tata consultancy services limited
TRANSCRIPT
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Company Profile
Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) is the world-leading information technology
consulting, services, and business process outsourcing organization that envisioned and
pioneered the adoption of the flexible global business practices that today enable
companies to operate more efficiently and produce more value.
TCS commenced operations in 1968, when the IT services industry didn’t exist as it does
today. Now, with a presence in 34 countries across 6 continents, & a comprehensive
range of services across diverse industries, it is one of the world's leading Information
Technology companies.
It is a part of one of Asia's largest conglomerates - the TATA Group, which,
with its interests in Energy, Telecommunications, Financial Services, Chemicals,
Engineering & Materials, provides us with a grounded understanding of specific business
challenges facing global companies. When TCS commenced operations in 1968,
they pioneered the offshore delivery model for IT services.
Today, with a presence in 34 countries across 6 continents, over 35000 consultants from
30 nationalities and more than 100000 person year of experience, TCS offers a
comprehensive range of IT services to clients in diverse industries, such as banking and
financial services, insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, retail and
transportation. And a comprehensive range of services across diverse industries,
it is one of the world's leading Information Technology companies. Seven of the Fortune
Top 10 companies are among its valued customers. TCS is a part of one of Asia’s largest
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conglomerates - the TATA Group -provides the world with a grounded understanding of
specific business challenges facing global companies.
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TCS ability to deliver high quality services and solutions is unmatched.
It became the world’s first organization to achieve enterprise –wide “Maturity Level 5”
on both CMMI and P-CMM, using the most rigorous assessment methodology,
SCAMPISM. TCS integrated quality management system (inmost) integrates process
maturity, people maturity and technology maturity through the practices and standards of
various established frameworks and models, including IEEE, ISO 9001: 2000, CMMI,
SW- CMM, P-CMM and Six Sigma.
1.2. Mission, Vision & Values : The 3 Pillars of TCS
While TCS Mission articulates the reason for TCS existence, vision reflects an aspiration
to continually improve, to excel & be the best. TCS values characterize us as an
organization & guide TCS every action.
Mission
To help customers achieve their business objectives by providing innovative,
best-in-class consulting, IT solutions and services. Make it a joy for all stakeholders to
work with TCS.
Vision
To be among the top 10 global companies.
Values
Integrity
Leading Change
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Excellence
Respect for the Individual
Learning and Sharing
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1.3. Services
One of the first companies to set up an independent consulting division,
TCS today includes consulting as an integrated part of any assignment to its customers in
different industry segments.
IT Services
Application development and maintenance services over the entire IT application life
cycle including migration and re-engineering, e-commerce and internet services, testing
services, architecture and technology consulting, systems integration, as well as packaged
software implementation across multiple industry and technology domains.
IT Infrastructure
Offer services including complete outsourcing of IT networks, consulting and integration,
hardware support and installation, and infrastructure management.
Engineering and Industrial Services
Offer a range of engineering services, embedded software and R&D services to diverse
clients, assisting in new product development and product lifecycle management through
services in the areas of product design, simulation, engineering drafting, computer-aided
engineering design and manufacturing, product data management and customization of
engineering software.
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1.4. Research & Development
In 1981, TCS established the Tata Research, Design and Development Centre (TRDDC),
which was India's first industrial software R&D, centre, in Pune, India. The Advanced
Technology Centre at Hyderabad & TRDDC led TCS research & development efforts.
TCS core areas of research are systems & software engineering, process engineering,
embedded systems, VLSI, bioinformatics and security. Due to applied-research outlook,
TCS have developed several proprietary tools such as MasterCraftTM and Assent TM
that allow us to automate the software development process & significantly bring down
development costs. TCS R&D investments help us enhance & differentiate TCS services
and strengthen TCS delivery capabilities.
Tata Research, Design & Development Centre, Pune
Advanced Technology Centre, Hyderabad
TCS Technology Innovation Lab (iLab)
iLab focuses on emerging technologies that could drive disruptive changes in the global
technology industry, and develop re-usable solution frameworks based on these.
1.4.1. Flexible Global Delivery
With delivery capabilities in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, South Africa,
United Kingdom, Hungary, India, China & Japan - TCS have one of the most
comprehensive networks of delivery centers worldwide. On top of this infrastructure are
built cutting edge collaborative systems that allow seamless integration of projects
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delivered from multiple locations. For customers with operations across the globe,
TCS provide unparalleled economies of scale & scope. To customers in specific
geographies, TCS bring best-in-class technology consulting & services that help them
stay ahead of competition & drive greater returns on their information technology
investments.
TCS integrated project & quality management frameworks enable us to take the
uncertainty out of technology projects, which ultimately means TCS customers,
can expect higher levels of productivity with a reassuring predictability.
1.4.2. People
With a rare mix of domain, technology & project management experts, TCS bring the
most complete team to bear on every project TCS take on.
TCS training & development center introduces young graduates, from some of the best
educational institutions in the world, to the TCS way of doing things.
Business & technology experts, from some of the best organizations in the world,
bring invaluable insights into their areas of expertise. In a business model where people
are the growth drivers, TCS are endowed with one of the most enviable pool of talent
from across the globe.
With a presence in 34 countries, not only are TCS entrenched in developed markets such
as the United States & Canada, United Kingdom & Europe; TCS also have a strong
foothold in the high-growth markets of tomorrow such as Asia Pacific, Latin America,
Africa & the Middle East.
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While TCS strong sales & marketing presence across the globe gives us the leverage to
strengthen existing relationships build new ones & enter new markets,
TCS alliance partners give us an extended reach into markets where TCS do not have a
direct presence.
1.4.3. Customers
TCS has developed IT solutions for over 500 customers all over the world. TCS end-to-
end solutions help its customers gain efficiency in their business processes. Ultimately,
TCS arm them with that much-needed edge in the marketplace.
1.5. TCS Culture
TCS has an energetic and open workplace environment, and a collaborative culture that's
based on teamwork. Pulling together is a central tenet of TCS work ethic.
1. Diversity at work
2. The doors are always open at TCS
3. The better half of TCS
Energetic and full of enthusiasm, associates enjoy their day (and night) at work. TCS has
a stimulating and exciting experience. Not only do their offices have the best
infrastructure and technology, associates have a knack of working hard — and partying
harder.
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TCS take pride in adhering to the Tata 'code of conduct', which is in place across the
entire Tata Group. The code is a means of upholding and strengthening the trust reposed
on them by various stakeholders, be it customers or the wider society.
1.5.1. Diversity at work
TCS is an equal-opportunity employer and TCSers come from many nationalities and
speak many languages. And, since they believe in celebrating everything under the sun,
one can find them singing carols at Christmas and doing the dandiya dance at Navrathri
with equal enthusiasm. They are habituated to do the regular outing, be it with TCS
project teams, with Maitree or with just a bunch of other like-minded TCSers. They are
off to treks, nature camps, picnics or just bus rides whenever TCS get the chance.
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1.5.2. The doors are always open at TCS
Senior colleagues follow an open-door policy in which any associate can approach the
CEO and senior management with work-related problems.
Communication is a big word at TCS and an associate regularly takes part in web casts
and chat session through which important corporate issues or decisions on real-time basis
are shared with associates worldwide.
TCS also has institutionalized open-house sessions and engagement programmes in
which associates at all levels meet and discuss various work issues. In addition, TCSers
can also take part in one-on-one sessions where they can interact privately with senior
management. These sessions are helpful in providing mentorship, as well as
understanding real-life issues that colleagues face at work. The queries and discussions
are formally recorded and followed up.
1.5.3. The better half of TCS is a part to of the family….
Maitree, a fraternity comprising TCSers' spouses, was formed with the objective of
bringing the large and geographically widespread TCS community under a common
umbrella.
