This year 60 diploma engineers from the Anand Group's 4,500-strong workforce will take a sabbatical from the shop floor to pursue higher education. Fifty per cent of their education expenses will be borne by the group, and the other half will be given as a loan. The loan will be written off if they complete their courses successfully.
The other 4,440 employees will be put through 1.8 lakh man hours of training at the Anand 'U' (university), the group's in-house training facility. A team of five dedicated faculty members and a dozen line managers turned part-time lecturers will ensure that every employee goes through 40 hours of training in a year. That apart, every three years, all employees are assessed on 12 competency areas. The findings are shared with the employees and a development plan for each individual is put in place. Non-performers are treated with ample tolerance and are given special attention and training so that they, too, can learn and deliver. Employees, whose children are pursuing higher education (in the IITs, the IIMs, etc.), get an allowance to fund the courses.