Article: Top 25 Best Workplaces in Asia: Ujjivan Financial Services

Life @ Work

Top 25 Best Workplaces in Asia: Ujjivan Financial Services

Ujjivan creates a workplace, which is aligned with an employee’s expectations and one that drives motivation from within
Top 25 Best Workplaces in Asia: Ujjivan Financial Services
 

Rank: 16

 

Number of employees: 4096, Headquarters: Bangalore, CEO: Samit Ghosh

 

Ujjivan is one of the country’s largest microfinance institutions with the largest geographical footprint. Founded with the core value of providing service to the poor and the underprivileged, the company’s core service value serves as the foundation of the workplace culture too. In order to create a workplace that has empathy for the customers it serves, the company does not hire only through employee referrals but also through customer referrals. The company looks for people who are comfortable working in tough environments such as urban slums.

Ujjivan asks customers to refer potential candidates to them. In exchange for a successful employee referral, customers receive a small token of appreciation. Through this program, the company ensures that they share the same socio-economic background as that of their customers. It is indeed a brave new world!

The company’s core talent management philosophy is driven by the “employees first, customers second” principle. The company believes in leading by example and ensures that employees enjoy better privileges compared to even its customers. For example, being a loan disbursement organization, load turnaround time is very crucial. While turnaround for customer takes an average of seven days, the turnaround for employees takes about four days. Being a company that shares its socio-economic background with that of its customers, this seals the deal.

The fact that the company cares deeply about its employees reflects in the annual diary that every employee receives at the beginning of the year. Besides the CEO’s message that acts as a guide, the diary also includes details and employee stories, including successes and lessons from failures. It also contains all messages that an employee needs in order to stay motivated and driven in the company. In all, Ujjivan believes in making an environment that they both relate to as well as believe in.

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Topics: Life @ Work, #AsiasBestWorkplaces2015, #BestPractices

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