Interview with Mr. Dileep Ranjekar, Corporate Executive Vice-President HR, Wipro

Mr. Ranjekar can you elaborate on the HR policy for your employees?

We have detailed guidelines and policies for almost every aspect of people processes. The guidelines/policies provides clarity for individuals, supervisors and business heads on the basic approach to people issues. We have a mechanism in place to receive periodic feedback on our current approaches and suitably review/modify policies, which can best serve the purpose for the given employee profile and business needs.

We would not like our managers to tell an employee "don't ask why, it is a company policy". We would like to explain to them that the current approach has evolved after a lot of thinking and preplanning. If an employee has a better suggestion we are willing to listen to him and if the suggestion is approved, the approach can be modified.

Define the work culture prevalent in Wipro?

Our employee surveys, exit interviews, feedback from various programmes are unanimous in their view that the Wipro work culture is characterised by:

- Openness

- Absence of politics

- Non-hierarchical (no visible symbols of hierarchy)

- Hard work

- Meritocracy (completely professional work atmosphere)

Middle class Values - non-flashy.

How do you recruit your manpower? Could you tell us something about your campus recruitment process?

Recruitment in Wipro is not just an event but is a part of a complete leadership development process. Most of our recruitment is done from the campus. We began recruiting people from premier institutes since 1970 and have developed some of the best leaders of the Indian industry.

However, we do not hire people at senior levels unless it is absolutely required. Our policy is even if an insider is 60% ready for a given internal vacancy, he will be preferred over an outsider.

The recruitment process is extremely important to Wipro and involves a significant application of the senior and top management time. The assessment of the campus panel is supported by an assessment of the candidate's performance in group discussions, psychometric tests and an in- depth reference check.

How do you measure employee performance and how do you reward high performing staff? What is your rate of attrition?

We have a comprehensive performance management system, which has been institutionalised over three decades ago. It has been well accepted by the employees. The human resources department does the review and planning is the high point of our performance management and employee development process. The HRRP serves the following purpose:

1. Identifying top 10% and bottom 10% of the employees

2. Identifying talent that we should not lose under any circumstances

3. Succession planning

4. People in the same job for five years and more

As for attrition, we are significantly below the industry average. That is more important than numbers.

What kind of training do you provide your employees? Could you briefly tell us about your training programmes?

Development of employees is one of the most critical processes in Wipro. There are broadly two categories of development programmes:

1. Life cycle management programme

2. Individual development programme against individual development need

We cover the following under the life cycle management programme:

a. Entry-level programme - this consists of both elaborate technical exposure as well as exposure to issues related to how to be a good productive employee in the Company. This is in addition to a common induction programme that employees go through on joining. b. New leaders programme - For employees who become leaders for the first time. c. Wipro leaders programme - for employees who start leading other managers. d. Business leaders programme - for those who become business managers for the first time. e. Strategic leaders programme - for top management who are responsible for strategic inputs.

Besides the above, a detailed action plan is made on completion of performance appraisal for the individual employee. The action plan can include the following:

a. Specific need related development programme b. Efforts on the job by the employee c. Supervisor coaching guidance etc.

What kind of a career progression can a Wipro employee envisage?

Due to its growth (23% CAGR in sales and 50% CAGR in PAT for the past 11 years) career growth has never been an issue at Wipro. Various options are available for an individual - ranging from being an individual contributor to team leader to technological contributor. People can progress vertically as well as horizontally.

How do you address employee grievances?

All supervisors are responsible for addressing the grievances of their team members. They may in turn seek help from their supervisors, human resources people or business heads. Due to the company's open culture, employees are free to communicate with any other individual within the organisation after having exhausted the options of speaking to the supervisor.

What are the upsides and downsides of being in the field of HR?

If HR professionals are competent, do not let themselves become obsolete and have empathy towards fellow beings, there are only upsides in the HR field.

What changes and trends in HR do you perceive in the near future?

In the last five years, HR functions have undergone significant changes due to a large proportion of employees being knowledge workers or from the service industry. The Internet and communication explosion has erased all boundaries of culture, knowledge and sharing of practices among professionals. As a result, the paradigm of leadership has changed completely, with team members knowing more about their work than their supervisors. There is a great need for leadership, especially with a complete breakdown in hierarchy at the workplace as well as at home. Therefore, the only important issue is how a leader is able to add value to his/her team members. You have employee groups that are fiercely competitive, have a lot of stress early on in their career and whose world revolves only around themselves. That they also contribute to the organisation is incidental and not the main purpose.

It is very important for employees to constantly develop and enrich their resume and become more valuable in the market place. This trend will continue. In addition, HR people have the responsibility of boosting employee morale due to the economic downturn.

What qualities and attributes, in your opinion, epitomise a good HR professional?

* An in-depth subject knowledge

* Business knowledge

* Ability to see newer, different dimensions and possibilities

* Tremendous awareness of the global environment

* Resilience, high energy and stamina

* Learnability and adaptability

* Commitment and uncompromising integrity

You have had such a long innings in a single company, what motivates you to keep going?

The importance of people function at Wipro and the commitment of top management to it is a great motivator. It is extremely challenging, providing enormous intellectual stimulation, and demanding responsibilities from day one. The organisation boasts of top class professionals and there is complete freedom to operate, and constant on- the-job learning and development. Last but not the least - the organisation is known for its high human values and supreme integrity.

SAMYUKTA KODA

samyukta.hyd@cxknetworks.com