SightsIn Plus January 2021

a www.sightsinplus.com f sightsinplus l company/sightsin t twitter.com/sightsin1 January 2021 VOL 04 I ISSUE 05 I R 150 Monthly HR Magazine hr plans and priorities 2021



Monthly HR Magazine www.sightsinplus.com f sightsinplus l company/sightsin t twitter.com/sightsin1 Contents Interview 34 Regular Colommen Paneesh Rao Editor’s Note 04 Chief People Officer Mail Box 05 Mindtree Movements06 News08 Social Media 10 Twitter26 Insights HR - Top Talent Priorities & Trends for 2021/ Raj Gupta  18 12 Expert View Emerging Trends & HR Priorities in 20 2021/ Puja Kapoor Soumyasanto Sen Technology Priorities and Resolutions for Digital HR, Transformation & HR Leaders for 2021/ Kumar Mayank 28 People Analytics Leader  22 HR Trends to Look-out for in 2021/ Expert View Biswarup Goswami 30 Yuvaraj Srivastava  2021: Building the HR Framework of the Next Decade/ MilindMutalik32 Group CHRO  MakeMyTrip, GoIbibo, RedBus  Labour Code 2020: “The Pros and Cons”/ Subhransu Mohanty 37 HR Priorities for 2021 - 22/ 40 Viekas K Khokha Talent Acquisitions Challenges and Job Trends for 2021/ Ravish Agrawal 42 Top Priorities for HR Leaders in 2021/ Prasad Kulkarni  44 15 Interview Workforces of the Future and Hiring Mona Cheriyan Trends 2021/ Umang Mathur  46 President & Group Head, HR Top 10 HR Resolutions for 2021/ 48 Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. Deepti Sheth Editor - In - Chief | Romesh Kumar Srivastava Published at | D-169/6, Sector-50, Noida-201301 Printed at | Eco Media Design & Photo Head | Vineeta Verma IT & Digital Head | Amit Dutta www.sightsinplus.com C- 340, Sector-10, Noida, 201301 Sales & Circulation Head | Kavita Srivastava [email protected] [email protected] Mob | 9953894881 Mob | 9971404077 3 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Editor’s Note Romesh Srivastava a www.sightsinplus.com Editor- In -Chief f sightsinplus l company/sightsin Greetings! t twitter.com/sightsin1 The COVID-19 pandemic will have a lasting impact on the future 4 SightsIn Plus of work. The question for HR leaders is how much these trends have and will alter pre-pandemic strategic goals and plans, and what immediate action and longer-term adjustments must be made as a result. We come up with this new edition to address the same challenges and the theme is HR Plans & Priorities for 2021. We had shortlisted a few renowned Industry Thought Leaders, Business Heads, and CHROs for this edition’s Interview Column and Insights. We are proud to share, Paneesh Rao, Chief People Officer, Mindtree is part of this edition and he shares his HR plans and priorities to be implemented at Mindtree in this New Year. SightsIn Plus team had an opportunity to rendezvous with Mona Cherian, President & Group Head-HR, Thomas Cook. She is sharing her experience in 2020 and new trends that she foresees for 2021. SightsIn Plus is being circulated amongst the top Indian & Global MNCs, big to medium-sized organizations, and increasing its circulation on the fastest mode. This issue would be reaching approximately 85000 readers/ professionals. The edition also shares wonderful insights on: “Time to Refresh and Focus on Core Business Needs”, by Yuvaraj Srivastava, “Top 5 Digital HR Priorities in 2021” Soumyasanto Sen, “Emerging Trends & HR Priorities in 2021” by Puja Kapoor, “2021: Building the HR Framework of the Next Decade” by Milind Mutalik, “Technology Priorities and Resolutions for HR Leaders for 2021” by Kumar Mayank, “Top Priorities for HR Leaders in 2021” Prasad Kulkarni, “Labour Code 2020: The Pros and Cons” by Subhransu Mohanty, etc and some interesting notes through social media are part of the SightsIn Plus, January 2021 edition. Like every time, we would be happy to hear your views and suggestions. We hereby cordially invite your feedback, insights, updates, case study- Individual Milestone. Do write to us [email protected] Happy Reading! Romesh Srivastava

December Issue 2020 IN CONVERSATION Mails RENDEZVOUS WITH WITH DAVE ULRICH of The ANIL SALVI Chester Elton Month Arathi Vijay I love this thinking! You are spot-on Very well responded in the that after all the benchmarking and interview.  Some of the points I best-practices have been done it is the relate to are the need for a different “guidance” of the HR professionals competency mix, more pro-activeness that will lead to real progress and in employees as success factors, engagement. I will always remember leading by example - one sees quick being at a conference and when improvement in employees when they the question was asked, “What do see this quality in leaders. Definitely, you want from your leader?” The 2020 has changed the way we think answer was, “I don’t want my leader of identifying and nurturing talent. to just make me a better and more Really liked the dissected analysis productive worker. I want them to of the reaction to the Covid scenario help me become a better person.” based on the organization segments That is what “guidance” does in an and their possible future approach. organization. Thank you Dave Ulrich A lot to learn, unlearn, and relearn... for another insightful article. I always Great read and appreciate your learn something from your writing. concluding remarks. INTERACTION WITH THIRU A HR PRIORITIES FOR 2021- THIRUNAVUKKARASU NANJAPPA B S Geetu Varyani Pooja Singh So true Sir... HR is closely connected to the work- This is really thought-pro- force now and digitization effect has created greater voking article my friends! impact and that too proactively and promptly!! A Just I would like to add that very good strategy and deep thoughtful- according to the survey of 750 ness in captivating the well-being of HR professionals, conducted employees. It certainly recognizes from June through August, the vulnerability of current times. other HR priorities for With the impending uncertainties 2021 include: orga- and COVID-19 protocol measures nizational design and gradually getting relaxed, HR will change management have a major role in taking (46%), develop- care of employees’ phys- ing the current and ical wellbeing in terms future leadership of their safety as they bench (44%), return to work with, the future of safe work environ- work (32%) and ment, and total re- employee experi- wards policies. ence (28%). 5 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

MORGAN STANLEY APPOINTS SANJAY SHAH AS COUNTRY HEAD American investment bank Morgan Stanley has appointed Sanjay Shah as the country head for its India business as part of senior-level appointments.  Shah, who has been with the company since 1996, was the co-head since 2013. He held the position with ace i-banker Aisha de Sequeira, who died late last year after a prolonged illness. Sequeira had led marquee deals like investments of Facebook and Google into Reliance Industries’ telecom arm Jio Platforms and was widely credited with taking it at the top of the charts. KPMG APPOINTS SUNIT SINHA AS PARTNER AND HEAD – PEOPLE, PERFORMANCE AND CULTURE KPMG ropes in former Managing Director, Strategy & Consulting – Talent & Organization of Accenture India, Sunit Sinha as Partner and Head – People, Performance and Culture. In his new role, he will lead the HR function for all of KPMG’s businesses based out of India. Sunit replaces Unmesh Pawar who resigned from the company in the month of October 2020 and will leave the company in March 2021. At Accenture, Sunit has played a number of roles across Asia Pacific, Middle East , and India. He led the Talent & Organization practice for India. He specializes in the future of work, culture transformation, leadership development, post-merger integration, and organization design and effectiveness. CAPGEMINI APPOINTS NEW GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Capgemini has announced the appointment of Olivier Sevillia as its Group Chief Operating Officer, effective January 1, 2021. In this role Olivier is responsible for the Group’s strategic business units and sales, with a focus on applying the Group’s deep and broad industry expertise to be a strategic business partner to its clients. “At the start of this new year, it is my pleasure to recognize Olivier Sevillia as the Group’s Chief Operating Officer. Having been with Capgemini for thirty years, Olivier has built an impressive track record in leading and operating strategic businesses across the Group,” comments Aiman Ezzat, CEO of the Capgemini Group. YES BANK APPOINTS ANURAG ADLAKHA AS NEW CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER Yes Bank on Wednesday, December 30, has announced the appointment of Anurag Adlakha as the new Chief Human Resources Officer. He takes over from Deodutta Kurane who is due to retire shortly.  Prior to this, he was the chief financial officer of the company. Adlakha is a seasoned banker and has been with reputed banks for over two decades. He has also had a ring-side view of developments at Yes Bank over the past year-and-a-half. “I am very confident that Anurag ‘s appointment will significantly benefit Yes Bank,” said Managing Director and CEO Prashant Kumar. CADILA PHARMACEUTICALS APPOINTS  SAMEER NAGARAJAN AS GLOBAL PRESIDENT- HR Sameer Nagarajan joined Cadila Pharmaceuticals as Global President- HR, effective 9th December 2020, most recently before joining Cadila, he was working with Dabur International Limited as Executive Vice President, Human Resources in Dubai. He completed an MBA in HR from XLRI Jamshedpur in 1988 and has a proven track record in Strategic Business Partnering and leading teams to deliver organizational outcomes.   Sameer is a passionate believer in ongoing professional development and writes a widely-read column on leadership and personal change management on Linkedin; aside from this, his articles have been published in several magazines and newspapers. 6 SightsIn Plus

GOOGLE ROPES IN NEW PERSONNEL HEAD FROM ASTRAZENECA www.sightsinplus.com Google has hired Fiona Cicconi, a top executive from pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca to oversee its personnel/HR policies amid ongoing tensions with many employees who are upset with the company’s policies. Cicconi will replace Eileen Naughton, who disclosed in February she would step down, just before Google told its workers to start working from home to help stop the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Cicconi will face the challenge of making sure those workers have their needs met while remaining productive, and then oversee the eventual transition to their return to Google offices scattered throughout the world, in addition to its Silicon Valley hub. FORMER CHRO AT SAP STEFAN RIES JOINS MCKINSEY & COMPANY SENIOR ADVISORS TEAM IN EUROPE Stefan Ries joins McKinsey & Company senior advisors team in Europe, prior to this, he was the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Labor Relations Director of SAP SE as well as a member of the Executive Board with global responsibility for HR. His earlier experience spans executive roles at Microsoft, Compaq, SAP, and Egon Zehnder International. McKinsey said in a statement, “we are pleased to welcome Stefan Ries, former CHRO at SAP, to the McKinsey & Company senior advisors team in Europe. Stefan has led efforts in systematic skilling at scale enabled by people analytics and a fully digitized learning platform, reimagining employee experience, and repositioning the talent market to attract and develop strong tech talent globally.” MERCER APPOINTS RAVIN JESUTHASAN AS GLOBAL LEADER FOR TRANSFORMATION SERVICES Mercer, a global leader in redefining the world of work, reshaping retirement and investment outcomes, and unlocking real health and well-being, has named Ravin Jesuthasan as Global Leader for Transformation Services, based in Chicago. In his new role, Ravin is responsible for leading Mercer’s Transformation Center of Excellence. He will report to Ilya Bonic, President of Mercer’s Career business and Head of Mercer Strategy. He has nearly 30 years of experience in the HR consulting industry. Prior to this role, he was Managing Director and global leader of Willis Towers Watson’s Talent and Rewards practice.  CAPGEMINI APPOINTS SARITA TRIPATHI AS VICE PRESIDENT-HR Sarita Tripathi joins Capgemini, a French multinational corporation that provides consulting, technology, professional, and outsourcing services as Vice President-HR, effective Jan 2021. Prior to Capgemini, Sarita was working with Vodafone Idea as Head HR – Finance, Commercial, Regulatory, Legal & Transformation | Head Culture, D&I, Commns & EXX. Previously she was associated with Tata Motors, Passenger Car Commercial Business Unit as Head HR. And earlier she worked with companies like Topaz Energy and Marine, CNH Industrial, Mitsubishi Electric, Johnson Matthey, and a subsidiary company of Sony India. She holds a master’s degree in human resources from AIMA and pursuing Ph.D. in Business Management, Organizational Behavior from Aligarh Muslim University.   FORMER HDFC BANK CHIEF ADITYA PURI JOINS STRIDES GROUP AS ADVISOR Former HDFC Bank managing director Aditya Puri has joined global pharma major Strides Group as an advisor and will also serve as a director of its associate company Stelis Biopharma. “Eminent corporate doyen AdityaPuri joins the Strides Group as an advisor and also will be a director of its associate company, Stelis Biopharma,” Strides Pharma Science said in a regulatory filing. Strides Pharma Science said Puri’s appointment to the Stelis board comes at an exciting juncture for the company as it transitions from its incubation phase to a consolidation and growth phase to establish itself as a partner of choice globally with the aim of bringing world-class treatments at affordable costs to patients in both emerging and developed markets. 7 January 2021

