<![CDATA[Niruta Publications - Leaders Talk, Vol-1]]>

<![CDATA[Niruta Publications - Leaders Talk, Vol-1]]>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:45:01 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR – HUMAN RELATIONS, SILVER SPARK APPARELS LTD (RAYMOND LTD)]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:29:03 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-director-human-relations-silver-spark-apparels-ltd-raymond-ltd

Mr. S. Mohanraj is an astute People Management Professional with 27+ years of comprehensive & hands on Human Resources experience with proven track record of achieving Business results through effective management of People processes like Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Performance Management, Organization capability building, Employee Relations, Talent Engagement, Learning and Development, Innovative HR Practices, Change Management, Organization development, statutory & Administration. He engaged in Industrial relations environment engaging Unionized workmen – successfully signed 6 settlements & introduced automation in the process.

He provided overall HR Leadership in multi-divisional, multi-location, organizations. Managed strategic and operational HR at corporate level with ability to deal with complex issues and managed different industry environments like Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Food, Engineering, composites (Defence & Aerospace), Printing Technologies & Media & currently with Apparel manufacturing organization.

Mr. S. Mohanraj holds a Master of Social Work degree from Sacred Heart College, Bosco Institute of Social Work, Madras University and Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph's College, Bangalore University. He is the industry representative for Industrial Relations on the Board of studies at St. Joseph's Art's & Science college- Bangalore and the Member of ER/IR Think Tank – Karnataka Employers Association. Since March 2019, He is working in Silver Spark Apparels Ltd (Raymond Ltd), a leading diversified group with interests in Textiles & Apparel sectors as well as presence across diverse segments such as Real Estate, FMCG, Engineering in national and international markets. Heading their Apparel manufacturing vertical HR in India & overseas, engaging close to 10,000 employees with 5 manufacturing units, as Director – Human Relations, reporting to CHRO of Lifestyle Business & he is accountable for all HR deliverable for the Business vertical with Matrix reporting structure.
1. What's your story?
I am from a humble middle-class family background. Father was working in the Indian Army, the mother being a non-matriculate, taking care of 3 children independently, while the dad was posted out in the Northeastern States. Hence, spouses of defense personnel are largely self-made and are extremely strong at life lessons. Due to the above circumstances, my social connections and dealing with people independently started at a young age. After my 10th Std from CBSE board at K V M E G & Centre and post taking admission for 11th at K V A S C & Centre, on the day of admission to Humanities/Arts, I did not know what this course meant, I understood it to be some drawing related. However, I walked up to the admission Head Clerk and sought clarification and expressed my understanding, and was affectionately told what it actually meant and what subjects I would be studying, etc., I stood in the reception area and deeply introspected on the situation I was in and realized that I need to open up and seek in life and that was the last stop and never looking back. I decided every step of my career thereafter and now I am where I have steered a successful and momentous HR career spanning 27+ years. I have been helping and coaching people, as initial student life is crucial and the right career guidance is important to avoid a mid-career crisis. I have gone through the HR profession's grinds and learned largely through Experiential Learning with my Bosses. Reading has helped me to be contemporary in the function that I lead.

2. Union leaders are stronger than current many IR professionals! Your comments…
I do not ascribe to this statement. Perhaps, some exceptions could be there. The rationale for this statement is that IR professionals while choosing the profession are fully aware of the requirements to adore this role and the occupational challenges associated with the role, stakeholders, etc., In the situation that the individual does not measure up to this requirement, the challenge is imminent. One needs to understand union leaders are stronger from what perspective? Moreover, IR professionals are not stronger from what perspective? this will help us to respond more appropriately.

3. What do you think are the biggest challenges ahead for the next generation of IR leaders?
Next-generation IR leaders need to make themselves relevant to the business, the Union Leaders internal and external should have an effective engagement process, which enables them to understand their purpose and actions, inaction, and incorrect actions influencing all stakeholders. Further, IR leaders need to have hands-on experience in HR interventions, proactive HR enables preventive IR situations. Periodic business reviews, making union inclusive to organization building, trust, mutual respect, listening to them, and at the same time being affirmative and making them see the larger picture and purpose will go a long way in having a harmonious IR/ER climate. IR leaders need to understand the changing landscape of IR beyond manufacturing and into IT/ITES/BPO etc. Further, IR leaders need to be hands-on with the statutory provisions, be contemporary with the subject, be a good reader, be a good teacher as much as a student, have foresight and hindsight, and understanding of people, business, work environments both internal and external, genuine concern for people, ensure basic requirement and compliances are adhered will go a long way to address challenges. Importantly, IR is a dynamic subject, wherein one needs to be constantly reinventing oneself to raise up to the occasion.

4. In the next few years, the industry will face a huge shortage of competent IR professionals. Who is responsible for this and how can we avoid this crisis?
The shortage of competent IR professionals is an outcome of demand vs supply, the interest of the students willing to pursue this vertical of HR, Institutions offering such courses, quality of such course offerings, capability building of IR professionals, industry-academia partnerships, etc.,

The responsibility bestows on the students, institutions, and industry at large who are stakeholders in this process. If we need to effectively ensure employability, these stakeholders have to work in tandem. The ecosystem needs to create the aspiration to get into this role and its influence on the organization and business continuity, which ultimately influences all stakeholders.

We can address this challenge through a couple of key measures like Institutions offering concurrent field works in an industry setting as part of the course curriculum.

5. What are your tips for creating a strong professional rapport between HR and union leaders?

Mutual Trust
Mutual Respect
Inclusivity in decision-making impacting workmen
Continuous communication on aspects of organizational performance and their role in delivering them effectively.
Inculcating Intrapreneurship and ownership mindset amongst union and workmen to enable them to be self-managed teams.
Celebrating success in the organization and involving them in identifying challenges around failures.
Fairness in action
Union leadership and workmen development initiatives (Knowledge workforce is always good for organization building).

6. What makes up a brand?
A personal brand statement is a sentence that explain what you do and why you are unique in your field. This is the most important subject of treasure on and talk to my teams across my organization. Like any Brand takes prominence only post possessing certain qualities, features, value, USP etc. Every individual is a brand in himself/herself. However, how one wants oneself to be perceived is the outcome of the inputs to evolve as a brand? It holds good for the team, the department/function, organization, country etc., our uniqueness of being a brand is very formidable and is our asset and it grows, lives, and leaves us in our timelines.

7. How would you describe your leadership style?
My leadership style is being alongside my team and leading them. Walking the talk. Enabling the team to perform and stand by them. I do demonstrate situational leadership as well. Recognize the team for their delivery. Be open for feedback as much as possible, give feedback to the team as and when required which will enable them to correct and perform better.

8. What are the most important things you learned from your father?
My father is my hero alike to many children. He is being an ex-serviceman; I have grown in the environment of army life and being a Kendriya Vidyala Student had similar environment being amongst defense personnel kids. My father has imbibed in me the following principles and Values:

You should be capable to speak for yourself and your team
Honesty and Integrity
Respect for others
Humility
Discipline
Never Die Attitude
Perseverance
Think before you Act
Accept your fault if you have committed one
Be motivated and be committed

9. What makes you motivated in HR?
HR is one of the Key functions of an organization, which deals with Human Resources, which is embodiment of Possibilities and Potential. HR is accountable to enable them in achieving organization's purpose and delivering its objectives through other factors of organization performance. I have chosen this course by wish since I took up this course during my graduation from St. Joseph's Arts & Science, Bangalore, and later MSW from Madras University. I am, privileged to be on the Board of Studies for Industrial Relations at St. Joseph's University (My Alma Matter) for the past 15+ years. I feel motivated because this function gives me the opportunity to touch lives of employees and their family in the journey of achieving organization vision and mission. Further, it continuously challenges stakeholders in the organization.

10. Name the top 3 labor laws that all HR professionals must know.
Factories Act 1948, Industrial Disputes Act 1947, Trade Unions Act 1926. Going forward all 4 codes will assume importance.

11. What are the most important things you have learned from your bosses?
What I learned is that "When you start changing yourself, everything will change for you" - always start from the inside. For anything to change for you, you have to change from the inside. Spend organization money as though you would have spent from your pocket. Continuously Learn. Learners are leaders and leaders are learners. Appreciate in Public and reprimand in Private. Walk the talk. Uphold honesty and integrity in everything you do. Be a role model. Be a brand. Speak up for self and your stakeholders without fear. Ensure fairness in action. Be self- motivated and be pro-active in your actions.

12. How does Business Intelligence (BI) apply to HR? What is the impact of BI on HR?
The purpose of HR function is to enable Human Resource of the organization to deliver business results thereby achieving stakeholder deliverables. Hence, HR needs to be at the forefront to understand business, customers, market, stakeholders, and all related Business Intelligence. This will influence the HR action plans and course correct to be relevant to the business requirement and market requirements. Further, will aide in the L&D and Talent Management function besides effectively delivering other roles including IR

Interviewed by
Dr. Kempegowda B.K.,
Senior HR Business Partner
GE Healthcare

Mohanraj S.
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH GROUP CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, FIRST STEPS BABYWEAR PVT. LTD.]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:26:51 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-group-chief-human-resources-officer-first-steps-babywear-pvt-ltd

Prashanth G B is an experienced and thorough Human Resources Professional. Prashanth is the Group Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), heading the Human Resources & Administration Function at FSB Group. He overseas and contributes in the areas of People Processes & Strategy; supporting them implementing to meet operational priorities aligned with the overall organizational goals and objectives.

