Bharti Group''s new HR initiatives

After having gone on an acquisition spree to establish its footprint nationally in the cellular telephony business, the Bharti Group is now set upon consolidating its operations. It has set into motion a series of HR initiatives to ensure that it has cutting-edge employee management and motivational strategies that will provide it with the differentiating factor in the competitive market place.

Besides continuing to use the services of the Indian Institute of Management at Ahmedabad, the group has roped in three leading international HR consulting firms - UK-based Seville & Holdsworth Ltd, France's Insead and IMD of Switzerland.

While IIM-A is helping the group develop general management capabilities in its senior management team, the three international firms will help in identifying developmental needs.

With a stated objective of being the best in the Indian telecom industry, the group is going about aligning its human resources with its organisational strategies. For this purpose, the group has earmarked a huge budget for its employee mapping and training requirements.

Bharti, which has just hired about 1,000 professionals, is understood to be in the process of hiring another 700 professionals for its middle and senior management levels. It is understood that the company is targeting the FMCG, consumer durables and hospitality sectors for its hiring needs. Bharti has, however, made it clear that it will not be poaching from other telecom companies.

The group is introducing contemporary HR management tools to build strategic and facilitative leadership skills for its top 500 people, starting with the president. As a retention tool, the company will identify its top performers and offer them newer and more challenging roles in the organisation every 18 to 24 months.