News January 2021 HONDA MOTORCYCLE & SCOOTER INDIA ROLLS OUT VRS TO EMPLOYEES On January 5, Honda has introduced a ‘VRS’ for all As VRS benefits, the company Motorcycle & Scooter India the associates who want to retire offers, three months gross salary into (HMSI) has introduced a voluntarily from the company the completed year of service, one voluntary retirement before their fixed retirement age, so month’s basic plus Variable Dearness scheme (VRS) for its employees above that they can be relieved from the Allowance (VDA) into the remaining the age of 40 or who have completed 10 company gracefully,” year of service, and ex-gratia of Rs. years in the company. The VRS scheme The Directors of the company are 22,000 into the completed year of is effective from January 5 and will not eligible under this scheme, he service. remain open till January 23, 2021. added. The first 400 applicants will get an HMSI has said in a statement that it ‘early bird incentive’ of Rs. 5 lakh is realigning its production strategy each and if the VRS application for improved overall operational exceeds 400, additional Rs. 4 lakh efficiency with the objective of long will be paid to all the applicants, term business sustainability in these Sharma wrote in the letter. uncertain times. The Company has also announced Naveen Sharma, Division Head the maximum amount for applicants – General Affairs, HMSI, said for permanent workmen and in a letter to the employees, “In Junior Engineer (JE) and above. order to maintain existence in this For instance, for Senior Manager competitive two-wheeler market, or Vice-President, it has capped it is essential to continue with at Rs. 72 lakh, for Manager Rs. 67 high efficiency and competitiveness. lakh, for Deputy Manager at Rs. 48 Therefore, keeping in view all the lakh and Rs. 15 lakh for Assistant above reasons, the management Executive. TCS PAYS 100% VARIABLE TO ITS MG MOTOR INDIA TO INVEST EMPLOYEES FOR Q3, ENDING DEC 2020 RS 1,500 CRORE MORE BY THE NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR India’s largest IT major, Tata Consultancy Services, TCS has rolled out 100 percent variable pay for MG Motor, the Indian arm of China’s SAIC its employees for the quarter ending December 2020. In a Motor plans to start an additional shift at its letter to employees, Milind Lakkad, CHRO, TCS said, manufacturing plant in Halol in Gujarat this “We will be paying 100% of the Quarterly Variable Allowance year to meet the demand for its vehicles. (QVA) this quarter (Q3) for all grades applicable under this plan.” “The company has invested Rs 3,000 crore till TCS gives QVA based on its quarterly performance.  As per TCS now in India and plans to invest Rs 1,500 crore employees, while the 100 percent variable pay is not uncommon, it more by the next financial year. MG Motors plans is, however, not usually across the board. A senior employee cited in to increase localisation of products, which would a Moneycontrol report pointed out that it is usually 50-60 percent. mean higher manufacturing in India, and also aims This 100% variable pay across the board has come at the back of the to assemble battery strong growth lines locally.” Rajeev the company witnessed in the Chaba, president and December quarter.  managing director, MG TCS has a consolidated Motor India said. headcount of 4,69,261 employees, “The company is planning with a net addition of 15,721. to recruit 1,000 workers, Presently, 3.4 per cent of TCS directly and indirectly, employees are working out of at the plant by the end office, while about 96 per cent (over of 2021 to ramp up 4.5 lakh) are working remotely production for the launch or from home. The company has of a midsize sports utility vehicle (SUV).”, he said. trained 366K+ employees in new technologies in third quarter “Currently, we have 2,500 employees at the plant. Q3 and 444K+ on Agile methods. IT Major, has reported its The new vehicle, which will be introduced in the consolidated financial results on 9th January with 137.4% of third quarter of this year, will compete with the likes blockbuster Net Profit for the quarter ending December 31, 2020. of Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos,” he added. and it is hoping for double-digit growth in the financial year 2022. 8 SightsIn Plus

News January 2021 TATA STEEL ISSUES ADVISORY, ASKING NOT TO SHARE SENSITIVE INFORMATION ON WHATSAPP WhatsApp users are being spokesperson said on Friday. According to an Economic Times prompted to agree to a new “The update does not change report, Tata Steel has urged privacy policy that will WhatsApp data-sharing staff not to post important basically hand over some of practices with Facebook corporate matters or its data to Facebook. The new privacy and WhatsApp remains conduct business policy will take effect on February 8, deeply committed meetings on the 2021. On that date, the only option to protecting platform,“ According WhatsApp users will have is to either people’s privacy,” the to the new policy, agree or stop using the spokesperson added. WhatsApp will be service altogether. But, according to recent integrated with Facebook Though, WhatsApp, the messaging reports, both national and and Instagram with possible giant owned by Facebook, said its new multinational companies in privacy update will not impact how India have started issuing advisories exchange and sharing of data people communicate privately with to their employees, advising them to among these platforms… We strongly friends and family wherever they are curtail sharing sensitive information advise the use of Microsoft Office in the world. The update will make it on WhatsApp. The companies 365 facilities and Teams for official easier for people to make purchases have also asked their employees to communication,” stated Mrinal Kanti and get help from businesses on avoid using the messaging app for Pal, Chief of cloud infrastructure, the messaging platform, a company important business calls. network, and cybersecurity at Tata Steel. SPECIFIED SKILLED WORKERS FROM INDIA WILL BUDGET 2021: LABOUR MINISTRY HAVE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN JAPAN RECOMMENDS REDUCING PF CONTRIBUTION The Union The Ministry of Labour and Employment has Cabinet, chaired suggested bringing down the rate of contribution by Prime Minister by companies towards the pension and provident Shri Narendra fund scheme administered by the EPFO in the Modi, has approved the upcoming union budget 2021. It may increase the take-home signing of a Memorandum salary of the employees but may cause loss to the pensioners. of Cooperation between the The Labour Ministry has suggested reducing both employee Government of India and and employer contribution from 12% to 10%. The Ministry Government of Japan, on a has also suggested that making the pension for EPF members Basic Framework for Partnership for Proper Operation of the practical, pension to be made proportional to PF System Pertaining to “Specified Skilled Worker”. The present contributions, saying that the pension should be received Memorandum of Cooperation would set an institutional according to the contribution. If both the suggestions are mechanism for partnership and cooperation between India and accepted, in that case, take-home salary will increase, but the Japan on sending and accepting skilled Indian workers, who pension of EPFO pensioners will decrease. have qualified the required skill and Japanese language test, to According to media reports, EPFO has more 23 lakh work in fourteen specified sectors in Japan. These Indian pensioners, who get a pension of Rs 1,000 every month. workers would be granted a new status of residence of “Specified While their contribution to the PF is even less than one- Skilled Worker” by the Government of Japan. fourth of it. The officials said if it continues to happen, it Implementation Strategy: Under this MOC, a Joint Working will be difficult to manage in future. This is why ‘Defined Group will be set up to follow up the implementation of this contributions’ should be adopted to make it more relevant. MOC. In August 2019, EPFO’s Central Board of Trustees (CBT) Major Impact: The Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) has demanded to increase the minimum pension to Rs would enhance people-to -people contacts, foster mobility of 2,000 to RS 3,000 as per pension scheme, however, it was workers and skilled professionals from India to Japan. not implemented. As per sources, the government will Beneficiaries: Skilled Indian workers from fourteen sectors have to bear an extra expenditure of Rs 4500 crore upon viz. Nursing care; Building cleaning; Material Processing implementing a minimum pension of RS 2,000 and if it is industry; Industrial machinery manufacturing industry; Electric increased to Rs 3,000, it will cost the exchequer massive Rs and electronic information related industry; Construction; 14,595 crore.  As per officials, a big portion of EPFO amount Shipbuilding and ship-related industry; Automobile invested in the share market also gave negative returns due maintenance; Aviation; Lodging; Agriculture; Fisheries; Food to Covid 19 pandemic. Of the Rs 13.7 crore EPFO corpus, and beverages manufacturing industry and Food service industry only five per cent or Rs 4600 crore was invested in the share would have enhanced job opportunities to work in Japan. market, said officals. 9 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Social Media January 2021 Digital Transformation isn’t an End Point; it’s Just the Beginning By@Herman Rolfers 2020 was exceptional for us Nokia, Blockbuster, Blackberry, and to thrive in their role, even as their all. Despite the terrible Atari have all seen their stars rise priorities change and evolve. hardships people have faced and fall. Watching their ascents and The example of what happened as a result of the pandemic, descents has taught me that change is to Kodak and Nokia serve as stark the experience has also shown just how constant – and transformation means reminders to all of us of what happens resilient we can be in a crisis. It has accepting that nothing is ever finished, if we fail to keep upgrading the tools we shown that we can adapt quickly when just upgraded. need to stay relevant to our customers we act together to achieve a clear goal. These lessons can be applied to every and employees. We are continuously However, these changes may have business, in every sector. And that’s looking for new tools and systems that been tactical rather than strategic. why digital transformation needs to can ‘plug and play’ into our platform to Long-term strategic change is a far be considered a long-term business upgrade the user experience. Through more evolutionary process. When it enabler. Not an end goal that can be programmes like HR Brewhouse, we comes to how we work, a major digital reached within the next 12 or even 24 are actively seeking out start-ups to transformation was happening well months. collaborate with to deliver technical before the pandemic hit and it will solutions to our employee experience. continue well beyond COVID-19.  Strength and progress Transformation isn’t easy. I’ve not met In fact, I believe digital transformation anyone who didn’t find something does not have a final destination, it is Adapting to new ways of working difficult in the radical changes we a process of continuous and ongoing is in HEINEKEN’s DNA. To help had to make to meet the challenge of change. But without a defined end ensure that HEINEKEN becomes COVID-19. But when societies return point, how can we encourage focus, the best connected brewer, we are to a more normal level of existence, we commitment, and adaptability to empowering our people by giving them need to recognise that real, long-term deliver change? the tools they need to embrace change transformation, that is embedded in At the start of last year we ensured that and prepare for our future. Already, the culture of an organisation, needs to all of our operating companies across more than half our global workforce be both iterative and responsive. This our Africa, Middle East, Americas and is using digital tools to manage their process cannot be rushed – it takes Asia Pacific regions have access to a day-to-day employee experiences, time. So rather than looking for short completely digital HR experience. By from applying for leave from their term targets, it is perhaps better to take the middle of this year, all of our global mobiles, to managing their learning the view that nothing is ever finished, operating companies will be using the and development through our online only upgraded.  same digital platform to manage their learning platform. They’re empowered personal and professional data. Bringing new meaning to a ‘Kodak moment’ If transformation is viewed as a short- term goal with a fixed end, even the biggest brands can fall behind. They allow themselves to stand still while the rest of the world marches on. Look at Kodak. Wind back the clock and this brand dominated the international camera film market. So much so, they stayed shuttered to the rising popularity of digital photography. It brings a completely new definition to a ‘Kodak moment’. Kodak isn’t alone. Brands like Xerox, 10 SightsIn Plus

News January 2021 LEADERS DON’T CREATE MORE FOLLOWERS. THEY CREATE MORE LEADERS By @BrigetteHyacinth their ego to be constantly stroked. They led to their demise. consistently seek opportunities to inspire James Collins and a research team The saddest thing about and motivate others. They invest in conducted a five year historical analysis today’s corporate world is the people. Such managers push employees of companies that over time had made internal politics, that some to grow and develop in order to reach a sustained transition from good to people are willing to play in their full potential. great. Succession planning was a order to get ahead. Instead of pulling “The biggest concern for any problem. Collins writes, “In over three others up, many managers choose to push organization should be when their quarters of the comparison companies, we people down. Your most valuable asset most passionate people become quiet.” found executives who set their successors is your people. And how you treat them, Developing leadership skills is a lifetime up for failure or chose weak successors, or is literally the difference between success project. It’s too easy, as a manager, to feel both.” and failure. Micromanaging, blaming like you have to be the one who knows Leaders who cultivate other leaders and holding people back, will only lead to everything. Great leaders recognize that multiply their own success. Some a culture of distrust with high turnover, they need to keep learning. You are only managers think that developing potential low morale and reduced creativity. strong as your weakest link. Build a strong leaders could threaten their authority The corporate world is littered with team and surround yourself with smart, or position. But failing to optimize the managers but lack leaders. Over the course passionate and highly competent people. talent of others is setting yourself, and the of may career, I only had one manager who The greater your success, the more you company up for failure. It’s not about you. was a leader. He made such an impact and need to stay in touch with fresh and The ego must go. It’s about identifying and influenced my leadership style. It is a rare diverse opinions and perspectives, and appreciating the differences each team individual who excels in both managing welcome honest feedback. Companies member brings to the table, and putting it and leading. Great leaders don’t surround such as Blackberry, Kodak and to full use. Your success is a result of your themselves with “yes employees” or need Nokia did not heed this advice and they team. Play to your team’s strengths and engaged in group think, which ultimately everyone wins! FOCUS ON WELLBEING IN 2021 By @Mona Morris know that I enjoy my Diet Coke (my Quality family and friend time:  team roundtables are even called With the continued constraints of I am certain that making “Diet Coke with Donna”) but it will be “seeing” family and friends distanced 2021 a better year than 2020 reduced this year as I increase my water by country or social distance, I have was a new year wish for intake. The access to the kitchen in 2020 converted my mom to an active many. I’m a big believer that is in the rear view mirror, and ahead is FaceTime call and have increased the you need to establish goals in order to a focus on the basics – increasing fruits, family and friend exchanges.  arrive at a destination. While I shared veggies and eating clean. my work-related, strategic priorities for The global pandemic is not behind the year ahead, during the holidays I Physical activity:  us, however, we all can focus on small was able to really consider my personal I will be disciplined to find time to investments in our own well-being. It goals that are focused on wellbeing. dedicate 30 minutes daily to some form is only day eight, but I feel brighter, Wellbeing is a critical priority across of physical activity – if I can find for lighter and extremely optimistic that I organizations, and at Walmart we are another meeting, I need to find time for can be in control of “some” aspects of intensifying our focus on the physical, me. I am going to “schedule in” end-of- an uncertain time. This year, we’ll be financial and emotional wellbeing the-day walk, jumping on the Peleton, sharing “well-being minutes” in all of of our associates. In the spirit of and maybe as the warmer weather our global people team meetings here at sharing goals publicly to hold myself approaches returning to hit some golf Walmart. I’d love to hear your practices accountable – here we go: balls. I have started wearing a watch to for wellbeing - what is working and close the circles of activity, and making what you hope this New Year will More water and clean eating: Many sure that in busy periods, I remember bring. the simple act of just breathing.  11 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Interview Paneesh Rao In Conversation with Paneesh Rao Chief People Officer Mindtree E xclusive On HR Challenges in 2021 12 SightsIn Plus

