In an entrepreneurs meet, I met a few leaders who didn’t give any importance to background checks and verification and neither had any HR policy for the same. Well, I couldn’t convince them much, but I am sure, what I couldn’t do, Mr Phaneesh Murthy must have done by now!
Quintant Services, a start-up, was founded by Mr. Murthy and three others! With his intelligence and aura, he convinced all that he is a IIT-IIM pass out and not an ordinary mortal. To add on to his luck, iGATE bought this company. There was no stopping point for Mr Murthy.
Big designation, bigger trouble, of course. The goodwill of iGATE is at stake. They have to answer for their CEO’s behavior to all its clients and employees.
There are the few questions that I wonder about:
- Did the three other partners of Quintant Services know about the background of their fourth partner?
- If they did know about the past record of Mr. Murthy, was it correct on their part to overlook such blunders?
- Shouldn’t start ups, however small or big, go for an extensive background verification of all their employees whatever designations they hold?
- Shouldn’t in M&A, the buyer do a background check of all the employees of the one being taken over? How can they rely on credibility of the employees and let them join parent organization before knowing each one of them?
Well, one fish is indeed enough for soiled waters. Harm has been done for iGATE. But there is a lesson for those who want to play safe now and always! Make background verification for top management, senior, junior, assistant or any other employee a must and fish out the bad ones before it’s your time to regret!
