K Keerthivasan

Director

The highly complex and competitive landscape of pharmaceuticals is undergoing rapid development and progress, especially in India with targets to become the leading global pharmaceuticals supplier. How­ever, the industry, like most others, faces challenges of finding and retaining top talent. The current generation of workers expects quick advancements to the top which necessitates staying abreast of industry developments at all times. This makes companies which offer opportuni­ties for development along with competitive benefits and an overall environment conducive to employee develop­ment much more attractive. As many pharma companies navigate through these challenges, Pondicherry-based Li­nux Lifesciences has emerged as one of the best pharma companies to work for. Placing high priority on employee growth through continuous learning to create future lead­ers, the firm stands out for its holistic employee-centric en­vironment focused on safety, inclusivity, work-life balance, and much more.

Committed to Employee Progress

With the purpose of fostering an environment where employees can thrive and progress, Linux Lifesciences undertakes a well-rounded approach to support their needs. The firm’s focus extends to assuring employee safety, providing sustainable manufacturing processes, nurturing a collaborative spirit among team members, focusing on professional development of employees, assessing their performance, and offering timely feedback which can be leveraged by them to further polish their skills.

“At Linux Lifesciences, we have set our highest priority on continuous training to upgrade the employees to create future leaders. Linux also fosters an inclusive culture where employees from diverse backgrounds feel valued, respected, and empowered to contribute. We actively promote diversity in hiring practices, leadership development, and decision-making processes. We encourage employee involvement in the decision-making process, valuing suggestions for upgradation of the processes, caring for the families by providing insurance”, shares K Keerthivasan, Director.

Safety being a key area of focus, Linux has designed state-of-the-art facilities for manufacturing that have extensive safety features such as firefighting systems with comprehensive SOP backups. In addition to offering an accident-free environment for the employees, it also works towards ensuring efficiency of human resources and machines. Furthermore, the company also pays close attention to female safety and has set up an internal committee under POSH policy. Training and mock-ups for managing emergency circumstances as well as following professional conduct are periodically conducted as well.

Beyond safety training, the company also conducts trainings in accordance with cGMP rules for basic grooming and transferring knowledge related to processes, induction, basic training, refreshment training, and more. Linux also focuses on training evaluations, internal empanelment of SMEs, training effectiveness measurements to upgrade training programs as needed. Employees at Linux are offered opportunities to attend seminars and exhibitions to stay abreast of latest industrial developments.

The teams are also trained in managerial and soft skills to ensure all-round employee development. Moreover, Linux has also introduced job rotation opportunities at the middle-level which offers employees to develop various skills associated with diverse roles. Through these encouragements and opportunities, the firm aims to provide an equal platform for all employees to climb up the career ladder.

“Career progression and succession planning goes hand in hand. In Linux, we have always encouraged elevation of internal candidates for the next level opportunity. We have set operational excellence parameters as well as managerial skill parameters for evaluating the performance of each employee. A detailed review on appraisal based on KRAs and grading method, effectively scrutinizes the performance on a periodic basis, it also gives an opportunity for the reporting Managers to effectively communicate the feedback in a highly progressive manner”, further adds K Keerthivasan.

Nurturing Harmonized Environment

To promote employee well-being and enhance productivity at the workplace, Linux strives to create a nurturing and harmonized work environment. Leading by example, the company managers and seniors set the firm’s culture, demonstrating values of empathy, respect, and positivity. Transparent communications are encouraged, motivating employees to share their ideas freely. This transparency extends to key decision making processes with the aim of enhancing trust, and promoting collaboration to seamlessly achieve organization goals.

With the aim of creating a harmonized environment that promotes employee well-being, Linux also offers need-based flexible work arrangements including hybrid working models and ample vacations. Offering employees avenues for engaging in sporting activities and get togethers, the firm also brings in opportunities for relaxation. In addition to these policies, Linux also offers compensatory holidays for extra work hours logged in by workers. Linux also ensures that employees are not disturbed during their leaves, a policy that most organizations fail to exercise.

To add more benefits for employees and partake in their progress, the company also has rewards and recognition programs based on employee performance. These programs are aimed at promoting innovation, higher mental functions and encourage employees to stay updated with current technological advancements. A unique aspect of the firm is that all employees are encouraged to come up with new ideas, the best of which is prized through its ‘employee of the month’ program. Employees receive bonuses, increments, gifts, mementos, and certificates based on their performance and motivation, pushing each one to push the boundaries,

With its holistic approach towards employee well-being and development, Linux Lifesciences is not only one of the best places to work at, it is also an organization setting the benchmarks for employee treatment in the industry.