Navigating HR Complexity During Organizational Scaling: A Case Study from the Indian QSR Sector

Mrinal Raj; Arayana Roy; Mamta Singh

ORDER ARTICLE PERMISSIONS/REPRINTS/OFFPRINTS/TEACHING NOTES

To order TNs, inspection copies, and/or permissions to include this article in textbooks, edited volumes, course booklets, online/digital course packs, etc., and/or to order multiple individual copies for classroom use, please use the secure online payment, or the appropriate form available on the Order Forms page, or alternatively, contact the Publishing Editor, Peter Neilson, pneilson@neilsonjournals.com directly.

Navigating HR Complexity During Organizational Scaling: A Case Study from the Indian QSR Sector

Mrinal Raj, Arayana Roy, and Mamta Singh

Chandragupt Institute of Management Patna, Bihar, India

Volume 18: 2025, pp. 147-152; ABSTRACT

This case study explores the challenges of managing human resources during rapid organizational scaling through the story of Vishal, an Assistant Manager at Quick Bites. Despite having the right credentials, Vishal resigned within a month of employment due to rigid HR policies and a lack of empathetic leadership. The case highlights the interplay between organizational expansion goals and employee expectations, emphasizing the consequences of misalignment. It also presents the perspective of Ruby, a pressured HR professional tasked with navigating policy constraints and complying with operational urgency. The study offers rich insights into the importance of psychological contracts, leadership empathy, and retention-focused HR strategies. This case study is a fictionalized scenario developed for academic discussion and teaching purposes. Any resemblance to real organizations or individuals is purely coincidental.

Keywords: employee attrition, HR policy, servant leadership, psychological contract, QSR industry, organizational empathy.