How a new trainee program improved lives and boosted manufacturing productivity in India
Jun 04, 2025 | 2 minute read
About the author About the author
A team of writers, editors and visual designers covering the latest trends and developments in healthcare, focusing on the role of innovation, design and sustainability in improving health outcomes.
You are about to visit a Philips global content page
Continue When designing a new workforce strategy for manufacturing in Pune, Philips kept its focus on human rights and the well-being of its employees. A new trainee program has improved the lives of the young hires while widening access to care for patients who need imaging.
Manufacturing MR coils requires precise electronic work and soldering, and business demand fluctuates throughout the year. When Philips decided to transfer its MR coil manufacturing to Pune, India, in 2019, we planned a workforce strategy with these challenges in mind. Through this initiative, we offered significant support and education for the new hires, ultimately helping to boost productivity at the factory and widen access to care for patients.
The approach is grounded in Philips’ long-standing commitment to protect and uphold human rights and the well-being of employees, part of our strategy to do business with sustainable impact. We are turning our high-level human rights ambitions into tangible programs together with colleagues, suppliers and partners around the world.
Our commitment to building a progressive, high-performing workforce remains strong, and we look forward to further expanding this initiative.
During our industry benchmarking to prepare for the relocation of this manufacturing operation, we discovered the Progressive Workforce Model, which aligned well with our business needs and offered the flexibility to scale operations as required. To build a strong talent pipeline, we reached out to recent graduates from diploma engineering colleges across the state of Maharashtra. After a rigorous selection process, we hired the first cohort of graduates in 2020 from a socio-economically and otherwise diverse talent pool. In 2021, we introduced the High-Performance Team (HPT) model to foster creativity, accountability and performance excellence. Unlike in the traditional manufacturing setup, managers serve as coaches rather than supervisors. This model aligns well with Gen Z’s preference for autonomy and ownership. Philips also introduced a higher education policy to help employees pursue further studies from India’s top engineering institute. This helps the company to retain and grow talent. Through this program, the site has boosted productivity with zero MR coils on back order. Over 33,000 coils have been shipped with the defect rate reduced by 60% and employee engagement scores over 90%. Patients have benefited, too: with MRI systems requiring seven or eight coils for diagnosing conditions in different parts of the body, this increase in productivity widens access to care, helping patients receive faster referrals and treatment. After three years, the first cohort of trainees completed the program. To mark this milestone, Philips invited their families to the factory for a special celebration. The employees themselves organized the event, proudly showcasing their work and conducting a factory tour. Many parents expressed gratitude to Philips for the transformation they had witnessed in their children. “Watching these young individuals grow into confident and technically skilled professionals has been incredibly rewarding,” said Sachin Hujare, Plant Manager at Philips. “Our commitment to building a progressive, high-performing workforce remains strong, and we look forward to further expanding this initiative.” Learn more about Philips' commitment to doing business with sustainable impact and upholding human rights here.
Around the same time, the world came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With patient safety and quality at the heart of everything, Philips had to ensure timely delivery regardless of the ongoing global emergency.
To safely onboard the Diploma Apprentice Trainees (DATs), many of whom were 19-20 years old and relocating to a new city for the first time, we devised a comprehensive plan that included engaging with their families. We offered relocation benefits, travel expenses, initial accommodation and assistance in finding long-term housing, along with safe transportation to the workplace to ensure their well-being during the pandemic.
To prepare these new employees for the shop floor, we also designed a robust six-week training program that covered industry-specific expertise and soldering, along with orientation to Philips’ purpose and values.
HPTs are supported by cultural interventions to ensure engagement and discipline, including:
