New Delhi: Santosh George, chief executive at CURE International India Trust (CIIT), does not believe in hierarchy. His idea is to create an open and transparent work culture where employees take ownership of their work. CIIT works towards the eradication of club foot, a congenital deformity of the foot. George, who has been associated with the organization for nine years, wants to expand its operations to every district of the country so that each child born with the deformity gets treated on time. In an interview, he spoke about his idea of a great workplace, the importance of employees and what motivates them. Edited excerpts:
What, according to you, is a great workplace?
A workplace becomes great when its employees have a shared vision and a passion to achieve it. In fact, that is how the leaders should create a culture where everyone feels responsible to achieve a goal that the organization is working towards. The system is created in a way where each employee feels a sense of achievement and satisfaction. They must know that they are a part of a larger picture where nobody is working in isolation.
Why are people important in the growth of a company?
I think people are the reason any organization becomes successful. We have managed to run the club foot eradication programme successfully because we have people who are committed and compassionate. There are candidates who are professionally competent but they might not be socially committed. We look for people who have both brain and heart, and they know how to balance both.
What is your personal people’s philosophy?
Dedication and determination are the two traits that make people successful. Simplicity and sincerity bring respect. Our partners respect us because we are committed and they can trust us.
How do you ensure that women employees feel motivated and see personal growth?
CIIT has a 95% women workforce and there is a reason for that. A majority of our workforce has to interact with mothers of children who have the club foot disease. It is essential for these mothers to feel comfortable when they are talking to our counsellors. We have a sexual harassment policy that everybody has to sign while joining. We also have a transparent and confidential committee to oversee any such incidents. Since we work with children, we also have a children protection policy that every staff has to sign. We make sure they are protected.
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