Pandemic pushes Tamil Nadu firms to seek rural talent for loyalty

Labour Department and multiple HR industry sources have said that rural Tamil Nadu is now performing better due to the work from home options and candidates are now grabbing projects and job opportunities in IT and BPO sectors. 

“The most interesting aspect is that married women and supermoms from rural TN are turning out to be job recruiters and call centre employees who can work from home on an hourly basis,” said Hema Subramaniam, founder and CEO, Live Connections.

COVID-19 has forced HR recruiters in Chennai to redefine the geography of hiring talent. “Gone are the days when recruiters would hunt for talents in Chennai and other Tier-I cities. Ariyalur, Lalgudi, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli are the new hub and we are recruiting talents for the IT and ITES firms from these Tier-II places,” Subramaniam stated.

She added that while catering to the global firms, rural students need the initial training but their loyalty towards the companies has made them more successful during the COVID 19 period. While urban talent keeps shifting from one company to another, rural talent who are mostly freshers, stay committed at least for a couple of years.

“We are depending on rural talent for some of our global clients based in Singapore and Dubai and the results are encouraging. Geography is history and the work from home culture has unveiled the rural potential of Tamil Nadu,” said another HR manager who is into equities and asset management.

Labour Department officials claim that the State’s high mobile and computer penetration along with 52 per cent urbanisation has helped the rural graduates. “Companies recruiting rural talent and training them are on the rise,” said an official.