Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds!

Group

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS REPORT

BETWEEN NAVITUS AND LEARNING MINDS! GROUP Course: Human Resource Management Submitted to: Unzela Hassani Submitted by: Bushra Alam, Shireen Hirani, Kiran Hamid, Sara Adeel, & Sohaib Rasool

1|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Proclaim in the name of the Lord and Cherisher, who created man, out of a clot congealed blood. Proclaim! And thy Lord is most Bountiful. This report is the result of work completed at the Institute Of Business Management. Working on this report was a true learning experience. We would like to thank Ma`am Unzela for being a wonderful course Instructor throughout the semester and for providing us a great learning opportunity in the form of this report. Then, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all the people we contacted in both the organizations in order to get the desired information. Our last vote of thanks is to our families for their encouragement and moral support they provided when we needed them. We hope that this knowledge will benefit us in the years to come.

2|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
April 12, 2012 Unzela Hasani Instructor for Human Resource Management Institute Of Business Management Karachi Dear Ma`am Here is the report on Comparative Analysis based on Recruitment and Training that you assigned to us earlier this semester. We chose Learning Minds! GROUP & Navitus. The report includes information through primary as well as secondary sources on the HR practices of these organizations. The purpose of this report is to elaborate the comparison of both the companies and discuss the training procedure, problems and recommendations. It has been a privilege to work on this project and we have put in our utmost efforts to prepare as comprehensive of a report on the topic as possible. The report, however, may be short of any kind of statistical data due to the confidentiality policy of the organizations. If you have any query concerning the report, we will be happy to discuss them with you. Sincerely, Bushra Alam, Kiran Hamid, Sara Adeel, Shireen Hirani, Sohaib Rasool

3|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION

Institute of Business Management Korangi Creek, Karachi-75190, Pakistan UAN (9221)111-002-004, Fax: (9221) 509-0968 Http://www.iobm.edu.pk April 15, 2012 Dear Reader, It is an honor for us to prepare the report on The comparison of Recruitment and Training practices of Navitus and Learning Minds! GROUP; which was assigned to us by our respected teacher Mrs. Unzela Hasani. We would like to thank her for providing us information and guidance throughout the semester in order to materialize our content for the report. The primary source of the information for this report is the key consultant and CRM of Navitus, Mr. Adeel Hasan and Manager Corporate Training, Ms. Tania Mathew of Learning Minds! GROUP. The secondary sources included desk research on both the organizations. The report wouldnt have materialized without the genuine support of these two. We thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to aid us in our report. It was a pleasure creating such a report, on a topic so informative and practical.
Sincerely,

Bushra Alam, Kiran Hamid, Sara Adeel, Shireen Hirani, Sohaib Rasool

4|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The task of this report is to examine any two Recruitment and Training functions of two companies. We selected Learning Minds! GROUP and Navitus. The report includes a brief introduction of the organizations and the recruitment and training procedure, problems and deficiencies of companies, the sources of the problems and the recommendations for the solution of the particular problems. The two HR functions that we have selected were Recruitment and Selection, and Training and Development. We have tried to see how it is done in both the companies. With that we have given some recommendations in order to minimize the problems identified in the companies in the two HR functions selected and then we have given a brief comparative analysis comparing each function in both the organizations separately following a conclusion. For this project we drafted a questionnaire and then interviewed both the organizations to get the basic idea about both the organizations. Report could be short of any statistical data due to confidentiality policy of both the companies. However, the responses to the questionnaire helped us to a large extent in obtaining the data regarding our selected HR functions. In a nutshell, the report was a true learning experience for us.

5|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Table of Contents
Executive Summary..................................................................................................................................... 5 NAVITUS....................................................................................................................................................... 7 LEARNING MINDS! GROUP ......................................................................................................................... 9 RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION - NAVITUS .......................................................................................... 11 Talent Detection Stage............................................................................................................................ 11 Selection Stage: ....................................................................................................................................... 11 RECRUITMENT & SELECTION - LEARNING MINDS! GROUP ................................................................. 12 Comparative Analysis of Both the Companies Recruitment Process: ............................................... 13 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 13 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT NAVITUS ............................................................................................... 15 Informal Training:.................................................................................................................................... 15 Mentoring ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Ad hoc training sessions by staff members ........................................................................................ 15 Group briefings/guest speakers .......................................................................................................... 15 Internal communications .................................................................................................................... 15 Web-based training and computer tutorials ...................................................................................... 15 Books and references.......................................................................................................................... 16 Guideline/ functional training: ............................................................................................................ 16 Interpersonal Adventures: .................................................................................................................. 16 On-the-job training: ............................................................................................................................ 16 Feedback meetings: ................................................................................................................................ 17 Routine meetings: ................................................................................................................................... 17 How is performance measured? ............................................................................................................. 17 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT - LEARNING MINDS! GROUP .................................................................. 18 Comparative Analysis of Both Companies Training & Development Process: .................................. 19 RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 19 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................................. 20 BIBLIOGRAPHY.......................................................................................................................................... 21 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................. 22 QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................................................................................................................... 22

