The Taj's People Philosophy and Star System

The Taj People Philosophy

Since its establishment, the Taj Group (Refer Exhibit I) had a people-oriented culture. The group always hired fresh graduates from leading hotel management institutes all over India so that it could shape their attitudes and develop their skills in a way that fitted its needs and culture. The management wanted the new recruits to pursue a long-term career with the group. All new employees were placed in an intensive two-year training program, which familiarized them with the business ethos of the group, the management practices of the organization, and the working of cross-functional departments.

The employees of the Taj Group were trained in varied fields like sales and marketing, finance, hospitality and service, front office management, food and beverages, projects, HR and more. They also had to take part in various leadership programs, so that they could develop in them a strong, warm and professional work culture.

Through these programs, the group was able to assess the future potential of the employees and the training required to further develop their skills. The group offered excellent opportunities to employees both on personal as well as organizational front³. In order to achieve 'Taj standards,' employees were made to undergo a rigorous training program (Refer Exhibit II).

The group strove hard to standardize all its processes and evolve a work culture, which appealed to all its employees universally. The group believed that talent management⁴ was of utmost importance to develop a sustainable competitive advantage. The group aimed at making the HR function a critical business partner, rather than just a support function. To further show its commitment to and belief in employees, the group created the 'Taj People Philosophy' (TPP) covering all people practices of the group. The concept of TPP, developed in 1999, was the brainchild of Bernard Martyris (Martyris), Senior Vice-President, HR, IHCL, and his core team. The concept, originally planned to be called as 'The Womb to Tomb Approach,' covered all the aspects of an employee's career, from joining the group until his/her retirement.

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3] On personal front, the Taj Group offered its employees personal counseling and empathized with their problems. On organizational front, it offered its employees ample scope for career advancement, training programs, excellent opportunities for learning and sharing, and self-development programs.

4] The strategic and tactical management of talent in the organization. Talent Management is a strategic business function that involves an organization's ability to attract, recruit, hire and retain the right talent at the right time and align it with its business goals.

Case Details

Case Code : HROB027
Themes: HR Practices and Policies
Case Length : 09 Pages
Period : 2001-2002
Organization : Taj Group
Pub Date : 2003
Teaching Note : Not Available
Countries : India
Industry : Hospitality

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