Maitree has two distinct objectives. Primarily, it serves as an information-sharing body
where useful tidbits about living in a foreign country which are the good schools in
Minneapolis? Where do you get Indian spices in Stockholm? Are shared by TCS
employees and their families. Maitree also functions as a forum where a wide range of
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socially relevant activities are conducted, be it improving the environment or taking care
of the less privileged.
1.6. Training and Learning
TCS sees the training and education of the people as a continuous value-adding process.
This approach hones, improves and enhances their skills — and makes the organization
stronger. The TCS training centre in Thiruvananthapuram
TCS invests about 4 per cent of its annual revenues in training, a shining example of
which can be seen at the state-of-the-art training centre in Thiruvananthapuram in the
south Indian state of Kerala.
Consider TCS ‘initial learning programme' (ILP), which is for all the recruits from
engineering colleges. This is a specially designed, 41/47 day training TCSse at the
Thiruvananthapuram facility. The ILP is conducted with the objective of transforming
engineers from diverse disciplines into software professionals.
Then there are the 'continuing education programs' (CEPs), which cover over 300 topics
and can be delivered over a variety of channels: classrooms, computers, audio / video,
contact sessions, seminars, conferences and workshops.
TCS dedicated training centre in Thiruvananthapuram, established in 1998, sprawls over
58,000 square feet. The centre has 18 classrooms, a library, an auditorium, a conference
hall, discussion rooms, and faculty and administrative areas. The facility has about 300
personal computers connected to servers.
TCS has 10 other centers in India fully equipped to conduct any type of training
programme.
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1.6.1. Driven By Knowledge
In October 2005, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) was adjudged one of 14 winners in
Asia’s Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises (MAKE) Study -- 2005. The award was
given in recognition of best practices in Knowledge Management (KM), by a panel of
Asian Fortune 500 senior executives and renowned KM experts. The organizations were
rated on eight knowledge performance parameters.
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TCS was rated the first in maximizing enterprise intellectual capital and creating a
learning organization. TCS was in the forefront in tapping intellectual capital from across
the world. In order to make the company a learning organization, 6% of its turnover was
invested in training and development. The company also had a world class training center
in place.
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2. HUMAN RESOURCE AT TCS
2.1. Role of HR at TCS
2.1.1. Building and Empowering
“The role of HR is to provide the context for energizing and developing people to play
effective roles in ensuring that TCS becomes one of the top global consulting firms.
Towards achieving this TCS will identify, develop, facilitate, and measure the human and
technological processes in the pursuit of excellence. TCS will foster the values of the
TATA group".
2.1.2. TCS HR Mission Statement
Tata consultancy services a billion dollar company has over more than 65000 work forces
or rather talking in the jargon of the company they are the associates in their business.
Tata group of company’s have always been referred as welfare of organizations
who value their employees as their own family. The people in the company are all of
varied domain and mixed regions so bringing them together and aligning them towards
the company’s goal as well their own personal development is what TCS HR has,
as a challenge.
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The HR group at TCS comprises of more than 400 qualified professionals spread across
the globe .HR is a corporate function at TCS and is currently structured both by
geography and process ownership. The HR team at TCS works with large number of
associates around the globe and they work with them efficiently with the best in class
systems and proc
2.1.4. Manpower Allocation Committee
MANPOWER ALLOCATION COMMITTEE or in TCS term MATC is hub of all
activities at TCS it’s a place where all decisions are made to maximize business returns
and simultaneously fulfill individual aspirations. In an IT industry where the company’s
assets are its software professionals and consultants, it is imperative that competencies
are built on a continuous basis. TCS follows a unique model of rotating associates
between different types of projects thus giving them an opportunity to learn and grow.
The major work of MATC is what is called in TCS parlance “allocating an associate”.
TCS world wide, give associates the opportunity to widen their horizon, experience,
aspirations and career plan –it also ensures that the business gets the maximum return in
terms of billing and revenues; it also means ensuring that the business gets the maximum
return in terms of billing and revenue; it also means ensuring maximum utilization and
realization and controlling unallocated.
2.1.5. Employee Engagement
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Mingle with the employees, stop and talk to them... Most important, listen to what they
have to say. For that’s how you can get the best out of the people. Every day,
organizations struggle to find additional means of gaining competitive advantage.
Products can be copied, promotional campaigns can be mimicked, and even technological
innovations can be imitated. The only real source of sustainable competitive advantage
for an organization is the power of its people
HR is fast shifting from being activity-based to playing a strategic role. It is time HR
learnt from the business side, donned the intra- preneurial hat and captured imagination,
to garner mind share as well as internal customer loyalty. TCS need to view people not as
mere resources but as assets/capital. This fresh perspective brings forth the need for
human capital strategies.
TCS, which has traditionally seen low attrition levels (below the 10 percent mark), are
offering additional benefits. The company gave out shares to its personnel after its famed
IPO. Employee engagement programs are one of the major activities that TCS HR is
involved into. There is a theme attached every month –and a special set of activities to go
with the theme –12 special events celebrated at TCS locations worldwide. However some
of the major events celebrated each year are-:
Technology Day –a Day to celebrate technology through technology based
quizzes /panel discussions
Sports month –To encourage sports and fitness related activities amongst
associates
TCS picnic –An opportunity for associates and families to get together and
connect
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Family Day- A day out with the family and an opportunity to meet the families of
the friends and colleagues
Associate Talent Month- A day to show case your hidden talents.
2.1.6. Employee Recognition
An award is something given to a person or group of people to recognize excellence in a
certain field. Awards are often signified by trophies, certificates, plaques, medals, badges,
pins or ribbons. An award can simply be the public acknowledgment of excellence.
TCS guarantee high motivation levels through competitive compensation packages,
stimulating job content, outstanding development opportunities, and, not the least, an
innovative recognition mechanism.
The various ways in which TCS recognizes its people are listed below:
Project milestone parties — To encourage efficient execution of projects.
Recognition of star performers / high fliers — To recognize outstanding talent. This is
a recognition mechanism acknowledging special effort put in by the associate. Each
location has aimed at its own set of STARS who receive due publicity in the hall of fame.
Peers, supervisors and the team members send nominations. These are viewed by a cross
functional committee of senior associates. Each STAR is given a certification of
recognition along with a gift voucher.
Nomination to coveted training programme — To encourage self-development.
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Best project award — To promote a spirit of internal competition across work groups and
to foster teamwork.
Best PIP award — To encourage innovation and continuous improvement.
Best auditor award — To acknowledge participation in critical support roles.
Recommendations for new technology assignments / key positions — To ensure
career progression and development of employees’ full potential.
Spot awards — To ensure real-time recognition of employees.
Performance-based annual increments — To recognize high performers. PAIS
(performance appraised information system) was introduced to recognize and reward
good performance. High performers are formally conferred the CMC Ratna Award and
interaction between CMC and other Tata companies were encouraged.
Early confirmations for new employees — To reward high- performing new
employees.
Long-service awards — To build organizational loyalty
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EVA-based increments — To ensure performance-based salaries. The 'economic value
added' model that we follow at TCS ensures that the compensation packages of our
employees are determined by the value they bring to the organization. The more they
deliver; the more are their rewards.
On-the-spot recognition — To guarantee immediate recognition of good Performance.
PEEP (Proactive Employee Engagment Program)-- PEEP provides associates with an
opportunity to have a face to face meeting with group heads and senior
management .These meetings allow an associate to speak out and voice opinions and
aspirations .It strengthens the upward communication process and ensures that important
issues are addressed.
2.2. Learning and Development
Every organization needs to have well trained and experienced people to perform the
activities that have to be done .To raise the skill levels and increase the versatility and
adaptability of the employees the organization needs to give training to its workforce.
With advent of globalization and the increasing complexities of job the importance of
training has increased. In the rapidly changing environment, employee training is not
only an activity that is desirable but also an activity that an organization must commit
resources to if it is tom maintains a viable and knowledgeable work force.
