Business growth at Claris Lifesciences stems from its prime focus on people, which is reflected in its recent ranking in the Great Place to Work® Study. This is reflected in many employees who have expressed their appreciation of the development programs which have provided them internal growth opportunities. Celebration of special events and impartial treatment with easy accessibility of top management further strengthens the sense of belonging to the organization. People Matters spoke with Arjun Handa, MD & CEO and Shyam Sharma, President – HRM & Corporate Communication, to know more about the unique initiatives at Claris Lifesciences that make it a great workplace.

Why is being a Great Place to Work® important for Claris Lifesciences from the business standpoint?
Arjun Handa: We are in the manufacturing business, our product range is in the category of injections, and we recently moved from being a privately held to a public listed company. Over the last 10 years of this company’s life, we have moved from an inward-looking approach to a more outward-looking approach when it comes to our culture. Technologically, we have always been outward looking but not in our organization culture. We have always known that people are at the center of our business. The important test for us was to ensure that we are able to realize that feeling into tangible perception of our employees. Being a great workplace is an important milestone and recognition for us, and we are very proud of the achievement.

What are key ingredients that make Claris Lifesciences a great workplace?
Shyam Sharma: There are many elements that make Claris a great workplace; firstly, since we operate in a very niche product segment with highly innovative technology, our business and product emanates a sense of pride for all of us as our products save lives. The second element is the work culture which is based on our mantra to “think big and bring pride to company & self”. And the third element is that we have been able to create a work environment that is full of joy and camaraderie, where everybody is connected and work in tandem.

How scalable is this model as you grow in number of employees?
Arjun Handa: Scalability of culture is of course a challenge for any growing organization. Our strategy is ensuring we recruit the right DNA, the right people who can ingrain our culture and maintain it. We recruit a lot of young people and we invest a lot in their development. More than looking for experience or skills, we look for energy, ability to learn and adapt to our culture and the right mindset.

Shyam Sharma: So it starts with hiring right, followed by a very solid induction process and becoming a part of the development program in Claris. People fall into different levels based on their role in the team and each of the four groups (leadership, managerial, operational and support) has a different capability development program to create an environment that fosters continuous learning and high engagement.