A naukri.com initiative
HRKatha
1d
178
Image Credit: HRKatha
When employers try to become social engineers
- Gopal Snacks, a snack manufacturer in India's consumer goods sector, has adopted unconventional employee benefits such as substantial marriage payments for female workers to challenge India's dowry system.
- The Kanya Vivah Policy provides financial assistance to unmarried women who complete 10-15 years of service, impacting not just individual workers but entire rural households.
- Critics raise concerns about the policy's practical impact due to the delayed benefit eligibility and potential limitations for women who marry young in rural areas.
- The company claims that the policy has influenced workplace dynamics, leading to more women operating packing machines and breaking gender stereotypes.
- Cross-functional problem-solving sessions are held to foster collaboration among departments and address challenges collectively.
- The company emphasizes bidirectional feedback processes, including structured performance reviews and exit interviews for transparency and trust-building.
- Skills development at Gopal Snacks occurs through informal Excel training sessions where employees from different departments participate as learners and instructors.
- The company supports the Suvarnabhrasan Movement, an Ayurvedic immunization programme for children, showcasing silent philanthropy without public recognition.
- While these initiatives illustrate corporate social intervention, questions persist about their scalability and broader applicability across different cultural contexts and industries.
- Gopal Snacks' approach highlights its belief in businesses as agents of social change, offering insights into the interplay between business objectives and social transformation in contemporary India.
Read Full Article
10 Likes
For uninterrupted reading, download the app