6|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

NAVITUS
Navitus is a leading management consulting and training firm with a rich history of adding value to the corporate sector in Pakistan and abroad since 1991. Its inspiring team of a dozen dedicated and competent consultants, learning specialists, and change agents lead interventions to facilitate organizational change and build organizational capacity for sustained profitability and growth. Navitus interventions are strategic in nature and focus on organizational development (OD). To this end, they help their clients align people to strategy by engaging extensively with their top management, senior & middle managers, supervisors as well as frontline staff. As OD specialists, they partner with clients to help improve their profitability, growth & sustainability by:

Creating alignment, awareness & ownership on organizational vision, mission & values;

Connecting individuals to their infinite potential for personal & corporate gain; Facilitating efficient & open channels of communication throughout the business; Building competent, productive & high trust teams through greater empowerment, delegation & effective succession planning;

Balancing organizational resources in the service of its shareholders, customers, people & other key stakeholders.

Their teams of talented professionals continue to add value to a variety of local & multinational companies in Pakistan & abroad who later help achieve tangible benefits for their clients by leveraging the intangibles through their creative, people-oriented, analytical approach that builds high performance corporate cultures. Navitus serve well-known, multinational and local companies from all over Pakistan and in other countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom & India.

7|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Navitus team has extensive experience in industries such as agro sciences and chemicals, pharmaceuticals, automobiles & engineering, banking & finance, retail, leisure/hospitality, FMCGs, beverage, telecoms, oil & gas (upstream and downstream), energy, IT , media, and many others.

8|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

LEARNING MINDS! GROUP

Learning Minds! GROUP is a comprehensive learning and development solution provider. Started in 2007, Learning Minds! GROUP has grown tremendously over last few years, credit to its dedicated learning focus. With an initial focus on customized trainings only; today, Learning Minds! GROUP offer a wide range of learning services, with few more in the pipeline. Hence, it was necessary for the management to form Learning Minds! GROUP, under which, all the business functions may operate, effectively. Following are Learning Minds! Group services: Trainings and Learning Solution Creative Learning Solution Talent Management Solution

Their training and consultancy expertise includes Leadership Development, Change Management, Strategic and Organizational Development, Customer Service, Team Building, Specialized Personal and Professional Development Programs, Sales and Marketing, Media Management, Branding and Positioning and E-learning modules. Their services have already been utilized by some of the countrys leading organizations. Learning Minds! GROUP is committed to providing their customers with a product and service of the highest standard. While deepening their reach in the national learning market, Learning Minds! GROUP has recently expanded internationally with some concrete business relationships in India, Indonesia, Singapore, UK and Middle-East. They have extensive experience across the full breadth of industry sectors, and in all functions within organizations. Their onsite customized courses have been used to train everyone from new graduates to senior directors at a board level. Theyve trained clients from the following industries: Banking and Financial Institutions Pharmaceuticals Media
9|Page

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Agro Science Chemical Textiles Oil and Gas (Exploration and Marketing) Hospitality FMCG Cellular and Telecom Automobiles Industrial Engineering

Mission Statement
* Promote Learning through well structured interventions, quality content and wider accessibility... * Enjoy Learning: we believe that when you enjoy what you learn - you apply what you learn... * Cherish Learning: its a blessing to be able to learn... cherish every moment of learning... * Advocate learning: if not learning than what? If not now than when... * Inspire Learning: willingness to learn comes when you are inspired... * Celebrate Learning: wow... we are alive and learning - let us celebrate it! * Appreciate Learning: one of the greatest kindnesses you can do is to appreciate someone who's learning...

