Google voted best workplace in India, followed by Intel and American Express

By Rica Bhattacharyya, ET Bureau | ! "un, #$%, #&'!(A) I*T

)+)BAI, -lying in from all corners of t.e country, braving monsoon rains and traffic /ams in )umbai, t.e 01 c.iefs and 2E3s of leading companies 4ueued up at a suburban .otel last -riday, wit. one 4uestion in mind, 0ow .ad t.ey fared in t.e coveted list5 India6s Best 2ompanies To 7ork -or' Given t.at India Inc is in t.e t.roes of a slowdown, talent management .as become crucial as industries mars.al resources against t.e toug. times' *o t.is year6s T.e Economic Times and T.e Great 8lace To 7ork Institute study .ad special importance' -or some years, t.e study .as provided t.e industry wit. a muc.5needed barometer to /udge .ow companies fare on t.e people front' T.e #$% study, one of t.e largest in t.e world, covered 99# companies spanning industries, surveying :(,::( employees' *o it was but natural for t.e &# 2E3s and some %## 01 c.iefs to wait wit. bated breat. as t.e list was read out' In t.e end it was Google w.ic. once again took t.e top .onour of being t.e best workplace in India' And w.y did Google come out tops; 7ell, simply because, 6t.e 9#5billion dollar startup6, as t.ey like to call t.emselves, .as some unparalleled processes and non5traditional practices' -or example, last year, all tec. <ooglers =new .ires> traveled to )ountain ?iew, 2alifornia for a central tec. induction@ a program called 6Googler Googler6 =g g> enables t.e employees to s.are t.eir knowledge wit. peers t.roug. various media on sub/ects ranging from tig.trope walking to advanced 8yt.on programming' A few mont.s ago, every manager at Google was given a budget, called 6play doug.,6 to spend on a fun group activity outside office' Google is different' A7e .ave an incredibly empowering environment and let people figure out .ow t.ey get to t.eir goals,A says 1a/an Anandan, managing director, Google India' 7it. growt. numbers sluggis., t.e 01 departments of t.e companies .ave been walking t.e tig.trope by keeping costs in c.eck by weeding out low performers, cutting benefits and doling marginal salary .ikes on t.e one end w.ile still .aving to attract, motivate, and retain t.e best talent at t.e ot.er end' It6s a difficult balancing act given t.at employee engagement and /ob satisfaction dips during t.ese toug. times' In suc. an environment, t.e 016s role as a multi5faceted and critical business partner rat.er t.an /ust being a support function .as increased'

And people matters are not /ust t.e domain of 01 folks, today' Even t.e 2E3s are increasingly spending more time wit. t.eir 01 teams and on 015related activities' AT.e w.ole aspect of talent management is supercritical' 01 function is a core component of leaders.ip team' T.e 4uality of people we .ire directly translates into business results,A says *an/ay 1is.i, president, American Express' T.at6s not all' 1epeated studies .ave s.own t.at t.e companies w.ic. work proactively towards becoming t.e best workplace, build in a formidable competitive strengt. vis5a5vis its competitors' AT.e top 9 B 9# best workplaces .ave not only s.own significant improvements over t.e last decade, but also built a formidable entry barrier to t.is select clubA says 8rasen/it B.attac.arya, 2E3, T.e Great 8lace to 7ork Institute, India' In t.e study, w.ile t.e companies making t.e cut t.is time .ave focussed on rig.t .iring, spending more on training and development, coming out wit. good rewards and recognition sc.emes, and increasing employee engagement, t.e two t.emes t.at continue to find mention in every great place to work 01 roster are, a> make t.e workplace more fun and b> strive for a good work5life balance for employees' AIf people don6t en/oy w.at t.ey are doing, t.ey won6t stay' If t.ey .ave a sense t.ey are .elping organisations towards ac.ieving goals, retention becomes less of an issue,A says ?ikram 3beroi, c.ief operating officer and /oint managing director, T.e 3beroi Group' 7it. a bounding young workforce, t.e companies find t.at career development initiatives are a must, even in a slowdown' AIn a knowledge economy, we can6t ignore our main assets, our people, in any situation' T.e need for career development initiatives for t.e young guys is muc. more today t.an it was a few years ago,A acknowledge ?i/ay C T.adani, 2E3, <IIT' Also t.e Gen D today needs different kinds of c.allenge, and definitely wants more meaning in t.eir work' 3ffer t.em a /ob, t.ey get bored very fast, give t.em a c.ance to make a difference, and t.ey are ready to live in office' ATeams don6t get excited by #E earnings growt. but you need to inspire teams wit. big c.allenges, ambitious goals and create an inspiring environment,A says Anandan of Google' In #$ , Intel revamped Anub.ava, an experience s.aring based development session series for managers in Intel India, to t.e topic AGen D5 Anub.avaA, w.ere a group of Gen D employees discussed t.eir aspirations and expectations wit. Intel India Feaders' A7e .ave a compre.ensive development framework and are constantly working on t.e kind of training we send managers to' 7e also .elp people to live w.at we train t.em in,A says Cumud *rinivasan, president, Intel' <ow t.at due to work pressure, t.e personal and professional lives are integrating, t.e companies are finding ways to connect wit. t.e families of employees' Fast year, American Express launc.ed 8arentsGAmex, w.ic. is a network for American Express employees, wit. or expecting c.ildren, to support t.em in balancing t.eir work and parenting responsibilities, .elping t.em become more effective as parents and as professionals' Anot.er initiative called Hoom A.ead aims to inculcate regular p.ysical activity into t.e lives of t.e employees6 c.ildren' AIf employees find .armony in t.eir work and personal life, t.at means t.e leaders.ip are doing t.eir /obA says 1is.i of Amex'

*ource, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/jobs/google-

voted-best-workplace-in-india-followed-by-intel-and-americanexpress/articleshow/20 !"# 0.cms$curpg%2