(Un)Blocking the Road to Greatness: The H&R Block India story
About The Company
H&R Block is a global consumer tax services provider.
- Employees: 1200+ India based employees
- Industry: Information Technology
- Indian HQ: Thiruvananthapuram
- Great Place To Work Certified since: 2020
Journey with Great Place To Work India
“Participating in the Great Place to Work® assessment process has had a profound impact on our organization. Achieving the #1 spot in India’s Great Mid-size Workplaces 2024 has been a tremendous morale booster, validating our efforts and motivating our team to continue striving for excellence. The process has helped us solidify a unified H&R Block culture, emphasizing that people are at the core of everything we do. This has fostered an environment of fun, high energy, and passion towards technology.”
– Manoj Elanjickal, Head- People & Culture, H&R Block India
In an extraordinary feat, H&R Block India catapulted to the #1 spot among India's Great Mid-size Workplaces 2024 . This remarkable achievement is a testament to the company's unwavering commitment to its people. Built on a robust cultural foundation of leading by example, living the core values, nurturing careers, contributing to society, and celebrating key milestones, H&R Block India has achieved in just 7 years what typically takes decades.
Key Highlights:
- 93% employees believe that H&R Block India is a great workplace
- 100% Retention of Top Talent
- 99% Offer-to-onboarding conversion rate
Discover how H&R Block India set the right foundation for its workplace culture to achieve unprecedented success:
Setting the Stage for Growth
Having operated successfully in the US for over 70 years, H&R Block, a global tax preparation giant, ventured into India in 2017 by establishing its Global Capability Centers in Trivandrum and Hyderabad. Hari Prasad, Vice President & Managing Director, H&R Block India, recalls, “H&R Block is a 70-year brand in the US, but new in India. Our aspiration was to build a company where all our associates feel proud of its culture.”
A Culture of Excellence
At H&R Block India, excellence is not just a goal, but a way of life. The company's leaders prioritize creating a culture that is inclusive, respectful, and empowering. H&R Block India’s people philosophy is based on its core Block Behaviors, which outline the company values and how to achieve success together. These seven behaviors help create a unified team across different portfolios and global operations, aligning associates’ day-to-day actions with overarching business goals. These behaviors guide employees at H&R Block to pursue problem-solving, resilience, boldness, customer-centricity, collaboration, straightforwardness, and curiosity.
While H&R Block has a clearly articulated and compelling Employee Value Proposition that guides its workplace culture strategy, what stands out is its 3C (Career, Care, and Contribution) approach to employee engagement. Although H&R Block’s practices across the employee life-cycle are exemplary, through this story, we will deep-dive into the three areas that have created an exponential impact on workplace culture and business performance.
CAREER: Nurturing Talent, Fuelling Growth
Central to H&R Block’s culture is its innovative and progressive Career Pathway Framework, designed to empower associates to chart their unique career trajectories. With an emphasis on mass personalization, skill and leadership development, and fast-track opportunities for high-potential talent, H&R Block has redefined how organizations nurture and elevate careers.
Empowering Careers with Personalization and Support
H&R Block India redefines career progression with unmatched flexibility and inclusivity. Associates can tailor their growth journey—advancing within their role, transitioning to managerial or individual contributor paths, exploring new domains, or even skipping levels. The Choose Your Mentor program empowers associates to select mentors who align with their aspirations, fostering growth through collaborative goal-setting and visibility-building opportunities. Going a step further, H&R Block addresses relocation challenges with the Partner Power Placement initiative, supporting employees’ spouses in their career journeys. This program facilitates equitable and transparent spouse hiring, even exploring opportunities beyond immediate openings, enabling associates to stay close to their families while pursuing their careers. H&R Block also welcomes talent with open arms through its Boomerang Talent Program, inviting former employees back to the organization. These associates, already familiar with H&R Block’s culture, are seamlessly reintegrated, enabling them to thrive in a workplace they know and trust. With a strong focus on individuality, mentorship, and wellbeing, H&R Block India creates a workplace where talent flourishes and personal priorities are valued, setting a new benchmark in workplace culture.
Building Tomorrow’s Leaders
At H&R Block, initiatives are driven by passionate associates across departments rather than just management or HR teams. These associates form core teams, strategizing and executing plans, which helps them develop essential leadership skills such as creativity, motivation, delegation, responsibility, and trustworthiness. Promoting a culture of continuous learning, the Block Hub organizes initiatives like 30 Days of Learning, where associates explore trending topics aligned with organizational goals and share insights through organization-wide platforms, often highlighted on social media. Rewards recognize top performers, fostering healthy competition. Additionally, 30 Days of Coding focuses on enhancing technical expertise, while Think Tank Tuesdays provide a monthly forum for brainstorming and feedback, encouraging innovation and collaboration. These initiatives collectively empower associates to learn through action and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s growth.
Fast-Track Opportunities for High-Potential Talent
H&R Block India is committed to accelerating the growth of its high-potential (hi-pot) associates through tailored programs and a culture of continuous learning. The New People Leadership Program (NPLP) equips future leaders with strategic, interpersonal, and tactical skills through an 8-month curriculum led by talent facilitators, followed by 4 months of applied learning, focus groups, and alumni activities. For Associate Managers, leadership training fosters the next generation of leaders, with observation cards tracking strengths and areas for improvement.