In scientific terms training can be defined as a learning experience in which it seeks a
relatively permanent in an individual
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A learning set is a process by which the group identifies common learning needs and
meets them within the group through shared learning or through external expertise or
facilitation
As learning sets are based on self-directed learning, participants can decide the particular
topics they wish to cover and how they wish these topics to be covered.
It provides a confidential forum that assists participants in testing and clarifying ideas and
provides additional motivation for each individual to take action as well as a support
network to try out ideas with. Training is described as a learning experience.
2.2.1. At TCS The Objective Of Learning Group is -
Deliver effective learning session in close liaison with all stakeholders
Share common vision of learning group
Skill and technology up gradation and associate satisfaction
Strengthening customer relation
Innovative solutions for problems
Achieving quality
The Learning Strategies -
Obtaining learning needs from Delivery Center Head, Group Leaders and
Project Leaders
Deciding training according to project needs
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At TCS the training starts with inception of joining directly from the campus.
TCS believes in quality at every step so training is one thing which they cannot ignore.
At TCS it all began in the previous century, in the late 1960s, when
Tata Consultancy Services laid the foundation for an industry that has assured India a
prominent place on the global IT map. Over the past three decades, TCS has
metamorphosed into a multi-crore company and in 2001 it turned in sale of
Rs 3,142 crore for the financial year ended March '01. Today, it has an impressive client
list that includes heavyweights like the $26-bn, US-based Target Corp. and the $111-bn
General Electric, among others.
The company attributes its success to a winning combination of excellent people and
cutting edge technology. Most of the professionals - estimated at 12,800 - work at the
SEI CMM Level 5, the highest number for any organization in the world. TCS hunts at
the best universities and institutes worldwide. Over 90 per cent of its recruits hold
degrees in engineering, maths or science, and more than 50 per cent have a Masters.
Merely taking in the brightest and the best however is not enough. For academia is not
fully equipped and in the present setup has degenerated to the level of training shops.
According to F C Kohli, Former Deputy Chairman and currently a TCS Board
Member, "To build people, TCS should equip them with knowledge and skills and
attitudes before they an execute responsibilities”.
Referring specifically to the InfoTech sector, R Narayanan, Vice-President (Education
and Training), TCS says "Infotech has a wide application. A major problem is (that of)
developing a standard set of methodologies for a variety of domains. Failures in the IT
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sector are not due to a lack of technical expertise or knowledge per se, but inadequate
knowledge about the sector. This gets amplified when TCS deliver solutions.
"Hence, it's necessary to train professionals so that they ask clients relevant questions in
order to ascertain what actually they want.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that TCS takes training very seriously. The company
invests more than 6 per cent of its revenue in training. Initially, TCS provided skill
upgrade facilities at centers in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata. But, in the absence
of standardization and integration, the company felt the need for some level of
centralization. Towards this end, it set up centre at Thiruvananthapuram, in 1997. The Rs
20-crore facility polishes more than 3,500 inductees every year. It also imparts
knowledge on emerging technologies and global management practices to all its
employees through two initiatives: the Individual Learning Process and the Continuing
Training Programme.
TCS has a well-planned induction programme for new recruits, which includes two
months of intensive training at Thiruvananthapuram and now it has a training center at
Bhuveneshwar. A proactive approach to skill development, it gives every TCS employee
20 days a year to take up any TCSser. Affirming the company's commitment to training,
TCS CEO S Ramadorai, says "life-long learning in TCS is extremely important and
articulated." The Company spends Rs 6,000-7,000 per candidate per day. Mr. Narayanan
says this is considered "people investment".
Besides sophisticated technology and lab facilities, the Thiruvananthapuram centre,
which has a 300-bed hostel, is equipped to train over 600 people simultaneously in
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various software subjects and technologies, has a gym and canteen facilities, and is
ISO 9001 certified.
The centre provides its employees with three kinds of training programmes - technology,
attitudes and management. Committed to quality, TCS has teamed up with centers of
excellence to create bodies of knowledge in computer engineering. It has tied up with
IIT Chennai to create an MTech programme, which is executed for its professionals by
the IIT. Likewise it has partnered IIT Powai on R&D projects such as micro-electronics
and intelligent internet. The attitude programme is designed to improve inter-personal
skills and help professionals work in a team. "In college TCS have the freedom to choose
TCS associates," explains Mr. Narayanan, "but in the workplace, TCS do not have that
leeway. So, TCS have to learn how to deal with people and that's what this programme
tries to do." The programme has been developed by a Pune-based freelancer, and has
been so successful that TCS has begun exporting it. In fact, according to Mr. Narayanan,
the programme has been well-received in Europe and in France, where TCS has
conducted it in French.
TCS has long realized that business is not about just people and processes. It's all about
leadership, strategy, information analysis and client focuses. With a view to promoting
better management practices, the Tata Group has adopted the Malcolm Baldridge
Model. It is a proven approach to performance management that seeks to promote as well
as improve
(a) Value delivered to clients,
(b) Organizational effectiveness and
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(c) Organizational and personal learning.
This model forms the base for the first level of the management programme.
Training builds both the individual’s and organization’s potential to work through
conflicts. This improves their decision-making skills; teaching employees collaborative
techniques and helping them recognize and implement the many processes involved in
positive change.
Studies show that managers typically spend up to 30% of their time dealing with conflict.
In recognizing the potential strength of people and groups, TCS help participants
learn – and retain – communication skills that can be used in everyday workplace
experiences.
2.2.2. Advantages of TCS Training Programmes:
Improves workplace environments as they are safer and more productive, which
reduces absenteeism and high turnover rates
Lessens the chance of costly, destructive and potentially damaging litigation
Reduces misunderstandings, grudges and unresolved conflicts so they no longer
undermine the group or team’s ability to work together
Decreases recruitment and staffing cycle time and related costs for training and
development
Increases core competency skill base by adding value to the organization
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Training also helps the employees to attain the new skills as and when required
for a specific project
Training at TCS is not only technology based but also generic managerial driven
training is also a part of the training program
Once the associate joins work after the intensive training there is routine training, which
keeps on happening at the BLG (BRANCH LEARNING GROUP) catalogue.
It is mandatory for TCS employees to attend at least 15 day training program each year
this is to upgrade their competency and brings efficiency in the work performed.
At TCS HR is not responsible for the training program they have a special cell for that
that is the branch-learning group. Each and every project which requires training for their
team can a raise a request to the BLG which will arrange the training program.
The faculty for the training program could be both outside and internal. Once the request
has been raised BLG has to arrange the training as soon as possible because that is
counted in the service level agreement.
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2.2.3. The Competency Management scene at TCS
In a dynamic environment like the IT industry, it is a challenge to keep pace with new
and emerging technologies on a continuous basis. The only way to stay afloat and ahead
of competition is by creating an environment of continuous learning for the individual
and elevating organizational skills. Thus competency management is the lifeline of the IT
organization. TCS has come up with the competency model called iCALMS
(INTEGRATED COMPETENCY AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
TCS has an unbelievable number of more than 3000 competencies and 300 roles.
An exercise on Job Analysis is being done to tag specific behavioral competencies
needed to perform specific role, i.e. anyone performing a given role will be expected or
required to possess the generic competencies tagged to that role
iCALMS AS A SYSTEM
Meets the needs of the learners at the global basis
Uses an integrated and management oriented approach to provide support for
most advance learning methods
Helps employees for their ever changing needs and skills requirement to better
contribute to current and emerging enterprise growth initiates
Provides on demand training to increase productivity and maintain competitive
advantage
Reduce costs and optimizes TCS training investments by consolidating existing
systems while offering uniform learning opportunities
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Applies a systematic way to track and measure the effectiveness of all TCS all
learning efforts with a singe scalable system at iCALMS an individual can there
is a systematic approach where each individual has the convenience of assigning
competencies and also upgrade them as and when required. Supervisor can assign
an individual roles played in the project and in the same way the individual can
assign himself specific competencies .In the same way an individual can graduate
to a higher competency in reference to specific roles or competencies.
iCALMS has proven to be advantageous and successful in the following manners:
Allocation of people to projects must be done based on updated Competencies
and aspirations of individuals
Sustenance of role and competency tagging for the end user must be done
Low turn around time for standardizing definitions of the new additions to roles
and competencies
Integration with performance management
Integration with finance to measure L&D efforts
2.2.4. The Continuous Learning
At TCS the life of the associate begins with the Induction program which helps a new
recruit to get familiar with the organization, its business, process and people and their by
let them settle down quickly and smoothly. The TCS induction program is the best in
Industry.