By- Romesh Srivastava Paneesh Rao is a career Human Resources professional with a successful track record spanning across industries and geographies. His rich experience spans the entire HR spectrum including strategy, career development, organization development, compensation & benefits, and M&A. Earlier, Paneesh was with L&T Technology Services, having led their HR function globally. Prior to LTTS, he was the HR leader for Atos India & Middle East. Paneesh holds a master’s degree in Personnel Management from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune. Q. What are the HR challenges and leave structure may undergo a Q. How have you turned the that you see in the IT change in near future as well while the pandemic crisis into an Industry in next couple of months? gig economy is expected to see a boost. opportunity as an HR leader? Mental health, social intelligence, and A. We have already seen a emotional connect among colleagues A. The pandemic has given us an paradigm shift in HR practices are going to be the next big focus opportunity to prepare for the across industries during 2020 for HR practitioners. Virtual hiring, worst by becoming a resilient and agile pandemic. The challenges posed onboarding, employee engagement organisation. We have stayed ahead of by the Covid-19 pandemic have practices, and relearning through the curve during these times of crisis. led to acceleration and adoption of digital platforms will continue to be a As a digital-first organisation, we digital services and cloud which in forever practice. have been observing traction towards turn has brought growth in the IT the demand for cloud-based services sector. Being at the digital forefront, Work from from the past few years, however, the it was natural and much easier for us home is going pandemic accelerated its growth multi- to quickly adapt to the new normal to continue fold within a short period of time. way of operating through remote for longer so   working as the infrastructure and staying relevant Digitization and automation across facilities required were already will become sectors are increasing and picking in place at Mindtree. Safety and one’s own pace. The cost of administration has security of Mindtree Minds (our responsibility. drastically reduced because of remote employees), reskilling through digital working. We have seen a significant platforms and virtual hiring became increase in online learning for the core focus during these times of Mindtree Minds during lockdown. uncertainty. Engagement techniques adopted by us has helped in keeping employees’ As we take the next leap in the motivation levels high and also coming year, HR trends and maintain productivity level. The challenges will change with the pandemic also helped us come closer evolving situation of the economy and develop deeper relations with our and the industry. Work from home clients by helping them in cost take- is going to continue for longer so out and to digitize operations to be staying relevant will become one’s future-ready. own responsibility. Compensation www.sightsinplus.com 13 January 2021

Interview Paneesh Rao Q. What are your plans and Q. What are your hiring plans for Q. How do you see WFH Trends priorities for 2021? 2021 and how do you see the for 2021?   skillsets of the future? A. The priorities and focus for A. Remote working is here to stay, 2021 will continue to ensure A. We have not witnessed any at least in the foreseeable future. the well-being of our employees and change in hiring at the moment. Corporates have gained confidence with adopting best practices for people With accelerating demand in cloud a large number of workforces working engagement in the new normal. The services, hiring in IT continues remotely and will witness momentum in current situation has made it crucial for and will continue to surge. Skills WFH practices. In the long run, we believe, organizations to build a future ready, in artificial intelligence, machine it is going to be a mix of remote and office hybrid workforce model that can adapt learning, customer experience, data and work, with employees empowered to make to unforeseen challenges during times intelligence, and cloud-tech are going a choice between the two. Satellite offices of crisis. to be in high demand, and hence, hiring will also spring, giving an opportunity to in these areas will be observed. go for work, network, attend in-person Although remote working has changed meetings, and do much more. the dynamics of employee engagement, Skills in artificial digital collaborative tools have helped intelligence, Q. Any concluding remarks? us ensure seamless connectivity within machine learning, A. Just like all other functions will and outside the organization. With customer increased traction in cloud adoption, experience, data refresh its ways of working, HR too artificial intelligence, and automation, and intelligence, will have to tune itself to the new realities we believe that technology will bring a and cloud-tech of working. Managing people will change fundamental shift in the way we work. are going to be in to managing people-related issues, leading Needless to say, digital transformation high demand, and to a transformation in ways of rewarding will continue to be the key driver for hence, hiring in and awarding workforce. The future growth. these areas will workforce will be inclusive of all ages, be observed. genders, and nationalities. Workforce In order to make learning more engagement will also add diverse options relevant, we have an ecosystem that of part-time, full time, gig, and be enables employees to up-skill and result oriented. Employee count from a cross skill effortlessly using our digital particular location will be irrelevant in platform, Yorbit. We believe the best the future of HR as well. In conclusion, use of available technologies will be new and exciting times are ahead of us in important for staying engaged and the HR function as it is in every sphere of achieve the most in the current times. business in the coming year.   14 SightsIn Plus Thank you Paneesh!

Expert View Yuvaraj Srivastava HR Priorities and Resolutions for 2021 “Time to Refresh and Focus on Core Business Needs” At MakeMyTrip, we started focussing a lot on leadership academies built around developing functional competence rather than soft skills or behavioural skills. Some launched and some in pipeline learning academies like \"Sales Leadership Academy\", \"Young Product Leaders Academy\", \"Budding Revenue Leaders Academy\" are all with an intent to Un-Build historical approaches and create new normal in everything HR does. Discussions about priorities Yuvaraj Srivastava  Industry and organisations, while the and resolutions before the severity can be varying, businesses end of the year are an Group CHRO  were impacted adversely. Some sectors exciting ritual despite of the MakeMyTrip, GoIbibo, RedBus  like telecom, online retail or food fact that neither the questions nor the tech might have done well during the responses change. Going through many pandemic but market and economy such resolutions of the past will validate had been under stress to a large extent. that people talk about digitalisation, Hence, we can emphatically say that automation, analytics, change the call of action for the next year management, leadership development would be “Revival or Recovery of etc. as themes to focus in the new year. businesses”. If that is agreed, I believe I find such crystal gazing quite an HR priorities have to sharply focus on academic exercise and would love to see doing everything possible to enable themes for next year based on rational recovery and restoring the trust of all thinking rather than prophesying to be the stakeholders inside and outside the a futurist.  organisation.  It is best to go back to Kaizen, Six My priorities or resolutions would be Sigma, RCA, and many such tools around the above theme and would not and establish the next year’s problem get into the themes that would sound statement. I believe the problem HR’ish, if I may use this term.  statement must arrive from the most   significant issue we faced in the last ten Now, let us look at what should be months of pandemic driven lockdown. done to help business recovery either The biggest threat had been to do in terms of revenue growth, top with the business’s survival, and hence line, bottom line, market share, or for future, the problem statement business cost. For the organisation›s must be defined as “Issues around business metrics, Goal Setting & the revival of business”. Across the Performance management is the 15 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Yuvaraj Srivastava singular most important and useful hyper-growth in some sectors, it’s hiring. It is a lot relevant for the new tool that HR can use to drive the challenging to maintain discipline age and fast-growing organisations. recovery in a focussed way. It will on the hiring front. My advice and The strategy of hiring replacements be great to see HR folks redefining caution are maintaining the principle at a level lower than that of the the entire goal-setting process and of “minus level” and “cost neutral” outgoing incumbent and at the similar performance evaluation for next comp would provide much-needed year. It will be advisable to look at Some of the high optimisation. I do feel that while many the changing rhythm of goal setting impact areas to organisations resorted to workforce and performance evaluation and have prioritise would rationalisation, still there would be quarterly or even monthly process of be Managing scope of further optimisation, the next goal setting and business dashboard- Performance, phase of optimisation shall not be by based evaluation process. The year Manpower Costs, downsizing or rightsizing. It shall be 2021 should also be a year where Efficient & Flexible based on efforts on optimisation and the focus or weightage for the business Processes and prudence. Filling vacant positions goals shall be disproportionate Communication- with internal resources would require compared to other buckets of KRAs. It based strong Internal movements process, will be ideal to have few well-defined engagement it would be imperative, at least for businesses goals and link them with mechanism. coming next 6 to 8 quarters.  the performance-linked bonuses, for example instead of having all the Suppose we reflect on the period from business metrics like gross revenue, March 2020 till now, it will make us net revenue, cost, market share, look novice and mock on our long- EBITDA as the parameter, might established working ways, that earned be useful to sharpen these and have accolades for chasing and creating only two or three. As a traditional processes to monitor and review, approach, performance-based incentives are paid out on individual performance, Org Performance, and business unit performance. However, this year, we need to look at people’s cohorts at senior level where the Org performance becomes superordinate to earn performance bonuses. It will be critical to ensure higher collaboration levels and alignment with the org goals, ideally anchored around business recovery. There is a need to redefine the PMS for the next couple of years to channel energy in the right direction.  The next area where HR can contribute immensely this year is in Manpower Cost Optimisation, which impacts the organisation’s bottom line. I firmly believe that organisations on the growth path throw people on the problems and create flab in different corners of the organisation over a period. We saw the consequences of it in May-June 2020 when many companies resorted to downsizing exercise. I believe that not every organisation would be able to follow job evaluation processes and job worth index to identify the exact value of the job in the organisational context, in growing economy witnessing 16 SightsIn Plus

either in the garb of checks & balances futuristic. People policies, Engagement impact the business-critical mission or in the form of process adherence or interventions, L&D strategy all would for the next year would be to under the veil of institutionalisation. I offer an immense scope of change. For strengthen the employees’ loyalty feel amused that every people process example, at MakeMyTrip, we started and engagement levels, many got either compromised, changed, focussing a lot on leadership academies organisations have seen it eroding or challenged during the last year. built around developing functional or at least dented in last 10 months. Simultaneously, I can’t take away competence rather than soft skills or My formula, to bring back the credit from the high performing HR behavioural skills. Some launched and trust and engagement would be to teams and leadership, which quickly some in pipeline learning academies focus on strong communication adapted and demonstrated extreme like “Sales Leadership Academy”, channels and disseminating business dexterity in handling contingencies. “Young Product Leaders Academy”, developments in a structured way. I My simple question why can’t we “Budding Revenue Leaders Academy” believe people are better engaged if be like this even during peacetime? are all with an intent to Un-Build they have complete clarity on where Flexible, accommodative, agile, historical approaches and create new the organisation is heading and good and yet effective? With this premise, normal in everything HR does. HR as well as bad news, impacting the I believe HR Business partners and teams will have to pick up tracks organisation. I would have priority COE role holders would provide within HR domains of learning, talent around strengthening “Business excellent service to the organisations management and others and focus on Communication” processes with the by removing and relooking at some to create, though, short term but rank and file of the organisation, the ‘non-value adding’ processes. the visible impact in the organisation’s instead of spending time on feel- Learnings of the year 2020 should talent landscape to regain the trust good activities and fun activities, pave the way for un-building of existing employees or prospective clear focus on having regular panel some of the methods which have employees.  conversations and fireside talks with outlived the utility and can be the leaders with the larger workforce garnished or revamped to be more One of the areas that can further as the audience can be potent for engagement. I also feel that while large 17 January 2021 organisations with strong history do focus on employee’s family, new age organisations have some distance to cover in terms of unravelling the value of family connections, the year gone by would have given some insights on the aspects of engaging with the family of the team members for creating stronger bond based on trust and personal connections. HR teams can help build trust and create a strong employee value proposition pivoted on engagement involving families.  While I pen these thoughts, vaccination programs against COVID are on the anvil. Organisations have got their workplace operating model in place, and business recovery is slowly but surely bringing back the positivity and optimism in the environment. What is needed for every leader, especially HR teams, is to focus on a few high impact areas, build a credible alliance with the groups, and create effective plans to execute. Some of the high impact areas to prioritise would be Managing Performance, Manpower Costs, Efficient & Flexible Processes and Communication based engagement mechanism. www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Raj Gupta HR - Top Talent Priorities & Trends for 2021 \"Starbucks was founded around the experience and the environment of its stores. Starbucks was about a space with comfortable chairs, lots of power outlets, tables, and desks at which we could work, and the option to spend as much time in their stores as we wanted without any pressure to buy. The coffee was incidental\"— Simon Sinek Raj Gupta While the technological Things (IoT), ChatBots, Machine changes were playing Learning (ML), Robotics, etc. Author & General themselves out in the   Manager - HR, TCS Industry 4.0 context, It is imperative for HR Leaders to pandemic has created a unique think and help Global CEOs deal with challenge that is unpredictable and the Human Capital Challenges amidst highly complex accelerating pace of disruptions caused by pandemic by digital shift and taking it to a new visualising the shape of the future stratosphere. Day by day massive workforce and its dynamics, shifting strides are being made and we are operating models in the business getting ruled by fast-changing unusual scenario where human will co- technologies, driven by AI, Internet of exists with bots and robots, developing Raj Gupta is a veteran HR Professional with 25 years of experience in diversified roles with exposure to the US, UK, Europe & Indian multinationals including 10 years each in GE & TCS. He has authored 6 books including Walk Through HR Maze, Caterpillar to Catalysts, Workplace Romance & Its Perils, Go & Get Your Success and has also founded HRsuccessmantra. com to help budding HR Professional build Leadership credentials and is a speaker at various Industry platforms. 18 SightsIn Plus

