RSM taps India’s talent-rich market; chalks out big expansion plans in the country

India has entered an exciting phase of its development journey. India's youth population is projected to reach 420 million in 2024, making up 29% of the country's overall population. A sizable part of this cohort has had access to higher education, making the country a preferred destination for talent for global companies.

Take the case of RSM, an assurance, tax, and consulting services organisation for middle market leaders. RSM is rapidly expanding its footprint in India to serve internationally active clients. RSM US has an aggressive hiring strategy for Indian talent and has grown from a staff strength of less than 100 people about three years ago to over 2,100. As a forward-thinking organisation, RSM pays close attention to the continued growth of India’s economy and the opportunities it brings for RSM, its clients and its people.

RSM is a professional services organisation serving the middle market (companies that are growth-oriented and internationally minded in the $100 million to $5 billion range). Overall, RSM is a global organisation with offices in 120 countries and a staff strength of 64,000 people. Broadly, RSM serves all industries with the core focus on financial services, industrials, consumer products and technology media and telecommunication, among others.

The India advantage

Speaking about their focus on India,Prasad Balakrishnan, a principal and leader of RSM US LLP’s India team said, “India excites us for many reasons. Firstly, India has about 420 million people under 40 years of age, which is the working age. That is bigger than the US population. This is the size that is available to us. This diverse workforce rests on a foundation of an amazing education that the country has invested in, and the hard work put in by all the companies that have worked towards building this diverse workforce over the last 20 years. As India’s growing economy is creating new opportunities for RSM’s people and clients, today our focus is on building our team in India, attracting people with the credentials, skills and experience to serve our clients exceptionally well.”

Building an integrated global workforce

Many companies today are building global capability centres in India to tap into the talent and save on costs. But RSM has a different model. The company is looking to build a highly skilled team in India that is fully integrated into its workforce, not just a support office. RSM’s focus will be on offering high-value, high-growth client services, and this will help attract bright minds.

“We are creating a fully integrated team in India, not just a support center. This means you could be sitting in an office in Gurugram, Bangalore, New York, or Toronto and working on the same project team. India has been at the forefront of both innovation and technology, and we want to leverage this talent to create more value for clients,” he said.

Honing the right talent

RSM is committed to providing an inclusive and flexible culture and talent experience where all employees are confident in themselves and have opportunities to learn, thrive, and grow as part of a compelling, digital, global organisation.

“Even before the pandemic, we enabled our people to work out how, when and where it makes the most sense for them, their families, clients and colleagues. We view each of our people as individuals and understand there’s no “one size fits all” in the workplace. Our firm leaders really work hard to protect that culture, including me. I joined RSM only three years back, but every day, I pride myself on stewarding that great culture. Providing a talent experience that stands out and gives our people opportunities to grow and build rewarding careers is integral to the success of our clients and our firm,” he further added.

Everyone is a leader

Another element of the work culture at RSM is the spirit ofentrepreneurialism. “We believe everybody is empowered to lead from where they are in a firm. We want people to feel that entrepreneurism every day, at every level. We listen to our people by conducting market surveys and doing focus group discussions, and consistently, people have told us that we are doing something well, which is why they are still staying. We strive to maintain low attrition rates.,” Balakrishnan said.

“From a career standpoint, one of the benefits of our focus on middle market clients is getting to be “in the room” with leaders more often and earlier in your career than often happens when working with other organisations. This exposure lets our professionals see the big picture and own their career journey. Our culture of mobility and rapid growth also supports people in finding the right job for them within the firm or – at times – creating an entirely new role,” he added.

The firm also invests heavily in professional development and upskilling its existing team. This is another factor that helps with retention, as every employee has a growth trajectory they can map out for themselves. Furthermore, inclusion is a very important concept. This is managed through four employee network groups focused on aspects like pride, multi-culturalism, etc, building a culture of stewardship, sustainability and tremendous volunteer events.

Mapping the future

RSM US will be hiring 5,000 employees in India in about three years as they seek growth across all segments, such as audit, assurance, tax, and consulting. As they grow, their focus remains on responsible growth without compromising their ethos and culture. For RSM, it’s about how their employees in India bring experience, skill sets, and ingenuity that enriches their culture and support their strategic vision.

“One of the biggest benefits of growing in India is the impact it has made on the broader firm – we have access to talent that is second to none and is helping us scale by serving large clients. What Indian professionals bring from a technological and digital perspective is very important, and RSM will continue to leverage this talent,” he said.

As a forward-thinking organisation, RSM is paying close attention to the continued growth of India’s economy and the opportunities that it creates for RSM in India, its people, clients and communities, for its clients.

Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio