By

Group No. 8

Heena Shaikh 12M537
Lalit Sharma 12M538
Sachin Sharma 12M539
Ravi Shekhar 12M540
Amrita Shelar 12M541

Report

Best HR Practices
[1]

Index


























Best HR Practices
[2]

Introduction


There are three main resources that are critical for an organisation to be successful and attain
as goals are:

i. Financial resources,

ii. Physical resources, and

iii. Human resources.

Human resources planning is referred to as Personnel planning or manpower planning.
However, the term human resource planning is more widely used today as it more broad
based and comprehensive.

Human Resource is the most important asset for any organization and it is the source of
achieving competitive advantage. Managing human resources is very challenging as
compared to managing technology or capital and for its effective management, organization
requires effective HRM system. HRM system should be backed up by sound HRM practices.
HRM practices refer to organizational activities directed at managing the pool of human
resources and ensuring that the resources are employed towards the fulfillment of
organizational goals.

Human resources are the source of achieving competitive advantage because of its capability
to convert the other resources (money, machine, methods and material) in to output
(product/service). The competitor can imitate other resources like technology and capital but
the human resource are unique.

Definition

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DeCenzo and Robbins : Human resource planning , Is the process by which an
organisation ensures that it has the right number and kinds of people, at the right places, at
the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will help the
organisation achieve it overall objectives.

Stainer: Human resource planning is a strategy for the acquisition, utilization,
improvement and preservation of an organisations human resources.

According to Khatri (1999), people are one of the most important factors providing
flexibility and adaptability to organizations.

Rundle (1997) argues that one needs to bear in mind that people (managers), not the firm, are
the adaptive mechanism in determining how the firm will respond to the competitive
environment.

Several scholars have noted that managing people is more difficult than managing technology
or capital (Barney, 1991; Lado and Wilson, 1994).

However those firms that have learnt how to manage their human resources well would have
an edge over others for a long time to come because acquiring and deploying human
resources effectively is cumbersome and takes much longer (Wright et al., 1994).

The effective management of human resources requires sound Human Resource Management
systems.

Storey (1995) defines HRM as a distinctive approach to employment management which
seeks to obtain competitive advantage developed showing how HRM practices leads to
overall corporate performance.


Human Resource in a company is charged with finding, screening, recruiting and training job
applicants, as well as administering employee-benefit programs.
Best HR Practices
[4]

As companies reorganize to gain competitive edge, human resources plays a key role in
helping companies deal with a fast-changing competitive environment and the greater
demand for quality employees. Research conducted by The Conference Board has found six
key people-related activities that human resources completes to add value to a company:

1. Effectively managing and utilizing people.
2. Trying performance appraisal and compensation to competencies.
3. Developing competencies that enhance individual and organizational performance.
4. Increasing the innovation, creativity and flexibility necessary to enhance competitiveness.
5. Applying new approaches to work process design, succession planning, career
development and inter-organizational mobility.
6. Managing the implementation and integration of technology through improved staffing,
training and communication with employees.
Resumes are closely examined to identify successful work experiences, career stability and,
most importantly, continuous academic achievements such as enrollment in relevant graduate
classes, certification, etc. Such academic achievements are considered by the employer as a
barometer of the potential learning capability of the applicant. The emphasis on learning and
education can be linked to the cultural dimension of future orientation.
Employee referrals and succession planning are predominant in the Indian work environment,
especially for middle and upper-level jobs. Employers from collectivist cultures like India
hire and promote employees whom they know. These staffing practices promote loyalty and
retention.
Employment testing is also common for entry-level positions. Potential employers subject
applicants to rigorous math, analytical and communications tests to identify high-potential
learners. It is believed that having such cognitive information about the applicant increases
the reliability of the hiring process. Such extensive testing is associated with the cultural
dimension of uncertainty avoidance.
In India, the sheer magnitude and size of online recruiting is staggering by Western standards.
On average, large Indian companies recruit about 10,000 entry-level positions annually;
screening resumes for authenticity and relevance is a staffing nightmare.
The Evolving Business Paradigm
One of the factors behind organizations giving a lot of attention to their people is the nature
of the firms in the current business environment. Given the fact that there has been a steady
movement towards an economy based on services, it becomes important for firms engaged in
the service sector to keep their employees motivated and productive. Even in the
manufacturing and the traditional sectors, the need to remain competitive has meant that
firms in these sectors deploy strategies that make effective use of their resources. This
changed business landscape has come about as a result of a paradigm shift in the way
businesses and firms view their employees as more than just resources and instead adopt a
people first approach.
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Strategic Management and HRM
As discussed in the articles on modern day HRM practices, there is a need to align
organizational goals with that of the HR strategy to ensure that there is alignment of the
people policies with that of the management objectives. This means that the HR department
can no longer be viewed as an appendage of the firm but instead is a vital organ in ensuring
organizational success. The aims of strategic management are to provide the organization
with a sense of direction and a feeling of purpose. The day when the HR manager was
concerned with administrative duties is over and the current HRM practices in many
industries are taken as seriously as say, the marketing and production functions.
Importance of HRM for Organizational Success
The practice of HRM must be viewed through the prism of overall strategic goals for the
organization instead of a standalone tint that takes a unit based or a micro approach. The idea
here is to adopt a holistic perspective towards HRM that ensures that there are no piecemeal
strategies and the HRM policy enmeshes itself fully with those of the organizational goals.
For instance, if the training needs of the employees are simply met with perfunctory trainings
on omnibus topics, the firm stands to lose not only from the time that the employees spend in
training but also a loss of direction. Hence, the organization that takes its HRM policies
seriously will ensure that training is based on focused and topical methods.
In conclusion, the practice of HRM needs to be integrated with the overall strategy to ensure
effective use of people and provide better returns to the organizations in terms of ROI
(Return on Investment) for every rupee or dollar spent on them. Unless the HRM practice is
designed in this way, the firms stand to lose from not utilizing people fully. And this does not
bode well for the success of the organization.
Evolution of The HRD Function
HR management tries to focus on people in the workplace, the need to understand their
contribution to the organizations purpose. Consequently, there is now an emphasis on trying
to build on HR systems and processes. The evolution of the HRD function went through the
following phases:
The Initial Phase: This was characterized by a labour welfare approach. The feature of this
approach was that the function was basically concerned with maintaining records of
employees such as attendance records, leave of different sorts Casual Leave / Earned
Leave / Sick Leave / Extraordinary Leave / Study Leave / Restricted Holiday and so on and
this data was fed to calculate the wages. Besides the basic wage, other wage components like
PF were also recorded. Records were also maintained of PF loans and other retirement
benefits, and implementation of safety measures as per the Factories Act. In addition there
was some amount of monitoring and providing information to the employee, the accounts
department and for the concerned department head.
With the advent of trade unions, dealing with the union was an add-on function. This
involved receiving the charter of demands from union leaders and interpreting it.
Best HR Practices
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Fire Fighting: In this phase, the function was frequently, dousing fires i.e. resolving
conflicts and keeping the wheels of production moving (union demands, dissatisfaction etc.)
Management was preoccupied with keeping the engines of production moving at all times,
and so work stoppages and discord was an aberration to be speedily got over with, so that the
fundamental business of production was not held up. The major policy decisions and
negotiating was done by the Top Management, the Personnel Management and Industrial
Relations (PMIR) function played a supportive/informative role and was more preoccupied
with backroom discussions and negotiations.
Such an approach is also referred to as the maintenance role and the obverse is the
development role. If the HR position is in the lower rung of the management hierarchy, for
example, in the production department or in a labour welfare-oriented department, the HR
person would be playing more of the reactive role if there is a problem, he reacts and the
problem is sought to be solved. Production should receive the first priority and all industrial
disputes should be settled. With the emphasis on the current issues, aspects like long-term
strategy, planning, etc. are given low priority. The PMIR function was in the unenviable
position of having to douse fires all the time. The major decisions were taken at the factory
manager or the managing director level. When the fire or strife erupted the function got some
attention, but when the fire was put out, it got no time anymore.
Third Phase: This stage in the evolution of the function came about due to the influence of a
variety of factors: the increasing cost of human resources due to the increased number of
benefits, increased cost of living, higher expectations and higher costs of scarce skilled
manpower. The increased HR cost became more pronounced in the service industry than in
the manufacturing industry as the Human Resource was the main input in the service sector.
The other major influence was that of the behavioral scientists and their contribution to
understanding the nature of human behavior at work focusing on issues like leadership, work
motivation, participation and factors influencing work productivity. The third factor was the
attempt to integrate the Trade Unions/Workers with managements vision of the enterprise,
that survival and prosperity was common to both. In fact the market was such that in many
products there was more of rationing distribution, due to either capacity or input constraints.
Monopoly or dominant market share remained the major concern rather than production cost
and technological efficiencies.
Integrated HR Function
At the end of the Third Phase organizations soon began focusing on their human resources.
Human Resource was in abundant supply and not a very significant cost in the total operating
cost, but working in industry itself was a new experience for most people in the initial phase.
The PMIR function was thus playing a reactive maintenance role, because of a combination
of market, cost, supply and finance factors. But with a few corporations experimenting with
innovative approaches to combat the negative fall-out of the traditional approaches to labour,
they focused on the positive and the significant contribution they could make to a congenial
working environment and consequently, smooth production, including changeover to new
technology, flexible manning and increased productivity.
Best HR Practices
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The significant shift was that management now began to take the initiative and introducing
HR systems and procedures, rather than reacting to a particular problem or a demand. HR
issues of major policy initiatives e.g. new products, new plants, and so on, were discussed
taking to account the HR implications, which hitherto was not the case. Top managers
reviewed and took stock of the situation. Finally, the HR position itself was upgraded to
come on par with the other functions in terms of status and salary.

Characteristic / Nature of Human Resource Planning:

I. Futuristic
II. Continuous process
III. Part of Corporate Planning
IV. Quantitative and Qualitative
V. Long term and Short term Planning

Need for Human Resource Planning:

I. Smooth and efficient working of organisations
II. Filling gaps in manpower
III. Expansion and diversification
IV. Challenges of changing technology
V. Increased employee mobility
VI. Shortage of skills
VII. Departmental adjustments
VIII. Budgeting
IX. Governmental Policies

Objectives of Human Resource Planning:

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I. Optimal utilization of human resources
II. Meeting personnel requirements
III. Placement of personnel
IV. Prevent disruption of work
V. Control costs
VI. Training and management development
VII. Personnel motivation

Process:

I. Analysis of Organisational Plans and Objectives
II. Forecasting Human Resource Requirements
III. Assessment of Supply of Human Resources
IV. Estimating Manpower Gaps
V. Action Planning
VI. Monitoring and Control

Limitations:

I. Uncertain future
II. Management attitude
III. Faulty information system
IV. Expensive
V. Time consuming
VI. Shortage of highly skilled labour


Best HR Practices
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Best HR Practices

Any practice that you devise to increase the competence, commitment and improve the
culture building can be termed as HR Practice, and this can be in the form of a norm, rule,
system, or some practices.

Examples:
Wishing Employees on their birthday, anniversary, etc., by HR Head
Having health facilities / baby-sitting facilities
Continuous learning and development oriented PMS system
Good Employee Services
If employee attends the office on his birthday and the amount will be given
as allowance, etc.
Some companies have deduction for late coming and some companies view it
as an odd practice
Company's Internal Magazine covering all the happenings in your company
Regular training and development
Job rotations / internal department transfer like service employees based on
their performance shifted to Research & Development, etc.

There is no single best practice to which all organizations should aspire. Rather, the literature
shows that each firm has a distinctive HR system that represents a core competency required
for the survival and sustainability for that particular organization.
"Best Practices" in HR are subjective and transitory. What is best for one company may not
be best for another. What was best last month may not be best for today. The concept of
"best" is highly subjective and non-specific. "Best Practice" is not a set of discrete actions but
rather a cohesive and holistic approach to organizational management.

Best Practices are initiatives taken by HR to:
Not only satisfy but delight
Create a feel good factor
Best HR Practices
[10]

Give high visibility and focused impact
Be unique and relevant
Gel with organization culture
Provide fresh / creative way to accomplish a task

The role of Human Resources is changing as fast as technology and the global marketplace.
Historically, the HR Department was viewed as administrative overhead. HR processed
payroll, handled benefits administration, kept personnel files, and other records, managed the
hiring process, and provided other administrative support to the business. Those times have
changed. The positive result of these changes is that HR professionals have the opportunity to
play a more strategic role in the business. The challenge for HR managers is to keep up to
date with the latest HR innovations - technological, legal, and otherwise.
There is a need to know about the current HR challenges, and how to most-effectively
manage them in your workplace.
This report discusses some best HR practices in few companies in specific function.
In recent times, particularly with liberalization of the Indian economy and its gradual and
halting integration with the world economy, the Human Resources (HR) function in India has
finally acquired the importance that it has in the developed world. Perhaps, due to the
abundant manpower available and relatively low cost, this did not merit undue consideration
earlier. But now it is realized that with equal opportunities to acquire technology, finance,
systems, the cutting edge of an organization will be its Human Resources. That is, the
difference between one company and another in the market place, other things being equal,
will be the quality, skill, attitudes and commitment of the Human Resources, which will
either see the company achieve good results profits or, decline losses.
Human Resource Development is incorporated in organizations to cope with the corporate
cultural change. It is important to make the implicit explicit: to continually examine the
culture through a variety of feedback mechanisms, mapping out the culture, assessing where
the organization is, where it wants to go and thus carefully identifying strategies for change.
Thus, HRD is a continuous process, which matches organizational needs for human resources
and the individual needs for a career development. It enables the individual to gain their best
human potential by attaining a total all round development. It promotes dignity of
employment of every employee of an organization, and provides opportunities for teamwork,
personal development and career development. Hence a well-planned HRD system must be a
part of human resource management of every organization.



Best HR Practices
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II. Brief Description
Human Resource Management (HRM) is a planned approach to managing people effectively
for performance. It aims to establish a more open, flexible and caring management style so
that staff will be motivated, developed and managed in a way that they can give of their best
to support departments* missions. Good HRM practices are instrumental in helping achieve
departmental objectives and enhance productivity. For the purpose of sharing experience and
providing reference in launching HRM initiatives, we have gathered in this booklet some
good examples introduced by departments.
In taking HRM forward, we need a strategic and integrated approach in managing people
effectively for performance.
In taking a strategic and integrated approach, HRM is linked to the department's strategic
direction in a systematic way. Such an approach is often reflected in the following practices -
clarifying a department's strategic direction by way of articulating its Vision, Mission
and Values statement;
establishing the strategic linkage and integrating HR programmes through a HRM
Plan; and
projecting its short to long term human resource needs through a Manpower Plan.
At the same time, all managers must adopt a more open, flexible and caring style in managing
their staff. Such an approach is reflected in a number of ways. The three most common
practices are -
managing people effectively for performance through an open Performance
Management System (PMS) that will call for individual objectives tied to
departmental objectives, regular coaching, and developing staff on the job;
enhancing staff's competencies to perform better through effectively training people
to achieve departmental objectives and results; and
delivering quality service through training and engaging staff in developing a service
culture in addition to business process re-engineering and work streamlining.


Defining HRM Best Practice

Best practice is based on a normative model of HRM, which assumes that
appropriate HRM practices tap the motivation of employees and generate employee
commitment. Underlying this model is a management philosophy, which assumes that
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eliciting worker discretionary effort to enhance motivation and generate employee
commitment will lead to improved organisational performance (Guest, 1997).

Therefore, HRM best practice promotes the use of practices that are considered to
affect employee motivation by encouraging them to work harder and smarter. These practices
include the use of performance assessments that assess individual or group performance and
teamwork as the predominant system of work. This helps to motivate employees as rewards
are tailored to the performance of both teams and individuals and teamwork ensures that all
members monitor each others performance (Arthur, 1994).

Employee commitment to an organisation can be achieved through the use of an
internal promotion system, such as career ladders, as it aligns the interests of
employees and the organisation (Huselid, 1995). Additionally, commitment can be
stimulated by using practices that are humanistic in orientation, such as a policy of no
compulsory redundancy, uniform terms and conditions of employment, and the use of
temporary staff to protect the security of the core workforce (Wood & Albanese, 1995).

This generates employee commitment to a firm as it utilises a set of practices
that are consistent with a strong culture of employee wellbeing (Kirkman & Rosen,
1999).
However, MacDuffie (1995) asserts that providing employees with the necessary
skills and abilities to contribute in a valuable way is also required to ensure increased
organisational performance. Consequently, another common objective of the best practice
approach is to view employees as assets or resources to be developed rather than as
disposable factors of production (Wood & Albanese, 1995), and practices such as selective
staffing to ensure employee trainability, comprehensive training, and broad developmental
efforts like job design to ensure the full use of employees skills and abilities are also
considered to be best practice (Youndt et al., 1996).