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For the campus recruit the Induction is in the form of ILP (initial learning Program) and it
is a specially designed program to shape a fresh graduate into a complete professional
through technical and personal development. EP (Experienced professional) training aims
at providing familiarity with software processes and business processes followed by
project-based skills set.
Once ILP is done TCS has a Continuous learning program. This is a mandatory 15 days
learning through classrooms, e learning, self-study, experience sharing. To add to once
repertoire of TCS Jargon they have a program called Life Long Learning (LLL),
which comprises of TDP (Technology Domain Process).
Learning is a cycle as associated also has an opportunity to give back to the organization.
Associate’s themselves-highly competence and enthusiasts individuals anchor most of the
learning initiatives.
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3. RECRUITMENT
Recruiting is the discovering of potential candidates for actual or anticipated
organizational vacancies it can also be called as the linking activity –bringing together
those with jobs to fill and those seek.
3.1. Factors Influencing Recruiting Efforts
Organizational Requirements
Employment condition in the community
Working condition and salary
There are 10 interrelated elements that need to be considered to develop a comprehensive
recruitment work plan. They are defined as follows:
Vision—A vision offers a fairly detailed scenario of what the organization’s ideal
should be. The mission statement asks the question, “Why are TCS here?” The
vision asks, “What should TCS be?”
Beliefs and Values—Beliefs and Values are declarations of universal human
values as Upheld by the people who make up the organization.
They are statements of belief in precise Language and absolute in application.
They are simply formatted, crisply stated and easily understood.
Mission statement—a mission statement is a clear and concise expression of the
State’s Purpose and function as it relates to its responsibilities. It answers the
question, “Why are TCS here?”
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Parameters—Parameters are the boundaries in which TCS are free to operate.
They are the imperatives that keep the organization true to itself and its values.
Internal Assessment—this is a critical analysis of how the organization is
functioning in relation to its responsibilities, methods, communications,
systems of evaluation and accountability. This critique is aimed at determining
what is working and what are not working and identifying resource gaps and
redundancies.
External Analysis—This is an environmental analysis, which seeks to predict
events and conditions that may affect the success of the organization. Categories
to include in this analysis may include: the organization’s other initiatives,
social/demographic trends, economics, political, technological; and competition
and collaboration opportunities.
Identification of Critical Issues—Critical issues are those in which the
organization faces the prospect of getting either much better or much worse.
Identifying the critical issues focuses attention on the paramount threats and
opportunities and thereby provides compelling rationale for the strategic
deployment of resources.
Objectives—The statement of objectives is the organization’s commitment to
achieve Specific and measurable end results. The objectives are what the
organization must achieve if they are to accomplish their mission and be true to
their beliefs.
Strategies—Strategies are statements of how the organization will accomplish its
stated Objectives thereby achieving its mission. Strategies are the articulation of
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bold commitments to deploy the organization’s resources toward the stated
objectives.
Action plan—Action plans are detailed descriptions of specific actions required
to implement and achieve strategies. Action plans contain step-by-step directions,
timelines, responsibilities and major milestones (milestones at which in process
results are to be evaluated.
3.2 Recruiting Sources
Internal search
Advertisement
Employee recommendation and referral
Employment agencies
Temporary help services
Schools, colleges and universities
Walk ins
Personal organization jobs
There are numerous ways in which the organization can find employees to fill the job
vacancy. However, if the company uses the wrong type of media, it can end up spending
a lot of time re-advertising, re-interviewing or employing the wrong person. This wastes
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business time and money. Below are a number of tips that should consider while deciding
the best method of recruitment advertising for the organization.
3.3 Recruitment Agencies
These companies specialize wholly in recruitment and generally keep an up-to-date
database of experience potential employees. They take the time out of advertising,
interviewing and selecting candidates, and can handover a ready-made employee to fit
the job specification. They offer part and full-time candidates. If a specialist candidates
is required, a job agency has the expertise to attract the right person; many also agencies
specialize in the candidates they attract e.g. accountancy, haulage. Agencies take the
worry out of the employment headache, and for the small business this can save a lot of
time.
Limitations
Unfortunately, they are unable to gauge the exact needs of each individual company.
As the agency interviews all candidates, they cannot detect subtle personality
requirements which would help the candidate settle in. If the candidate is found to be
unsuitable, this means more lost time. Finally, agencies also charge a fee, so if you are
going to use an agency, check their fees as they could prove quite expensive.
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3.4 Job Centre
Many Job Centers offer recruitment services for companies who use them to recruit.
For example, many will offer a room to interview potential candidates; others will help to
draw up a short list based on your job specification. Above all, this service is free.
Needless to say, this will save a small business quite a lot of time and money when
recruiting.
Limitations
However, many of the candidates may have been unemployed for some time and this
would mean that their skills may now be outdated.
3.5 Newspaper or Specialist Magazine
This is an effective method as it reaches a large audience in a short space of time,
often resulting in a significant amount of interest. The organization has an option of
targeting area or specialist profession as there are a multitude of magazines and
newspapers on offer to choose from. However, the organization may find that the more
specialized or selective they become, the more they have to pay to the advertisement, so
it can work out quite expensive. Additionally, if the organization wants to attract the
right candidate, they need to have some publishing skills to produce an attractive
advertisement. The organization can of course use a specialist publishing company to
design the right ad, but this will again cost them money.
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3.6 Employee Referral Programs
If used effectively, can serve as one of the best sources of recruitment.
The article, "Employee Referral Programs: Optimizing Your Most Effective Recruiting
Tool", written by Debbie McGrath of HR.com, focuses on the effectiveness of employee
referral programs. It presents some important statistics in favour of the usage of employee
referrals as a tool for hiring employees. Such programs enable the company to lower the
costs of hiring, improve the quality of hires, and decrease the time to hire.
However, employee referral programs encounter certain difficulties in management.
They are usually difficult to define, administer, track, and measure.
3.7Internet Recruiting
Internet recruiting is spreading like wildfire. Most companies which have a website
encourage prospective employees also to apply online. This is a form of direct
recruitment and hence it allows the recruiting company to keep recruitment costs low.
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3.8 Recruitment at TCS
Sourcing at TCS is one function, which once viewed, gives an overwhelming response by
the numbers that TCS deals with. TCS is the largest technical manpower recruiting
organization in Asia. Life at TCS recruitment team is exciting, eventful and almost 24/7.
With more than 7500 freshers and equally large number of lateral recruits joining TCS
for the last 2 -3 years. The mantra of sourcing at TCS is SOURCE; SECURE and
SECURE. The induction of the best talent available on time and every time is what
enabling TCS to achieve its vision.
In the TCS process of recruitment it was not a big surprise to know that technology acts
as an enabler. The academia portal is through which campus recruits can apply. The
customized testing program called QUEBEX used for freshers and an envisaged Direct
Trainee portal. E –recruitment is hugely cost effective and efficient tool used for lateral
recruitment.
3.8.1. Recruitment at TCS takes place for
Direct Trainees (Fresher)
Experienced Professionals
Fresher Recruitment
TCS ensures that its campus recruits comes from premier institutes of the country
through an evaluation process ACCREDITION.TCS accredits both technical and
management institutes annually and visits only these campuses.
