Prof. Biju Varkkey obtained masters degree in Human Resource Management from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala and Fellow in Management title from NIBM, Pune. His professional experience spans industry, consulting and leading management schools, having taught at IIM Lucknow and MDI Gurgaon. He was a visiting scholar at AILS, and has worked on commissioned assignments with the UNDP, ILO, IOM and organizations like UNITES and ITUC.
Currently he faculty member at IIM Ahmedabad with the Human Resource Management Area where he teaches in the graduate, executive development and doctoral programs. He chaired the task force for ePGP, IIMAs online Masters Degree program and was the founder chairperson of the EPGP program (2016-2020) He has developed and taught courses on
Strategic Human Resources Management, International HRM, Performance Management, Labour Relations, Strategic Outsourcing and Infrastructure Development. He teaches doctoral level research courses for the Fellow program students of IIM Ahmedabad, NIM and Academy of HRD, Ahmedabad.
Prof Varkkey was the India Research Coordinator for the Paycheck India project, part of the global Wageindicator project. This is an international labour and employment research project initiated by group of researchers, organizations, journalists and trade unions. The Indian research portal can be accessed at www.paycheck.in . He was also involved in an international 14 country project "Decision for Life", and LRW projects, focusing on young talent entering employment market. From April 2014 -2016 he worked on an assignment with IOM, Geneva on a multi-country project related to recruitment of migrant workers, which is part of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue agenda, an intergovernmental initiative. He has also worked for assignments supported by ILO, UNDP and WHO.
Areas of academic interest are Strategic Human Resource Management, Change Management, New Public Management, Leadership Development, HR Architecture for firms, Performance Management & Improvement, Flexible Work places, Employment Relations, Startups, Family Business transformation and Public Private Partnerships in Infrastructure. He has published papers and cases in journals like Business and Society, International Journal of Knowledge Management, Compensation and Benefits Review, IJOA, IJTD, Vikalpa, Social Engineer, South Asian Journal of HRM, Vision: The Journal of Management Perspective, Performance Management, Policy in Focus, Human Capital etc. He has also co-edited books on HRM and has presented papers in national and international conferences. The coauthored, adapted text book `Human Resource Management' along with Gary Dessler, published by Pearson Education India is a leading text book at MBA level. He has also co-autored the UNDP monograph "Saga of Excellence", which is a study of DMRC. Prof Varkkey has authored more than 35 case studies and technical notes. He is member of board of studies/academic advisory committees of universities and colleges and member of editorial boards of various academic journals. Few, (co) authored cases and research papers have won awards at national level.
As an executive trainer, he has designed and taught in executive programs for managers and administrators in government, public sector, private sector, MNC's and non-government organizations, both in India and abroad. In addition, the consulting portfolio includes assignments for the government, autonomous bodies, private sector, MNC's and educational institutes. Between 2000 and 2019, some of the organizations associated with as consultant and executive educator are DuPont India, Apollo Tyres, Apollo Munich Health Insurance, British Gas Subsidiaries, Bajaj Auto, Google India, Pfizer AHD NY, Max Newyork Life, Delhi Metro, E-Funds, Landmark UAE, Aster Pharma UAE, ETA-Ascon UAE, Gislin Software, Employees State Insurance Corporation, Sandvik Asia, Cummins India, Bharati Airtel, Maruti, Mauritius Telecom, Hemas Group Srilanka, Indian Oil Corporation, Indian Bank, UCO Bank, National Institute of Design Ahmedabad, HMT, Laxmi Bank Nepal, J P Morgan India, Maxis – Astro Malaysia, MARA Malaysia, Vodafone India, Zydus Cadilla and THDC.
He has worked on consulting assignments with the Rajyasabha (Upper House of Indian Parliamentary System) for administrative review of secretariat cadre in the light of recommendations of the committee for review of constitution. Prof Varkkey was team member and study coordinator of the IIMA team contracted by the 6th Central Pay Commission of Government of India for advising on introduction of PRI system in the government and with 7th central pay commission for developing comparative picture of compensation. He also worked with the cabinet secretariat on the design and implementation of `Result Framework – Phase I", which has been approved by the Hon PM in August 2008. He is also invited member of the ATF (2009-10, 2010-11, 12-13) constituted by Cabinet Secretariat, GOI to negotiate annual performance targets of social sector ministries. He is additionally associated three state governments as member of state level ATF.