HRM best practice also focuses on providing functional flexibility by creating
organisational structures that allow employees to interact in a dynamic environment
(MacDuffie, 1995). Underlying this objective is the assumption that employees, who
presumably know their work better than anyone else, should have the opportunity to design
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new and better ways of performing their roles. Therefore, HRM best practice promotes the
use of practices that encourage participation among employees and allow them to improve
how their jobs are performed, such as, the use of crossfunctional teams and quality circles to
increase participation (Huselid, 1995).

Walton (1985) also suggests that the added use of empowerment strategies, such as
flexible job descriptions, decentralised hierarchies, and minimal status differences,
can also play a fundamental role in creating flexibility. These practices help to create a more
powerful and flexible workforce, as employees at lower levels of the
organisation can make important decisions without continual reporting throughout
hierarchical layers (Delaney & Huselid, 1996).

In summary, these key objectives of HRM best practice highlight the use of a
combination of practices that an organisation can use to realise its full competitive
advantage. Thus, by identifying the key themes of HRM best practice and the
practices used to achieve them, an appropriate set of practices can be derived so as
to measure the use of HRM best practice (Appendix A). The current study aims to
use these practices to measure the adoption and strength of operationalised
practices in New Zealand firms.

Through experience in and analysis of various HRM initiatives, we have identified as given
in the following section a list of HRM Good Practice Indicators which departments may use
as reference when they embark on HRM initiatives and when they seek to evaluate their own
HRM initiatives.
HRM Good Practice Indicators
I nitiative Good Practice I ndicator
Articulation
of Vision,
Mission and
Values
Sense of purpose reflected in the department's VMV
Elements of service culture captured in the department's VMV
Involving staff in discussions and meetings to generate ownership
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(VMV) Management commitment shown in resource allocation in achieving
department's VMV
Clear and effective communication programme in place to promote
VMV
Offering training to develop skills and behaviour in living the VMV
Customer-focused culture reflected in departmental policies,
procedures and practices
Measurement system in place to track performance improvement
Demonstration of understanding of VMV and observable behaviour
Drawing up
HRM Plan
The HRM Plan developed under the leadership of the senior
management
Department's strategic direction clearly articulated by the top team
Debate and endorsement of strategic and ongoing HR issues by the
top team
HR actions to address HR issues debated, approved and prioritized
by the top team
Department's VMV revisited as part of the strategic review process
An environment scan conducted to identify strategic HR issues
Staff's input on ongoing HR issues sought through, for example, staff
opinion survey, focus group meetings, interviews, etc
Specific objectives and sets of actions clearly spelt out in the HRM
Plan and clearly explained as to how each will help address certain
HR issues in achieving departmental Vision and Mission,
Responsibilities to implement the HRM Plan clearly assigned
Realistic implementation plan with adequate resource support,
Review system in place
Development of a human resource information system
Manpower
Planning
A systematic information system in place
A clear plan with action programmes in place to bridge supply and
demand gaps, succession gaps, and competency gaps
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Posting policy published and career paths made known to staff
Competency profiles of key job grades developed and made known
to staff
Information derived from succession plan fed into training and
development plans for individual officers
Career interviews arranged for staff to gauge staff aspiration and
offer career guidance offered
Regular review and update of the plan and competency profiles
Performance
Management
System
Senior management's support and commitment in allocating the
required resources and according priority to this function
Objective setting starting from the top and systematically cascaded
and linked to the departmental objectives
All appraisers have been properly trained on PMS good practices and
the required skills
Mechanisms to ensure openness, fairness and objectivity of the
appraisal process
The system being competency-based to help identify training and
development needs for staff and their potential for taking up higher
responsibilities
Information gathered from the performance cycle linked to other
human resource functions
Staff recognizing that performance management is a joint
responsibility of the appraisee and the supervisor
Staff performance management being an ongoing process, not an
annual event
Review of the performance management system
Training and
Development
Individual and departmental Training and Development plans in
place and strategically linked to departmental strategic objectives
A diverse set of training and development activities (e.g. overseas
attachment, overseas training, secretariat attachment)
Training and Development integrated with PMS and Succession Plan
/ Manpower Plan
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Timely induction training provided to all new staff with management
training to be provided systematically afterwards
Regular review of the Training and Development policies
Evidence of improvement in work quality and efficiency,
Managers' positive feedback on learners' performance
Training courses rated highly in quality and relevance
Service
Quality
Enhancement
Customer focused culture as reflected in programmes, policies,
procedures and practices
Productivity and efficiency enhanced
Staff taking more initiative to serve
Measurement in place to track performance improvement
Mode of operation being service oriented
Public image enhanced
Illustrations
There are a number of cases, provided with the assistance of departments, on how good
HRM practices can enhance service productivity and quality. The cases are grouped under
the following categories


Articulation of Vision, Mission and Values

Human Resource Management Plan

Manpower Planning

Performance Management

Training and Development

Service Quality Enhancement


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1. Abstract
The role of Human Resources is changing as fast as technology and the global marketplace.
Historically, the HR Department was viewed as administrative overhead. HR processed
payroll, handled benefits administration, kept personnel files, and other records, managed the
hiring process, and provided other administrative support to the business. Those times have
changed. The positive result of these changes is that HR professionals have the opportunity to
play a more strategic role in the business. The challenge for HR managers is to keep up to
date with the latest HR innovations - technological, legal, and otherwise.
There is a need to know about the current HR challenges, and how to most-effectively
manage them in your workplace.
This report discusses some best HR practices in few companies in specific function.

2. Objectives of Dissertation
To understand the areas which are mainly focused on best HR practices.
To understand the best practices of organizations in terms of the basic HR functions.
To understand what measures should be taken while implementing HR practices

3. Introduction
Any practice that you devise to increase the competence, commitment and improve the
culture building can be termed as HR Practice, and this can be in the form of a norm, rule,
system, or some practices.
Examples:
Wishing Employees on their birthday, anniversary, etc., by HR Head
Having health facilities / baby-sitting facilities
Continuous learning and development oriented PMS system
Good Employee Services
If employee attends the office on his birthday and the amount will be given as allowance,
etc.
Some companies have deduction for late coming and some companies view it as an odd
practice
Company's Internal Magazine covering all the happenings in your company
Regular training and development
Job rotations / internal department transfer like service employees based on their
performance shifted to Research & Development, etc.

Best HR Practices
[18]

There is no single best practice to which all organizations should aspire. Rather, the literature
shows that each firm has a distinctive HR system that represents a core competency required
for the survival and sustainability for that particular organization.
"Best Practices" in HR are subjective and transitory. What is best for one company may not
be best for another. What was best last month may not be best for today. The concept of
"best" is highly subjective and non-specific. "Best Practice" is not a set of discrete actions but
rather a cohesive and holistic approach to organizational management.
Best Practices are initiatives taken by HR to:
Not only satisfy but delight
Create a feel good factor
Give high visibility and focused impact
Be unique and relevant
Gel with organization culture
Provide fresh / creative way to accomplish a task
4. Influencing Factors
Some factors which constitute best practices in HR are: -
Communication
Continuous Improvement
Risk Taking
Recognition
Work-life Balance
Culture Consciousness
Recruitment
Training & Development

Communication
The "best practice" companies have the most intense communications which are broad-based,
continuous and involve multi-directional employee contact. Communications with employees
is "a given", and is formal, focused and on-going responsibility. Communications are not
done as an "extra".

1. "Talk of the Week" where all the employers are asked to participate and give there word
and opinion about their superiors helping to bridge the gap.

2. "Taking a Step Ahead" is Round Table Initiative followed by GSK Group to empower the
employees

Continuous Improvement
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The best companies are never satisfied. They focus not only getting it right but doing it better.
They are intensely dependent on feedback from all sources as the prime basis of their
continuous improvement philosophy.

1. "Dosti" Counseling Facility, where trained counselor offer free and confidential advice on
any issue under the sun - from work related stress to marital discord adopted by Texas
Instruments.
2. Les Concierges Service - Outsourcing chores like paying bills, booking tickets and buying
vegetables followed by Johnson & Johnson.
3. Breakfast with Department Head in groups of 10 adopted by GSK.
4. Cashless Hospital Scheme for employees & their families by Johnson & Johnson.

Risk Taking
The best companies have leaders who possess courage to make the hard decisions and carry
them out.
1. People like Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric, is known as "Neutron Jack" for his
massive shake-ups at GE. These people are not afraid to go face- to-face with people -
internal customers included - to discuss issues they feel need to be addressed.
Recognition
1. On-the-spot Recognition followed by Shoppers' Stop where all employers are recognized
on there contribution and talent they exhibit. For every contribution, they are given stars -
making people feel Stars.
2. Special Awards like "Helping Hand", "First Mover", And Quarterly Rewards and
appreciation are some of the initiatives taken by many companies.

Work Life Balance
1. An initiative taken by GSK that every employee can walk out of the office at 6.00 p.m.
helping them to balance both professional and personal life.
2. Quarterly Star Performers awarded with packages like Dinner-with-Family, Stay-over-the-
Weekend at Five Star Hotels by Hewitt Packard.
3. Spouses invited to give a pleasant surprise to employees on anniversary and birthday at
Hewitt.

Culture Consciousness
The best companies are all sharply focused on their culture and are conscious of how culture
shapes systems and behaviours.
The best example for that is an initiative Fun @ Work Cadbury Annual Theme identified,
being a reflection of company's corporate goals. Celebration Calendar built around the theme
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is to ensure at least one event per month.

1. On Company Day, employees are encouraged to interact with consumers and bring
back new ideas.
2. Worm controversy overcomes through 'Delivering Smiles'.
3. Specific days like Traditional Day, etc., introduced.

Training & Development
1. Individual Training needs, performance and targets are freshly evaluated each quarter.
2. e-Learning Portal to provide a choice of whole range of topics from Communication to
Project Management to Strategic Planning - FEDEX, HEWITT.
3. Rotational Development Program to provide cross-functional exposure to junior & mid-
level staff.
4. Mentoring Program promotes diversity - mentor from different department.
5. Employees spend 150 minutes a month on Kaizen & Behavioral Training - Classic Stripes.

Recruitment
1. Employee Referral Scheme.
2. "Interview over a Meal" - Creating comfort level.
3. Congratulating Parents on final selection of a candidate adopted by Max Newyork Life.
4. Job openings are posted internally and anybody can apply for an opening two levels above
his current designation, an initiative taken by BSL, are some of the best HR practices in
recruitment
This project report deals with studying the Best HR Practices in the basic HR functions which
include:
Training & Development
Performance Management
Compensation & Benefits
Employee Relations
Recruitment & Selection

5. Training & Development
Motorola
The quest for success in today's global market demands a shared vision and close cooperation
between Motorola, its customers and suppliers. To achieve this, products and services must
be the finest in the world.
The Mission Statement of Motorola says: "To support Motorola's key goals and initiatives by
working with selected customers and suppliers to improve their performance through
diagnostic evaluations, customized education and training programs and applications support
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which range from single interventions to full systems solutions for continuous performance
improvement.
Motorola is a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded
electronic solutions.
Motorola continues to grow at a significant rate with more than 20,000 associates being hired
each year. With that growth comes the need for training that gets new hires up and running
quickly. Motorola provides training to all its associates worldwide through CD-ROM,
Internet Applications, Wireless Data, and a host of other emerging technologies.
According to Jeff Oberlin, Director of Motorola University's Department of Emerging
Technologies & Human Resources Trends, "The use of CD-ROM, Internet Applications,
Wireless Data and a host of other emerging technologies must be fully explored. Our intent is
to find those situations where alternative training delivery is the best way to transfer
information."
Motorola University has taken responsibility for propelling multimedia technologies forward.
Following are some of their accomplishments:

The Motorola Multimedia Committee (MMC) - To promote the use of alternative learning
technologies in Motorola's businesses.
Motorola Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (MYTT) - It is a new history and culture course that
teaches through the use of stories. Subscribers receive via e-mail or intranet, two to three
episodes per week, of engaging stories from Motorola's past, present or future. Subscriptions
are also available via CD-ROM.
Introduction to Design for Manufacturability on CD-ROM - This is an introductory course
on the design for manufacturability method. This method enables cross-functional teams to
create product and process designs that meet customer satisfaction requirements for product
quality.
The Motorola Career Planning Information on CD-ROM - Corporate HR is designing a
multimedia application that runs on desk top computer CD-ROM drives, intranets. The
application will present Motorolans with career planning information and tools that will help
them define, plan and achieve their career goals.
HR 2000 Programme HR 2000 Programme - With the emerging globalization trend,
Motorola has designed a common program for all its diverse business locations. All the
participants undergo rigorous training programs as follows: -
An intensive 3-week orientation to Motorola culture, values, goals and initiatives.
An 18-month training program consisting of at least 3 rotations in at least 3 different
sectors.
Functional training in at least 3 or more of HR areas.
Quarterly training and debriefing sessions.

Final placement in the specific business and position in the candidate's country or region or
region of origin. The HR 2000 training structure enables Motorola to position multi-skilled,
capable human resources management candidates within growing markets, thus, significantly
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expanding the company's worldwide sphere of influence.
As a global corporation, it is critical for Motorola to learn a global approach top management.
Through this innovative program, Motorola heads for the future armed with HR leaders
trained to handle the myriad challenges of a global marketplace.

Infosys

Training at Infosys was an ongoing process. When new recruits from colleges joined Infosys,
they were trained through fresher training courses. They were trained then on new processes
and technologies. As they reached the higher levels, they were trained on project
management and later were sent for management development programs, followed by
leadership development programs.

Training New Recruits
Infosys conducted a 14.5 week technical training program for all new entrants. The company
spent around Rs. 200,000 per year on training each new entrant. The new recruits were
trained at the Global Education Center (GEC) in Mysore, which had world class training
facilities and the capacity to train more than 4500 employees at a time. GEC, which was
inaugurated in February 2005, was spread over 270 acres and was the largest corporate
training center in the world with 58 training rooms and 183 faculty rooms.

Training Programs for Employees
Infosys also conducted training programs for experienced employees. The company had a
competency system in place which took into account individual performance, organizational
priorities, and feedback from the clients.

6. Performance Management System
Infosys
The first step toward carrying out performance appraisal at Infosys was the evaluation of
personal skills for the tasks assigned to an employee during the period of appraisal. To
evaluate the performance, different criteria like timeliness, quality of work carried out by the
employee, customer satisfaction, peer satisfaction, and business potential, were considered.
The personal skills of the employees were also evaluated based on their learning and
analytical ability, communication skills, decision making, change management, and planning
and organizing skills. Each of these criteria was measured on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1
signifying above the expected performance level and 5 below the expected performance
level).
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360-Degree Feedback: The employees also look at aspects of the managers' performance,
strategic vision, ability to communicate, problem-solving skills, responsiveness. The results
of the survey (the rankings and comments) are then aggregated and published online for
everyone to see.
Recognition for Adding Value: 'What gets measured gets reviewed and what gets reviewed
gets improved' is what the company believes in and rewards each employee whose innovation
is lauded by the customer.
Employee-Management Interface: It reduces the gap between the manager and the employee.
Direct Q&A link with the President himself, who is to respond within a given time-frame.
Focus on Learning: A lot of investment in employee-focused resources (e-Learning) and
creating libraries for employees, holding workshops. All employees are eligible for ESOPs
after one year of joining.
Innovation: To innovate and nurture your own business ideas by getting support and guidance
from the company itself. Innovate@HCL is one such e-forum that enables employee
involvement and participation towards innovations in their work environment and beyond.
Business Continuity Plan: The company's comprehensive succession plan ensures
continuity in the event of an employee-related contingency.
Employee Engagement: Some of the new initiatives include My Pal, Three Cheers, Wellness
Programme, Little Mindian and Bring a Smile Programme while some of the existing ones
are preventive health check-ups, yoga classes and employee relief fund.