10 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION - NAVITUS

Talent Detection Stage
At Navitus, it is believed that in order to go for recruitment; specific roles should be identified that need to be filled. The word roles have a peculiar importance because they hire employees based on their competencies. So in summary, at this stage it is decided as to what talent and in what capacity is needed. A peculiar thing about Navitus, which has worked very well to its advantage, is its extremely small size. This small size assures its maximum profitability and subjective and individual analysis of every situation. Moreover, recruitment is never done on a massive scale because the company hires employees in a very small number due to the very nature of the business. Therefore, no advertising or marketing on a high level is done. However, Navitus never compromises on quality therefore recruitment sources are selected very wisely in order to ensure that only the best blood applies and makes into the organization. So, no campus drives or advertising is done. However, the company maintains its Alumni databases so that they can inquire from the previous employees if they could rejoin and the like. Moreover, they contact career development offices of the two top-notch universities of the country. Moreover, there are always online forms available on Navitus website through which one can apply. These forms ask for CV and some other relevant details and then are put into the company database to be reviewed later on.

Selection Stage:
After the company has received all the applications that come in, it then starts screening them in order to identify candidates that are close to what the company is looking for. The shortlisted candidates are then called in for interviews. Three interviews are taken one after the other that test the applicants on various aspects set out by the management. The third and the last interview is taken by the CEO of the company. This very gesture of the CEO taking interview can be a motivating factor for the candidate. The candidate who is selected in this interview is hired by the organization.

11 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION - LEARNING MINDS! GROUP

The recruitment and selection process at Learning Minds! GROUP is mainly based on ability and talent rather than on experience. However, experience is a mandatory thing for certain job positions. Hiring is done if either there is a vacancy for a current position or if a new position is established. No formal marketing is done for a position but instead either previously (randomly) received resumes are reviewed or hiring is done through reference. For this, internal announcements are made. Resumes are reviewed by the CEO giving minimal time and skimming through it. Only one candidate is called for an interview per job and if a candidate is called, he should consider himself lucky enough as there are very much chances that he will be selected for the position. After an interview is conducted by the CEO and then based on the interview and the resume, the candidate is finalized for the job. The final hiring decision is made by the CEO who seems to be doing all the work. It is basically a centralized structure and all the decision making authority lies with the CEO who makes the organizational policies. There are no probation period given to new employees. Upon being hired, the candidate is neither given any handbook regarding the organization nor oriented with the culture and other employees in a proper manner. The candidate is given a copy of his/her Job Description and thoroughly explained about it. Any questions by the new employee are entertained in a positive manner. In this way much of the talent pool is missed out and less deserving candidates may be selected. After the hiring is done, the CEO explains the Job Description to the new candidate and is encouraged if he has any questions or queries. He is not formally introduced to the present employees and it is assumed that he will mingle and be comfortable with the passing of time. Although the Job description is clarified and explained to the employees really well, it is not the ultimate thing. The work may change (mostly increase or decrease at times) on a daily,
12 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

weekly or monthly basis. All the employees have a short meeting in the morning to discuss their agenda for the day and what targets are to be met for that particular day.

Comparative Analysis of Both the Companies Recruitment Process:

Both the organizations use selective sources for recruitment. They dont use advertisements and campus drives as they dont need to generate massive amount of candidates. The good thing about Navitus; however, is that its recruitment is directed and more channeled which guarantees selection of the bests! Moreover; at Navitus, three interviews are taken which allows for fair selection.

RECOMMENDATIONS
There should be a probation period for new employees so that the management could judge them whether they can fit into the organizational culture and whether they can meet up to the standards required. Once a job position is identified and needs to be filled in, it should be analyzed whether an internal promotion is required or hiring would be a better option. Incase hiring is selected; initially advertisements should be placed either on its website, face book page or at some other relevant forums where the interested and deserving employees may view the advertisement. Promotions made by word of mouth by internal employees or face book fans are good ideas. However, when calling an applicant for an interview, more than one employee should be called and shortlisted over at least two interviews. If its urgent, one panel interview could also be conducted and the HR person and the relevant department person should also be present. When there will be more than one applicant called in, the employer will have more choices and the best possible could be hired. The job description is something around which the employees job revolves and he is questionable and answerable according to its description. It is like his Bible at
13 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

work. However, in Learning Minds! GROUP, the employees Bible may change on a daily basis i.e. there are no amendments made in the Job Description but he is verbally informed about the changes made.

