KEI Industries Ltd
A Transformative Journey
KEI Industries Ltd (Success Story)
Over 16 years that I was there, KEI transformed into a powerhouse with a turnover of nearly INR 100X crore in 2017.
This period saw extensive implementation of HR practices:
– Organization structure facilitation
– Job Descriptions (JDs), Key Result Areas (KRAs), and Performance Management Systems (PMS)
– Job Evaluation using Hay’s Guide Charts
– Competency Mapping and Development
– Comprehensive training programs in leadership, team building, conflict handling, and communication skills.
Psychometric tools like MBTI, DISC, 16 PF, and Thomas Kilman were pivotal in our coaching and counselling sessions.
The HR department expanded from a single unit to a robust team, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and employee engagement.
By 2017, KEI had grown to an INR 100X cr company with a significant workforce across multiple locations.
What powered this growth? In my opinion, following were the key drivers of growth for KEI:
Focus
Focus was on growth from top to bottom. Thus, there were huge investments in people, machineries and infrastructure.
Leadership
Leadership of CMD and other top management professionals was very supportive. They empowered their teams to make decisions, set them free. They fought for their teams ferociously and all of them were role models for their teams.
Team
A word often used but rarely understood. The team was of highly committed individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise, working towards the common goal very passionately. We also created a core team of CFO, CMO, Operations Head, HR Head and P&A Head who together took most operational decisions in the organization.
Cross-functional Exchanges
People from different functions and backgrounds got together, put their heads together to solve organizational problems, not just their functional problems. They fought with each other fiercely, defended their turfs but at the end of it all, worked together to achieve the common goals.
Hygiene factors out of the way
People did not have to bother so much about the hygiene factors as they were well taken care of, like salaries, incentives, insurance, infrastructure, etc, so the people focused on more motivating factors.
Proactive HR Practices
The newly formed HR Department was proactive and create d a competency framework, mapped and assessed competencies and worked on bridging the gaps in competencies proactively. The channel between people and HR was very active and there was a seamless interaction between the two.
Influx of young and qualified team
Hiring of young people from good institutions with Engineering and Management background helped organization take a leap into the next level. These people brought with them new energy and ideas.
Engaged Employees
It were not just the festivals, newsletters and birthdays that were celebrated together. We created teams and there were competitions held in sports and other events. People took part enthusiastically, looked forward to these events and it helped build better bonds among people.
While I worked there, the things that I enjoyed and learnt were far too many in number. As a Consultant, I feel I put in a lot of bricks on the wall of KEI, but there were a lot of factors that contributed to my learning and growth as a professional:
- Freedom to experiment: I had the freedom to experiment with the best and most innovative HR practices in KEI. Our HR practices were not only the best in the cables & wires industry but could also compare with the best in other industries too.
- Approachability: I could reach out from CMD to anyone with ease. There were no closed doors. People had all ears for HR.
- Respect: We had our differences in opinions but what mattered the most was the mutual respect we had for each other. We made bonds with each other that transcended beyond office hours as well.
- Continuous Learning: I focused on learning one new concept each year and implement it with our clients. While in KEI, I got accredited in MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator) by APT of USA, Big 5 Indian version CB5, DISC Profiling by Thomas International, Competency Framework and HRD Audit BY TVRLS, Hay’s Guide Charts’ Method of Job Evaluation, and so on. We implemented all of these in KEI and it benefitted both the organization and me eventually in our respective growth journeys.
I can proudly say that I have seen an organization grow 100 times its size in 16 years but more importantly am eternally grateful for all the learning and growth I had as a professional while being there.
KEI’s growth journey is a testament to the power of innovative HR practices and strategic business planning. There is no stopping the growth engine now, having reached close to INR 10,000 cr as we speak.
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