The Smart Service Desk (SSD) is an automated trouble ticketing tool for employees to raise
online tickets related to their transactional issues with HR, Finance, IT Team, etc. Besides,
the company has a 360-degree performance evaluation process that focuses on self-
determination and self-assessment, while "I4Excel" allows employees to do their own self
evaluation.
MyXtraMiles is a loyalty point system that gives 'mileage' to employees who receive
appreciation from any of the following four sources: peers, subordinates, managers and
customers. The points can be redeemed for attractive gifts, including trips abroad. The EHD
Team comprising HR and finance professionals aids the employees in solving their day-to-
day transactional needs. Its mascot 'Natasha' is positioned as the employees' personal
assistant for policy and information dissemination, and communicates with them on a much
personal level. The employees are encouraged to post their feedback and suggestions on
company issues on its sub-portal iGen, while through the 'U&I' feature they can get their
queries answered directly by the CEO.
Work-life Balance: Organize games, birthdays and achiever parties. Besides, it has started a
club for the employee's children called the 'Little Comnetians Club', wherein regular events
are held for them
Awards: The company has various recognition-led-incentive programmes / awards like
WYGIWYG Certificates and COO's Party Vouchers. Each year, the employee who has been
a consistent star performer, is honoured with the 'Top Gun' award at the company's annual
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function. Employees who refer their friends and acquaintances are given financial incentives,
and an annual award called the 'Top Gun Comnet Builder' for providing the highest number
of references.
Performance Management
Rigorous recruitment policy sets Google apart from other organisations, as talented staff are
not a small percentage with special development needs to those of most employees.
"Everybody is deemed high potential," Hornsey (HR Director) says. "We hire 100 percent
high potential people." This means that if an employee is failing to meet the expected
standards, it must be due to the organisation rather than the individual. "We do not sack
people. If an individual fails, we see it as our fault," Hornsey adds. For this reason, Google
uses the GE Model, but doesn't have a 'C' rating. "If they're failing, it's our fault," she stresses.
Employees' work structure follows a '70/20/10' Model, an arrangement which is important to
anyone who works there. This refers to a breakdown of the working week: 70 percent of the
employee's time should be spent on the business, fulfilling the job role which, incidentally, is
very clearly defined - providing absolute clarity about the job description is essential as 'good
people only fail if they do not know their role'. Ten percent of the schedule is time to do
'whatever the employee wants' - time for innovation and creativity, freedom to think.
20 percent of the time - or one day out of every week 'personal work' - a period spent on
personal development which will ultimately benefit the company. "Staff can work on
whatever they want to work on, as long as it's in line with the mission of Google."
7. Employee Benefits
One solution that provides an affirmative defense against potential fines, fees, and lawsuits is
to offer some sort of identity theft protection as an employee benefit. An employer can
choose whether or not to pay for this benefit. The key is to make the protection available, and
have a mandatory employee meeting on identitying theft and the protection you are making
available, similar to what most employers do for health insurance.
Accenture
All Accenture employees have career counsellors, typically two levels above them in the
hierarchy, who are given a budget and specific time to mould the career of their wards.
It has a Cross Entity Leadership Program to allow people to switch between
businesses, and all openings are posted on internal portals. It allows employees to work from
home and also work part time.
It has set up an Inhouse Event Management arm and employees who take part in clubs and
special interest groups are expected to conceive and run programmes for each of these
initiatives, ranging from sports to corporate social responsibility.
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Empowered Employees: Employees at relatively junior levels are empowered to take
decisions and managers running even 100-person units are allocated budgets to run their
businesses.
Education Initiatives: There's a massive focus on education and training with 16,000 online
courses for employees across all levels. It offers courses in association with the likes of MIT
to upgrade employee skills.
Career Mobility: Employees are allowed to make their own career choices; there is no
compulsion to choose the orthodox vertical approach.
Marriott Hotels India
All associates, right from the senior management to the junior most, are equally divided into
four houses: Elephant, Lotus, Peacock and Banyan. Each house has an activity every month,
through the year, around areas such as leadership and training. Competitions are also held
through the year, which enable associates earn rewards and points for their house.
Two-way Communication: For new entrants, there is an event called 'Koffee with the GM'
to interact with the GM and share their views over a cup of coffee. For employees too shy to
talk, there is the option of anonymously calling up the Integrity Hotline, a 24X7 toll free
number.
Employee Benefit Initiatives: Employees are given six offs in a month and financial support
for higher education. Each and every employee on their birthday can stay in the hotel for one
day with their spouse or family and can dine anywhere.
Knowledge Initiatives: Every Marriott Hotel has a learning centre that has a collection of
books and videos, along with an internet connection.

Defined Span-of-Leadership: There is a Leadership Performance Process Management
System which defines nine competencies which a Marriott associate should have and
develop.
Reward System: There are two kinds of awards for individuals or groups to recognise
outstanding performance. Each Marriott Hotel in India has its own awards. This is apart from
an overall event involving all Marriott properties globally.

8. Recruitment
In a tight labor market, attracting and retaining top talent requires a thoroughly thought out
hiring strategy that is tailored to the individual characteristics and needs of your company.
Hiring should not be an issue that you think about only on the day that an employee gives
notice and you are faced with the immediate need to fill his or her position.
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Google
"The main goal is to hire the right people," company's HR Director, Liane Hornsey, says.
"Never make do with someone because you're desperate - only hire the best."
With this strategy, Google's recruitment process is certainly thorough - given that applicants
face a minimum of four interviews and agreement must be unanimous amongst everyone who
has interviewed the candidate. Senior staff spends 30 percent of their time on recruitment and
the company employs 300 people specifically to focus on hiring the best candidates.
If surviving four interviews and gaining the approval of every employee and even after the
candidate has successfully negotiated the series of interviews, there's a final hurdle. After
Hornsey has approved the new recruit, the form is sent to the company's co-founder, Larry
Page.
Google aims to make new recruits feel valued and this begins from the moment the candidate
is hired. As soon as the contract is sent, the company sends the employee a present to
welcome them to make them feel special. If the employee is still at university, they receive a
gift every two weeks until they start work. On their first day, their desk is filled with Google
paraphernalia, including
balloons which identify the recruit as new and encourages other staff to talk to them.

Even better if as a Google employee, you recommended the successful recruit. If you believe
your current employees are great, the best way to find more great staff is through referral
programmes. The company gives the employee 3000 pounds if the person that has been
recommended is recruited.

Texas Instruments
Measuring Your Recruiting Success
Measuring the results of recruiting efforts is the best way to determine the success of a
recruiting program, according to Texas Instruments (TI). Not only does the company track
traditional measures, such as hiring cycle time and cost-to-hire, to ensure productivity, it also
uses a quality-of-hire metric to determine whether it's getting the right talent for the right job.
Four months after an employee is hired at Texas Instruments, his/her manager are asked to
rate the employee (as part of a survey) on whether the person is "meeting", "not meeting", or
"exceeding" the manager's expectations. Currently, TI managers report that 97 percent of
their new hires are exceeding expectations. New employees are also surveyed to see if the job
they are performing is what they had expected.

Texas Instruments Recruiting Strategy
After extensive research and planning, the TI staffing organization identified five major
processes for its recruiting strategy: -
People Planning - HR partners with Finance at a business-group level to evaluate how many
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and what type of positions will need to be filled in a given time frame (typically four quarters
out) and to ensure that the business group's financial plan will support its hiring plan.
Developing Performance Profiles - These extensive versions of job descriptions focus not
just on what the job entails, but also on what needs to be accomplished by a person in that
position, and what the job expectations are.
Centralized Sourcing - The HR team at TI's Dallas Headquarters is constantly on the look-
out for new talent. The team partners with search firms to keep the talent pipeline moving. TI
also relies heavily on its employee referral program, and it pays a cash incentive to
employees upon hire of their referral. Approximately 50 percent of hires are referred by
employees.
Business-specific Recruiting - TI has recruiters dedicated to each of its major businesses in
the United States. These recruiters work directly with hiring managers to land the candidates.

Assessment & Selection - The company uses team-based interviews to select the best job
candidates. Interviewers ask both behavioral questions (e.g., how the candidate would
approach something from an interpersonal communications perspective) and technical
questions (e.g., how he or she would solve a technology or process issue.

9. Some of the Best Retention Strategies
Retention: Top Concern of HR Professionals
Once an employer has hired a quality employee, nearly half of 1,000 HR professionals report
that retaining workers is their biggest concern regarding 'the bottom-line profitability' of their
company, according to a survey by Express Personnel Services, 22 Top 10 Best Practices in
HR Management for 2007.
Why are the great employees leaving? Seventy-one percent of top-performing employees say
pay is one of the top three reasons they would leave an organization, but only 45 percent of
employers cite pay as a top retention issue, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt
Worldwide and WorldatWork. What do employers believe? Employers were more likely to
cite promotion opportunities (68 percent) and career development (66 percent) as one of the
top three reasons top-performing employees leave.

Bonuses Gaining Popularity for Retention
While base-pay increases remain modest, employers are increasingly relying on bonuses for
attracting, motivating, and retaining talent, according to a survey by Hewitt Associates. 80
percent of respondents to Hewitt's survey of 1,028 large organizations offer at least one type
of broad-based variable pay plan, up from 51 percent in 1991. 63 percent of respondents offer
special recognition awards, which acknowledge individual or group achievements with small
cash awards or merchandise.
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62 percent of respondents offer business incentives, the same percentage of companies that
said they offer signing bonuses. 44 percent of the companies offer individual performance
awards, the same percentage of companies thatsaid they offer nonexecutive equity awards. 35
percent of companies said they offer retention bonuses.

Competitive Benefits Crucial for Retention
In order to combat the loss of employees, employers must focus on meaningful, competitive
benefits that make employees want to stay for more.
Just offering competitive benefits is not enough for employers that are aiming to retain
talented employees. Employers must also communicate with employees, showing them the
value of those benefits and the company that provides them to the individual. Many
employees have no concept of what employers are paying in terms of employee benefits and
healthcare costs. In order to effectively communicate the value of those benefits, employers
should use benefits "report cards" or other type of benefits summary.
Aside from the many types of cafeteria health plans employers can offer in order to be
competitive (including Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts),
employers can also offer wellness programs (physicals, periodic health assessments, tobacco
cessation, obesity programs, etc.), recognition through rewards and incentives, professional
development and training, coverage of employees' job-related moving expenses, and much
more. No-cost rewards such as offering flextime or job-share programs are another way to
treat employees in a way that make them feel valuable.

Train Bad Managers to Boost Retention
It is often said that "people quit managers, not companies." In order to combat the loss of
employees caused by bad managers, employers must enact long-term, sustainable, behavioral
change in those managers.
An employee's relationship with his or her immediate supervisor is the #1 determining factors
of whether the employee will stay and how productive he or she will be. When a company
learns that employee morale is low, the first reaction is often to conduct leadership training
among managers. While this is a good first step, often the training simply isn't adequate.
There is usually not enough opportunity for managers to practice the skills they've learned,
and once they are thrown back into the "real world" of their jobs, they will instinctively react
the way they always have rather than implement newly learned leadership skills.
Another component to successful behavioral change is to hold the manager
accountable for the success of the training. If participants know that they are going to be held
accountable, they don't treat training as "a day off" from work, but are instead highly
motivated to acquire and use the skills taught.
Recognition Lets Employees Achieve, Excel
Employee recognition and a competitive benefits program are important to the success of any
organization. However, those characteristics don't mean much unless the leadership has
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developed an operational structure that challenges and supports employees to be the best they
can be at their work. At Medical City Dallas (MCD), a 660-bed acute-care facility that is the
flagship hospital of the HCA North Texas healthcare system.

10. Measures Taken While Implementing Best HR Practices
When implementing HR practices and policies, managers should note that HR practices: -
Cannot be 'copied' from one organization to another. A set of complementary HR practices
that have produced increases in productivity, improved quality of service, and given the firm
a competitive advantage, will not necessarily produce the same, or even similar results in
another organization, or part of an organization, operating in the same industry.
Must be implemented with regard to the organizational context of a particular firm.
Priorities for implementing particular sets or bundles of HR practices will vary between firms
operating in similar markets in the same industry.
Are more effective, and can produce a synergistic effect, if they are complementary to each
other. For example, self-managed teams being introduced at the same time as team-based or
group compensation incentives contingent on organizational performance.
Must be congruent to the long-term strategic objectives and mission statement of the
organization, if they are to yield returns through increased productivity and ultimately
improved customer service. If this congruency is absent, then organizational dysfunctions
will result and the attempt to introduce progressive HR practices will rapidly lose credibility
among the firm's employees.
Require significant planning, resources and effort. The participation, involvement and
commitment of all the firm's employees and their unions have to be secured. This requires
leadership and a cohesive management team over the long-term.
Necessitate that people who are expected to assist with the implementation of the new HR
practices must be consulted and be a part of the planning, development and implementation
processes right from the start.
May not be successfully implemented without significant changes in the structure and
culture if the structure of an organization is highly hierarchical with an accompanying
bureaucratic culture. Such changes would most likely involve significant management
changes and a move to a leadership style more conducive to participation.
Will be of little benefit to an organization unless the appropriate infrastructure and
supporting mechanisms are in place. There must be an effective management system to
support long-term productivity improvements. Policies and training have to be aligned with
HR practices. If the practices are not supported by appropriate policies, then employees will
become confused and disillusioned with the implementation of HR practices.
Must be broadly complementary to HR policies linked to 'high-involvement work practices'
and are, thus, relevant to explaining the variation in the diffusion of such practices. Changes
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in these work practices are more difficult to carry out than changes in the complementary set
of HR policies because they are more intricately bound up with the core business processes
and requirements of the organization.
Should be supported by the organization's leader(s) who have earned the respect of the
employees. If employee respect for the CEO is lacking, then his/her endorsement will 'count
for little' and could even be viewed by employees in a negative light if the CEO has been
conspicuously absent during the important initial development stages of new HR policies and
practices.

11. Conclusion
The indicator to best HR practices is the long-lasting relationship with employees. At the core
of this solid foundation lie various HR initiatives, which are rolled out for employees.
Policies should be geared towards the future. Organizations need to match HR policies and
practices with long-term business strategies required to compete in the global market place,
and generate employee commitment and retention over the long-term. HR practices are
required that are incremental and collaborative and provide the opportunity to employees to
make decisions affecting their work and to share in the rewards of their creative efforts.
Therefore, if HR policy is to contribute to the organization's bottom line, areas such as
recruitment, selection, training, development and performance appraisal should be consistent,
integrated and strategically focused.

Some HRM Best Practices

Arthur (1994)
Broadly defined jobs
Employee participation
Formal Dispute Resolution
Information sharing Highly skilled workers
Self-managed teams
Extensive skills training
Extensive benefits
High wages Salaried workers
Stock ownership

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Pfeffer (1994)
Employment security
Selective recruiting
High wages
Incentive pay
Employee ownership
Information sharing
Participation
Empowerment
Job redesign/teams
Training & skill development
Cross-utilisation
Cross-training
Symbolic
Egalitarianism
Wage compression
Promotion from/ within


Delaney, Lewin, & Ichniowski (1989); Huselid (1995)
Personnel selection
Performance appraisal
Incentive compensation
Job design
Grievance
procedures
Information sharing
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Attitude assessment
Labour/management participation
Recruiting intensity
Training hours
Promotion criteria (seniority vs. merit)

MacDuffie (1995)
Work teams
Problem solving groups
Employee suggestions
Job rotation
Decentralisation
Recruitment &hiring
Contingent compensation
Status differentiation
Training of new employees
Training of experienced employees

Wood & Albanese (1995)

Trainability & commitment as selection criteria
Career ladders
Teamwork & briefing sessions
Quality circles
Training budgets
Job design
Quality
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Flexible jobs
No compulsory redundancy
Formal assessments
Temporary staff
Uniform terms and conditions

The Value of HRM Best Practice

Essentially, to create a competitive advantage a firm must implement a strategy that creates
positive value (Barney, 1986, 1991, 1995). Research asserts that the
implementation of HRM best practice can create a source of competitive advantage
as the practices are additive , and thus, work together to generate positive value for
the firm (Delaney et al, 1989; Huselid, 1995; Pfeffer, 1994; Osterman, 1994).
Specifically, this positive value is created by means of influencing the discretionary effort of
employees (Arthur, 1994; Ichniowski, Shaw & Prennushi, 1995; MacDuffie, 1995; Youndt et
al, 1996; Datta, Guthrie, & Wright, 2003). The performance level of each individual is
limited by their capacity for effort. Therefore, any organizational attempts made to elicit
discretionary effort from employees are likely to generate excessive costs. Thus, utilising a
set of practices that are explicitly humanistic in orientation can help to create positive value
by, firstly, increasing employees discretionary effort, and secondly, exceeding the true cost
of investment through the use of superior HRM practices (Huselid, 1995).

According to the resource-based theory of the organisation, the effective management of
human resources is valued not only for its role in implementing a
given competitive scenario, but also for its role in generating strategic capability
(Barney, 1991). In this respect, HRM best practice has the potential to create firms
that are more intelligent and flexible than their competitors through the use of policies and
practices that focus on hiring and developing talented staff and synergising their contributions
within the resource bundle of the firm (Boxall, 1996). This can lay the basis for sustained
competitive advantage because HR policies and practices are socially complex and
competitors may not be able to replicate their diversity and therefore, it takes time to develop
a workforce that is embedded in the operational systems of a firm so that it enhances the
firms capabilities (Becker & Gerhart, 1996; Boxall, 1996). It is expected that practitioners
are being influenced by this research, and thus, understand the benefits that can be accrued
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through the adoption of HRM best practice. Therefore, it would seem that organisations
around the world are relying upon HRM best practice to a great extent. The following section
aims to discuss research that examines the use of HRM best practice in organisations to
determine if this is the case.

In the years since, HR leaders have fought an uphill battle to change the profession. Today,
smart companies do have a place at the table for HR. The challenge for HR now is in living
up to the high expectations that come with the seat expectations of high impact. It is not
easy.

