An Interview with GR Reddy, HR Manager, Intergraph, Hyderabad.

Software companies are notorious for high employee turnovers. What do you do to retain the staff you value?

Our USP is letting the employees retain the domain expertise they have. That's the way we try to retain them. You see, employees in Intergraph are drawn from all areas of life. As far as possible, we let them work in their domain areas. For example, we would like a civil engineer to do architectural designs for us, or an automobile engineer to use the requisite software in his domain area. That way, employees get to utilise their basic educational skills as well as work in the new areas of software development.

So, they kind of get the best of both the worlds, don't they?

Exactly. And that's the reason, I should say, that most of them prefer to remain in this company. Some of them, you know, have told me that they always wanted to be in Intergraph. I know one guy who waited one year to get in here. He said he never wanted to be anywhere else, but here. That kind of a commitment and loyalty is a real morale booster for the company and other employees.

But isn't software such a rapidly growing field that it is difficult to retain employees, no matter what you do?

It is, you're right. You see, we can take care of the controllables - that is, work environment, job content, management support, organisational inputs, training and courses etc. But what do we do about the uncontrollables - that is, family atmosphere, parental pressure, peer influence, social ethos etc? We may create an excellent work atmosphere over here, but his circle of friends and family may want him to be in the US, for example, just because everyone in software has to be there. That is something we really can't do much about. However, whatever is in our hands, we do.

Apart from letting people work in their domain areas, are there any special HR practices which motivate them to continue working here?

HmmE I wouldn't say they are any special HR practices, because most of the software companies follow certain trends which others in the business pick up over a matter of time. But, I would say that we try to create a feeling of oneness here. Actually, we make a special effort in that direction. You see, people in Intergraph come from different areas. So, unless a special effort is made to make them interact with one another, they would end up isolated with their own work. In this process of interaction, most of them discover that they have so much to learn from one another. Intergraph is a rich storehouse of expertise. It would be a waste if employees here cannot benefit from the expertise and experiences of their colleagues.

So, how do you actually make them interact with one another?

We have regular sports meets, cultural functions, and academic discussions to promote the concept of oneness - the Intergraph family, so to say. In an informal setting, the employees get to know one another much better, and this helps in the interaction process. Even at work, the employees are then willing to share their knowledge for the benefit of the organisation. So, ultimately all this helps the organisation.

What is your selection process like? How long does it take?

First, the resumes of the candidates are screened. Then, there is a technical test and two rounds of interviews before a candidate is selected. The whole process of selection from the time of the decision to appoint someone to the final selection could last about 45 days.

What kind of questions do you expect the candidate not to ask at the interview?

Certainly, I don't expect the candidate to ask what the company is all about and what work it does. I expect that the candidate should have got this bit of information before he appears for the interview. If he did not have the time for that, obviously it means that he is not very serious about this job. Other than that, he or she can ask anything about the company. We welcome intelligent questions.

Lastly, what are the top five qualities you look for in a candidate?

One and most important, his technical capabilities should be excellent. Two, he should be able to work in a team. Three, his presentation at the interview should be impressive enough. Four, his ability and interest to learn on the job are vital. And finally, his communication skills are also very important.

Vanit Sethi