14 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT NAVITUS

Training is the process of developing qualities in human resources that will enable them to be more productive. Training is an integral part of Navitus since it is an OD consultancy. The company cannot compromise on the quality of its consultants and trainers. Therefore, every effort is made in order to bring the hire familiarized with the practices and standards followed at Navitus. Navitus majorly has informal training. The environment at Navitus itself makes for the best training for the hire. This is because it is full with highly experienced, cooperative and immensely competitive employees. Informal Training: Informal training occurs in many organizations as a normal part of day-to-day work. Informal training is a valid approach to improving employee skills and motivation. Some examples of informal training in the workplace are: Mentoring Mentoring is a strategy that matches a more experienced worker with a less experienced worker to provide regular opportunities for sharing of advice and knowledge. Ad hoc training sessions by staff members A staff member who has strong skills in a particular area, such as a computer application, can provide ad-hoc training to co-workers on the job. Group briefings/guest speakers Individuals or teams can make presentations to colleagues about specific projects they are working on. Guest speakers can also address seminars to talk to employees. Internal communications Intranets and internal publications are valuable methods of keeping employees informed and providing access to various resources that help improve skills. Web-based training and computer tutorials The Internet offers tremendous resources for learning, either free or at a nominal charge.
15 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Books and references Organizations can establish technical and professional libraries and circulate periodicals to encourage self-learning amongst staff.

Training for New employees:

Guideline/ functional training: This training comprises of basic orientation in which the hire is told about core company philosophies, and standards. This training majorly takes place one-on-one. This gesture shows the degree to which Navitus values its employees. First three months comprise of probation and familiarization phase. Interpersonal Adventures: This is a unique way of training that is practiced by the company in which the hire is asked to select a sample of employees he wishes to get to know. This allows the hire to have one to one communication with the sample employees which would foster healthy working relationships and would allow the hire to observe and learn the working habits of his sample employees. This training comes under the familiarization phase. On-the-job training: Various methods discussed above of on-the-job or informal training are then used in-order to instill the just perfect working habits and mindset.

Training for Existing employees:

The core philosophy at Navitus is Retention. The organization is well aware about the disadvantages of relying too much on employee retention. Therefore, it is done very carefully. Navitus believes that employment means a relationship between two entities. A relationship that is made based on values; both the values company has for the employee and the one employee has for the company. Moreover, at Navitus training never stops. So, there is never a need of a formal re-training. Employees are updated with the changes in the work patterns and market informally through informal training methods.
16 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Feedback meetings: In order to evaluate the performance of the employees, feedback meetings are performed. This allows the employees to clear any ambiguities and discuss any problems or issues that they may have. This way they dont leave the employees unattended to the stage that it affects their performance. Routine meetings: Other routine meetings are held to keep the spirit and motivation high.

How is performance measured?

At Navitus, performance is measured not only objectively but also subjectively. Objective performance includes the numbers like the number of businesses brought and the like. On the other hand; subjective performance includes the amount of efforts the employee is putting in, digging in the reasons why the performance has declined, the process and the level of commitment, accountability, motivation and the like.

17 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT - LEARNING MINDS! GROUP

The new employee is given a brief introduction about the organization and of all the existing employees, his job, various functions, his reporting relations and all such relevant details in 2 3 hours. The new employee ought to know all the skills needed for the job (at least that is what is expected of him) and he will not be given any training on his hiring. He is however shortly guided as to how to carry out his job functions. Employees in the managerial and operational positions are not given any training; nor even in soft skills although Learning Minds! GROUP is a training firm in itself. Proper and required training is not possible without training needs analysis which it conducts for other firms but not for its own. However if an employee wishes to attend some external training, he is allowed to do so. Currently Learning Minds! GROUP has 6 trainers on board namely Sohail Zindani, Jovaria Khizer, Osman Rohail, Ekhlaque Ahmed, Meena Valli Mohammad, Nuruddin Abjani. At training festivals and big sessions, they invite external trainers also. They are not provided with any skills or trained in a way as to increase their training skills. They are not even called at trainings given by each other so as to learn internally or through observation. These six trainers are supposed to conduct training whenever the management asks them to and they are to prepare for the training and collect new ideas at the remaining of the times. The trainings which the employees attend according to their own wishes are basically offthe-job training and does not give employees similar exposure and understanding of the situation and techniques. Also because it is an external training, its effect and implementation by the employees cant be judged in an effective manner.

18 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

Comparative Analysis of Both Companies Training & Development Process:

Learning Minds! GROUP has a handful of trainers; whereas, Navitus has a wider pool of trainers and consultants. Moreover, the trainers at Navitus are more experienced in their fields and are the trend setters. This is what has made Navitus name synonymous to unmatchable quality. Both the organizations have small size and the environment is highly cooperative and friendly. This makes for the high motivation level in the employees.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The orientation time should be extended as not only his job is new in many cases; the employee is not even familiarized to the organization. Its a new environment altogether and he will take time to adjust. The new employee should be given time to socialize and know his fellow employees well so as to work at his optimum level. In case the new employee needs some skills or needs to polish some skills in order to fit in the job, he should be assisted accordingly. Training is a must for improvement and enhancement and should be given according to the employees need after assessing it through training needs analysis. Focused and specific trainings should be conducted for employees. Training not considered mandatory for all employees Training should be conducted in teams so that maximum number of employees could benefit from it. They should be encouraged and obligated to attend each others training sessions so as not only to learn for themselves but also to help others improve upon their mistakes. The junior trainers should be obligated to attend a training session with the title of Train the Trainers which is conducted each year by the training head i.e. Sohail Zindani.
19 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

The trainers should be motivated to learn new training techniques and some training related books should be given to them as a token of appreciation either monthly or semi annually.

