GAIL: Anger at Tripathi's new promotion policy
GAIL chairman BC Tripathi wants to copy accepted private sector practice and bring in a fast-track promotions system for star performers.
But the company’s powerful officers association union fears such a move will lead to favouritism and a ‘yes men’ culture. “Tripathi wants the new promotion policy in place as soon as possible,” confirms a GAIL source.
He adds Tripathi originally wanted the policy endorsed at GAIL’s board meeting on March 9 but had yet to meet the officers association to discuss their concerns. So the policy is now likely to be cleared in April.
“Tripathi is trying to build a consensus with the officers association,” we hear. “But he’ll have a hard time convincing them.
” Tripathi’s plan is for officers with ‘outstanding’ ratings in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) for three consecutive years to be considered for promotion in that same timeframe instead of four years as is done at present. Sounds reasonable? Not to an officers association source.
“By rating officers as outstanding and making them eligible for promotion in three years it will ensure that the management’s ‘blue-eyed boys’ get promoted,” he says. He fears this will lead to stagnation at GAIL as promotions will only be won by a chosen few.
Is the current culture where people feel entitled to promotions based only on seniority, and regardless of performance, any better?
