A

PROJECT REPORT
ON

A STUDY ON IMPORTANCE OF HIGH POTENTIAL

EMPLOYEES (HIPO’S) AND THEIR RETENTION
STRATERGIES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO
FREEWILL SPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED NIVIA (Head Office),
JALANDHAR, PUNJAB

Submitted in Partial fulfilment for the award of the degree Of

Masters of Commerce (2019-2021)

D.A.V. College, Sector-10, Chandigarh

Affiliated to Panjab University, Chandigarh

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Dr Mona Sharma Tanya Lekhi
(Asst. Professor) University Enrollment No. 46753

1
 DECLARATION

I, Tanya Lekhi, bearing roll no. 35051 a student of Masters of Commerce

hereby declare that I own the full responsibility for the information, results
etc. provided in this PROJECT REPORT titled “A STUDY ON
IMPORTANCE OF HIGH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES (HIPO’S)
AND THEIR RETENTION STRATERGIES WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO FREEWILL SPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED
NIVIA (Head Office), JALANDHAR, PUNJAB.” submitted to DAV
COLLEGE, Chandigarh. I have taken care in all respect to honour the
intellectual property right and have acknowledged the contribution of others
for using them in academic purpose and further declare that in case of any
violation of intellectual property right or copyright I, as a candidate, will be
fully responsible for the same. My supervisor should not be held
responsible for full or partial violation of copyright or intellectual property
right.

NAME: Tanya Lekhi

UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT NO.: 46753
DATE: 25 August,2020

2
 PREFACE

The Summer Internship Program forms an important component of

education at D.A.V. COLLEGE. It is an attempt to bridge the gap between
the academic institution and the corporate world. It provides us an
opportunity to apply the concepts learnt in real life situations.
But due to COVID-19 Pandemic, practical training was difficult to conduct.
So, a project report is prepared in which proper Research is done using
various tools.
I have put my sincere efforts to accomplish my objectives within the
stipulated time. Despite all limitations, obstructs, hurdles and hindrances, I
have worked to my optimum potential to achieve desired goals.
It was a great learning experience since it enables us to apply theory to
practice and observe and learn the current trends in the market.
The kind of help and genuine interest and the guidance of my supervisor I
am presenting this hand carved effort. I tried my level best to conduct a
research to gain a thorough knowledge about the project on topic
“A STUDY ON IMPORTANCE OF HIGH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
(HIPO’S) AND THEIR RETENTION STRATERGIES WITH SPECIAL
REFERENCE TO FREEWILL SPORTS PRIVATE LIMITED NIVIA
(Head Office), JALANDHAR, PUNJAB.”

3
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, I bow to the almighty for giving me the opportunity to
undertake the writing of this project and the strength and capacity to
complete it. My humble and heartfelt acknowledgements are also to my
esteemed teacher guide Dr Mona Sharma for her guidance and support
without which this task would not have been accomplished. I also thank my
friends, who have helped me during this study. In addition, I thank one and
all who have been instrumental in helping me complete this project. I am
extremely grateful and indebted to my parents and my siblings for being
pillars of strength, for their unfailing moral support, and encouragement. I
treasure their blessings and good wishes and dedicate this study to them.

Thank you.

4
 CONTENTS

Chapter Topic Page no.

No.
Chapter 1 Introduction 7
Chapter 2  Industry Profile

 Company Profile 14
Chapter 3 Literature Review 19
Chapter 4  Need

 Scope 26
 Objectives

Chapter 5 Research Methodology

 Research Design
29
 Sample design

 Data Collection

Chapter 6 Data Analysis and Interpretation 36

Chapter 7  Findings

 Conclusions 44
 Suggestions

BIBLIOGRAPHY 53

ANNEXURE 54

5
CHAPTER – 1

6
 INTRODUCTION

People (human resources) are viewed by most experts as the most

important asset of any organization. Managing an organization’s people is
often the most challenging and complex task required of a manager.
Human resources is important to organizations in myriad areas, ranging
from strategic planning to company image. The areas in which HR
maintains control can enhance an employees’ experience throughout the
workforce while strengthening business operations. It is also the
responsibility, if executed well, that permits a person to rise to the senior
level of management, or prevents a manager from rising to the senior level
if done poorly.
Every enterprise of worth today strives to create opportunities for HiPo’s to
help them do better for themselves as this in turn multiplies as dividend for
the enterprises' performance. They are offered learning and growth
opportunities that help them take up accountability for transformational and
global strategies.

HIGH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES

A high-potential employee is one who has been identified as having
the potential, ability, and aspiration to hold successive leadership positions
in an organization. High potential employees or HiPos, are that illustrious
group of individuals who are the rising stars in the organization.
Organizations tend to look for people with beliefs and behaviour that reflect
differentiated professional drive to readily opt for meaningful roles which
help add value to the enterprise by addressing the most complex
challenges it faces.

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High potential employees have three key characteristics in common:
aspiration, ability, and engagement.

 Aspiration is the desire to take on responsibilities, challenges and rewards

typically demonstrated by those in more senior roles. Basically, when an
employee ask for a new assignment that is more challenging than those he/she
typically works on, or one that requires more personal responsibility,
accountability or decision making is Aspiration.
 Ability is a combination of innate characteristics and learned skills.
Employee which has various innate characteristic like easy going personality with
learned skills, became adept at managing difficult conversations with customers.
With this employee can handle customer complaints and difficulties in a calm,
responsive manner, and deliver exceptional customer service.
 Engagement is the employee's emotional and rational commitment,
discretionary effort and intent to stay. Even after years in the same
organization when employee wants to expand skills and ready for new
challenges in career and sees opportunities to pursue them in the company, it
shows employees desire to grow and stay in the organization.