a diverse and accountable leadership productivity and profitability. offices? As the future of workplace pool, managing business interruption,   and work practices undergo a major Re-invention of Work From Home shift, this also offers the industry an strategies, Redesign jobs to suit the Management of excellent opportunity to leverage need of the present environment, Polarities the untapped potential of employees management of  New age performance and also optimise costs and enhance management system, New Career For the uninitiated, Polarity is all about productivity. models, and a new model of leadership, Managing 2 opposite spectrum i.e. at keeping a step ahead of a paradigm one end you want your LEADER to Re-invention of Employee shift in engagement practices for the be FUTURISTIC & VISIONARY and Engagement  & Reward 21st-century workforce while aligning at the other spectrum you want him Strategies the business demand to the ever- to deliver on quarterly expectations, evolving workforce needs and striking similarly Human Touch Vs Managing Replicating the physical element into a balance in a manner that they manage Layoffs, Building Trust amidst virtual for driving collaboration and to retain knowledge and contribution Technological Surveillance, drive engagement will test HR leadership which requires agility & constant collaboration Vs Remote working mettle who will need to come up revisiting of HR strategy & its impact. amongst others will keep CHRO’s on with strategies and work practices   their toes. that were hitherto had no precedence In a scenario where conventional   as workplace boundaries will blur.  thinking and best practices have Helping employees successfully lost their significance and there is Shifting Workplace & navigate the complexities of new a new normal that is being shaped Workforce Dynamics normal, building new ways of by pandemic putting worldwide communication, ensuring boundaries, economies & various sectors such For companies across the world discipline, coaching and mentoring as aviation, tourism, hospitality in and across industries, conventional mechanisms, feedback channels etc acute crisis. I see the emergence of the workplace norms are undergoing while keeping the workforce engaged following 5 Human Resource Talent through a mammoth disruption. and motivated will be a key challenge. Priorities & Trends for 2021 The way we work is undergoing There will be hyper-personalisation a fundamental change. Working with regards to compensation Organisational Climate remotely is no longer a luxury but structures, employee engagement, Mechanisms an unavoidable necessity where motivation, growth & Learning employers will need to ensure they strategies. “Starbucks was founded around the provide requisite tools to employees experience and the environment of to be productive in a safe and secure Mainstreaming of Gig its stores. Starbucks was about a space environment. Some of the questions Workers with comfortable chairs, lots of power with regard to workplaces that are outlets, tables, and desks at which we echoing include - Will organisations Alongside the traditional economy of could work, and the option to spend as redesign their office space? Forget full-time workers who more often than much time in their stores as we wanted re-designing, would they need not focus on a life-time career with an without any pressure to buy. The coffee organisation, mainstreaming of the was incidental”— Simon Sinek Replicating the gig working mechanism will also come   physical element into to center-stage which will present the At the root of any organization virtual for driving working population an opportunity climate is a set of core characteristics collaboration and to choose and deliver projects around that encompass its structure, reward engagement will test the world as a result of de-coupling mechanisms, risk elements, etc. HR leadership mettle of job & location. The adoption of Post pandemic, large numbers of who will need to come Gig would get fast tracked as it brings organisations are discussing not only up with strategies unique value proposition both for the need for “psychological safety” of and work practices organisation as well as employee. While people at the workplace but also other that were hitherto for Gig workers, work-life balance topics like ‘Resilience’ and ‘Effective had no precedence will improve significantly, the cost for Engagement’. Thus giving absolute as workplace employer will also decrease as they will weightage to Organisational climate boundaries will pay for the project and no longer need that carries great significance in this blur. to hire an employee on their payroll. changed scenario for maximising utilization of human relations and [Views expressed are personal] resources at all levels to drive enhanced www.sightsinplus.com 19 January 2021

Insights Puja Kapoor Puja Kapoor Emerging Trends & HR Global Head HR Priorities OLX Autos BU in 2021 Puja Kapoor, Head- HR, OLX India. With the spread of the pandemic—physical, mental, She is an accomplished business leader and emotional health has emerged as an overriding with over 18 years of experience in the concern of people around the globe. In this environment, a crucial area of significance for HR HR domain having served in various will be ensuring the physical and emotional well- leadership roles across companies such being of employees as Oberoi, Sapient, Google, Tesco, and Evalueserve. In her illustrious career, she has been the recipient of numerous accolades including being recognized as one of the ‘50 Most Influential HR Tech Leaders 2015’ by Asia Pacific HRM Congress. At OLX, she leads the mandate around diversity, inclusion and employee engagement. She is an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur. As global economies are slowly quickly finding solutions to a new work overcoming the challenges of environment. As HR leaders rethink 2020, the role of Human their approach to prepare for the future, Resource professionals, across some defining trends do stand out as key the industry has taken on new dimensions priorities to build on for 2021 and beyond. for the workforce and organizational   success. l With the spread of the pandemic—   Today, HR managers are undoubtedly physical, mental, and emotional required to think on their heads, while health has emerged as an overriding concern of people around the globe. 20 SightsIn Plus

In this environment, a crucial area of professionals determine its scope this trend will likely see an advanced significance for HR will be ensuring and sustainability across sectors and focus on employee predictive data the physical and emotional industries. analysis allowing for improved well-being of employees. Holistic   governance. solutions that safeguard the health A hybrid model could also prove to and safety of staff, as they slowly offer a smooth and safe transition As organisations build hybrid return to office spaces, will have back into fully in-person models as working models, HR leaders will to be devised on priority. It will be people’s reservations get addressed have to evolve ways to help staff in the incumbent upon HR to allay any with the onset of a vaccine and new day-to-day functioning especially overbearing concerns of employees assurances set up by HR within with repetitive, monotonous tasks. A about their health and well-being to organizations. New models of crucial 2021 priority for HR will be keep them motivated and focused working will also require new skills to employ analytical tools towards to deliver their best for business and competencies across the spectrum building skills and harnessing the operations. Many organizations will for employees. emotional intelligence of employees be compelled to embrace Employee to stay ahead of the talent curve.    Wellbeing Manager roles as part of l Fostering a culture of trust and the HR operating structure. inclusion will be a strategic priority       for HR in the new normal. New l Like in all other sectors, digital l The need for a strong, decisive collaborative and collective processes leadership gains particular significance will need to be evolved to keep the technology has come to play a during times of crisis. At the same time, organizational culture vibrant and crucial role in revolutionizing the it is crucial that leaders maintain pulsating. Employee experiences entire human resources experience. an effective connection with will need to be redefined in some Harnessing digital technology their employees. They need to keep ways while conserving the basic further to improve efficiencies will communications transparent and values integral to the ethos of an also demarcate an important area open. Engagement and connection organization. Leveraging and for HR in 2021. The effective use of between leadership and employees building the emotional intelligence digital efficiencies and automation will be a key trend going forward of employees will be a game-changer processes is increasingly seen in and will help define progressive in 2021, as physical engagements employee inductions, maintaining organizational culture. Collective and will reduce in favour of virtual. A employee databases, digitalizing inclusive decision making will also collaborative and empowered culture payroll and benefits, maintaining be a step in that direction. Ensuring will also help avoid top-down, multi- appraisals and evaluations and genuine diversity across ranks also layered decision-making delays. even offering L&D services to stands out as a vital leadership priority help employees build new skills. for HR leaders. Equity and inclusion l Analytics, AI, and automation have This is an area that will continue had started emerging as major issues developed into valuable resources for to grow exponentially as nearly for a truly representative leadership HR to leverage across the employee every industry develops a digital even before the pandemic hit. Over life cycle. Over time, HR has evolved counterpart in the post-pandemic time, the consciousness of a diverse more sophisticated ways to manage world. The focus on digitalization leadership has grown and should and organise employee data and make will help most in evolving cultural remain a priority in 2021.    better decisions. Going forward, efficiencies in businesses.           l The pandemic has certainly pushed Fostering a culture All in all, in this whole pandemic- the boundaries of traditional in- of trust and inclusion impacted scenario, it is important to person working models. A May 2020 will be a strategic recognize that HR priorities will need IBM survey showed that 54% of priority for HR in the to evolve as the overall scenario is still adults wanted to continue working new normal. New unpredictable. For truly disruptive from home after the pandemic. collaborative and innovation, HR managers should Global numbers have also shown collective processes work towards developing a collective similar inclinations for remote or will need to be conscience and try to remove any part-remote work. This has opened evolved to keep the invisible fences around departments. up conversations about the possibility organizational Collaboration across teams, building true of new hybrid working models culture vibrant empathetic leadership skills, and focusing involving both remote and in-person and pulsating. on the right balance between human working options. Feasibility studies and digital interfaces will help navigate (based on the nature of work, task, these waters. For while 2021 offers new and accessibility) of fully remote hope, the one thing HR certainly needs or part-remote work will help HR to be in the driving seat and equipped for ensuring organizational preparedness for 21 January 2021 the future of work. www.sightsinplus.com

Interview Mona Cheriyan Rendezvous with Mona Cheriyan President & Group Head, HR Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. E xclusive On HR Challenges in 2021 22 SightsIn Plus

By- Romesh Srivastava Mona Cheriyan is currently the President & Group Head Human Resources of Thomas Cook India Ltd. She is responsible for the Strategy, Leadership Development, Employee Engagement, and other HR functions at the Group level. Thomas Cook’s footprint currently extends to 25 countries across 5 continents.   She is an expert in behavioral sciences and personally imparts training in various Leadership development areas. She has also been associated with campuses viz. TISS, Symbiosis, SP Jain, IIFT, Welingkar, etc.   Mona has been the recipient of the “Super Achievers Award” by the Indira Group of Institutes for outstanding achievement in the field of Human Resources in 2007, the “HR Leadership Award” awarded by the Employer Branding Awards in 2008 and the “Women Super Achiever Award” awarded by the World HRD Congress for 2009 and 2016 and the “Most Influential HR Leader” award in 2017. Q. What are the HR challenges now on the cusp of recovery and the employees more comfortable during that you see in the next role of HR is becoming even more the pandemic, we have modified our couple of months? important. insurance policy to include Covid     related coverage, introduced flexible Right now, our primary task is to work timings and measures to increase A. The novel coronavirus has ensure our employees’ wellbeing, employee engagement despite remote affected our lives in many both physical and mental. We working. ways, including the way we work. understand they are at home and   Ever since the outbreak occurred, probably navigating a lot more than workplaces globally had to close work, such as household chores and Q. What are your plans and down their offices and ask employees other challenges. In order to make priorities for 2021? to work remotely.     Right now, our primary The change in work culture due to task is to ensure our A. The need of the hour is to the pandemic is not only affecting employees’ wellbeing, develop adaptability and employees but also poses a challenge both physical and resilience in our workforce as we make for the human resources team. mental. We understand an accelerated shift towards a new, While we at the TCIL always had a they are at home and digital economy. We invested and work-from-home policy, we never probably navigating a continue to invest in equipping our anticipated it to be implemented on lot more than work, employees› new skills and equipping such a large scale and for such a long such as household them to deal with the “new normal”. duration. chores and other In addition to learning skills related to   challenges. their roles, we developed competencies The Human Resources team at in our employees to take on new Thomas Cook has been at the heart challenges. We launched a blended of managing employees and helping learning programme called ACE them cope with the changes in which had modules like - Managing work-life during the pandemic. With Self, Being an Effective Team Player, the expectation of the vaccine and Relationship Management, and Team opening of borders, our business is Leadership. The training given to employees was to ensure that we kept 23 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Interview Mona Cheriyan them occupied and engaged both in l Cost management has been l The Human Resources team has mind and spirit. a business imperative. As our focussed on data collection and   industry has been one of the worst- analysing the available data to Some key changes that we have made hit by this pandemic, we have been promote data-driven decision in Thomas Cook to deal with the “new forced to take measures to cut making. Workforce analytics- normal in 2021”: costs by temporarily deferring or enabled HR to gauge employee   reducing employee compensation experience, engagement, and l Re-established our and benefits. This has also opened satisfaction.  We will continue the discussion around rethinking to leverage analytics to forecast organisational culture to employee rewards and benefits in our workforce requirements and adopt more flexible working the long term. to better optimise revenues and arrangements. We have reduce costs. With increased examined all our existing roles There will be technology implementation we in the organisation and carefully a major shift will continue to rely on analytics evaluated which roles can be towards hybrid to measure and monitor workforce categorised as work from home, working models performance and productivity. hot desk roles, or office working that capitalise roles. We believe, there will be on the benefits of l The move to a hybrid working a major shift towards hybrid both remote and model has opened up the working models that capitalise office working. organisations’ talent pool on the benefits of both remote considerably. It now aids us in and office working. This hybrid hiring talent not limited by model, though is a positive physical location. We now change, has had an impact on our have a more flexible structure to existing office working model and accommodate agile working and therefore there is a shift in the can hire from all geographies. existing organisational culture. The face-to-face interaction will now l We see our organization becoming be through increased technology more digital, redesigning ourselves interfaces like MS Teams rather to move faster, adapt more than physical meetings. quickly, facilitate rapid learning, and embrace the dynamic career 24 SightsIn Plus demands of our employees. We have re-imagined our hierarchical organizational structures and replaced them by models where work is accomplished in teams to compete and win in today’s global business environment.   Q. Any concluding remarks? A. The Human Resources team will need to increasingly find ways to support business leaders in restructuring after the pandemic, take the workforce rationalisation measures while managing risks associated with such interventions, and increase productivity and employee engagement. The pandemic will most likely be with us well into 2021 and maybe 2022 in some parts of the world and therefore we need to learn to live with it.   Thank you Mona!

