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IT initiatives at Hughes Software Systems: Paper on the
most significant IT innovation
Using IT to create a vibrant organization
Hughes Software System started in 1992 as a software development
center for Hughes Network Systems (parent company) as the
sole customer with a total staff of 50 at the end of first
year. Today, HSS is the #1 communication software company
in India with over 1700 employees and customers worldwide.
In the last 9 years, HSS has seen explosive growth and a
lot of change. The revenues have grown at an average rate
of 60% annually. We have grown from a single customer to more
than 120 customers around the world. Have moved from providing
software services to developing hi-tech and hi-end products
and solutions in the extremely competitive global communications
market. The high growth rate combined with the typical high
employee turnover has meant that we have been a perpetually
new company, with 60% or more employees who are new at any
time. Employees are typical Generation-X with 75% people in
21-26 years group with low need for personal communication
and bonding. As the company has grown, there has been a constant
need to change and automate various processes and systems
in the company. Along with this, there has been a need to
consistently develop, reinforce and retain the right culture
given the specific context of this industry and its workforce.
This highly mobile, intelligent, ambitious, workforce has
high expectations from itself as well as the company. Also,
in this industry, and company, there is a lot of focus of
the people on work, and a lot of their satisfaction comes
out of work-related accomplishments or activities. Most of
the interactions between managers and their team members are
work related, and they spend hardly any effort to develop
extended personal relationships at the workplace.
HSS has consistently and strategically used Information
Technology to overcome some of the challenges related to continuous
change and growth. The human resources strategy and processes
have leveraged information technology to build strong applications
that help in spreading, building and enhancing culture, recognizing
and reward excellence, building bonds and relationships, and
provide ease and efficiency to employees and managers from
their desktops for a variety of their needs. This has been
done through development of a comprehensive network of applications
and interfaces that are accessible to employees at all locations
from the Intranet. This role of IT as a creator of vibrant
organization is a truly innovative intervention at HSS. We
believe that having Human Resources, Information Technology
and Corporate Communication under one leader has gone a long
way in leveraging the combined synergy.
System Description
Looking back, the seeds of this initiative were sowed right
at the inception of HSS. At that time, the web had not taken
this form, and the information exchange used to happen through
innovative use of emails as well as the LAN. Around 1995-96,
an Intranet called "Anthra" was set up. Another key step was
taken around 1997 when "EDB" or the "Employee Database" was
set up as an oracle based application for HR. However, the
true genesis of this initiative happened about four years
ago when suddenly, a lot of innovative applications that used
the core information from the EDB and the interface provided
by "Anthra" changed the way HSS worked, interacted, learnt
and even, behaved! As we are writing this document, Anthra
is being accessible to all employees from anywhere through
the web.
The system comprises the following key elements:
- "EDB" or the "Employee Database": This oracle-based
database is the core data repository of employee information
(personal, educational, official or professional) right
from the time that the employee first came into contact
with HSS. This is updated on the day of joining and all
other applications draw the basic data from this. <1997>
- "Anthra": The HSS intranet site "Anthra" is every
employee's prime interface with the organization and the
organization's key interface with the employee. This is
the center-point of communication and information and is
accessible by all HSS employees at Gurgaon (5 locations),
Bangalore (2 locations) and the USA. <1995-96>
- A well thought out structure of innovative applications
and modules: that rest on/ use the core-information
and interface provided by these two elements (EDB and Anthra)
to dictate the organization's working, interaction, learning
and even culture!
These applications and modules start kicking in even before
the employee comes on board HSS, and play a key role in
shaping the entire work-experience of the employee while
at HSS:
- Recruitment Management System: This is available
in the Manager's work area of Anthra and "New Hire Requests"
are raised, approved and tracked through this by managers
as well as HR. <2000>
- "Newbies": On the day of joining, every employee
visits "Newbies" to learn about what HSS is about, where
everything is, who everyone is, and in fact, all that
a newcomer would like to know about. For most this is
the very first contact with the elaborate IT system
of applications and interfaces. <2001>
- Time-sheet and Leave Management System: Work-flow
for recording and tracking all employees' working hour
information. This is also accessible through an extranet.
