. Another way Asian players are expected to assert their power is by reversing the old global expansion pattern of Western

Outbound Asian investment is also expected to take the form of increasing ownership stakes in international fashion companies. Recent examples include JD.com’s investment in Farfetch, and the acquisition of both Italian Cerruti and

Gieves & Hawkes by Hong Kong-based Trinity, which

later embarked on an ambitious expansion program in the UK and China. Top positions at the acquired companies will be filled

by Asian leaders.

Asian players will assert power by reversing the old global expansion pattern of Western companies moving Eastward, to Asian companies moving outbound.

Outbound Asian investment will increase ownership stakes in international fashion companies

Asset Management

Asian fashion companies’ international ascendancy is all set to go beyond sales and customer engagement, and move into infrastructure and other assets.

Many Asian companies are

already making large investments in Africa to develop new apparel sourcing hubs to take advantage of lower labour costs and proximity to both raw materials and consumer markets in the West.

For example, the recent interest in Ethiopia as a sourcing destination is partly driven

by Asian companies, with more than half out of the 124

foreign investors that expressed an interest in Ethiopia’s textile and clothing sector during the first quarter of 2017 being Chinese. Many Indian, Chinese and South Korean companies are already making investments in the country.

Yuemei Group is one example of a company that has moved significant production to Africa.

Such strategic investment to secure access will grow as Asian companies increasingly look outward and take a central position on the global fashion stage, with some surpassing Western peers in Asia in innovation, investments and expansion.

Digital High

Mainstream customers in Asia and the world over are moving into a decisive phase of digital adoption; and so, online sales of apparel and footwear are projected to grow

The traditional fast-fashion sector has grown more than 20% in 3 years, & new online fast-fashion players are gaining ground.

To keep up, leading fashion players are following pureplay brands using consumer insights and data analytics to react and predict next steps 40

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rapidly. With information and the ease of comparison at their fingertips, millennial consumers in particular are becoming less brand loyal, with two-thirds of respondents to a survey saying they are willing to switch brands for a discount of 30% or more.

Sales of the traditional fast-fashion sector have grown more than 20% over the last three years, and new online fast-fashion players are gaining ground. To keep up, leading fashion players are following pureplay brands by accelerating speed from design to shelf, using consumer insights and data analytics to react and predict next steps.

But speed and flexibility bring added complexity. Shortening lead times requires major changes to the traditional business model

and supply chain, and a shift in focus to a customer-centric model.

Fashion laggards who fail to address emerging customer demands will face increased risk, lost market share and excess inventory.

The outlook for the fashion industry varies across value segments, with consumers moving away from midmarket price points even while the luxury, value and discount segments pick up speed.

The improvement in fashionindustry sales volume growth is forecast for apparels with handbags, luggage and jewelry returning slowly to historic highs, driven by demand in Asia-Pacific.

These developments take place even as the fashion industry continues to experience transformative shifts.

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cool works Summer is here with all the heat and dust, dehydrating your body and zapping you of work energy. But you can beat the heat and enjoy your office hours with these optimum energy coolers in your flask

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hen Mother Nature turns on the heat, it is time for you to source up your energy levels and keep your mind and body cool enough to not let the heat get to you and your work.

Though there are many drinks that you can take to bring down the heat, it is necessary to keep a few things in mind. First, fresh is always best. Two, no added sugar should be put into your cooler.

Three, many Ayurveda experts say that ice cold is not the answer to a healthy way to cool your body. This is so because a good digestion needs a certain amount of fire in the belly which the ice sips often HR 41

douse, thereby retarding the digestive juices and making your stomach food heavy for a longer time than necessary.

Four, not all fruits are good fruits for juicing. Mango, the king of summer fruits for example, is very high on sugar and so should not be juiced or made into smoothies too often. Same with cheeku. So the trick is to chose the veggies and fruits carefully and go with those which rest the heat of course, but also go a long way in providing constructive energy to your system.

Here are some we list for you which come with simple recipes, use ingredients which are easily available, are flask-friendly and great to take to workplace.

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Cucumber mint water

Cucumber is a fantastic cooler and when combined with mint lets off extremely becoming flavours to refresh, revive and energise your system thoroughly to perk you up for the day’s work.

All you need to do is fill you flask with cold water, cucumber slices and a sprig of mint and your delicious, cooling summer drink is ready to make your day. Have it one glass at a time or sip slowly over the day; the drink keeps you in fine fettle.

Recipe: Peel and defang the cucumber and slice into roundels. Combine roundels of half a cucumber with 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped mint leaves and put it into 16 cups of water. Chill and pack up for office. Home grown mint is best.

Health monitor: Besides being super hydrating, cucumbers are a great source of Vitamin B and are rich in potassium and magnesium. They contain antiinflammatory flavonol called fisetin, which is known to improve brain health.