Monthly HR Magazine Exclusive Magazine on Human Resource Management Subscribe to the all new Monthly HR Magazine because it's value addition to CAREER for more info logon to n www.sightsinplus.com or mail us at n [email protected]

Manish Maheshwari @manishm My resolution for 2021 1. Wellness, physical & mental, for myself and my team 2. Focus on critical few in the right order to deliver impact 3. Pay it forward to the cause of education via Mark C. Crowley @MarkCCrowley In business, employees who intentionally undermine a firm’s culture, values & trust are promptly terminated. They do this to ensure no further harm is done. January Is Abhijit Bhaduri @AbhijitBhaduri “Most jobs will need a new combination of soft skills. And new jobs will replace old jobs. Talent Management teams have to decode jobs again.” 26 SightsIn Plus

Monthly HR Magazine Josh Bersin @Josh_Bersin “Human-centered leadership is going to be a big topic in 2021” Harshvendra Soin @Harsh_Soin “The future of work, will be uniquely digital and remote, yet human and connected. I believe trust, empathy, empowerment, and fulfilment will be the pillars supporting this structure.” ssue 2021 Dave Ulrich 27 January 2021 @dave_ulrich “Now is the time for HR leaders to adopt organization guidance systems to enhance leadership, talent and organization key outcomes” www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Kumar Mayank Technology As we bid adieu to a tumultuous year and enter Priorities and a brand new year, it’s time Resolutions for us to have a fresher outlook and make newer beginnings for HR Leaders for 2021 in 2021. The beginning of a new year is the right time to evaluate goals and HR professionals are expeditiously working on hit the reset button. The year 2020 new approaches to make your work life and culture has been one of the most challenging better. Developing adaptability, promoting cultural years that has shaken up the entire diversity, encouraging organizational agility, and world. Before 2020, nobody could adopting a new approach to manage employees have expected a pandemic to force are just a few of those actions that are expected to businesses to opt for remote work enhance employee experience in 2021. options. The pandemic has forced organizations of all sizes to make sudden yet necessary changes to the way they work due to the global health crisis. Today, businesses have adapted to the new circumstances by making a shift to remote working, introducing new workplace health and safety protocols, and modifying day-to- day operations. On the one hand, businesses found it hard to cope up Kumar Mayank Founder - Zimyo Kumar Mayank, Ex-AVP Equitas, IIM-Lucknow, he specializes in product development and team building. His natural sense of innovation and expertise in product development sets him apart from most others. His passion and a firm belief in innovation, human rights and drive to build something unique led him to create Zimyo. 28 SightsIn Plus

with the new way of working, on the Given the historical rise in mental Numerous businesses had to lay off other hand, employees faced several health issues, employee well-being their employees, had to put their personal challenges, including health should be a priority for HR leaders. salaries on hold, and cost-cutting and finances. However, let’s not focus Organizations who are working became a necessity. And while on the past and focus on the future of remotely should facilitate virtual things are not as bad as they were HR in 2021. mental health sessions or meetings, before, it will take time for things conduct team building activities, to get back to normal. Therefore, HR professionals are expeditiously offer emotional support, and share organizations now need to find the working on new approaches to make helpful resources to the employees. right balance between cutting costs your work life and culture better. and maximizing business value. HR Developing adaptability, promoting Promote Cultural managers should not only focus on cultural diversity, encouraging Diversity cost-cutting but they now need to organizational agility, and adopting a proactively promote options for new approach to manage employees According to a survey by Gartner, immediate efficiency gains without are just a few of those actions that around 88% of HR professionals compromising on the long-term are expected to enhance employee feel that their organization has not impact on business performance. experience in 2021. To be clear, all been effective at increasing diverse this isn’t going to be easy and there representation. HR teams should Focus on Reskilling would be numerous challenges ahead. develop strategies to maintain a However, we need to be positive and healthy work culture. HR leaders Today, organizations need to hopeful about the future, and here must focus on hiring employees who understand that overlooking the are some priorities or resolutions for come from all economic and socio- importance of reskilling isn’t HR teams in 2021 to approach their political backgrounds. This will bring going to help them. A survey by activities effectively and successfully. unique viewpoints and perspectives Gartner suggests that 36% of to the organization. Cultural HR professionals think that their Encourage Aadaptability diversity offers you an opportunity to employees lack the necessary skills to in the Organization successfully develop your business in drive future performance. At a time a global marketplace. Ain’t it great? when organizations all across the Today, adaptability is the most in- So make sure to hire people from all globe are focusing on cost-cutting, demand skill. In 2021, businesses walks of life. you need to encourage the existing should look for resilient candidates employees to upgrade their skills, who can work under pressure and Work on Cost instead of hiring new talents. This cope up with sudden changes. Optimization is the time when employees need to Creating more agile teams charged focus on self-assessment and adapt with generating innovations can help The Covid-19 has a dramatic impact themselves to the changing business businesses make plans or strategies on the financial system and it made landscape. Companies can also help they will need to survive the all of us economically vulnerable. employees to upgrade their skills challenging or uncertain times. Thus, through innovative approaches like it is prudent for HR leaders to hire Today, businesses online Training programs. talents with the capability to adapt to have adapted to the ever-changing circumstances. new circumstances Things can change overnight and by making a shift you can’t be fully prepared for Focus on Improving to remote working, the challenges ahead. However, Employee Experience introducing one can only hope for a better new workplace tomorrow and we are hoping that As per a Gartner survey, around health and safety things will be better for businesses 46 percent of employees show protocols, and in the foreseeable future. These dissatisfaction toward their modifying day-to- are the times when you can’t organizations. Our own polls have day operations. meet all the expectations of your shown that most employees show employees, but just a thank you note dissatisfaction when it comes to how or an appreciation letter for their their companies have handled the continued efforts during the trying crisis. HR leaders must develop the times can make a lot of difference. right employee experience strategy, After all, your employees are your as it is necessary to attract top talents, most valuable asset and you need to foster a positive work culture, and make genuine efforts to make them develop high-performing employees. feel valued and appreciated in the organization. 29 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Biswarup Goswami Biswarup Goswami, HR Trends to CHRO, GHCL Look-out for in 2021 Biswarup Goswami heads HR function Communication, Learning & Development and of GHCL Limited. He brings to his job reviews will be more on the digitized platform. Implementation of digital tools so that employees over 30 years of experience, showing can learn anytime anywhere as per their a strong track record of success in convenience also HR has made sure that they should complex, diverse and challenging have enough content to search from hence covid is the best time to use that opportunity. assignments in varied industries like Manufacturing, Telecom, FMCG, Have you heard about markets, changing demographic trends, a bascule bridge (also new customer needs, and increased Automotive, etc. His exposure in various referred to as a drawbridge competition are radically altering how industries has made him hands on or a lifting bridge) is companies operate in virtually every a moveable bridge with a industry be it manufacturing or HR professional who understands the counterweight that continuously Service. nitty-gritty of business challenges. His balances a span, or leaf, throughout its   upward swing to provide clearance for To make the organizations more Specialties include Building strategic boat traffic – The new Agile Human effective in the face of sweeping capabilities & partnering with business Resource is shifting the same way. business change, HR leaders are   rethinking or reshaping their as a Player and Coach. Economic realignment, advances techniques for managing talent and in technology, the globalization of ensure they are aligned with the 30 SightsIn Plus

new strategic objectives of their HR has made sure that they should Focus on Wellness, organization have enough content to search from Collaboration and   hence covid is the best time to use that Engagement in the opportunity. Virtual World will be HERO’s of the Organization   Another Trend Managing unanticipated crisis will be Mobile Enables HR Action Start of the day with Yoga Session a key skill & the competency that we or using the staircase or imbibing need to imbibe & what the Pandemic Use of APP-based mobile platforms healthy habits or organizing healthy Covid 19 taught us and we really as HR solutions and for HR suites. food lunches for employees, wellness feel the HR Leader come out like a You would like to access learning or will be on the priority list of HR  HERO’s in this be it employee health update your profile or approve leave or   or taking safety measures or following would like to check the leave balance is covid norms or extend extra support available on your mobile phone. This is Here are my TOP 10 to employee’s family’s HR was there as easy as it sounds. thoughts on HR trends 21 to support. Especially when plants   were not operating or start was having • As someone rightly said, we need to limited operation managing business Technologies with HR New be agile in these fragile times, which continuity along with employees Practices will Open New saw turbulence, disruptions, and or worker health concerns as well Career Options Business continuity was challenged. following the Government guidelines the Human Resource department was The new careers will be defined as the • Managing the unanticipated crisis on their toes. way technology is transformation, it is will be a key skill & competency more than the 5th industrial revolution, that we need to imbibe & what the Work From Home you will require more Techno function Pandemic Covid 19 taught us. expert going forward - like hiring a WFH (Wow, this is actually a new guy for finance team should know • Blended workplace is here to stay. normal for the manufacturing how to use the SAP (FICO) Platform, Work from Home will be a well- industry, who can never think that companies may do away with certain accepted norm. manufacturing setup can also be jobs like Administration, Reception, operational by WFH except for Secretary/ Executive Assistants, etc. • Communication, Learning & the jobs which required physical Development and reviews will be movement. HR & IT Team make sure You already know about AI & more on digitized platform. that employees are trained enough to Machine learning, Robotics, Cloud use their Laptops from home and no computing,5G& Extended Reality • We will also use many APP based work hamper infect in some function hence plants can increase the efficiency mobile platforms as HR solutions it actually increases productivity more by applying robotics for mundane jobs and for HR suites. than usual Zero Business Travel: Both & Many more IT & HR make sure that employees • Global workforce will be working do not need to travel for any business WFH, this is actually for anyone from anywhere meeting, they should have proper a new normal for using the technology platforms. equipment’s, channels, or tool to the manufacturing Therefore, Talent management will complete their jobs without delay industry, who can be key to success.   never think that Manufacturing Companies are getting manufacturing • Companies will be more attuned to more attuned to deliveries rather than setup can also be deliveries rather than on ensuring on ensuring reaching office on time operational by reaching office on time. Align with that the change in mind-set. Hence WFH except the thinking of your Talent pool too. Punch in or Punch-out will redundant for the jobs in the future. which required • Some of the companies may   physical do away with certain jobs like movement. Administration, Reception, Learning – Anywhere Secretary/ Executive Assistants, etc. Anytime • Also as Barnard Marr, a Communication, Learning & management exponent opined Development and reviews will be on 5 Megatrends for HR which more on the digitized platform. will dominate us will be  AI & Implementation of digital tools so Machine learning, Robotics, Cloud that employees can learn anytime computing,5G & Extended Reality. anywhere as per their convenience also Certainly, these will have a big role. 31 January 2021 • Focus on Wellness, Collaboration, and Engagement in the virtual world will be another trend. Chatbots will dominate the survey world. www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Milind Mutalik 2021: Building the HR Framework of the Next Decade 2021 presents HR Leaders a unique opportunity to relook at the employee life cycle, discard dis-policies of the past and look at creating a framework that has the culture and core policies at the core and a nebulous set of frameworks that will work in the virtual world. Milind Mutalik The pandemic has adversely microscopic study of existing processes impacted the regular and draft up the next-gen policies Chief People Officer functioning of employees that will help them navigate the wave. Accolite Digital Private Limited and businesses. The forced, These policies will need to incorporate MilindMutalik, Chief People Officer sudden changes gave little time for tangible and intangible features. at Accolite Software India. Milind leaders across functions to come up has 28 years of experience in Human with robust, comprehensive policies at v The tangible ones are easier to Resources and has worked on the scale. Immediate priorities were to draft. These will include actions in entire gamut of the HR function. ensure business continuity and the the form of policy creation around Prior to Accolite, he also worked welfare of employees. HR leaders had benefits, leaves, benefit schemes, with DBL Foods Limited (Mothers to come up with flexible programs that work from home anywhere Recipe), Synechron Technologies, were unheard of in the past. allowances and such actions. and Cognizant India Private Limited 2021 is going to be unique. It is a year of hope and uncertainty. On one hand, v It is the intangible ones that are in leadership roles. the promise of the vaccine and on the other, newer strains of the virus 32 SightsIn Plus is putting pressure on the scientific community and nations at large to ensure the spread is contained and lives saved. From a business perspective, the economy is picking up at varying degrees, still creating uncertainties, with expectations of the same levels of output from employees.   HR driving the 360 Degree change Human Resource leaders have a pivotal role to play in this ever-evolving business scenario. Typical components of the employee life cycle management (employee 360) of Attracting, Recruiting, Onboarding, and Training is not the same anymore. HR leaders need to conduct a

