Seven years ago, Nitin Shimpi, CEO and Co-founder of Talentica Software India Pvt. Ltd. had a vision of creating a workplace that comprises of the best talent available, where performance rules growth, where everyone’s opinions are respected and where the entire company works together toward a common goal. Today, Talentica Software is standing tall with the proof of a vision which turned into reality by ranking #30 in the Great Place to Work® Institute’s Study. Talentica has turned the table over being a small sized organization in a relatively competitive field to its advantage. “The biggest advantage of being small is that it gives the ability to keep in touch with every individual and ensure that everyone is cared for. The ability to correctly identify the high performers and reward them also becomes easier.” Says Shimpi.
In today’s competitive environment for talent, Talentica has emerged as an employer of choice, says Sheetal Pote, Manager, HR. “We believe in building our company from the lowest levels of hierarchy. We prefer to promote talent from within rather than hiring externally. It is worth mentioning that all the members of our senior Management team are employees who started their career with us at a very junior level.”
The company’s business model revolves around the ‘Build-Operate-Transfer’ (BOT) method where boosting employee morale and addressing their sentiments can prove tricky. Elaborates Shimpi, “People joining us get to know at the interview stage itself the customer teams they will work for and the possibility of transfer, which typically happens after 24-30 months of working with us. During this time, team members get used to working with people at the customer’s end so when a team transfers off, there is really no change for them. We have gone through several cycles of BOT, and in each case, employees have moved on happily.” People Matters talks to Nitin Shimpi and Sheetal Pote to gain further insights about the company’s working philosophy.

Is Talentica successful because it is a great workplace or is it the other way round?
Nitin Shimpi: I think it is a little of both. In a highly people-centric business such as ours, one cannot become successful without the support of employees. And you get that support only if every employee feels that he can make a difference for the company. That’s when people go beyond what is asked of them, come out with new ways to do things and contribute to the company’s growth and success. At the same time, once a company is successful, it is easier for it to invest more effort and resources to ensure that it becomes a great workplace.

What are the key ingredients that make Talentica a great workplace?
Sheetal Pote: Although there is a combination of factors which make us a great workplace, but I would say that our ability to understand aspirations of our employees and satisfying them is one of the most critical factors. We have put in a framework to identify their aspirations and we make every effort to fulfill them and make them feel valued and cared for. We also maintain a close-knit atmosphere even as we grow. We’ve created a friendly and cooperative work culture where there is name-face recognition of each employee and all the people holding senior positions are as accessible to our employees as the colleague sitting right next!