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Iced Green Tea with Lemon & Mint

Green tea is known to come with high antioxidants which not only up your immunity levels to fight summer ailments 42

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and thus cut down on your unscheduled leaves. The refreshing flavour of lemon goes best with green tea and the added freshness that mint brings to the drink is incomparable, especially when chilled to meet the heat cauldron. But do make sure the tea is organic for maximum taste, aroma and health benefits.

Recipe: Combine 15 tea bags, water and mint in a clean container and set it out in the sun for 3-4 hours (wonderful way to not heat up your house with a burning gas stove in the kitchen), depending on how dark you like your tea. Remove the tea bags and add the lemon juice. Chill overnight and flask it up over ice for the day.

Health Monitor: Besides providing you a superior swap for sugary soda and thus cutting the calories, the manganese in tea gives you optimum office health, thanks to properties that de-stress, promote healthy wound healing and help maintain bone strength. It is a great low-cal metabolism booster so good to go for work.

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Coconut Water

Nothing works like coconut water. It has properties that can fight umpteen diseases and comes loaded with health benefits. Rich in electrolytes and potassium, coconut water makes for a no-fuss perfect body booster on a hot summer day. Caution here: Do not go for the tetra pack. Look for a fresh young green coconut being sold on roadsides for a sip on way to office. Better still, buy the coconut, collect the water, chill and fill your flask with for a day’s sip break.

Recipe: For added flavour, squeeze half a lemon into your coconut water but never add sugar or salt.

Health monitor: Good source of several nutrients, rich in antioxidants, great for diabetics, prevents kidney stones, supports heart health, reduces stress and blood pressure. Great after prolonged exercise. And, of course, a low calorie, delicious source of hydration.

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Watermelon Cooler

It’s the season for watermelon and there are few drinks that can churn your tastebuds as ripe watermelon juice does. Refreshing, energising and hydrating the lush red watermelon juice chills you out for the summer.

Recipe: Wash, peel and juice the watermelon in a juicer and put it through the sieve.

Collect the juice, chill and it’s good to go into your office flask. For added twist, mix in some ginger ale or a splash of lemon juice.

Health Monitor: Because of its unique combination of water, fibre and natural sugar, watermelon gives you a feeling of being full for a longer duration, thus keeping you away from unhealthy office snacking or going to the tea and coffee vending machine. It is perfect advocate against annoying summer bloat.

5 ompanies would several drink c have you think are the that their products stay only option to this summer, d te a r d y h d n a cool but that couldn’t be me juices more wrong. easy ho works best

Green Juice

The trendiest drink for office-goers this season, green juice is the beloved of celebrities who claim it wakes them up more and gives them better energy than coffee ever could. True or not, green juice is a good way to get several servings of fruit and vegetables, and all of those vitamins and nutrients in one sitting. Enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up.

And add to your health quotient all at once.

Recipe: Juice the veggies at home, including lauki, palak, gajar, beans, mint, coriander and celery with some ripe tomatoes. Sieve and pour the juice in the flask, add ice, a splash of lemon juice and black salt.

Health Monitor: It’s a low cal energy drink taken seriously in healthy office canteens all over the globe. Keeps illnesses at bay. Keeps illnesses at bay, gets you going for a mental jog and takes care of hydration.

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The BreATHERS

any productive people force themselves to take a break, even if it is for three minutes, every 90 minutes. Research says, short breaks in between intense work are body and brain breathers which increase productivity and bring back focus at work.

Here are 10 ways to maximise your off-time at work:

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� Hydrate: Don’t just fetch water, drink it too. Hydration energizes you with no calories. But drink slowly and feel the difference.

2

� daydream: Daydreaming

is productive, solves problems and realizes your desires and plans.

Our most creative ideas emerge when we’ve drifted away from our task at hand.

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� read: Books may be out of fashion but reading is an age-old mind bender. Make the most of your break by carrying a non-work book for a read. Fiction works best!

things increases productivity.

A call centre study showed that workers who talked to co-workers got through calls faster and felt less stressed. Sharing is the new faring!

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� time your coffee:

It may be a common option but be smart and time it well. For people who wake up between 6am and 8 am, the optimal times for consuming caffeine fall between 9:30am and 11:30am or 1:30pm and 5:30 pm.

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� exercise: Exercise makes

you happier, and helps you gain focus. Pack in under-three minute workouts for work respite.

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� talk to colleagues:

Hanging out with co-workers and talking to them about non-work

did you know? people accomplish work best in short bursts with breaks. organizing schedules around these natural energy peaks helps you to be more productive 44

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� eye-in: Eyes are the most

stressed organ at the workplace.

Every 20 minutes, take a 20-seconds eye-break to look at objects 20 feet away. Tones muscles, renews focus.

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‘jog’ online: Goofing

online for a few minutes is just as productive a break as any other to refresh you. Take a brain-teaser quiz online for short fun breaks at work your boss won’t mind.

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� do-notHing: Go to

productivity sites such as donothingfor2minutes.com which force you to sit idle, relax and gaze at a beautiful photo to clear your head.

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� unplug to snack:

Disconnecting is the best way to eat. Actually taste your food, it fills you up physically and mentally.

Focused eaters are less stressed.