In a striking move against the grain of global recruitment patterns, Ramit Tyagi, Director of Talent Acquisition at Ultimate Kronos Group India talks to All Things Talent about how UKG’s unique culture and inclusion-driven hiring in India turn challenges into opportunities.
At a time when the talent acquisition narrative often spins around the axis of shortages and cutbacks, Ultimate Kronos Group (UKG) has been writing a different story—one of growth and strategic opportunity. Amidst a global hiring freeze, they’ve managed to not only maintain momentum but also to double their workforce in India in a mere two-and-a-half years. The secret? A blend of traditional wisdom and modern yet culture-driven TA strategy—leveraging local talent pools, embracing diversity with targeted initiatives like ‘Career 2.0’ for women, and fostering a deep sense of belonging and community. All Things Talent spoke to Ramit Tyagi, Director of Talent Acquisition for UKG’s India operations, about the blueprint of their triumph.
Could you provide an overview of UKG’s talent acquisition experience this year, touching upon successful hires, any challenges faced, and discrepancies between expected and actual market conditions for talent?
The previous year was characterised by an aggressive hiring spree across the industry, as companies aimed to maximise their workforce to meet ambitious revenue goals. This surge led to candidates frequently juggling multiple job offers. However, the landscape shifted abruptly when the market decelerated, prompting a widespread recruitment freeze. Organisations realised they were overstaffed and faced challenges in deploying their talent effectively.
Despite this, UKG’s trajectory in India diverged from the norm. Since establishing a new merged entity within the past three years, we have been actively expanding our presence. For UKG, India has emerged as a pivotal hub for strategic growth, primarily due to its pool of tech-savvy, adaptable talent willing to work in the office—a contrast to other global regions. Moreover, with our world-class benefits, we’ve managed to attract this high-calibre talent at a sustainable cost, striking an optimal balance between quantity and quality.
Each offer is accompanied by a warm, personalised welcome letter from our leaders, not just to the candidates but to their families as well, reinforcing our commitment to inclusive growth. These touches have significantly reduced the time from offer to onboarding, positively impacting our operations and contributing to an impressive 84% joining ratio.
You’ve noted that India possesses a reservoir of qualified talent; yet, the discourse often centres around a shortage. How does this discrepancy arise when there’s an apparent abundance of qualified individuals?
India’s talent pool is vast and diverse, spanning its wide geographic expanse. Yet, for UKG, anchored in Noida, the challenge is accessing the rich tech and product talent concentrated in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Pune. This geographic limitation prompted us to devise innovative recruitment channels and strategies to tap into this dispersed talent. We leveraged platforms like Naukri.com and its Talent Pulse tool, which were instrumental not just for sourcing candidates nationwide but also for defining our talent strategy with data-driven insights. This approach allowed us to make informed decisions about the specific skills we needed to target for our Noida operations.
Could you elaborate on the specific skill sets that you discovered within the talent pool in Noida?
In navigating the talent landscape, we discovered that while a plethora of skilled professionals existed in Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad, our focus was on Noida. By leveraging tools like Talent Pulse and Naukri.com, we were able to pinpoint professionals who had originally hailed from Noida but had relocated for various reasons—perhaps post-graduation, for initial job opportunities, or in pursuit of better offers. The pandemic underscored the value of proximity to family and home, and we harnessed this sentiment to reconnect with talent drawn away from their roots.
Moreover, we crafted a fresh talent pipeline targeting a demographic often overlooked: women whose careers were interrupted by marriage, relocation, or motherhood. Our initiative, dubbed ‘Career 2.0,’ aimed to reignite the professional passions of these women, offering them a platform to resume their careers in technology.
Through boomerang, we also re-engaged with former UKG employees, banking on their familiarity with our culture and values to rekindle their association with us. Through social media campaigns and engaging activities like hackathons, we reached out to passive candidates, cultivating an attractive employer brand. This strategy wasn’t just about filling vacancies; it was about innovating recruitment and tapping into a talent pool that was otherwise neglected.
