Companies look to break free from coteries

MUMBAI: It's a typical scene at any workplace: a group of people, generally described as coteries, huddle together during breaks or in between work hours, exchanging notes or having conversations. Coteries are trusted confidants of senior decision makers, chosen due to their past associations in previous roles or organizations. They are sometimes identified from within based on personal preferences of leaders who believe that coteries understand their thought processes better and can execute their plans effectively.

Although such groups appear innocuous and are largely overlooked, what organizations have begun to gauge is whether they have any impact on the general culture or attrition at the workplace? It turns out, it does. The solution, say HR experts, lies in frequent job rotations and tighter recruitment processes.




In an instance from a company he worked for earlier in his career, Rajesh Tripathi, VP & head, HR, GHCL, recalled how due to a mismatch in thought process between the management and employees at one of the strategic business units (SBUs), which was doing well and supporting other SBUs, the company saw exists of some hardworking employees, paving the way for those who were closer to the management. "Most of the organizations do not pay heed to attrition happening because of such coteries and this is where they find themselves in disdain," said Tripathi, who added that employees more often than not keep such aspects as a well-guarded secret during exit interviews.

Considering that coteries have an open access to the leader, Barttanu Kumar Das, head-HR, Blue Dart, said they many a times provide information to the leader in a prejudicial manner which doesn't reflect the true picture. The leader forms a biased impression about functional heads, thus affecting the boss-subordinate relationship and vitiating the atmosphere in the organization.

Das recalled how a head at one of the previous organizations he worked for was given the responsibility to transform the company and he brought in his own people from a similar background. "Initially, the head of the business unit got information from them. However, a lot of mistrust arose between the leader and key department heads. I could see that the information shared by coteries was responsible for this," said Das.

The influence of the coteries, however, waned considerably after two to three years, when the strength of managers increased and the head of the organization improved his relations with them.

In another company, Das recalled how coteries were put in all departments in the name of management control and compliance and they used to pass on information directly to the CEO. "Besides creating an atmosphere of fear and position of extra-constitutional authorities, the organization saw exits of some very senior successful leaders hired from outside to create a world-class organization," he said.

Job rotation

The solution lies in leaders demonstrating high levels of maturity while dealing with coteries. "When leaders are not very organization focused, it leads to turf issues, lack of synergy and loss of productivity. Sometimes, if the leader leaves, some follow him or her," said Nagarajan Balanaga, VP-HR, Cummins Group, who believes traditional organizations without leadership or employee rotations face such problem. "When organizations have the philosophy of rotating employees and leaders across entities or businesses/functions, one can destabilize these groups," he said. Cummins does this every three to five years.

According to Tripathi, organizations need to develop a culture prompting people to anonymously cast their opinion on organizational issues. "Often, organizations come up with ice-breaking sessions but this takes place at the top level only. The approach should be from bottom to top and not vice versa," said Tripathi.