Académique Documents
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Culture Documents
Project Report
Submitted in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the course
By
Aryabarta Sikdar H008-16
opportunity to do a project on designing training program for the mess workers of IIM Ranchi.
This has given us an opportunity to learn more about handling training and development related
issues and this will further help us to deal with such issues at the workplace in a more effective
way.
We would like to thank Mr. Satyam Dudwewala, the member of Student Facilities Committee for
We would like to thank the overall manager Mr Shailesh Mishra as well as the chef manager for
taking out time from their hectic schedule and giving us insights on various mess issues.
Last, but not the least, we would like to thank the mess workers of IIM Ranchi, who took time
from their busy schedule and gave us the interview, thus helping us in completing our research
Indigo Catering and Services Pvt. Ltd. started operations in the year 2008. It was formed by
professionals in the field of hospitality management having rendered services across the
globe. It has its regional offices in Kolkata, Ranchi and Baroda. They have been operating
Pan India from Arunachal Pradesh to far end of Gujarat. At Indigo, they believe that their
success lies not on volumes but on being able to deliver their clients and customers the best
value.
It aims to be a Quality service provider to its clients and for this it aims to make its services
Their shared values are: "principles, qualities or entities that are valuable or desirable to us".
They believe that shared values are the foundation of ethics and productivity. They believe
that shared values and beliefs are the "glue" which holds an effective organization,
community or team together. The shared value helps the team members to understand the
organization and is key to motivation and culture. Their values are Integrity, Respect, Trust,
Their objective aims at being preferred service provider and employer in the region. They
believe that this can be achieved only through hiring/developing quality work force to deliver
quality services and results in terms of customer satisfaction and value for money and also
financial results for the organization. In short they believe in Quality Services, through
History
Indigo Services was formed with an objective of being a quality support to industries,
institutions and other agencies in eastern India, by association of leading hospitality
professionals, in the year 2006. In year 2008, Indigo Catering & Services Pvt. Ltd was
instituted.
Presently, Indigo Catering operates all over the country and has its subsidiaries which
specialize in different streams of business. It has its Supply Wing, Travel Agency and
Vision
Strategy
We shall optimize development of local resources for optimum utilizations. Safety shall be
our prime focus which includes food safety, Personal Safety, and safety of assets and
environment.
Values
Suchana Bhawan 2 2 2 1
Khelgaon 7 4 5 1
Cafetaria 1 1 1 NA
Model used for the Needs Assessment Process
Organizational Support
We interviewed the overall manager Mr. Shailesh Mishra to know about his expectations
from the workers. He was quite supportive in letting us carry forward our project. He was
curious to know how this project will be of help in improving the current performance of the
In our interview, we got various insights from him about the hierarchy, structure and the
working of the organization. We got his full support for conducting the interviews of the
mess workers as he briefed us about their schedule and the exact time when we could conduct
their interviews.
kitchen as it is the main wing of their entire unit. He too helped us with the project as he gave
his insights on what he would like to see happening in the mess. He told us about things that
he thinks could be of utmost help in adding a definite value that would be one notch higher
We understood his relationship with the chef and other assistant cooks to be healthy,
supportive and cordial. We all were on the same page in accordance with our project relating
We didn't create any liaison team since there wasnt a need for us, owing to the small
organizational unit that we were considering for our project. It was possible for us to interact
with all the workers that came under our project scope.
Organizational Analysis
Specify Goals
As per their vision and strategy, their key focus is on quality, professionalism, food safety
and personal safety. At the sub unit level (mess at Khelgaon and Suchana Bhawan), they are
focussed on providing quality food on time while at the same time maintaining good
Keeping all this in mind, we have tried to identify the key areas where mess workers can
improve so as to achieve these goals and be in alignment with the organizations vision. Since
the goals were clearly specified, it also helped us in asking the right questions and
formulating the right strategy for designing a training paradigm and hence in subsequent
evaluation of it.
Transfer Climate
The skills they would be learning as a part of their training will be closely related to the
current work the workers are performing and it will directly help them go up the ladder.
