The raison de ‘eter of Human Resource Development (HRD) is to create the context for technological and managerial excellence in a globally competitive Aerospace Industry. The changing environment, rapid technological changes, shift from licensed production to R&D based production, strategies of co-development, co-production, joint ventures, outsourcing, Public private Partnership, focused diversification to civilian & export markets etc necessitate required HR interventions. The overall objective of the Human Resource Development plan is to build a vibrant performance & learning culture that meets the challenges of business, quality, cost, delivery and excellence. Recruitment & retention of competent human resources and developing high commitment & a sense of belongingness to the Company is very important. Accordingly, the Company's HR Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies and Policies are carefully evolved.

Develop a Community of Excellence driven by technology and market culture to become globally competitive

People Development initiatives have taken a strategic role for driving business results in HAL. Competency framework has become the central theme of numerous initiatives in HAL to enhance the HR processes and systems. To motivate the Officers, an accelerated Promotion Policy is existing to promote the high fliers. 

A Behavioral Competency Model was developed in the Company with three major groups and eleven competencies in three clusters that forms the basis for the Competency Frame work: 

Assessment Centres have been conducted for Officers in Grade VI & above. Competency Development Programmes have been conducted at IIMs Ahmedabad, Bangalore & Calcutta for such Officers with development needs.

Induction of freshers in HAL takes place as Management/Design Trainees (Executives); and as Technician & Diploma Trainees (Workmen). The induction of meritorious and fresh Engineering Graduates and other Professionals as Management / Design Trainees is linked to each of the programs with required background, competencies and skill sets. Apart from Induction as Trainees, the Company also inducts Officers through lateral entry at various Grades, based on requirements.

In order to meet the requirements of time bound Projects of the Company, a Scheme for engagement of personnel in the Non-Executive Cadre on tenure basis was introduced during 2015.  Such engagement provides flexibility in hiring manpower based on workload, economic conditions, and utilisation of resources and brings cost effectiveness. The initiative is targeted towards enhancing efficiency, promoting cost effectiveness and harnessing competitiveness. 

The system aims to continuously improve people capabilities, for meeting the Company's goals. The Performance Management System of Executives is formulated on work planning and Task (mutually agreed tasks). Self-review and analysis, systematic review and performance feedback ensures that the focus is on value adding activities. Identification of Low performers and High performers is another objective.  There is also a clearly defined system of performance review for workmen.

The Company has set up well equipped Hospitals at Bangalore, Nasik and Koraput and Dispensaries at Hyderabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Korwa and Barrackpore. All modern facilities including well-equipped Operation Theatres, Pathological Laboratory, Dental, ENT and X-Ray Units including Specialist Consultations are provided in the Hospitals. The Hospitals / Dispensaries cater to the medical needs of employees and their eligible dependants. HAL Hospitals are well equipped and function round the clock with Specialties in the following Departments:

The HAL Hospital  is well equipped and functions round the clock with specialities in the following Departments:

• General Medicine Department  with advanced ICU 
  facilities
• Industrial Health Department
• Pediatrics Department  with Well Baby Clinic.
• Dental Department
• ENT Department
• Eye Department with surgical procedures refraction unit
• Ortho Department
• Pathology Department
• Radiology Department

The HAL Hospital at Bangalore has also been recognized as a teaching institution for Post-Graduate Courses (DNB) in various branches of Medicine and Surgery. 

External Hospitals / Diagnostic Centres have also been recognized for in-patient treatment / investigations / surgical operations in Divisions / Offices / Outstations where HAL Hospital does not exist or where the facilities do not exist in HAL Hospitals / Dispensaries.

The Company has appointed Zonal Doctors in different parts of the City at Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Kanpur for consultation by the employees and their eligible dependant family members. In addition, eminent Doctors in various Specialties / Disciplines are engaged in HAL Hospitals / Dispensaries as Visiting Consultants (Specialist Doctors) on need basis, where internal expertise is not available. 

Getting the best out of people is the primary thrust of HR, with facilitation mechanisms of Competency building, Performance Management etc. The HR processes viz. Recruitment, Placement, Compensation, Career Growth, Career Planning, Succession Planning etc. are linked to the current and future projects of HAL. HAL reviews the HR Policies from time to time and fine tunes them to align with the constantly evolving needs of the Company. 

HAL today needs to develop capabilities essential to become a globally competitive and a high growth organization. The success of each of the current Projects /Programmes and those in the pipeline hinges on the availability of capable leadership and managerial & engineering skills, besides highly skilled work force. Some of the major initiatives launched by the Company during the last few years in this direction are as follows:

Leadership Development Programme:

HAL embarked on a journey to build leadership capabilities within the Organisation by outlining a comprehensive Leadership Development Programme aimed at preparing today’s generation of Senior Executives to take on the challenges of tomorrow. The initiative will help HAL to groom future leaders for succession to key positions and develop a Leadership pipeline. The Programme contains 7 modules (includes domestic and international spread over a period of one year) and is co-ordinated by HAL Management Academy in association with Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. The domestic module consists of Orientation at HAL Management Academy, two modules at IIM-Ahmedabad, Individual Project and Group Project in the Company. The 2 weeks International Module is at a reputed Foreign University and Aerospace industry to give exposure to international practices and benchmark operational and business excellence.
    
