Industry and Organization Profile

The client organization is a mid-sized IT company headquartered in Bangalore, India, recognized as a pioneer in Internet of Things (IoT) solutions for smart manufacturing and home automation sectors. With a 300+ strong workforce—including software developers, hardware engineers, solution architects, sales engineers, and on-site deployment teams—this IoT provider had scaled rapidly, winning projects across Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

By 2024, as demand for connected devices and automation spiked, the company’s pace of innovation was at risk due to mounting talent management challenges. Hiring talented engineers was tough; retaining them was an even bigger hurdle.

Business Challenge

• High Attrition & Impact: Annual turnover reached 32%, with critical losses in software development (Python/Java-based firmware, backend systems) and hardware engineering (embedded systems, IoT device integrators). Attrition was not just a cost issue—it led to missed project milestones and impacted the business’s image as an innovation leader.
• Cost & Productivity: Recruitment and training expenses for technical staff almost doubled in two years. Project ramp-up times increased as experienced engineers departed, leading to delayed launches and customer complaints.
• Engagement Issues: Employee engagement surveys and exit interviews indicated:
  

  Talent Potential Consulting Intervention

  Recognizing the urgency, Talent Potential Consulting (TPC) was tasked with envisioning, designing, and driving a turnaround in retention—with a holistic, data-driven approach.

  Phase 1: Deep-Dive Diagnosis

  • Stakeholder Mapping: Interviews with CXOs, engineering managers, and HR business partners mapped pain points across the employee lifecycle.
  • Employee Voice: Anonymous pulse surveys and in-depth focus groups revealed divergent priorities for engineers versus non-tech roles.
  • Benchmarking: Comparison with leading IoT employers revealed gaps in technical skill development and peer-led prestige programs.

  Phase 2: Solution Blueprint

  TPC developed a bespoke, three-pronged retention strategy, directly linking staff experience to business imperatives:

  • Career Growth Accelerator:
  • Recognition & Reward Overhaul:
  • Leadership & Onboarding Revamp:

  Phase 3: Implementation & Engagement

  • Pilot Launch: A six-month pilot in the head office and primary R&D center, with rollouts adapted for remote and field teams.
  • Regular Check-Ins: Monthly pulse checks and agile leadership huddles ensured rapid iteration—program elements were continually adapted based on data.
  • Feedback Transparency: Results, wins, and crowdsourced improvement ideas were shared in all-hands townhalls, fostering company-wide ownership.

  Outcomes & Business Impact

  Within 12 months of program commencement:

  • Attrition fell from 32% to 22%, with the biggest impact for software and hardware engineers.
  • Recruitment and onboarding costs dropped by over ₹15 lakh, while project ramp-up time for new teams was reduced by 28%.
  • Innovation acceleration: Patent applications and internal hackathon participation doubled, thanks to higher engagement and skill mobility.
  • Team stability: Customer feedback pointed to more consistent delivery and deeper technical expertise in teams deployed to strategic accounts.
  • Engagement & Culture: Employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) improved by 20 points. 83% of new hires rated onboarding “excellent,” citing the mentorship and hands-on experiences as key differentiators.
  • Leadership depth: Team leads reported more ownership over team rituals; peer recognition became a “bragging right” internally.

  Conclusion

  Through a focused partnership with TPC, the IoT company not only reduced regrettable attrition but reimagined its employer brand as an innovation and growth powerhouse. This initiative proved that in high-tech sectors, employee experience is critical to customer success and sustainable business advantage.