From our interaction with the overall manager, we realized that he is happy to encourage the
mess workers who wish to learn new skills and has recommended them for training for these
skills in their head office in the past. This proves to be a good sign for us to carry forward
with our project since this shows that there will be no future resistance from the supervisor in
case the worker wishes to apply the newly learned skills through our training program.
Thus we saw that the transfer climate in this case was quite conducive since there was no
roadblock from the supervisor or from the job itself that would prevent the employees from
applying their newly learned skills on the real-time job. In fact the climate was such that the
promotions and recognitions were put in place for the ones who would be willing and
successful to apply the newly learned skills in their job to uplift their performance.
As the sub-unit level we were dealing with small number of people therefore we did not face
any external or legal constraints while conducting our research for the project. We were able
Requirements Analysis
Job Description: He assists the chef in doing the overall kitchen work. The various types of
Choose Methods
Observation: As students, we have observed their work for around nine months. Thus we
have analysed many things and identified areas where they need training for better
performance.
Key Consultation: We had a discussion with the overall manager as well as the chef manager
to know about their expectation from the workers. Both of them expect good food quality as
well as following all the instructions with respect to safety and hygiene.
questions were common for all the workers. (The questionnaire has been attached at the end
for reference) While some questions were specific to the workers according to the type of
work they are doing and also according to the answers they were giving to our questions
Determine Participants
There wasnt a need for us to determine the number of participants since this is a small
For our project the main point of contact is the overall manager Mr. Shailesh Mishra.
Anticipate Problems
It was a bit difficult to conduct survey questionnaire with the target group because
they were not lacking the required English and Computer skills.
Many staff members might be reluctant to answer the questions during the interview
as they might misunderstand our intentions, and thus end up feeling insecure about
their job.
Task and KSA Analysis
Develop Tasks
We identified the following tasks for the job role that we were working on for our project:
Cut the vegetables so they can cook them in less amount of time
Cook the vegetables/non-veg/dal in a way that it ensures healthy food and good taste
Rinse and soak rice with water and cook it well so that it is not raw or overcooked
These are the five task clusters that we developed according to the tasks identified:
Cleaning
Cutting
Cooking
Hygiene
Safety
Develop KSAs
Ability to cook food with optimum amount of resources to prevent overshoot of the
budget
experience
Ability to pass on the information to the subordinates to help improve their performance
Knowledge of first aid (basic medicines and ointment) in case of any injury (cuts, burns
etc.)
Skill to clean the food items in a proper way with the appropriate solution
Knowledge of cleaning agents for wiping the floor and cleaning of equipment
Ability of the worker to be professional (clean shaven, wears cap, gloves, shoes etc.)
We rated the following tasks based on their importance on the likert scale of 7
time
Rinse and soak rice with water and cook it well so that it is not 6
raw or overcooked
masalas
appropriate solution
cleaning of equipment
Cut the vegetables so they can cook a) Skill to cut the vegetables finely
them in less amount of time b) Knowledge of first aid (basic medicines and
etc.)
way that it ensures healthy food and resources to prevent overshoot of the budget
experience
Continental etc.)
Rinse and soak rice with water and cook a) Ability to cook food with optimum amount of
it well so that it is not raw or overcooked resources to prevent overshoot of the budget
experience
Prepare dough and cook rotis a) Ability to cook food with optimum amount of
Wiping the kitchen floor, slabs, stove a) Skill to keep the kitchen clean
Maintain overall hygiene in the kitchen a) Skill to clean the food items in a proper way
Person Analysis
Food should be prepared on time so that the students can get their meal on time
The staff members should have knowledge of the first aid in case of any mishap
They should have sufficient knowledge of various safety tools like fire extinguisher
etc.
