Now imagine keeping them sharp, skilled, and hungry for success in a dynamic, ever-changing market. That’s the challenge Alkem faces, and it’s a challenge they’re winning through a training strategy as dynamic as the market itself.

“Equipping our salespeople isn’t a one-time thing,” explains Dr. Rajorshi Ganguli, Alkem’s president and global  HR head. “It’s an ongoing journey.”  That journey starts with a bootcamp. A thorough induction programme followed by the in-depth Basic Training Programme (BTP) equips new recruits with the essentials: product knowledge, core selling skills, and the medical insights crucial for navigating the complexities of the pharmaceutical world.  These immersive programmes, conducted face-to-face, ensure salespeople hit the ground running, prepared to tackle anything the market throws their way.

But the market is a fickle beast. What works today might not work tomorrow. That’s why Alkem prioritises continuous improvement, constantly seeking feedback and refining its programmes. Remember that time doctors had less time for lengthy pitches? Alkem saw the shift and equipped their salespeople to deliver their message effectively in those shortened windows.  Evaluation methods such as video recordings of simulated interactions allow trainers to provide targeted feedback, ensuring every interaction is a masterclass in salesmanship.

“Long-term behaviour change is our ultimate goal. We track engagement and key metrics annually, and every programme undergoes rigorous assessment to ensure it delivers the results we need.”

Dr. Rajorshi Ganguli, president and global HR head, Alkem Laboratories

Alkem understands that classroom sessions can only go so far. Enter ‘Alkepedia,’ a mobile app offering a universe of learning resources at your fingertips. From bite-sized updates to quizzes and even gamified modules, Alkepedia keeps the salesforce engaged and sharpens the skills honed during initial training.

The focus on continuous improvement isn’t just for the new guys. Alkem recognises the importance of strong sales leadership.  That’s why they’ve partnered with SP Jain Institute of Management to offer the Sales Leadership Programme, a rigorous programme designed to transform high-potential sales managers into sales superstars.  This programme caters to specific needs, with first-line and second-line managers getting tailored programmes developed in collaboration with business managers to address real-world challenges faced by their teams.

But Alkem isn’t just about sales. The 20-25 per cent of their workforce dedicated to manufacturing and R&D benefit from a robust training infrastructure as well. New hires undergo Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) training, ensuring they’re compliant with pharmaceutical regulations before they even touch a machine. Refresher programmes further solidify these protocols, guaranteeing consistent and high-quality production.

Alkem’s Technical Training Academy in Daman acts as a central hub for all technical training programmes across their manufacturing sites. This academy offers both on-site and remote training options, catering to diverse skill levels with programmes such as ‘Shop Floor Ki Pathshala’ which provides engineering and production-related training, keeping everyone up-to-speed on the latest digital machinery.

And because the world of work is constantly evolving, Alkem acknowledges the need for continuous skilling and reskilling across all levels.  For senior management, they offer premium executive development initiatives in collaboration with prestigious institutions such as IIMs. These programmes leverage a hybrid model, allowing busy professionals to learn and grow at their own pace. Additionally, Alkem curates personalised online learning opportunities through partnerships with various online platforms.

But Alkem isn’t content with just throwing information at their employees. They’re embracing cutting-edge technology to make learning more engaging and effective.  Imagine interacting with holograms of machinery and simulated shop-floor environments!  That’s the power of augmented reality (AR), and Alkem is incorporating it into its training programmes, fostering self-guided learning and a deeper understanding of complex concepts.

Alkem’s commitment to training doesn’t stop at the end of a programme. They employ a multi-pronged approach to evaluate effectiveness.  Immediate feedback is collected after each session, while some programmes utilise pre-tests and post-tests to assess knowledge acquisition.  Department heads also provide feedback after a set period, allowing the company to gauge the impact of training on identified performance gaps.