difficult to articulate. These are the that will work in the virtual world. communications: Provide regular ones that touch upon the physical organizational updates to all and mental wellbeing, ultimately The below listed top 10 HR resolutions stakeholders. creating a positive mindset.  It will serve as a broad framework in • Innovatively engage employees: calls for frequent assurance from structuring the foundation of the Conceptualize and implement leaders, implementing organization decade: newer ways of employee initiatives, and ultimately creating engagement. Ensure physical and resilience in employees. As HR • Workplace of the future: Drive mental wellness, widen the scope leaders, in 2020, while we created the hybrid model of work from of engagement to not only the the policies to help them navigate office and working from anywhere employee but also their families.   the medical treatment of the with the right mix of who will • Right Reward and timely pandemic, not much emphasis work from where and the duration. communication on Appraisals: has been given towards building Additionally, build sufficient Timely communication on resilience in them, making them controls and safety measures to performance reviews and hikes. stronger and tougher from the guarantee workplace hygiene. Structure people evaluation models inside and provide avenues to with equal weightage for their express themselves freely. The • Leadership support for positive potential and market factors. typical coffee breaks wherein vibes: Instill a culture of Leadership • Work-Life Balance: Ensure employees could confide and support and actions that enhances timely breaks to prevent burnouts speak with their colleagues is trust, seeks feedback, provides and have a mechanism in place to a thing of the past. We need to assurance, support, and empathy. support employees to be productive identify mechanisms in the virtual at pre-pandemic levels of output. world where the informal mode • Frequent regular • Culture of Continuous Learning: of employee exchange is made Facilitating the learning needs of possible. Continuous feedback employees and draws a continuous from employees: personal development plan as a part 2021 - The Year of Seek feedback of upskilling, with a personalized building resilience from employees at approach. frequent intervals • Continuous feedback from 2021 presents HR Leaders a unique to improve the employees: Seek feedback from opportunity to relook at the employee process and employees at frequent intervals life cycle, discard dis-policies of the past communicate to improve the process and and look at creating a framework that actions taken. communicate actions taken. has the culture and core policies at the • HR Analytics & HR core and a nebulous set of frameworks Competencies:  Use Analytics to make robust decisions on 33 January 2021 employee life cycle events and people development.  Upskill HR teams with competencies to manage remote work practices. • New Tech Implementation: Explore and implement new systems for a faster turnaround, supporting the new ways of working which will be efficient in the new work context. In summary, the above should help build the organization of the decade by bouncing back from the current uncertainty and navigate the path to success. It should be a self-sustaining model comprising self-assured, motivated employees, leaders at all levels and HR leadership ability to craft employee engagement programs that will withstand and bounce back from any unforeseen setbacks. www.sightsinplus.com

Expert View Soumyasanto Sen Top 5 Digital HR Priorities in 2021 Digital HR is much more than digitizing current processes and buying cutting-edge digital solutions. It is the enabler for people solutions to drive high business impact and best-in-class employee experience. When considering the priorities for digital HR, HR leaders should completely focus on the people and rethink their organization with respect to culture, strategy, and operations. The year 2020 was full of Soumyasanto Sen on the propaganda for most of the unprecedented surprise, organizations. Taking all these into change, volatility, and Digital HR, Transformation & consideration, below are the top complexity. As business People Analytics Leader  5 priorities for Digital HR for the activities restart and continuously organizations in 2021. resetting amid the ongoing pandemic, where organizations are also changing 1 endlessly, the leaders needs to revisit their priorities for 2021. While digital Focus More on the transformation is one of the top Experiences over priorities for the leaders today, digital Processes HR has become an important function for the people and organization. Employee experience has become a company-wide initiative to keep Digital HR is much more than employees productive, safe, healthy, digitizing current processes and buying connected, and satisfied. Today, cutting-edge digital solutions. It is the spans expanded from HR to IT, the enabler for people solutions to facilities, health & safety, finance, drive high business impact and best- legal, and even the innovation units. in-class employee experience. When However, there is a lot of room considering the priorities for digital for improvement regarding the HR, HR leaders should completely experiences, much more than just focus on the people and rethink their optimizing the processes. The moments organization with respect to culture, that matter for the employees and the strategy, and operations. The demand adoption of provided platforms are from the pandemic emphasizes more two of basic mandate. In most cases, on the human-centric experiences these EX initiatives are restricted to the today, especially when the shift in work and workplace trends are 34 SightsIn Plus

Data Analytics Digital Stategy Keep data and analytics at Build the digital HR the center of the function strategy and roadmaps 1 23 45 Employee Experience Digital Enablement Platform Technologies Focus more on the Taking digital enablement Bet on integrated platforms experiences over processes and change seriously over applications employee journey and miss the wider The right data and analytics can add onto resolving business and workforce- organizational journey experiences huge value to the business, as it can related challenges. from culture and technology to the support us in making better decisions workplace. In many situations, these for a multitude of business problems, 3 initiatives do not extent across all whether they’re related to joining, the HR customer segments that exist leaving, performance, pay, retention, Taking Digital Enablement from the candidates, managers to engagement, or culture. Current digital and Change Seriously executives, blue-collar workers, and HR solutions are no doubt improving even contingent workforce. Going but there are still challenges that exist A people-centric transformation is forward, it’s imperative that we not while integrating this with the other about creating a meaningful employee only introduce more experience- business data, such as finance or sales experience as the excellence of service driven solutions in respect to process data. More emphasis needs to be placed organizations offer to the customers excellence, but we should ensure on digital HR and analytics solutions is directly linked to the experience that we are integrating future digital that allow for seamless integration they offer to their employees. platforms to provide a seamless end-to- and collaboration with other business- Although,leaders believe that they need end experience considering the rise of related solutions, shifting the focus to change the way they engage with new way of working. their workforce as they adopt digital Organizations that technologies and ways of working, 2 make data-driven butin most cases, change management decisions about their largely focuses on a change with Keep Data and Analytics at people can achieve usual approaches and models in use. the Center of the Function higher performance, Digital adoption requires organizations better results, to reform their internal processes, People analytics has already turn out and a superior practices and behaviors to reinforce to be the center of many organization’s return on successful changes. So,introducing functions today. Organizations that outcomes than new digital technologies is completely make data-driven decisions about those that useless,unless organizations redesign their people can achieve higher don’t. themselves to embrace digital culture performance, better results, and a and build right capabilities to increase superior return on outcomes than the engagement of the users. To meet those that don’t. However, for many these requirements in the digital era, organizations, it’s nothing more organizations need to usemore adaptive than reports, dashboards, metrics, change frameworks which fit with their and some nice fancy visualizations. purpose and the change needs to own by their leaders. A good digital 35 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Expert View Soumyasanto Sen enablement initiative is an investment their ongoing transformation initiates should embrace a new set of economic in organization’s culture, people, and and this is no doubt one of the biggest relations that depend on the network, its future. reasons for mismanaging or failure. computation, and data. When The ongoing pandemic has put a lot of exploring our digital HR platforms, it’s 4 weightage on the needs for the right disappointing to see how far behind strategy and roadmaps. they lag to the platforms available Build the Digital HR in other business functions. The Strategy and Roadmaps 5 biggest challenge we’re experiencing in organizations today is the distinct The world is moving on with Bet on Integrated lack of potential platforms that allow transformation irrespective of Platforms over integration between existing HR industries, countries, and business Applications solutions such as benefits, recruiting, functions. Most of the successful learning and development, engagement digital HR investments result in an We are in a platform economy, that surveys, and analytics to name a few, organization undergoing a digital those that are available are often transformation, and this can’t be A successful digital rather cumbersome and expensive. done in a proper way without having HR strategy should be The demands of integrated platforms anappropriate digital strategy and the aligned to the needs are not new; but, the growth of right roadmaps in place. Developing of the business, agile, application-driven businesses has put a digital strategy begins with taking focused on strategic their priority behind them. However, a deeper look at business priorities enablement rather integration platform as a service (iPaaS) and validating how current systems than just efficiency which is a set of automated tools and processes are supporting the and effectiveness, and for connecting applications that are business and how much it aligns should be owned by deployed in different environments with reinforcing the organization’s HR in partnership including cloud and on-premise, are goals. A successful digital HR strategy with IT and on the rise as well. Rather than seeing should be aligned to the needs of the other business this as a problem, let’s look at it as an business, agile, focused on strategic functions. opportunity to leverage digital HR to enablement rather than just efficiency drive real change for the business. and effectiveness, and should be owned by HR in partnership with IT Other than the above priorities, and other business functions. In most increasing productivity and cases, organizations lack this, despite engagement, ensuring cyber security, proper data privacy and ethics, 36 SightsIn Plus reducing costs, managing business continuity are some other vital aspects to consider in digital HR for 2021 as well. Emerging from the ongoing pandemic, business and HR leaders need to rejuvenate their organizations, and this renaissance always starts by recognizing that people are the key components of any organization. A year ago, leaders were encouraged to adapt to the new way of work, where they had to respond to the fast technology evolutions. With this pandemic and from its demands, HR is at the center stage, and need to reinvent the way of working for a positive business impact. Digital HR is fetching into a vital function for the organization because of all these, mainly for the HR leaders to cope up with these changes and empower sustainability.

Insights Subhransu Mohanty Labour Code 2020: “The Pros and Cons” Change in Basic wages and its impact will be 50 % of total Wages as most of the company currently has around 25% to 40% level. So there will be an impact on deciding Basic salary as per the new arrangement. Subhransu Mohanty The year 2020 will be will ease the common labour practices remembered as a year for across the country in the form of floor Head- HR, Everest Industries devastation, Job loss and wages and giving leverages to the Limited exodus of Migrant labourers. flexibility of closure of unit without There are many good things also hassle along with simplifying the Subhransu Mohanty, Head-Human Resources, happening amid this situation of crisis, laws with combing 4 codes i.e. code Everest Industries Ltd. He is an HR Professional Introduction of Four Labour codes was on wages, code on social security, one of them.  Labour codes mitigate the code on industrial relations, code with 26 years of diversified experience in generation gap of seven decades, where on occupational   safety, health and well-known reputed companies in India like the emphasis is much on practising working conditions which are due for Labour Laws through modern ways. implementation on notification on Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited, Tata Auto   April 1, 2021. Comp Systems, Endurance Technologies Ltd Ease of doing Business is one of   the quintessential things which are The code was made with integrating and RSB Transmissions. He holds a Black considered by the Government this year. clusters of labour laws and most of the Belt Certification in Six Sigma and a certified laws were passed during Independence external assessor for CII-EXIM award. He was a  Background or after Independence, so lost its selection member of leading B-School, Welingkar relevance due to its ancient model The Indian Parliament passed four framed decades back based upon socio- Institute of Management Development & “new” labour codes  recently  amidst economic conditions of that period. Research for selecting Management Students. His rising hue and cry that the reforms Hobbies include Travelling and actively involved in CSR Activities. 37 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Subhransu Mohanty A] CODE ON WAGES   Floor Wages: There is a provision also helps to stop the migration of of the introduction of floor wages; labour with respect to more wages Basic Wages: Change in Basic the minimum wages across the in some states and this is due to wages and its impact will be 50 country could be in parity, which statutory requirements at same % of total Wages as most of the means the state cannot keep time states who are currently, company currently has around the Minimum wages less than par bellow with the floor wages 25% to 40% level. So there Floor Wages.  This will control has provision for higher wages. will be an impact on deciding the variation of minimum wages East and northeast states labour Basic salary as per the new across the states and this decision can expect more wages on arrangement. This is with the implementation of floor wages. enhancement of basic salary there Change in Basic   will be an impact on employee wages and its impact contribution on PF and at the will be 50 % of total B] SOCIAL SECURITY LAW same time employer contribution Wages as most of the will be enhanced.   Same in company currently Over a period of time, we have the case with the calculation of has around 25% to seen changes in social security gratuity    (even the case of less 40% level. So there with up-gradation of benefit to than 5 years of service) as gratuity will be an impact make sure they enhance current is calculated on basic salary at on deciding and retrial benefits for employees the time of separation.   It will Basic salary as to protect their living standard have a positive impact on leave per the new during old age. Changes like PF encashment.   With these changes arrangement. eligibility limit is enhanced from employees take-home salary Rs. 10,000/- to Rs.15,000/- on will be reduced but their retrial revised Basic Salary in 2017. benefits will be substantially Employees’ Deposit Linked increased as both in case of Insurance (EDLI) applies to all gratuity and PF contribution is employees with a basic salary linked to enhancing basic with the under Rs. 15,000/- per month, change in law. ESIC ceiling enhanced from Rs.15, 000 to Rs.21, 000. Payment 38 SightsIn Plus of Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2017 limit on gratuity has been doubled to Rs. 20 lakh from the existing Rs. 10 lakh, Bonus ceiling has been raised to Rs. 21,000. And accordingly, the calculation ceiling has also been raised from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 7,000, Maternity Benefits got a revision of Paid Leaves from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, Maternity Leave for adoptive and commissioning mothers is made for 12 weeks and Crèches facility is mandatory under new provisions.   C] INDUSTRIAL RELATION CODE Definition of Employer has been changed - one who is employing is an employer.   l  At the same time Permission from the Labour Department is not required to lay off or lock-out the establishments due to external factors if the number is below 300.