8
Benefits of high-potential employees in organization:

 High-potential employees are extremely talented and produce

consistently great work. They desire the authority to make
decisions that will impact the organization.

 High-potential employees wants the chance to step up to the

plate, when challenges arise and problems need to be solved.
They are looking for growth opportunities and are generally not
afraid to take on something new which is an organization looks
for.

 HiPo’s get things done every time and are completely

reliable. HiPos enjoy an autonomous work environment because
it provides greater control over their daily tasks and how their
schedule is structured.

 The talented employees are constantly brainstorming new ideas

and are eager to take on more work. Innovation helps
organization get and stay ahead. So, getting the desire to take
initiative is a key benefit of hiring and identifying HiPos.

 HiPo’s are much more invested in the success of the companies

they work for. They care about the company’s future. As some of
the employees get job with the only motive to earn money.

 High-potential employees understand the importance of

maintaining their composure and help to create an enjoyable
work environment. They have the ability to make a positive
impact on an entire team or organization as a leader is less
common.

 HiPos are able to monitor their own emotions, as well as the

emotions of others easily. That is why they possess High Level of
Emotional Intelligence. This skill impacts communication and is a
powerful tool in exceeding goals and creating a productive
organizational culture.

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  HiPos view new responsibilities as opportunities to grow and
gain skills and experiences. So, they take on responsibilities
outside of their job description.

High Potential Employees constantly engage with their peers and with the
senior leadership of the company to continuously understand the line of
sight of their work to the business strategy, have a point of view and shows
how contributing will help up skill themselves to be employable not just
today, but tomorrow as well.

So, Passion is the strongest indicator of a HiPo's affiliation with a brand, as

those with low levels of engagement are prone to having lower degrees of
commitment and tend to move out sooner or later. HiPo's with a high
degree of passion can be considered 'Culture Champions' as they take
the holistic enterprise story to all key stakeholders.

10
CHAPTER - 2

11
 INDUSTRY PROFILE

The global sports equipment market is witnessing considerable growth over

the last few years. Increasing the participation in sports activities, growing
consumer awareness about health and fitness, and emergence of e-
commerce are some of the key drivers impelling growth of the sports
equipment market. However, increasing availability of counterfeit products
and rising prices of sports equipment are restraining the growth of this
market to some extent. The global sports equipment market consists of
equipment for ball sports, adventure sports, fitness, golf, winter sports, and
other sports equipment, including archery, billiards, bowling, wheel sports,
pogo sticks, and indoor games. One of the latest trends in the industry is
combination of casual and athletic designs for development of sports
equipment, which is poised to provide a significant push to the growth of
the market. Increasing urbanization, improving standard of living, and rising
disposable income are translating into a greater inclination toward sports to
ensure a healthy lifestyle.

Moreover, young working-class people are largely leading sedentary

lifestyles that make this segment of the population more susceptible to a
multitude of lifestyle diseases. In order to stay fit, they are taking up sports,
which, in turn, is estimated to propel the market over the forecast period.

The growth and development of the Indian sport industry is creating

opportunities for management professionals in a wide variety of settings.
Boosted by initiatives such as professional leagues of developed sports,
commercialization of underdeveloped sports, professionalization of heritage
sports and increased corporate sector investments, sports industry expects
a faster growth in shorter time frame. It has the potential to overtake IT and
related industries before 2020 in every aspect.

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Latest update:
India’s sports goods industry is nearly a century old and has flourished,
driven by a skilled workforce. Being labour-intensive in nature, the industry
provides employment to more than 500,000 people. India’s sporting goods
are popular around the world and have made a mark in the global sports
goods market. The domestic industry export nearly 60 per cent of its total
output. The Indian sports and fitness goods market reached a value of US$
3,621 Million in 2017. The market value is further projected to reach US$
6,054 Million by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 9.0% during 2019-2024.

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 Company Profile

NIVIA is a true Indian iconic sports brand involved in shaping the sports in
the country. As the originator of breakthrough technologies, NIVIA
manufactures world-class athletic equipment. High quality products at right
price, superior design and integrated development make us second-to-
none. Backed by generations of sportsmen, brand NIVIA has always
challenged the unfamiliar and walked the less explored path to create
opportunities for Indian sports sector. With state-of-the art facilities, NIVIA
is Indian leading manufacturer of sports equipment, footwear & accessories
for core sports like Football, Volleyball, Basketball and Running. Through
continuous efforts in strengthening product innovation and enhancing. The
name "Nivia" was derived from the combination of the initials of the name
of Nihal Chand Kharbanda, founder of Nivia Sports, and Vijay Kharbanda:
"NI" from "Nihal" and "VI" from "Vijay".

History
Sh. Vijay Kharabanda, the founder of NIVIA was a visionary and patriarch,
whose boundless ambition and deep sense of passion led him to establish
one of the most successful Indian Sports Brands in history. His life of
exemplary hard work, compassion, care and accomplishment was filled
with spirit and zest.
Kolkata, not Jalandhar was the centre in India where quality footballs were
manufactured before NIVIA came into the scene in 1960’s. He established
NIVIA and with that the reputation of Jalandhar as the quality football,
volleyball and basketball manufacturing base of India.
In 1970’s when women empowerment and equal rights were not even an
issue in India, he opened training centre at Kishanpura locality in Jalandhar
to train women to stitch balls so that they could supplement their home
income. Today, it is estimated that 60% of thousands of craftsmen stitching
football are women.

