Strategy of HR of Uttara Foods & Feeds (Bangladesh) Ltd.

Company Profile

Uttara Foods and Feeds Private Limited (UFFPL) is a part of the (USD 650 Million)
Venkateshwara Hatcheries Group – considered the world’s most advanced poultry business –
was set up in 1998 by Mr. B. Venkatesh Rao, the young and unassuming Joint Managing
Director of the V.H. Group.

His father late Padmashri Dr. B. V. Rao’s dream to see India as the top most country on the
world’s poultry map, was not only in terms of numbers but also in terms of Quality, Value,
Productivity and Management. His dream was to see the country’s poultry sector emerge as one
of the major contributors to the rural economy. He wanted the V.H. Group to play a significant
role in obtaining handsome returns for the poultry farmers.

To make his father’s dream a reality, Mr. B. Venkatesh Rao, started “Uttara Foods and Feeds” in
1996 by setting up a State-Of-The-Art Plant in Pune to manufacture pelleted Poultry Feed by
importing technology & machinery from Buhler of Switzerland, a firm of international repute in
the field of Pellet Feed Technology.

A poultry feed manufacturing unit, with a production capacity of 4500 MT per month is set up in
Jashore, Bangladesh in 2010 for the manufacture of Broiler and Layer feed as per the
requirement of the Bangladesh market. This venture has provided better technology and market
access to the poultry industry of Bangladesh, which has ultimately benefitted thousands of
people employed in this sector.

After analyzing the market potential in Bangladesh and in other South East Asian countries, the
group has set up a first of its kind floating fish feed plant in Bangladesh with a production
capacity of 3000 MT per month. This unit with an investment of USD 6 million caters to the
requirement of the local market and exports to the neighboring countries.

Mission

The mission of the UFFBL is “Quality through technology”. The future of poultry & fish
industry in Bangladesh is promising and dynamic. Foreign companies are setting up and

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expanding operation here. Competition is becoming harder. Only the fittest will survive.
Procedures must focus on quality and productivity.

Vision

The vision of the UFFBL is “To be one of the best managed commercial organizations in
Bangladesh in terms of quality, technology, innovation, operational excellence and growth. To
produce poultry and fish feed the highest international standards”.

Development of Human Resource Department at UFFBL

UFFBL committed to ensuring their business practices meet high standards and that their
employees behave ethical standards act responsibly and comply with the law. Competitive
advantages can only be achieved by building up highly motivated and skilled employees at all
levels that enable the organization to compete in a fiercely competitive market scenario and to
respond appropriately to the market needs, with regard to quality products and services and
technological innovations.

UFFBL puts maximum emphasis on its vision to be regarded as the best managed commercial
organizations in Bangladesh in terms of quality, technology, innovation, operational excellence
and growth. So the management of UFFBL has embarked upon on difficult program for
development of employee competence through continuous training and counselling. To enhance
all activities related to the development of Human Resource, the management has established a
Human Resource Department and hired experienced manager for its operation.

Human Resource Management

The term human resource refers to the people in an organization. Human resource
management (HRM or simply HR) is the management of an organization's workforce, or human
resources. It is responsible for the attraction, selection, training, assessment, and rewarding of
employees, while also overseeing organizational leadership and culture, and ensuring compliance
with employment and labor law.

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Function of HR Department of UFFBL

The real art of Human Resources is in the right connection of all processes as they provide the
right support to managers and employees in the organization. The role of Human Resources is
about keeping the human capital competitive on the market and the logical grouping of HR
Processes helps to connect and manage the individual processes. Each organization divides the
HR Processes differently, but the main HR Processes are always in the same group in each
company as it is the market HR Best Practice. The main functions of this department of UFFBL
are following:

 Recruitment, selection and placement of the employees.

 Induction & training of newly appointed employees.
 Managing the attendance & leave of the employees.
 Maintenance of employees’ payroll, compensation & benefits.
 Appraisal, promotion, transfer & disciplinary action of the employees.
 Maintenance of personnel records.
 Government office liaison.