As HR leaders seek to identify and advocate for the best possible people-related business
decisions, they often lack the kind of data, process support and industry-level standards that
leaders of other functions rely on for guidance. In crafting the internal transformation that
new expectations require (reevaluating the HR functions purpose, structure, services and
delivery models, as well as capabilities of the staff), too many HR leaders essentially must
cobble together a new vision for their HR functions with few examples of excellence for
guidance. The result can be well-intentioned but poorly executed transformational change. At
best, that sort of change can achieve excellence through the superhuman efforts of an HR
functions internal staff and supporting third parties. At worst, it hurts the function more than
it helps, especially in the eyes of the business partners who often feel that the HR function is
focused more on internal HR needs than on business outcomes.

Three Key Truths about the Path to Excellence

Our research for this report enabled us to look across multiple HR organizations, as well as
deep within those functions. We looked for trends, best practices and insights that could be
shared to inform critical HR decision-making. In this section, we spotlight three key truths
that hold true across all of the high-impact HR organizations8 we studied. The following key
truths underpin the top 10 best practices discussed later in this report, and give insights to the
importance of both an HR functions current starting point, as well as the external factors.
1. Workforce Size Matters in Charting the Course to High-Impact HR

Our research found that the size of a companys workforce makes a big difference when it
comes to how HR should structure itself and what its priorities should be. When we
compared the data from high-impact HR functions9 in companies of various sizes, we found
that, as organizations increased in size, the number of shared HR characteristics (such as HR
roles, systems and structures) also increased.
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2. HR Organizations Must Get the Basics Right before Pursuing a Strategic HR Agenda

Solid execution of fundamental HR services is essential to demonstrating competence and
building credibility with leaders outside the function. Make sure that your handling of
payroll, benefits, compensation, employee relations and onboarding is airtight and the rest
of the company knows it. Organizations that rated themselves as below average at core
services, such as recruiting, onboarding and basic skills
development, were three times more likely to complain of a lack of respect from business
leaders. Simply put, HRs number one goal is to do the basics flawlessly and this alone
takes focus and energy. Once core processes are well in place, then you can focus on business
partnerships and a strategic HR agenda.
3. High-Impact HR Organizations Focus on Continuous Improvement, Not Radical HR
Transformations

High-impact HR organizations never stop improving; in a sense, they are in a constant state
of transformation incremental transformation or continuous improvement. But the phrase,
HR transformation has become associated with more sweeping, whirlwind approaches to
change. These are dramatic efforts to restructure, redesign and repair an HR organizations
ability to work strategically and deliver better results for the business. It has become common
for these organizations to attempt to bring about all of the necessary changes at once. Many
companies that embark on full-throttle, one-shot HR transformations quickly come to regret
it.

As our interviews pointed out, the problem is that running HR is difficult. Day-to-day efforts
need to be highly attuned to the current needs of the business. So, rather than try to make a
drastic change, leaders of high-impact HR organizations create a function that can
continuously adapt as the workforce, workplace and business itself change. When HR leaders
sell radical transformation to business executives, it usually results in disappointment
because changing HR tends to require a substantial amount of effort and time. When change
is undertaken all at once, the result is HR professionals being consumed with system
upgrades, new roles, new reporting structures and process reform. Although these are often
foundational to long-term business alignment and better business support, they can negatively
impact the business when they become an HR functions primary focus.
Instead, companies that take a continuous-improvement approach by integrating
transformation efforts into daily work tend to suffer less short-term discomfort and realize
greater long-term benefits. Ultimately, the problem is not one of transformation but one of
continuous adaptation ensuring that the HR structure, team, programs and systems are
modernized, as well as being aligned with and relevant to the needs of the business.
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Consider, for example, what is going on today. Recovering from the latest recession,
organizations are dramatically shifting their workforces and attention toward business needs
in emerging economies. Rather than transform HR to deal with this change, organizations
must design a 2011 to 2012 plan to enable company growth, efficiency, and hiring and
leadership transitions, as well as productivity in emerging economies. Two years from now,
organizations are likely to be in a new period of economic growth and HR will need to be
ready to adapt again.
Top 10 Best Practices for High-Impact HR

In this research on high-impact HR organizations, we identified numerous best practices
how these functions are organized, how they offer better services and how they measure
impact more effectively. Some of these best practices were dependent on an organizations
size, culture, history or even leadership style. But we also found several HR practices that
were relevant for high-impact HR organizations of every sort and provided high levels of
overall impact these are considered our top 10 best practices.

HR Best Practices HR Impact Opportunity
1. Structured governance and business case
development
39%
2. Developing advanced workforce planning
capabilities
28%
3. Implementing the right HR philosophies 27%
4. Reducing administrative work for HR business
partners
25%
5. Implementing flexible HR organization design 20%
6. Improving employee-facing HR systems 19%
7. Measuring both HR operational and business
metrics
19%
8. Developing internal HR skills 13%
9. Improving line manager capabilities 10%
10. Outsourcing HR services strategically


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1. A Formal Governance Model

HR governance models define how business priorities are set, how decisions are made and
how communications flow throughout an HR organization .and Business-Case Development
Process Can Greatly Improve an HR Organizations Effectiveness, Especially If Business
Leaders Are Included in Both.
High-performing HR teams have the necessary business relationships and processes in place
to build a business case for every major initiative. They focus on the process for making
decisions, not only the decisions themselves.
Building a business case requires a clear understanding of the business or businesses that HR
serves, as well as working relationships with all business leaders. HR can achieve both by
involving business leaders in the planning processes and governance. This involvement also
helps to ensure business alignment and, as a result of that alignment, business buy-in and
support.
In the full report, we provide further data supporting this finding, sample HR governance
models and best practices in building effective business cases.

2. High-Impact HR Organizations Implement Business-Relevant Workforce Planning

Workforce planning is a systematic process that looks at what an organization needs to
accomplish in a given period of time due to business goals and strategies; what knowledge,
skills and experience are required to get the job done; and, what size and type of workforce is
required to provide that mix of skills, knowledge and experience. The workforce planning
process then compares current workforce data on employees, as well as external data on
workforce segments, and creates a gap analysis that highlights general workforce needs,
critical talent segments and their needs, and required workforce reductions to meet business
needs to Provide Data to Inform Business Decisions.

High-impact HR organizations incorporate sophisticated forecasting and workforce analytics
into their processes. This enables them to translate companywide talent, business data and
external workforce segment data into workable insights that they can use and share with
business leaders. Such insights inform short- and long-term decisions about the talent a
company has and how to develop it, as well as the talent it needs and how to attract it.

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Developing the skills, capabilities and processes to effectively implement workforce planning
takes time and this evolution in itself creates a set of powerful goals for the HR function. In
the full report, we outline the elements included in a workforce planning process, the various
maturity levels and how organizations are currently overcoming the many challenges faced in
implementing workforce planning for todays HR function.
3. High-Impact HR Organizations Develop an Enduring and Relevant HR Philosophy
and Mission.

The high-performing companies that participated in this research have a real mission and
philosophy for their people. They select words that both guide and inspire. High-impact HR
organizations tend to commit themselves to creating work environments that enable
employees to thrive both as individuals and as contributors to business success. They strive to
create positive employee environments, and clearly communicate these expectations in the
HR philosophy and mission. The most effective philosophies focus on fostering innovation
and collaboration, or creating the best place to work, while the least effective philosophies
focus narrowly on efficiency or cost-cutting efforts.
These philosophies provide an HR community with the guidance by which they make
decisions and interact with their audiences. In the full report, we include further evidence of
this finding, as well as detailed examples of the impact of HR philosophies and best-practice
guidelines for communicating an HR philosophy.

4. Implement HR Business-Partner Roles Correctly or Do Not Bother. An HR
Business Partner Is Not an HR Administrator.

Many HR functions have a role that is a liaison between the HR function and business
leaders. The specifics of this role vary widely. High-impact HR organizations use it to advise
senior business leaders, focusing on decision support, workforce planning, leadership
development and executive coaching. By enlisting the right person, HR can improve its
credibility across the enterprise, improve working relationships with business leaders,
cultivate mutual understanding and gain influence. When this role is implemented poorly,
with more focus on administrative duties and taking orders, our research found that it can
actually reduce an HR functions ability to work effectively and efficiently.
5. Flexible HR Structures Allow High-Impact HR Functions to Align Organizational
Models and Roles to Meet Changing Business Needs.

High-impact HR organizations are flexible and agile. Like earthquake-proof buildings, they
are structured to allow adaptive movement if the ground shifts. No overall HR structural
Best HR Practices
[39]

model (centralized, decentralized or a combination of the two) in itself emerged as a predictor
of HR success. But certain structural features do lend themselves to areas of excellence. One
feature that we found to be universally valuable was flexibility. Fancy organization charts and
designs are fine provided that you also have a culture which recognizes the need to adapt
structurally when business needs and challenges change, as well as an HR staff that is capable
of making those changes.
For example, Booz Allen Hamilton, a leading provider of consulting services to the U.S.
Government in defense and civil markets, created a flexible HR organization structure to
get ahead of upcoming changes in its business needs, which are driven by expected company
growth within specialized areas of its U.S. Government consulting, such as cyber-security
or civil engineering, and an increase in U.S. infrastructure work. In the full report, we
outline the details behind this finding, as well as the best practices in creating a flexible HR
organization.

6. High-Impact HR Organizations Implement HR Systems That Enable Stakeholders
and Clients to Help Themselves and Connect as Part of a Community.

We researched a variety of systems strategies. The most significant contributions to the
overall effectiveness of an HR function come from community-building and self-service
elements. Knowledge-sharing portals, web-based recruitment tools and management
dashboards let various HR stakeholders and clients find what they need when they need it.
HR functions with user-friendly client systems are regarded as twice as effective and efficient
as functions that do not invest in this advantage.
In the full report, we discuss in more detail the value of HR taking ownership of
enterprisewide knowledge-sharing tools and social networking environments.
7. An Effective HR Measurement Strategy for High-Impact HR Functions Includes
Both Operational HR Measures and Advanced HR Analytics Strategic People
Measures.
Measurement strategies in high-impact HR organizations have evolved to ensure efficiency,
effectiveness and business alignment. Such strategies incorporate both operational measures
by which to manage the HR function and strategic people measures to support crucial
business decisions. New HR technologies and skills in HR data analysis have provided an
opportunity for HR organizations to become more data-driven. HR data is now systematically
gathered and analyzed, so that it can be translated into actionable insights and measures of
impact. These measurement approaches provide clear connections between the efforts of both
the HR function and individual people in the performance of a company.
In the full report, we outline the evolution of HR measurement efforts, as well as the elements
of an HR measurement strategy and examples of best-practice HR measurement practices.
Best HR Practices
[40]


8. Development of Internal HR Team Members Is a Priority for High-Impact HR
Teams.

As they focus on programs to develop employees companywide, HR organizations often
neglect the development of their own team members. This is a mistake. The world of HR
solutions is constantly changing. High-impact HR organizations must invest the time and
money needed to ensure team members competence grows in such disciplines as change
management and relationship management. Efforts must also focus on developing team
members business acumen, industry knowledge and command of current best practices in all
areas of talent management, as well as the use of social networking tools and other HR
technology.
The value of internal HR development is outlined in the full report in which we discuss the
value of various development approaches and topic areas.
9. High-Impact HR Organizations Outsource with Strategic Goals in Mind, Focusing on
Reducing Costs and Optimizing Services, as well as Leveraging External HR Expertise.

High-impact HR organizations use outsourcing to enable their internal teams to focus on
things that cannot be outsourced, such as building business relationships and developing
custom solutions for business managers. These organizations outsource areas that can be
improved through economies of scale, or which require global coordination and expertise.
What an organization outsources often depends on its level of maturity.
Mature businesses are more likely to outsource core HR services, such as payroll and
benefits. Businesses in a rapid-growth or rebirth stage are more likely to outsource strategic
services, such as learning and development (L&D), or strategic recruiting. (Organizational
maturity is the level of organizations readiness and experience in relation to people,
processes, technologies and consistent measurement practices.) In the full report, we discuss
these different approaches to HR outsourcing and how these decisions are made in a strategic
manner.

10. High-Impact HR Organizations Prioritize Their Support for Line Managers over
the Entire Workforce. Increased Line-Manager Capabilities Are Directly Correlated to
the Impact of the HR Function.

HR must address the needs of all of its stakeholders (e.g., candidates, employees, alumni and
contingent workers); but placing particular focus on its line-management support provides
Best HR Practices
[41]

numerous benefits which range from improved business performance to reduced
requirements for HR staff and more engaged employees.

A common pitfall for many HR functions is the attempt to meet the needs of every
stakeholder directly, thereby spreading limited HR resources very thinly. High-impact HR
functions have prioritized the focus of their HR resources on building the capabilities of their
line managers. This decision allows them to work in partnership with their line managers,
versus trying to work around line managers who may be incompetent or ill-prepared.
A Final Thought about These Top Best Practices

Some of these points are ones that we, and perhaps you, have heard before but the context
surrounding them (as noted in the introduction) is different, making them ripe for fresh
attention. Others are altogether new insights, drawn from the experiences of organizations
dealing with an unprecedented combination of market forces and environmental change.





In order to become an organization of choice, agencies are strongly recommended to adopt
the 25 best HR practices listed below:

Recruitment:
1. Develop focused workforce and recruitment plans to address critical workforce
Segments (Critical workforce segments are those that are critical for future success, are high
in demand, low in supply and
cannot be replaced easily.).

2. Develop strategies for encouraging and supporting internal applicants.

3. Clarify the employment brand and support activities to improve awareness and
recognition of DS professionals in general.
Best HR Practices
[42]


4. Create specific recruitment strategies to target specific labour markets.

5. Carefully assess and target recruiting methods. Increase the use of technology to
support recruiting. A variety of recruiting methods may be required to tap into
different workforce segments.

6. Use behavioural-based interview (BEI) methods to test for core competencies when
hiring; ensure supervisors have a role in assessing candidates to ensure cultural fit.

7. Increase consistency of on-boarding3 programs to ensure new hires are properly
trained and well-connected to the agency.

8. Include input from people supported and their natural support network in the
recruitment process .

Retention:

9. Deploy human resources effectively.

10. Improve communications between staff and management through a variety of
media; encourage programs to develop peer connections.

11. Develop a participative culture by involving staff in decisions and soliciting their
feedback.

12. Develop alternative career paths for employees.

13. Implement robust performance programs which encourage regular conversations
and constructive feedback.
Best HR Practices
[43]


14. Apply formal succession-planning across the organization; link succession with
workforce planning and personal learning plans.

15. Total rewards must be competitive with market pay for the job; agencies need to
assess their staffs preferences for total rewards and reflect this in the total reward
package; total rewards (not just wages) need to be communicated to employees.

16. Re-focus activity on smaller more immediate recognition which is highly valued by
employees.

17. Regularly measure employee satisfaction; communicate results and implement
changes based on results.

18. Consider flexible retirement options for critical workforce segments.

19. Increase the proportion of full-time positions.

Training:

20. Develop formal learning strategies which make best use of limited funds by focusing
efforts on organizational priorities, critical workforce segments, and alternative to
formal training.

21. Integrate personal learning plans with the annual performance management
process; begin with critical workforce segments.

22. Explore creative options to provide practical training to all staff within available
resources.

Best HR Practices
[44]


23. Formalize and promote on-the-job learning as a highly effective development tool.

24. Establish leadership development programs and/or relationships with educational
institutes that already provide programs for the critical supervisor and management
positions; ensure these are reflected in annual learning plans, and support future talent
requirements based on workforce and succession planning.

25. Develop a strategy for evaluating training expenditures to ensure funding is
concentrated on activities which have the greatest impact on performance or outcomes.
Evaluate the success of a training session by tracking improved performance on the job.

Best HR Practices Link with the Developmental Services Human Resource
Strategy

All aspects of the DSHRS form an integrated human resources approach and must be
reflected in the work of all the HR committees. Representatives from the pilot sites on this
committee provided insight into how the implementation of core competencies could align
with the HR practices reviewed by this committee, and no conflicting practices were noted.

A Variety of Best HR Practice Tools to be Used By Agencies

The focus groups conducted by this committee explored how the best HR practices may be
reflected and used in the sector. From all the information gathered, the committee compiled a
list of recommendations for best HR practices to be used in Ontarios DS sector and
examples of strategies recommended for each practice. The committee also provided the
results of literature reviews for best HR practices that are missing examples from our sector.
The committee recommends that the following best HR practices tools be used by Ontarios
DS agencies including:

A CD that contains all the documents developed and mentioned above. The information
should be burned onto a disk and distributed provincially;

Best HR Practices
[45]

The DSHRW Website. The documents should be part of the information presenting the
progress of the DS HR Strategy online; and

A Best HR Practices Checklist. This document should be developed and disseminated
throughout the province via the CD and published on the DSHRS website.