l Fixed Term employee could Fixed-term contracts n  One nation one Law will drive be hired and retained on the for short term / Labour codes are like ‘Ocean in conditions of Permanent seasonal work the pitcher’; unfold a new path of employment for the period of (same benefits uniformity across the states. contract as employees but no retrenchment n  Flexibility of Employer by the l Number of minimum wages compensation) ease of deployment and removal that industries have to : Possibility of will enable the industries to run comply with set to reduce converting existing the business in a smoother manner. from 540 to 12 for Central workforce into This flexibility will help employers Laws and 200 from 9000 for a fixed term to run business with the interest State Laws employees. of business and no labour law constraints and will help growth in l Fixed-term contracts for maintain the records and file the business and enhance employment. short term / seasonal work returns electronically (same benefits as employees n  Change in basic wages and its but no retrenchment n  Labour demand and Supply – impact to be precise, the codes are compensation) : Possibility market-driven will saw due to the integration of the numerous labour- of converting existing huge gap in Minimum wages rate related legislation that existed workforce into a fixed term of two states, it was challenging to before.  While it is an appreciable employees get and retain manpower, especially an effort to integrate all existing migrant labourers which comprise labour laws in the country, bigger   of the largest pool of workforce questions regarding the utility and workability of the erstwhile and PROS AND CONS OF THE newly-reformed laws loom large. LABOUR CODES n  Right of employer to close n  Ease of business and foreign establishment: Union may feel direct investment will attract being deprived of democratic Multinationals to invest in Indian right to strike as to demonstrate Market. The old system had an their fundamental right to fight archaic method of maintaining the with their employer against any records in hard registers, which was difference in opinion and action. a subject of periodical inspection as well. The new law allows to   39 January 2021 Conclusion Labour code will come out as a game- changer initiative by the government and with successful implementation will give leverage to workmen uplifting their standard and condition of leaving , employers flexibility to protect the Business interest and build transparency  with digitalization and take interest of employees. This new Labour code will also help ease of Business in India and attract foreign direct investment and attract multinational and Indian entrepreneurs to encourage strengthening the Business opportunity and taking India to new heights. However, the union may lose its control and fundamental rights to demonstrate and use the powerful tools to protect closure of units and interest of workmen in adverse business conditions. www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Viekas K Khokha HR Priorities for 2021 - 22 Employee retention Strategies and developing the bond in absence of physical connect. It is very critical to establish newer ways to establish the binding factor with a larger workforce in organisations. Viekas K Khokha In the process of wrapping factor with a larger workforce in up 2020-21 and entering organisations. Empower leaders to Head- Human Resources, into the new financial plan and execute this change. DhanukaAgritech Limited, year, it has some great   learnings to recall and assimilate B) Continue our digital Viekas K Khokha is leading the some of the high impact areas. Some transformation journey across Human Resources function with of the strong areas included building the ecosystem is another critical a good learning platform over the activity or task. We have to ensure DhanukaAgritech Limited, an digital platforms especially for the industry leader in the Manufacturing last mile in the value chain and Salary and policies structure, identifying the across industries and Distribution of Agri Chemicals performance parameters clearly with need to be closely in India. He has a rich experience the help of managers and the bond re-watched and developed by establishing emotional reassessed as of 22 years, having served with support areas including providing there have been reputed organizations like Zimmer the family support. Recalling the last some policies retirement farewell which included and practices Biomet, BhartiAirtel Ltd., Estel more than 1000 people across India which have been Communications Pvt. Ltd., Ascom is a good example to support the introduced Adhoc India Pvt. Ltd. He started his career in above. and may cause   concern Sales and moved on to lead HR. It’s a critical task for HR leaders, to identify the focus areas of the 40 SightsIn Plus organization in order to maximize the learning from the last year and building over the proposed future strengths: A) Employee retention Strategies and developing the bond in absence of physical connect. It is very critical to establish newer ways to establish the binding

that there is no unlearning of some and worked upon. of the aspects executed in 2020   which establish future platforms E) Salary and policies across developed over digital technology.   industries need to be closely C) Managers need to be coached on re-watched and reassessed as developing frequent performance there have been some policies discussions in light of the absence and practices which have been of physical presence at the office introduced Adhoc and may cause highlighting new performance concern and also effective learning expectations. The frequent through ecosystem would help in interactions would help assimilate developing a better framework the team member’s needs as per and mechanisms the changing scenario and take the   stock of the journey behind. F) Employee Communication   Platforms need to be enhanced D) Managing change through critical further and establish the connect project-based assignments is a for an organization by making good way to execute collaboration information flow more critical and identifying and working on than physical infrastructure. the development areas. Some Enhancing employee experience of the strategic challenges and becomes a critical area for most proposed transformation could the HR leaders lead to some of these critical projects. This is going to be a good G) Opportunities to have flexible strategy for retention for a high manpower and manpower potential workforce. Co-learning on demand is being critically –platforms need to be identified explored especially taking the benefit of location basis learning Employee Bond of the previous year. Digital   Tranbformation H) It was observed that more PCrooLlljeaeabcrtonrBianatgsiveed inclusive organizations tend to win in constraint situations. There is a Industry consistent priority in establishing inclusive workplace practices and Insights guidelines. This would help in looking at the forthcoming year 41 January 2021 with a broader lens.  While I am still working and developing a plan for 2021-22, I have assimilated some of the thoughts which are a part of critical conversations. Also, basis of my interaction with the other HR leaders, I could bring out some of the aspects as common focus areas by some of the other organisations. Basis the organisations across other industry have also been able to develop certain collaborative platforms and help in developing some of the better practices like coaching leadership in managing this transition keep a tight focus on organization’s spent by linking it to the output. www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Ravish Agrawal Talent Acquisitions Challenges and Job Trends for 2021 Companies have realized the pros and cons of work from home during the pandemic and most of them will continue to try with WFH with certain roles and hence WFH is here to stay for some time. The pool which couldn’t participate in the workforce because of lack of access is now accessible for companies to hire. Ravish Agrawal Co-Founder & CEO Able Jobs Ravish Agrawal is a 2016 IIT Kanpur 2020 has been a hard year business activities match the pre-covid- graduate and has worked primarily for all of us. It has been normals.   slightly more challenging for in the ed-tech industry. Before Able HR and other business A lot of companies have already Jobs, he managed Product Marketing leaders since they had to bid goodbye announced that they are aggressively to a lot of people in the team. As we looking to hire talent in the coming at Udacity for the top categories. At enter 2021, we are filled with hope time. As organizations ramp up the Udacity he was primarily responsible from vaccines, and excitement as hiring process, there is a tough road for Product & Growth Marketing which included understanding customer needs, devising marketing campaigns, managing paid spends, and category growth. 42 SightsIn Plus

ahead as we normalize our work roles and hence WFH is here migration from the metro to and hiring. Some of the major talent to stay for some time. The pool non-metro cities during the acquisition challenges will be: which couldn’t participate in COVID time. While some the workforce because of lack of them will come at pre 1) Virtual Hiring of access is now accessible for COVID level, a part of the companies to hire.  workforce will continue to do We have been a country driven by work from home from their relationship, touch, and feel, and l Dawn of opportunities in place of residence. Pandemic obviously hiring was not untouched Tier-2 cities has also brought companies from that. Whether it’s a senior on toes and one of the best exec hiring or a fresher we have One of the unintended ways to optimize will be to always preferred to meet once. consequences of Work from double down on tier-2 centers. However, as COVID norms relax home will be that participation Opportunities are all set to we would like to go back to face-to- from Tier-2 cities will increase.  increase in Ahmedabad, Surat, face hiring but the transition is not There has been a visible Indore, Jaipur, and cities of going to be easy. Candidates are still similar stature.  apprehensive to travel to the office As the economy while hiring managers would like to opens, the Indian l Consumption driven jobs meet potential hires. This tussle will middle class will will rise increase as we enter 2021 and HR drive consumption leaders will have to make their team to pre covid level. As the economy opens, the embrace virtual hiring. As consumption Indian middle class will increases, jobs drive consumption to pre 2) Onboarding Experience associated with covid level. As consumption consumption will increases, jobs associated with As we accelerate hiring, onboarding come back mostly in consumption will come back will be the next challenge that we sales and customer mostly in sales and customer will have to address. With new service. We will service. We will see a surge employees, coming on board it see a surge in in entry-level hiring across will be crucial to bringing them to entry-level hiring sectors like FMCG as our pace. This will require an active across sectors spending increases.  immersion on multiple ends from like FMCG as skilling for the job, binding with the our spending As we usher into a new decade, team, and setting the cultural fabric increases. we will see a lot of transformation of the organization. With key team in HR practices with digitization members managing multiple things, becoming the center of our HR juggling between work-life the practices. 2020 accelerated the time given to a new hire may take shifts, and 2021 will be the year a back seat and HR leaders should of embracing the shifts, change in take cognizance of it and solve it philosophies, and setting the stage actively. for a bigger transformation. While there are more talent www.sightsinplus.com acquisition challenges, I am sure that they will not stop organizations to hire. As companies hire, there are certain things that will stay from 2020 while others will pick up. Some of the job trends for 2021 are as follows: l WFH is here to stay It will take at least 6 months to normalize even if COVID disappears tomorrow. Companies have realized the pros and cons of work from home during the pandemic and most of them will continue to try with WFH with certain 43 January 2021

Insights Prasad Kulkarni Top Priorities During pandemic for HR Leaders in 2021 Last year, talent leaders and industry experts had anticipated the trends that Employee experience was always on the agenda could reshape the HR industry in 2020 of HR in recent times however, it has gained the and in the near future. However, it was top priority during this pandemic. Employees are beyond anybody’s imagination that the also keen about the way they are being treated and COVID19 pandemic is going to create expecting a lot to keep themselves engaged. unprecedented challenges disrupting the traditional work culture. Prasad Kulkarni Before pandemic During the initial days of the lockdown period, everyone was struggling Senior Vice President During the years 2018 and to understand how to react to this Human Resources 2019, the topic of discussion unprecedented situation. The industry was VUCA world. A world had no option but to move away from The Citco Group Limited that is volatile, uncertain, the traditional way of working from complex, and ambiguous. The fourth physical office spaces. In some parts of Prasad Kulkarni is an HR post-graduate industrial revolution and its impact on the world, the challenge was to build and has around two and a half decades of the industries and HR strategies were the IT infrastructure and ensure data experience across the Manufacturing, IT/ also in prime focus. Organizations and security. But, eventually, it became the HR professionals were trying to adjust new normal. HR professionals played a ITeS, BFSI industries. He has extensive their policies and practices to align with crucial role in making their people stay experience in leading HR Operations the needs of the VUCA world. The prime motivated, productive, and engaged & Shared Services, Compensation & goal was to retain the best talent in the during work from home and they still organization and also to attract external continue to do that. Benefits and HR Technology functions. talent to succeed in the long term plans He has worked in a multicultural the companies have worked on. There is a lot that changed in 2020. From commuting restrictions to staying environment for global delivery models & The little we knew, the whole world is at home in isolation, the COVID19 collaborated across geographies. He was going to be altered suddenly and more pandemic has left a profound impact on significantly than any of us could have the way businesses function, and it may associated with companies like Fleetguard ever imagined. stay here for long. This pandemic turned (Cummins), HSBC, Bank of New York the world upside down, forced leaders to Mellon, Raymond and now heads think out of the box, organizations had no option but, to amend their policies the global HR Shared Services at a large and processes to suit the new normal financial services organization. and bring more ease in the execution. This led to a significant impact on the priorities set by the organizations and in many cases, they had to add or replace 44 SightsIn Plus

new priorities to sustain and grow in the about the way they are being treated designing workforce strategies as coming years. The most notable aspect and expecting a lot to keep themselves per their needs. However, with the here is that it not only impacted HR as engaged.  In view of this, organizations flexibility in working conditions, a function but, every function within are now reinventing the employee availability of agile workforce, and the organization including business experience strategies which include virtual learning methodologies, operations and support services. more employee interaction, emotional companies may look at having multiple While the 2021 year came with a bright connect, and family bonding. Informal generations of the workforce and design hope of vaccine against coronavirus, ways of team building and socializing their strategies accordingly. The reward, there is still time to see the results and its will increase. Work-life balance and retention, and compensation policies execution will take a long time. So, the physical/emotional wellbeing of would need to reflect this change. industry experts have started predicting employees will be at the peak. Instead and highlighting the priorities in the of publicizing the company’s products, Virtual Learning Methods new normal which may shortly become business, and office amenities, HR normal. leaders and branding professionals are This pandemic has taught all of us that, focusing to showcase the company’s people can be trained and retrained Let’s look at some of those top priorities efforts to support its employees and its to achieve business objectives. The for the year 2021 and even beyond. customers too. methodology of learning has already been shifted from in-person to virtual Home as the New Office Employee Health and and that will continue as everyone is Wellbeing getting used to it. On the go learning will During this pandemic, the definition become popular as it gives flexibility to of the workplace has changed and it Organizations have already taken steps employees and is easier to manage for will continue for a long time. Even, to support their employees during companies. governments had to look into this aspect these difficult times. From providing and change their rules to support work IT equipment or a table or a chair or Involvement of HR from home. Home has become the new even going beyond to give allowances. office place for which employees and Uncertainties in the professional and This is a very debatable topic and there the companies are getting adapted to. personal life resulted in a lot of stress are different viewpoints, however, Traditionally, many organizations impacting the physical and mental it cannot be denied that during this were not allowing their employees to health of employees. As a result, pandemic, HR was at the forefront work from home for various reasons engaging with doctors or Employee and supported its employees as well as including data security, productivity Assistance Program (EAP) providers business. With this, the involvement of monitoring, etc. This has changed and have increased considerably. HR HR in business decisions will increase. now organizations are not only allowing policies are being revised to encourage As many of the business decisions are work from home but, making it a more physical and mental wellbeing now more focused on the employee base, permanent option. of employees. Even when we go back HR can be part of business strategies and   to offices, organizations will promote these decisions will be taken based on programs to support this critical aspect. the inputs provided from HR. Changing HR Policies and business models basis the availability Processes Diversity of human resources could be one of the example. Revising HR policies and practices We have been talking about different   to align with the emerging needs generations at the workplace and This does not end here and there is a of time has become very crucial. lot that will change or even suddenly Communication, engagement, Organizations have become a priority. The most important productivity monitoring have taken already taken steps aspect this pandemic has taught us is a different turn. Managers are being to support their about life. Nothing is permanent and empowered and they are becoming as employees during the whole world can change overnight. the first level of HR connect. Flexible these difficult times. It is also leading some organizations to working hours are being followed From providing IT think of a purpose and build a ‘purpose- and HR technology will gain high equipment or a driven organization’ in the coming years. importance. The policies and rules will table or a chair Humanity and empathy may become be viewed with more empathy than strict or even going the core of any decision impacting its adherence. beyond to give employees. allowances. Employee Experience Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not Employee experience was always on the reflect the official policy or position of the agenda of HR in recent times however, organization he is working for or has worked it has gained the top priority during for in the past. this pandemic. Employees are also keen www.sightsinplus.com 45 January 2021