While preparing food, staff should wear gloves, shoes, cap etc. for safety
t Possessed
solution
amount etc.)
of time
a way budget
experience
d) Skill to cook food on 6 4 2
time
e) Knowledge of various 7 4 3
cuisines (Chinese,
Continental etc.)
or masalas
experience
time
time
to ensure
hygiene
hygiene solution
c) Knowledge of cleaning 4 4 0
d) Knowledge of cleaning 4 4 0
to be professional
accident etc.)
to be professional
It has been noticed over time, that apart from the training already provided, there are a lot of
non-training issues that can be addressed in order to improve the performance of the mess
Based on our observation from the last 9 months and as per our discussion with the workers
and the supervisor we inferred that, following are the non-training issues that may impact the
1. Behavioural issues while dealing with the students, co-workers and supervisors
2. Soft skills
3. 360 degree feedback to prevent biases, thus ensuring healthy work environment
Behavioural Issues
The workers at Indigo have to interact a lot with the students, co-workers and supervisors as a
part of their job requirement. While interviewing them, we found out some of the behavioural
Tendency to easily get annoyed or angry when students misbehave with them
Soft Skills
In our discussion with the manager at Indigo, we came to know that because of the kind of
job role that the mess workers are into, it is important that they develop a great rapport with
the student fraternity of IIM Ranchi. So thereby the development of soft skills is taken very
seriously by the employers at Indigo. However from our interview with the mess workers, we
Some of the most common soft skills employers at Indigo are looking for include the
following:
b. Positive attitude
e. Problem-solving skills
h. Flexibility/Adaptability
The 360 degree feedback system is a very important tool to leverage an employees
this when we interacted with the supervisor (Mr. Shailesh Mishra) at Khelgaon. They
generally have a daily meet-up at 10:30 pm everyday whereby they discuss what were the
problems that the team faced throughout the day, whether the problems were resolved (if not
why and what can be done going forward) and what are the agendas for the next day.
Sometimes workers are given feedback on their performance by their supervisors however
1. The workers are given training at the head office however the frequency and content
(first aid training, cutting etc.) of training for each worker was different. Therefore we
wish to design a framework that remains common for all the workers.
2. To ensure that various types of hygiene, safety and health related trainings are
conducted through live demonstrations so that workers are well equipped to perform
these essential activities as and when the need arises. Currently they are provided this
opportunity to learn new cuisines on a regular basis. Currently they are provided this
training only when they show their interest for it. However we wish to include it as a
part of their regular training program since, as told by the workers, learning of new
work for. They were only told the work they were supposed to do. However we
feel that is very essential that a worker is well aware of the organization he is
going to work in. Therefore we would like to include this thing in their induction
training program.
b) Although this isnt a direct training need but building good relationship with the
student fraternity is very essential for the mess workers, therefore it is very
important that this is a part of their induction program so that they are well aware
Workers
After taking the interview of the mess workers, we realized there was a huge gap in terms of
the content and frequency of training given to them. In order to rectify the content part, we
designed an induction training program for mess workers joining the mess. On interviewing
the workers we came to know that each of the workers was being trained before coming to
join the mess. There was however one worker who said he wasnt given any training before
joining. This was one major gap. Also, the way the training was delivered was different for
each worker. Some were given lectures while some were shown videos. Some were given
safety training while some were only told orally about it. To fill this major gap we designed
an induction training program for Indigo so they could give common training to all the new
joiners and thus ensure that all the workers are on the same page.
has been assumed to calculate the number and cost of forms, pens and raw food items for
1. Where have they previously worked? OR What have they previously done?
This question will be asked to gauge their level of expertise in the field of cooking.
Some may have worked as drivers before, so they will be considered novice during the
training and most probably, will be assigned the task of cutting while on the other hand
if a person has 4-5 years of experience in cooking then he will be considered an expert
during the training and will most probably be assigned the task of cooking.
Here they would be given the following options: cutting, preparing rice, preparing rotis,
cooking dal, cooking vegetables, cooking non-veg items. This question is asked to
gauge their area of interest. For example, in case any conflict arises regarding assigning
the tasks to two individuals then their preference will be given the priority. If they have
the same preference then they will be assigned the tasks randomly.