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Based on business recruitments there is also an intake of Direct Trainee (DTs) where
recruitment drives at specific locations are conducted and students from all over the
country participate.
The campus recruitment process is as follows-:
Request students to upload their profile on TCS academia PORTAL
Shortlist applications based on eligibility criteria
Put them through Aptitude Test
Conduct Technical Interviews for short listed candidates
Conduct HR and Management Reviews
Medical check
Offer letter
Lateral Sourcing
Lateral hires at TCS are called EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS (Eps). TCS follows
the process of sourcing mix wherein they recruit both freshers as well as experienced
professional who have an excellent academic background.
The process of Experienced Professional at TCS is -:
Receiving CV
Conduct Technical and HR screening of the profile for suitability
Conduct Aptitude test for candidates with less than 2 years of experience
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Conduct Technical interview for short listed candidates
Candidate HR and Management Reviews
Medical Check
Offer Letter
Sources for Lateral Recruitment
Advertisement through Newspapers
Jobsites
TCS Portal
Consultants
Buddy Lao(employee referral)
Advertisement through Newspapers
Lateral hiring at TCS is also done by giving newspaper advertisement where in the
required skills are mentioned and short listing is done according. The major part is to
cover the recruitment drive, which was based on a newspaper advertised in a renowned
newspaper for the software professionals. More or less the process is the same but here it
depends on the specific requirements of the branch or the company as a whole.
TCS recruitment advertisement mostly gets published in Hindustan Times as TCS has a
contract with Hindustan Times.
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Consultants
TCS also recruits associates through placement agencies or consultants. TCS has a direct
link with these consultants to whom they specify their requirements also the skill set for
the current positions. These placement agencies are contracted directly by the corporate
office.
Employee Referral (Buddy Lao)
TCS being one of the largest recruiters of software professionals also recruits through its
employee referral program. The employee referrals program at TCS is called BUDDY
LAO. This is one of the best sources of recruitment.
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4. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL SYSTEM
Almost every organization in one way or another goes through a periodic ritual,
Formally or informally, known as performance appraisal. Performance appraisal has been
called many things. The formal performance appraisal has been called a tool of
Management, a control process, an activity and a critical element in human resources
allocation. Uses for performance appraisal have included equal employment opportunity
considerations, promotions, transfer and salary increases. Primarily performance
appraisal has been considered an overall system for controlling an organization.
Performance appraisal has also been called an audit function of an organization regarding
the performance of individuals, groups and entire divisions.
Performance Appraisal. - The term performance appraisal has been called by many
names, including performance review, performance evaluation, personnel rating, merit
rating, employee appraisal or employee evaluation. A performance appraisal has been
defined as any personnel decision that affects the status of employee regarding their
retention, termination, promotion, transfer, salary increase or decrease, or admission into
a training program.
For this study, performance appraisal has been confined to the formal performance
appraisal.
Appraisals have been cited to range from official, prescribed meetings between an
evaluator and evaluate to causal, change occasions where an evaluator observed work
activities and indicated his or her assessment with an informal comment.
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Definition of Terms
Behavioral Anchored Rating Scales - The term used to describe a performance
rating that focused on specific behaviors or sets as indicators of effective or
ineffective performance, rather than on broadly stated adjectives such as "average,
above average, or below average". Other variations were:
a. Behavioral observation scales
b. Behavioral expectations scales
c. Numerically anchored rating scales
Checklists. - The term used to define a set of adjectives or descriptive statements.
If the rater believed the employee possessed a trait listed, the rater checked the
item; if not, the rater left the item blank. rating score from the checklist equaled
the number of checks.
Critical Incident Technique. - The term used to describe a method of
performance appraisal that made lists of statements of very effective and very
ineffective behavior for employees. The lists have been combined into categories,
which vary with the job. Once the categories had been developed and statements
of effective and ineffective behavior had been provided, the evaluator prepared a
log for each employee. During the evaluation period, the evaluator recorded
examples of critical behaviors in each of the categories, and the log has been use
to evaluate the employee at the end of the evaluation period.
Forced Choice Method - This appraisal method has been developed to prevent
evaluators from rating employees to high. using this method, the evaluator has to
select from a set of descriptive statements, statements which applied to the
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employee. The statements have been weighted and summed to at, effectiveness
index.
Forced Distribution - The term used to describe an appraisal system similar to
grading on a curve. The evaluator had been asked to rate employees in some fixed
distribution of categories. One way to do this has been to type the name of each
employee on a card and ask the evaluators to sort the cards into piles
corresponding to rating.
Graphic Rating Scale. - The term used to define the oldest and most widely used
performance appraisal method. The evaluators are given a graph and asked to rate
the employees on each of the characteristics. The number of characteristics can
vary from one to one-hundred. The rating can De a matrix of boxes for the
evaluator to check off or a bar graph where the evaluator checked off a location
relative to the evaluators rating.
Narrative or Essay Evaluation. - This appraisal method asked the evaluator to
describe strengths and weaknesses of an employee's behavior. Some companies
still use this method exclusively, whereas in others, the method has been
combined with the graphic rating scale.
Management by Objectives. - The management by objectives performance
Appraisal method has the supervisor and employee get together to set objectives
in quantifiable terms. The appraisal method has worked to eliminate
communication problems by the establishment of regular meetings, emphasizing
results, and by being an ongoing process where new objectives have been
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established and old objectives had been modified as necessary in light of changed
conditions.
Paired Comparison. - The term used to describe an appraisal method for ranking
employees. First, the names of the employees to be evaluated have been placed on
separate sheets in a predetermined order, so that each person has been compared
with all other employees to be evaluated. The evaluator then checks the person he
or she felt had been the better of the two on the criterion for each comparison.
Typically the criterion has been the employees over all ability to do the present
job. The number of times a person has been preferred is tallied, and the tally
developed is an index of the number of preferences compared to the number being
evaluated.
Ranking. - The term ranking has been used to describe an alternative method of
performance appraisal where the supervisor has been asked to order his or her
employees in terms of performance from highest to lowest.
Weighted Checklist. - The term used to describe a performance appraisal method
where supervisors or personnel specialists familiar with the jobs being evaluated
prepared a large list of descriptive statements about effective and ineffective
behavior on jobs.
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4.1 Two Approaches to Performance Appraisal
There have been two prevalent approaches to performance appraisal. The first approach
has been the traditional approach This approach has also been known as the
organizational or overall approach. The traditional approach has been primarily
concerned with the overall organization and has been involved with past performance.
The second approach to performance appraisal has been the developmental approach.
This approach viewed the employees as individuals and has been forward looking
through the use of goal setting.
4.1.1Traditional Performance Appraisal Purposes
The purpose of performance appraisal has been fundamentally backward or historically
oriented; past performance has been reviewed in the light of the results achieved.
Performance appraisal for evaluation using the traditional approach has served the
following purposes:
1. Promotion, separation, and transfer decisions
2. Feedback prior the employee regarding how the organization viewed the employee’s
performance.
3. Evaluations of relative contributions made by individuals and entire departments in
achieving higher level organization goals
4. Criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of selection and placement decisions,
including the relevance of the information used in the decisions within the organization.
5. Reward decisions, including merit increases, promotions, and other rewards.
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6. Ascertaining and diagnosing training and development decisions.
7. Criteria for evaluating the success of training and development decisions.
8. Information upon which work-scheduling plans, budgeting, and human resources
planning can be used two serious flaws in the traditional approach to performance
appraisal were noted.
The flaws were:
Organizational performance appraisal was primarily concerned with the past
rather than being forward looking through the use of setting objectives or goals.
Performance appraisal has usually been tied to the employees salary review.
Dealing with salary generally overwhelmed and blocked creative, meaningful, or
comprehensive consideration of performance goals.
4.1.2 Developmental Performance Appraisal Purposes
The developmental approach to performance appraisal has been related to employees as
individuals. This approach has been concerned with the use of performance appraisal as a
contributor to employee motivation, development, and human resources planning.
