Quick Heal Technologies: Quest for A Performance-Driven Culture

The implementation of the OKR-based Performance Management System (PMS) in Quick Heal, an Indian cybersecurity company came about because of Ms. Reetu Raina, the CHRO’s revelation about loopholes in the existing PMS that needed to be addressed. The old PMS had a rigid top-to-bottom approach without any mechanism for frequent feedback. Moreover, not every individual goal was tangible or aligned with the organizational strategy. As a result, it had become challenging to differentiate between high and low performers, and Quick Heal was missing out on a chance to grow as a company. The organization faced several challenges during the implementation process of the new OKR-based PMS, such as employees’ resistance to change, slow transformation of the traditional goal-setting process to a more agile approach and other barriers towards the new system’s adoption. Employees questioned the need and relevance of the new PMS amidst the uncertainties of the post-pandemic work norms and strongly resisted the transition. Mixed reviews from the department heads left Raina puzzled and wondering about the pitfalls of the transition, the implementation process and overall the potential of the new OKR-based PMS as a tool to create a performance-based culture at Quick Heal.

By working through the case and assignment questions, students will have the opportunity to learn the following:<ul><li>The importance of alignment between organization’s strategy and its performance management system.</li><li> The issues managers should consider while transitioning to a new performance management system.</li><li>The drivers that force organizations to transform their performance management methodologies.</li><li>The cascading impact of change in performance management on organizational culture and other HR functions such as compensation and benefits, learning and development.</li></ul>

• Performance Management
• Change Management
• Cultural Transformation
• Objectives-Key Results (OKR)