NEW DELHI: Reliance Communications, which is a dual technology telecom service provider, sees hiring through social media as a fast emerging trend in the market. India's fourth largest telco also supports 'pay for performance', as it gradually gains more significance in today's telecom industry. In an interaction with ETTelecom's Danish Khan, Amit Das, president, Human Resources, at the company, talks about the HR challenges being faced by RCom along with new hiring trends. He also talks about the compensation trends in the Indian telecom industry.
Q) What is the biggest HR-related challenge faced by Reliance Communications? What are the constant challenges that keep coming up?
A) Retaining and rewarding critical talent will be one of the foremost challenges. In this era of globalization where every company has access to same technology and systems, it's the human capital that creates the difference in shaping up the future of the organization. Retention of key talent - those who are the strongest performers, have high potential or are in critical roles - is of utmost importance, especially when organizations look forward to capturing aggressive market share. The biggest challenge, therefore, is to devise innovative practices which would disproportionately reward performers, retain them and help them grow with the organization.
Q) How has HR's role evolved in the today's dynamic and global economy? What are the other roles that HR plays?
A) HR's role today is no longer limited to 'facilitative role' or 'policy administration' role but it has to play the role of a 'business partner' and share the responsibility for overall business results. HR needs to 'make things happen' and continuously innovate to stay relevant and offer best solutions in the area of attracting and retaining talent, leadership development, talent management, building a performance culture, rewarding high performers disproportionately, and above all driving the right culture and values. Business leaders today expect HR to play a role of an 'enabler' for the entire organization and ensure the entire team is focused on a common goal.
Q) What are key recruitment trends in the telecom industry?
A) Hiring through social media is fast emerging to be a recruitment trend across industries. Through social media hiring, one can get to know a lot about the candidate, his personality and other virtues by doing a simple scan of his social profile even before having an interaction. Organizations have been creating a talent pool to manage future growth plans during the tough economical periods of the last couple of years. Cautious hiring for key critical to business positions, retention of their best talent and hiring through social media to save costs are some key trends in the telecom industry.
While the telcos have been hiring very cautiously in the current scenario, they have been focusing on attracting highly innovative and productive talent for critical roles which will future proof the organization for technology, content, m-commerce, m-health, education, etc. The need of such young, bright, agile talent is felt the most during the time when there is economic uncertainty and consolidation in the industry.
Q) What are compensation trends like in the telecom industry?
A) Pay-for-performance is gradually gaining more significance in today's telecom industry. Pay-for-performance is not only based on an individual's performance and contribution, but largely depends on the organization's business performance. With organizational performance as a bigger driver for performance pay, it gives a clear single agenda to all and also fosters collective behavior and bonding.
The second is design of Long Term Incentive Plans (LTIP). LTIP ensures 'Ring Fencing' the leadership team as well as key, critical talent over a longer time-frame through additional earning potential. Consequently, it facilitates and promotes a consistent leadership team and helps the organization to achieve long-term business goals.
Q) Which initiatives are you really proud of and believe that they differentiate Reliance Communications from the other telecom companies?
A) One of the key initiatives relate to talent identification, development and grooming to take on leadership roles. This forms an integral part of developing RCom's 'high performance culture.' This is coupled with a reward philosophy which rewards high performers disproportionately.
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