The Head Office Manager, the Overall Mess Manager and the Cook Manager will be paid
Rs 2000, Rs 1000 and Rs 800 respectively during the entire course of the training
program on the basis of the salaries they draw from the organization. The overall mess
and the cook manager draw the same salaries but given that the cook manager would be
During the soft skills training they will be given basic training in English usage since
students from different parts of India study in IIM Ranchi. At the end of the training,
there will be a distribution of picture pamphlets that will contain all the common English
words (e.g. different type of cutlery) that will be helpful for them in interacting with the
We are preparing a full course meal during the course of a training program just to give
them an idea about how they have to cook while on job, starting from using cleaning
agents to clean the raw food items, to chopping them well, to finally cooking them taking
care of hygiene as well as safety in the kitchen environment. This would be the minimum
level of performance expected from them and it also expected that they improve more
Manager will inform the workers about their respective supervisors whom they have to
report to daily. He will also brief them about various employee benefits which includes:
1. Salary Structure
2. Bonus
6. Resignation policy
This common induction training program will thus ensure that all the new workers joining the
organization are on the same page. Now in order to fill these gaps for the old employees, we
propose that hygiene, health and safety training be given to all of them because these are the
only things that they cannot learn on the job. They need special assistance to be fully aware
of the things in this area. Also all these things should be taught to them via demonstration
only.
After the training is imparted, care must be taken that the learning gets reflected on their job.
From the discussion with the Overall Mess Manager, we can say that he has always been very
encouraging for his workers who have learnt new things. Besides the training program we
have designed is directly related to the actual work they will be doing therefore a proper
transfer of knowledge will happen on job. However the work doesnt end here. We need to
ensure there are proper checks in place and further trainings take place at a regular point of
time. This is because of a very important reason. Most of the learning for these workers
happens through on-the-job training. Therefore in order to point out errors, we need to
regularly instruct them about the good practises of doing their job.
This thing is in place for these workers however the frequency is not fixed. Some workers
have taken 4 trainings in 2 years while some havent been called again in years! From our
discussion with the overall mess manager, we came to know that such training happens only
if the manager deems fit, which is a good thing. However, we still want a formal structure in
place as they are not knowledge workers and constant reminders will help them improve their
job performance. For e.g. proper clothing are being provided to these workers however they
dont usually wear it all the same which is a big gap as it may prove detrimental to their
safety. Therefore to ensure that no such thing happens, we propose that training takes place
after every 6 months or upon the discretion of the manager, whichever is earlier, so that they
are constantly reminded of the good practises at the workplace. After 2 years this training can
happen after an interval of a year. During this training they will also be taught a new cuisine
as this directly affects their promotions and thus will help in achieving objective number
three.
Evaluating the Training Program
In order to evaluate if proper training transfer has taken place or not, we need to observe the
workers.
Currently a training officer visits the mess every 4-5 weeks. He can do a surprise check to
see if proper hygiene, health and safety measures are being incorporated or not and how
well they are being incorporated. He can do this via a checklist form. Below we have
created a sample form that includes all the hygeine, health and safety related issues. He
can rate the workers on the basis of these measures. This feedback should be incorporated
Improvement
Clean
Kitchen
(shelf, stove,
cupboards)
Well
groomed
workers
(wearing
cap, gloves
and shoes)
Safety on
job during
cutting
Proper
cleaning of
food
(vegetables,
rice etc.)
Maintenance
of first aid
box
Quality and
taste of food
(optimum
usage of
masalas in
food, shape
of roti,
uncooked
vegetable/
roti etc.)
In order to check workers behaviour on job, we can get feedback from the Overall Mess
Manager, Cook Manager, co-workers and the students of IIM Ranchi. Some of the
4. Dedication to quality
5. Commitment
6. Patience
Workers showing bad behaviour should be given a warning. During this warning, the Overall
Mess Manager should document the instances of bad behaviour of the worker and then
schedule a meeting with the worker to discuss documented incidences of bad behaviour. If
the worker still doesn't improve then the overall mess manager should send the worker to the
head office for the training that will focus on improving his behavioural skills. If the worker
still doesn't improve then the worker should be terminated from the job.