14
While the world had moved to rubber and plastics in football shoes, Indian
sportsmen were still forced to play with leather studs. Not even 1% of
football shoes in India were manufactured in Jalandhar. Through his
research and development, he launched the first Successful plastic sole
shoe in India called NIVIA Low Cut. This revolutionized the Indian football
shoe market and soon Jalandhar became the centre for football shoe
manufacturing in India. With less than 1% share in the Indian football shoe
market in 1980, today Jalandhar is estimated to have 90% share of football
shoe manufacturing in the country. It has become one of the major hubs of
sports shoe manufacturing the country.
In collaboration with another ball bladder manufacturer, he launched
molded basketballs and volleyballs for the first time in the country. He also
set up the first successful molded ball manufacturing unit in Jalandhar
which today is the largest manufacturer of molded balls in the country.
Jalandhar, which had no history of molded ball manufacturing today boasts
to half a dozen established and upcoming plants which would enhance
India’s export and widen the range that Indian exporters can offer to the
world.
Under his leadership, NIVIA was the first Indian company to get FIFA
approval for its footballs. When the entire industry had surrendered to
imported material for making footballs, he took up the challenge to upgrade
the local rubber material to global standards. NIVIA today, is probably the
only company in the world which has been successful in getting FIFA PRO
marking on a football made of rubber.

VISION
At Nivia, Sports vision is to be the nationally respected No 1 Indian sports
brand, by creating a better tomorrow than today.
MISSION
Committed to manufacture the finest sports equipment for every
sportsperson to help improve his/her performance. Strive to create and
build sports talent by making available the world class sports equipment at
right price. Dedicated to continuously upgrade our technology & improve
our product range and services.

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PRODUCTS:
Nivia Sports produces sports products in India which have been sponsored
and used in national and international tournaments, leagues and
championships. It includes the categories of sports
equipment, apparel, athletic shoes, and accessories.

Sport Range of products

Association Balls, team uniforms, boots, goalkeeper

football gloves, shin guards, ball pumps

Basketball Balls, team uniforms, shoes, backboard, nets

Balls, team uniforms, nets

Volleyball

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The company has 7 directors and no reported key management personnel:

Rajesh Kharbanda Managing Director

Sushil Kharbanda Director
Divya Kharbanda Director
Dhruv Kharbanda Director
Nirav Kalyanbhai Shah Director
Mohit Kharbanda Director
Ojas Kharbanda Director

16
FINANCIAL REPORT
Provided here are the financial indicators for financial year ending on 31
March, 2018. Actual numbers and more financial data, updated until 31
March, 2019* are included in purchased financial report.

Operating Revenue INR 100 Cr - 500 Cr

EBITDA -0.34 %

Net worth 21.62 %

Debt/Equity Ratio 0.11

Return on Equity 17.91 %

Total Assets 11.76 %

Fixed Assets 5.44 %

Current Assets 15.86 %

Current Liabilities -0.34 %

Trade Receivables 19.04 %

Trade Payables 15.45 %

Current Ratio 2.11

17
CHAPTER -3

18
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the
literature related to the selected area of study. The review describes
summaries, evaluate and clarify this literature. It gives a theoretical base for
the research and help to determines the nature of the research.

I. INTRODUCTION
Quiet recently, considerable attention has been paid to identifying
potential individuals in the organizations. The cornerstone and the
only differentiating asset of an Organization from its competitors
are its employees. Besides, if such employees have a potential of
achieving tasks if assigned in future (being more reliable and
capable of doing something which is not being done now), it would
be a great value addition to an Organization.
The England Collins Cobuild dictionary has defined the term
‘Potential’ as - Capable of being or becoming but not yet in
existence; latent. We use potential individual to say that someone
or something is capable of developing into the particular kind of
person or thing mentioned. If you say that someone or something
has potential, you mean that they have the necessary abilities or
qualities to become successful or useful in the future.

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Key findings of the existing literature regarding Potential
Individuals:
Much of the research and literature available focuses on HIPO’s
what is termed as High potential employees. Gritzmacher (1989)
outlines nine characteristics of HIPO’s including independent,
committed, time conscious, high need for continuous improvement
and creative.

19
 High potential employees, as defined by Schumacher (2009), are
employees who produce excellent work performance consistently.
HIPOs are the people who have the potential to assume higher
positions in the future and they normally score well on various
leadership assessment criteria (Schumacher, 2009). Derr (1987)
notes that HIPOs are general managers who have the ability of
climbing up the hierarchy ladder over a period of time and HIPOs
become heads by the age of forty. A high-potential employee is
one who has been identified as having the potential, ability, and
aspiration to hold successive leadership positions in an
organization. High-potential employees constitute the top 3-5
percent of a company’s talent (Nikravan, 2011).