Prashanth has over 26 years of experience and has led HR function in Indian and Multinational organizations like Kirloskar Ferrous, Arvind Brands, GO GO International. Prior to associating with First Steps Group, Prashanth was Director – Human Resources at The Akshaya Patra Foundation. During his tenure as a HR Professional, he has led the transformation of HR into a strategic partner, facilitated organization-wide transformation and capability development, and was instrumental in building a strong talent pool through a series of leadership development initiatives.

Prashanth holds a Masters in Social Works (MSW) from Mysore University.

Prashanth enjoys Hindi serials with humour, reading mythological books and travelling. He is passionate about developing People to excel in their Area of Interest and work for community. Prashanth is based in Bangalore.

1. Name the top 3 skills that HR professionals should possess.
While an HR Professional whether a starter or a seasoned professional, he / she should have most of the Management skills. However, being a people's person to ensure that People contribute for the overall wellbeing of the organization that they are associated with and to bring positivity around the people, an HR Professional need to possess the following 3 Cs that will determine his / her career –
Character – the HR professional being a custodian of ethics, culture, confidentiality, must possess an impeccable character which will be emanated by people who are around him / her.

Compassion – People look up to HR professionals not only as a resource persons but also as a trouble-shooters. While he / she needs to be a non-discriminatory representative of people in the organization, he needs to be more cautious when interacting with and solving people issues. It is the essence of HR profession to make even difficult conversations to be positively memorable, hence being compassionate is very important.

Credibility–Employees at all levels trust and repose confidence in the HR persons for everything that they need in the organization. In a role that demands Influencing without Authority, credibility plays an important role for all HR professionals. Being a highly credible professional and building strong and long-lasting partnerships with business leaders are critical to shifting an organisation's thinking about HR and improving the strength of the HR team's ability to influence.

2. The HR department should have labour law expert in the team. Do you agree with this?
In today's context, Governance is becoming an important and integral part of any growing organization to exceed customer expectations and also doing ethical business. HR being the custodian of ethics, champion of company culture, it is also necessary to ensure that Organizations are insulated by adopting and complying all laws of the land. Being a law abiding organization, it not only helps to be a good governance organization but also helps to build an Employer Brand as a Preferred Employer locally and globally.

3. What do HR professionals need to do to build a sustainable good IR culture?
In the High-Tech, High-Touch environment, where HR is continuously faced with the challenge to work with Knowledge Workers; Employees equipped to work with advanced technology driven machineries; HR has to focus on building a culture of Inclusivity; Collaboration and Participation. A good Industrial Relation is nothing but a good Employee Relation. Employees are aware of their rights and duties and are also well equipped to represent their expectations in an organization. If HR professionals are able to develop and implement a congenial work environment through Employee Connect and Engagement programs, Industrial Relations will become the way of life.

4. What motivates you the most?
I am a very demanding, result oriented people's person. I always believe that making a “difference” to ones life is important – teaching someone to fish is better than lending a fish. I draw my motivation from the challenges that are laid out in front of me, findings suitable and timely solutions to those challenges. I am also fascinated by the variety of solutions that each problem can have when you are involved in solving those challenges. Standing outside the problem and dissecting them gives tremendous amount of confidence, room for creativity and innovation which leads to my self learning and self-motivation.

5. How do you connect with people at every level of the organization?
Humility, truthfulness and walk the talk qualities makes me a person welcomed by all people in the organization. I don't have that “magic” stick in my hand, but I will not disappoint any individual who needs support or guidance. I will ensure that promises are made to fulfil and where I am unable to resolve, I admit them humbly. This enables me to be honest and transparent in my approach to people resulting in long lasting relationship and bond.

6. In your experience, what do you think makes a great team member?
Inter-dependent yet independent; collaborative; self-motivated; we can list the desirable and essential qualifies of a team member. But to be great in anything, you need to be thinking that you are great and you have dreams to be great. Any team member who is able to understand the dynamics of a team and its members, respect their individuality; engage and encourage them to work towards the common goal by contributing for collective success can be a great team member.

7. How do you help the average employee to perform better at work?
I believe in“Extraordinary Performance from Ordinary People”. I am aware that no individual is born with all competencies, some of them are learnt, gained and mastered over a period of time. At the workplace or otherwise, I will ensure that a person who is keen to learn, change and demonstrate a positive attitude, will definitely worth investing time to develop further. Employees who work with me get focused attention and guidance in their day-to-day work. Identifying the gaps / improvement areas in skills and knowledge collectively and working towards bridging them appropriately makes my team member to perform better, though he is not a very high IQ individual.

8. Can HR professionals take the top position of the organization and succeed?
Yes. Any HR professional can assume the top position of the Organization and will be more successful than any other professional. My primary belief is that Successful Organizations have a Strong HR person at the top, as employable people are the most valued and scarce resource in this competing world. Any organization's success is dependent on the people strategy and people policies which are driven by the Top Executive of the Organization. It is clearly myth that HR Professionals cannot run the businesses. However, HR professionals who chose only to be doing the HR Job, may find it difficult to get to the top.

9. What should colleges/universities do to produce good future HR and IR professionals?
Yesterday's Performance and Competencies cannot make you achieve tomorrow's goals and objectives. It is true to the learning and education also. Many Colleges and Universities have already commended the work of integrating their learning / education solutions with the Industries to meet the demand and expectations of the industries in all streams of qualifications. Organizations are moving away from the practice of hiring for Experience to hiring for Attitude and Skills. This approach increases the demand of producing more graduates mastering the art of demonstrating excellent Character; Competence; Creativity and Willingness to learning new in an ambiguous environment.

10. Do you think HR professionals need to focus on "reskilling" to handle the upcoming challenges?
Learning is for Life. Any professional need to focus on reskilling not only to manage the change but also to excel and achieve personal and professional goals. Sharpening the Saw is the key at any stage of life. The advancement of technology has shrunk the time; increased the availability of information at click of a button to all. Every individual is unique and brings a different perspective to every people issue. It is important for HR professionals to be updated and live in current to resolve such issues. The knowledge available in books; internet easily accessible by all. Being innovative; creative and inspiring is the key for being a successful HR professional.

11. Most business leaders do not consider HR as the backbone of the organization. How do you convince them?
I think today that is no-more a scenario. Great Organizations do understand the importance of people and people strategies. Every successful business house today is able to retain its position only with talented and engaged team members. HR plays a vital role in identifying and implementing suitable solutions for creating a place where HR is a way of life and employees are able to discover their potential and contribute for the overall growth of the organization. Though there is no HR as a Department, many organizations have realized the importance of HR and are adopting strong people strategies that help them building brand to attract and retain the right talent.

12. What are the top things you learned from your father?
My Father has been a role model for me from my childhood. He has been in the Service of State Government and has made remarkable contributions during his tenure. He is known for his transparency, discipline and ethical principles.

I have been influenced by all the above tenets and have learnt many more life values including focusing on Excellence in everything that I do; focused and to be independent in my journey of life; ensuring that my action speaks about my work than words and also to be able to live a contented life. I simply follow his foot-steps when it comes to going the beyond the call of duty. If someone is in need, Just Help without any expectations. Believe in the teachings of Lord Krishna, but also redefined my own philosophy:
“Karmanyevadhikaraste Ma PhaleshuKadachana,
Ma KarmaphalaheturbhurmaTeSangostvakarmani”.
“do your bit and also ensure that the results are reached the deserving one”.

Interviewed by
Ramesha M.H.,
Author & Publisher - Niruta Publications
Founder Trustee - Nirathanka
Youth Facilitator & HR Professional

Prashanth G.B.
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH VICE PRESIDENT & ZONAL HEAD HR, TATA AIG]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:10:25 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-vice-president-zonal-head-hr-tata-aig

Chhavi currently works as Vice President & Zonal Head-Human Resources at TATA AIG. She is an HR professional with 10+ years of experience in various roles of HR. She has been into HR Business Partnering for a large part of her career. Her expertise lies in Talent Management, Performance Management, and Learning and Development. She holds a PGDM from IIM-Kozhikode and is a graduate of Delhi College of Engineering (which is now Delhi Technological University). She is married and is blessed with a baby boy who is 11 months old. She loves reading non-fiction and cooking. She also likes playing Badminton.

1. Describe your personality.
My strength lies in being optimistic and resilient. I have come a long way in changing myself wherever and whenever required, whether in my professional or personal life. I have a hunger for learning at any stage of my life. Focusing on my goals and striving hard to achieve them keeps me going.

2. Name the most important skills and competencies people leaders must possess to become successful leaders.
I believe that people leaders are the heart of the organization. They must lead by example. They can create such an impact on his/her team, which can either make or break the organization's culture or even any change initiative, for that matter. They should also have a good understanding of the organization at large, apart from being busy with their daily routines within their department/function.