Insights Umang Mathur Umang Mathur Founder- Eye Media Network UmangMathur founder of Eye Media One of the most defining outcomes of the Network has launched Shortjobs in pandemic was the rise of the freelance economy in India and the fact that people have started July 2020. Eye Media Network is an to accept that freelancing can be a full-time advertising and digital marketing agency profession as well. A report by ASSOCHAM has predicted that the gig economy in India will be based in Mumbai. He has studied approx. USD 455 billion by the end of 2023. Masters in Marketing Management, BA Hons Integrated Promotional Media, and HND Advertising and Media Communication from Solent University, UK. Having a major experience in Direct Marketing Advertising Communication. Workforces of the Future and Hiring Trends 2021 The corporate world has employment dynamics completely.  seen an unprecedented year On the flip side, the pandemic has in 2020 which was filled with proved to be a boon for the industry as a lot of uncertainty and a lot it has made people realize the need for of volatility in the recruitment sector. A unlearning and relearning.  Upskilling lot of organizations have tried to cope became the need of an hour. up with this pressure by re-strategizing Organizations strived to become their hiring and opted for downsizing more hybrids and preferred to opt for on a large scale. This has resulted in multifaceted candidates. Come 2021 lakhs of job losses and changed the corporates have geared up to embrace 46 SightsIn Plus

this New Year with a lot of grit and a India in Skill development is a clear Remote Working is lot of hope. We have been interacting indication that India will evolve to Here to Stay with a lot of top HR leaders and embrace this sea change. Organizations collected many interesting thoughts are going to hire people who are agile The job location will be an on how they wish to move ahead in and are specially skilled in the required absolute criterion going forward as 2021.  Below are some interesting domains. organizations have realized that even trends that we are surely going to after working remotely they can witness ahead.   clock higher outcomes. The rise of advanced communication technologies The Rise of Freelancers The job location has fuelled this in a big way. This has and Gig Workforce will be an absolute opened the gates for companies to criterion going forward invite talent pool from any corner of One of the most defining outcomes as organizations the world and vice versa.  of the pandemic was the rise of the have realized that   freelance economy in India and even after working the fact that people have started to remotely they can Data Driven and accept that freelancing can be a full- clock higher outcomes. AI-based Hiring time profession as well. A report by The rise of advanced ASSOCHAM has predicted that the gig communication The might of AI and big data is economy in India will be approx. USD technologies has fuelled increasing day by day in hiring these 455 billion by the end of 2023.   this in a big way. This days. Gone are those days when HR   has opened the gates was traditionally managing different for companies to functions of HR. With the increasing Skill Base Hiring will be the invite talent pool pressure of the right hiring, companies Need of An Hour from any corner will rely heavily on a data-driven of the world and approach to hiring. Advanced HRIS will Some staggering facts suggest that vice versa. help the hiring managers to automate more than a million jobs will emerge the entire hiring process from scratch. in the most specialized areas such as computing, engineering, medical, and, Internal Talent Upskilling healthcare which will require highly and Mobility specialized skill sets. This will force people to evolve and upskill themselves Aligning the skills and abilities of the completely to stay relevant in the job internal talent pool with the business market. A strong push by Govt of will be the prime KRA of the HR managers going forward. Companies 47 January 2021 will encourage their employees to upskill themselves and show off their talent in taking the organization to a different level. Companies will nurture the culture of specialized and customized training for their employees and will look to retain the right talent for a longer run. Sectors to look out for It is eminent that hiring in specific sectors such as healthcare, pharma, e-learning, and e-commerce is going to pick pace again in 2021.  All said and done companies have learned it the hard way that going forward they will have to redefine the hiring strategies to function smoothly and ensure sustainable growth. Those who can adopt these new normal trends will be able to sail through in years to follow. www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Deepti Sheth Top 10 HR Resolutions for 2021 The present situation indicates the rising importance of moving beyond the status quo. In 2021, before searching for new talent, HR teams will focus on upskilling, reskilling, and cross-skilling their workforce to achieve organisation goals. It will help nurture present workforce potential and provide them with vital opportunities to grow and learn. What got us here, won’t get us there. Deepti Sheth If 2020 taught us anything, it “fiction” became fact. is that the civic systems we For us in the travel industry, where VP& Head- HR rely on as a society are customer-connect is a crucial service SOTC Travel Limited vulnerable and fragile. The point, the remote working scenario was year that went down like an insane certainly a situation that needed much year, probably one of the worst in getting used to. 2020 has got all of us to history, delivered a series of previously evaluate our priorities – personally and inconceivable crises (except for those professionally. seen in movies…) that underscored   dangerous cracks in our systems for Something that would quickly help ensuring health, safety, and effective focus and serve as the “true north” governance. It was a year when to guide me at work and outside of Deepti Sheth is currently the Vice President & Head- Human Resources at SOTC Travel Limited. Deepti leads the HR function for SOTC Travel Limited and is responsible for various strategic HR initiatives and programs in alignment with the business objectives at SOTC and also leads the Corporate HR and Transition Strategy functions for the Group.Her areas of interest lie in Employee Engagement, Policies & Processes, People Development, Diversity& Inclusion. 48 SightsIn Plus

it. 2020 has been an ‘eye opener’ to 03 Cultivate Culture, Inclusivity I magine that Anjali joins your help us realise that we will not be able and Diversity organization. She applies, goes through to predict what awaits us around the While 2020 caused a massive the selection process, meets a few corner, however, your “true north” will people in-person during the interview serve you well to guide how you learn shift in the way people work and rounds, and eventually happily accepts and progress. businesses operate, it has also changed your offer. On her first day, as part of   the position of the HR departments in her onboarding and new employee My “true north” for the year 2021 is the cultivation of culture, inclusivity, orientation, she comes to the office and Resilience. and diversity. While everyone around meets her new team, and is escorted to   worries about health, mental state, her desk. Anjali’s manager is present This will guide how I operate at work wellbeing, financial risks, and dealing too and the whole team goes for lunch and at home, how I interact with with all the other stressing factors, HR to celebrate her joining the team. people, how I view every transaction. teams are required to keep calm and Now, imagine this entire process but   think of what is to be communicated to without all the real-life interactions. Extending this to our organization, as the employees by the employers. Being How would Anjali’s experience be if we moved from the initial pandemic at the front line of this crisis, HR teams it is 100% online? Would she connect response to planning more sustainable must develop relevant strategies to the same way with colleagues without operations, we tried to build resilience support this objective. the in-person lunch, coffees, and into everything, from strategy to work   watercooler conversations? design, to enable the organization and   our employees to sense and respond 04 Reinventing and enhancing Virtual engagement initiatives will go to change again and again. 2020 has Employee Experience and a long way in reminding employees proven incontestably that change is the Engagement that they are not simply working in a only constant. vacuum alone but are part of a greater   Many companies invest in improving team. Here are some areas where we will their customers’ experience, making   focus on bolstering resilience in 2021: it a top priority, and the way to gain success. We are investing the same 05 Upskilling, Reskilling, 01 Develop Adaptability  energy in boosting our employee Cross-Skilling of employees At the beginning of 2020, experience as well. HR will have LinkedIn had predicted that to redesign the employee journey The present situation indicates Adaptability was the number 4 skill and measure the virtual employee the rising importance of moving which would be most in-demand. experience. beyond the status quo. In 2021, before However, the realities of 2020 brought searching for new talent, HR teams adaptability to the top of the most In the chaos of 2020, it will focus on upskilling, reskilling, in-demand skills. In 2021, most may have been easy to and cross-skilling their workforce companies will continue to look for put the L&D agenda to achieve organisation goals. It will resilient candidates who are ready to on hold while other help nurture present workforce work under pressure and capable of pressing issues were potential and provide them with vital adapting to maintain profitability. dealt with. But for us, opportunities to grow and learn. What Interviewers will evaluate candidates these times of change got us here, won’t get us there. who demonstrate the capability and disruption was to acclimatise to ever-changing also when training and 06 Home as the new office circumstances. development became Though working from   the most valuable home had already become intervention an increasingly common occurrence 02 Enable Cost Optimisation to help our before the start of the pandemic for The pandemic has brought employees adapt larger organisations, in India, there economic instability into most to the new were not many organizations that had people’s lives. Numerous businesses realities of sustainable work from home policies faced the need to rationalise their costs work. in place — or that were ready to go and industries like ours where travel was fully remote in the blink of an eye. at a standstill, saw the need for this more Last year, all of us were thrust into keenly in order to sustain. To maintain that situation and had to find our feet. profitability and continue reviving WFH phenomenon is here to stay for the business we are in the process of this year and will remain an important evaluating more flexible hiring practices. part of how we work in the ‘hybrid workplace’ era. 49 January 2021 www.sightsinplus.com

Insights Deepti Sheth The pandemic and all the changes that it brought kept us thinking and seeing life from a unique perspective – more clearly. In conclusion, the goal for 2021 is to develop a motivated and inclusive workforce. 2020 has taught us to be more mindful, grateful, kind, and take care of each other. 07 Rethinking HR 08 Perennial mindset on individual employees’ interests, A logical consequence of the In the past decade, as HR we values, and aspirations to help us increase in at-home employees have focused a lot on what manage our people as HR and support (apart from a spike in office furniture separates the generations. Perennials, inclusivity and diversity. sales and Zoom/Teams accounts ������) Millennials, and generations X,   is the push for HR to rethink many Y, and Z have all been analysed, (if not all) of its practices. Activities prodded, and speculated about 09 Learning & Development like recruiting and onboarding are extensively. Research increasingly Agenda forever changed. Many HR activities shows that generational differences have traditionally relied on in-person related to people’s views on work In the chaos of 2020, it may have been conversations. HR will need to reinvent and life are not as big as we initially easy to put the L&D agenda on hold while current practices to effectively deal thought. What do people want from other pressing issues were dealt with. with these situations in the digital their working life? - purpose, good But for us, these times of change and world and rely more on technology leaders, professional and financial disruption was also when training and to keep us connected and updated on growth — does not differ all that much development became the most valuable employee productivity. from one generation to another. intervention to help our employees   Instead, we expect to see an increase adapt to the new realities of work. It also With no watercoolers to gather around, in Perennial mindset, as referred to helped sustain employee connect and spontaneous interactions and the by Gina Pell. They are “a group of engagement. We need to ensure that L&D collaboration, inventiveness, and people of all ages, stripes, and types retains its priority in 2021. innovation they result in – are surely who go beyond stereotypes and make missed. Companies will need to find connections with each other and the 10 Importance of mental suitable substitutes for this kind of world around them.” To understand health and well-being communication. Virtual “Chai pe our workforce and develop our talent charcha” and “Happy Hours” have strategies, we should look beyond Last but most definitely not the least, started to replace after-work socializing. group differences and gather insights one of the agenda points that HR needs to drive is the importance of 50 SightsIn Plus employees’ mental health and well- being. Ensuring that employees have a safe environment at work even in the hybrid workplace continues to remain a priority for HR professionals through 2021. Also, providing avenues to learn or explore non- functional but ‘fun’ skills is a great avenue for supporting an engaged workforce with a good work-life balance.   The pandemic and all the changes that it brought kept us thinking and seeing life from a unique perspective – more clearly. In conclusion, the goal for 2021 is to develop a motivated and inclusive workforce. 2020 has taught us to be more mindful, grateful, kind, and take care of each other. Above all, it has taught us to be resilient!