Findings of Lombardo and Eichinger (2000):

Lombardo and Eichinger (2000) in their research article “High
Potentials as High Learners” discussed about derailment of
individuals from their career and the characteristics of the learning
agile. In their response to a study made by McCall (1988), on one
of the Center for Creative Leadership studies which states that
successful executives had a strong and similar pattern of learning
from key job assignments, they argued that the derailed
executives, all of whom had been successful for many years and
had gone through many of the same key assignments as the
successful executives, had virtually no pattern of learning from
jobs. They stated that derailment is partly not learning new things.
In a companion study (McCall and Lombardo, 1983), one of the
key reasons cited for derailment was being blocked to new
learning. In their study on defining what a superior learner from
experience (someone who is learning agile) looked like they had
constructed four factors that describe different aspects of learning
agility.
1) People Agility—Describes people who know themselves well,
learn from experience, treat others constructively, are cool and
resilient under the pressures of change.

20
 2) Results Agility—Describes people who get results under tough
conditions, inspire others to perform beyond normal, and exhibit
the sort of presence that builds confidence in others.
3) Mental Agility—Describes people who think through problems
from a fresh point of view and are comfortable with complexity,
ambiguity, and explaining their thinking to others.
4) Change Agility—Describes people who are curious, have a
passion for ideas, like to experiment with test cases, and engage
in skill building activities.

Nicky Dries, Roland Pepermans,(2007) in their research paper entitled

"Using emotional intelligence to identify high potential: a met competency
perspective", had stated that emotional intelligence subscales like
assertiveness, independence, optimism, flexibility and social responsibility
appear to be ‘covert’ high-potential identification criteria, separating
between high potentials and regular managers. Such potential individuals
would however exhibit higher levels of job performance possess less
boundaryless career attitudes.
Findings of PA Consulting Group:
PA Consulting Group’s Jo Dunne, a people and talent expert, and Dr
Amanda Potter, CEO of BeTalent (2017), in their article ―Seven traits that
mark out high-potential employees discussed how to identify the people
with high potential by:
Behaviours
 Expertise
 Strengths
 Tenets
 Aspirations
 Engagement
 Intelligence (cognitive, emotional and social)

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 III. “X” FACTORS OF HIPO’S
In an article published for Harvard Business Review, authors
Doug Ready, Jay Conger, and Linda Hill identified four “X” factors
that are common among high-potential employees:
 A drive to excel
 A catalytic learning ability
 An enterprising spirit
 Dynamic sensors
High-potential employees deliver strong results by building trust,
confidence, and therefore credibility among colleagues. They easily master
new types of expertise and recognize that behaviour counts.

Gartner (CEB) Approach on high potential employees:

According to Corporate Executive Board (CEB), a consulting firm, high
potential employees have three key characteristics in common: aspiration,
ability, and engagement. In the figure mentioned below the common
intersection part where all the three key characteristics meet are the HIPOs
who possess all the mentioned key characteristics.

22
 Nurita Juhdi, Fatimah Pa’wan and Ram Milah (2012) in their research
paper “Examining Characteristics of High Potential Employees from
Employees Perspective” explained that given the complexity in managing
HIPOs, HR practitioners have to be watchful of the types of HIPOs they are
managing and be responsive to what they expect from the organizations.
There must be appropriate tools to use in gauging the employees’ potential.
Performance appraisals, skill inventory, assessment centers, self-
assessment using interviews or questionnaire and nomination system are
helpful in identifying employees’ talents and career aspiration. High
performing employees with seniority in the organization and possess high
education level should be given the priority in receiving development
programs. The efforts have to be followed with the measurement of the
degree in each HIPO characteristic because it is possible for employees to
have varying levels of leadership spirit, learning agility and drive for high
performance.
Kip Kelly, Director UNC Executive Development in his article “Identifying
High-Potential Talent in the Workplace” Offers steps HR and talent
management professionals can take to establish an effective high potential
talent identification program.
Step 1: Plan for the future
Step 2: Define high-potential criteria
Step 3: Make the high-potential criteria measurable.
Step 4: Identify high-potential candidates.
Dr Santhosh Koyadan Veettil(October 2016) in his article ―High
Potential Employees – Building it Right‖ suggests that a pool of valuable
High Potential and High Performing employees for the future could be
developed by implementing properly designed career development
programs and empowering their line managers in discussing freely with
their subordinates about their career planning. Doing this would encourage
the employees to become ambitious, continuously learn and become highly
potential over a period of time.

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IV.CONCLUSIVE IMPLICATIONS
All these studies reveal that the Organizations’ entire staffs are not
potential employees and they can be identified through different
characteristics. There is a lot of literature still available on
potentiality of individuals, yet few important findings have been
compiled in this article.
If these characteristics of potential individuals could be identified at
the entry level while hiring new recruits, there would be plenty of
potential individuals available to the organizations then.
Potentiality of an individual implies his ability to perform better in a
job assigned in future. Therefore, at the entry level selection of
new hires, measuring their potential levels could be much
affordable to an Organization as there would be a bigger pool of
potential candidates available to an Organization at its dispense.
With the better availability of pool of potential candidates as a
result of assessing potentiality at the entry level for new hires
rather than finding potential candidates at a later stage.

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CHAPTER - 4

25
NEED, SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
NEED OF THE STUDY

To learn how to identify and retain High Potential Employees in the

organization. A high potential employee has the ability, engagement and
aspiration to rise up to opportunities and succeed in senior and crucial
roles. Organizations need to constantly recognize, appreciate, enthuse and
reward them differently. This shall make them future ready with the vision
and the capabilities required to compete in the world of tomorrow.
This study also introduces why an organization should develop High
Potential Employees with certain strategies. Also, how can the organization
develop and retain high potential employees having appropriate skills,
commitment and capabilities, required to meet existing and future
organizational needs.
SCOPE

The study deals with the identification and retention of High Potential
Employees in Sports Equipment manufacturing industry with certain
strategies in consideration.
Conceptual strategy to develop an Agile HiPo

26
OBJECTIVES

Objectives of the study are as follows-

1. To understand the importance of High Potential Employee in an

organization.
2. To maximise on-the-job learning and overall development of High
Potential Employees.
3. To determine various strategies to retain High Potential Employees in
the company.

