Best Practices in HR

Introduction

HR strategies set out what the organization intends to do about the different aspects of its human resource management policies and practices. They will be integrated with the business strategy and each other. HR strategies are described by Dyer and Reeves (1995) as ‘internally consistent bundles of human resource practices’, and in the words of Boxall (1996), they provide ‘a framework of critical ends and means’.

APPROACHES TO HR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

The starting point of HR strategy development is the alignment of HR strategy to the business strategy and the organizational culture – the achievement of vertical integration. This provides the necessary framework for the three approaches to the development of HR strategies that have been identified by Delery and Doty (1996) as the ‘universalistic’, the ‘contingency’ and the ‘configurationally’. Richardson and Thompson (1999) redefined the first two approaches as best practice and best fit, and retained the word ‘configurationally’, meaning the use of ‘bundles’, as the third approach.

The best practice approach

This approach is based on the assumption that there is a set of best HRM practices and that adopting them will inevitably lead to superior organizational performance.:

The best practice approach

This approach is based on the assumption that there is a set of best HRM practices and that adopting them will inevitably lead to superior organizational performance.

The configurational approach (bundling)

bundling’ – the development and implementation of several HR practices together so that they are interrelated and therefore complement and reinforce each other.

This paper focuses particularly on best practices approach as learning about the Best Practices in other industries is quite essential for testing and adopting in our organization for achieving business excellence

Methodology:

The report is prepared from collecting the data from the secondary sources. The Annual Reports, company web sites, articles in business magazines, books are reviewed for preparation of the report. The bibliography is given below:

Best Practices

Google:

Personlized Gift Hamper on Child Birth

“Personalized gift hamper” from the company, to women employees is given by google on childbirth.

Bureaucracy Busters:

Google has developed 'bureaucracy busters', program where a Google employee can suggest ways of slashing red tape within the firm.

Time for Idea Generation:

At goggle 20% of time is given to employee to spent on the projects outside their typical responsibilities for innovation.

Preview of the week to come

Google CEOs gives a informal preview of the week to come, recap of the week’s events and forum to ask questions at their TGIF Meetings.

American Express:

AHA! Kids:

The company calls for a child nutritionist and a psychologist who took about 5 sessions with children and advise parents on child rearing and provides an idea of what a healthy balanced meal looks like etc.

Elevation Zone:

A platform that promotes mental relaxation, with puzzles, Nintendo games, an Xbox, iPods, and interestingly, a tread desk— a treadmill with a workstation so that if the employee is on call, s/he can exercise alongside

NIIT:

Chairman's Quality Club:

It is a club whose members come through the most stringent selection process and are personally mentored by NIIT's chairman for special projects

To my leader with love:

The Team members vote the leaders they love.

Conversations with the CEO:

It is a forum: where employees can meet and chat with the CEO whenever they want

Hats off:

It allows performers to collect reward points and redeem them through products over a period of time

NTPC:

PUPS (providing urban facilities at projects):

A program in NTPC  which aims at providing urban facilities on project sites that young people are used to—like cafes, libraries, wi-fi spots and social media.

DAD (directors at your door) program

The senior-most managers go to project sites to talk to officers and workers under a single platform.

Meet the CMD:

It is another program launched , which allows anyone to apply for a time slot with the chairman and managing director of the company

Ujjivan Financial Services:

Recruitment:

The supervisors at the branch level for the field staff visit the new recruit's residence and meet family members and neighbours. This is to make sure they hire people with right values and family background and build a bond between Ujjivan and employees' family.

Work-life balance:

Employees are forced to maintain a work-life balance as employees working later than 7 pm need special approval from the department heads and the CEO to stay late

Make My Trip (MMT)

Leaders vs Rookies

The initiative deals with the first 60 days of a new recruit, where the rookie has to introduce himself to the leadership in an innovative way (songs, poem et al.) apart from playing a game with the leadership team.

