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 Indian
organisations that are poised for international growth, especially
in areas like BPO, systems integration and project management, need
to focus on training their workforce, in particular those employees
who interact with global customers, says MOHAN BABU
One of the leading perks available to IT professionals—training
and upgrading of skills—has received the biggest setback in
recent times. In the nineties, companies would try to woo candidates
by offering lavish perks, including promises of training and updates
in technologies, along with opportunities to work on the latest
projects using these skills. However, companies with a “big
picture” vision that are able to take a long-term view of the
future are finding it advantageous to continue re-skilling their
key people on the latest tools and technologies. This is especially
true because a lesser number of people working for organisations
are being tasked with responsibilities that their former peers and
colleagues shared with them.
Training has traditionally been the first area
to be cut during a downturn, and the last to be funded when companies
emerge from a slowdown. However, individual managers in IT divisions
who have the discretion and vision prudently try to siphon a few
resources or use innovative techniques like knowledge-transfer,
“brown bag” lunch sessions to enrich the collective knowledge
of people in their groups.
Indian organisations that are poised for international
growth, especially in the BPO, outsourcing, systems integration
and project management need special focus on training their workforce,
especially the customer-facing, global employees. This is especially
true because Indian companies bid for projects from a wide array
of companies spanning the globe, and need to understand the nuances
of the projects along with the culture of the organisations giving
them the work. Apart from the technical skills and knowledge of
IT systems, consultants need special focus in the following areas:
- Core technology skills: Most technology companies
try to equip their employees with a variety of technologies and
tools. By doing so, they can easily shift people around, based
on project contingencies and business needs. Some follow the “boot
camp” approach by putting all new recruits through a rigorous
training programme and others train employees on a need-only basis.
- Team player and team management skills: Almost
all IT projects require groups of people to work in tandem, coordinating
the efforts of team members spread across functional, technical,
and geographical areas. This is especially true for projects for
clients in the onsite or offshore model where a few people working
at client sites co-ordinate the efforts of their peers halfway
across the globe. Personal issues, differences in personalities
and other issues have a way of creeping up if not identified and
squashed. All members of the projects need to be trained to handle
such issues, and communicate fluently and clearly.
- Project, programme and systems management:
Although project management is a specialised function in most
organisations, with specialists working to co-ordinate projects,
deadlines, etc; all members of IT teams need to be aware of the
basics of project, programme and systems management. Having an
overview of the business process being solved and the different
pieces that need to fit in order to make a project successful,
helps each member of the team to work towards the unified goals.
- Basics of business: Most IT initiatives, except
for those in the area of R &D, are undertaken for one specific
purpose—solving business problems. Naturally, it follows
that people working on IT projects need to be aware of the business
issues they are trying to solve. This may include functional business
expertise like knowledge of Accounting Systems, Financial Systems,
Banking, Telecom, Insurance or other areas of business.
- Communications and cultural sensitivity: One
of the most important aspects of working with people involves
communication and cultural sensitivity. Communication includes
oral, written and non-verbal communication, including body language,
etc. This also includes moderating verbal accents and understanding
the accents of people from across the globe who speak English
in different ways!
The ideas presented here are not set in stone.
Most experts suggest that training be considered a continuous process
and could involve a mix of some of the ideas suggested. Also, depending
on the needs of the situation, specific training packages can be
tailored to address the issues involved.
Mohan Babu is a US-based software consultant
trying to find the ‘sweet spot’ where IT meets business.
E-mail: mohan@garamchai.com
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