It’s ‘Runtime’ for Mastek

Can employees go on and have a good holiday with out upsetting the top

management who find holidays offensive or plain frivolous? At least not in

demanding workplaces like the software industry where an employee is found

working with consistent and perpetual deadlines. But in Mastek, the idea is

different. It’s ‘Runtime’, an annual HR event where around 850 Mastekeers,

their spouses and kids gather together to get the zest of a different world in

the sprawling landscape of Pune.

Togetherness was the key word as all Mastekeers from the CMD to the peon and

their family got the opportunity to spend three days in close proximity,

participating in discussions, games, and business sessions alike. This

ten-year-old tradition had participants from the US, UK and Germany business

units. It started on the dazzling outskirts of Pune that played host to the

Business Awards and the deserving Mastekeers received awards at a glittering

ceremony followed by a night of foot-tapping music set forth by a DJ that

enthralled the Mastekeers till the wee hours of the morning. The awardees had

all the reasons to smile, as it was their effort that got the company listed on

the Forbes global list of top 200 small companies. Sometimes it’s the little

things that make a difference with employees. A little break in the routine is a

nice change. It shows employees that the company cares by putting a little extra

effort into doing something different and nice for their benefit. And that was

evident from the faces of all the Mastekeers.

Despite the fact that the hangover of the night was looming large on the

faces, Mastekeers were not ready to give-up any of the events scheduled for the

day. Mastekeers started next morning in full form donning their cricketing gear.

Sportsman spirit was evident as everyone played their best and cheered their

respective teams. Other games where all Mastekeers and their families

participated with full gusto followed. Later in the evening it was fun n’

frolic at a club replete with Rajasthani folk ambience. Women and children

thronged the stalls while others were busy dancing to the beat of drums. It was

now the turn of Mastekeers to entertain and most of them did a great job–singing,

dancing, reciting, and performing skits. They further displayed their dancing

skills at the dandiya later in the evening. Senior members from Mastek as well

as the juniors intermingled during dandiya swaying rhythmically to the

beats.  

Flying high with the company’s latest achievements, Ashank Desai had his

own philosophical views on the event.  "We in Mastek believe in

investing in relationships and Runtime is one of the initiatives in that

direction. It is putting into practice Mastek’s core values and long-term

relationships. It gives us an opportunity to get the families together and get

to know them better. Vacations don’t work their magic when employees stay

connected to the office," added Desai. At this juncture he didn’t mind

reiterating that the company would grow to Rs 425 crore with the growth rate of

40 %.

"It is not the specific event associated with the holiday but the

atmosphere of playfulness it inspires in workplaces. The rapport among workers

as they don costumes, compete in contests or play games breaks down barriers and

injects more humanity into the workplace", said Ankush, a Mastekeer.

"People remember these experiences; it’s a continuation of a feeling you

want in the workplace all year long," he added Combining work with

pleasure, Mastek also had business sessions with a focus on team building. While

Mastekeers were busy building their bonds with their colleagues, their families

had a gala time shopping and partying.

Apart from organizing such events, the company encouraged the growth of its

employees by recognizing any additional part time studies that Mastekeers

undertook while they were working, with recognition in the form of an additional

salary achievement, refinement, or scholarships. These HR initiatives of Mastek

were not restricted to Mastekeers alone, it was also extended to their immediate

families. Special scholarships and support of education to the disabled were

also offered to the deserving children of the Mastekeers. How does an employer

benefit from something as apparently lighthearted as a Mastek event? In

demanding workplaces filled with high workloads and expectations, these events

are a way to defuse tension and introduce fun into the workday. Employers say

these celebrations help in reducing stress, building teams and shape a positive

company culture. So that’s hats off to Mastek for keeping up employee morale!

Rahul Gupta



Cyber News Service