Idea Cellular:

Online directory created  that allows an employee to search for solutions to problems ranging from routine to complex

Philips Electronics:

Blueprint', a case study competition, was conducted across B-Schools as a hiring activity. Teams were required to identify step-out growth areas for the company and devise business plans. The winners got to spend a day at the company and an opportunity to interview with them at a later stage

Accenture

"Hours That Help"

It is an option in leave policy wherein employees who have extra leave can put them into a virtual bank and have needy colleagues use them in emergencies. "This initiative avoided a situation where employee had to take leave at a loss of pay.

Infosys:

Knowledge Management System:

Infosys “K Shop” a knowledge management system where knowledge is being among its employees through codification of tacit knowledge.

Infy Bubble, a social network platform for a two way communication with employees.

BPCL:

Employee Satisfaction Enhancement Cell

It facilitate the process of redressing genuine  employee grievances as quickly as possible and laying down a framework for prompt redressal of genuine grievances of  all the employees, since these have the potential of lowering the morale and energy levels in the Organisation. The  members of the ESE team undertake visits to the different offices and locations across the country, with a view to have direct interactions with the people posted there and  understand the problems that may exist. Once the grievance  is brought to the fore, efforts are made to resolve the same  at the earliest and if required, the involvement of the highest  levels of the Organisation is sought

ESE - Roshni.

Through the program, the employees and their family members can avail of counselling services provided by professional counsellors for which the costs are borne by the Company. The program is available to all the employees of the Company across grades. In addition, a number of articles relating to important topics like work-life balance, parenting etc. are made available to the employees.

Socratix: It is a  case study challenge for employees.

Mercurix:– The concept of using story-telling as a leadership technique,

HDFC Bank:

M-training module was developed by HDFC which uses mobile as a mode of disseminating information and training in the remotest areas. Under the module, a 20-minute clip flashes on subjects like regulatory guidelines, softer issues, credit and operational risk, etc. The training has already covered about 1,400 new recruits in the last six months.

Tata Motors

ITeach :

It is an innovative practice of getting line managers to take ownership when it comes to sharing their knowledge and experience. This ensures tacit knowledge transfer, breaks silos, develops leadership, reduces cost of third-party training and earns reward points for people sharing their knowledge with colleagues.

learning advisory councils’ [LACs]

It has been acknowledged as a world-class practice. Through LACs the business or the functions identify their learning priorities, which they own, review and reinforce .

Mindrover:

A successful case-study contest for students across Indian B-schools. A similar engagement with students from top engineering campuses this year, where we invited them to provide solutions to technical problems .

Friend ++:

It is an internal employee referral programme, where an earns an employee a bonus over their referral award if they refer a woman. 

Tata Group

Tata Second Career Internship Programme:

SCIP is an initiative by the Tata Group, which would like to benefit from the expertise of Women Professionals who opted to take a career break after some initial years of work. Tata group companies will provide 'Live' business projects of approximately 500 hours of engagement spread over 6 months on a flexi-time basis. The programme does not guarantee full-time employment at the end of the project. However, both the SCIP participant and the guide have the option of exploring full-time employment on mutually acceptable terms. 

Tata Group companies will offer projects, which can be completed in 5 to 6 months, across multiple domain areas. SCIP participants will get a project stipend between Rs.2 & 4.5 Lakhs for 500 hours of project period in monthly instalments, less applicable taxes. The exact remuneration for each project will be decided by the Tata Group Company based on experience & skill sets required for that particular project & is not open to negotiations

Tata Group: FAST TRACK SELECTION SCHEME:

The Fast track selection scheme is a bench mark programme aimed at providing a unique opportunity for employees to accelerate the pace of their careers at Tata Motors. It evaluates individuals on their managerial and leadership qualities and provides a platform to develop and explore new avenues within the company and across subsidiaries. The programme encapsulates intensive training, educational inputs and rotational assignments.

 The employees can choose all or any of the three streams within the scheme as follows:

 1. Executive Selection Scheme (ESS) - This focuses on General Management competencies and is suitable for placement in any functional area.

 2. Operations Managers Scheme (OMS) - This focuses on Operations Management competencies and is suitable for placement in Plant based functional areas.

