"PCMM addresses the growth and development of software departments in terms of well-defined stages"

Patrick David has been in the field of human resource for over twelve years.
He recently joined Quality Assurance Institute (QAI), India, after heading HR
management practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers, India for long. David will be
responsible for implementing the PCMM or the people capability maturity model
for the software clients of QAI. He shares his experience and knowledge of HR
and PCMM with DATAQUEST and its importance in the software space.

You’ve had a long association with HR. How do you see that role meshing
with the ‘people capability maturity model’ for software companies?

Traditionally, HR has predominantly looked mainly at recruitment, personnel,
packages and such issues. Only symptomatic rather than cause-directed HR
interventions were used. Thus HR took a stand-alone approach rather than a
holistic one. This is where the PCMM model assumes significance. Software
developing companies and departments have a particular propensity to the PCMM
model because it addresses the growth and development of the software department
in terms of well-defined stages.

Level 1 is where all companies are at, and levels 2 to 5 are those which the
departments are taken through a systematic benchmarking approach. Software
companies are realizing the three key benefits of applying the PCMM approach:
justifying high investments in people and their optimum productivity in the
organization, identifying the need to retain and simultaneously develop people,
and ensuring a culture of excellence and career development in a flat and
hierarchy-less structure. Finally, one major issue, which the PCMM model
addresses for software companies, is that of knowledge management and its
retention within the company through retention of people.

What are the specific issues, which the PCMM model addresses within its
various levels?

In the earlier approach to HR, the emphasis was on acquisition of talent and
addressing personnel- and package-related matters. The PCMM’s approach is
different–it starts with the individual in the organization but from there
moves on to his role in the organization. Issues like job content, job
satisfaction, role clarity and responsibility, identification with the company
and behavioral matters are therefore central in the PCMM model. They ensure what
the final objectives should be in any HR program–happy, satisfied employees,
high productivity and revenue growth.

How do you explain the mass exodus of Indian software, engineering and IT
professionals to the West?

Apart from the lure of the dollar, a major factor, which is at play is one
of an environment conducive to effective and satisfying work. At least that’s
what the perception is and the US is seen as a prime destination for IT and
engineering people (unlike, say, Australia or New Zealand where the quality of
life is in several ways superior).

But this situation is changing today. Money incidentally is no longer the
prime driving force for many, specially for people who want to come back to
India for other values. Also, many IT and software people are re-examining
whether there is at all a need to go to the west and whether there are similar
or even better working opportunities here–within the IT industry.