Winning the Talent War

Ravi C Dasgupta Head – Group HR

CIO Leadership Summit 10-11th July’09

Presentation Overview

The Hunt for Talent

Attracting and Retaining Talent

Leadership Requisites

Developing Talent

Delegation

More and more number of colleges are being set up

and increasing their student intake

Employability* of graduating students in the country

is very low

Lack of Niche technical skills

Shortage of talent at middle and senior level positions

Business Pressures – Relentless competition,

demanding customers, growing complexity and need

for innovation

*Employability means for every 100 students applying for a job in

the industry at the various levels, how many students are

considered employable by the industry, both immediately or after

some minor orientation and training programs.

The Talent Scarcity

Winning the Talent War

Two Pronged Approach:

Revamping Organizational StrategiesAligning Talent Strategy with Business StrategyAttracting the right talent and keeping it motivatedInducing high performance culture

Leadership Characteristics and DevelopmentA Leader’s capability to attract good talentHelp develop these capabilities in others

Attracting & Retaining Talent : Employer Branding

EXTERNAL BRANDING

INTERNAL BRANDING

THE

BRAND

External Branding Initiatives

Biocon – An Indian MNC• Ranks 20th amongst the top 25 Global Biotech

Companies in terms of revenue (Med Ad’08)• 7th largest employer amongst the top global

biotechnology companies (Med Ad’08)• Office Locations in New Jersey, London, Abu

Dhabi• 70% stake in German Company Axicorp

Global Partnerships• Partnerships with Global organisations:

IATRICa, Abraxis• Partnering with international Universities:

Deakin University, Karolinska University• Campus Visits : Cambridge University, Harvard

University, Stanford University, INSEAD, Berkley University etc.

• International Accreditation: OHSAS 18001,ISO 9000:2001

External Branding Initiatives

Strong Culture of Research & Innovation• Advanced in-house R&D Programs• Custom and Clinical Research Services• Strong brand equity• Respect in scientific community

International Recruitment• Association with International Recruitment

Consultants• Invite international interns for brief but

crucial projects• Posting of jobs in International Job portals• Excellent network of Scientific talent scouts

Biocon’s Approach – Retaining Talent• Excellent Learning Opportunity

• Exciting Product Pipeline and Research Opportunities: Encompasses discovery to development and commercialization with cost-effective drug development capabilities and significant manufacturing capacity

• World-class Infrastructure and Technology: BIOCON Park is Asia’s largest integrated Biopharmaceutical hub spread across 90 acres

• Intellectual Profile of People: Amongst the 3500 qualified personnel, 5% are PhDs and 40% have a masters degree in science

• Maximum Exposure

• Participation in international conferences, seminars and

presentations

• Introduction to a broad spectrum of products and potential

research areas

• Enthusing Work Culture

• Robust Performance Management System: Reward

outstanding performers

• Flat Organizational Structure: More responsibilities &

autonomy

• Open Work Culture: Even CMD is accessible !

• Need based Training Programs for individual and career

development

• Guard against Recession: The strategic selection and

management of product portfolio has cushioned the impact

of recessionary market forces

Biocon’s Approach – Retaining Talent

Biocon’s Approach – Retaining Talent• Good Compensation and Benefits Plan

• Competitive, market-based pay is offered

• The compensation structure provides for a higher cash

pay out

• None of the benefits have been reduced with the

economic slowdown

• Company transport, sumptuous meals and well equipped

gym

• Reward and Recognition Plans

• Performance Bonus

• ESOPs

• Biocontribute award, Team Awards, Service Awards

• Employee Engagement Initiatives

• People Champion, CSR activities, Annual offsites, Biocon

Day

The Manager’s Role

Top Mgt.

Middle Mgt.

First Line Mgt.

Specialist

Management Tasks

Specialist Tasks

Job Content

Job Content

The Manager’s Role

Doing

Plan ControlSenior Management

The ‘operator’

• An ‘operator’ becomes an expert in the job.• In a managerial role you often lose that expertise and spend your time doing other things.• Sadly, often the higher you rise the less of an expert you will become.

Basic Management Styles

AUTOCRATIC :Using your authority to compel people to do what they are told.

DEMOCRATIC :Encouraging people to participate and involve themselves in decision making.

