BES Top 20: Mahindra Satyam: A Big Leap

The entry of Mahindra Satyam to the club of DQ-CMR Top20 Best Employers in Indian IT is arguably the most notable highlight of this years survey. Almost written off less than 3 years back, it has straightaway moved to the 6th position.

Talent acquisition has already been the major focus for the company last year. It has hired more than 600 employees a month for about 6 months now. It has also done very well in the gender parameter. With a view to increase mid level women leadership in the company, it kicked off Starting Over, a unique lateral recruitment initiative which taps into the pool of highly talented women candidates who took mid-career breaks. On the same lines, Diversity Councils were formed, which would function to promote diversity and inclusivity (gender, differently-abled and race). In addition, the cross functional Policy Review Committee (PRC) was re-introduced to deliberate and review existing/new policies. The performance review and feedback process framework was also modified to ensure that the performance management exercise is transformed into a continuous, round the year process with appropriate feedback and reviews at regular intervals. Furthermore, with the move from an annual appraisal to an all-year appraisal, managers could communicate their expectations with associates on a more frequent basis.

Employees didnt sound too satisfied with the training they received. Nevertheless, the company understood the need to improve in this area and focused largely on leadership development with capability enhancement, wherein a considerable amount of attention was given on training and education. With an aim to strengthen associate and leadership connect, Location Leadership Councils were formed as a bridge between the senior management and the associates. Training Programs were developed to enhance delivery excellence, domain expertise, technology education, and professional development. There was increased focus on training for the entry-level programmers. Program management was another area of focus and last year, additional programs were rolled out covering topics such as metrics, risks, and open projects. Overall, it might not be the dream company yet but featuring in the top 10 employers list is a great milestone for Satyam 2.0.