1. Guardians of Culture: A Case Study of HR in a Research Organization Kentaro Toyama Assistant Managing Director Jasmit Kaur HR Manager Microsoft Research India COSMAR 2006 September 22, 2006 IISc School of Management Science

2. Outline Microsoft Research India –Introduction and Overview –Goals –Culture HR’s Role in Nurturing Culture –Operational HR –Consultant HR –Strategic HR Summary

3. Outline Microsoft Research India –Introduction and Overview –Goals –Culture HR’s Role in Nurturing Culture –Operational HR –Consultant HR –Strategic HR Summary

4. Microsoft Research Established 1991 in Redmond, USA ~1000 full-time staff in 5 locations –Redmond; Beijing; Cambridge, UK; Mountain View, CA; Bangalore, India Over 60 computer-science research areas represented –Regular publications in major CS journals and conferences Contributions to products at Microsoft –Ranging from development tools, data mining, photo editing, text-to-speech, grammar checking, spam filtering, etc. Collaborations with universities http://research.microsoft.com MSR HQ in Redmond

5. Microsoft Research India Established 2005 in Bangalore ~45 full-time staff, still growing Activities in six research areas: –Cryptography, Security, and Algorithms –Digital Geographics –Hardware, Communications, and Systems –Multilingual Systems –Rigorous Software Engineering –Technology for Emerging Markets Contributions to products, such as Windows, Virtual Earth, Mobile & Embedded Devices Collaborations with universities http://research.microsoft.com/india MSR India in Sadashivnagar

6. World-class academic research Goals Collaboration with universities to further technology research in India MSR India, January 2006 Contributions to Microsoft products and business groups

7. Culture World-class academic research Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus

8. “Microsoft Values”

9. Culture World-class academic research Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y Flexible timings External recognition Interaction encouraged Employees empowered Close community focus Discussion about everything Flexible policies Curiosity-driven exploration Frequent travel Casual dress code Flat hierarchy

10. Culture World-class academic research Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y Flexible timings External recognition Interaction encouraged Employees empowered Close community focus Discussion about everything Flexible policies Curiosity-driven exploration Frequent travel Casual dress code Flat hierarchy

11. Why do we care? “The basic philosophy, spirit, and desire of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation, and timing.” – T. J. Watson, Jr., 1962 “[Culture’s] impact supersedes all other factors when it comes to organizational economic performance.” – W. E. Schneider, 1998 “Organizational culture … matters because culture elements determine strategy, goals, and modes of operating.” – E. Schein, 1999

12. Supporting Culture Management –E.g., managers lower barriers to avoid hierarchical relationships Researchers –E.g., individual researchers set long-term research agendas Budget and finance –E.g., liberal travel budget allows conference attendance and lab visits, which supports external collaboration Real estate & facilities –E.g., interior architecture encourages internal collaboration Human Resources… Collaborative office space

13. Outline Microsoft Research India –Introduction and Overview –Goals –Culture HR’s Role in Nurturing Culture –Data –Operational HR –Consultative HR –Strategic HR Summary

14. Data From MSR India… HR policy HR documents and records Interaction with leadership team [7] Interviews with researchers [10] Intern feedback surveys [35]

15. HR’s Role in Nurturing a Research Culture Operational HR –Personalized recruiting –Informal work environment Consultative HR –Policy by persuasion –Employee feedback Strategic HR –Performance management –Competency framework

16. Culture World-class academic research Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y Flexible timings External recognition Interaction encouraged Employees empowered Close community focus Discussion about everything Flexible policies Curiosity-driven exploration Frequent travel Casual dress code Flat hierarchy

17. Operational HR Personalized recruiting Researchers have unique attributes; difficult to substitute/replace Candidates treated as visiting researchers –Research discussion with interviewers –Collaborative relationship sought regardless of hiring decision Once selected, candidates courted carefully –Gentle negotiations –Lots of attention from hiring manager, HR, and leadership team Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus Congratulations. You have the skills we’re looking for, and you’ll just fit a cubicle.”

18. Operational HR Informal work environment First-name basis Flexible working hours Support for working from home Casual dress code; shoes optional within office Accomplishments valued, not hours worked Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus “I’m working from home today.”

19. Outline Microsoft Research India –Introduction and Overview –Goals –Culture HR’s Role in Nurturing Culture –Data –Operational HR –Consultative HR –Strategic HR Summary

20. Consultative HR Policy as persuasion Reason for policies explained carefully Participative HR: policies set in conjunction with management to facilitate research culture Balance between equity and accommodation of individual –More flexibility than in other divisions Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus

21. Consultative HR Employee feedback [1] Feedback elicited through individual interviews. –<40% of researchers participated in corporate poll (vs. 80%) Interviews as brainstorming sessions Results presented in depth, with many questions, and attempt to understand causal factors Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus

22. Consultative HR Employee feedback [2] Feedback itself unique (indication of culture) –Few complaints about managers Mentor-mentee collaborative relationship Close-knit research teams –Suggestions, more than complaints Inquiry and engineering –Care for organization Copyright © 2003 Randy Glasbergen Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus

23. Outline Microsoft Research India –Introduction and Overview –Goals –Culture HR’s Role in Nurturing Culture –Data –Operational HR –Consultative HR –Strategic HR Summary

24. Strategic HR Performance management Two parts: performance review and commitment setting Uniqueness to research –Flexibility in precision of commitments Concrete metrics difficult to define Annual metrics aligned with long-term goals –Investment of greater effort to calibrate –Componentization of long-term work, to fit annual cycle Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus Microsoft performance review form

25. Research competency framework [1] Competency framework describes expected capabilities for a given level. Competencies define basis for leveling and promotion. Researcher competencies reflect the research culture; differ from other professions Strategic HR Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus

26. Research competency framework [2] Interviews to capture research managers’ intuitions Categorization, standardization, and normalization Articulation of competencies by level Communication to researchers Strategic HR Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus Research –Conceptual knowledge –Project identification –Project execution –Publications and presentations Internal collaboration –Collaboration with other researchers –Collaboration with product groups External collaboration –External visibility –Academic collaboration –Professional activities Management –Mentoring of junior researchers –Group management Leadership –Direction setting –Team building –Scope of concern –Impact and influence Sample MSR researcher competencies

27. Summary Elements of culture at Microsoft Research India HR adaptations in nurturing culture for research –Operational –Consultative –Strategic Novelty uniqueness Novelty and uniqueness Constant i ? n ? q ? u ? i ? r ? y focus – – – –

28. Thank you! http://research.microsoft.com/india