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TRANSCRIPT
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RETENTION
Beyondcom
pen
satio
n
There has to be a conscious effort on the part of the
organisation to instill values of openness,
innovativeness and transparency in all that it does,
both in individuals who own the processes,
as well as in the processes themselves.
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S a young, but growing organisation,
Cognizant Technology Solutions has
struggled with one important issue: How
to retain the DNA strands of a small organi-
sation the flexibility, the innovativeness
and the openness of a small organisation
while growing. Cognizant has been growing
and changing dramatically, not just in num-
bers and in its geographical spread, but also
in terms of a fundamental shift in the nature
of its business. It has had to keep pace with
and remain at the forefront of the changing
nature of work and business.
The critical learnings that Cognizant has
discovered by experience over the last three
years are: its critical and important to man-
age growth in all its senses, to let that hap-
pen and yet not lose the cultural strands or
real core of a small organisation. So the
focus of the organisations efforts has been
on keeping its key strengths of openness,
innovativeness and transparency intact in
all that it does.
There has to be a conscious effort on the
part of the organisation to instill these val-
ues, both in the individuals who own the
processes, as well as in the processes
themselves. And to achieve this, Cognizant
uses a two-pronged approach:
q It assesses processes on a continuous
basis to ensure that they have those three
elements built into them.
q It looks for/builds these traits in all the
recruits who join the organisation. These
competencies are inculcated through train-
ing as well as continually assessing on-the-
job-behaviour.
Both the people and the systems
approaches are outlined in detail below.
The people approach
This percolates to all Cognizants people-
related systems such as recruitment, train-
ing and so on.
Talent search
The companys selection process for all
lateral recruits focuses on these attributes in
the individual. Cognizant follows the
Behavioural Event Interview method, where
the focus is always and intensely on real,
actual, demonstrated behaviour rather than
intent of a behaviour. This means that the
Bhaskar Das
A
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Cognizant
follows the
Behavioural
Event Interviewmethod, where
the focus is
always and
intensely on
real, actual,
demonstrated
behaviour
rather than
intent of a
behaviour.
interviewer asks questions about where
these traits have been demonstrated in the
applicants past job or jobs. So, the questions
are not around What would you do if this
were to happen?, the questions are always
around What did you actually do?
This is one approach that Cognizant uses
to ensure that people joining it from else-where have these traits, at least in some
measure. The other methods used to achieve
this are through training and assessment of
on-the-job behaviour.
Focused training
There are several methods that are adopt-
ed under the umbrella of training. One of
them is the assessment centre concept.
Cognizant has invested considerable effortin identifying the competencies that make
a successful Cognizant manager. In the
RETENTION
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Praxis 3 Business Line 3 May 2001 333
assessment centre, individuals are assessed
as to how much of these competencies they
possess. Over the last three years the top
100 people of the organisation have been
covered through this intervention.
Assessment centres are conducted in con-
junction with SHL of UK, a leading firm in
the area of assessment centres. Five profes-
sionals in Cognizants HR department who
have been trained by them in this process
also co-facilitate the programme.
The output from this process goes to the
individual in terms of feedback. It is also
shared with those in the organisation who
make career development/promotion deci-
sions. In this way Cognizant ensures that the
organisation honours these traits and val-
ues, and that people who have these traitsand values have a higher chance of moving
up the organisation. And if the analysis
reveals that gaps exist, then the company
provides several interventions to ensure that
the gaps are bridged.
There are also a series of ongoing pro-
grammes at the middle- and senior-manage-
ment levels that do not focus on trainingper
se, but help the person look inward to see
where he/she is at the moment. Its almost
like validating the self to check out whereone lies in certain critical areas that make
up the self.
Cognizant works with organisations such
as NIS Sparta to conduct such self-aware-
ness programmes at the junior level. Other
consultants work on an almost one-to-one
basis to give that mapping at a more senior
level. For instance, clinical psychologists
administer a battery of psychometric instru-
ments and give direct feedback to the indi-
vidual. These tests assess, among otherthings, the proclivity to be open, to share
knowledge, to learn and un-learn simultane-
ously. They also look at the behavioural
style, learning style and leadership style.
Some of the areas which are examined for
each individual through this programme
are:
q Comfort with ambiguity.
qAbility and ease with which the individual
can take up task-oriented projects with peo-
ple issues in the background, and similarly,
the ability to assume a people leadership
style with task issues in the background. The
uniqueness of this programme is that the
organisation is not privy to the feedback.
