Article: #12 Dow Corning India: Unity in Vision, Diversity in Culture

Employee Engagement

#12 Dow Corning India: Unity in Vision, Diversity in Culture

Despite a diverse employee base, we share a lot of similarities, no matter which location we are in
 

Employees are provided global exposure thus helping them to broaden their career horizons, and hone their expertise

 

We have regular communication forums where executives share the company's vision, strategy, people updatesand business priorities with all employees

 

Originally established in 1943, headquartered in Midland Michigan, USA, it was only in the year 2000 when this organization set up its operations in India. Dow Corning India fosters a congenial environment for its employees, which not only promotes personal development and growth, but also ensures smooth execution and transparency of their Human Resources Policies. The employees are supported to strike an ideal work life relationship and encouraged to work in a surrounding where they are permitted to gain experience and learn from their errors. The employees are given due recognition for outstanding performances and are also specially recognized for their valuable contribution to the organization’s overall strategic growth.

Speaking on the talent pool available in India, Jean-Paul Mollie, President (Middle East, South Asia and Africa), says, “In a growing economy like India, the quality of talent is amazing. We have robust processes and practices that ensure talent development, leadership development and effective succession planning. We have development programs whereby employees are provided global exposure thus helping them to broaden their career horizons, and hone their expertise. Some of our Indian employees have gone on to assume leadership positions in other geographies for Dow Corning and this is a recognition of their talent and ability.”

Within ten years presence in the Indian market, Dow Corning has been ranked #12 in Great Place to Work® Institute’s Study and is also ranked #2 in the Industry Category of Manufacturing & Production sector. In an exclusive interaction with People Matters, Mollie & Devendra Palav, HR Business Partner (South Asia and Middle East) talk about what has worked for the company.

What makes Dow Corning a great workplace?
Jean-Paul Mollie: First and foremost, our employees! Our people are an enthusiastic and visionary group who are passionate about their work. We value their curiosity, enthusiasm, and encourage diversity and teamwork. We believe in an open and transparent culture where news and happenings in the company are shared with the employees, whether good or not so good. We have regular communication forums where executives share the company’s vision, strategy, people updates and business priorities with all employees. The aim is to make employees partners in the overall success and growth of the company.

Given the geographic spread of your business, how do you create team spirit and ensure everyone feels engaged?
Devendra Palav: While the employee base at Dow Corning is highly diverse, we also share a lot of similarities, no matter which geography we are based in. We have a high-performing as well as an open culture where you can call everyone across all levels of the company by their first name. This kind of an open and transparent culture goes a long way in fostering team-spirit in spite of the geographical distances and differences. In addition to the company culture, there are some programs that ensure that we see ourselves as one team like our social club that provides entertainment options like sporting events, parties, etc for employees and their families.

From a business perspective how important is it to be a great workplace?
Devendra Palav:
Being a great workplace is a huge boost for Dow Corning for various reasons. Firstly, being ranked in the study is a validation that our employee engagement levels are high and the various people initiatives we are implementing are in the right direction. It also means that we can ensure a continued high level of employee engagement. As Jean-Paul pointed out, our employees are the reason that we have a great workplace! This pride in the company and the linked increase in morale automatically lead to higher levels of engagement, and thus higher productivity. This recognition also ensures that we are able to attract and retain the right kind of talent.
 

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Topics: Employee Engagement, Culture, #BestPractices

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