A Plan to Disseminate and Implement Information/Best Practices Across the Sector

A communication plan needs to be developed to ensure that best HR practices are understood
and available. The committee recommends that the best HR practices for the DS sector be
launched as part of a provincial DSHRS forum. In addition, the plan to disseminate the best
HR practices should include:

all DS agencies in Ontario;

all DS agencies about the list of best HR practices by e-mail and encouraging
them to use the HR tools developed by the committee;

themselves and track their progress with adopting best HR practices; and

communiqus and related conference presentations.

A Strategy to Address Issues Related to the Balance of Full-time/Part-time Positions

The Expert Panel on Training recommended that there be a strategy to improve sectors
ability to recruit and retain staff and create a more stable workforce by increasing the
proportion of fulltime positions. Deloitte also made a recommendation around job design:
Decrease proportion of part-time and casual roles; move to more use of staffing blocks.
Best HR Practices
[46]

Most of the international research and also Deloittes report concluded that full-time positions
are valued and important to both employees and employers:

-time
to full-time) would be a successful strategy for improving recruitment and retention.

loyees to
leave an agency is to get a full-time job in another agency and that respondents who
areemployed as either temporary part-time or casual/ relief employees are less satisfied with
various aspects of their work compared to employees in full-time positions.
In order to become an organization of choice, agencies are strongly recommended to adopt
the 25 best HR practices listed below:

Recruitment:
1. Develop focused workforce and recruitment plans to address critical workforce
Segments (Critical workforce segments are those that are critical for future success, are high
in demand, low in supply and
cannot be replaced easily.).

Rationale

Research shows that leading organizations have a good understanding of present and future
workforce needs and prioritize and focus their plans on strategic roles. Each Developmental
Services agency should develop workforce plans, followed by recruitment plans and focus on
the Supervisor and executive director positions.

Current Situation

While some formal planning is done in a few agencies across the province, it appears that
most of the workforce planning is occurring at the executive director level only. In addition,
many agencies indicated that they are hiring as a reaction to vacancies and turnover or are
constantly hiring.
Best HR Practices
[47]


Strategies

Related practices include succession-planning based on age and demographics. The use of
technical equipment such as applicant tracking software/ system (such as HRIS) and
developing a skill set database may be of assistance to some agencies.

2. Develop strategies for encouraging and supporting internal applicants.
Rationale

Human Resources literature indicates that leading organizations focus on filling vacancies
with existing employees and have established policy and process with guidelines for
employee job-postings and managing departmental transfers. Internal recruitment has the
advantage of being cost-effective, ensuring that candidates fit well in an organization and
helping with retention by supporting employee engagement.



Current Situation

In the focus groups conducted by the committee most agencies did report promoting from
within and filling full-time positions from part-time employees.

Strategies

Some strategies for building on this practice might include developing internal
workshops on interviewing skills, identifying future leaders and developing leadership
training plans.

Best HR Practices
[48]

3. Clarify the employment brand and support activities to improve awareness and
recognition of DS professionals in general.Rationale

The developmental services sector has a relatively low profile as a career opportunity for
prospective employees. In order to compete successfully with other sectors and to attract
more people to developmental services, agencies should strive to become an employer of
choice.

Current Situation

During focus groups, some agencies indicated that in communities where there is an
abundance of competition for employees, compensation becomes the main attraction for
recruiting employees. A few agencies are strategizing to be recognized as an employer of
choice as part of their unique branding (i.e., faith-based agencies).

Strategies

One of the goals of the DSHRS is positioning developmental services as a career of choice in
Ontario. The marketing strategy launched in October 2010 as part of the strategy will provide
all agencies with easy access to professional and creative marketing tools (e.g., banners,
posters, brochures). The marketing strategy will support awareness and recognition of DS
professionals thereby positively affecting recruitment in the sector. The use of these tools will
enable agencies to lower their advertising costs and to participate in leading-edge marketing
and social media opportunities. Agencies should use all recommended tools.

4. Create specific recruitment strategies to target specific labour markets.
Rationale

Commenting on the dynamics created by a changing labour force, the Expert Panel on
Training noted that the workforce is changing and shortages of skilled workers are being
experienced in many sectors, including the developmental services sector. There is a growing
sectoral competition for workers as recruitment and retention issues intensify in many labour
markets.
Best HR Practices
[49]

Deloittes research also suggested that retired and soon-to-be retired Baby Boomers may be
less likely to have the same family obligations as young working parents and may be
attracted to part-time work, varied hours or residential positions. They may also be motivated
more by intrinsic rewards such as personal satisfaction from the impact they have on peoples
lives. New immigrants with medical credentials may lack Ontarios formal credentials to
work in the medical field and may look to other care-giving sectors for employment. They
may also be beneficial in helping agencies to serve clients who are increasingly from diverse
backgrounds.

Current Situation

Some agencies are beginning to target these two categories and have identified Human
Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) as a good starting place to recruit
diverse applicants. Most agencies indicate that they do not have formal policies or practices
in place with respect to hiring, employing and supporting a diverse workforce. Regionally,
there are unique labour markets to be targeted. For instance, in the North, due to the changing
forest industry, there is a large number of people pursuing second generation careers.

Strategies

In addition to the use of HRSDC Job Bank, other organizations can be utilized to target
recruitment, including multicultural associations. Job opportunities can be posted at
multicultural centres or community centers that provide specific immigrant and senior
orientated programs. Diversity training is recommended to be offered in diverse
organizations.
The Developmental Services Worker (DSW) Apprenticeship Program provides an
opportunity for accelerated DSW certification, which may be particularly attractive to new
Canadians who already have a related degree.

5. Carefully assess and target recruiting methods. Increase the use of technology to
support recruiting. A variety of recruiting methods may be required to tap into
different workforce segments.



Best HR Practices
[50]


Rationale

Research shows that leading organizations carefully assess the recruitment method used and
understand that a variety of recruiting methods may be required to tap into different
workforce segments. Current Situation During focus groups discussions, DS agencies
reported the use of a variety of methods
for recruiting, including: job fairs, word-of-mouth, field placements, HRSDC and posting on
websites. Some agencies reported using on-line applications but the potential of this strategy
appeared somewhat dependent on the sophistication of their websites. Many agencies
reported that they are experiencing a decline in the number of employees hired therefore
minimizing some of the recruiting strategies used in the past (i.e. agency job fair).

Strategies

Agencies should continue using different methods found to be successful. In addition, they
are encouraged to use online recruiting as a cost-effective method valued by younger
generations. Agencies that do not have online capabilities should consider the use of focused
employment sites (i.e., Charity Village). All agencies should be accessing and utilizing the
variety of recruitment tools developed for the sector by the Awareness and Marketing
Committee.

6. Use behavioural-based interview (BEI) methods to test for core competencies when
hiring; ensure supervisors have a role in assessing candidates to ensure cultural fit.

Rationale

One of the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Training was that developmental
services sector should use leading practices in the selection of future workers (e.g., BEI
linked with core competencies. Agencies can then ensure that employees hired have the
right competencies to perform the duties of the job offered. Linking core competencies to
specific job classifications will provide the best quality service to people supported. Agencies
that have piloted the core competencies for DS professionals have reported that while the
behavioural-based interview method is very time consuming, it has had a positive impact on
the quality of candidates selected for employment.
Best HR Practices
[51]


Current Situation

Very few agencies in the developmental services sector are using behavioural-based
interviews as part of the selection process.

Strategies

The province-wide implementation of core competencies will provide agencies trainthe-
trainer behavioural-based interviewing training. All employees involved with interviewing
should be trained in this interviewing technique.

7. Increase consistency of on-boarding3 programs to ensure new hires are properly
trained and well-connected to the agency.

Rationale

The Expert Panel on Training recommended formal, consistent on-boarding program for all
new hires to ensure that they are properly trained and well connected to the agency.

Current Situation

There is a lot of variety in the sector in the way on-boarding programs are structured
(e.g., ad-hoc, regular) and conducted (e.g., individual or group).

Strategies

One strategy to support this recommended practice is to develop a system which helps new
hires get up to speed quickly and ensures they have the tools to be successful in their new role
(e.g., mandatory training, agency-specific training). Some agencies reported implementing a
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[52]

buddy or a mentor program to help new employees connect to the agency and learn their role.
The use of core competencies will be valuable in developing job descriptions and training as
new employees are integrated into the agency.

8. Include input from people supported and their natural support network in the
recruitment process .

Rationale

By involving individuals supported in the recruitment/interviewing process agencies can
ensure a good fit and a good connection between employees and people with a developmental
disability supported.

Current Situation

Some DS agencies across the province have found various ways to involve the people who
receive support in the interview process.

Strategies

Strategies may include providing training and education to people who receive support to
actively participate in the interview process.

Retention:

9. Deploy human resources effectively.

Rationale

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[53]

Research suggests that although the client-staff relationship is of primary importance to
employers, over time vacancies are simply filled with employees who are able to work.
Successful deployment supports not only on-the job learning but consideration of employees
interest.

Current Situation

In Deloittes employee survey only 11% of direct support respondents strongly agreed that in
their agency the staffing process effectively matches employees with work that enhances
their skills and helps with career development.

Strategies

Being flexible, recognizing employees needs and rotating staff when appropriate are a few
recommendations to deal with deployment of staff in a more effective manner.

10. Improve communications between staff and management through a variety of
media; encourage programs to develop peer connections.

Rationale

Research shows that having strong communication with employees is a key retention
strategy. In addition, rumours and gossip can be minimized by increasing communication
between management and employees.

Current Situation

In the employee survey, only half of survey respondents feel that management keeps them
informed about matters that affect their job. Focus group respondents also consider that
communication is a challenge. Across the province a variety of communication methods are
used including job binders containing pertinent information about people supported; e-mail
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[54]

when computers exist at each location; internal newsletters; calendars of events; and
labour/management committees.

Strategies

Management should communicate on a regular basis with employees and use various
methods. In addition, through established communities of practice, employees can connect at
a peer level and share valuable information.

11. Develop a participative culture by involving staff in decisions and soliciting their
feedback.

Rationale

Research shows that culture is an important factor for employees when choosing to work at a
specific workplace. As in any other organization, DS employees would value the opportunity
to have input into and organizations operational plan.

Current Situation

Only 58% of survey respondents (direct support employees) feel that they are involved in
decisions that affect their work and are encouraged to provide feedback for improvement.6
In addition, it appears that culture emerges from the employees who work at a location at a
given time.

Strategies

With strong leadership, a culture can be changed to one of excellence. Collaboration between
management and employees and employee representatives increases awareness and
understanding of unique perspectives. Direct support staff involvement in an agencys
committee work can be extremely informative. Providing recognition and rewards to
Best HR Practices
[55]

employees who exhibit the desired qualities on a consistent basis is also crucial to creating a
strong culture.



12. Develop alternative career paths for employees.

Rationale

Clear and multiple career paths ensure that employees can see their potential for career
growth in an agency (and in the DS sector in general). This supports staff engagement and
improves retention. Findings of the employee survey conducted by Deloitte show that the
lack of career advancement is the fourth important reason why employees leave a DS agency
in Ontario. In addition, 80% of employers who responded to Deloittes survey believe that
adding more growth options for employees would be a successful strategy for improving
retention.

Current Situation

Only 16% of respondents to Deloittes employee survey believe that there is a clear career
path for them in developmental services. At present, the standard career path in the sector is
from part-time to full-time status and then from direct support professional to supervisor and
management.

Strategies

Newly developed core competencies for the major job classifications in the DS sector will
provide clear, concise information for employees who have career advancement goals. Core
competency training for management staff will enable them to educate and coach employees
to reach their career goals. Communicating about career paths and required education/training
for each job classification is a simple way to educate employees on the opportunities for
growth available. For instance, providing job descriptions and specifications can be valuable
to someone who is setting career goals. The DSW Apprenticeship Program introduced
recently by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, and the agency-based
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[56]

training that is being developed as part of the DSHRS, will contribute substantially to the
creation of new career paths in the sector and will improve employee satisfaction with
opportunities offered by DS agencies. The Expert Panel on Training noted that a better
profile (including training) should be developed for the specialist roles in agencies (e.g.,
community facilitator, family support coordinator, specialized case manager). Direct support
professionals will be able to choose between a supervisory position and specialist role
position when mapping out their career path. In addition, skills developed in specialist roles
have relevance and add
value to managerial functions.

13. Implement robust performance programs which encourage regular conversations
and constructive feedback.

Rationale

Research shows that it is important that agencies are able to track and measure
employees performance against organizational goals and competencies. The use of core
competencies will be an important tool to use to target professional development in the
performance appraisal process.

Current Situation

Only 44% of respondents to Deloittes employee survey indicated that their agency
effectively manages performance (e.g., conducts appraisals, rewards performance).
Information collected by the committee through focus groups indicates that there is a wide
variety of performance management tools used in the sector. The use of performance
appraisals also varies across Ontario.
The time required to do a formal performance appraisal is a barrier for many supervisors who
supervise a large number of employees and have many demands. Some employees may feel
negative in regards to the performance management process as well.

Strategies

Best HR Practices
[57]

Performance standards and benchmarks are important for the performance
management process. The core competency model that is being implemented in
Ontarios DS sector identifies the core competencies and related benchmarks to includein
performance appraisals. Education on these core competencies is critical to ensure that
management is properly utilizing these competencies during the performance appraisal
process when identifying professional development.

14. Apply formal succession-planning across the organization; link succession with
workforce planning and personal learning plans.

Rationale

The development of succession planning in the Developmental Services Sector is critical in
ensuring that agencies are retaining and training employees with the potential to become
leaders in their organization. This planning is imperative considering that many EDs in the
sector will be at a retirement age within 5-10 years.

Current Situation

The focus groups conducted by the committee revealed that most organizations have not done
formal succession-planning.

Strategies

Identification of current and future performance criteria is integral to a formal succession
plan. Performance criteria should include the core competencies, knowledge, and other
required skills and abilities. Completing an assessment of current and future leadership
potential within the organization is another key aspect of a formal succession plan.

15. Total rewards must be competitive with market pay for the job; agencies need to
assess their staffs preferences for total rewards and reflect this in the total reward
package; total rewards (not just wages) need to be communicated to employees.
Best HR Practices
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Rationale

Total rewards combine total financial compensation and benefits with less tangible items that
can be used to compensate staff (e.g., training opportunities, work environment). A more
competitive total rewards package supports retention and reduces employee turnover costs. A
better total rewards package/benefits is the third most common reason for DS employees to
leave an agency for another (as identified by Deloittes employee survey). About 76% of
respondent employers in Deloittes survey believe that changing the benefits package would
be successful for recruiting and retaining staff.

Current Situation

There is a large range of benefits offered to employees. Most agencies provide benefits only
to their full-time employees. Very few agencies communicate rewards besides wages to their
employees.

Strategies

The focus groups and research demonstrate that developing the concept of total
rewards and communicating the total reward package is very challenging. A robust benefits
package would help recruitment and improve retention substantially. Some suggestions and
related approaches are referenced in the appended documents. It is important that all the
information related to total rewards be communicated regularly to all employees.
16. Re-focus activity on smaller more immediate recognition which is highly valued by
employees.

Rationale

Positively reinforce great behaviour immediately. Deloittes employee survey indicated that
the most valued reward is considered to be verbal appreciation and that this is used less
than the typical service award that many agencies are using.
Best HR Practices
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Current Situation

The most used reward (service award) is only valued by 11% of employees who
responded to Deloittes employee survey. The most valued reward (verbal appreciation) is
used by less than 30% of agencies that were surveyed. Focus groups revealed that in our
sector, management/supervisor personality has a great influence on rewards and recognition.

Strategies

Supervisors should be encouraged to provide recognition. There are many other
methods of recognizing employees including the use of newsletters, letters of
appreciation, and celebrations. Some worksites provide supervisors with recognition and
reward toolkits to make it simpler to recognize employees.

It is beneficial to include people who are supported, peers and families in the recognition of
superior performance.

17. Regularly measure employee satisfaction; communicate results and implement
changes based on results.

Rationale

Research shows that leading organizations measure employee satisfaction regularly and make
changes based on the results, ensuring increased employee satisfaction and engagement.

Current Situation

Few organizations in the DS sector measure employee satisfaction.
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Strategies

There are many types of employee satisfaction surveys available that can be used by
agencies. Many can be distributed using a computerized process which makes the
dissemination and collection of data more time- and human-resources efficient. Providing all
levels of the organization with the results of the survey is essential as organizations need to
be transparent. Once results are known, an action plan must be established. Soliciting input
from staff when creating an action plan can be a collaborative approach to addressing issues
relating to employee satisfaction.

18. Consider flexible retirement options for critical workforce segments.

Rationale

As the Baby Boomer generation is approaching retirement, in addition to developing
succession plans, agencies are encouraged to consider managing retirement by developing
strategies that support delayed or phased retirement.