Now it is also used for generating invoicing/billing
information for our customers. <1997>
- Performance Management through "E-PerMaSys":
A lotus notes based work-flow application that allows
each employee and the manager to set objectives on-line,
review progress, make adjustments and do an annual review
along task, role and behavior along the HSS way. <1999>
- Compensation Management: The employee can log
on to the "CTC calculator" on Anthra to see the
details of his/her individual compensation. The monthly
"Pay-slip" is also available on-line through
Anthra. At time of compensation mail, Finance, employee
are informed through automatic e-mails. Employees can
also do their income tax calculations on-line. <2000>
- "IJPP": Through the Internal Job Postings Program
or IJPP all job openings are posted first on Anthra
and any employee can apply on-line without permission/information
of anyone else. <1999>
- Culture Building: Happens through Ethics
and Integrity sections on Anthra that explain the
HSS Way, escalation mechanisms through "directline"
and in addition, building role-models and a culture
of appreciation happens through "Popular Awards".
Through this application, employees can vote for any
other employee for the 3 award categories for that quarter
(such as "I would like to be like you", "Best Mentor"
etc.). The winners are the employees with most number
of votes and automatic feedback goes back to everyone
who gets a vote. <1999>
- Recognition: In addition to Popular Awards,
"Applause" is an on-line recognition system.
The work-flow application not only allows managers to
nominate employees for award and respectable group-heads
to approve them but to also independently publish them
on Anthra with just a mouse-click. There is also an
"Awards Homepage" showcasing all past winners.
HSS-specific greetings are available at "e-Greetings"
on Anthra. <2001>
- Communication and Relationship Building: Across
groups, locations and levels happens through various
"Discussion groups" hosted on Anthra as well
as the virtual space called "Club Zone" which
includes a music group, dramatics group, literary group
etc. Each group has its "Group homepage" on Anthra
and employees can set up individual home-pages too.
"In-house" is the on-line directory of all employees.
<2000>
- "Heads U Win": An on-line application that
allows employees to send in referrals to HR for suitable
candidates <2001>
- Learning is managed through an online monthly
training calender, an ALC or automated learning
center and an on-line e-learning portal. <1999>
- Skills Inventory System: That tracks the skills
and knowledge base of all employees and lets the function-heads
or managers use it. <2000>
- Pointers: This section is the first start to
a knowledge management system and a place for approaching
the "tech gurus" of HSS and learning from them. For
people outside HSS, a similar section is available on
the website (www.hssworld.com).
<2000>
- Help-desks for all internal support functions
such as IT, HR, Purchase, Corporate Communications and
Quality exist. These log as well as track closure of
issues. <1997>
- Resignation Management System: Even the resignations,
their review/approval and "no dues" clearance happens
through a work-flow available on Anthra. <2001>
- Policies and Key Information: This has been
there almost from day one through creative use of e-mail
and LAN. <1992>
Plus there are several other applications and features
available including an on-line concierge service ("e-errandmall"),
travel desk, news and events updates, library booking,
electronic employee magazines, a software library, "info-channels"
and on-line employee polls.
Date deployed
Please see "System Description" above. There are dates against
each of the entries that denote the date the application was
first deployed.
Technical Profile
Basically three types of technologies have been used: Oracle
with web front-end, Lotus Notes and Oracle ERP. These have
been deployed for various applications for optimal utilization.
Industry standing
At HSS, IT has played a truly strategic and unusual role of
"the creator of a vibrant organization". It has not only provided
ease and efficiency to employees and managers but also been
key in spreading, building and enhancing culture, recognizing
excellence, building bonds and relationships (please see the
introductory note also). This has been accomplished by leveraging
the synergy of Information Technology with Human Resources
and Corporate Communications. For the organization, this has
resulted in tremendous value by overcoming, effectively and
continuously, some of the challenges related to growth and
change. This has helped HSS make strides towards achieving
its Vision: "To be the most admired Indian Software Company
through innovation and excellence."
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Last updated :
February 19, 2004
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