27
CHAPTER - 5

28
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The quest for knowledge is a never-ending process and in its simplest form
is known as Research. Research can be defined as an organized and
systematic study of materials and sources in order to discover new things
and establish facts and reach new conclusions. The Encyclopedia of
Social Sciences has described research as a " Critical and exhaustive
investigation or experimentation having as its aim the revision of
accepted conclusions in the light of newly discovered facts"

It can be concluded that Research involves-

* A clear definition of hypothesis

* Collection of data and its analysis

* Relating the findings to existing theory and earlier formulated hypothesis.

Therefore, Research is the decision regarding what, where, when, how

much, by what means, concerning an inquiry or a research study constitute
a research design. It can be defined as the arrangement of condition for
collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine the
relevant to the research purpose to the economy procedure.

TYPES OF RESEARCH -

1) BASIC RESEARCH- Basic research, also called pure research or fundamental

research, has the scientific research aim to improve scientific theories for improved
understanding or prediction of natural or other phenomena. Though often driven by
curiosity i.e. it does not have any practical relevance, basic research fuels applied
science's innovations.

29
2) APPLIED RESEARCH- Applied research refers to the scientific study and
research that seeks to solve practical problems. Applied research is used to find
solutions to everyday problems, cure illness, and develop innovative technologies.
Also, it is the research conducted to solve specific problems or to answer specific
questions. In accounting for research and development costs, the development
costs may be carried forward but the basic and applied research costs are often
written off as incurred.

3) EMPIRICAL RESEARCH - Empirical research is a research using empirical

evidence. It is a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct and indirect
observation or experience. Empirical evidence (the record of one's direct
observations or experiences) can be analyzed quantitatively or qualitatively. It can
also be termed as EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH.

4) QUALITATIVE RESEARCH- Qualitative research is a scientific method of

observation to gather non-numerical data. This type of research "refers to the
meanings, concepts definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and
description of things" and not to their "counts or measures." Qualitative research
approaches are employed across many academic disciplines, focusing particularly
on the human elements of the social and natural sciences; in less academic
contexts, areas of application include qualitative market research, business, service
demonstrations by non-profits, and journalism. Therefore, Qualitative research
generally involves study of human behavior, and can also be termed as
MOTIVATION RESEARCH.

5) QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH- In natural sciences and social sciences,

quantitative research is the systematic empirical investigation of observable
phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The
objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models,

30
theories and hypothesis pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is
central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection
between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative
relationships. Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form such as
statistics, percentages, etc. The researcher analyses the data with the help of
statistics and hopes the numbers will yield an unbiased result that can be
generalized to some larger population. Qualitative research, on the other hand,
inquires deeply into specific experiences, with the intention of describing and
exploring meaning through text, narrative, or visual-based data, by developing
themes exclusive to that set of participants.

6) LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH- Longitudinal research is generally spread

over a long period of time. In this kind of study, the problem is studied over a
consecutive stretch of time. In a longitudinal study, the data is gathered for the
same subjects repeatedly over a period of time. Longitudinal research projects can
extend over years or even decades.

7) SIMULATION RESEARCH- This type of research involves the creation of an

artificial environment which is very similar to the real environment. Thereafter,
within this artificial environment the variables are manipulated and studied.

Apart from the above classifications, research can also be classified as historical
research where old historic matter like documentaries, autobiographies, articles are
researched.

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RESEARCH DESIGN:

A research design is the arrangement of the condition for collection and

analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the
research purpose with economy in procedure.

A research design is the specification of methods and procedure for

acquiring the information needed to structure or to solve problems. It is the
overall operation pattern or framework of the project that stipulates what
information is to be collected from which source and be what procedures.

SAMPLE DESIGN:

A sampling design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from a given

population. It refers to the technique or the procedure the researcher
adopts in selecting items for the sample.

Interaction and enumeration of all the employees was not possible due to
COVID-19 Pandemic.

SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

Judgmental Sampling - Judgmental sampling is a form of convenience sampling in

which the population elements are selected based on the judgment of the
researcher. The sampling techniques used are convenient to all.

DATA COLLECTION

There are two types of data:

 PRIMARY DATA
 SECONDARY DATA

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PRIMARY DATA:

Primary data are those which are collected afresh and for the first time and thus
happen to be original in character. Primary data means original data that has been
collected specially for the purpose in mind. It means someone collected the data
from the original source first hand.

Primary data are to be originally collected, through:

 Questionnaire.
 Observation of the organization.
 Discussion with officials and concerned experts.
 Interviews
 Schedules
 Case study method
 Documentary method
 The experimental method

SECONDARY DATA:

Secondary data on the other hand, are those which have already been collected by
someone else and which have already been passed through the statistical process.
Secondary data analysis can save time that would otherwise be spent collecting
data and, particularly in the case of quantitative data, can provide larger and
higher-quality databases that would be unfeasible for any individual researcher to
collect on their own. In addition, analysts of social and economic change consider
secondary data essential, since it is impossible to conduct a new survey that can
adequately capture past change and/or developments.