Neither style is good or bad; you need to adjust your style to the situation

Join•At office party•Proposals which you agree with having no outside consequences

Sell•New Policy•Decision already made•To Salesmen!

Tell•In Urgent situations•Submissive team members•In Win-Lose situations.

Consult•Expert team members•Sensitive / senior team members•In situations affecting team members

Change STYLE to suit your personality, the situation and teams needs

Continuum of Leadership Behaviour ( Tannenbaum & Schmidt)

Use of Authority by Mgr.

Areas of Freedom for Sub.

BossCentered Leadership

Subordinate CenteredLeadership

Managerdecides &Announces

Mgr.SellsDecisions

Mgr.PresentsIdeas &invitesQns.

Presentstentativedecisions subject to change

Presents problemgets suggestionsdecides alone

Mgr. Defineslimits; letsgroup take decisions

Mgr. Permitsteam to functionwithin Bosseslimits

Continuum of Leadership Behaviour : Forces Acting

• FORCES IN THE MANAGER :– his value system.– His confidence in subordinates– his leadership inclinations– his feelings of security in

uncertain situations

• FORCES IN THE SUBORDINATE :

– readiness to assume responsibility for decision making

– relevant knowledge & experience

– Interest in problem & tolerance for ambiguity

FORCES IN THE SITUATION :– the type of organisation– the problem itself– the pressure of time

Tannenbaum & Schmidt’s Conclusions :

Successful leaders are keenly aware of the forces most relevant to his behaviour at a given time. He accurate understands himself,the group he is dealing with , the company and the broader social environment.

Successful leaders are able to behave appropriately in light of these perceptions.

.

Leadership Capabilities

• A leadership team with a deep commitment to its

employees

• Leaders with an ability to nurture and manage talent

• HR Leadership to be good at translating business

needs into talent strategies

• Sell the value proposition but implement it also

• Focus should be all encompassing

• Don’t just focus on the top tier

Top Management

Middle Management

Vital Many

Employees

Indirect Workforce

Traditional Focus

Specialist & High

Potential

Developing the second line

• We are judged by the quality of our teams.

• Does your team have people who just follow instructions well ? Or does it have people who can engage and partner with business leaders ?

• Test > If something were to happen

to you today would your successor come from within or would the company look outside ?

Developing the second line

• Do you have the right person ?– How does top management see him ?– How does the team see him ?– How does he see himself ?

• Engage in a dialogue : identify suitable development opportunities

• Give frequent and frank developmental feedback.

Retaining Your Team

• Joint goal setting and mutually agreed goals.

• Assign meaty and challenging roles with

appropriate rewards.

• Opportunities to develop new skills.

• An understanding of individuals career

aspirations and an honest attempt to make what

can happen to happen ; and even to get

individuals with unrealistic aspirations to

introspect and understand what their gaps are

and what could help them develop.

• Praise in public ; criticize in private.

22

Individual Development Styles

DIRECTINGLow

Low

High

High

PARTICIPATIVE AUTHORITARIAN

4

SUPPORT I NG

(DisillusionedLearners)

(PeakPerformers)

(Enthusiasticbeginners)

3 2

1

AUTOCRATICDELEGATING

(Reluctant Contributors)

Developing Others

• Acknowledge and reward people’s strengths and

accomplishments.

• Offer useful feedback and identify people's need for further

growth.

• Mentor, give timely coaching and offer assignments that challenge

and foster a person’s skills.

• Recognise different learning styles and explore ways to use these

styles advantageously.

• Include employees from different backgrounds in your decision-

making and problem-solving processes.

• Strive to see diversity as valuable instead of detrimental.

Delegation

• The Leader charging a Representative with the Authority to make decisions within defined areas of Responsibility.

• The ultimate Accountability for the

task remains with the manager

Making Delegation Work

• Analyse task / situations realistically

• Be consistent

• Give support to staff

• Reinforce the delegatee’s sense of

responsibility

• Handle mistakes constructively

Focus on Mutual Growth

• Goal Setting• Communication• Trust• Accountability

The Foundation!

• Desired Culture• Company Values• Business Objectives

Impact.. • Employee Engagement

• Career Growth• Business Result

Results