3. As a leader of the organization, how do you inspire your team and organisation?
I always believe in walking the talk, which sets the path for my team to follow. I put forth my expectations clearly with the team and in case of any support required to get there. I also provide enough freedom to think and act. When it comes to organization, people will look up to you only when you add value to it and leave some legacy behind.

4. Future work is about employee well-being. How would you describe it?
Employee well-being is the need of the hour. I will describe it as the summation of physical and mental health. When a human comes to work, we need his/her 3 Hs: Head, Heart, and Hand. Head for the mind, Heart for an engagement at work, Hand for the skills or competencies that one brings to the table. It is important that we observe our employees' overall well-being and take steps to mitigate the risks.

5. Name the biggest risk that you took to succeed as a leader.
The biggest risk is taken when you are not sure of the outcome. Though I have taken many risks in my profession but that is where I believe true innovation comes from or we get to the door of endless possibilities. One such risk I took was when I accepted the opportunity to shift to a brewery manufacturing setup after completing 5 years of corporate experience within one organization. I was clueless about how to handle Blue collar employees and was fresh to the IR environment. But now, when I look back, I find that tenure was one of the best learning phases in my career, where I faced some or the other challenge most days.

6. How do you connect with people at every level of the organization?
I connect with people mostly through Focused Group Discussions wherein I get to know the pulse of the organization. For one-on-one connect, I categorize employees based on potential and performance and then plan. For any HR leader, people connect has always been a big ask, and it is also one of the major challenges for the leader when the employee strength is large.

7. What major threats do you anticipate for HR in the near future?
HR has evolved in many ways, be it the roles it has to offer, such as HR Business Partnering, or the new subjects which has been added to it such as People Analytics. The major threat can only creep in when HR seize to evolve further according to the changing business scenario. It is very important that HR processes and systems sync well with the business. Business Acumen is a very important skill that all HR leaders must possess to excel and help organizations perform at their best.

8. What experiences can you share as a female leader?
As a female leader, I have always kept the role in my mind; the organization has trusted me, irrespective of gender, and things have been easy that way. I have never faced any discrimination, but yes, I have been mostly in the manufacturing industry, where I did feel myself standing alone amongst the male business stakeholders during the early years of my career. However, with an increasing number of females joining male-dominated industries or niche roles, this feeling has also been taken care of. I have experience working in a brewery (beer manufacturing setup), looking after HR and IR, which gave me immense learning. It taught me how to bring in innovative ways of dealing with situations you never know will exist.

9. How important is real-time HR analytics in the current business scenario?
HR analytics is required in every area of the subject. Just like most of the business processes are automated today to bring in great customer experience. Business-related dashboards are ready at the click of a button; similarly, HR analytics is important to make real-time and quick people-related decisions. It is also required to bring in great employee experience.

10. Being a woman leader, how do you balance work - life?
For any woman leader to balance life with work, a very good support system is required at home. Otherwise, it becomes a compromise between the two. When you also have a responsibility to nurture the next generation, it becomes all the more important that your partner also takes equal responsibility for household chores.

11. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Do not shy away from getting your hands dirty. That is when real learning happens.
Get out of your comfort zone, and you will find growth personally and professionally.
Be fearless: don't be afraid to say something in a meeting that you think might be unpopular but know in your heart it's the right thing to say and will contribute to the group or the organization at large.

12. Diversity and inclusion are the HR focus area in the current days; what are your views?
D&I is a very hot topic nowadays, with more awareness of human rights and laws. Recently I came across a concept of neuro diversity at work that talks about people with autism, Dyslexia, ADHD, etc., so diversity is a very wide subject. There has been enough research wherein it is clear the more diverse the organization, the more profitable it is. By sensitizing our employees on the topic and curbing our unconscious biases, we can initiate many of our D&I initiatives.

Interviewed by
Jayaram Ramaiah
People Business Enabler

Chhavi Anand
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH VICE PRESIDENT AND CPO, MAHINDRA AGRI, DEFENSE]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:08:11 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-vice-president-and-cpo-mahindra-agri-defense

Seema is a strategic Human Resources professional working as Vice President and Chief People Officer for Mahindra Agri, Defense, and Aero sectors. Also, she is serving on the Board of Directors at Mahindra.

She has over 3 decades of rich experience in people function and held leadership positions in many organizations like AT & T, Sony, Canon ZTE, and Carlsberg.

Seema holds a master's degree from Delhi University. She has contributed immensely to designing and implementing competency-driven human resources management. She is instrumental in identifying and building leadership capabilities through assessment and development centers. In-house trainer for many HR processes.

Seema has led many change management initiatives of the organization as a Project Manager for PCMM. Handled various projects like Compensation and Benefit (Job Evaluation, Job Grading, Salary Bands, etc). Designed various progressive policies of the organisation. Seema is also a certified coach.

1. Describe your personality.
I describe myself as a people person, compassionate yet at the same time assertive, who believes in creating experiences.

2. Name the most important skills and competencies people leaders must possess to become successful leaders.
People leaders should have Empathy, a High emotional quotient, and use ego only if required to be a successful leaders.

3. How do you inspire your team and organisation as a leader in your organization?
I believe that everybody is a leader in some way or the other. Professionals who are in reasonable senior leadership positions are role models for many. Their intentions, action, and behaviour can inspire and motivate the teams. I keep this in mind and try to imbibe positivity in daily practice.

4. Future work is about employee well-being. How would you describe it?
Yes, absolutely, that is going to be the differentiator. Creating employee experiences at each touch point will be the key.

5. Name the biggest risk that you took to succeed as a leader.
Being risk averse was the biggest risk through alternative thinking by driving positive change.

6. How do you connect with people at every level of the organization?
Many channels, direct or indirect. Connecting with them through newsletters, social media, and speaking with them through various programs.

7. What major threats do you anticipate for HR by 2025?
No threats, whether of VUCA or now BANI world. It is and will be the most sought-after profession.

8. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
No work is less important; create your own value and be the change.

9. How important is real-time HR analytics in the current business scenario?
With so much dynamism on the anvil, analytics come in handy as long as the parameters are aligned at the same pace.

10. Diversity and inclusion are the HR focus area in the current days; what are your views?
Absolutely, DEI is the future. For organizations to be successful, they need to believe in the power of all three i.e, diversity, equity, and inclusion. No D & I with E.

11. What experiences can you share as a female leader?
Many experiences, mostly with great learnings. How to apply different strokes for different folks. There is no shortcut to being effective and successful. Believing in self and knowing your worth.

Interviewed by
Jayaram Ramaiah
People Business Enabler

Seema Bangia
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRO, GE HEALTHCARE SOUTH ASIA & DIRECTOR – GE BE PRIVATE LIMITED]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:04:42 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-chro-ge-healthcare-south-asia-director-ge-be-private-limited

Divya Srivastava is a member of GE Healthcare South Asia's senior leadership team and brings with her 15 years of rich and diverse HR experience and has been with GE for 11 years spanning roles across businesses and geographies including organization design, talent management, business partnership, total rewards, M&As, divestitures and change transformation.

She is an alumnus of 2 global leadership programs at GE – the HR Leadership Program (2011-2013) and the Accelerated Leadership Program (2016-2020). With international experiences in the US and multiple global roles at GE, she has a track record of success by delivering results and impact across diverse roles of scale, scope, and complexity. She became the youngest and first diverse CHRO of GE Healthcare South Asia.

In the last year as CHRO for GE Healthcare South Asia, Divya prides herself for driving breakthrough thinking in the HR Function and people practices. By listening to the voice of employees and tapping external market trends, she is leading a high impact change management agenda for HR which is people-centric and talent-focused. Divya is a member of the Board of GE BE Private Ltd, a joint venture between GE Healthcare and Bharat Electronics.

Divya began her career with GE in 2011, in the HR Leadership Program (HRLP) where she delivered high impact projects focusing on career development, competency framework design and EVP strategies. Upon graduation, she became the GE Healthcare South Asia Total Rewards Leader where she designed and implemented the Total Rewards strategy in the region. Subsequently, Divya took on the role of the GE South Asia Benefits leader, spearheading the GE South Asia-Alstom integration across a complex landscape of payroll, compensation, and benefit platforms. In 2016, she was selected to be a part of the GE Accelerated Leadership Program (XLP) and held several HR positions in South Asia and the US, including leading a global project to contemporize the GE Rewards program; Global HR Business Partner for the Global Operations Commercial Shared Services based in Cincinnati; Global HR Lead for the GE-Genpact Strategic Partnership and the Global HR Lead on Variable Pay for GE Healthcare.

Prior to GE, Divya worked at Unilever India for more than four years, where she held a variety of HR roles, such as Business Leadership Trainee with rotations across sales, manufacturing/factory HR and Operations, corporate; HR Transformation Lead, HR Business Partnership, leading the HR function for the western region and the Modern Trade business and Talent & Capability Lead, managing the capability agenda for the customer development function and leading the biggest sales transformation project at HUL.

She has a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering and a Masters in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai.

In February 2022, she was recognized by Business World as one of the emerging leaders in HR in the HR 40 Under 40 List of HR and by ET as one of the 40 Emerging Leaders in HR.

