Tell us something about yourself?

I reached the Assistant general Manager position, heading a manufacturing Unit in the 9th year of start of my career. Our unit contributed a turnover of over Rs50 Crores to the corporate kitty.

After Post Graduating in Economics from D' School, Delhi University I started my career as a trainee with the Shriram Group in 1980 in the Personnel Department. It was a great learning for me and I still have best regards for all my mentors there, the best being Mr. Ashok Taneja. In 1986 I moved to the consumer Electronics Industry as Deputy Manager, heading the personnel function. I consistently rose in positions as I kept on taking more and more responsibility and all that only lead me from a pure HR job to wider responsibility as Assistant General Manager to head a TV Manufacturing Unit in 1989.

I also realized that Post Graduation from D'School and 1 year PGDBM was not enough. So I went to a regular business school (FMS, Delhi University, 89 - 92) for three years in the evenings and specialized in HRM. It was my scooter that helped me beat the traffic in my journey from Noida phase II to North Campus, Delhi University to be in time for my evening classes that were not only compulsory to attend, but also interesting. It was like a three-year continuous training program. Books in one hand and kids in the laps was a regular feature all these years. Most social gatherings were unattended. Sleeping very late and getting up early and moving out to reach at 8.30 AM became a habit. It was tough and I faced all seasons and of course the pollution. But the returns were high, I knew. My wife was the biggest support all through.

I was good at managing the unit, but my heart lay elsewhere - in HR. I moved to IT in 93, as General Manager HR.

I joined Dusk Valley in March 2001 as Head - Corporate Citizenship and I report in to the CEO.

How do you compare this job with your previous jobs?

Working in HR in an IT Company is any HR professional's dream. Though managing a company was interesting and challenging, HR job in an IT company provides extreme satisfaction and sense of achievement especially when one can put management thoughts to work in all processes that cut across the span of the organization, right from hiring, to retaining and even separating. Working with IT professionals is like working with a completely different class of professionals altogether.

I enjoy my work thoroughly. And am never tired. There are newer challenges each day. Staying up till 3.00 A.M and finishing work is achievable only by motivation from within. No one pressurizes to work late, but my own motivation.

What is the key to your success as a manager?

Proactiveness and process and action orientation. One needs to stay ahead of events and preempt action. Understanding the Organization's need and proactively working towards achieving is the only key to success. The processes help in proactiveness. Well-defined processes lead to better understanding of the situation and state of affairs. Being reactive all the time can only lead to problems.

Employees in the IT industry are best-qualified professionals. Their expectations are high. Timely delivery of commitments made is another key parameter to success.

Most IT companies are not very old. They do not have established HR departments. Recruiting firms assist them in hiring. Not many policies are firmed up, nor the processes are laid down. Work involves overseas working and due to limited exposure of the authors to international working environments, these policies are wanting. Standard HR stuff available elsewhere in other industries does not work here. This gives ample opportunity to implement beliefs and thoughts.

"Guiding my team" is my motto and the only source of professional satisfaction for me. I take my team along. Maintaining confidentiality yet maintaining relationship is an art that has to be learnt by the HR manager, otherwise he is dead long before he actually does.

It is performance alone helps one to survive and succeed. Peer management is more important than managing your boss. Peers may not see your work, or may feel you to a threat, a corporate spy or what ever. Yet, the manager has to take them along to achieve department goals. Not an easy job.

IT industry is a high competition Industry, with companies wooing candidates with differentiators and USPs. To survive, one must thwart competition and get people, with ethical ways.

What do you consider as your main strengths?

Thoroughness in my work, fuller understanding of issues involved and data based analysis and management by facts; Better judgment of performers from nons, ability to see through people and situations; ability to do some out of the box thinking and ability to put things in the right perspective when required.

How do you keep pace with the technology?

I keep reading on various articles on different aspects in HR and whenever possible attend seminars.

How do you relax yourself?

I involve my self with children and play with them like I am one. I like photography so I keep clicking and making family videos. This keeps my family happy, as they become subject of my hobby and they like it that way. Other interests are listening to music and watching science fiction serials/movies etc. Going out in to the parks and of course, the morning walks.

What is your motto in life?

Build, Build and Build. If I can add value to my organization, to society by building some thing before which there was nothing, nothing like it.

How do you achieve a balance between your professional and personal life?

My wife helps me bringing in that balance. Work tends to overshadow. It logically comes from my basic nature to build. When things have to be built and new ideas have to be nurtured, there are a number of things / ideas in pipe line all the time and needing attention, each one at different completion stage, thus the work never seems to end. There is more and more and only more of it as newer ideas keep emerging.

What is the message that you would like to convey to the readers?

Be convinced of your capabilities. Have an aim, be it vague. Pen it down and hone your capabilities to achieve it. Remember, interpersonal relationship building is most important activity. Deal with other person honestly.

Talking about the company...

What is the technology your company is working on?