Earlier, he was involved with Government of India in the task group for improving performance evaluation system of civil servants and served as expert member of the high-powered committee constituted by Government of Gujarat to develop Human Resource Forecast for Gujarat government for the coming decade. In March 2008, Prof Varkkey was part of the team constituted by ARC to prepare discussion paper on Civil Service PMS for the civil services day. He was an invited member of the academic advisory board of a high-technology startup and mentor to a startup company incubated by IIT Delhi. He serves as independent director and member of committees (HR, Audit, Nomination Committee, Customer Service) of public companies, invited member of Board level HR related committees, and advises firms, startups and NGO's about organization, succession and HR systems.
He has served as nominated member in the Core Committee of the National HRD Network – Delhi Chapter (1998-1999), organizing committee for India Young HR Conference, as member of the founding governing body of the Strategic Management Forum of India and committees of CII, NIPM and NHRD Network. He is also core member of India HR Think tank and is involved with the Internal Talent Development research track.
Primary Area : Human Resources Management
Email : bvarkkey@iima.ac.in
Phone : +91-79-7152 4874
Secretary : Kavitha Sudheeran
Phone : +91-79-7152 7930
Fellow , NIBM, Pune
Core Courses:
ePGP/PGP/PGPX: Compulsory Course : HRM/SHRM (IIMA, MDI Gurgaon, IIML)
Flexi Core : Managing Workplace Dynamics and Decent Work
Phd Courses:
FDP/AFP Courses: HRM (Core)
Elective Courses:
Negotiation Lab (PGPX/PGP - IIMA)
Human Capital in Projects (team teaching) (PGP/ePGP - IIMA)
Delivering Customer Value (team teaching) (PGP - IIMA)
Infrastructure Development and Financing (team teaching) (PGP - IIMA)
Performance Management (Armed Forces Program, PGP - IIMA)
Strategic HRM (PGP - MDI, Gurgaon)
Labour Relations (PGP - IIML)
Strategic Human Resource Management, HR Strategy as Practice
Total Rewards, Pay-for-Performance, Minimum Wages, Employer Branding
Performance Management, Team Capability Development and TMT
Leadership Development, Career Satisfaction and Succession
Salesforce Management, Organisation Design
Employment Relations, Decent Work, New Employment Contracts, New forms/Future of Work.
Public Service Motivation
HR Function Design and Transformation, Governance and HRM
Faith and Religion in Organisation
Sectors of Interest:
Banking and Financial Services, Tourism
Manufacturing
Government/PSUs
Health Care/Pharmaceuticals
Family Firms
Community Based Organisations, Platforms
Professional Services Firms
IIM Lucknow and MDI Gurgaon
BPL Ltd, BRC and Indian Aluminium Company Ltd.
National Institute of Personnel Management (NIPM)
National HRD Network (NHRDN)
India HR Think Tank
Strategic Management Forum of India
Member, RFD, Performance Management Division, Cabinet Secretary, GOI
Member, ATF, PMD, Cabinet Secretary, GOI- Social Sector Cluster
Member, ATF, Government of Kerala
Member, ATF, Government of Punjab
Member, ATF, Government of Himachal Pradesh
Invited Member, CAG Gujarat Region Advisory Committee
Member, High power Committee to review Man Power policies of Government of Gujarat
Member, Administrative Reforms Committee, GOI (Current Status and Future Directions of Government Performance Management System)
Expert (Selection), Rajya Sabha Secretariat
Expert (Selection), DPC, UPSC, RBI, various PSUs
Member, NIPM- Various committees for programme and award
Member, NHRDM- Core committee Delhi and Programme committee
Member, CII-AP- ER committee
Invited Member, Discussion meeting on Implementation of Decent Work Asia Project in Indonesia and Cambodia (ILO)
Independent Member, EBDT (Income Tax Department, Ministry of Finance)
Member, Anomaly Committee for dealing with Staff Issues (Rajya Sabha, New Delhi)
Member, RR Committee (Gujarat State Civil Supply Cooperation Ltd., Gandhinagar)
Chair, HR Process Review Committee (Hope Micro-Credit Finance India Pvt Ltd)
Member, Strategic HR Committee (Cochin Shipyard Ltd.)
