RPG Blizzard: Zensar Case Study - Be a Learning Organization

Zensar Technologies is a Pune-based technology services company, with over 8000 associates
and footprint in 29 global locations, has been recognized for its exceptional service capabilities
and industry-leading solutions, and has bagged prestigious awards in areas such as R&D, people
practices, CSR programs and sustainability initiatives.

It is part of the much heralded RPG group, and currently is a technology partner of choice,
and is backed by a strong track-record of innovation; credible investment in digital solutions.

Zensar in the past has been a traditional IT services firm with its business model similar to the
big IT firms of India. Zensars strength has always been its small size, and its ability to meet
customer expectations at any cost. With a new CEO on board, Zensar is on the path to be a
digital solutions company rather than remain a traditional technology services company.

Hussain Jafar, Head of Human Resources at Zensar Technologies believed that the path to
realizing this vision is by making Zensar a Learning Organization. He realized that the first
step to this was creating a vibrant learning culture at Zensar.

Zensar in its earlier form ranks among the first publicly listed IT service firms. However,
despite this rich heritage; the organization lacked a formal learning culture.

Amit Khandelwal, who was hired to lead Learning & Development at Zensar was given this
mandate to bring about a positive change in this aspect of Zensars Culture.

Amit, after analyzing the organization for a period of time came to the following major
conclusions regarding the status of Learning & Development at Zensar:

1. Lack of structured learning interventions in the organization since its inception

2. Absence of a learning management system
3. Absence of frameworks like competency, job architecture etc.
4. Inadequate budget
 Over the next one year period, the above mentioned frailties were resolved. A new learning
management system in the form of SuccessFactor was bought. Zensar now has a formal
competency framework in place. Formal budget allocations were made.

Learning resources like Harvard ManageMentor, and eCornell were purchased and made
available to the associates based on their level. Another 3000+ programs in the form of
eLearning modules were purchased from SkillSoft.

The structured learning interventions were to be identified on the basis of 70:20:10 learning
model. A web application was developed to help associates fill their learning plan in both the
technical, and behavioral space. The idea was to roll out calendar programs on the basis of the
identified learning needs of the associates. However, till date only 5% of the organization have
filled the same. For the same reason, calendar programs are being rolled out basis the
competencies identified from the competency framework. However, these calendar programs
have run only half their capacity due to last minute cancellations from the associates citing
project delivery.

The reasons behind the persisting issues were many. The major ones being:

The business leaders on the delivery side (project managers, and the like) despite committing
to learning of associates often cited delivery commitments, and other business reasons for not
nominating their direct reports for various learning programs
Since a formal Learning Management System was being used for the first time, the associates
were finding it difficult to sign up for learning programs
Many projects remained isolated from the Zensar ecosystem owing to system issues, and hence
associates working on these projects were not able to access the same

The L&D team also developed leadership programs targeting all managers (Associates who are
not individual contributors).

From 2016, it was decided that learning would be part of the KRAs of every associate, and
people managers to inculcate a learning culture in the organization.

Despite the tremendous odds stacked against them, the Learning & Development team has set
up ambitious goals for the current financial year.

Listing the most important targets:

Avg. Number of person days behavioral learning for associates 2 days

Behavioral learning coverage: 80%
% coverage of first level managers for leadership programs: 25%
 This is the background of the case. (Additional data is given in the appendix)

Questions:

You are a new management recruit hired from a premier B-School. You have been assigned to
the Learning & Development team of Zensar. You have to help the team in achieving its
targets. After a preliminary analysis, you have broken down the problem into 2. They are:

1. Despite having the adequate amount of resources, the associates at Zensar owing to their lack
of exposure to formal systems of learning are not very much enthused about these resources
2. The 70:20:10 learning model is currently ineffective in capturing the needs, and needs to
refined to make it appealing to the associates

Please solve the above keeping in mind that learning can never be forced, and no associate
should be left behind.

Important points to be kept in mind while proposing solutions

The solutions have to be realistic, and practical. (Cost considerations must be made, and
shown)
Best practices from the industry if used must be made citing example
Please use reasonable assumptions if you feel that some data points are missing
 Appendix (Data)

Associate Levels at Zensar (Zensar follows the pyramid structure, and assumptions can be
made about the number of associates at each level. People managers can be found from level
E1)

Number of people managers at Zensar: 25% of the organization

Number of associates who are based out locations outside India: 30% of the organization
Learning & Development Metrics till End of August, 2016

Avg. Number of person-days behavioral learning for associates 0.25 Days

Percentage Coverage of eLearning resources (Harvard ManageMentor, eCornell, Skillsoft 5%