Employment in India part two: employee status

THE SECOND PART IN AN INFORMATIVE THREE PART SERIES OF ARTICLES FROM QX CORPORATE ADVISORS IS ON RECRUITMENTIN INDIA

The employment environment in India has continuously evolved since the start of the ‘globalisation’ era in the late 1980’s.  As India opened up to inward investment, and the international desire for hard working, well-educated and English-speaking workers, so did the employment market.  The call centres were taken over by the outsourcing industry, taking everyone by surprise by opening huge business opportunities in the IT & ITES sector in India.  This increased the need for techies and also the English-speaking youth.

The direct impact of all these dramatic positive changes in the Indian economy was felt on the HR and recruiting functions.  The sudden emergence of mass international work opportunities has led to the current socioeconomic wave which has led the entire recruiting fraternity to be as tech savvy and innovative as the environment.

The dynamics of recruitment/hiring in India has never been as challenging as they are now.  With the shift in the economy where the requirement of ‘skills’ is being overridden by the ‘attitude’ of a candidate, the ability to get a near perfect profile is becoming a skill in itself for the recruiters.  There is huge competition to attract the type of worker that a company requires and with wage inflation running high and often a cultural pressure to work for a particular type of company, using a reputable recruitment agency or skilled in-house team is essential.

Some of the key points to consider when recruiting in India are as follows:

The Millennials

As a country which has over 50% of the population in the age group below 30, this generation lives in a world/society connected through the internet and the mobile phone. This generation is hungry for faster achievements and look for autonomy to innovate.  This has led to major changes in organisations globally to leave legacies/conventions behind and speed up the recruitment process.

Hiring through technology

Recruiters, today, would fail if they continue to do what they have been doing in the past. If they do not embrace the technology/social media and its advantages, they are sure to see an end to their career as a recruiter.  The technology has made sourcing, hiring, assessment, selection, analytics more efficient and effective but has to be carried out online.

Employer branding

The importance of branding today has seen a shift from being used to attract customers to one that also needs to attract the right type of employee.  The adoption of sites such as Glassdoor in India, highlight the competitive nature of companies’ drive to attract talent and the candidates’ ability to report on their recruiting process.

Innovative sourcing

The success of talent fulfilment today lies in the ability to innovate and reach out to channels for sourcing which have never been thought and/or explored.  Smaller towns, not-so famous campuses, job-rotations, diversity, social networks, chat platforms and so on are the new norms of sourcing.  Job fairs and walk-ins are still popular – but be prepared for a huge turnout.

Organisation culture

It becomes easier and faster to hire if the recruiter is able to visibly exhibit a desirable organisation culture in his actions/behaviours and acts as the ambassador.  A part of the company website which visibly demonstrates what it is like to work at the company is also very helpful to attract the right candidates.

For an employer new to India, it is strongly recommended you obtain the support of an HR or legal firm to guide you with your recruitment requirements.

QX Corporate Advisors has a team of experts in place to assist and advise businesses across all the key areas you will need to confront when setting up a business in India. For more information:  contact: qxadvisors.com, 0845 838 2672 or see qxadvisors.com.