1. What is your leadership philosophy?
I believe in M.A.G.I.C - M-Meaning. A-Accountability. G-Growth. I-Independence. C-Coach.
As a leader I steer the team towards a meaningful purpose; trust and empower my teams by giving them a larger playing field; drive accountability, differentiate on performance & impact and coach them on their growth. I am inspired by this favorite quote of mine, “Never tell people how to do things, tell them what you want, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

2. What is your definition of work ethics?
My ability to do things that I committed to do on time and consistently defines my work ethics. In GE we often use the word “say do ratio” which is a measure of your one's personal credibility. That to me speaks volumes about work ethics. My advice would be “Be impeccable with your word”, as said by Don Miguel Ruiz.

3. What is your advice to young HR professionals?
Invest time in understanding your own self (what motivates you, what are your strengths and opportunities for development), be bold enough to take risks in your career (there are no templates here, you create your own) and build a learning mindset (what is this experience/opportunity going to teach me). As someone said, if you didn't win, you gained an experience!

4. What motivates you the most?
What drives me is personal growth and an impact to make a difference to the people around me. I enjoy working in an environment that thrives on change, creativity & challenge. I love taking on challenges to test my limits and push the boundaries for myself. I am intentional about learning new skills, gaining exposure across business functions, and raising my hand for experiences that can help in elevating my impact, learning and contribution to the business.

5. What makes you motivated in HR?
What truly inspires me about the world of HR is the sheer potential and power of people, which is often untapped or unrealized.

HR has the power to incubate people as powerful brands; managing human capital instead of consumer brands makes the job exciting and challenging.
HR can become a force-multiplier by building a staunch army of its brand advocates who can drive loyalty and attract newer talent to the company .
HR has the potential to transform a company into a CEO-factory, by investing in talent and building leaders via strong HR processes and systems .
HR has the potential to be a football coach – to help attract the right talent, train, and develop them into A players, coach them to play to their strengths and win together and have fun along the way.
HR can problem-solve a diverse slate of human capital challenges that require both an art and a science.

6. Name the top 3 labour laws that all HR professionals must know.
I started my HR career in Unilever's Personal care factory at Barotiwala, HP, subsequently I had an opportunity to be a part of the wage settlement process at Rajpura, Punjab. I must mention that these foundational Industrial Relations experiences truly made me the person I am today. I firmly believe that one must not only know, but also understand and be in a position to apply the labour laws on the day-to-day running of plants/establishments. The 3 that come to my mind are The Industrial Disputes Act, The Factories Act and The Shops and Establishment Act. I still refer to my PMIR course book by N.D Kapoor in my role as the HR Leader to understand nuances and interpret the word of the law.

7. What factors have helped you most to build a successful career?
At GE you carve out your own career path, there is no formula, or one size fits all approach to careers. And that's what keeps me here. I have traversed multiple tracks in the HR function, be it specialist roles within Compensation & Benefits, generalist roles as HR Business Partner across geographies, project roles of leading acquisitions and divestitures, and now the HR leadership role for South Asia region – my career path has been unique to me. What has helped me is shaping my mindset of owning my own growth and getting used to living in-between as at time we have to live in ambiguity and uncertainty of what's next for me - we must prepare for multiple scenarios, take bigger bets, and think beyond the boundaries.

8. How to work smarter and get ahead?
In my career journey of 15+ years, I have not been able to crack the code on “working smarter”. Frankly I don't know what it means. What is important is to understand the task at hand, the level of focus/prioritization it needs, the depth it entails and the quality of the output that is expected from you at your role. If you pay attention to these factors, you will be able to complete the job at hand and do it well. One cannot have shortcuts to success, at least I don't know if those exist. Successful people have put a lot of hard work behind the scenes so instead of investing time to find shortcuts, I would say use that time to learn more on the job and build your credibility as an individual contributor, team member or leader.

9. What was the biggest risk you took?
I thrive in an environment of change and seek challenge in personal and professional experiences. Jumping on to new and diverse experiences has always been exciting. I can say I have taken bets on myself and taken the leap when I could have settled in a comfortable territory. Few examples include – 1) pivoting from Engineering to HR – an entirely new domain 2) leap-frogging from an established career in Unilever to pursue unknown experiences in GE with the HR Leadership Program 3) changing domain to step out of my expertise area (C&B) and explore diverse experiences on GE's Accelerated Leadership Program, taking on the personal challenge of relocating to US by myself to work for a new business in a new role. My learnings in each of these experiences has been to keep pushing the bar, continuing to surprise myself (and others) and testing my limits. It has helped me grow immensely as an individual as well as a professional.

10 What's your story?
I am currently the CHRO of GE Healthcare South Asia, a company with footprint of 5000 employees with business in 6 countries, with 4 manufacturing plants and 2 Joint Ventures.

My journey is one of perservance, resilience and courage. Having lost my parents at different stages of my life, I have learnt some of the toughest life lessons at a young age. In what were the lowest points of my life, I tapped into my inner strength and resilience. Since the day I graduated from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai with a gold medal, I incubated a dream to become head of HR one day, and I have relentlessly worked towards that by building myself up, taking bets on myself and staying open to diverse experiences at Unilever & GE. What stands out from the last decade at GE are 2 global leadership programs, an international stint in the US and global roles of enterprise-wide scale and complexity. When I look back at these 15+ years, my ability to stay grounded, humble, and curious stands out through ups and downs. I hope that my career trajectory and personal journey will inspire young talent to chase their dreams by staying grounded, focused, and open.

Interviewed by
Dr. Kempegowda B.K.,
Senior HR Business Partner
GE Healthcare

Divya Srivastava
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH VICE PRESIDENT – PEOPLE EXPERIENCE, SKF INDIA LIMITED]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 08:02:17 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-vice-president-people-experience-skf-india-limited

Jacob is an accomplished Human Resources and Industrial Relations professional working as Vice-President -People Experience at SKF India Ltd.

He has over 3 decades of diverse experience spanning across sectors like engineering, textiles, power, and infrastructure at various organizations including ABB India, KEC International, Kirloskar Oil Engines, and Heavy Engineering Corporation.

Jacob is a silver medalist and holds a Master's Degree in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from XISS, Ranchi. As an industry stalwart, he has contributed immensely towards establishing excellent employee work culture and ensuring seamless people processes at organizations. He has been instrumental in signing more than 10 long-term wage settlements with various Employee Unions. Jacob is an accomplished trainer and specializes in leadership development, team building, and conducting assessment centers.

Jacob is a fitness enthusiast and in his free time, he likes to read English novels and play the synthesizer.

1. How do you describe yourself?
I am a person who strongly believes in building personal relations both at work and otherwise. Being an HR Professional allows me to touch people's lives in the organization where I work. Simplicity and gratitude in life are fundamental that make life enjoyable for me.

2. What is the definition of ER /IR according to you?
Call it Employee Relations or Industrial Relations, for me it's the critical factor in manufacturing organizations that focuses on creating trust between the Management and employees. This trust becomes the basis for a conducive environment where the business is fully supported by the employees & Union for any change initiatives and productivity/growth improvement. This will ensure the growth of the organization and the employees.

3. What are your views on the biggest challenges ahead for the next generation of IR leaders?
There is a real dearth of IR Leaders in the industry, and the HR fraternity is largely responsible for this situation because many CHROs do not consider IR as critical. The IR professionals are often treated lower than their counterparts in core HR, which focuses only on white-collar employees. Some leaders often come to IR for a short period only and do not get a deeper understanding of the ethos. Further business schools are also not focusing on this subject for the MBAs. Hence in the future, there is bound to be a challenge in having IR leaders who are Strategic and Visionary in approach, thus building a long-term IR roadmap of organizations. Challenges for these breeds of IR Leaders will be managing the people aspect when organizations are fast adopting digitalization in operations. Ensuring the acceptance of these technologies and also preparing the workforce competence is going to be critical. A further challenge is managing the aspirations of the Z Generation.

4. If you were a union leader, what advice would you give to current workers union leaders?
Understand the realities of business and be logical in creating expectations among the members. Take BOLD decisions in the interest of business with a long-term view.

5. Union leaders are stronger than many current IR professionals! Your comments.
In Industrial Relations, there should not be a situation where either the IR Manager or the Union leader is stronger. Both should be partners, with. However, if any leader does not have the right personality and competence, they would be weaker than the union leader. I do not agree that in all cases union leaders are stronger. Yes, there are many organizations where this may be true because of the lower leadership capability of the IR leaders. Hence there has to be a focus on capability building.

6. New Labour Codes – Ease of Doing Business. Do you think this will come true in reality?
I have studied the Codes quite deeply. Yes, there is an effort to promote ease of doing business in terms of reducing the number of returns, provision for online submissions, rationalization of licenses, etc. But these will have a limited impact of creating the right ecosystem for business. We also need to keep in mind that a country like ours cannot have laws like American or Europeans because of the mindset of employers and employees in those nations. Let us also see what behavior changes happen in the enforcing authorities now that the codes expect them to be facilitators in promoting compliance. The larger impediment to ease of doing business comes from the political goons and local population, wherein the government authorities normally are influenced by politicians. Also, our overall mindset of ours in terms of work culture needs transformation.

