Godrej - Training and Development

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The case explains the training and development initiatives of the Godrej group since the late 1990s. In the late 1990s, the Godrej group initiated various training and development programs such as the TQM workshops, 'Parivartan', EVA training, GALLOP, Spark, e-Gyan, English language training, and BPO training.

The case explains each of these programs in detail and the benefits that the group reaped from all these initiatives. The case ends with the shortcomings in Godrej's training and development initiatives.

Issues:

» Understand the training and development initiatives in a large organization

» Understand how an organization responds to change and manages change

» Understand the role of the HR department in managing change in an organization

» Understand how the top management in an organization facilitates the process of change

» Understand what constitutes a learning organization.

» Understand the limitations of training and development initiatives in driving change

Contents:

Page No.

Introduction

1

Background Note

2

Total Quality Management (TQM) Workshops

4

'Parivartan'

4

Economic Value Added (EVA) Training

4

GALLOP

5

Spark

6

E-Gyan

7

Criticisms

8

Exhibits

10

Key Words:

Godrej Industries Ltd, Adi Godrej, Personalitree Academy Ltd., Training and Development, Godrej Soaps Ltd. (GSL), Proctor and Gamble (P&G), Total Quality Management (TQM), Godrej Group, Young Entrepreneurs Board (YEB), E-gyan, Godrej Foods Ltd, P&G-Godrej Ltd, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd., 'Parivartan' and Economic Value Added (EVA)

Many Indian companies have increased their emphasis on training tremendously. I think it is absolutely essential to spend a lot of money on training and continuous improvement. In our group every employee has to undergo at least five days of training a year."

- Adi Godrej, Chairman Godrej Group.1

Introduction

In January 2002, Godrej Industries Ltd. (GIL) bought a 26% stake in "Personalitree Academy Ltd." Personalitree provided interactive soft skills training programmes online to corporates. Personalitree's training modules have since been a part of Godrej's training and development initiatives.

It all started in 1996 with the break-up of the joint venture between Godrej Soaps Ltd (GSL) and Proctor and Gamble (P&G). Post break-up, GSL was bereft of a distribution system and had to start from scratch. As part of the rebuilding exercise, GSL recruited about 250 new employees who had to be aligned with its corporate culture. In 1997, GSL conducted a Total Quality Management (TQM) workshop for all its 5000 employees to help them connect to their job.

Parivartan2 was launched in September 2000 in GSL to train new as well as existing employees on various aspects of the business and to motivate them. In 2001, new initiatives like Young Entrepreneurs Board (YEB), Red and Blue Teams, Mentoring and Reverse Mentoring were introduced in the Godrej Group, (Godrej) to encourage the involvement of youth in strategic decision-making.

In early 2002, a need was felt among the top brass of Godrej to instil a performance- driven culture in the company. In addition to upgrading the talents of existing employees, Godrej had to train new recruits.

Thus, Godrej developed a comprehensive and innovative training programme for management trainees and named it Godrej Accelerated Learning Leadership and Orientation Programme (GALLOP).

The objective of GALLOP was to develop a newcomer into a professional by giving him or her exposure to various departments and inculcate in