33
Secondary data can be collected through-

 Company handbooks
 Periodicals
 Journals
 Articles
 Websites
 Computerized Database

Research leads to innovation and serves as a useful aid to the social scientist
government and business organization in decision making. Business organizations
may develop an internal research department or rely on external research agencies
for acquiring relevant information.

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
My research is of a Case Study Design, as it is a suitable method for
qualitative research. Due to Pandemic, this study is based on Secondary data
only.

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CHAPTER - 6

35
 DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

DATA ANALYSIS-
MEANING
Data Analysis is a process of bringing order, structure and meaning to the
mass of collected data. It is the process of evaluating data using analytical
and logical reasoning to examine each component of the data provided.
This form of analysis is just one of the many steps that must be completed
when conducting a research experiment.
Data Analysis and interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to the
collected information and determining them conclusions, significance and
implications of the findings.
 Tools of Presentation
It means what all tools were used to present the data in a meaningful
way so that it becomes easily understandable. In this research, the tools
used are tables, charts and graphs.
 Tools of Analysis
In this research, the tools of Analysis used were the basic statistics i.e.
Average mean and percentage.

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STATEMENT FOR ANALYSIS: Ratings are based on: 5* - most satisfied / very happy

4* - satisfied / happy

3* or below – less satisfied / neutral

Q1. Being an Employee of NIVIA, what ratings you will give to company regarding the
focus on ‘skill development of employees’?
Table 1

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

10 47.6% 5*

8 38.1% 4*

3 14.3% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure. 1
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know the employees view regarding the
whole organizational management of NIVIA. 47.6% of employees are most satisfied with
the organization. 38.1% employees are satisfied and 14.3% employees are neutral.

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Q2. Being employee of NIVIA how much you will give ratings towards ‘JOB SECURITY /
ADVANCEMENT’ policy of the Organization?

Table 2

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

10 47.6% 5*

7 33.3% 4*

4 19.1% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure.2
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know the satisfaction level of employee
regarding Job Security/Advancement done by the organization. 47.6% employees are
highly satisfied with the Job Security or Advancement offered to them. Whereas remaining
52.4% employees are either neutral or just satisfied.

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Q3. How much will you rate the ‘CULTURE’ of the organization?
Table 3

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

8 38.1% 5*

10 47.6% 4*

3 14.3% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure.3
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know the Culture of the organization to
work in. 38.1% employees are very happy with organizational Culture whereas rest 61.9%
employees are either happy or neutral.

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Q4. To what extent you are able to maintain ‘WORK & LIFE BALANCE’?

Table 4

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

9 42.9% 5*

10 47.6% 4*

2 9.5% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure.4
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know the ability of employee to
maintain a balance between work load and personal life. 42.9% employees are able to
maintain balance efficiently whereas rest of the employees are able to maintain balance to
certain extent.

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Q5. Are you satisfied with the ‘SALARY OR BENFITS’ given by the organization?

Table 5

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

7 33.3% 5*

9 42.9% 4*

5 23.8% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure.5
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know whether the employee is satisfied
with the salary or benefits given to them or not. Here, 33.3% of the employees are fully
satisfied but 23.8 % are not satisfied with salary offered.

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Q6. What will be your response in terms of rating ‘NIVIA Company’ as an Overall
Organization?

Table 6

No. of respondents percentage Ratings Out of 5*

10 47.6% 5*

9 42.9% 4*

2 9.5% 3*

0 0% 2*

0 0% 1*

Figure.6
Interpretation- the purpose of this question was to know whether the employee is Satisfied
with the Company or not. 47.6% are most satisfied & 42.9% of the employees are happy
with the NIVIA company. 9.5% of employees are having neutral response.

42
EMPLOYEE INFORMATION:
This study was based on sample of 21 employees of the NIVIA
Company (Head office), Jalandhar out of total population
(employees). This is a Secondary form of data as due to Pandemic
primary data was unavailable. This secondary data collected was
based on Reviews of Employees for the Company which was
available Online. These reviews are given by HR Manager, DGM
Sales & Marketing, Assistant manager, Manager Sales & Marketing,
Administration manager, Senior Executive, HR Executive, Assistant
General Manager etc.
With Reference to Annexure below.

43
CHAPTER - 7

44
 FINDINGS
Findings are the principal outcomes of a research project, it tells about
what the project suggested, revealed or indicated. This usually refers to the
totality of outcomes. Some of the findings of the study are as follows-
Based on the detailed analysis and interpretation done above, the data
collected, this chapter presents a summary of the research through the
following conclusions related to the area of study-
1) This study shows that employees have given 4.4* out of 5* on
average as a Overall Ratings to NIVIA company. This means
employees are satisfied with organization which results in ensuring
the stay of High Potential Employees in the company. Ratings above
4* shows that company is in overall great position in all aspects.
2) This study shows that employees have given 4.5* out of 5* on
average to ‘SKILL DEVELOPEMENT’ of the organization. When the
company focuses upon skill development on the employee, it shows
organizations desire to help the employee grow.
3) This study shows that employees have given 4.2* out of 5* on
average towards the ‘Culture’ of the organization. To work in an
organization, it is important to have organic culture as it helps to
improve quality of employee and employee retention. Culture
encompasses the beliefs and behaviours of a business, as well as
interactions between management, employees, and clients.
4) This study shows that employees have given 4.3* out of 5* on
average to Job security or Advancement given to them by the
organization. For High potential Employees it is important to provide
job security and advancement in all aspects, which exist in this
company. Most of the Employees have one primary motive i.e. Job
Security and Advancement/ growth is secondary motive.
5) This study shows that employees have given 4.3* out of 5* on
average for Work / Life Balance. When a balance between personal
life and work load is maintain, then desire for taking up new
challenges grows. The ability to take new work load and pressure is
increased which later result in growth in the organization. This is an
important feature of HiPos.

