To retain talent, provide faster growth options

'To retain talent, provide faster growth options'
15 Sep, 2007, 0034 hrs IST,Shreya Biswas,

An unknown entity just two years ago, Subhiksha Trading Services has now become a household name in Northern India. In existence for almost 10 years, the company set foot in NCR two years back and rapidly expanded its presence to 125 stores in nine months. Subhiksha Trading Services’ president (manpower) Shashi Kanth S S explains the company’s strategy and people issues.Excerpts:

Shashi Kanth S S
President(Manpower), Subhiksha Trading Services
Your focus on cost cutting extends to your selection of office place too. Please
elaborate.
We look at affordable locations as we try to save at least 40% of the cost. But we do provide good interiors and comfortable working environment. However, what is critical is that we make a clear distinction between necessity and waste. This principle always governs our actions at Subhiksha. In fact, we try to cut costs so that we can pass it on to the consumers.

In terms of job stability, are employees from small towns more stable than their metro counterparts?
Yes, they are more stable. And it’s due to a number of reasons. These guys leave their hometowns for employment; they come with various inhibitions and don’t want to switch jobs frequently. Consequently, they stay back with a company, build up their confidence, try to understand the business and the job market scenario. Besides, these people are not culturally-inclined to job-hopping. Moreover, most of the people in small towns are employed in government organisations and a job for them means stability.

With retail sector facing severe talent crunch, how do you think players would get the best talent?
Organisations with strong fundamentals always attract good talent. Good learning climate, aggressive growth (both business as well as rewards), good people practices, defined career progression plan and an objective reward system would help in attracting best talent. Specifically, if we talk about retail, it will be cutting down hierarchy. That way, it will allow junior employees or anyone in the organisation reach out to the top bosses directly, share their problems and ideas. Globally, too, if you see, retail companies had people rising through the ranks. Hence, in the Indian context, if you need talented people to stay back, you have to give them the fast growth option.

Companies are increasingly providing opportunities to their employees to pursue higher studies. Do you think such firms will eventually become universities for youngsters who otherwise couldn’t afford quality education or didn’t have the time?
Creating employability is the cornerstone of tapping and using the vast potential of human capital available in India. Most organisations would like to nurture talent and it’s true for retail organisations too, where people grow from within to occupy higher positions. We also run internal schools where we nurture talented people in order to make them employable in the retail industry. This has been one of the a key initiatives of Subhiksha. And most of the talent that the school has churned out so far, has been enough for us to meet our expansion plans