HCL Infosystems' rise to the top last year got us some mail, as the company was not particularly known for its employee-oriented initiatives. However, not many knew that the management and the HR team had got together to set up a robust HR management system, and take employee relations and management beyond management theory to actually and personally touch the lives of the employees. A specially engineered process was put in place to raise employee morale and improve motivation levels.

The company continues to reap the fruits. Last fiscal saw HCL Infosystems' management consciously streamline the appraisal system and all processes around it. This was aimed at ensuring that appraisals were completed within the given time frame. In addition, ESOPs were reinstated, and they're among the most popular practices in the company today.

The management also launched a campaign entitled MIndia in 2004. The objective, as says the company's executive VP, HR, ML Taneja, “We wanted to create a sense of pride among employees towards the HCL brand.” This strategy worked perfectly for HCL Infosystems, fetching it the #1 rank in 2005. Last year, the MIndia campaign was taken forward to B/C class cities. Employee engagement was further deepened through increased bonding with family members in the form of picnics and family outings sponsored by the company.   

DQ Rank 3

ML Taneja, executive VP, HR

High ratings	Score	Industry rank
Appraisal parameters are relevant	100	1
Initiatives/efforts are duly recognized	100	1
The appraisal system is fair	100	1
Low ratings
Positive work environment	97	4
High stress at work	85	13
Encouraged to take risk	63	18
Dream job wishlist
Growth Opportunity/Career development	100	1
Job security/Stability	100	1
Company image	100	1

A slip of two places should not necessarily be interpreted as failure in any sense. It is largely the result of the increased competition among employers to beat one another in this little cat and mouse race to reach the top and partly, the slight ebbing of the tide of satisfaction that swept across HCL Infosystems last year-a natural fallout of such a phenomenon. Another indirect impact could have come from the volatile stockmarket, which had also contributed its bit last year to add to employee motivation levels.

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