The development approach contained all of the traditional overall organizational
performance appraisal purposes and the following additional purposes.
1. Provided employees the opportunity to formally indicate the direction and level
of the employee's ambition.
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2. Show organizational interest in employee development, which was cited to help the
enterprise retain ambitious, capable employees instead of losing the employees to
competitors
3. Provided a structure for communications between employees and management to help
clarify expectations of the employee by management and the employee
4. Provide satisfaction and encouragement to the employee who has been trying
to perform well.
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4.2. The Performance Appraisal Tool
When used as a developmental tool, performance appraisal requires the addition of a
development plan and required the appraisal be orientated toward the individual
employee rather than the organization. The employee and manager must work together to
negotiate goals that correspond to employee and organizational needs.
When used developmentally, performance appraisal generally involved the following
elements:
1. The employee and manager completed separate assessments
2. The manager and employee had a face-to-face discussion of the separate assessments,
often with a third party (such as a personnel officer) present to mediate and offer an
outside view
3. The employee must have had a chance to declare his or her interest in other jobs or
training programs via self-nomination processes formally included in performance
appraisal
4. An action plan or "contract" between the manager and employee about further steps to
help develop the employee.
5. In large corporations, increasingly, collection of data about worker skills and career
goals in a central information bank has been noted.
Alewine stated the performance appraisal objective has been to get employees to see
themselves as they really are. The person being appraised should recognize the need to
improve job performance and be committed to a plan for improved job performance.
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There must be a mutual agreement on a development plan for the coming appraisal
period. The manager should remain alert to the employee's progress during the year as the
development plan is being carried out.
The first goal of the appraisal process has been to get the employees to see
themselves as they really are.
The second goal had been to get the employee to recognize the need to improve
job performance.
The third and final goal had been to involve the employee in developing a plan for
improving job performance and better career planning.
Also noted had been that if the employee's were involved in the performance appraisal
from the beginning, informed of his or her progress (or lack of progress) all along,
and given a stake in the process, then chances were better that the main object of the
employees anger or frustration will not have been the employees supervisors or the
organization, but themselves. The development aspect of performance appraisal would be
one way for the employees to get involved in the appraisal.
4.3 Performance Management Process at TCS
The Performance Management System is based on specific performance objectives,
which are jointly determined by subordinates and their superiors and progress towards
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these objectives is periodically reviewed. Rewards are granted based on progress
towards achieving these goals. Performance Management is a basket of tools and
systems, which cater to aligning individual level performance to organizational goals.
TCS performance management process makes use SPEED (System for performance
evaluation and employee development) tool to capture goals, align them, conduct self
appraisal, supervisor evaluation and of course review .TCS has a very robust Appraisal
Process. It starts in the beginning of the year where in each associate has a target and goal
set by the supervisors.
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The flowchart for the process of performance management at TCS is shown with the help
of the following chart-:
Fig 4.1: Performance Management Flow at TCS
The first and foremost step in Performance management System (PMS) at TCS is Data
validation i.e. Appraise checks on ultimate who is his supervisor, reviewer and other
information related to PMS.
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DATA VALIDATION
GOAL SETTING
BUYING OF GOALS
SELF-ASSESSMENT
APPRAISEE EVALUATION
REVEIWER EVALUATION
SHARING OF RATING WITH APPRAISEE
Then based on BSC (balance score card) goals for organization development as well as
employee development under four heads i.e. financial, customer satisfaction, Internal
Process and learning & growth are set by supervisor and appraise (employee) checks
them. If it seems to be feasible and achievable employee buys those goals otherwise he
can negotiate with his supervisor.
Then Appraisee assess himself/herself on 10 attributes (Limitation Can’t be disclosed)
related to Knowledge / Technical expertise required for the job, Result Orientation,
Initiative / Personal drive , Communication , Team Skills, Customer Satisfaction ,
Quality Consciousness, Developing People etc. Each attribute carries different weight
age. Then his supervisor(Appraiser) evaluate Appraisee on same 10 attributes then
reviewer review and then finally based on some formula(Internal to TCS) final rating out
of 5 for an appraisee is disclosed where in 1- poor , 2- Average (needs improvement),
3-Good , 4- Very Good , 5- Superstar, High performer.
In case of any problem Appraise can ask for feedback.
When same process is carried out for each and every employee then curve fitting is done.
4.3.1 The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a framework that focuses on shareholder,
customer, internal and learning requirements of a business in order to create a system of
linked objectives, measures, targets and projects which collectively describe the strategy
of an organization and how that strategy can be achieved. In the process of creating a
BSC, four perspectives – financial, customer, internal process and learning and
growth – capture the roles, tasks and priorities of the various divisions and individuals.
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Three Steps in Building a Balanced Scorecard
Build a strategy map: The first output of a BSC project is a strategy map. It
shows the top 15-20 objectives that the organization needs to focus on to deliver
its strategy. Financial objectives are critical to the existence of all organizations.
However, to deliver these financial outcomes, the organization must determine
what customer needs have to be met, and what internal processes are critical for
delivering their expectations. Finally, managers need to work out what the
organization must learn in order to carry out the core processes efficiently and
effectively. Even though the concept of the BSC is simple, it’s difficult to
develop. This is because managers are used to thinking operationally and for the
short-term rather than strategically. The development of a BSC usually reveals
gaps in strategy. An illustrative strategy map would look like:
Create a BSC: The next step is to define the metrics needed to measure the
success of a strategy. Both financial and non-financial measures are identified.
Approximately 30-40 lead and lag measures are identified, and a significant effort
is made to ensure that there are enough lead measures so that the BSC created
allows the organization to actively manage the delivery of the strategy.
Owners are identified within the management team so that there is collective
ownership and responsibility in delivering the strategy. Actual performance is
computed, and the targets for delivering the strategies are set. Care is taken to set
breakthrough and stretch targets in select areas where benefits could be
significant, balancing it out with more realistic targets for other objectives.
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Lastly, internal projects that tend to often lose sight of what business objectives
they need to achieve are identified, prioritized and aligned to the business
objectives they will help deliver. BSCs are created at the corporate/ group level
but many organizations that want to ensure that the corporate strategy is detailed
at the operational level will build cascaded scorecards for all business units, and
some or all support functions.
Use the BSC: Once a scorecard is designed, it takes about 60-90 days to take it
‘live’. Actual and targets need to be set and internal Balanced Scorecard
coordinators need to get organized for monthly reporting of the scorecards.
The BSC is then used actively in the monthly management committee /
operational committee meetings to find solutions and improve performance in
areas where the BSC identifies where business targets are not being met.
In some cases, scorecard automation software is purchased to improve the ease and
quality of reporting, but in many cases, for the initial period, companies use simple excel
formats. Abbreviated versions can also be created for quarterly reports to the board of
directors, and key themes can be identified for communication across the organization.
The BSC should be reviewed yearly, in the third quarter of the financial year.
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4.3.2 Balanced Scorecard at TCS
TCS conducts two appraisals: one at the end of the year and another at the end of a
project. Appraisals are based on Balanced Scorecard, which tracks the achievement of
employees on the basis of targets at four levels — financial, customer, internal, and
learning and growth.
The financial perspective quantifies the employee’s contribution in terms of revenue
growth, cost reduction, improved asset utilization and so on; the customer perspective
looks at the differentiating value proposition offered by the employee; “internal” refers to
the employee’s contribution in creating and sustaining value; “learning and growth” are
self-explanatory. The weightage given to each attribute is based on the function the
employee performs.
Based on their individual achievements, employees are rated on a scale of one to five
(five = “superstar”). If employees get a low rating (less than two) in two consecutive
appraisals, the warning flags go up. “If the poor performer continues getting low scores
then the exit option may be considered,”
Over the years TCS has found the pattern that leads to the maximum decline in
performance — boredom. If employees work for more than two years on the same
project, typically either their performance dips or they leave the organization.