Current Situation

Most DS organizations have not considered how an aging population and retirement may
create potential gaps. Less than 25% of employers who responded to Deloittes survey have
either taken initiatives to postpone retirement or plan to do so in the future.

Strategies

Organizations must first identify which employees are approaching retirement and determine
any skill shortage due to the retirement that will be difficult to replace. Organizations must
also consider whether phased retirement for a specific position can be accommodated while
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meeting business objectives. By providing mentoring and teaching opportunities, agencies
can ensure that the transfer of learning is complete prior to retirement.

19. Increase the proportion of full-time positions.

Rationale

Full time positions are valued and important to both employees and employers.
International research supports this best practice.


Current Situation

Agencies across the sector have a full-time and part-time position ratio that fits with their
unique operational requirements.

Strategies

For strategies on dealing with the balance of full-time positions within your agency, please
see section of this report called A Strategy to Address Issues Related to the Balance of Full-
time/Part-time Positions.

Training:

20. Develop formal learning strategies which make best use of limited funds by focusing
efforts on organizational priorities, critical workforce segments, and alternative to
formal training.

Rationale
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A qualified, properly-trained workforce in the sector ensures that the people with
developmental disabilities receive the best support possible.

Current Situation

Many organizations in the DS sector offer only legislated and required training such as First
Aid/CPR, non-violent crisis prevention and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information
System (WHMIS). Participants in Deloittes survey noted there was a gap in soft skills
training such as dealing with families..

Strategies

The agency-based training that is being developed for Ontarios developmental services as
part of the DSHRS will address the issue. In addition, as noted by the Expert Panel on
Training, DS employees should be offered the opportunity to also pursue other vehicles to
build towards the core competencies (e.g., DSW Apprenticeship Program, relevant college
programs). On-the-job informal learning is an excellent and low-cost alternative to formal
training. Examples of on-the-job learning include job shadowing or job rotation, providing
direct support staff the ability to step into supervisory positions for a specified time period
and providing mentoring programs.


21. Integrate personal learning plans with the annual performance management
process; begin with critical workforce segments.

Rationale

In leading organizations, personal learning plans are developed annually, as part of the
performance management plan and outline courses that employees would like to take in order
to grow professionally.

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Current Situation

Few DS employees have personal learning plans and very few agencies use formal learning
plans as part of the appraisal process.

Strategies

The assessment of core competencies possessed by DS employees will help identify learning
needs in the non-technical aspects of the work in the DS sector. The completion of
Competency Assessment Questionnaires (CAQs) will assist in identifying areas of
development for employees. Once personal learning plans are completed for all employees,
organizational training can be offered in a prioritized manner. When training opportunities
become available elsewhere, data from personal learning plans can be compiled and used to
connect interested staff with the agency that offers training. HR staff should ensure that all
training opportunities are widely communicated throughout the organization and that training
is properly tracked for each employee.

22. Explore creative options to provide practical training to all staff within available
resources.

Rationale

About 56% of respondents in Deloittes employee survey identified hands-on as the
preferred method of training. The more traditional lectures and presentations were alsohighly
rated by participants in the survey.

Current Situation

Most training in the sector consists of courses and workshops where the information is
delivered using a PowerPoint presentation and/or manuals and hand-outs.


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Strategies

Using a train-the-trainer concept, organizations can effectively and efficiently support
training and can introduce more hands-on, practical sessions. In-house resources can
provide brown-bag lunch and learn sessions on a particular topic. Guest speakers for an
employee meeting are a low-cost method of providing training. With the use of computers,
online training is available and can be extremely pertinent to use for fact based types of
training such as WHMIS. Younger generations tend to have the highest interest in online
learning. Employees need to be continually encouraged to attend training and a learning
culture should be developed in each DS agency. HR staff should ensure that the training
sessions are not always attended by the same group of employees.

23. Formalize and promote on-the-job learning as a highly effective development tool.

Rationale

Beyond formal training, employees can benefit from on-the-job, practical experience for their
professional growth. This method is also very cost-effective.

Current Situation

There are limited on-the-job learning opportunities (including mentoring programs) for
employees in Ontarios developmental services sector. Only 40% of employees who
responded to Deloittes survey indicated that they are receiving enough informal learning
opportunities.

Strategies

Mentoring programs can provide positive learning opportunities to both the mentor and their
partner. Mentoring can provide skill development for current staff and also enhance
socialization of new employees. International research shows that more than 70% of what
people know about their jobs, they learn through everyday interactions with colleagues.
Positive professional development will be enabled and facilitated through the integration of
core competencies in all areas of human resources.
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24. Establish leadership development programs and/or relationships with educational
institutes that already provide programs for the critical supervisor and management
positions; ensure these are reflected in annual learning plans, and support future talent
requirements based on workforce and succession planning.

Rationale

Jurisdictions around the globe and across Canada are placing more and more emphasis on
leadership as a key for the success in an organization. The Expert Panel on Training
recommended that the DS sector should have leadership development programs and options
for individuals in preparing for specialist, supervisor and management level positions
incorporated in annual learning plans and supporting future talent requirements based on
workforce and succession planning.

Current Situation

Many DS agencies promote people in leadership positions (supervisor, manager) without
providing much support. Only 1/5 of respondents to Deloittes employee survey indicate that
their agency offers supervisory or management training.

Strategies

Organizations have to be careful to not promote employees only based on capability at their
current job. The core competencies strategy clearly identifies competency requirements for
major job classifications in the sector. Promotional choices should be made with the future
job classification competencies in mind. Many local colleges and universities offer leadership
programs such as the Ontario Management Development Program. This program offers
leadership and management courses that are taught to a classroom of students usually from
regional organizations. Sharing and networking with other people who are interested in career
development provides added value to these types of programs.

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25. Develop a strategy for evaluating training expenditures to ensure funding is
concentrated on activities which have the greatest impact on performance or outcomes.
Evaluate the success of a training session by tracking improved performance on the job.

Current Situation

Traditionally, many organizations have only evaluated the trainer or participants satisfaction
with the content of the training being offered.

Strategies

Two methods can be used for the evaluation of training: self-assessment and direct
observation. Supervisors, peers, and supported individuals can make these
observations on the job, take notes and provide them to management. The HR departments
should track the progress of employees and assess the effectiveness of training. Based on the
assessment, funding should be allocated for training initiatives that have a real impact.













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Case Studies
Human Resource Management: Best Practices in I nfosys Technologies

Abstract
Infosys Technologies, a leading software company based in India, was voted the best
employer in the country in many HR surveys in the recent years. The company was well
known for its employee friendly HR practices. Though Infosys grew to become a US$ 2
billion company by the year 2006, it still retained the culture of a small company. Infosys
attracted the best talent from across the world, and recruited candidates by conducting one of
the toughest selection process. All the selected candidates were required to go through an
intensive 14 week training program. All the employees were required to undergo training
every year, and some of the chosen employees were trained at the Infosys Leadership
Institute to take on higher responsibilities in the company.
Infosys was one of the first companies to offer ESOPs to its employees. The company
followed variable compensation structure where the employees' compensation depended on
the performance of individual, the team and the company. The case highlights many such best
practices of Infosys in human resource management. It also discusses the challenges faced by
the company to retain its talented workforce.
Best Employer in India
In November 2005, Infosys Technologies Ltd. (Infosys), based in Bangalore, India, was
named 'The Best Company to Work for in India' by Business Today magazine in a survey
conducted by Business Today, HR consulting firm Mercer5, and international market
research firm TNS6 . Infosys had been adjudged the 'Best Company to Work For' in 2001 and
2002. In the 'Best Employer' survey conducted by Dataquest7-IDC8 in the year 2006, Infosys
was adjudged the 'Dream Company to Work for.'
For participating in this survey, the companies needed to have revenues of over US$ 250
million in 2005, and to employ 500 employees in the US. Infosys also featured in the list in
2004 and 2005. On the company's HR practices, Nandan Nilekani (Nilekani), CEO, President
and Managing Director of Infosys, commented, "It is about creating a highly motivated
workforce because this is not a factory where you can monitor the quantum of output at the
end of the day. But in the intellectual business you cannot do that. So, you have to create a
motivated set of people who can operate.
Attracting the best and the brightest and creating a milieu where they operate at their highest
potential is very important. Our campus and technology infrastructure is world-class, we pay
a lot of attention to training and competency building, we try to have sophisticated appraisal
systems, we try to reward performance through variable pay. These are all part of the same
motive. Since the early 2000s, Infosys' operations had been growing rapidly across the world.
The number of employees in the company also increased four-fold to 44,658 in March 2006
Best HR Practices
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as compared to 10,738 in March 2001 (Refer Exhibit III for the number of employees in
Infosys between 1995 and 2006).
The company believed that its key assets were people and that it was important to bring its
employees on par with the company's global competitors. In spite of its rapid global
expansion, Infosys retained the culture of a small company. According to Bikramjeet Maitra
(Maitra), Head of Human Resources, Infosys, "We like to maintain a smaller company touch
and we have split the overall business into several smaller independent units of around 4,000
people each.
Background Note
Infosys was incorporated as Infosys Consultants Private Limited on July 02, 1981, by a group
of seven professionals. From the beginning, it relied heavily on overseas business. One of the
founders, Narayana Murthy (Murthy) stayed in India, while the others went to the US to carry
out onsite programming for corporate clients. One of Infosys' first clients was the US-based
sports shoe manufacturer Reebok. Infosys hired its first set of employees in 1982 from the
Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai...
The HR Practices
Most of the HR practices of Infosys were a result of the vision of its founders and the culture
that they had created over the years. The founders advocated simplicity and maintained the
culture of a small company. The employees were encouraged to share their learning
experiences...
Recruitment
While recruiting new employees, Infosys took adequate care to identify the right candidates.
On the qualities that Infosys looked for in a candidate, Nilekani said, "We focus on recruiting
candidates who display a high degree of 'learnability.' By learnability we mean the ability to
derive generic knowledge from specific experiences and apply the same in new situations.
We also place significant importance on professional competence and academic excellence.
Other qualities we look for are analytical ability, teamwork and leadership potential,
communication and innovation skills, along with a practical and structured approach to
problem solving."
Training
Training at Infosys was an ongoing process. When new recruits from colleges joined Infosys,
they were trained through fresher training courses. They were trained then on new processes
and technologies. As they reached the higher levels, they were trained on project
management and later were sent for management development programs, followed by
leadership development programs...
Training New Recruits
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Infosys conducted a 14.5 week technical training program for all new entrants. The company
spent around Rs 200,000 per year on training each new entrant. The new recruits were trained
at the Global Education Center (GEC) in Mysore, which had world class training facilities
and the capacity to train more than 4500 employees at a time. GEC, which was inaugurated in
February 2005 was spread over 270 acres and was the largest corporate training center in the
world with 58 training rooms and 183 faculty rooms...
Training Programs for Employees
Infosys also conducted training programs for experienced employees. The company had a
competency system in place which took into account individual performance, organizational
priorities, and feedback from the clients...
Infosys Leadership Institute
The Infosys Leadership Institute (ILI) was set up in 2001 to nurture future leaders in the
company and to effectively manage the exceptional growth that the company was
experiencing. At the Institute, the executives were groomed to handle the changes in the
external and internal environment...
Performance Appraisal
The first step toward carrying out performance appraisal at Infosys was the evaluation of
personal skills for the tasks assigned to an employee during the period of appraisal. To
evaluate the performance, different criteria like timeliness, quality of work carried out by the
employee, customer satisfaction, peer satisfaction, and business potential, were considered.
The personal skills of the employees were also evaluated based on their learning and
analytical ability, communication skills, decision making, change management, and planning
and organizing skills. Each of these criteria was measured on a scale of 1 to 5 (with 1
signifying above the expected performance level and 5 below the expected performance
level).
The Culture
Infosys tried to preserve the attributes of a small company and worked in small groups, with
decision-making remaining with those who were knowledgeable about particular processes.
The managers played the role of mentors and used their experience to guide their team
members.
The Challenges
With the IT industry growing at a rapid pace, Infosys planned to recruit around 25,000 people
in the financial year 2006-07, in order to maintain its growth. Though it had started hiring its
workforce globally, it mainly recruited engineering graduates from India. If the industry
continued to grow at a similar pace, analysts opined that companies like Infosys would not be
able to find enough people, especially with several multinationals entering India and
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recruiting aggressively. To address this issue, Infosys started recruiting science graduates
with a mathematics background to create an alternate talent pool...

#1 HRIS
In a 2012 BLR customer survey, we asked HR professionals who currently use an HRIS in
their workplaces which tasks they perform via the HRIS. Data reporting was the top result,
with 78 percent of surveyed HRIS users noting that they use their system to generate reports
of strategic and demographic employee data.
Unsurprisingly, payroll management was also a top response, with 68 percent of surveyed
HRIS users reporting that their system is used to process payroll in their businesses.
Other popular functions of leading HRISs include:
Benefits management and enrollment
PTO and leave tracking
Compliance filings
Applicant tracking
Performance management
Training
#2 Talent Acquisition
What some employers do not know is that the U.S. labor market is only at the beginning of
what some human resources (HR) experts are calling the workforce meltdownthe clash
between a diminishing supply of qualified workers and the explosive increase in need for
those workers.
Statistics show that the meltdown is unquestionably coming, and soon. Data from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics show that:
Between 2010 and 2020, 70 million Americans will retire, while only 40 million will
enter the workforce.
By 2020, the key age group of employees (aged 25 to 44) will shrink by 3 percent,
while those aged 55 to 64 will grow by 73 percent, and those aged 65 and older will
grow by 54 percent.
The aging workforce is a global issueby 2050, China will have more people over
the age of 65 than all of the rest of the world combined.
By 2010, the predicted labor shortages in the United States will be concentrated in
nursing (1million), math/science/special education teachers (1 million), computer
Best HR Practices
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engineers and support (1 million), clinical pathologists (50,000), and auto mechanics
(50,000).
Not surprisingly, the resulting competition for highly skilled "knowledge workers" will result
in fierce competition in pay, benefits, flexible work arrangements, and workplace amenities.
Employers will need to rethink the workplace environment, nontraditional work
arrangements, new recruiting resources, and how to lure employees who have left the
workforce back to work.

Will an HRIS cut the time you spend on routine functions allowing you to focus on your
strategic impact on the business? Find out how with our Complimentary HR White Paper;
HRIS: Track, Train, and Transform Your Workplace.

#3 Healthcare Benefits
There are many ways to take the pulse of your organization and competitors. Here are a few
ways to start:
Keep your eyes and ears open.
Read your organizations financial reports.
Talk to your colleagues, both inside your organization and elsewhere.
Be aware of your organizations culture and values.
How do your benefits stack up? To attract and keep good employees, you probably need to
offer benefits that are at least comparable to those of your competitors. To find out what
others offer, chat up your colleagues or join a local employer health coalition or a
professional group.
How about the employees? Of course, you need to consider your employees in any insurance
plan decisions. It is important to know the insurance plan features that mean the most to
themand one way to find out is by conducting an employee survey.
#4 Recruitment and Applicant Tracking
There are innumerable sources that can be used for locating qualified applicants. When hiring
for a particular job, it is important to match the hiring tools to the job being filled.
This chart sets forth some of the benefits and drawbacks of various hiring tools.
Method Benefits Drawbacks
Referrals from other
employees, usually with a
Even with a bonus, the
costs of this method are
Employees may be disgruntled if
another applicant is chosen over a
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bonus to the referring
employee if the referral
results in a hire
low. The bonus is a
morale booster, and the
method seems to locate
good employees.
friend or relative. If the employee
population is not diverse, sole
reliance on this method can be
viewed as discriminatory.
The Internet
Can reach a very large
audience at little or no
cost.
Not a good hiring tool for reaching
jobseekers who are not likely to be
computer literate or who do not have
access to a computer. Can be
difficult to efficiently screen
applications because of potential
volume.
Search agencies.
Can access a large
audience of jobseekers
and can rapidly fill open
positions.
Can be extremely costly.
Campus recruiting
Good PR for the
company; can be a good
source of talented and
ambitious entry-level
people.
Can be costly and time-consuming.
Job fairs
Rapid access to a pool of
applicants looking for
immediate employment
in a particular field.
Can be very costly.
Employer open house
Good PR for the
company; a good method
for filling a large number
of positions at once.
Can be costly and time-consuming.
Requires a sizeable staff of
interviewers.
Outplacement/temp agencies Can fill positions quickly.
Can be costly to bring such people
on as regular employees.
Former military (through
career placement services
newsletters for exiting
servicemembers)
Excellent source of
highly skilled and
disciplined applicants,
especially who interact
with the military.
Applicants are sometimes deficient
in a knowledge of procedures in the
private sector.
Banners and signs outside
worksite
Cost-effectivecan be
good PR.
Requires heavy applicant screening;
only works if you are in a high-
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visibility location.

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Complimentary White Paper to find out how an HRIS can be used as a strategic toolkit for
your most common HR functions. Download Now.