Panel Member, CII-APHR Affirmative Action and Industry Employee Panel (CII Hyderabad)
Vodafone-IBM Relationship Alignment. 2012. Along with Rajanish Dass and Kirti Sharda. Client: Vodafone and IBM
Capacity Development Project. 2011. Client: Hope Micro Finance Ltd
Diagnostic Study and Vision - Mission formulation for a FMCG company, Mumbai. 2011. Along with P K Sinha. Client: HRIPL Mumbai.
Public Sector Excellence Project; Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. 2010-11. Along with Samar Dutta, Srijan Pal Singh,Suyog N. Client: UNDPAnalysing the Effectiveness and Impact of E-Learning - The Instructor's Perspective - "Technical Teachers' Development and Training Program". 2010. along with Rajanish Dass. Client: MHRD, GOI
Analysis of the Critical Success Factors for E-Learning Initiatives: A Review and Analysis. 2010. Along with Rajanish Dass. Client: MHRD, GOI
Comprehensive Study and Review of the Organisational Objectives of MPEDA and Developing Appropriate Organisation Design and HRM Framework: Industry Analysis and Activities of MPEDA Part 1 (Organisational Strategy). 2009. Along with V.N Asopa. Client: MPED
Comprehensive Study and Review of the Organisational Objectives of MPEDA and Developing Appropriate Organisation Design and HRM Framework: Industry Analysis and Activities of MPEDA Part 2 (HRM Strategy). 2009. Along with V.N Asopa. Client: MPEDA
Proposed Role of Chief Commissioner of Income Tax Department. 2008. along with Shailesh Gandhi. Client: CBDT, GOI
Diagnosis of Organisational Culture and Human Resource Framework for Intas BioPharma. 2008. Client: Intas BioPharma
Synthesis Report of Studies: Formulating the Concepts, Principles, and Parameters for Performance-Related Incentives (PRI) in Government for Sixth Central Pay Commission. 2008. Along with Prem Pangotra, Rekha Jain, Manjari Singh, Abishek Mishra, Narayan
Training Impact Assessment of Urban Local Bodies, Rajasthan. 2008. Client: World Bank
Feasibility study for MDP. 2007. Client: Astro TV, Malaysia
Report on Cadre Review for Rajya Sabha Secretariat. 2007. Client: Secretary General, Rajyasabha
Examining the Feasibility of Performance Related Incentive (PRI) in the Government of India: Study 2 in Ministry of Company Affairs and Department of Revenue (CBDT/CBEC). 2007. Client: Sixth Central Pay Commission
Report on Organisation Diagnosis Exercise and Human Resource Management System Evaluation: A Study for Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. 2007. Along with Indira Parikh. Client: THDC
Report on Human Resource Planning & Development: Eleventh Plan - National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (2007-2012). 2006. Along with `Manjari Singh. Client: NID
Strategic Human Resource Management Audit for Indian Bank: Report and Implementation Plan. 2005. Client: Indian Bank
Report on Review of Productivity Linked Bonus Scheme for Employees State Insurance Corporation. 2004. Along with Arvinda Tripathi. Client: ESIC
Study Report on Review of Productivity Linked Bonus Scheme for Employees State Insurance Corporation Employees under Medical Directorate. 2004. Client: ESIC
Individual Development Plan for Senior Leaders. 2004. Client: Pfizer Products India Private Limited
Diagnostic study for HR practices. 2003. Client: Bansilal Ramnath Agarwal Charitable Trust
Leadership Development Intervention: Hughes Software Services. 1999. Along with P. Saigal .Client: Hughes software services
2023 - INDAM Best Paper of the Track Award. Eighth Indian Academy of Management Conference. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).
2022 - Erudite Fellow at CUSAT, Government of Kerala
2020 - INDAM Best Paper of the Track Award. Sixth Biennial Conference of the Indian Academy of Management. Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli
2014 - 3rd NHRD- TITAN HR SHOWCASE Impactful Research Award
2013 - Winner of the ISB- Ivey Global Case Competition (Entrepreneurship Category)
2013 - Regulating for Decent Work (RDW) fellowship for ILO Conference on Regulating for Equitable and Job-Rich Growth, Geneva, Switzerland