7. Name the top 3 labour laws that all HR professionals must know.
That's a difficult question. However, a basic understanding of the Factories Act, Shops& Establishment Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Payment of Wages, Minimum Wages, and Social Security Acts (Bonus, Gratuity, PF, ESI) is a must.

8. The industry will face a huge shortage of competent IR professionals in the next few years. Who is responsible for this, and how can this crisis be mitigated?
CHROs of companies are the culprits for this scenario. There is a general messaging being done by the HR Professionals that IR is fading away and hence need not be focused. IR Professionals are not valued in many organizations, and therefore few youngsters don't want to try their hand at IR. All these can be changed if HR Leaders of organizations ensure that the best HR professionals are given IR Responsibility for a part of their career, and the importance of IR in business sustainability is highlighted to the Management, thus making it a key contributor to the business. This is creating a sense of being Valued by the IR Leaders, and more professionals would want to be in IR.

9. Explain the one complex IR issue that you handled/faced.
In the last 33 years of being in this profession, there have been so many complex situations that I have handled. Each one has been a learning, and am still learning from each new challenge. One that comes to my mind as unique is a strike of 15 days in a factory because of the EGO of the General Manager. A very simple situation got out of control because of the adamant and illogical approach of a general manager, finally resulting a strike. Subsequently, the matter was resolved with the intervention of the district administration.

10. What are your tips for creating a strong professional rapport between HR and union leaders?
The HR Leader has to always remember that the larger Accountability of Building relations with the Union rests on his / her shoulder. Be authentic, open, and transparent with the Union Leaders and they always reciprocate. There could be some hard nuts who will take more time to come around but eventually, it happens. Efforts should be made to have a data-based discussion and avoid unwanted arguments. Building the leadership capability of Union leaders is also critical. Dialogue is one of the keys; always remember that the IR Manager's personality is critical in building the relationship.

11. Are IR issues rising because organizations are not focusing on building union leadership development?
I am not sure whether IR issues are rising or not. However, organization generally invest in Management Leadership development only and do not focus on Union Leadership. There are many progressive organizations that invests in the Union Leadership development because they believe that Union is a partner in business. And it really pays to develop the Union Leaders because it helps them to understand business and play the role of catalyst in resolving the situation.

12. The fundamental Success Mantra of IR is “Line managers are HR Managers.” Is this true?
Yes, this is fundamentally true. HR should invest in developing the capability of Line Managers to manage the shopfloor people's challenges. This way, escalations of minor issues into disputes can be reduced, and also the interference of union leaders at the shopfloor level. The IR Manager can then focus more on Strategic Aspects that are spending time on firefighting.

13. What are some strategies that can help young IR professionals achieve the success they want in their careers?
There is no shortcut to success. Continuous learning and hard work is the mantra. Be an authentic human being and transparent in dealings.

14. You are an IR leader, what advice that you give to Union leaders and business leaders?
Always keep the Business interest at the foremost. Union Leaders and Business Leaders can succeed only if the business has sustainable growth. Be transparent and open in dealing with each other. The Union leaders will have to manage some politics to maintain their position, but it should not be at the cost of harming the business. Union leaders must understand we are in a VUCA world, and only those who are Agile will survive. Business leaders, along with the HR leaders, should make efforts to enhance the business knowledge of union leaders and involve them as partners in running the business. This mindset is the key to having a harmonious IR.

Interviewed by
Jayaram Ramaiah
People Business Enabler

Jacob Varghese
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT - HR & GEN.ADMN., KIRLOSKAR FERROUS INDUSTRIES LIMITED]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:59:48 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-executive-vice-president-hr-genadmn-kirloskar-ferrous-industries-limited

Mr. P. Narayana, is a strong HR & IR leader having more than 34 years of rich experience in manufacturing sectors, managing HR, IR, EHS & Community development activities with key focus on topline profitability and optimal utilization of resources and hand on experience in implementation of HR policies and systems. He is currently working as Executive Vice President – HR & Gen.Admn. in Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited, Koppal. Prior to joining Kirloskar Group, he worked with Bellary Steels & Alloys Limited, Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited, Grasim Industries Limited and JSW Steels Limited in various capacities of HR, IR and Community Development.

Mr. Narayana is a Commerce Graduate and PG Diploma in Human Resource Management, IR and Law Graduate.

He is the Life member of NIPM, STD and NHRD, Member of Kannada Sahitya Parishat, Rotary Club, Past Chairman of NIPM North Karnataka Chapter, Member – Industry Advisory Board, Ballari Institute of Technology & Management, Ballari and Joint Secretary of Koppal Industries Association. Also Chairman, Center of Excellence, Govt. ITI, Hanumasagar, Kustagi Taluk, Koppal Dist.

1. What are you passionate about ?
I believe the mahamantra “KNOWING IS NOT DOING, DOING IS DOING” ! I have passionate by Dale Carnegie and Swami Chinmayanandaji's thinking's. It changes in attitude, makes people develop success conducive positive attitude. It also inspires people to motivate themselves and imparts them the skill to motivate others. It is better and effective to water to the roots instead of watering the leaves. The human behavior, speech and action have its origin in the thoughts and past impressions. It makes people DO and NOT merely KNOWS. It converts Proficiency into Efficiency, Capability into Results. These are very practical sessions, which ensure that the participants sharpen their attitudinal skills.

2. What makes HR unique ?
HR with Business : Business with HR To meet the increased expectations of their organizations, HR professionals must begin to act professionally. They must focus more on the deliverables of their work and less on just getting their work done. They must articulate their role in terms of the value they create. They must create mechanisms so that business results quickly follow. They must measure their effectiveness in terms of business competitiveness rather than employee comfort and lead cultural transformation rather than consolidate, reengineer, or downsize in order to turn a company around.

3. How do you deal with pressure?
Do not carry baggage; learn to ease out in life. I keep reminding myself that today is always better than yesterday because you still have it with you. I may get exhausted or discouraged, but the positive hopes within me find that extra little well of determination and strength to keep going.

4. What is more important Experience or Behaviour ?
Definitely Behaviour. The right behavior can help you get the rich experience. In the selection process, I give first priority to behaviour and next to experience and academics.

5. What is the future of HR ?
The future of HR will be –

Using big data and people analytics to make strategic decisions for global competition to ensure HR success.
Moving from General HR strategies to Individual – based strategies / capabilities.
Time based salary revisions to result-based salary revisions.
Service provider to Solution provider.
PMS linked to Band system.
Focusing on culture fit rather than technical fit.

6. What is the art of becoming a Human Resources Director?

Understand the business of the organization as owner.
Understand and deliver what the Board of Directors expects from HR regarding AOP /LRP and business goals.
Build the team and develop.
Have strong USPs.
Reach colleagues and develop healthy rapport / connectivity.
Think globally and act locally and strategically.
Be a strategic leader than only an activity leader.

7. How will you identity the problems in your team ?
Some indicators that are clear to me are low productivity, attrition, decline in engagement levels and less collaboration. My belief is to get into positive approach with any team. Having regular 1:1 discussions, personal connect and keep giving feedback at the right time by hard pressing which have helped me to deliver the results.

8. What are your tips for young rural background HR professionals looking for suitable jobs in HR ?
To inculcate the 3`S' method:
Scale - We have to measure what we need to do
Skill- Exhibit to excel the work
Sell - Exhibit the delivery performance.

9. Your secret of success……

Empathy and care towards human being which builds team work
Task master and deliver the results
Expect less and deliver more. Remember that only your results will become your success mantras.

10. Your significant achievements …
- Executed 10 ling-term win-win settlements with the Union.
- LTS settled in 48 hours in July 2022
- Management of COVID-19 pandemic by effective implementation of preventive measures, 100% plant operation ensured.
- Played a key role in formation of “Koppal Industries Association” and initiated a project of establishing “Coving Care Centre” at Koppal.
- Implementation of Group Term Life Insurance policy at various Companies
- Hired people from various parts of the country and developed them to take up critical positions in the Company.
- Won / contributed / Instrumental for many awards:

CII – EXIM Bank Award for Business Excellence
CII – National HR Excellence Significant Achievement Award 2019
NIPM – HR Best Practices Award 2019
ET-Now World CSR Awards (Hat-trick - 2018, 2019 & 2020)
Top Organization with Innovative HR Practices Award from Asia Pacific HRM Congress- 2019
Our State, Our Organization Award 2018 – for Implementation of Kannada in industries
Utthama Suraksha Puraskara” Award-2017&2019 from National Safety Council
Unnatha Suraksha Puraskara” Award – 2021from National Safety Council
CII –Prize for Leadership in HR Excellence 2021-22
Greentech Environment Award - 2022
“Best HR Professional of the year award” - 4th State Level HR Professionals Kannada Conference 2020
Great Managers Award 2021– from People Business

11. Do you advise HR Professionals to aspire to the legal profession? If yes, any tips in this regard:
I certainly advise HR Professionals (particularly those who have the inclination to IR/Administration) to aspire into the legal profession.
The expertise that HR professionals acquire in handling day-to-day IR / Administration would be very handy in developing the right approach to address a legal challenge whether it pertaining to industrial law or otherwise. However, I see many of our colleagues suffer from fear of failure and hence, they restrain themselves from venturing into the legal profession. My tips to them are to have self-confidence, thing big, realize their potentiality, undertake Law Degree course, ontime classes, Legal update on labour laws, attending workshops and training classes.

