Pinnacle Industries’ Prashant Bhagat says flexibility and problem solving approach key while hiring new talents

Prashant Bhagat, CHRO, Pinnacle Industries says strong interest in automotive products and agility in learning new processes are key skills they seek while onboarding freshers.

What are the key general skills that you look to hire freshers?

We need to evaluate talent primarily on their technical knowledge, including the basics such as industrial engineering, manufacturing process, understanding and application of formulas, dimensions, material science, machine design, machine knowledge, reading and understanding of drawings as well as tools and software in 2D & 3D Crio, Solidworks, AutoCAD, Catia and the like. 

Strong interest in automotive products, particularly commercial automotive, and agility in learning new processes and technology, are other key skills that we seek while onboarding freshers. 

What skills and qualities do you look for in employees on the shop floor?

Generally, the skills observed for employees on the shop floor are logical thinking, problem-solving skills, out-of-the-box thinking and majorly the mindset towards adapting to things. Flexibility to learn new technical specialities and the ability to thrive on change as we evolve is crucial.

Other most important qualities are discipline (which brings sanity to the workplace along with tidiness and hygiene); The Kaizen approach – which is the continuous improvement in every step of working. The ability to assess the need, and then provide solutions or refer to other team members, is another major skill set that we try to inculcate and promote. 

What are the challenges you face when hiring new talent?

Some of the key challenges while hiring new talent include- 

1. Lack of discipline and aligning priorities 
2. Readiness to come out of the comfort zone (relocation to new places, adapting to the fast-evolving industry scenario)
3. Proactive approach and lack of focus, attention and prioritisation 

Do you think there is a gap between academia and industry? How can this be bridged?

Definitely, there is a huge gap between academics and the industry. A few steps which could be taken by the students, as well as the educational institutes, could be as follows: 

1. Grooming 
   1. Logical thinking (providing case studies, projects aligned more towards current industry requirements)
   2. Analytics (all companies nowadays work on data-driven decisions which will bring alignment towards organizational goals)
   3. Soft skills – The first impression plays a vital role when it comes to stepping into professional life. It is important to learn how to present an idea/thought and explain your view and opinion. 

2. Projects
   1. More time and efforts should be spent on experiencing the practicality of the subject rather than limiting it to bookish knowledge
   2. Encourage winter projects
   3. Factory visits provide a thorough understanding of the practices and culture of any organization, it should be promoted and facilitated 

3. Training
   1. Inculcating 5s 
   2. Kaizen
   3. Kanban
   4. Basic training in Microsoft Office 

What are you doing to attract, train and retain young professionals?

We are increasing social media presence (to show the culture of the organisation). Additionally we are also offering Internship/Projects to students alongwith campus recruitment drives.

What is your hiring target for FY2023?

For the next hiring batch, we have plans to hire 2 positions for each major department, which computes to approximately 350 positions this year.

Are there any additional training programs or courses that you have incorporated to upskill your existing workforce?

We derive gap analysis where the current workforce is compared to the existing and forecasted projects and the skill sets required, and accordingly, we define the training calendar that includes both, soft skills & technical training, for the year. This exercise is also considered a part of the yearly performance review.

How do you ensure to retain your hardworking employees? Is fiscal incentives the only way to motivate employees? 

We are firm believers in the notion that happy staff produces satisfied customer and we ensure to give ample rewards, recognition, exposure, and experience to help them develop their professional abilities and broaden their horizons. We roll out multiple rewards and recognition schemes throughout the year, followed by focused training and development programmes, and identifying the high potential candidates and training them on climbing the career matrix ladder at a faster pace. 

What are the policies laid down to ensure work-life balance for your employees?

Our organisational architecture is focused on roles and duties that smoothly integrate and collaborate to reach our goals. This approach also serves as the foundation for improved work-life balance, an open, employee-friendly remuneration and reward system and personal development.

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