In order to check if they are cooking healthy and tasty food we can take feedback from
students. One thing to note here is that such a system is already in place; however we can
improve it to ensure more number of responses. To generate more responses, we can give
incentives to students so that they are motivated to fill the feedback form. Supervisor can
evaluate the food prepared. He can then schedule the meeting to discuss with the workers
about the same and suggest any improvement if needed. He can also reward employees
for their good cooking skills like free food coupons for couple of days, best cook of the
month etc.
In order to check if they are learning new cuisines, the Students Facilities Committee can
keep a check while they frame a new menu. They can introduce new items on the menu
and thus evaluate their cooking skills. They can float a form among students to get their
feedback about a particular cuisine and also to know what all items should be added and
deleted from the menu. This will thus help us to know if the newly added items are
Questionnaire
Were you provided any form of training before joining the organization?
Were you provided health and safety training before joining the organization?
What was the mode through which you were given this training?
Have you been provided with all the necessary safety tools?
What is the one thing you like and dislike about your work?
What are the essential things you think will help you grow up the ladder?
Were you briefed about your work and organization before joining it?
What are the various problems that you have faced while working in the organization?
Have you been awarded employee of the month award? If yes, then how many
number of times?
What are the various parameters on which you were evaluated for this awarded?
Interview Summary
1. Rajesh Bawri
Background
He has been working in the Khelgaon hostel mess since the inception of IIM Ranchi.
Interview Takeaways
He was provided one-time training (of 3 to 4 days) before joining the place.
Henceforth he has not been given any formal training which is a huge gap. All that he
The thing he likes about his work is cooking, quality checking and guiding his peers.
he said he likes his job to be simple and easy-going. So he would rather prefer stay in
the same position than become a supervisor and get into complicated work.
During the entire interview, the one prominent thing that we noted was that till date
there is no engagement activity in place for the mess workers due to which they find
His major concern was language and thus we identified a gap here.
2. Manoj De
Background
He joined Indigo on 25th Feb 2009 and has been working in Khelgaon hostel mess for the last
four months.
Interview Takeaways
Through his interview, we could infer that he possesses good leadership values. He
prefers to lead the team and help all his colleagues whenever required.
One such training that he underwent was the hygiene training. The mode of the
training was oral and videos. He feels that they have not been able to keep their
Background
He has joined Indigo 20 days back and has joined Khelgaon mess hostel immediately after
his training.
Interview Takeaways
He used to work as a cook somewhere else but joined Indigo because he got his
The thing he likes about his work is preparing rotis. On the contrary the thing that he
He is very passionate about growing and is open to learning any kind of work to
secure the promotion. He wants to learn to prepare Chinese cuisine and various other
4. Mahavir Munda
Background
He joined Indigo four months back and right after his training he started working at Khelgaon
hostel mess.
Interview Takeaways
In this short duration of time, he had an opportunity to get four different types of
trainings namely: cleaning, safety (only oral), preparing vegetables and preparing
rotis.
When we asked him in detail about the safety training, we found out that he has not
Background
He joined Indigo four months back and right after his training he started working at Khelgaon
hostel mess.
Interview Takeaways
Till date, he has been provided with two trainings: cutting vegetables and preparing
rice.
He seems to be pretty contended with his job and has no complaint as such.
Background
He joined this organization 15 days back. He works at Suchana Bhawan college mess.
Interview Takeaways
He did not receive any form of training before joining the organization. All that he has
been doing is because of what he has learnt in his previous organization. He wasnt
even briefed about the kind of place he was to work before. This is definitely a huge
Chinese etc.
7. Samal Mondal
Background
Interview Takeaways
Before getting on-boarded to the team, he was provided with a training of 3 days at
the Indigo office. He had been provided with two training as follows:
Hygiene training where he was taught how to wipe the floor. (Mode of training Oral
Although he had received training in safety measures, but when we asked him about
first aid and other related information, we got to know no such topics was covered in
Here at IIM Ranchi service area, he is entitled to cutting vegetables, but he wasnt
given any training on that. So this was another gap we came up with.