#5 Retirement Benefits
Phased retirement is a concept that may help employers meet the challenges of changing
workforce demographics. Many experts had predicted that as the Baby Boom generation
approached its retirement years, there would be a shortage of workers. However, because of
the economy, many Boomers may not be financially ready for traditional retirement. Phased
retirement is a process for bridging the gap between full-time employment and full-time
retirement. There are many potential forms of phased retirement, including:
Rehiring retirees as consultants for discrete projects or on a part-time, seasonal, or
temporary basis
Gradually reducing an employees working hours
Taking a leave of absence to try out retirement
Job-sharing arrangement between older workers
Older workers moving to less stressful or less demanding jobs











Best HR Practices
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Why are employees in some companies happy to stick with the company while others look
for a change? The reason is that some companies know how to take good care of their
employees and provide a working environment that helps them retain their identity, while
proving themselves and growing along with the company.

So, what are the best HR practices you know about??
1 Open Management
2 suggestion for HR practice
3 Respecting employees
4 Sharing of Knowledge
5 Safe Work Place


Employees dont like the feeling of being kept in the dark about what is happening
in the company. They feel motivated and develop enthusiasm only when the
management opens up to them and discusses the company policies, sales, clients,
contracts, goals and objectives. This encourages participative management.

8
Best HR Practices
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Asking them for ideas on how to improve will get their creative juices flowing.
Being open about everything related to the company will help in building trust and
motivating the employees. This open management policy can be practiced using
several tools.



As per my view there is such type of HR practices should be in every organization where an
employee feels safe & secure to work. In this regard I want to share an incident of my
colleague who resign from an organization because there was no any criteria for the
employee training and motivation, annual increment basically this organization was
manufacturing nature and it mainly focused to the employees who related to the production.
So I think organizations follow to implement a common uniform H.R policy for the
development, growth, with job satisfaction of employee. Because a rich manpower an
important assets of the organization.
We do have very small number of organization which respect and give freedom to employees
in work. Right people , at right place with respect will be a great practice.
Knowledge sharing is a wonderful strategy that helps in the betterment of the employees and
their work. Keep all the knowledgeable information in central databases that can be accessed
by each and every employee. For example, if an employee is sent on some training, the
knowledge that is acquired by that employee can be stored in these databases for others to
learn from it. Even innovative ideas that the management deems fit for employees to see, can
be stored here for all to see.

1. Safe, Healthy And Happy Workplace
2. Open Book Management Style
3. Performance Linked Bonuses
4. 360-Degree Performance Management Feedback System
5. Fair Evaluation System For Employees
6. Knowledge Sharing
7. Highlight Performers
8. Open House Discussions And Feedback Mechanisms

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9. Reward Ceremonies
10. Delight Employees With The Unexpected













































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UNIQUE HR PRACTICES IN THE INDIAN IT INDUSTRY

A RESEARCH AGENDA

Sucheta Mohapatra*

PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH

THE research aims to discover the extent to which Indian HR practices can be considered
unique, and in what ways they are developing.

Methodology .

The research aims to gather evidence from software professionals in Indian IT companies
situated in various parts of India, about their expectations and experiences in relation to the
HR practices followed in their respective companies. A multiple case study approach will be
adopted in this study and the primary data will be collected by conducting semi-structured
interviews with software professionals from five selected Indian IT companies and by
obtaining written responses from controlled online discussion boards specifically set up for
this study by the researcher.

Findings .

Drawing on a review of literature the paper sets out an agenda for research on HR practice
in Indian IT firms. It includes an innovative approach to qualitative data collection using
online
discussion boards to capture employee experiences.

Research Limitations .

The research is in the planning phase and this planning will be subject tochange over time.

Practical Implications .

The paper draws up a new research agenda that may be of value to other researchers. Further
it develops a relatively new approach to qualitative data collection that may find applications
in research across a range of disciplines.

Originality/Value .

This research will contribute to evidence concerning the unique HR practices in Indian IT
companies. The thesis aims to fill gaps in the current IHRM and International Business
literature, specifically the lack of published work by indigenous Indian researchers; and
qualitative analysis of the employee perspective on HRM practices.

Introduction
Indias software sector presents the case of an internationally competitive high-tech industry
in the
context of a rapidly developing economy. Indias exports of software services, which
accounted for
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US$128 million in 1990-91 increased to$8.3 billion in 2001 (Nasscom Report, 2001). The
industrys
exports of services, which started at the low end of data feeding and on site projects in the
early and mid-1980s, moved up the quality ladder to encompass offshore development, niche
products, and software consultancy services by the beginning of the millennium. Almost all
the major US and European Information Technology (IT) firms have set up software
developmentand R&D centres in India, especially in Bangalore (Nasscom Report, 2001). The
competitiveness of the industry is generally attributed to the low cost of scientific and
engineering manpower coupled with strong English language skills. The industry has been
able to achieve export competitiveness without a domestic market base and despite inefficient
input industries and infrastructure.
Indians are born into their castes which creates a social hierarchy that spills over into
organizational
life. This is the scenario within which HRM is evolving from a primarily industrial relations
and
personnel function to that of the creation and moulding of strategic and systemic policies and
practices aligned with their business goals in an environment of intense global competition. A
growing body of theoretical and empirical literature on the use of strategic and systemic
HRM in India is available, but a comprehensive picture of HRM in the Indian context is
lacking (Pio, 2007). The reason for such a gap is yet to be explored. At the same time, a
stable employee-employer relationship has been identified as one of the key factors in
enhancing the performance of individuals and organizations. The software sector of India is
renowned to be dynamic and people centered
(Mathew and Ogbonna, 2009). This context provides a compelling reason to research and
analyse the HRM practices thatare developing in the IndianIT companies. The research
problem addressed in this study is:

To what extent the I ndian HR practices can be considered unique and in what ways are
they developing?

In order toaddress this research problem, four research questions are formulated and
investigated in this study. The research questions are given below explained in detail in a
separate section.
Drawing on a review of literature the paper sets out an agenda for research on HR practice in
Indian
IT firms. It includes an innovative approach to qualitative data collection using online
discussion
boards to capture employee experiences.The research aims to gather evidence from software
professionals
in Indian IT companies situated in various parts of India, about their expectations and
experiences in
relation to the HR practices followed in their respective companies. A multiple case study
approach
will be adopted in this study and the primary data will be collected by conducting semi-
structured
interviews with software professionals from five selected Indian IT companies and by
obtaining written
responses from controlled online discussion boards specifically set up for this study by the
researcher.

Best HR Practices
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HR Practice in India

According to Arthur and Boyles (2007), HR practices refer to how an organizations HR
programs
are implemented for and experienced by lower-level employees and managers.

Budhwar and Boyne (2004) compared HRM practices in Indian public and private sector
organizations and found somewhat unexpectedly that many similarities existed in practices
between
these two sectors in (1) the structure of the HR department, (2) the role of the HR function in
corporate change, (3) recruitment and selection, (4) pay and benefits, (5) training and
development,
(6) employee relations, and (7) emphasis on key HRM strategies. However, they also found
that in
several HR functional areas (for example, compensation, training and development), Indian
private sector firms have adopted a more rational approach (e.g., the adopting of formal
testing of job
applicants, job evaluation, training needs analysis, training evaluation, and performance-
related
pay) than their public-sector counterparts. One of the conclusions of their study indicates that
knowledge workers are mostly reacting positively in their attitudes to more rationalized HRM
systems in India.

Gaps in the Literature
The past few years have witnessed a rapid increase in both the number of research projects
and the
breadth of research topics focused on the Indian environment and workplace. For example,
Varma,
Toh, and Budhwar (2006) studied how female expatriates are categorized by their Indian
colleagues
and reported that these expatriates are likely to receive assistance regarding their job roles
and the
social environment based on how well they are accepted by the local colleagues. Indeed,
analysing the existing literature revealed that research has been pursued on a wide variety of
subjects, including (1) the evolution of the personnel function in India, (2) the role of unions
and industrial relations in the
new economic environment, (3) factors determining HRM, (4) HRM and firm performance,
(5) HRM in
MNCs operating in India, (6) strategic integration and devolvement of HRM, (7)
organizational learning capability, (8) employee relations, (9) turnover issues (Budhwar et al.,
2009), (10) comparative HR in public and private sector organizations, (11) emerging
patterns of HRM in the business outsourcing sector (Budhwar et al., 2006), (12) the
applicability of Western HR models in India (Budhwar and Khatri, 2001) (13) HRD and
training, and (14) comparative HR between India and the US (Varma et al., 2005). In
addition, researchers have also examined various aspects of organizational behaviour (Biswas
and Varma, 2007) and organizational dynamics and the influence of national culture of Indian
HRM (Budhwar, 2009). Indeed, the impact of culture and relationships on performance is
considered critical in the Indian environment, and several studies have explored the impact of
supervisor subordinate relationships on individual and organizational performance (Aryee et
al., 2002; Varma et al., 2007; Varma et al., 2005).
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In spite of the above developments, the available literature has reported that the Indian HRM
system(s) is somewhat unstructured, and less formal, when compared to Western countries,
though the gap is reducing rapidly. It is worth noting here that the HRM function in the
Indian context is significantly influenced by issues such as social relations, political
connections, caste, religion, economic power,labour legislation, trade unions, and
competition from foreign firms (Budhwar and Sparrow, 1998, 2002; Saini and Budhwar,
2007). These assertions, however, need further empirical testing in the present context, where
emerging sector-specific information suggest otherwise. For example, in business process
outsourcing (BPO), HRM systems are known to be very formal, structured, and rationalized
(Bjorkman and Budhwar, 2007; Budhwar et al., 2006). It can be argued that the status of the
Indian HR function has evolved over the past century from clerical, administrative,
managerial, and executive into a strategic and change partner. As the Indian economy
continues to grow, however, the interest of both researchers and policy makers continues to
grow regarding what kind of HRM systems relevant for the Indian context. Further, given the
scarcity of robust HR research, the opportunity for HR related research in India is immense.
Som (2006), identified several leading Indian companies such as Wipro and Infosys that have
adopted innovative HRM practices that are particularly adjusted to the local labour market.
These companies. practices may constitute benchmarks for foreign investors, which are less
familiar with the conditions for HRM in India.

Research Questions & Research Justification
The research problem addressed in this study is :To what extent the I ndian HR practices can
be
considered unique and in what ways are they developing? In order to address this research
problem, the following four research questions are formulated.
Research Question 1: What are the key HR practices in the Indian IT companies?
Research Question 2: What are the experiences of HR practices among the employees of IT
companies
in this study?
Research Question 3: To what extent are employees. experiences of Human Resource
Practices in
the Indian IT companies convergent with their expectations? For example: Their experiences
and
expectations of Training and Development policies; Promotion policies.
Research Question 4: To what extent do HR practices influence employee performance in
the Indian
IT companies/Study group?

According to the literature, future studies should add emphasis to the highly diversified
cultural and
economic conditions in India. HRM practices that are effective in prosperous and more
Western-oriented regions may not be applicable in less developed regions where traditional
values prevail and the Indian labour market is more rigid. It seems that with minor
modifications, foreign firms are able to adopt their global HRM systems in India (Bjorkman
et al., 2008).

In addition, the participants in HRM studies in India need to be positioned , not only for big
Multi
National Corporation, but also in NGOs and Indigenous Indian organizations. From the
literature
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(Pio, 2007), it is also evident that most of the studies in the past have been conducted on the
middle
and top management ignoring the large mass of non-management workforce.

The thesis aims to fill gaps in the current IHRM and International Business literature,
specifically the
lack of published work by indigenous Indian researchers; and qualitative analysis on the
employee
perspective in HRM practices.

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Research Agenda

Idiographic research has been chosen as the most suitable methodology for this research,
because it
aims to develop explanations for HR practice in the Indian context which is a social
phenomena. It
aims to find answers to questions which begin with: why? How? And in what way? This is
concerned
with opinions, experiences and feelings of individuals producing subjective data. Primary
data are
used to understand and develop India-specific constructs. This is an inductive approach to the
development of theory in the Indian setting. The purpose of this research is to identify the
unique HR
practices in Indian IT firms and to investigate employees. expectations and experiences in
relation to
the HR practices in their firms.

The major entity that we are going to analyse here is the employee (Unit of analysis) in
Indian IT
firms.The sampling frame includes the five selected cases.
Sampling is the process of selecting units (e.g. people, organizations) from a population of
interest so
that by studying the sample we can fairly generalize our results back to the population from
which
they were chosen.

.Software professionals of different experience levels (early career, mid-career,mature career)
from five Indian IT companies will be the participants in this study. Approximately seventy-
five participants
from five Indian IT companies will be invited for the interview and about two hundred to
three hundred
software professionals will be invited to the online discussion board. Employee numbers in
all the five
IT companies are around five hundred and seventy thousand.
A multiple case study approach will be adopted in this study. Case studies are particularly
useful
research method in two instances: 1) when phenomena under study are underspecified and
complex or 2) when the research topic is well studied, but a fresh perspective is needed
(Eisenhardt, 1989). The researcher believes that the study of HR practices in Indian context
falls under second category and the study of indigenous Indian companies and the employee
perspective falls under the first category. Therefore the selection of the case study approach is
well justified.

Data Collection

Semi Structured Interview

In the first stage, with due permission from the senior management, the researcher will visit
all five IT
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companies in India and will launch her research by giving a presentation. Then the employees
will be
invited to participate either in a semi-structured interview or to join an online discussion
board.
Semi structured interview is chosen as an instrument for this research because it involves a
series of
open ended questions based on the topic area. The open ended nature of the question defines
the topic under investigation but provides opportunities for both interviewer and interviewee
to discuss some topics in more detail. If the interviewee has difficulty answering a question or
provides only a brief response, the interviewer can use prompts to encourage the interviewee
to consider the question
further. In a semi structured interview the interviewer also has the freedom to probe the
interviewee to elaborate on the original response or to follow a line of inquiry introduced by
the interviewee.

On-line Discussion Board
Five websites will be set up for five selected companies. The access to the websites will be
given only to the participants who give their consents to take part in the discussions from
each company via a link to the website.

Discussion Themes
l Background to the organisation and to the interviewee (Employee/line manager).
l Discussion about the expectations of employees from their organisation/s.
l Discussion about the experiences of employees. in relation to HR practices in their
respective
organisations.
l Discussion about the relevance of these unique HR practices in Indian Context.
l Discussion about changing/adding anything to the existing HR practices for improvement.


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Data Analysis
Analysis of data adopts an .emic. approach in this research project. Collected data will be
transcribed and each participant will have the opportunity to review and edit his/her interview
transcripts. Transcribing is the procedure for producing a written version of the interview.
Basic content analysis will be used to organise the collected data together. This analysis
method used
in social science research is described by many authors (Holsti, 1969; Carney, 1972;
Krippendorff,
1980a; Weber, 1985; Neuendorf, 2002). Krippendorff (1980b) defines content analysis as .a
research
technique for making replicable and valid inferences from data to their context.. There are
various
techniques that can be used within the methodology of content analysis like coding;
identifying themes,
using quotes. Coding is a process for both categorizing qualitative data and for describing the
implications and details of these categories. Initially one does open coding, considering the
data in
minute detail while developing some initial categories. Later, one moves to more selective
coding
where one systematically codes with respect to a core concept.

Small quotes can be used for analysis as this research is based on the expectations and
experiences of software professionals.

Conclusion
The Indian economy was forced to adopt a structural change process at the beginning of
1991.
Liberalization initiated the process of the opening up of an otherwise closed economy of
India and
created a hyper-competitive environment. A hyper-competitive business environment
presented a number of challenges and opportunities, both external and internal. External
challenges and uncertainties included barriers that were difficult to control. Internal
challenges like dramatic advances in technology, changing of organizational forms
necessitated redesigning of human resource practices. To respond to this turbulence, Indian
organizations adopted innovative changes in their HRM practices. Emerging economies also
face a daunting challenge: to sustain their impressive growth rates for years to come,
diversify that growth across a broader range of sectors and make it more inclusive across
their populations. As this new landscape takes shape, India has the opportunity to position
itself at the forefront of future economic growth . as a leading international hub for
investment, human capital and innovation. The country.s growth rate remains among the
strongest in the world, fuelled primarily by rising domestic demand. Despite these
achievements, India must do more to take its place at the table with the world.s most
competitive economies. To improve its position, India needs to
rebalance the foundations of its growth to build structures and capabilities that can help it
withstand
economic shocks and sustain high growth rates far into the future. Liberalization does not
result in
the replacement of .traditional. with .modern. in India but rather creates hybrid relationships
in
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which an emergent global managerial class is built on and intertwined with pre-existing class
and
caste hierarchies. Interestingly, within the national context, India itself is not a homogenous
entity.
Regional variations in terms of industry size, business culture, socio-cultural issues and
bureaucracy
play very important roles. The nature of hierarchy, status, authority, responsibility and similar
other
concepts vary widely across the nation .
As the Indian economy is evolving and emerging, the interest of both researchers and policy
makers
continues to grow regarding what kind of HRM styles are relevant for the Indian context.
Further,
given the scarcity of robust HR research, the research problem addressed in this study is
relevant.



