12. Can you name one leader who has inspired you the most ?
In early days, Professor B. Seshadri, development economist who had mentored me with useful tips and suggestions.
I have also inspired by Mr. R.V. Gumaste, MD of Kirloskar Ferrous Industries Limited. He is a turnaround maestro who has been instrumental in effecting change, implementing systems and quality improvement in the Company. His dedicated efforts have resulted in more than 100 times improvement in the company's share value during past two decades. He is a visionary leader, demonstrates effective leadership skills and adopts a combination of multiple leadership styles. He believes in teamwork, he knows the team capabilities, involves, empowers and relies on team to be creative and come up with unique solutions.

Interviewed by
Dr. Kempegowda B.K.,
Senior HR Business Partner
GE Healthcare

P. Narayana
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH VICE PRESIDENT – HR, ADITYA BIRLA FASHION AND RETAIL LIMITED - MADURA CLOTHING, BENGALURU]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:56:04 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-vice-president-hr-aditya-birla-fashion-and-retail-limited-madura-clothing-bengaluru

Kalpana B.G. is the Head of HR for Madura Clothing, the manufacturing arm of Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL).

Kalpana has been working as HR Professional for three decades in several companies in Karnataka. She has rich experience of over 33 years in the garment industry, including K. Mohan Exports and Gokaldas Images. Also, worked in Digital Equipment India Ltd. She has been associated with ABFRL for the last eight years.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Psychology, Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations, Graduation in Journalism, Literature & Psychology.

Kalpana has contributed immensely to managing relationships with unions and ensuring that the Company's treatment of employees is consistent with its core business values and objectives.

Kalpana is well known and appreciated as she successfully handled complaints smoothly, managed grievance procedures, and facilitated counselling in conjunction with other stakeholders. At Madura Manufacturing, all employees look up to her as a pillar of strength as she establishes and maintains industrial democracy to achieve sound, harmonious, and mutually beneficial employee-management relations.

Kalpana is young, strong in mind, and willing to go miles for the success of the organisation and its employees.

“Self-reliance and faith in oneself are the best weapons to have in your armory to face today's world.”

1. Compared to other industries, how difficult is it to work as an HR Leader in the apparel industry?
Every business has its own challenges, and the apparel industry is no different. Understanding the key business perspectives and working as effective business drivers with zeal and agility is imperative. Above all, one must sustain a proactive, strategic, and time-bound approach.

2. What strategies do you and your team use to address the issues of women employees in your industry?
We adopt a fundamental strategy of creating an environment that makes them comfortable with escalating issues or approaching the hierarchy without any fear or favour. Psychological Safety is a tenet all factory HR teams practice and preach with passion. All employees are encouraged to discuss any issue. Upward communication is encouraged in many forms, including digital.

3. Many HR Professionals say you are a revolutionary HR Leader. Why do they say this?
I cannot comment on their behalf, but as far as I am concerned, I am more of a people's leader who works towards the greater good with an emphasis on pragmatism and high E.Q. levels. I work for my people with my heart in the right place, and I keep my interactions with internal and external stakeholders transparent and direct.

4. You are a brand as HR Leader in the apparel industry. How would you describe it?
I have been working for three decades in the apparel industry with great passion and zeal. To date, I can say that I enjoy my work and this industry too. Over a period of time, the apparel industry has also undergone a great metamorphosis, and we will see a lot more to come. Every step/initiative taken by many of us in the industry has made this positive impact. Bringing about changes in a people-intensive sector with a predominance of women and volatility of labour is a great challenge and hence a great learning opportunity. Agility, out-of-box thinking, and emotional intelligence are essential to flourish.

5. In your HR journey, what achievements have made you proud?
Results of hard work are considered as achievement, rather than any particular award or recognition that we have been receiving. In that context: Vibrant employee engagement, which brings a smile on the faces of employees, congenial Industrial Relations, and a robust open-door policy are the achievements I am proud of.

6. From what I understand, many young HR Professionals are not motivated to start their HR career in the apparel industry; what is your advice to them?
Please do not become judgmental over what you hear or read superficially. Join to experience the difference of hands-on and groom yourself for the future. There are a lot of talented youngsters who have taken this approach and are now heading different industries. The apparel industry is a great place to develop yourself and constantly learn in terms of volatility of technology and volumes, stakeholder management, etc.

7. As a senior HR Leader, how do you manage your family commitments despite having a lot of professional priorities?
I would like to call it work-life synergy as the term "balance" indicates that they are opposing forces. I want to think of one being dependent on the other. I am a better leader because I strive to be a good mother and vice versa. This perspective has helped me resolve employee conflicts on many occasions. Also, my family has been greatly supportive throughout my career and has given me the space to work and manage family commitments. At the same time, my employers have also been empathetic to my family's needs. So, I have had no issues in balancing both, as both supported me. Last but not the least, I have had wonderful colleagues who were more than family and were always there to support me, be it a personal or an occupational challenge. Delegation not only helps to build and empower them, but it, in turn, also gives a lot of support to us.

8. You have recently been promoted to a VP - HR. What is your success mantra?
Simple and straightforward. Work without 2Fs – FEAR or FAVOUR.

9. What advice would you give to next-generation female leaders?
Move forward and develop a “never give up attitude.”

10. Can you elaborate on some unique HR interventions of Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited?

5C module – comprising the pillars of Communication, Care, Contribution, Credit & Connect.
Sanjeevani – a holistic wellness initiative is covering all facets of employee life, which includes physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and environmental well-being. Womb-To-Cradle Care and Other Initiatives. Since this is a predominantly female industry, there are special targeted initiatives on pregnancy care, motherhood, the importance of breastfeeding, antenatal care in all trimesters, baby shower, lots of engagement with high participation index, working committees and self-managed pyramid team structure (L1 teams at base by workers, L2 by supervisors, L3 – Middle management, L4 – Senior Leadership team structure).

11. Name the top 3 skills that the HR Professionals should possess to work in the Apparel industry:
Agility, People Connect, and Commitment to Work without Fear or Favour.

12. Tell us about a complex HR issue you worked on and what you learned from it?
Working in areas outside the city presents a challenge wherein a simple concern can quickly snowball into a complex and major problem, and complex issues are never a concern. Hence, it is important to constantly gauge the pulse of employees and ensure industrial harmony. They must be addressed pre-emptively if possible and proactively, if not. On the other hand, you may take one positive step for the people, and because of that, they are ready to walk miles for you. However, if in that one step you try to bargain or juggle, then the trust is lost. It is of prime importance to build that trust and employee connect.

13. How do you encourage women employees not to give up?
I encourage women to be financially independent and imbibe Swami Vivekananda's saying, "Arise, Awake & Stop not until the goal is reached.” Self-reliance and faith in oneself are the best weapons to have in your armory to face today's world.

14. What is your leadership philosophy?
Cooperative and participative leadership with a strong belief in reformative and rehabilitative approaches.

15. What is your definition of work ethics?
For me, my work ethics is derived from core values of integrity, commitment, passion, speed and seamlessness.

16. What major threats do you anticipate for HR in the apparel industry by 2025?
CAT.
Cost: Raw material, Transport, Compliance, Technology & Competitive Compensation.
Agility: Digitization, Sustainability, Management of Textile Waste.
Talent: Retention and management of both skills and key talent and availability of labour.

17. Who inspired you to become a leader and why?
My Primary school teacher instilled boldness in me. As mentors, my second sister and brother-in-law encouraged me to expand my knowledge. The special words to my parents, sister, mother-in-law, husband, son, nephew, niece, friends, colleagues, and employees who have always been a source of strength and inspiration. Above all are my critics, who have kept challenging me, which has motivated me to better myself and march forward.

18. What should we do to strengthen women empowerment?
There is no special consideration required. Just one simple thing we all need to do is to accept a woman as she is and create that space of respect and trust that can amplify her voice & ideas. STOP Negativity.

Under the leadership of Mrs. Kalpana B.G., M/s ABFRL received the prestigious “India Green Manufacturing Challenge 2021 – 22, Special Award for Workplace Gender Diversity” from International Research Institute for Manufacturing (IRIM) in September – 2022.

Interviewed by
Shekhar Ganagaluru
HR Professional and Author

Kalpana B.G.
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH SR. GENERAL MANAGER, DALMIA CEMENT (BHARAT) LTD.]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:50:45 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-sr-general-manager-dalmia-cement-bharat-ltd

Mr. Deepanjan Dey is a seasoned professional with 26 years of experience in Human Resource, Industrial Relations and HR Legal. He has worked in leadership role in various capacities such as Plant HR Head, Group IR Head and HR Legal Head across sectors – Print Media, Petrochemicals, FMCG, Refractory, Steel and Cement. Presently he is the Sr. General Manager- HR with Dalmia Cement(Bharat) Ltd and is based at Rajganjpur, Odisha. Few of the reputed companies he worked before are Haldia Petrochemical Ltd., Bata India Limited, Tata Metallics Ltd., Tata Steel BSL Ltd and Eveready Industries India Ltd. Before joining corporate/industries Mr. Dey was an Advocate and was mainly practicing in Labour Tribunal and High Court at Kolkata.

