People Matters

From the Editor's Desk

By Ester Martinez

May 1st 2010

In an environment where India Inc. desperately seeks talent, the concept of an employer brand – one that encapsulates the image of an organization as a great place to work – becomes more and more relevant for companies. The goal of employer branding is to create loyal customers, the customers here being employees.At the heart of employer branding is the attraction a company has over current (and potential) employees and the biggest factor that creates this attraction is the success... Read more »

The Power of Attraction

By TEJASVI MOHANRAM & ESTER MARTINEZ

May 1st 2010

When MS Banga moved from being Chairman, Hindustan Unilever in 2004 to his global assignment in London, he was struck by the difference in perception of Unilever as an employer in India and elsewhere. HUL in India stands for a dynamic, iconic place to work where leadership spends time and effort into grooming the next generation, as opposed to Unilever’s brand as an employer on its home turf in the UK, which was one of an old-world, stodgy, slow workplace. And as Banga puts it, “th... Read more »

Cover Story View: K. Ganesan, VP - HR, TCS

May 1st 2010

How would you define the rules of attraction, especially at the entry level?Here are some ground rules:Employees find those organizations attractive that1. Value their talent 2. Treat them with respect 3. Give them an opportunity to continuously learn and improve their competency 4. Help them boost their employabilityAt the entry level we make these clear and this has worked. I can say this from our own experience & track record of being the employer of choice across the top technic... Read more »

Cover Story View: Amit Garg, Business Head, HT - Internet

May 1st 2010

How will you define the relationship between attracting & retaining the best talent and the organization’s business performance?In today’s environment, when access to capital and technology is becoming a commodity, access to the best talent and the ability to attract and retain the same becomes crucial for business performance – in fact, it becomes a matter of long-term business sustainability.What is the formula for attracting talent today and how has this changed over t... Read more »

Cover Story View: Dilip Kumar Srivastava, Corporate VP & Global HR Head, HCL Technologies

May 1st 2010

How will you define the relationship between attracting & retaining the best talent and the organization’s business performance?At HCL, we are driven by a philosophy we refer to as Employees First. This philosophy recognizes employees as strategic elements of an organization. It democratizes the company’s functions and its way of working. Employees First, as the name suggests, puts employees at the forefront, and gives them the necessary power and space to execute their ideas.D... Read more »

Cover Story View: Nandita Gurjar, SVP & Group Head - HR, Infosys Technologies

May 1st 2010

How will you define the relationship between attracting & retaining the best talent and the organization’s business perfor- mance?Employees today are looking for world class environments and global careers. They are looking at work locations as per their demographic preference. A well-defined recruitment process is essential to ensure that only the best and brightest talent joins the organization. Investing in training and continuous development along with attracting the right talent... Read more »

Cover Story View: Rajesh Padmanabhan, Exaecutive VP & Global Head - HR, Patni Computers

May 1st 2010

How will you define the relationship between attracting and retaining the best talent and the organization’s business performance?Human capital is the intellectual capital of a company. Over time we have seen that employees today don’t want to work with just ‘brands’; they look forward to an overall career development experience. The key here is to manage their career aspirations and grow talent through a variety of opportunities.What are the factors that are important ... Read more »

Cover Story View: Saagarika Rai, Chief People Officer, Reliance Big Entertainment

May 1st 2010

How is attracting & retaining the best talent relevant in today’s business context?To succeed in today’s tough business environment, it is vital to ensure that our talents drive the business forward. It is therefore imperative for an organization to see through today’s competitive, challenging market and ensure that everyone understands and accepts employees as most important assets. Therefore there is a need to develop a leadership team that values employees and creates ... Read more »

Cover Story View: Jon Younger, Principal of The RBL Group

May 1st 2010

Five Principles of Attracting & Retaining Talent1. Know your talent. The leaders of top companies spend as much as 25-30% of their time getting to know their future talent, reviewing their performance, and engaging them in important projects that test and prepare them for increased responsibility. 2. Avoid myopia. There is a natural pride in home grown talent, but it is potentially a blind spot to think your people are ‘best’. Continually test that assertion. Create opportuni... Read more »

Cover Story View: The Modus Operandi

May 1st 2010

It is best to take real instances from the corporate world on how companies, especially from the talent-hungry IT services industry, have managed the art of attraction and retention thereby extracting maximum performance from employees to enhance profitability.In the view of K Ganesan, VP HR, Tata Consultancy Services, retention starts from recruitment itself, that is, hiring the right set of people will determine their longevity in the organization. Having the right set of people practices in... Read more »