We are working on diverse technologies, largely covering Microsoft technologies including the latest, Java and EJBs, Web Logic, AS400 and Lotus Notes. On the creative side, we have expertise on all latest technologies, including, 3 D modeling.

What are the products?

We have moved out of products for the time being and are concentrating on software services. We have expertise in Insurance Sector.

Who are the clients?

Amongst the reputed ones are GE Capital Information Services, Results International Systems, Think Mobility, Continental AG, Daewoo India Limited, Ansal Plaza, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Apollo Tyres Ltd, Apollo International Limited.

What is the business focus of your company? What are the future prospects and growth plans?

The focus of the company is on software services in the BFSI sectors, ERP implementation, and techno-creative software development solutions.

In this fast changing technology world, how do you maintain the lead?

Leading by innovation is the only recourse for us. Hiring the best talent that is vibrant enough to be a leader and remain one. It is the people who will provide the lead in a technology company. The company provides ample avenues for training and also self-learning. The company sponsors employees for seminars etc. and also invites faculty in-house.

What is the Organizational structure?

Right now there are 6 effective layers from a developer to the CEO, both inclusive. We have a CEO and functional heads report in to the CEO and people below support them. We are driving things from our corporate head quarters, New Delhi. Our marketing offices are in the US and Germany and we have strategic business partners in other parts of Europe. We are looking at the Japanese market and the Australian market with interest.

The career development is over two paths: Technical and Managerial. Pure techies are not burdened with managerial responsibilities.

What are your incentives to the star performers?

More real responsibility and more real opportunity. Higher increments. Recognition in terms of Excellence in Performance Awards.

What is the recruitment policy and what skills do you look for in a prospective employee?

In our recruitment, we look at people who have potential to grow and achieve higher positions. Those who can adapt to newer technologies and who are dynamic. We assess candidates' depth of understanding of present job, and past jobs. A genuine resume brings forth the person into the selection list. For junior positions, we have developed Tests that help us sieve out the better candidates. Multiple interviews bring out different aspects and the finally selected candidate is the one who fits in the job best.

What steps are you taking for employee retention and employee satisfaction?

An open culture is what we can really boast about. Coupled with Mutual Trust it forms a binding resin amongst people. Freedom to do things as need to be done professionally give professional satisfaction. A learning environment that only encourages persons to improve their mettle. Team spirit and people issues are given first and foremost importance. A large part of the senior's job is to keep surveillance over the environment and ensure harmony amongst people.

What is the technical attraction for engineers to join your company?

We are working on latest technologies and the projects that we are doing involve good technical inputs to resolve complex project issues, some thing that the engineers love doing. These involve travel abroad and engineers get a chance to work with real global giants. In addition, they are free to study and work on patents if they want to. The company encourages such stuff and backs with investment, once convinced.

How do you encourage innovation?

Innovation is our blood stream. We have a past culture of treading the untrodden. We have no hang ups. People who write the processes also have the authority to rewrite the processes. Short-term results always do not matter as long as there is significant movement towards the goal. The project organization is dynamic rather than static. Thus the one who has the ability shows the way.

How do you encourage your employees to grow, train and learn new things?

Employees can order for books they need, of course, subject to justification. The company always invests in newer softwares and platforms. The machines are upgraded. The company invests on individual's training. Each one is connected to the Internet and browsing for knowledge is encouraged. If required, employees can sit late or come on a weekly off for learning. A complete office infrastructure supports them: Standby generator and the complete works. Employees share ideas with each other in meetings and over the Intranet. Our e-published in-house magazine, DVT Kesari is well contributed to on all aspects including technology.

Are there any other employee benefits?

Amongst the special items, the employees are provided a performance-based award, which can become substantial. We are planning for Internet connected PC at home.

Software engineers are generally highly stressed and spend long hours at office. What is your company doing about it?

We are in the heart of the city so traveling is easy. Flexi hours and a very compassionate culture helps the people to cope up with the pressures. Transport, meals and snacks definitely are the bottom line. Each month, on the last Friday, the whole company gets together to have a 2-hour birthday bash, which is enjoyed by all. Group lunch, movies and games are other recourses. We also encourage people to go home early, but on their own motivation they just stay on. No one has been heard of cribbing about late sitting. The teams enjoy work.

What is your observation & comments about the market down fall & lay offs.

The market was hyped up and this was bound to happen. The demand multiplier worked to increase the demand abnormally and when the slide happened, it shrunk that way. Every company had built enormous buffers, put people on in house development projects and when the prospects shrunk all the benchers became the first ones to go. In some companies, if the bench employees were better stuff, they replaced the other staff. Each company tried to minimize costs and investments. Lay offs have happened driven by pure economics of operations. Companies have let go low performers or even good performers who could not be gainfully utilized. The companies are trying to 'just hang on in there.' For those who will survive will reap the benefits of the industry comeback is what some believe, but that will not stop the newer ones entering at a future point in time for those who are rushing for the gold.

Rakesh Nayar can be contacted at:
rakeshc@duskvalley.com