Mr. Dey is a Postgraduate in Labour Laws and Personnel management and LLB from Sambalpur university, Odisha. Mr. Dey regularly contributes articles in professional journals. His area of interest mostly lies with employment laws and Industrial Relations. He also has a book on Contract Labour to his credit which was published in 2013.

1. How do you describe yourself?
A petty ordinary person but fiercely honest and dedicated and devoted to my profession. I try to be very disciplined in all walks of my life be it my professional or personal. I fiercely believe unless and until you are disciplined, dedicated and devoted you will neither be able to bring happiness nor success in your life.

2. You moved from Legal to HR. Does your Legal experience help you achieve the desired success in your HR career?
Yes, having a legal experience has helped me immensely. Application of mind is an important aspect of decision making. In view of legal footing and experience I have been trained early in my career to apply mind in right direction so that my decisions are legally correct and can stand the scrutiny of law. In India we have almost 64 or more labour laws. Even if four codes are made applicable but they will form the part of 29 subsumed Labour laws. Apart from these 29 labour laws and the other laws will remain as it is. Moreover, the principle that guide labour and service jurisprudence are different from ordinary civil laws. Hence, understanding of these laws is of paramount importance for any HR Manager not only for their day to day work but even for taking any strategic decision. Hence, my legal career has helped me to make right decisions as I transformed to a HR Manager.

3. What do you think are the biggest challenges ahead for the next generation of IR Leaders?
The medium of communication has become very vast owing to the social media and other resources at disposal. Hence, present and future generation of IR managers will not be able to keep things under the warps. Mostly the things have to be transparent and decision making has to be fast. Besides, the workmen have now become aspirational. From mere survival and security, a workman now looks for a decent life for himself and his family. Hence, the future IR Manager will have the challenge to manage this expectation.

4. What are some strategies that can help young IR professionals achieve the success they want in their careers?
IR is dynamic and therefore there cannot be any straight jacket formula or model for IR. What can be right at a relevant time may be wrong subsequently. The young IR professional should learn the art of investing on the emotional bank balance of the Trade Union leader with whom they have to deal on day-to-day basis. Besides, they need to learn as to how to educate the leaders and attune them to the objective of the company they work with. The leaders should feel the IR persons as their well-wisher and this will give the confidence to the leaders to repose faith in the IR person.

5. There is a strong criticism that “many HR professionals are Google made”. Do you agree with this?
To an extent yes. I have found many HR professionals obsessed with formats, fundamental data and presentations mostly downloaded from google rather than engaging with people. HR professional should engage more time on ground then only they can appreciate people issues. Copy paste models evolved from google serve no purpose. Policies and HR road map should be pragmatic and should be evolved through proper understanding of ground reality. Copy paste models and policies may have disastrous consequences for the establishment in the long run if not aligned to the ground reality in the organization.

6. Union leaders are stronger than current many IR professionals! Your comments…
I sometimes feel IR is like a T20 match where you need to hold your nerve while the match goes on. Any Long-Term wage negotiations or any negotiations with Union, the idea is not to win but to have a win-win situation for both parties. For arriving at such win-win situation the IR Manager need to have a nerve of steel and should know how to play the match depending upon the situation. However, unfortunately in the market we now have dearth of good IR professional as most of the HR professionals are inclined towards soft skills in HR. As a consequence, Union leaders who are smart enough take advantage of this situation and therefore they appear to be stronger than current many IR professional.

7. Indian Labour Laws have been considered archaic, bureaucratic and an impediment to industrial growth in India. How do you interpret this statement?
Yes, I agree with this statement. In India we have more than 60 Labour Laws and multiple registers and returns for these Laws some of which are also not sync with modern times. We have multiple definition of 'wage', workman etc in various laws. The complex compliance system has given rise to proliferation of Inspector Raj. These has created huge burden for industries.

8. New Labour Codes- Ease of Doing Business. Do you think this will come true in reality?
Labour is in concurrent list of our constitution. Hence, the labour laws are also administered by the State government. Few of the states are yet to frame the rules and for which the implementation of the codes are getting delayed. However, sooner or later the Codes will get implemented despite few misgivings. Though the codes have retained almost all the features of the 29 laws that it has subsumed but nevertheless it is a step-in right direction as it obviously has many features which will help the Industries for doing business with ease. Therefore, even the State which has hesitation in implementing these codes will have to come out with the rules and thereafter the Codes will get implemented. However, I would like to add a caveat. General election will be held in the year 2024. Hence, if the implementation of the codes further gets delayed the government may decide not to implement it during the election year as it has burnt its finger with the farm laws.

9. Name the top three labour Laws that all HR professionals must know?
It goes without saying all HR professional should be well versed with Industrial Disputes Act 1947. Beside this Law HR professional working in Factories should know the Factories Act and HR Professional working in Offices should know the Shop and Establishment Act of the State from which they operate. Another Act which I shall recommend which HR professional should know is the POSH Act. HR professional should know this act as HR professional need to sensitize people on this law. Beside these three laws there are other important laws which HR professional should know and cannot neglect are Minimum wages Act, Payment of Wages Act, Employment Standing Order Act, Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, Employees Provident Fund and Misc. Provision Act, Employee State Insurance Act, Employees Compensation Act and Bonus Act. These laws will get subsumed into the Codes. Hence, a HR professional should also know the codes which may become operational anytime.

10. The HR department should have labour law expert in the team. Do you agree with this?
It will be always better to have a labour law expert in the team. Many Industries are having such specialist officers in their team. It has been found that inadequate knowledge of labour laws may land up in huge ramification for the Company. There are many Companies who keep such expert and they proactively help the Companies to frame policies and guide them through various actions and thereby mitigating the risk of the Company. I myself in my last to last tenure with Tata Steel, was such an expert working with the HR team as their HR Legal Head.

11. What do HR professionals need to do to build a sustainable good IR culture?
To build such sustainable IR culture you need to follow what I call is the TT model. One T stands for Trust and the other T stands for Transparency. The organization need to emphasize on this model. More the trust and transparency the IR culture will be more sustainable. Beside this TT model, the Companies should also focus on the basic hygiene which sometimes get neglected. By basic hygiene I mean whether the canteen, rest rooms, urinals are of that standard in the organization which are being used by the Executives. Whether the food served in the canteen are good and comparable to the food that being served to the Executives. These small initiatives go a long way in generating good will for the Company.

12. Why is the permanent employment of workers decreasing significantly from year to year?
There are two prime reasons for which the permanent employment of workers is decreasing from year to year. One due to the mindset of most organizations. The organization feel keeping contract Labour gives them flexibility. However, in the ground this may not be even correct. For instance, in a highly unionized environment you may not even have the flexibility to take out even one Contract Labour out of your system. Further, the wage of these Contract Labour may be something more than the minimum wage or even higher sometimes from the wage of permanent employees when compared with other Industries. Despite such restrictions and higher wages that may prevail in the ground, it is only the mindset that Industries prefer to deploy workmen as Contract Labour. The other aspect which discouraged manufacturing industries from keeping permanent workman is the archaic provision of Lay off and retrenchment enshrined in chapter VB of the Industrial disputes Act. However, with the implementation of OSH Code things may change as there is a restriction of deploying Contract Labour in core activity of the organization.

Interviewed by
Dr. Kempegowda B.K.,
Senior HR Business Partner
GE Healthcare

Deepanjan Dey
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]]><![CDATA[AN INTERVIEW WITH APARNA DEVAGIRI, AUTHOR, PODCASTER, COACH, RESEARCHER : WOMEN AT WORK]]>Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:40:55 GMThttps://www.nirutapublications.org/leaders-talk-volume-1/an-interview-with-aparna-devagiri-author-podcaster-coach-researcher-women-at-work

Aparna is a professional with 30+ years experience in corporates and as an entrepreneur. She started her career in Bharat Electronics, then moved on to SKF Bearings, Encore Software, Strides and 3M India. She now runs her own consultancy, focused on supporting women professionals. Aparna is an author, leadership / executive coach, leads workshops and conducts research and projects to support women entrepreneurs.
Aparna can be reached at devagiriaparna@gmail.com.

1. What’s your story?
Growing up I had the opportunity to live in different cities and countries, and because of that I experienced many different cultures. I was born in Delhi, grew up in Madras (then), Germany, Bangalore, once again in Delhi and then once again in Bangalore. As a child, I thought that moving from one place to another was difficult and not so pleasant. I would make and lose friends, and have to build new relationships in every place we went to. But when I look back now, I realise the positive influence this exposure has had on my thinking and approach to life. After completing my degree (BA Hons in Geography from Miranda House), I came back to Bangalore and did my MSW here.

After that, I started working. For me, there was never a question about whether I would work, more about what I would do. One thing I am proud of, is that I have been able to give the right focus to my career and to my family through the years. After 26 years in the corporate world I started working on my own. Now I am an author, a leadership coach, and I run a podcast and work with women entrepreneurs to help them become successful. My belief is that if India has to grow as an economy at the rate the government is planning, it will not be possible if we do not actively involve the women, who makeup 50% of our population. So all my work is focused on bringing in and retaining women in the workforce and seeing what I can do to help them reach senior, decision making levels.