“Long-term behaviour change is our ultimate goal,” concludes Ganguli. “We track engagement and key metrics annually, and every programme undergoes rigorous assessment to ensure it delivers the results we need.”  Alkem Laboratories isn’t just building a sales powerhouse; they’re building a future-proof workforce, one skilled, motivated, and ready to take on any challenge the market throws their way.

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As an organisation, the capabilities and skills of your employees give you an edge over the others. Therefore, training and development of top talent is essential. Organisations know that if taken seriously, this can really prove to be a lethal weapon to destroy their rivals.

In the pharma industry, companies are gearing up to prepare their employees to make a positive and deep impact on the business and help the organisation grow.

As we know, sales and revenue are the most important pillars of an organisation. A strong and well-trained sales force can make all the difference between success and failure. Keeping this in mind, Alkem Laboratories introduced the ‘Alkepedia’ programme to train its sales force through an e-learning platform.

The larger part of any phamaceutical organisation comprises the sales team, without which the organisation cannot hope to survive.

“In our industry, the sales division is the backbone of the company. We realised that training the sales people first, through digital platforms, will provide us an edge over our rivals and competitors” 

“In our industry, the sales division is the backbone of the company. We realised that training the sales people first, through digital platforms, will provide us an edge over our rivals and competitors,” says Sushil Barkur, AVP-learning and development, Alkem Laboratories.

Alkem has customised the e-learning platform according to its needs and the business requirements. The courses available are specifically designed by the L&D team at Alkem, and totally focussed on training employees in sales.

Alkepedia follows the micro-learning concept, where short videos are available to understand small topics.

The learning app is compatible with multiple devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops. Alkem has also provided its employees with tablets so that they can easily access the courses anytime and anywhere.

According to Barkur, the learning initiative has been a big hit amongst the sales force. The Company has not only witnessed a positive response, but an overwhleming 70-75 per cent adoption rate for this learning app.

“It is great to see that the employees are finding value in the Alkepedia learning app,” comments Barkur.

The e-learning platform has been designed very strategically to meet the challenges faced by a sales division. In the pharma space, the sales teams generally interact with each other over calls. As they work in different locations, they rarely get to meet each other. This makes it very difficult for them to give instant feedback to the teams working in the field.

The app has an in-built feedback mechanism, which allows team leaders and senior managers to give instant feedback to their teams on their learning progress.

Interactive interventions, such as monthly quizzes and leader-board competitions keep the sales workforce engaged.

It also acts as an internal communication tool for the organisation. Through the quizzes, the senior leaders come to know of the areas where an employee lags or needs improvement, and they are able to take necessary action accordingly.

“The mobile app-based learning ensures our large and dispersed sales force, across the length and breadth of the country, gets an opportunity to learn anytime, at their convenience and even while on the move” 

“The mobile app-based learning ensures our large and dispersed sales force, across the length and breadth of the country, gets an opportunity to learn anytime, at their convenience and even while on the move. It offers real-time learning,” shares Rajorshi Ganguli, president HR & global HR head, Alkem Laboratories.

The stakeholders and senior management at Alkem are also thinking to extend this programme to other departments to allow employees to learn whatever they want at anytime and anywhere.

In addition, the Company also has another programme called ‘A-Leap’, which is specifically designed to train and mentor the top management leaders. It is a combination of classroom learning and action learning.

The programme focuses on personal development and development of financial acumen in leaders.

On completion of this seven-month long programme, the leaders end up with a more open mindset, a lot of positivity and a willingness to experiment.

It is a custom-designed multi modular programme for senior managers in collaboration with ISB, Hyderabad. Being spread over several months, it ensures easy assimilation and application of learning.

“We ensure that the programme is delivered by a pool of global faculty and each participant is provided with a personal coach to receive support and guidance all throughout. The programme aims to prepare our managers for the challenges of tomorrow through a journey of self-discovery, leading others and finally effectively leading and delivering business results,” shares Ganguli.

It is not a surprise that organisations are now focusing more on developing their employees for the changing times and also incorporating new ways of learning and leveraging digital technology.

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