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 6) This study shows that employees have given 4.1* out of 5* on
average to Salary or Benefits given to them by the company. Some
Employees are not fully satisfied with the salary given to them. For
some high potential employee’s salary or benefits matters and for
some it doesn’t. Salary can influence employee’s desires, views and
ability to do work.

CONCLUSION OF THE STUDY

We can Conclude from the above study that:
 Various factors like skill development program, work culture, salary or
benefits, job security or advancement opportunities and work-life
balance affects HiPos behaviour and decisions.
 We studied that high potentials need the ability to take on the added
responsibility that comes with more senior roles, and the willingness to
take on ever-more challenging roles. This only happens when the
Company focuses towards to skill development and on the job learning
of the employee.
 Overall rewards such as bonuses, PTO hours, gift cards and career
development opportunities can be a good alternative to a pay raise as
well. This helps employee to stay in the same organization and find
more opportunities to grow.
 A positive company culture can ensure that employees remain satisfied
with their jobs and loyal to the organization and NIVIA has a required
Work Culture for an high potential employee to grow.
 Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health
and relationships, but it can also improve employee’s productivity, and
ultimately performance.
 The data collected depicts that High Potential Employee has an effect
on the Organizational effectiveness and vice versa.

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SUGGESTIONS:
 High potential Employees will feel more enthused to be productive if
they know there are potential rewards for the hard work they put in.
Compensation and benefits should be on management’s list of culture-
developing strategies.
 Even after high potentials have been identified and are given more
challenging assignments, they need the right feedback to ensure that
they’re delivering performance that lives up to their potential. This
happens when the culture of the organization welcomes feedback by
employee.
 Any workplace, regardless of size, should be the breeding ground of
high-potential employees. Investing in programs and other activities
that facilitate a learning and development driven culture makes more
sense financially than spending money to repeatedly fill the same
positions. Money invested into the company to cultivate a high-
performing workforce that will in return help the organization reach its
goals is money well spent.
 Focussing on work-life balance will help the company to draw a
valuable talent-pool for new recruits and boost retention rates. It will
save time and money, whilst ensuring a high level of in-house talent.
 Just because an employee is a high potential it doesn’t mean that they
know everything. Managers can help them grow by collaborating
together on important decisions and projects. This will help in building
more confidence.
 The organization must come up with approaches to encourage the
High Potential employees to be vocal about their opinions and
participate confidently in the decision making without any hesitation.

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 The above study shows the need for the organization to be more
involved in dealing with the grievances of the employees at workplace
for better organizational effectiveness.
 Smart organizations know that a strong, positive company culture is
one of their most important assets. In a strong culture, employees feel
valued and it also impacts employee engagement.
 Company should not just focus on the sales or maximising profits
rather should also focus on employee’s welfare.
 Company should make sure that the employees are satisfied with the
salary given to them. As some employees are not satisfied with the
salary offered to them.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The study has certain limitations which are as follows:
1) This study is based on secondary data only. Due to COVID-19
Pandemic limited data is collected through online mode.
2) Lack of proper sample size is another limitation, so subsequent
analysis could not be generated.
3) The manner in which the data has been collected or the ways in which
variables measured has limited ability to conduct a thorough analysis
of the results.

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High-potential employees need to know that you recognize their potential.
These workers want help in identifying a career path and they also want
support in carving that path. So, it’s critical that managers identify HiPos
early on in order to retain them and keep them engaged. Employers who
identify top talent increase the likelihood of retaining top talent and reaping
the benefits of a more engaged employee.
Various steps for High Potential Employees a company can take for
identifying & developing skills:
1. They’re good at what they do: High-potential talent brings 91% more
value to an organization and in comparison, to their peers, they exert 21% more
effort. Track their performance with 360 Degree Feedback in order to paint a
clear picture of their current career situation as seen not only by you and the
employee, but also by co- workers, subordinates, and customers. When you
have a special project on the horizon, you can then use their goals and feedback
to look toward your HiPos to see whether they have the bandwidth to get it done.

2. They jump on leadership opportunities: High Potential Employees

want the opportunity to make an impact. HiPos possess innate leadership skills
and are always looking to put them into practice and develop them
further. Provide them with an opportunity to mentor a new employee, let them
lead a group, ask them to serve on a committee, or invite them to participate in
an industry conference and report their experiences back to the team.

3. They take initiative: Whenever a spontaneous project pops up, HiPos

usually the first to volunteer to take care of it. Innovation helps organization get
and stay ahead. So, getting the desire to take initiative is a key benefit of hiring
and identifying HiPos. Company can encourage this characteristic by allowing
employees to gain more skills in their areas of interest. Schedule regular one-on-
one meetings to make sure you clearly understand their personal and
professional goals.

4. They don’t buckle under pressure: When things get heated at work,
they don’t lose their composure. Instead, they remain calm, cool, and collected—
even when the going gets tough. a HiPos ability to thrive under pressure means
they also aren’t as hesitant to take risks and fail. They see challenging situations
as growth opportunities and don’t just walk away when times get tough.

