A refresher training programme for employees of Hatti Kaapi is under way. One of them, S Neelakanta Rao, is noticeably involved in it. During a Power Point Presentation, his hand moves furiously across the writing pad, taking down copious notes. During a session covering the topics of loyalty, team work and entrepreneurial spirit, his hand goes up often. All of this seems a bit out of the ordinary, for Rao is the oldest of the lot at 87.
Rao is many decades older than most other colleagues, but is not denied the comfort factor of working alongside people closer to his age, thanks to a policy decision made by Hatti Food and Beverages more than five years ago.
Hatti Kaapi now employs 320 people at its 63 coffee outlets spread across Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangalore, Hyderabad and New Delhi. Twenty percent of its workforce is constituted by senior citizens and the differently-abled.
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By promoting the concept of “working retirees” at its outlets, Hatti Kaapi is helping seniors who simply can’t bring themselves to hang up their boots.
“I don’t like to sit idle, so I never took a break after retiring from a public service undertaking,” says Rao, who has been with Hatti Kaapi for the last five years. His role involves keeping count of the Sodexo coupons collected from various outlets in and around Bengaluru.
Commuting to his workplace at Ulsoor Road and back home consumes 30 kilometres every day and obviously much of his energy, but Rao does not seem to mind it.
At the programme, 77-year-old G T Arasu is parked next to Rao. He works indefatigably too — he primarily manages the company’s accounts and enjoys running errands. There is a funky side to his personality, he never misses Hatti Kaapi’s promotional events.
“Why should I sit idle when I have the energy?” says 71-year-old Sadananda Rao, another of those bringing a unique flavour to the workplaces of Hatti Kaapi.
He oversees the functioning of the outlet at Manyata Tech Park, where he is sometimes required to serve coffee, take care of billing and interact with customers.
Besides these contributions, Rao has earned much respect from his colleagues for his ability to make decorative coffee. He has travelled to the United States, where his children work with leading companies.
Recognition
Hatti Kaapi has been recognised for ensuring sizeable representation of working retirees and the differently-abled in its workforce. It won the ‘NCPEDP Mindtree Helen Keller Award 2017’ for promoting equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Its Kuvempu Road Metro station outlet is entirely managed by four differently-abled.
“We have tie-ups with eight to 10 NGOs, where we take people with any kind of disability including autism and visual impairment, and train them for various jobs at out outlets,” says M Sampath Kumar, head admin.
“Hiring senior citizens and the differently abled makes business sense too. We find them sincere and loyal and there is a lot of positive energy when they are around,” says U S Mahendar, one of the two founders of the coffee brand.
In 2009, Lakshmana Swamy T S and Mahendar started Hatti Kaapi. “We began by selling 500 cups from a small outlet at Gandhi Bazaar,” recalls Swamy.