The Hindu Business Line : Employee comes first

Even as the glare of media spotlight is busy capturing meaty bits — the co-sourcing deal with European retail giant DSG International or the decision to focus on value-creation — there is a quiet transformation sweeping across HCL Technologies.

A new mantra, `People first, customers second', aims to put employees in the forefront of new strategies, which are being drawn up to propel the company towards the next growth trajectory.

Driving the objective are a slew of initiatives, including 360-degree appraisal, `You and I', electronic trouble ticket and employee opinion poll (on the company's policies and initiatives) — all of them aimed at making management accountable to its employees.

"We looked at players focusing on revenue growth based on Full Time Equivalent (FTE) headcount.

We sensed an opportunity and felt that there could be an alternate model based on `value strategy' rather than a volume strategy. Value that is created by employees," says Vineet Nayar, President of HCL Technologies.

"It is much like choosing between American Airlines and Singapore Airlines. American Airlines is larger, while Singapore Airlines has a fabulous service.

Vineet Nayar

That is the difference between volume and value. So the question is — would you be American Airlines or Singapore Airlines?

My heart belongs to Singapore Airlines. Being Singapore Airlines means empowering the airhostess to behave in a particular fashion, which is unique," he says.

Enabling environment

The idea of `360-degree appraisal' is born out of this very philosophy.

"The 360 degree says you do my approval and it willbe published on the Web, or you open an electronic trouble ticket on me and the whole organisation will run around to solve the issue. The management strives to create an enabling environment for the employees to perform. In the process, it becomes accountable to the employees," he adds.

360-degree appraisal

Under the 360-degree appraisal programme, the company has opened a Web site for all employees. "On the Web site, against the employee's name, there are two other names — that of his manager and his manager's boss. There are 20 questions on which the employee has to respond and give a rating between 1-5. The questions about his manager could range from his effectiveness, communication skills to helpfulness, amongst others parameters.

In addition, the employee has to pick three other people — it could even be me — and rate them. Needless to say the rating is confidential, and so I can't link up particular respondents with the rating," he points out. The ratings are put on the Net — even Nayar's!

You and I

Another initiative dubbed `You and I' allows every employee to post a question or comment on any subject. "Employees post a query every month, and I sit down and answer them. There are about 400 that come in a month. I am accountable to answer every single question they have. These are generic questions pertaining to strategy or direction, etc," he says.

Electronic trouble ticket

For specific issues, employees can open what is called an `electronic trouble ticket' on smart service desk.

"They can open a ticket on the company saying they have a particular problem and the company runs around to close it.

The company gets measured on the speed by which it closes the ticket — there are SLAs for measuring it across departments such as HR, marketing, finance, and even my office has an SLA. Once the problem is resolved, the employee — not the manager — closes the ticket," he says.The last time HCL conducted a `360 degree' appraisal, close to 69 per cent of the employees participated in the process. This year, the company expects the figure would touch 90 per cent. "Employees now feel more confident about the confidentiality of the rating system," he quips.

The results of these initiatives are starting to become visible across the company. A recent employee satisfaction survey saw participation of a record 74 per cent employees!

"We now see employees getting more engaged with the company.

Attrition has come down to 12 per cent for both BPO and non-BPO functions. In a services entity it is critical to take care of employees — not as a favour to them but as a matter of their right. It is a minimum condition for companies today," Nayar concludes.

moumita@thehindu.co.in

More Stories on : Software | Human Resources | HCL Technologies Ltd

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