The Programme was introduced in HAL during 2013-14 and 30 Senior Officers in the Age Group of 48 to 52 years in Grade VII & VIII having excellent track record [Performance Ratings of ‘85’ & above (out of 100), etc.] were nominated. During 2014-15, the selection criteria was reviewed in terms of Age, Performance, Grade etc. and two batches (30 Officers each) were nominated to attend the Programme. The Officers shortlisted by the Divisions / Complex Offices of the Company were interviewed by a duly constituted Selection Committee. In furtherance to the initiatives for Leadership Development Programme in the Company, it was decided to conduct one more batch consisting of 31 Officers during 2017-18. The fifth batch of leadership development program with 30 Executives started on Feb 2021 and the sixth batch is currently ongoing.

Officers nominated are required to execute a Bond to serve the Company for a period of 5 years from the date of completion of the Programme. The total Bond value per participant is equal to the total expenditure of the Course / training, including Pay and Allowances.  

A similar Leadership Development initiative in association with IIM Lucknow has been introduced for the Middle Management Cadre of Executives in Grade – V. 57 Officers have undergone the Programme. 

Sponsorship and Establishment of Chairs: 

A mid-career opportunity is provided to acquire latest and advanced technology in the field of Aeronautics and to implement the same on the Projects. HAL has tie-up with Cranfield University, UK to sponsor Executives for acquiring M Sc. in Aerodynamics, Aerospace Vehicle Design, Thermal Power etc. From 2012 to 2017, more than 100 Executives have been sponsored for this Programme. 

Apart from the above, HAL has been sponsoring Officers to reputed Institutions in India for higher studies in the field of Technology and Management, in a structured manner. In the Technical and Design Disciplines, Officers are sponsored to various IITs, IISc, Bangalore etc and in the field of Management to IIMs etc.   

A scheme for Sponsorship for MS (by Research), M.Sc (Engg.) by Research and Ph.D Programme (through External Registration) at Indian Institute of Science – Bangalore & IIT Kharagapur, Kanpur, Madras, Delhi and Bombay has been introduced during 2014 in order to help the Divisions/R & D Centres to address technological issues and find out solutions and develop ideas and do specialized Projects selected by the Divisions/ R & D Centres.

In order to meet demands of the growing number of Projects of the Company and the need to manage them in a structured professional manner, the Company had initiated a process for creating an in-house Cadre of Project Management Professionals. Project Management Certification has significant value for both the Individual & the Organization. A comprehensive Policy is notified on the process for the PMP Training, Application, Certification and Renewal during 2016.

In addition, HAL has established Chairs at IIT-Roorkee , IIT-Kanpur, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Madras, IIT-Kharagpur & IISc, Bangalore with the objective to carry out academic & research based interactions for promotion & development of new and breakthrough technologies in the field of Aerospace. Similarly, HAL Chair at National Law School of India of India University was established to engage in research pertaining to all relevant areas of Business Laws with focus upon issues relevant to HAL in Contract Management including International Contracts, Defence Sector Procurement, Dispute Settlement, Environment Compliance etc. 

Skill Development:

A Skill Development Policy showing the Road Map of Skill Development of employees with the framework and standards to enhance productivity, quality and customer satisfaction has been notified for implementation. A Framework containing the Systems, Procedures, Standards and Measurement Tools under Skill Development called Skill Development Management System (SDMS) and Skill Development Quality Assurance System (SDQAS) has been developed and documented to ensure effective implementation of Skill Development Process. The Skill Development Process involves Skill Mapping, Skill Gap Analysis, Identifying Training needs, Organizing Training in Shop Floor and Mentoring.

130 Job Roles have been identified for various functions & Functional Standards for these Job Roles have been developed & documented after conducting extensive occupational mapping across the Divisions of HAL. In Phase I, Skill Mapping for over 10500 direct workmen of the company has been completed. Based on the skill gap analysis, training needs have been identified and training curricula and training contents have been developed by domain specialists from HAL Divisions for imparting training to the employees for bridging their skill gaps. Training of direct workmen has commenced and over 4500 employees have been trained as of March 2018. A web Portal named “Kaushal Vikas” has been developed for handling the huge skill data Inventory.

HAL Reward Scheme:

Reward Scheme for Exemplary Performance in Respect of Executives was notified in the Company on 15.6.17 with an intention to recognize & encourage exemplary performance of Executive based on innovation, exceptional productivity etc, which contributes to attainment of the short term & long terms Organizational Goals. 

HAL Employees Premature Retirement Scheme:

Taking a step towards ‘Managing Business in a climate of growing professional competence’, a revised Scheme has been introduced in the Company during 2016 for Premature Retirement of employees. As the administrative machinery rests its functions on efficient employees, a need was felt to improve the effectiveness of the administrative machinery by reviewing and weeding out employees who have ceased to be useful to the Organization. The Scheme provides for counselling/ feedback during the preceding two years, before the Employee is considered for retirement. The Scheme is currently applicable to the Officers of the Company and will be made applicable to Workmen after suitably modifying the Certified Standing Orders.