Recruiting and Selection Policies of UFFBL

Recruiting is the process of searching the potential job candidates in order to fill up the vacant
position of the organization and selection is the process of choosing the best candidate among the
available candidates. The candidates who are able to successfully perform the job. UFFBL
follows both the internal and external sources of recruitment. In case of internal source, they
mainly follow – promotion, transfer and job rotation and in case of external source they follow –
advertisement. In case of recruitment and selection UFFBL considers the following process:

Requisition for Recruitment

Departments’ head sends their requisition in a fixed form to the HR department estimating the
requirement of new staff in their respective department, then HR assesses & identify it is needed
to recruit the employee for achieving their target and goals.

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1. Internal Source
Internal source included - promotion, transfer, job rotation, friends and relatives of
existing employees. In UFFBL promotion and transfer are typically directed by Chief
Executive Officer/Director with little involvement by the HRD.

2. External Source
When job opening cannot be filled internally, the HRD must look outside the
organization for expert employees. External source included- advertisement, employment
agencies, and campus recruiting. Usually, UFFBL considers the advertisement for their
external recruiting. They mainly circular the job advertisement in the online job portal &
newspaper.

Screening and Short-listing Applications

The responses to the advertisements are sorted and screened. The CVs, as well as the covering
letters, are judged. Experience, educational qualification, computer literacy, etc. are the basis of
judging the candidates’ application.

Written Test

It is the most important and effective tool for judging the candidates. The written test includes IQ
test, behavioral competencies, and job knowledge.

Interview

The selection interview is a formal, in-depth conversation conducted to evaluate an applicant’s

acceptability. Through interviews the interviewers of UFFBL seek to answer three broad
questions:

1. Can the applicant do the job?

2. Will the applicant do the job?
3. How do the applicants compare with other who are being considered for the job?

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Selection interview allows two-way exchange information: interviewers learn about the applicant
and the applicants learn about the employer.

Reference checking

Reference and background check are important which refers to the process to undertake of those
applications that appear to offer potential as employees. The reference check is indented to verify
that was the state on the application from correct and accurate information. Some questions are
arising through reference checking. Those are:

1. Do you know the applicant?

2. Is the applicant a good, reliable worker?
3. Are the job accomplishments, educational background, and other facts of the resume or
application true?
4. What type of person is the applicant?

Offer letter

When the Recruiting Broad satisfy by the candidate, then they send the recommendation to the
HR department to recruit that candidate. HR take the approval from the CEO/Director to issue
the offer letter to the candidate. Candidate should submit the following documents to HR in the
joining as a new employee.

 Updated resume
 Joining Letter
 Working Experience Certificates (if applicable)
 Relieving Letter from previous employer
 A set of all education certificates photocopy
 Photocopy of NID/Passport
 04 (four) copies of recent passport size color photographs etc.
 NID of Nominee

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Orientation/Induction

Through orientation, UFFBL introduces the new employees with its work unit, rules and
regulation, culture, norms, value, belief and exposure to all important functions and locations of
the company and so forth.

Personnel File

The Personnel file will contain appropriate information and documents with regard to the
employee. HR department shall maintain an up-to-date Personnel file in the name of its
individual regular and contract staff starting from the date of their appointment.

Follow up

For make the employee more effective and efficient HR Department continuously interacts with
the new employee assisting to cope up with the work environment, work culture, peer groups etc.
In this stage, the management tries to help the employee to get settled her/his problems in the
job, work environment and workplace-culture.

Probationary Period and Confirmation

All regular employees shall satisfactorily complete 6 months’ probationary period from the date
of his appointment. During this period, the Line Manager will guide and observe the
performance of the employee and his/her suitability for the position. At the end of the
probationary period, HR Department sends a performance appraisal form to the line Manager for
confirmation of service with regard to the employee’s performance and suitability for the
position. On basis of the appraisal, HR department takes the next course of action.

