Driving Transformation at Jindal Steel & Power
The Challenge
At its Raigarh plant, a 3.0 MnT facility with 3000+ machines, Jindal Steel & Power began to notice opportunities to further optimise how its teams and processes operated. Over the years, manpower structures had naturally evolved across operations, maintenance, quality and logistics, resulting in parallel pools and some overlap in responsibilities.
Without a unified, data-driven approach to manpower planning, deployment patterns were not always even, and the presence of multiple reporting layers sometimes slowed down on-ground decision-making. In addition, several processes across HR, material handling and maintenance continued to rely on manual interventions, which created room for variability.
These factors together meant there was an opportunity to enhance utilisation levels and improve overall efficiency across blue-collar and white-collar roles. Leadership recognised this as the right moment to undertake a plant-wide transformation that would streamline structures, strengthen accountability and unlock greater agility and ownership across teams.
The Approach
PBOPlus conducted a one-month diagnostic study with findings that revealed excess manpower deployment without a scientific basis, poor utilisation, untrained staff, and significant manual activities that could be automated cheaply. To address this, PBO designed and implemented a process-based transformation roadmap, anchored in:
3-Layer Organisation Structure
Eliminating excess reporting layers and realigning responsibilities.
Multi-skill & Multi-functional Training
Enabling employees to work across roles, reducing dependency and idle time.
Zero Delay Services (HR, Quality, Stores)
Creating sub-stores and decentralised services to streamline supply and reduce material delays.
Time Motion Studies & HPPT Implementation
Identifying workload gaps and optimising manpower allocation.
Centralised KPI Framework
Moving from functional to process- and outcome-oriented targets, reviewed consistently across teams
The Execution
PBO’s team of consultants and analysts worked alongside Jindal’s leadership, plant heads, and 32 functional teams. A new manpower distribution model was introduced, reducing layers of reporting and redistributing tasks scientifically.
Blue-collar and contract workers were redeployed to value-adding activities, white-collar redundancies were eliminated, and plant-level teams were equipped with tools and SOPs for efficient execution.
Specialised central maintenance teams were created, process-based KPIs were implemented, and workload analysis ensured optimised manpower requirements. The transformation was embedded with consistent coaching, certification, and performance monitoring to sustain results.
The Results
20+ multifunctional teams created to boost efficiency in operations, maintenance, and quality.
Decentralised sub-stores improved part availability and reduced delays.
National recognition with the Prime Minister’s Trophy for process-driven excellence.