BHEL’s Participative Culture Pays Rich Dividends; Employees’ Improvement Projects Rewards Scheme Leads to Savings of Rs.1,770 Million in 2006-07

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has achieved substantial savings of Rs.1,770 Million during fiscal 2006-07, as a result of the implementation of an Improvement Projects Rewards Scheme (IMPRESS)

Aimed at encouraging individuals to take up improvement projects for capability building and for continuous improvement in every sphere of activity, the scheme was introduced company-wide in 2005-06. The scheme is e-network based and provides weightage for various aspects like relevance to the department, innovation/creativity, meeting targets, institutionalization, deployability and financial impact.

During 2006-07, the scheme was given special thrust to harness untapped potential in the organization for achieving higher efficiency in conversion of basic inputs like material and capital into saleable products and services. During the year, about 9,500 improvement projects were registered taking the total number to 23,700 since the introduction of the scheme. Out of these, about 63% of the projects have been completed and implemented realising a saving of Rs.1,770 Million during 2006-07. With this, the total savings from the scheme so far have risen to Rs.3,980 Million since its inception.

In addition, implementation of employee suggestions led to savings of over Rs.210 Million, during fiscal 2006-07. During the year, 20,782 suggestions were contributed by employees, out of which 9,823 were found viable and were accepted. The suggestion scheme was introduced with a view to institutionalize the culture of excellence in the company and to motivate its human resource - the most valuable asset to give competitive advantage in the fiercely competitive and rapidly changing business environment.

BHEL employees’ zeal to excel supported by the company’s constant encouragement has also resulted in 52 of its employees winning a sizeable number of 40 prestigious Prime Minister's Shram Awards so far. These awards are the country’s highest honour bestowed on individuals for outstanding achievements leading to higher productivity, improved quality, greater safety, import substitution and foreign exchange savings.

Significantly, the Prime Minister recently presented eight Shram Awards to 14 BHEL employees – the highest-ever in a single year among both the Public as well as Private sector companies. This includes the only Shram Bhushan which was also the highest award declared for the year.

Ingrained in all the employees of the company, the culture of excellence has culminated in two BHEL employees consecutively being conferred one of the country’s highest civilian honours - ‘Padma Shri’ for the years 2005 and 2006, by the President of India. While Mr. B.L. Chouksey, was awarded a ‘Padma Shri’ for the year 2005 for his valuable contribution in the field of science and engineering, another BHEL employee, Mr. Khalid Zaheer has been conferred the honour for the year 2006 for his contribution to social causes.

A pioneer in Human Resource Development in India, BHEL realises the value of quality human resources and that the development of this critical resource has become imperative, in view of a business environment where globalisation, competition, customer expectations, fast pace of change and new economic policies pose serious challenges.