teamwork, dream companies, dream, global team, India

QAD was recently recognized as a Dream Company to Work for in the IT Sector by the World HRD Congress in India. QAD is honored to receive this recognition.       

What is the ‘Dream Companies to Work for’ List?

The ‘Dream Companies to Work for’ list includes companies that have human resource (HR) policies and leaders who demonstrate a deep need to adapt to the business environment and manage disruptions and complexity. These are also companies that have a commitment to fast-paced growth, teamwork and a sustainable approach to self-managed (versus organizational) career paths. They have a clear sense of purpose and a strong belief of “I can, I will, I shall.” QAD was recognized for creating an empowering environment for its employees through best-in-class HR practices focusing on enhanced productivity and soliciting input from every employee.

Behind such a distinction is achieved through a team of people who make it a Dream Company.  We are excited to have caught up with Rupali Mahadik who is the Senior Manager, HR Operations for QAD in India. Rupali was subsequently named one of the Top HR Minds in the Indian information technology industry.

An Interview with a ‘Top HR Mind’ in IT

Here is an excerpt of my interview I conducted with Rupali Mahadik where she tells us more about her personal experiences at QAD and those of the team in India.

Scott:  You recently presented at the World HRD Congress, sharing about QAD, who we are and why we are a ‘Dream Company to Work for’. You have also been leading the charge to create a series of employee videos sharing why they like working at QAD. Can you please share why you took on these efforts and what you hoped to achieve?

Rupali:  I have worked within the HR Industry for over 20 years and now here at QAD, it is like a family. Here you are appreciated, QAD is very flexible. We have a global teamwork approach and QAD is very open to new ideas. We have a passionate team who is always willing to support any new projects. Having experienced a great work culture and seeing it across QAD, I wanted to bring awareness to who QAD is as a company and show appreciation to the teams I work with here in India and globally. The approach of Agility, Unity and Clarity works well with QAD.

S:  I had the opportunity to watch the videos you and the team in India created. Many of the team members shared about how they are motivated by helping our customers solve difficult challenges. Would you say that this is true across QAD india, and why do you think that is?

R:  Yes, you will see this across QAD and it is part of who we are as “One QAD”. Even this video project was a great example with me as an internal customer. I did not have experience in making videos, it was fun working with multiple people in QAD, they helped me and guided me so that I could succeed. That type of collaboration and teamwork is something I find across QAD culture.

When it comes to customer interaction, QAD leaders and team members are always looking to find what is the challenge and how do we move it forward. We work hard to create an effortless experience for our customers. Team leaders are very supportive of their team in overcoming challenges. This is an approach you will see always within QAD India and across the globe.

S:  In watching the videos, I couldn’t help but notice that many of the employees had seen substantial growth in their careers at QAD. Many started as interns and are now working in much more senior roles. Is this a common growth path for employees at QAD?

R:  Every year we hire interns in India. We see their career progress for six months while they are interns. They are trained, then they convert into graduate trainees for another 12 months. After that, they can move into the associate consultant roles. We also have a fast track program that involves transfers where they work in multiple departments to gain experience and exposure throughout the organization. In fact, 47% of the 240+ people who work in the India office started with QAD as interns and they have progressed into managers or senior professional roles within the organization. Yes, this is a common growth path within QAD.

S:  Earlier in our discussion you mentioned global teamwork. In the videos you produced, many of the employees featured also mentioned this. What does that mean to you and what would that look like on a weekly basis?

R:  We all interact with different regions. This could include anything related to training, or working on projects together. We also work with global customers that QAD is supporting in multiple geographies. Our global teams work together to become experts in our industry and to help our customers address their business challenges. Many of our global colleagues often nominate our team members in India for spotlight awards and this appreciation goes a long way in creating a deeper sense of global teamwork.

S:  QAD was specifically recognized in the Dream Companies list for creating an empowering environment for its employees through best-in-class HR practices focusing on enhanced productivity and soliciting input from every employee. Tell me how you accomplish this?  

R:  As HR professionals, the team in India connects directly with team leaders and employees in 1 on 1 meetings and via employee connect sessions. The HR team then shares their analysis of key topics and areas the employees are expressing concern with the department leader. We also conduct an Employee Satisfaction Survey and identify the hotspot we need to work on. Along with this, we with Business as One team to develop action items to help improve the working environment and the culture. Business is very supportive of this approach and they give clarity to their teams during their meets.

The department managers are also driving the positive culture and QAD values. When my team and I speak with the department, we review hotspots and discuss ways to continually improve. We put in place action plans that we monitor as they progress to ensure we are achieving a better outcome for the team and culture here at QAD India.

S:  I would imagine that it is not all work and no play to be a dream company to work for, and it seems like the QAD India office is no exception to that thought. How has QAD India achieved a positive fun work environment and sense of team?

R:  Our Employees are our asset. One of the things we have done is to establish a Cultural Committee. The committee consists of members from all the departments, they do a wonderful job of engaging employees during the cultural activities. We as HR partners collaborate and support the committee. Some of the key activities include our football and cricket teams. We also recently had a laser tag event in the office. Each team goes out to dinner quarterly and each year we hold a Diwali celebration and host a QAD’s Got Talent Show.

See Why Our Employees Love to Work at QAD

We recently produced a set of videos about QAD India that feature employees sharing why they enjoy working at QAD. Themes that resonate include a passion for helping our customers solve difficult business challenges, appreciation from executives and management for efforts and outcomes, care for people and a sense of family, growth in careers, global team work and fun at work. You can watch all the videos on the “Why I Work Here” playlist on our YouTube channel.

“It’s a sense of creation that you are getting in yourself. That, yes, this is something that I have created and it will be used by our customers.” — Anand Patwari, Senior Software Engineer QA

LEAVE A REPLY