To avoid that, TCS shuffles its employees between projects every 18 months or so.
“Performance drops if motivation drops,”
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4.3.3 Advantages of Balanced Scorecards
The Balanced Scorecard will benefit your organization in more ways than one. First and
foremost, it will make the Vision and Mission of your organization operational.
The BSC then has a dual role to play in helping your organization.
As a Strategy Management / Implementation Tool it will help your organization
in validation / enhancement of Strategy and Business Plan and help evolve clear
consensus on the same. It will also allow articulation and communication of the
Vision and Mission into key strategic objectives and creation of Strategy Maps at
Corporate and Departmental levels, thereby aligning the entire organization to the
strategy. This ensures clarity and transparency in understanding and realization of
implications of the Vision on the key operating and support departments.
Experience has shown that this will ensure that your organization remains a
Customer Focused Organization, which is so very important especially in today’s
competitive world. It has also helped organizations in identification of new
customer segments and articulation of their expectations, as a part of their
customer service strategy. This helped in prioritization and alignment of all
strategic action plans that would help implement the strategy and made Strategic
Planning a continual process.
As a Performance Management Tool it will help organization remain pro-active
by ensuring an adequate balance between “lead” and “lag” measures
(Performance Drivers vis-à-vis Outcome Measures). Adopting a BSC framework
also ensures that the senior management no longer works in their own functional
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“silos” thereby giving a “macro” perspective to them. BSC also provides clear
linkage and alignment of individual performance with enterprise performance and
provides flexibility in Key Result Areas (KRAs) depending on the business needs
of the organization. Most importantly, it helps deliver financial measures by
managing non-financial measures.
4.4 Problems with Appraisal
Four persistent problems were also identified.
One concerned how to arrive at a single overall performance appraisal, often
needed for compensation decisions, based on a series of individual ratings and/or
narrative statements.
A second had been how to managers to follow a strictly merit philosophy, rather
than giving approximately the same percentage increases to everyone.
A third concerned how to get greater employee involvement in the appraisal
process, so that the appraisal process will become more of a joint problem-solving
discussion and less of a "tell and sell" session.
The final problem had been how to reconcile the developmental and
administrative requirements of an appraisal system, since an approach that
satisfied one was often found to be unsuitable for the other.
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4.5. Some Key Steps That Can Take Toward Achieving Effective Performance
Appraisals--ones that can be used to validate the selection process as well as to make
decisions about pay or promotions:
(1) Select what performance data to collect
(2) Determine who conducts the appraisal
(3) Decide on a rating philosophy
(4) Overcome rating deficiencies
(5) Create a rating instrument
(6) Deliver useful information to employees
(1) Select What Performance Data to Collect
One way to classify on-the-job worker behavior is by considering the three
"P’s"--productivity (what was done), personal traits (how it was done, conduct) and
proficiency (skill).
Productivity can be measured in terms of specific performance accomplishments.
Personal traits such as motivation, willingness to take criticism, cooperation, initiative,
dependability, and appearance (dress and grooming) may be considered. Personal trait
ratings are useful, even though they sometimes say more about how supervisors get along
with an employee than how well the employee performs on the job.
When personal traits are considered as part of a performance appraisal, specific
characteristics should be related to the job. Often, a personal trait issue can be translated
into an achievement. Instead of talking about worker dependability (personal trait), for
instance, one may want to address how well an employee reports on assignment
completions (productivity).
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Proficiency—skill, knowledge, and ability—plays an important role in worker
performance. When appraisals address worker proficiency factors (e.g., AI skills for a
herdsman), they help assure worker interest in overcoming deficiencies that may be
blocking future performance or growth
(2) Determine Who Conducts the Appraisal
Input into the appraisal of worker performance may come from many sources including
the employee, co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, or even persons outside the
organization. Ratings from multiple sources usually yield more reliable performance
appraisals.
Employee Usually, but not always, the employee has a good understanding of his daily
performance and how it can be improved. Employees can be the most important persons
in the evaluation process; Nevertheless, employees have a vested interest in making
positive comments about their own performance, and no matter how motivated they are,
can usually benefit from outside evaluation.
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Co-workers At times co-workers have a better grasp for a colleague’s performance than
the supervisor, but co-worker evaluations have a tendency to be lenient. Sometimes co-
workers hope management will read between the lines and praise irrelevant or
insignificant factors. At times a co-worker may be particularly hard on a disliked worker.
Peer review is usually anonymous and several peers are involved in the evaluation. This
anonymity, while often needed, can also lend itself to abuses.
Supervisor Performance appraisal data obtained from the immediate supervisor is the
most common rating source. Supervisors are often in the best position to give workers an
honest evaluation. The danger in supervisory evaluations is the substantial amount of
power and influence wielded, often by the hand of a single rater.
Subordinate Formal evaluation by subordinates is unusual, although from time to time
subordinates may be asked for input into the evaluation of their supervisor. When
subordinates have an input into their supervisor’s evaluation, supervisors have been
known to improve their interpersonal relations and reduce management by intimidation.
Issues of anonymity and adequate sampling of subordinates may be important in
traditional appraisals.
Outside the organization Evaluations by outside clientele may be useful in instances
when there is much personal contact with outsiders or when the person being evaluated
knows more about aspects of the job than the farmer or supervisor.
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(3) Decide On a Rating Philosophy
Performance appraisal data can also be classified according to whether employees are
compared against others or are rated against a standard.
Comparison against others. Normally, when comparing employees against each other, a
few employees end up at the top and a few at the bottom in what is known as a normal
distribution curve (also known as "grading by the curve," see Figure1). The majority end
up somewhere in the middle. Where the employee is ranked depends on how a person
performs in comparison to others.
The principal advantage of the comparison method is preventing raters from placing all
employees in one category (for example, all superior). Two disadvantages—especially
when very few workers are involved—include assuming (1) employees fall in a normal
distribution (there may be four excellent performers in a group of five, or none in a group
of three), and (2) there are similar differences in performance between two adjacent
employees, for instance, between those ranked 1 and 2 and those ranked 4 and 5.
Figure. "Grading by the curve" (normal distribution bell curve).
Increasing % of
workers in category
Poor ......Average...... Superior
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Worker Performance
Rating against a standard permits a supervisor to classify employee performance
independently from that of other employees. Both supervisor and employee have a
reference point for accurately looking at an employee’s long-term performance growth.
Ratings against a standard do not preclude comparisons. While employees may typically
compare themselves to others, there is little to be gained by having the organization
promote such comparisons. They are likely to create envy, vanity and dysfunctional
competition. In a healthy organization, one employee’s success need not mean another’s
failure. If all can succeed, much the better.
(4) Overcome Rating Deficiencies
Supervisory evaluations often suffer from numerous rating deficiencies:
One particularly good or poor trait may contaminate other performance areas
considered in the evaluation.
Once a worker is classified as a poor performer, it may take a long time for a
supervisor to notice the worker has improved.
Supervisors tend to remember events more recent to the evaluation. Workers,
realizing this, may strive to improve performance as time for appraisals near.
Supervisors may tend to rate workers as average, especially when rating forms require a
written justification for a high or low rating. Others may tend toward being either overly
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strict or lenient. Lenient raters may later appear to contradict themselves (e.g., when a
worker is disciplined or does not get a raise.
Raters may also be influenced by an employee’s personal attributes such as
national origin, level of education, union membership, philosophy, age, race,
gender, or even attractiveness.
(5) Create a Rating Instrument
You can choose from several data collection and evaluation techniques, or rating scales.
Whatever instrument is used, it should provide meaningful information to both
employees and management.
There are a number of ways of classifying performance appraisal instruments. Data can
be presented in terms of critical incidents, narratives, or predetermined anchors.
A combination of approaches is often necessary to end up with a useful performance
appraisal. Appraisal instruments require substantial rater training if results are to be
meaningful.