Top talents benefit from personalized Individual Development Plans (IDPs), co-created with managers and regularly updated to reflect evolving goals. A six-month T-Shape Skills program sharpens mentoring, technical, and leadership expertise, while over 200 leaders have embraced servant leadership principles through Leading with Purpose sessions. High-performing women associates participate in the seven-month Accelerated Leadership Program (ALP), and the A.C.T.I.V.A.T.E framework strengthens Associate Managers with blended experiential learning. Celebrating this learning culture, H&R Block awards monthly and annual Learner Awards, reinforcing its commitment to growth and excellence.
CARING: Employee Wellbeing and Empowerment
H&R Block redefines care for its associates by supporting work-life balance, creating a listening environment, proactively tracking employee sentiments, providing health and wellbeing benefits and celebrating life’s milestones together.
The company emphasizes active listening, promoting open communication through skip-level meetings and daily office interactions. Bi-weekly HR connects are organized to address any queries and offer a space for listening. Through its Mood Analyzer tool, H&R Block proactively captures employee sentiment under categories like ‘Excited’, ‘Happy’, ‘Confused’, ‘Want to speak to HR’ etc. Through this tool, the company institutionalizes taking written feedback with a writing-over-talking policy, ensuring every voice is heard, including those who may not feel comfortable speaking up in meetings or discussions. The leadership personally reaches out to associates based on their shared sentiments.
H&R Block treats its associates like family, and their families like one of their own, celebrating life’s milestones with joy and togetherness. Leaders ensure that families are a part of the celebration for all personal and professional milestones. Taking wedding celebrations to the next level, the company hosts fun games for newlyweds, offering spouses a warm window into their partner’s workplace.
BFit, the community-led health club of H&R Block India, encourages a healthy lifestyle through various programs like Marathon prep sessions, monthly fitness challenges, weekly tips for health management, etc. The enhanced insurance benefits at H&R Block India extend coverage to financially dependent disabled siblings with no age bar and include coverage of 360-degree OPD, HIV/AIDS, autism, psychiatric illnesses, pre and post-hospitalization, cochlear impact, Lasik surgery, etc. There are several other health and community programs that offer cancer screenings, support to new mothers, etc.
But it doesn’t stop there. Imagine an entire IT organization hitting the pause button together—a full 9-day break designed for total rejuvenation. That’s the brilliance of H&R Block’s Reboot Week! Held annually, this unique initiative ensures associates completely disconnect from work, creating a rare opportunity to recharge without the usual interruptions at individual vacations. Whether exploring new destinations, enjoying quality time at home, or indulging in personal passions, associates return refreshed and re-energized.
The success of these initiatives is validated by 93% of associates feeling positive about their organization being a psychologically and emotionally safe place to work.
CONTRIBUTION: Building Blocks of Impact
Exploring the third C, H&R Block holds social responsibility at the heart of everything they do, strongly believing in giving back to society through diverse impactful initiatives. Block Social Responsibility efforts are built on four key pillars: Community Outreach, Educational Support, Organizational Initiatives, and Green Initiatives. Associates actively participate in initiatives that resonate with their personal values, such as volunteering, supporting shelter programs, advocating for sustainability, etc. and 96% of them take pride in these contributions towards the society.
Through the Block Shelter annual initiative to provide homes for people in need, they have successfully constructed ten homes so far, with more underway. Block Shelter is a true community effort where associates, local community members, and labour unions actively collaborate in the construction process. More than just providing roofs, Block Shelter aims to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment. Through the community outreach initiative SpoTalent, which empowers promising athletes with exceptional sports skills but limited resources, they have supported 143 beneficiaries, including national, state, and district-level athletes. Through SpoTalent, these youngsters receive sports kits, nurturing their potential to become future sports stars. Through the B The Vision initiative, in partnerships, they have supported 106+ cataract surgeries, provided 305+ free glasses, and transformed lives of 944+ socially and economically disadvantaged individuals through the years.
H&R Block continues to expand its impact with initiatives that inspire, uplift, and drive meaningful change. From sponsoring child education and organizing elderly home care visits to providing career guidance for underprivileged students, the company consistently strives to make a difference. Its efforts to protect the planet, including recycling initiatives and Environment Day celebrations, further highlight its dedication to creating a better world. These initiatives ignite a profound sense of pride among employees, empowering them with the knowledge that they contribute to something impactful and truly meaningful.
The Way Forward
H&R Block India is focused on four main priorities for the next three to five years: developing a high-performance culture, sustaining a high-trust environment, sustaining the status as the best workplace in India, and prioritizing innovation, and research and development. Hari Prasad, Vice President & Managing Director, H&R Block India, opens up about the challenges of maintaining high levels of trust and performance while integrating new associates and adapting to evolving market demands.
“To prepare for these opportunities and challenges, we are committed to implementing initiatives that encourage innovation and excellence, fostering open communication and transparency, and continuously improving our work environment and benefits. Focus on research and development will be a cornerstone of our innovation strategy, enabling us to stay ahead of market trends and deliver superior solutions to our clients. We aim to continue to create a supportive and dynamic workplace that drives both personal and organizational growth.”
3 Essential Lessons from the Leader’s
Desk
- Use positive reinforcement, by recognizing and rewarding employees to encourage desired behaviors and create a supportive work environment.
- Pursue empathetic leadership and understand the emotional needs of team members, sharing vulnerabilities and offering help during challenging times.
- Encourage a culture where feedback flows both ways, and employees feel heard and valued.
– Manoj Elanjickal, Head- People & Culture, H&R Block India
Author
Shambhavi Agrawal, Consultant, Great Place To Work India
Mentor
Anita Borate, Head - Research and Insights, Great Place To Work India
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