Dr Reddy’s turns to local youths to operate plants

Called Self Managed Teams (SMTs), the model involves picking up local youth preferably with 10+2 qualification and above 18 years and training them in Good Manufacturing Practices for operating the plants.

The teams determine, plan and carry out all day-to-day activities in the areas of manufacturing, packing, quality control, assurance, warehouse and engineering.

This model allows the company to do away with the hassle of having untrained workers for routine operations at plants and has assumed importance in the wake of rigorous standards for safety and quality of pharma products.

Originally a brainchild of the company’s Co-Chairman GV Prasad, the model is now fully functional. “Our plant at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh is now mostly managed by SMTs,’’ Sripada Chandrasekhar, President and Global Head – HR, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, told BusinessLine.

Efforts are on to take the initiative to the other plants.

As on date, there are 1,904 SMT members working with Dr Reddy’s in formulations and bulk drug units out of a total headcount of over 19,000. “We are teaming up with the local colleges to identify candidates,’’ Chandrasekhar said.

Of the 1,904, while 149 have already completed their Bachelors in Science programme, many others are pursuing higher studies.

The team members get an initial annual package of about Rs.1.3 lakh besides subsidised food and accommodation and the salary goes up as they move up the ladder.

Advantage

The model is a win-win for company as well the candidates. “This is a better way to nurture local young talent by catching them up as efficiency matters a lot in pharma industry global maintaining global standards in manufacturing and safety,’’ Chandrasekhar said.

The SMT members are also apparently happy. When asked on her experience after joining as a SMT member, Shakambri Mohinder, who works at Baddi plant, said: “When I joined Dr Reddy’s six years ago, I had no graduation degree or experience. Today, after completing my graduation I am pursuing an executive programme in Human Resource Development from IIM Calcutta.’’

The experience of G Ramana, who joined as boiler operator at the Yanam plant, is also similar. Business Line