Pay Policies of UFFBL

In UFFBL, the payroll cycle starts on the 26th of a month & will end on the 25th of the
subsequent month i.e. payroll cycle for January = 26th December to 25th January. UFFBL has a
fixed pay structure for every position. The pay structure is following:

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 Basic salary: 60% of gross salary

 House rent allowance: 50% of basic salary
 Leave travel allowance: 4% of gross salary
 Medical allowances: 4% of gross salary
 Conveyance allowances: 2% of gross salary

Other Benefits Schemes

1. Provident Fund
In UFFBL 10% of the basic salary goes to the provident fund and the employer pays the
same amount of the basic salary.
2. Health Insurance Policy
UFFBL provides health insurance benefits to their permanent employee through Delta
Life Insurance Company Ltd.
3. Festival Bonus
UFFBL will pay 2 (two) festival bonuses in a year. Each bonus is equivalent to the 100%
of the basic pay. To motivate their employee they provide bonus by following way:
 Employees those completed 1 months, is entitled for 10% of the basic pay
 Employees those completed 2 months, is entitled for 20% of the basic pay
 Employees those completed 3 months, is entitled for 25% of the basic pay.
 Employees those completed 6 months, is entitled for 50% of the basic pay.
 Employees those completed 6 months above, is entitled for 100% of the basic
pay.
 An employee who has resigned or who has been dismissed 1 (one) month prior
to festival is ineligible for said bonus.
 Disciplinary records with in last 6 months are not eligible for said bonus.
4. Earn Leave Encashment
UFFBL provides Earn Leave encashment benefit to their permanent employee once in a
year.

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5. Salary Advance Benefit

All permanent employees of UFFBL are eligible for salary advance benefits during
his/her contingencies. The advance shall not exceed 50% of the Gross salary paid as per
the previous month's payroll. The advance is deducted by monthly installments.
6. Weekly Holiday
Employees shall avail Friday as weekly holiday along with Saturday on rotation basis.
7. Incentives
UFFBL provides attractive incentive scheme on the basis of achievement of key result
areas (KRAs) to motivate their employee.
8. Leave Benefits
 Sick Leave: 14 days in a calendar year.
 Casual Leave: 10 days in a calendar year.
 Earn Leave: 18 days in a calendar year which can be carry forwarded for next
year.
 Compensatory Off: An employee is eligible for a Compensatory Off only when
he/she has worked for a minimum of 8 hours on a weekly off or a paid holiday.
 Maternity Leave: Employees who have worked for a minimum period of 6
months shall be entitled to 24 weeks (6 months) paid Maternity Leave.
 Paternity Leave: All permanent male employees shall be entitled up to 3 (three)
working days of paid Paternity Leave.
 Leave without Pay: This type of leave can be granted in access to the prescribed
sick leave & for education. Extended leave without pay normally does not exceed
6 months.

Performance Appraisal System

Performance appraisal system is defined as a systematic process of evaluating an employee’s

current and/or past performance relative to his or her performance standards by using standard
tools. UFFBL do their performance appraisal once in a year usually in June for all the employees
based on their key job responsibilities.

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Promotion & Increment Policy

The movement of personnel within an organization- their promotion, transfer, demotion, and
separation is a major aspect of human resource management. The actual decision about whom to
promote, and whom to fire can also be among the most difficult and important, a manager has to
make. For every organization promotion is extremely important, when the process based on
merits and skills of the employee. The employee of UFFBL get both rewards and punishment
from their employer based on their performance. All employees get a general increment once in a
year usually in July & this increment rate depends on the average inflation rate of the previous
financial year. Performance increment and promotion depends on employee performance.

Conclusion

Most of the industries in Bangladesh don’t practice the Strategic Human Resource Management.
Organizations should establish HR department which will work on different HR related issues
like Development of HR policies, Development of Performance appraisal system, Development
of job description & specification, Training & development etc. should ensure the proper
implementation of the policies/systems.

UFFBL has implemented the HR policy, they developed their SHRM and modified. They also
make new reward policy to motivate their employees. They try to follow every steps of SHRM.

In present competitive and dynamic environment, human resource is now being viewed as the
most valuable mean for gaining advantages over other. Competitive advantages can only be
achieved by building up highly motivated and skilled employees. To fulfill the vision, mission,
and core objectives of a company the management has needed to established an effective and
efficient human resource department and hired the confident and most promising professional.

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