Employees First, Customers Second

More about the book

One small idea can ignite a revolution, much like a single matchstick can start a fire. This idea—putting employees first and customers second—transformed HCL Technologies, the IT services giant. In this personal account, Vineet Nayar, HCLT's CEO, shares how he challenged the conventional belief that companies must prioritize customers. He inverted the traditional hierarchy, making management accountable to employees, which inspired both groups and set HCLT on a remarkable transformation journey. This shift led to HCLT becoming one of the fastest-growing and most profitable global IT services companies, recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the twenty most influential companies in the world. Nayar details how he and his team implemented the employee-first philosophy by creating urgency around the company's current state and its potential future, fostering a culture of trust through transparency, inverting the organizational hierarchy, and empowering employees by decentralizing decision-making. Refreshingly honest and practical, this account provides valuable insights for managers aiming to accelerate growth and become self-sustaining engines of change.