5. They’re eager to develop new skills: While some employees might

just go through the motions, star employees are always interested in learning

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 new things. They very clearly show their desire to develop new skills in a variety
of ways—whether that be asking for more responsibility or seeking out new
training and certification opportunities. It’s important that managers identify their
potential and help them continue to develop.

6. They want to be recognised: If high-potential employees are not

formally recognized by their company as being high potential, they may be less
likely to see themselves as a future leader in the organization. These employees
are self-motivated and eager. So, if they don’t feel a commitment from your
company, they may be more likely to take their talents elsewhere.

7. They possess high level of emotional intelligence: A high

level of emotional intelligence means that HiPos are more easily able to monitor
their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. They use emotional
information to then guide their behavior—a highly valued skill in leadership
roles. It’s a lot easier to be an effective leader when you’re able to put yourself in
someone else’s shoes. This skill impacts communication and is a powerful tool in
exceeding goals and creating a productive organizational culture.

8. They want to be engaged: High-potential employees are driven and

motivated. In order to keep them engaged, make sure managers/company
clearly understand their goals and discuss how can they work together to support
those goals. Assign them a coach or mentor who can also help them to maintain
a vision of their future. Make sure to have well-established high-potential
employee programs in place. Programs like these are a selling point in attracting
top talent and can help to retain star employees as well.

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One of the biggest jobs for any HR department is to ensure that the best people are
being recruited and retained. This includes employees who have the potential to rise in
the company and excel in higher positions.
At a time when talent is so crucial, organizations must put strategies in place to avoid
losing the people with the most value to your business.
If identifying high-potential employees is a top priority for talent and development
professionals, implementing strategies to retain them should be a close second.

STRATERGIES TO RETAIN HIGH POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES

1. Pair them with effective mentors:

Mentor is a more experienced person who can advise and teach an employee. Some
Corporate environments has taken notice of this talent-management concept and has
started implementing more structured mentoring programs. These can be a very
powerful tool in acclimating employees to corporate culture and values. Mentoring can
be enormously valuable for retaining high-performing employees who thrive on
interaction with influential colleagues.

2. Openly communicate with them:

if a high-potential employee has a concern or an idea, it’s in the organization’s best
interest to listen. Give them the one-on-one attention they deserve with all levels of
management and foster their creativity. It will boost their desire to work toward fully
realizing their potential.

3. Provide them with learning opportunities:

While organizations put a lot of effort into identifying high-potential employees, they
don’t always do a good job of acting on that information. When someone is identified as
high-potential, they need to receive focused training and development as early as
possible. Incorporating these employees into a succession pipeline that helps them
prepare for future leadership roles is not only essential to retaining these talented
individuals, but also to creating organizational continuity and overcoming the disruption
associated with talent gaps.

4. Give them high-visibility assignments:

Giving your top-performing employees highly visible and meaningful assignments is key
to keeping them engaged. Handing over stretch assignments that are pivotal to the
organization’s success can be done. They may make mistakes along the way, but that’s
a necessary part of their employee development.

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Other things to explore include:

 Rotating an employee to a supplier or partner

 Swapping positions
 Coaching/mentoring
it’s important that these employees be given challenging opportunities that are outside
of their comfort zones.

5. Creating career paths:

By working with the employee to formulate a professional development plan,
organizations can help high-potentials understand what options are available and what
skills they will need to pick up along the way.

6. Measure progress quarterly:

Instead of waiting until the end of the year for the performance review, implement a
proactive quarterly review that provides them with more immediate feedback. In turn,
this feedback can be used to improve the employee’s performance in the short-term,
thus improving overall performance and communication at all levels.

It’s important that these employees be given challenging opportunities that are
outside of their comfort zones. The idea should be to give high-potential
employees opportunities to develop and gain visibility, depth, and experience.
Regardless of where your organization stands at the moment, it’s imperative that
deliberate talent-management strategies be put into place in order to grow and
retain high-performing employees. Combining the right strategies with the right
people is one powerful way for to orchestrate your company’s success.

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 BIBLOGRAPHY
Reference:
 Gritzmacher, K.J. (1989), ‘Staying competitive through strategic management of
fast-track employees’

 Nurita Juhdi, Fatimah Pawan and Ram Milah (2012). ‘Examining Characteristics
of High Potential Employees from Employees’ Perspective’

 Dr Santhosh Koyadan Veettil(2016), ‘High Potential Employees – Building it

Right’

 N Dries, R Pepermans - Personnel Review (2007). “Real high-potential careers:

An empirical study into the perspectives of organisations and high potentials.”

Books:
• Kothari CR - Research Book
• Gupta K Shashi. - Research Book
• Gupta K Shashi - Book on Organisational Behaviour

Others:
www.google.com

www.wikipedia.com

www.niviasports.com

www.sciencedirect.com

https://www.chieflearningofficer.com/2011/11/16/how-to-keep-high-potential-employees/
https://www.gartner.com/en/human-resources/role/human-resources-leaders
www.indeed.co.in
www.economictimes.indiatimes.com
https://hbr.org/2011/10/how-to-hang-on-to-your-high-potentials

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 ANNEXURE
REVIEW

Reviews taken from:

https://www.ambitionbox.com/reviews/nivia-sports-reviews/jalandhar-location
https://www.indeed.co.in/cmp/Nivia-Sports/reviews?fcountry=IN&floc=Jalandhar%2C+Punjab&ftopic=wlbalance

Thank You.

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