CONCLUSION
Navitus is the one of the oldest of all the OD consultancies in Pakistan; therefore, it is quite perfect in its ways of doing business. On the other hand, Learning Minds! GROUP is a very new organization that has been in the market for about 4 years or so and still has a long way to go. However, it has achieved still great name and reputation in this limited amount of time. Its time that Learning Minds! GROUP focuses on improvement and not on expansion as it has done again recently by becoming Learning Minds! GROUP from Learning Minds. They have expanded into Creative Learning Solution and Talent Management Solution.

20 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

BIBLIOGRAPHY
SECONDARY SOURCES:
training.com.au/pages/menuiteme83e3d60c29a6090f9fa5a1017a62dbc.aspx http://www.learningmindsgroup.com/ http://www.navitus.biz/about-us

21 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group

APPENDIX
QUESTIONNAIRE

Recruitment
1. How do you realize that there is a need for recruiting candidates? 2. New Job Opening Resignation of an old employee Low productivity of employees (current number of workers not sufficient to complete the task) Other, please specify____________

Your first preference while recruiting is Evaluating skill inventories of employees working with you to select someone from within the organization Using outside sources of Candidates Other, please specify__________________

3. What outside sources of candidates do you use for recruitment? Advertising Private Agencies Temporary Agencies Outsourcing Head Hunters College Recruiting Referrals Any other, Please specify ________________________

4. Which source yields best results and which source yields unsatisfactory results? 5. Do you practice rehiring? Yes No 22 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group Depends

6. Does your organization have a succession plan that it follows? Yes No

7. Do you believe in recruiting a diverse workforce? Yes No

8. What efforts do you take for recruiting diverse workforce? 9. Please add anything about the recruitment system in your company that is not covered in the questions above. (Optional) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________

Selection
1. What criteria do you consider when selecting candidates for jobs? Required Skills and competencies Education Experience Grades and GPA. Any other, please specify __________

2. How do you conduct the preliminary screening? Through a software Manually by your HR Executive

3. Interviews conducted in your bank are Structured 23 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group unstructured

4. Which of the following types of interviews do you take? Panel Interviews One to one interviews Mass interviews Phone and video interviews Computerized interviews

5. Which of the following tests to you take? Written Test Polygraph Test Physical strength Test Personality Test Cognitive Test English Proficiency Test Any other, please Specify ___________

6. Do you rely on reference checks and recommendations? Yes No

7. Please add anything about the selection process in your company that has not been covered in the questions above. (Optional) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Training and Orientation

1. How long is your orientation? One Day One Week Three Weeks One Month

24 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group 2. Other, please Specify _______

What is the key content of your orientation process? Introduction of the organization and employees Job Related Information Employee benefits, vacations, daily routine. Personnel Policies All of the above

3. How do you analyze training needs for new employees? Task Analysis Other, please Specify ___________

4. How do you analyze training needs for current employees? Performance Appraisals Productivity, absenteeism, customer complains Observation by supervisor Interview with the employee Other, please Specify _______________

5. Does the employee participate in making the training program? Yes No

6. Which training methods do you use for employees? On the job Training (OJT) Apprenticeship Training Job Instruction Training Lectures Computer Based Training Audiovisual Based Training Other, please specify _______________

25 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group 7. Which training method do you use for managers? Job Rotation Coaching Action Learning Case study method Management Games Outside Seminars Role Playing Executive Coaches Other, please specify _______________

8. How do you evaluate the results of training? Post training Test Feedback by employee Feed back by supervisor Other, Please Specify _______________

9. Have you brought about any major changes in the organization? Yes No

10. What was the response of the employees? Resistant Happily Accepted the change Other, please Specify _______________

11. How did you overcome any sort of resistance? Get employees to recognize need for change Techniques to alter employee behavior Taking their opinion in the change plan Other, please specify _______________

26 | P a g e

Comparative Analysis of Navitus and Learning Minds! Group 12. Please add anything about the Training procedure in your company that is not covered in the questions above. (Optional) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________

27 | P a g e