HR Corner HR policies geared to corporate expansion by Carmen To Talent management policies adapted for business growth Choosing to remain privately owned, Binatone Electronics International Limited has nevertheless grown to become the second largest provider of telecommunication devices in the UK. The company has been operating since 1958 and is now intent on winning a larger share of the expanding VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) market, for which it will promote products under the slogan of "technology that you can afford". According to finance director R Subramanian, Binatone has recorded significant annual growth for each of the last five years. "We have become a billion-dollar company and, looking back, we didn't realise the need to have a separate HR department until two years ago," he says. Foreseeing further expansion, Mr Subramanian therefore made a special effort to bring in Rebecca Ho as human resources manager and put in place talent management policies. "We have 120 people in Hong Kong and China and this number will increase in line with the business," he explains. "We need to prepare for rapid growth in the next three years and will need a sound HR base and sufficient talent to make this possible." The aim of all our training courses is to develop potential by providing product knowledge and expertise Extensive training He adds that no specific budget is allocated for training. That's because the company's viewpoint is that all money invested in training is well spent, provided the individuals involved clearly have the potential to contribute and move up through the organisation. As an indication, though, an average of approximately HK$10,000 per person was spent on training in 2005. Mr Subramanian is quick to emphasise the link between training, promotion and rewards. "When you can handle more responsibilities, the rewards and recognition will be greater," he says. "The aim of all our training courses is to develop potential by providing product knowledge and expertise in quality control, sales and marketing, customer service and general management skills." Employees are expected to see themselves as part of a constant learning environment as one way of staying ahead of the competition. This is essential in a fast changing industry and, in his 15 years with Binatone, Mr Subramanian has witnessed the evolution from cordless phones to fully mobile handsets and now VoIP technology and applications. "We must be familiar with every product before selling them to customers and that means being able to answer every possible type of question," he says. Motivation and retention He firmly believes that good talent management begins with finding the right person for each job and, as importantly, knowing how to retain them. "We have special compensation policies which allow the best employees to receive salaries which are higher than the average market rates," he notes. "This helps to increase motivation and loyalty towards the company." Other established policies are to recruit and promote based on merit and to provide equal opportunities for candidates and current staff. In an effort to create greater synergy, the company has organised numerous activities to boost team building. It also runs more informal family days to create a harmonious working environment. "It is important for all of us to know our colleagues on a more personal level and to see different aspects of each other's lives," Mr Subramanian says. "That builds stronger bonds between staff and leads to better efficiency in the workplace." This goes together with a deliberate policy of keeping staff informed about the latest business developments and ensuring that good internal communication is regarded as a priority. "Everyone has talent and we are working hard to keep employees satisfied and happy while they are with us," says Ms Ho. Expanding on that theme, Mr Subramanian adds, "We try to understand the difficulties staff encounter and try our best to help. This can really make a difference." This ideology is part of an "As One" approach which is seen as a key reason for the company's ongoing success. "We separate and delegate tasks, but want everyone to feel they are working as part of a team," he says. Salient points - Talent management policies start with finding the right person for each job - Staff are supported by extensive training and opportunities to learn - Remuneration packages are above average market rates - Focus on creating unity and building team spirit as a way of increasing efficiency Taken from Career Times 21 July 2006, p. A20 Your comments are welcome at [email protected]