The individual, depending on the level of
acceptance, brings either the whole of the
feedback or part of it to the organisation in
a very structured manner to close some of
the gaps that one believes really exist.
Another innovative intervention is that of
role modelling, that is, positioning the key
players in the organisation and looking at
what kind of role models they are. Cognizant
believes that in a new organisation such as
itself, where a large number of people in the
middle- and top-management come from
different organisations with their own per-
ceived notions of excellence and behaviour
in the workplace its important to define the
culture of the organisation by way of certainrole models within Cognizant. And these role
models are chosen so that they possess the
three critical traits mentioned earlier. In that
sense they inculcate these values in people
who consider them to be role models.
In this way Cognizant ensures that people
who are growing within the organisation
understand themselves and appreciate the
value of these traits. It, therefore, also
makes sure that associates possess these
traits and that these traits are valued in theorganisation. It is only when the organisa-
tion makes a clear statement about what is
Cognizant
believes that
in a new
organisation
such as itself,
its important
to define the
culture of the
organisation,
by way of
certain role
models
within the
organisation.
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RETENTION
valued that these competencies acquire
stature and meaning.
The systems approach
The focus is not only on the individual, its
also on the systems and processes. So, there
is absolute and complete alignment in terms
of the people-orientation and the process-
orientation.
Consider the performance management
system. The company ensures, as a process,
that the competencies/factors that have been
defined as essential are what get assessedfrom middle-management onwards. So, in a
sense if you have them, and have them in
good measure, then your chances of suc-
ceeding are higher, because you end up get-
ting a higher score which translates into a
higher reward. The organisation also
ensures that in the process of doing all this
there is learning, openness and transparen-
cy. For instance, every manager is bound to
show the scores and rating to the person
who is getting appraised. Even the final rat-
ing is shared with the associate formally, by
means of a letter. This means that every
individual in the organisation knows what
his or her rating is. In fact, Cognizants
online system does not accept any appraisal
form which has not been signed by the per-
son getting appraised.
In case there is a difference of opinion,
there is a systemic escalation that will take
place; the issue will be escalated to the func-
tional unit head (boss boss) for referral.
That means if an employee does not agree
with the feedback given by his immediate
manager, then both can resolve the issue
through the mediation of the functional unit
head.
Cognizant has also instituted several other
systems to ensure that learning and trans-
parency are a part of the organisation. Openhouses are held twice a year, in each of the
development centres, in which every individ-
ual can ask questions about anything to do
with the growth and strategy of the organi-
sation.
It does not matter that the person may be
fresh out of college and giving a suggestion
to an industry veteran about how he believes
the organisation should be run. Not only is
this absolutely acceptable, in fact, this kind
of behaviour is encouraged becauseCognizant believes that it cannot make
openness a part of the organisation until it
He throws it, I fetch it; he throws it, I fetch it; he throws it,
I fetch it. Its a training programme designed toimprove throwing skills.
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has woven it into the way the
business is run.
As far as learning and knowledge sharing
are concerned there is Cognizant Online, the
companys intranet, which contains various
knowledge-sharing fora to which individuals
and groups contribute. Not only this, any-
body in the organisation can easily access
and understand the latest happenings in
that area. This facility is available to the
companys associates across the globe.
Apart from this, special technical areas have
their own knowledge sharing facilities. It is
ensured that whatever learning results out
of the projects is available online so that
associates have easy access to this informa-
tion and their response to a new problem isfaster and better.
The company believes that learning and
training on a continuous basis is very impor-
tant. It has MOUs with several institutions,
including BITS Pilani and Indian Statistical
Institute, Kolkata. The BITS Pilani MOU
enables Cognizant employees to get an edu-
cation which is equivalent to actually attend-
ing the course in Pilani. They can now actu-
ally do their MS or Ph.D without stepping out
of Cognizant! The quality and rigour of thateducation is exactly the same as it would
have been if they were to opt for the full-
time course on campus. The choice is no
more between being in Cognizant or pursu-
ing higher education. Today, in Cognizant,
both are possible. The expectation is that
associates pursuing such courses contribute
about 80 per cent of their personal time and
20 per cent of their work-time, without prej-
udice to their current job responsibilities, in
order to complete the course.But this is only one part of it. Every asso-
ciate in the organisation is given the oppor-
tunity to undergo training in different areas,
and there is no budget limitation on training.As Cognizant believes in the power of free
choice, associates are encouraged to nomi-
nate themselves for certain training pro-
grammes. On the technical side there is the
companys own certification process. After a
certain number of modules, the Cognizant
Academy (the companys technical training
division) certifies that the person is compe-
tent or an expert in the particular area.