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Applications of Best HR Practices
LG Electronics India

In order to give the organization a competitive edge LG streamlined the whole system
by integrating the HR fundamentals with Information Technology and have adopted
some unique practices

LG has an On-Line Recruitment Management System. Under this prospective
candidates visit their website and directly register their CV as a result duplication of
CV is immediately identified and not accepted. This process speeds up the whole
process as it does initial screening of vital parameters like age, qualification,
experience etc

LG has come up with unique concept of Pizza Meetings where the whole departments
meet up for Pizza Treat and discusses issues in an informal setting

LG has a help desk facility for their employees to help them overcome every aspect of
their professional problems

The Blue Collar employees are given English coaching classes and at the end of every
month one employee gives speech in English in front of MD and gets an incentive for
the same

LG also has a family ambassador programme where dedicated mentor goes to the
workers house and talks to the family their problems and tries to make their situation
better

LG has a unique Joyful Working 5 programme. It is based on 5 key factors associated
with every job Stress, Communication, Leadership, Target setting and Working hours.
JW5 helped in eliminating the issues related to these factors and bringing fun at
workplace
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Marriott Hotels

One of Marriott's best known practices is to refer to all employees as 'associates',
which is a symbol of the respect with which the hospitality chain treats its staff

It also has a practice called 'Fresh Eyes', a forum where the HR head of properties
invites all new associates to share their experience of their first 30 days at the hotel.
Their feedback is then shared with department heads and it serves as a tremendous
boost for the young trainees. Or as one young associate says, "All my thoughts are
valued, which really makes me proud."

Associates are also given vouchers entitling them to a complimentary stay at any of
Marriott's hotels on their birthdays. This serves a dual purpose. It not only allows the
associates to celebrate in style, but it also gives them a sense of what it's like to be a
Marriott guest, always useful when they go back to the other side of the service table
the day after

Then there's the 'Get On Board' programme for fresh managers (including, associates
who are promoted to management), which identifies exactly what kind of information
they need to effectively carry out their duties and where to find it

Topics include 'overview of the industry and Marriott,' 'your position and your
resources,' and 'your ongoing development'. This might seem basic until you think
about the number of organizations that just leave young managers to forage for
information without any formal guidance

For Marriott's top management team in India, the past year's focus has been on
training, which has now been automated to a large extent through e-training

Marriott isn't immune, but it does pride itself on having an attrition rate that is 10%
lower than the industry average


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MakeMyTrip.Com

The company strives to build a 'Recognition Culture' by acknowledging and
appreciating employee in the form of teambuilding trips, project completion / target
achievement celebrations, birthday bashes, picnics, off sites and many more such
activities

'PEER to PEER recognition' is a forum where trippers nominate their peers for their
valued support in everyday transactions

'Raving Fans' is a forum where the feedback received from our external customers for
employees is posted for all trippers to read

'Study Tours' also known as FAM trips are a unique way of rewarding the top
performers by sponsoring a visit to the destinations and they are expected to drive the
sales for that destination

Not only they make the best trips for the rest of the world but also promise the trip of a
lifetime to their employees at MakeMyTrip. Every day is a new trip for them, and that is
precisely why they call them "Trippers"!

Exotic Trip @ MakeMyTrip
Relaxation Trip @ MakeMyTrip
Fun Trip @ MakeMyTrip
Shopping Trip @ MakeMyTrip

The company also funds some well being plans like yoga classes, cricket matches or bowling
competitions, discounts on air tickets, hotels and exciting holidays.
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Company promotes an atmosphere charged with young, vibrant and positive energy where
employees create a powerful impact with their talent, hard work, zeal and teamwork.




Google India

Googlers (as the employees are fondly referred to as) enjoy the freedom to innovate
and spend 20% of their time on anything they are really passionate about

Google India has always adopted a collaborative work culture encouraging employees
to build a unique camaraderie amongst each other through programs such as Peer
Bonus (where an employee nominates a co-worker or a colleague for a bonus for
helping him achieve his target or complete an assignment)

Empowerment to employees and encouragement to take initiatives

Working at Google is not about the number of hours you put in but with how much
passion you work within the stipulated time frame

They keep on conducting formal and informal forums and one-on-one meetings to
enable employees across functions and levels to interact with each other

Mind Tree consulting

Once in three to four weeks, company calls up the employees and give them
information as to what is happening

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Computer selects some names at random and they meet the senior people to get the
right perspective of what they are doing, why they should do it

CISCO

They have provided them with HR tools, technologies, and online tools etc., which
give them an edge over their counterparts in other organizations. At the click of a
button, a manager can look at the database of his/her own people, track history of
development, increments, promotions, stock options etc.

They are also given the rating and ranking tools. They could recommend changes and
training needs and they could draw upon the resources available. Technology is
deployed in a very effective way

Hughes Software Systems

Managers give Snap Awards for individual and team achievements to their teams
when they excel or do something outstanding. These are usually given during the
quarterly staff meetings where all employees participate and this is followed by a
party

There are Annual Achievement Award under four categories
o Most Initiatives
o Best Customer Orientation
o Best Team Worker
o Most Innovative
Managers send nominations every year and a task force of senior managers picks the winners

There are Presidential Awards for overall excellence. These are given annually and
are in four categories
o Engineering
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o Business Development
o Non-Engineering
o Engineering/Customer Support

There is an award for Best People and Project Managers, given to two best managers
and leaders each year

Employees who show capability, initiative and interest are appointed to work and lead
in several cross-functional taskforces from time to time

E-greetings have been operational is HSS through the intranet to send appreciation to
other employees. Special cards suited to the HSS environment are available. This is
a god way of recognizing and appreciating others, especially for those who find face
to face appreciation somewhat uncomfortable






Philips Software Center

The first one that needs to be mentioned is the dream project. Dream projects allow
every employee to pursue a project of their own interest in the technical area. They
invest time while the company given them resources and encouragement. However,
the project has to help Philips in some way or the other. It has to be relevant for what
Philips is pursuing

They also have a sponsorship program for higher studies where employees can join a
.Tech program or an MS program or even pursue a Ph.D. The Company will fund
them right up to 100% of the cost
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Once an employee completes 3 years with Philips Software, Bangalore, they consider
him/her for an international assignment within Philips. Further any employee who
completes 18 months experience can seek transfer from within the company, from one
technology to the other, one product division to another. They facilitate such a job
rotation systematically

They also provide a diet meal section to interested employees and it is well
appreciated

They have well furnished bedrooms for those people who stay back late in office
working














Some more HR Best practices are given below:

Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces
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Business Description: Hospitality| Location: Mumbai

Employees: 13,892 | Gender Ratio: 1:6.47

Workplace Quotient: The organization has exemplary behavior at all levels, and as a result,
boasts of a culture that many try to emulate.

Best Practices: The group has initiated two programmes called Speed and Speed Plus to fast-
track the career aspirations of associates based on their performance over the year.

Staff Room: "It is a dream place to work and has high values for internal customers, external
customers, vendors and society"


Blue Dart Express Ltd.

Business Description: Courier Services | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 7,726 | Gender Ratio: 1:16.8

Workplace Quotient: Its focus on diversity and inclusion initiatives makes Blue Dart a great
organization to work for.

Best Practices: The annual panel review provides a forum for discussing performance and
potential, determining development activities and agreeing on a succession plan. The panel is
headed by the Managing Director and facilitated by the HR Head

Staff Room: "The senior management is very demanding when it comes to being
professional, but at the same time they make us realize that we are in safe hands"
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Godrej Properties Ltd.

Business Description: Construction, Infrastructure and Real Estate | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 341 | Gender Ratio: 1:3.94

Workplace Quotient: Employees are committed to their roles and treat their workplace like
an extension of their families.

Best Practices: The Company has a Bedhadak Bolo Award for employees who speak
fearlessly. The award is now a key ingredient of the GPL culture.

Staff Room: "There is transparency around all people practices. The open door philosophy
and Bedhadak Bolo philosophy is followed to the 'T'!"


Claris Lifesciences Ltd.

Business Description: Sterile injectable products Location: Ahmedabad

Employees: 1,226 | Gender Ratio: 1:15.35

Workplace Quotient: The caring work environment is supported by robust and best
practices.

Best Practices: The MD and CEO periodically conduct value sessions to keep the spirit of
delivery excellence and winning, alive in the staff.

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Staff Room: "The management shares its values with all employees, irrespective of age or
seniority"








HT Media Ltd.

Business Description: Media | Location: Delhi

Employees: 2,447 | Gender Ratio: 1:3.69

Workplace Quotient: The organization has a collaborative culture and involves employees
in decisions that affect their work.

Best Practices: Sessions called 'Fresh Eyes' where new recruits give feedback about their
experience within the first 3 months of their joining.

Staff Room: "The progress the company has made in the last few years is stupendous. I feel
proud to work in a company that has accomplished so much"


Paypal India Pvt. Ltd.

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Business Description: Ecommerce | Location: Chennai

Employees: 843 | Gender Ratio: 1:3.76

Workplace Quotient: Paypal breeds innovation within the organization. Employees enjoy
good work-life balance and everyone is treated equally.

Best Practices: The PayPal visionary series recognizes those individuals who are truly living
out the PayPal vision. The winner receives $75 in their PayPal account and is eligible for a
grand prize trip to any PayPal site around the globe.

Staff Room: "We have an open door policy. Managers are not given offices and everyone
has the freedom to walk up to someone and seek information"






Monsanto India

Business Description: Seed brands, herbicides | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 813 | Gender Ratio: 1:5.36

Workplace Quotient: Monsanto is strongly focused on corporate social responsibility,
employee safety and work life balance.

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Best Practices: The employee referral policy states that if the referred candidate is a woman,
the referring employee would be entitled for 25% bonus over and above the referral reward.
And if the candidate is physically challenged, the referring employee would be entitled for
25% bonus over and above the referral reward.


Netapp India

Business Description: Storage devices | Location: Bangalore

Employees: 1,909 | Gender Ratio: 1:4.36

Workplace Quotient: NetApp has an open, transparent and collaborative culture. It focuses
on its core values and inspires employees in all aspects of work and life.

Best Practices: The staffing team has created a staffing wiki page to provide a forum for
sharing best practices and education about current methods in interviewing and recruiting.

Staff Room: "I had a welcome letter signed by NetApp's India VP sent to my spouse
explaining what the organization is into and informing how it is to be part of the NetApp
family"







Cactus Communications

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Business Description: Academic Writing, Medical Writing, English Transcription, and
Translation | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 231 | Gender Ratio: 1:0.82

Workplace Quotient: The only company where value cards are awarded for having fun in
the workplace. It is a melting pot of various diverse cultures and nationalities.

Best Practices: Any Cactizen who demonstrates an organizational value in the course of his
work or through his conduct is awarded a value card by his immediate supervisor. People
strive to earn value cards and possibly collect all six cards, representing six values.

Staff Room: "I think the best thing about Cactus is its humanness. Cactus believes people are
innately good and want to do good work, and should be supported in doing so"


Ujjivan Financial Services

Business Description: Financial services | Location: Bangalore

Employees: 3,652 | Gender Ratio: 1:3.46

Workplace Quotient: Ujjivan Financial Services serves the backward communities in
society. The company has also contributed to various corporate social activities and won the
MFI Organization of the Year Award.

Best Practices: Part of the profits go into a social development fund meant for mature
branches, where branch managers and customers are empowered on how it should be
disbursed.

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Staff Room: "I am proud of this company because it is concerned about the backward classes
in society and improving their standard of living"


Interglobe Enterprises

Business Description: Aviation, travel, hospitality services | Location: Gurgaon

Employees: 6,150 | Gender Ratio: 1:1.79

Workplace Quotient: InterGlobe connects its people through its values.

Best Practices: Participatory hiring process where peers and subordinates are involved in
selecting their own team leader. Extensively used for all front line and middle management
position.

Staff Room: "There is no politics or 'email culture' in the company; people believe in the
'One team, One Dream' theory.


HDFC Standard Life Insurance

Business Description: Insurance | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 13,834 | Gender Ratio: 1:4.88

Workplace Quotient: Employees like the fact that the company listens to their ideas and
suggestions and gives them opportunities to learn and grow.

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Best Practices: E-Sparsh is a single window for all queries related to employee concerns. If
the query is not resolved in a predefined time, it will automatically convert into a grievance
and raise it to higher authorities in the respective department.

Staff Room: "Immediate recognition is given to people who are performing well and support
and suggestions to those unable to perform"





SAP Labs

Business Description: Business solutions | Location: Bangalore

Employees: 4,132 | Gender Ratio: 1:2.13

Workplace Quotient: The organization has unique and robust practices in all areas that are
being transformed to create positive employee perception.

Best Practices: At SAP, employees are chief designers of every major policy that impacts
them, and subsequently, they present it to the management forum for a decision.

Staff Room: "SAP stresses on employee empowerment. For example, an employee can block
the development of software if he feels it doesn't meet the right quality standards"


Godrej Consumer Products

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Business Description: FMCG | Location: Mumbai

Employees: 1,915 | Gender Ratio: 1:16.9

Workplace Quotient: GCPL cares for its employees, especially in time of need, which has
fostered a family culture.

Best Practices: Brighter Bank, an online internal reward system for employees who
demonstrate company values. This is not just related to work activities.

Staff Room: "The organization is concerned about society and contributes to good causes by
taking great initiatives"







ADP

Business Description: HR and Dealer services

Location: Hyderabad | Employees: 5,792 Gender Ratios: 1:1.81

Workplace Quotient: ADP works to create culture where at all levels; excellence is a way of
life.

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Best Practices: The ADP Film Festival which allows employees to create a video that
conveys their ADP story based on any of the firm's values. These are then evaluated globally
and the best ones are awarded.

Staff Room: "It's a really great place to work in. ADP has made my first job very memorable.
It has enabled me to expose my creative and innovative skills in each and every aspect of
work"


Bajaj Capital

Business Description: Financial products and financial planning | Location: New Delhi

Employees: 1,122 | Gender Ratio: 1:3.52

Workplace Quotient: Employees are proud of the fact that they help people grow financially
by providing them reliable advice for financial planning. Management provides the support
and guidance to the employees. Employees experience the warmth of the culture due to
team/family feeling.

Best Practices: Strong appraisal systems where team members are asked to 'write their own
cheque'. Appraisals are based on the scores that a team member obtains through qualitative
and quantitative parameters.

Staff Room: "For a good performer, the incentive is as high as he can earn as there in no
upper slab what a team member can earn"


Cleartrip Travel Services

Business Description: Hotels, airline and train tickets | Location: Mumbai
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Employees: 371 | Gender Ratio: 1:1.79

Workplace Quotient: Cleartrip is a young, dynamic organization which would like to
revolutionize the way travel management is done, by making it simple. Its philosophy of
energy and creativity is reflected through most of what it does at the office and in the way it
encourages its staff to think out-of-the-box.

Best Practices: Acknowledging the fact that one's employees are not just resources but also
individuals and professionals who have a strong point of view and capability, is the first step
to building a culture of appreciation and recognition. All applicants are given a cash-back
voucher, irrespective of whether or not they are hired.

Staff Room: "Each of the roles is highly empowered. The company culture thrives on
Transparency having open customer forum on the site, internal practices & even sharing
feedback with the interviewees"


COLLABNET SOFTWARE

Business Description: IT | Location: Chennai

Employees: 120 | Gender Ratio: 1:3

Workplace Quotient: CollabNet is a great place to work since it provides work-life balance
by enabling employees to work from home and being flexible about work hours. The
management has an open-door policy so employees can exchange ideas and work
independently.

Best Practices: All policies are created having employees in mind, like working from home
after maternity/paternity leave.

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Staff Room: "CollabNet is a home away from home where we not just learn and grow but we
feel loved and cared for. We also have a sense of belonging and ownership. Management
always encourages ideas and feedback from individuals for company's vision and growth,
which reinforces the 'one team' motto"


Equitas Microfinance India

Business Description: Microfinance | Location: Chennai

Employees: 2,232 | Gender Ratio: 1:5.53

Workplace Quotient: Employees feel proud working with Equitas for the work done by the
organization includes providing loans to poor people. The fair and transparent value of the
organization is displayed and expressed by the management strictly in all the aspects of work.

Best Practices: After the preliminary interview, the candidates who are shortlisted are sent
for half-a-day field visit to help them understand the nature of customers the organization
serves and the level of process-driven activities it performs. Only those candidates who
continue to show keen interest after the field visit are considered for further rounds of
interview.

Staff Room: "At Equitas, the management always delivers what it says. The values of the
organization which is 'Fair and transparent' is imbibed in every action of management and
employees truly believe in the same"