 3. Commercial Managers Scheme (CMS) - This focuses on Commercial Management competencies and is suitable for placement in Sales & Marketing areas.

Benefits to employees:

Compensation Package Revised: A declared compensation range for OMS / CMS and for ESS cadre.

Development Rotations: Selected Candidates will undergo development based rotational assignments for a period of one year.

Educational Inputs: Candidates will be provided educational and leadership inputs through premier institutes. 

Leadership Development: Impetus programme and nominations for general management initiatives.

Mentoring: Enhanced developmental support is provided to the candidate under the ‘Anchor Me’ initiative. On completion of the rotational assignment they are placed on critical and challenging roles as per the organizational needs on a full time basis. Performance is monitored and further training inputs in functional area are provided.

Mobility:

The FTSS program blends individual aspirations and organizational needs to create a talent pipeline. It is of paramount importance that participants of this program are mobile across locations. The developmental projects and final placements are based on organizational and individual development needs. Registration of the process is considered as consent of mobility by the participant.

The Round Table:

A unique knowledge sharing platform, The Round Table, has  created a brand and won the hearts of many especially the  youngsters. It is a platform for individuals to get together,  share with each other their ideas, and join in thoughtful  conversation with knowledgeable persons in the pursuit of holistic learning

Hindustan Unilever:

Sparkle:

‘Sparkle’ is a centrally hosted intranet based tool that supports skill mapping, skill assessment, performance assessment, gap analysis and enables training plan identification which is customised to each workman basis priority areas.  Sparkle has been a pioneering tool in the area of workmen capability development that promotes higher transparency and focused training intervention linked to individual and business needs.

Career by Choice:

A unique re-hire programme, provides a platform for women looking for real  opportunities to work flexibly and part time for live business  projects

From some of the reputed MNCs:

 
SAS provides Pediatric helath Care to its employees through pediatric helath care centere. The health Care provider  is available by phone during evening, weekend & Holidays for infant mothers.

At BCG small group of employees are invited to Senior Laeader ship meetings with the understanding that this group of employees will communicate back to the rest of the Organization.

As part of Microsft’s focus on manager support, the Manager portal was Launched. The site is desgined to assist managers with employee communications, providing with comprehensive information on critical topics in order to addresss the question of employees.

Zapoos.com offers a resignation package of $2000 after two weeks of initial training. By offering resignation package after the new employees experience Zappoos.com, its leader hopes that the new hire would rightly evaluate whether zapoos is truly right for them. 

At the JM Smucker Compnay, a US based food products company, training on values and culture is not only for new hires. A specific Training programme, called “Back to Basics” serves as refresher course for employees who have been with smucker for five or more years to reinforce company’s culture and share responsibility.

Partner Connectivity at PWC calls for every partner at PWc, including senior partners, to take up to 15 staff under his or her wing and get to know them personally as well as professionally-becoming acquainted with their families, personal goals, hobbies, and interests to build relationship.

During their second month at Microsoft, employees attend a second orientation course to spend time discussing their experience to date, a financial over view and talent Management. The course assists the employee tin understanding learning curve and structure of business.

Microsoft started Mashup days to offer every employee to share creative ideas. The event consists of fun, creative brainstorming and feedback on test product.

Milkiline , a textile manufacturer provides classes to associates to maximize their income  and to reduce impulse spending using three step system. Participants learn how to eliminate personal debt and strategize for strong financial future.
 
Genzyme a biotechnology company has an on-the-spot cash bonus program the managers can use at their discreation at any time.

Robert W baird provides training on “Crucial Conversation” , W.L. Gore and Associates’ training on”I Message” are training programmes in giving feedback.

Quallcom has innovation programme a web based “Idea Management System” aimed at triggering entterprenurial system. The system contains forums, feedback on ideas, resources, white paprers, people, research, mechanism etc.

Recreation Equipment Inc, Pictures of employees participating in outdoor activities are posted on the walls of every store, and employees are routinely involved in the community outreach projects.

Microsoft hosts DigiGirlz days and summer camps each to educate High School Junior girls about career in technology