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(6) Deliver Useful Information to Employees
This brings us back to sharing information with the employee (Negotiated Performance
Appraisal). Evaluations work best when workers know the evaluation criteria in advance.
Such areas of evaluation can form the basis for an intelligent conversation about
performance between supervisor and employee. In one farm operation a manager was
able to not only discuss a foreman's performance within his present job, but also the types
of skills that were needed if the foreman was interested in a potential promotion to
assistant manager.
Despite the importance of formal appraisals, an effective manager does not wait for
formal performance appraisal interviews to communicate with employees. Sharing
information about performance should be done frequently and in a positive manner.
There should not be too many surprises for the employee when both discuss the
evaluation. The negotiated performance appraisal, to a great extent, accomplishes the task
of removing possible surprises at a much deeper level, as it encourages candid
conversation between the individual being appraised and the supervisor.
Regardless of the approach taken, it helps to involve the worker in making plans and
taking responsibility for improvement. Allowing the worker to take a major role in the
performance appraisal interview does not guarantee the interview will be fun, but it can
do much to reduce its unpleasantness.
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5. METHODOLOGY
For doing any Research work, a well planned out Research design is devised so as to
facilitate the research work. It owes both time and resources.
5.1 Subject of the Research
The subject undertaken for the study is “An Empirical Study of Recruitment and
Performance Appraisal System at TCS”
5.2 Research Methodology
It was intended to carry out an exploratory study of the current practices in the field of
Performance management System in the selected Companies.
Firstly a literature review was undertaken to understand various steps of appraisal
process.
Secondly the working of company was observed, current system was understood and also
the help of Branch HR and HR Executives was taken to understand their appraisal system
within the framework of purposed study.
The following parameters were considered while pursuing the project.
Period of performance Appraisal
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Methods Followed
Grading System
Attributes Undertaken to appraise an employee
Link to reward system.
Lastly a questionnaire was prepared to gather employee views regarding performance
appraisal system, existing in TCS. Particularly aim was to measure the satisfaction
level of employees with the system.
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5.3 Purpose of Research
Since Performance Appraisal is a budding Concept, purpose of the study was to find out
the extent to which concept has taken its roots in the organization. The attempt is to
understand the problem faced by executives and the reasons for their reluctance, if any in
the adaptation of the concept.
The ultimate attempt however is to find viable solutions and to recommend ways for
making the system a grand success in the organization.
5.4 Objective of the study
To learn the HR processes of the organization.
To study the recruitment policy’s and procedures.
To learn the ability to select a recruitment model that will improve the quality of the
present and future workforce of the organization.
To know about the learning and development of the organization.
To learn about the process of competency mapping and up gradation of competency
To learn the framework around how to achieve recruitment objectives
To Study and analyze the Performance Appraisal process of TCS.
5.5 Place of Research
TCS, Lucknow
5.6 Sampling
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Research work if conducted on the entire population under study becomes too difficult to
conduct. It requires a very long time period and large resources. This sampling is done so
that a chosen number of people in the organization would represent the entire population.
Quota sampling is done on the basis of Designations in TCS.
35% ITA (Information Technology Analyst)
15% ASE-T (Assistant system Engineer-Trainee)
50% ASE (Assistant system Engineer)
Sample Size
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Sources of Data Collection
Primary data-Questionnaire is used to collect first in-hand data
Secondary data- Journals, Internet, Brochures, Magazines.
Review of Early Literature
The literature available form the department helped a lot to give an insight into the
subject.
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7. RECOMMENDATIONS
Findings mostly stressed on one major point that is lack of awareness among
employees regarding various HR Processes (Performance management- some
employees don’t know on which parameters their performance is judged, which
technique is used in performance management system) that’s why there is a need
of counseling, some sessions should be taken by HR-executives to make
employees aware so that all their queries can be resolved and they also feel
comfortable.
Firm can make use of latest techniques like 360 degree, MBO (management by
objective) so that subordinates also get chance to appraise their supervisors.
Project end approvals should be followed up regularly to attain perfection in every
execution. Incase there is any negligence, the organization can rectify as early as
possible, else it might be pretty costly to TCS.
Goals should be flexible as in 6 months duration they might change. In this
competitive era, it has become a necessity for any organization to be active and
dynamic to cope up with the competitors. Hence goals should be so dynamic that
alterations can be made as and when required.
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There should be workflow tracking of feedback sessions also. Feedback sessions
generally tend to reveal more and more ideas and openings not on about the plans
but also regarding the procedures being followed. When a mistake is detected,
immediately remedial steps are taken, with minimum loss to the company.
360-degree feedback should be incorporated at every possible step. It will be
highly beneficial to the organization as biasness can be avoided. Further, the
details about the employee’s performance, cooperation, leadership capabilities
etc. can be well mapped and again necessary changes can be made as and when
required.
Employees should be made aware about the factors considered for their
performance appraisal at the time of their joining so that they can put their best
foot forward.
Also the research proves that there is no proper system of feedback to the
employees after their appraisal. A proper system of individual feedback giving
process needs to be established.
The feedback should point out the strengths and weakness of the employees. Also
proper training and counseling needs to be organized so that the employees can
overcome their weakness.
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The best solution that I would suggest to handle the above mentioned problems is
to create a performance management website that would be accessible to all
employees of TCS. To maintain secrecy, individual employees will be given
password for having access to the site. All the policies of the organization relating
to career development, training, performance appraisal, promotions, and transfers
will be uploaded on the site. Individual employees can also have access to their
ratings, feedback and other information relating to their appraisal on the site by
entering their password. Also there should be proper checks and filters to
minimize the biases in the appraisal of an employee by his/her superior.
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8. CONCLUSIONS
TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES LTD (TCSL) is one of the leading software
companies of India. At TCS Lucknow which may sound to be a small branch but has
accommodated more than 360 associates of which some are offshore onsite.
Managing such a woofing number is a challenging task for TCS HR Lucknow.
Giving a bird eye to the various HR process and policies all I can conclude that each
and every process is to be more well defined with a back up plan and should be
meticulously updated from time to time referring to the needs of the organization, the
changing trends and most importantly the needs of the associates because they are the
foundation of such a big empire.
One of the most important points that I would highlight in my report that, it is
only at TCS that the attrition rate is yet the lowest due to the brand name in the
industry.Thus the HR department has a wide scope to develop binding among the
employee.
It is still good to find that, HR team is on their toes to get the best talent.
The method of recruitment for categories like fresher and lateral recruits is chosen
on the following basis-:
Effectiveness of the method
Cost involved in the method
Employment condition of the organization
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Requirements of the organization
TCS uses a well-balanced technique for recruitment. The learning community
at TCS is one of the leading in the industry. Starting from the beginning with
the ILP program and the continuous programs which keep on happening keeps
the associates profile updated. Trainings are an ongoing process at TCS,
whose intensity could be measured by the fact that TCS Lucknow has few
training rooms specifically for the purpose. The branch learning group at
TCS works round the clock organizing training sessions both technical as well as generic
managerial.
Key objectives of performance appraisals include:
validating selection and other management or cultural practices
helping employees understand and take responsibility for their performance
Making decisions about pay or promotions.
Important steps to obtaining useful traditional appraisals include:
Determining the type of data to be collected as well as who will conduct the
appraisal.
Establishing a rating philosophy.
Overcoming typical rating deficiencies.
Creating a rating instrument.
Engaging the employee in making decisions on future performance changes.
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An effective negotiated performance appraisal helps the employee take
additional ownership for both continuing effective performance and improving
weak areas. Employee goals set through performance appraisals should be difficult
but achievable, as goals that are overly ambitious are doomed for failure.
Some employees tend to boycott their own progress by setting impossible goals
to achieve. Finally, employees want to know what you think of their work.
Letting workers know that you have noticed their efforts goes a long way towards
having a more motivated workforce.
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