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How is this move a contributing factor to the joining ratio?
I believe a crucial aspect of our strong joining ratio is the sense of connection we foster – connecting the desired talent to our rich inclusive values and culture. What I take particular pride in, as the leader of the Talent Acquisition function, is the exceptional ‘Candidate Care Team’ we’ve assembled. Upon selection, candidates are introduced to this team, specialists in crafting meaningful experiences and providing a personalised ‘red carpet’ welcome.
Our process includes detailed surveys conducted pre- and post-joining, at three- and six-month intervals, to ensure that the reality aligns with what was promised, addressing any concerns promptly. We organise open houses, inviting new recruits to meet our leaders, delve into our products, and understand our technological direction and growth plans, shifting the dialogue from short-term projects to long-term career development.
Additionally, each offer is accompanied by a warm, personalised welcome letter from our leaders, not just to the candidates but to their families as well, reinforcing our commitment to inclusive growth. These touches have significantly reduced the time from offer to onboarding, positively impacting our operations and contributing to an impressive 84% joining ratio.
Moreover, our diversity numbers have seen remarkable improvement, jumping from 26% to upwards of 40%. Our campus initiatives have been equally successful, achieving near-perfect joining rates. One standout initiative is ‘Prarambh’, which translates to ‘an auspicious beginning’, where we invite candidates and their families to experience our culture and vision firsthand. It’s more than just an introduction – it’s an invitation to join a community that values inclusion and diversity at its core.
Can you speak about the impact your talent strategies have had on employee retention rates?
Our retention rates are a testament to the effectiveness of our talent strategies, with attrition. While the average tech organisation’s attrition is around 18-20%, UKG has managed to keep far lower than that consistently despite all the market odds. This underscores our success in fostering a sense of loyalty and community within the company. The longevity of our workforce speaks volumes, with many employees choosing to build their careers exclusively with UKG since their graduation, spanning 17 to 20 years.
To further nurture our talent, we’ve instituted the Accelerated Leadership Program, targeting our female employees in particular. Twice a year, we select a cohort of around 35 women and provide them with intensive, personalised coaching aimed at honing their leadership qualities. This initiative also contributes to our strong internal mobility, with 17-18% of roles being filled by existing team members. This holistic approach to career development is a key driver in maintaining our robust retention rates.
What shifts have you observed in candidate preferences this year?
There’s been a significant evolution in candidate priorities. Unlike last year, when the focus was predominantly on securing higher compensation, candidates are now looking at the bigger picture. They recognise that exorbitant salary offers may come with greater job insecurity.
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What direction do you foresee for talent migration and skill evolution in the coming year?
Talent is gravitating towards fundamental competencies like problem-solving, prompting a reassessment of how we evaluate these skills. Our assessment tools have traditionally focused on specific technical skills or coding abilities. However, we’re shifting towards ensuring a candidate’s core engineering concepts are solid, which is crucial for devising robust engineering solutions. Moreover, India is on the cusp of significant growth with the influx of captive centres and new companies setting up operations, signalling a promising future for talent development in the region.
Also read: Are You Facing Recruitment Challenges? Here’s What You Need To Fix
Can you share your recruitment goals and the specific types of roles and expertise you are targeting?
Our hiring focus remains on sourcing high-potential technical professionals with strong engineering skills, maintaining our commitment to both quality and experience. UKG places a strong emphasis on creating positive interactions for all candidates, regardless of the outcome, which reflects our organisational values. While specific hiring targets for the next year are not finalised, our trajectory in India suggests a continuation of our robust hiring pace, mirroring the substantial growth we’ve achieved in the last few years. The plan is to maintain, if not increase, this momentum moving forward.
About the expert: Ramit Tyagi, Director of Talent Acquisition for UKG India leads a dynamic team in recruiting top-tier technology professionals to bolster innovation and expansion in the region