Built a seamless HR foundation across new and acquired international entities, embedding CoE practices, unified policies, and governance frameworks for organizational alignment.
Time to Read: 5 mins
Background
With Thomas Cook India Ltd.’s growing global footprint—through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions across Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Hong Kong, and other international locations, the organization faced the challenge of inconsistent HR practices, varied compliance landscapes, and fragmented employee experiences. While domestic entities were moving towards a harmonised Centre of Excellence (CoE) model, it was critical to extend this integration across global entities to build a cohesive, scalable, and future-ready HR ecosystem.
Objective
To establish structured HR functions in new geographies (Sri Lanka, Mauritius) and assimilate acquired entities (including Hong Kong and other global businesses) into the CoE-led HR practices, policies, and governance standardsof the Group.
Actions Taken
- HR Set-up in New Geographies:
- Designed and operationalized HR departments in Sri Lanka and Mauritius including staffing, compliance frameworks, and HRIS integration.
- Built localization frameworks while aligning with Group’s global standards and cultural values.
- Assimilation of Global Acquired Entities:
- Conducted detailed HR audits of acquired companies in Hong Kong and other markets.
- Identified gaps in policies, reward practices, performance management, and employee lifecycle processes.
- Developed tailored onboarding journeys to integrate employees smoothly into the Group’s culture and systems.
- CoE Model Expansion:
- Extended the CoE framework, including talent acquisition, performance management, learning and development, and total rewards into all new and acquired entities.
- Provided continuous support through shared HR services, centralized policy governance, and capability building programs.
- Standardized Policy Rollout:
- Harmonized HR policies, including compensation structures, leave policies, performance systems, and grievance redressal processes.
- Ensured regulatory compliance while maintaining a unified employee value proposition across countries.
- Training and Change Management:
- Rolled out global assimilation workshops, leadership orientations, and HRBP enablement sessions for smooth transition and adoption.
Results
- Seamless Integration: Successfully assimilated 5+ global entities into the Group’s HR governance model within 18 months.
- Standardization: Established common policies and practices across countries while respecting local nuances.
- Employee Engagement: Enhanced onboarding experience, engagement scores, and internal mobility opportunities globally.
- Global Readiness: Strengthened the Group’s ability to manage cross-border talent with agility and consistency.
Recognition:
The global HR integration effort was highly appreciated by regional CEOs, HR leadership, and the Group Executive Committee for enabling a globally unified yet locally agile workforce strategy.
"Global expansion is not just about presence, it’s about building belonging. A unified HR strategy turns diverse markets into one shared vision for success."
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