2. What are some of the factors that deter women from actively pursuing leadership roles?
Deter means to discourage, to create fear in doing something. And there are several hurdles and deterrents that women face, both personal/ social and systemic.

In terms of personal/ social hurdles, one thing that comes in the way of women being in leadership roles is the amount of time a leader is expected to be available for work. Not just travelling for work, but even the regular day is simply so long, especially in the Indian workplace. Apart from this, with emails and files being digitally accessible, the expectation is that a leader will respond regardless of time of the day. Now, this is hard even for men. But for many women, who are the primary caretakers at home apart from working, this becomes practically impossible to manage in the long term, unless the family is fully supportive and takes on some of the duties, or she is able to organise for support from service providers. We are not yet a society where workload at home is shared by both husband and wife, so this is a serious hurdle for women to overcome.

The second personal hurdle is the high expectations that women place on themselves. It is a well researched fact that women will apply for a role only when they are close to 100% sure that they can handle it. This is not true for men. A recent Linkedin research paper said that men will apply for a job even if they are 60% ready, but not women. They will look for a 100% fit. This is something that talent acquisition folks need to keep in mind while putting out ads for positions. Don't have too many "must have" conditions if you want women to apply. And women leaders need to work on jumping into opportunities and trusting themselves more.

A systemic issue is how we define leadership and leadership traits. Currently, a leader is supposed to be strong, assertive in taking decisions, execution oriented, strategic, tough, hold firm opinions, etc. These are all qualities that are admired in men. When a woman displays these qualities, she is said to be "aggressive", or "too ambitious". So for a woman leader, it is a tough balancing act. They are expected to be leaders by this definition, and also meet expectations of being "womanly", i,e, nurturing and considerate. The term for this problem is the double bind. Something most women leaders go through.

3. How do you encourage women not to give up?
If we want more women in the workplace, encouraging women is only half the story. We need to make major systemic changes as well.

Currently the workplace is designed in a way that it assumes that one person in the family will work, and there is someone else taking care of the home. We are still following a work pattern that was established at the time of the Industrial Revolution in Europe when men would go to work, and women would typically take care of the home. Even when women started working, they lived in extended families so there was someone at home to take care of the children.

This is not true any more, when women also work full time. If we want more women at work, we need to ensure that the workplace makes it easier for them to stay at work. Some steps that can be taken (for both women and men) are -

- Flexible working hours and place of work,
- Not judging men or women when they need to take time off to take care of family,
- Not penalising a women for going on maternity leave by lowering her rating or pay hike,
- Not insisting on the 9 to 5 model. With laptops and smartphones, one can work from anywhere!,
- Supporting managers to understand and align with the new workplace expectations.

It is important that all this is done regardless of gender, and men are given these benefits as well. Only then will women be truly supported.

There are many more, but I will stop here for now. Basically, we need to understand what the hurdles are, for both women and men, and work to remove them one by one.

4. What can men do to strengthen women's empowerment or a more diverse workplace?
There are many ways in which men can support diversity.

- The first would be to introspect and become more aware of their own biases and perceptions that could come in the way of a diverse workplace. All of us have biases, which come from our background, experiences, and the way we have been brought up. Holding a bias is a natural part of us. But in the professional space, we need to be alert to how our biases might be impacting our decisions about people and work.

- The second thing is to be vocal about stopping bias and inequity in the workplace. When the work was not so diverse, it was common to engage in certain types of jokes, work late, take work decisions on smoke breaks, and so on. In a more diverse workplace, such things would likely make others uncomfortable. In order to ensure that women are able to integrate into the workplace well, it is important for men to raise their voice when they see behaviours or actions that go against diversity. So, the next time a joke is made that a woman may not be comfortable about, or a decision is made in an informal event where the whole team is not present, speak up about it.

- For senior men (and women), they need to also become sponsors and mentors for women. Sponsorship is required for men as well. However, research has shown that men are better able to find sponsors and support for their careers than women. So please consciously support women towards growth and development.

5. What is your advice to young HR professionals?
My suggestion, coming from my own experience would be to have as many diverse experiences as possible in the initial years of our career. Work across sectors, across functions within HR. This will give you a wealth of knowledge and experiences that will make you a more mature professional. As part of this, I would say, don't specialise too early. The way HR is structured today, many young professionals get slotted into TA, Learning, HRBP and such roles early on, and find it difficult to get out of that template. Try to actively avoid this for the sake of your long term career.

The other suggestion would be to somehow work in a manufacturing set up at some point in your career, preferably when you have opportunities to closely interact with all levels of employees. This will provide rich and valuable exposure that will be solid gold later on.

6. How do you manage men's resistance?
With more and more women coming into the workplace, and companies having special drives to hire women, it is but natural that there will be resistance from men. But a lot of issues come from how these initiatives are being communicated by organisations. Here are some things that companies can do / should not do to reduce resistance from men.

- Never provide any special facilities only for one gender. When both husband and wife are at work, it is of tremendous help if the man is given support as well. So, if you are planning for work from home, flexi working, part time working or introducing a special leave policy, ensure that everyone is covered. Otherwise you end up only creating bad blood.

- Provide managers with development opportunities and insights into diversity and how it can impact the organisation. Managers are in an ideal position to influence behaviours of men to guide them to support diversity initiatives, so their involvement and leadership is essential.

- Review the company diversity initiatives at the seniormost levels, just like you would review business numbers. Make it a part of the performance metrics that matter. This will ensure it doesn't remain a 'women's issue' and is given the rightful importance.

7. How can women support other women in society?
This is a question that is often asked! Women support other women and men the same way that men do. When someone asks this question, there is an assumption that women do not support other women.

I don't think this is true. What happens is, because women are a minority in the workplace, their actions are more visible. So, a single case of a women leader not supporting another woman gets highlighted, and is projected as the norm. That women do not support other women. This is a classic case of unconscious bias, where assumptions about a group are made without data, and specifics of the individual are lost.

Take my own example. There are women who are my dearest friends, and there are women I simply do not get along with. Similarly with men. Some are very good friends, others I will avoid interacting with. It has nothing to do with whether they are women or men, It is simply their individual personalities not gelling with mine, and this can impact how I engage with them.

8. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
I have addressed this extensively in my book "The Professional Woman's Handbook". In fact, this advice applies to all professionals, regardless of gender.

Women leaders need to be clear about what their goal is in life, and therefore, what decisions they need to take in order to get to their goal. If a woman intends to be successful in her life, she needs to be focused on her goals, and not let circumstances push her in different directions. This only leads to guilt and unhappiness. Being clear about your goals and choices, and engaging your family and friends for support is the best way to get ahead.

DIfficulties and hurdles will come our way, but if the goal is clear, then these hurdles become mere diversions, and we are sure that we will get back to our path, even if it happens with more difficulty. It is just like driving on a highway. Sometimes there are deviations and we have to drive on a kachha road which is difficult and slower, but if we keep out destination in mind, then at the earliest point possible we head back to the highway.

Also, remember that you are not alone in this journey. So go ahead and ask for help. Share your challenges with others to find solutions to overcome them.

9. What is something you are proud of at work?
Something I have been able to do consistently throughout my career is to support the growth and success of the people in my teams. I have been known to be extremely execution focused, insisting on timely completion of tasks and promises being met. But I have always focused on challenging team members to build their skills, take risks and move on to bigger roles. This is a conscious action taken with every team that I have led.

The second achievement I am proud of is my book for women professionals called "The Professional Woman's Handbook - Navigating Choices for Success".

In my family, there are many writers. My mother wrote several books, as has my husband. My son has great writing skills too. My first few attempts at writing were supreme failures, and I had decided for a long time that I could never write. But suddenly, the idea for this book came to me, and I was able to work on it, writing from my own life experience and based on my passion. The book has done very well, and is now being used by several companies as content for their leadership development programmes.

10. Tell us more about the book...

The book, with a foreword by Anu Aga, ex Chair of Thermax, is designed to address a key challenge faced by women professionals. Women professionals (including me!) go through life taking decisions and making choices across different fronts - work, home, family, friends, children etc. Mostly, women professionals don't make informed choices. They end up reacting to what the world throws at them. And this leaves them with a sense of guilt and frustration. What if there were a space where the professional woman could take some time to reflect on what she really wants out of life, what choices she needs to make to get to that goal? And what if someone gave her some tools to make this happen?

This book does exactly that. The book is designed as a workbook and is filled with stories, personal experiences, and questions to aid self reflection. There are spaces in the book for the reader to pen down their thoughts. So the book becomes like a friend that you can speak to, get help from, in order to understand yourself and build your capabilities.

This is a book I wish I had throughout my career to guide me. A lot of personal experiences, challenges and learnings have been included here. It is easy to read and understand, and connects at an intellectual and emotional level.

The feedback so far has been extremely positive, way beyond what I imagined!

Interviewed by
Ramesha M.H.,
Author & Publisher - Niruta Publications
Founder Trustee - Nirathanka
Youth Facilitator & HR Professional

Aparna Devagiri
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