Large corporations know that hiring and retaining the right talent is critical to their bottomlines. But they are seldom able to revolutionise HR processes on their own. An overhaul of that kind comes at a cost, and building the right tools for the future takes time and resources.

Keep in mind that HR isn’t only for large business; new businesses are born every day. And small players such as Talview and Stratum Consulting are helping a wide range of organisations do HR differently. HR consultants have helped many organisations steer change aimed at better employee engagement and productivity. But ‘social business HR consulting’ is replacing more conventional ways thanks to social media creating a level playing field for large and small companies.

The social way Set up in 2008, Stratum Consulting works with other start-ups, family businesses and SMEs, even non-profits and government agencies to help their employees contribute to profitability, innovation and customer delight.

Madur Ramani, co-founder and Managing Partner, Stratum Consulting, says, “Employee engagement today has to do with multiple devices that operate within an organisation. And we’re focused on using social business HR to drive innovation and performance.” In 2014, Stratum began working with Quality Power, a family business that designs and manufactures reactors and transformers for clients in the paper, chemical and textiles and engineering industries. Quality Power needed a “self-sufficient globally benchmarked internal Social Business HR department by the end of 2016”. Within about nine months, Stratum reports being able to drive productivity up by 30 per cent and save manpower costs to the tune of ₹12 lakh.

Assessments online Modern businesses have to cut the hiring costs typical of yesteryear. Talview is an online video interview platform that assists organisations in screening candidates before a face-to-face meeting. 

The company has carried out more than 70,000 video assessments in over 100 countries. “From our market research, we gathered that very little technology was being used in hiring. We offer licences to companies to use our platform. It’s largely a B2B model, but we’re making a difference to candidates in Tier-2 and -3 towns,” says Sanjoe Jose, co-founder and CEO, Talview.

Cost effective The start-up has more than 50 enterprise clients and over 2,000 SMB clients across the world; it reports being able to cut time and costs for recruitment by more than 50 per cent for many clients.

With Stratum targeting revenues of ₹30 lakh a month by March 2016 and Talview aiming at annual turnover of $1 million, there is now big business in helping other businesses get efficient.

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