Cognizant also sponsors employees for the
distance learning MBA programmes at theBritish Open University. Cognizant actively
supports any associate who wishes to pursue
Everybody starts out in a cubicle. You get a cabin
if youre here long enough.
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RETENTION
the course out of his/her own volition, by
sponsoring the course fee in full, while the
employee invests his/her personal time for
the programme.
The company also has a tie-up with B-
School for management courses at the mid-
dle-management level, and is actively look-
ing at launching an Executive Leadership
Programme for the e-economy in the near
future. This will be customised to suit
Cognizants requirements with renowned
faculty drawn from across the globe in each
area. Part of the programme will include
case studies and site visits to some of the top
e-biz companies globally. It is anticipated
that 30-40 of the companys senior man-
agers will participate in the programme in
the first batch.
Various sources NASSCOM, senior indus-
try professionals, as well as reports from the
US and Europe report that Indian software
professionals are very good technically, but
lack soft skills. In the middle-management
level where these skills come into promi-
nence, be it in handling clients, managing
teams, or self-management, India seems to
be lacking as a country. So, Cognizant is
bringing a lot of focus into developing these
skills in its associates.
Many technical people believe that their
technical skills will carry them through.
Many are now realising that this is not true.
Cognizant, as an organisation, is very con-
cerned that this should not become mere lip
service to soft skills. That is why it leaves the
acquisition of these skills to the initiative of
the individual while providing a support sys-
tem with all the opportunities to learn and
hone these skills.
Responding to needs
The themes of openness, transparency
and continuous learning take on a special
significance if you consider that a large part
of the organisation is very very young and
has been working for less than four years.
Thus, it becomes very important to under-
stand what their needs and requirements
are.
There are four predominant needs:q The need to know as much as possible
about the organisation.
q The need to share learning.
q The need for the organisation to be per-
ceived as an equitable and open organisa-
tion.
q The need to question and understand
things and therefore learn.
All this may be present to an extent in any
job. But, in Cognizant, learning, questioning
and sharingper se is important and is con-
text-free.
Therefore, it doesnt take the manage-
ment by surprise when a fresh graduate,
possibly just out of college, without any hes-
itation, apprehension or guilt questions the
CEO about why the organisation is taking a
particular position in the e-biz market. And
the CEO, without any trace of being conde-
scending, answers that question in a way he
would possibly answer the board of direc-
tors or a group of business and market ana-
lysts. This happens because the CEO
respects the position that the individual is
asking the question from.
It is important in this industry to share for
sharings sake, know for knowings sake and
learn for learnings sake. It need not be tied
to an immediate return on investment. This
is the value we want to inculcate.
Motivation is also influenced, to some
extent, by the demographics of the organisa-
tion. Most employees are youngsters, from
outside the city, with flexible hours of work.
They work in a manner different from the
conventional department. Here bonding is
not within one department, but over differ-
ent projects. People come together for a pro-
ject, then disband when the project ends.
They may come together again for another
project, but this way of working does notmean that there is no bonding. There cer-
tainly is, for the duration of the project and
even after they disband. In this kind of a
work context, many of the things that we do
become important in motivation and bond-
ing of associates. It is here that the many
things that we do to motivate employees
become important.
Fun events such as hiring a whole train
to take the entire organisation on a one-day
picnic to Pondicherry are some of the thingsthat foster a sense of celebration and togeth-
erness. We organise treasure hunts and quiz
Cognizant is
bringing a lot
of focus into
developing
soft-skills
in its
associates.
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Fun events are
some of the
things that
foster a
sense of
celebration and
togetherness.
contests, antakshiris and so on. We have a
whole cultural team within the organisation
called Log Out. This is purely an employee
initiative and is not supported by manage-
ment in any sense. The team arranges sev-
eral fun or de-stressor activities such as
go-karting, bowling and so on. This body
also organises two annual events, one is a
cultural evening and the other is the
Cognizant Annual Day.
All these measures are about creating a
space where people can bond quickly but
genuinely.
Thus, an integration of the people and the
systems approaches ensures that Cognizant
provides its associates with a work environ-
ment that stimulates them to contribute
their best and at the same time enjoy doing
this! s
(The author is Director, Human Resources,
Cognizant Technology Solutions India Ltd)