PRIME RNI NO. DELENG19762 | July-August 2023 | Rs. 300 Viswanath PS MD & CEO Randstad India, on the evolving hiring trends in the corporate world Prem Singh President, Group HR (Group CHRO), JK Organisation, and National President, National HRD Network ALSO DIMENSIONS OF DIVERSITY IN WORKPLACES How the corporate world has emerged as an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community
#CEOandCHROConclave Join Us at • CEO Perspectives: Top-Level Vision and Expectations from HR at the National Level • CEO Insights: Shaping the Future of HR • Role of HR in Nation Building • Strategic HR: Driving Organizational Excellence • HR Evolution in India: Contributing to National Growth • Role of HR in Talent Index Development • HR Capacity Building: Future-Ready HR Capabilities • HR and Organizational Agility: Navigating Disruptions • CEO Roundtable - Reflections and Closing Remarks Power of Human Capital HR's Role in National Development WITNESS CEOs & CHROs Envision REGISTER NOW AUGUST 24, 2023 For Registration Inquiries: Ashish Kumar | +91 97179 22747 | [email protected] For Speaking Opportunity: Reeti Gupta | +91 98996 10630 | [email protected] For Sponsorship: Talees Rizvi | +91 93106 34007 | [email protected] 3rd Edition In Association with
PRIME RNI NO. DELENG19762 | July - Aug 2023 | Rs. 300 LAL SINGH Chief General Manager, Human Resources, Union Bank of India MADHU BALA SHARMA Senior DEI Specialist – Communities leader APJCME, Amazon India PRALHAD JADHAV Associate Director (Library), Khaitan & Co PRIYANKA MOHANTY VP-HR Startek Company ANUPAMA SINGH VP-HR Concentrix Spotlight on SPECIAL ABILITIES OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PwD icons who create hope for other PwDs; organisations that create enabling infrastructure and inclusive culture for PwDs to shine
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF’S NOTE 4 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Afew initiatives that BW People has launched in the last few months showcase the triumph of human spirit in adverse circumstances. At the Disability Positive Summit & Awards that we organised, the panellists and specially-abled award winners were clear that disability is just one part of them and that it does not define them. These winners have proven this with their own life example and are giving direction to Human Resources as part of the organisations they are working in. Thanks to supportive parents who did not let the disability come in the way of quality education, they have made the best of the circumstances in life. Taking charge of their continuous skilling career progression, they have inspired their peers too. One winner, in fact, ensures that he spends at least Rs one lakh on his upskilling, is pursuing a PhD and has risen up the ranks steadily. Another dimension of diversity that is highlighted in this issue is inclusion of LGBTQIA+ community in workplaces. The month of June was celebrated as Pride month and BW People had organised a series of dialogues with HR honchos, D&I in-charges and champions of LGBTQIA+ community rights. Diversity and Inclusion in-charges in corporates underscored the importance of creating safe places to work, which can happen through not just policy framework but instilling of right values at all levels of employees and through frequent sensitisation workshops. Rights activists pointed to the changes that have come about in Indian workplaces, as many of the corporates are multinationals and adhere to the policies of their parent organisation and the rub-off effect on other corporates is also visible. From a filmmaker in this space who organises a yearly film festival on the theme, we hear the positive news of people from all walks coming to watch the movies on Pride theme and a change in the outlook in the society. In this issue, we also bring to you, insightful interview of Prem Singh, President, Group HR (Group CHRO), JK Organisation, who has taken over as the President of National HRD Network and Viswanath PS, MD and CEO, Randstad India, who talks about the extent to which AI will impact the world of work. Happy Reading ANNURAG BATRA [email protected] RICH TAPESTRY OF WORKPLACE DIVERSITY UNRAVELLED
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#BWSocialImpact JURY MEMBERS CO JURY CHAIR KRIS GOPALAKRISHNAN Chairman - Axilor Ventures & Trustee Pratiksha Trust DR. KIRAN KARNIK Former President, NASSCOM MATHEW CHERIAN Chairperson, CARE India NATASHA PATEL CEO India Sanitation Coalition SHALINI BHARAT Director / Vice-Chancellor Tata Institute of Social Sciences NOOR FATHIMA WARSIA Group Editorial Director BW Businessworld DR. ANNURAG BATRA Chairman & Editor-in-Chief BW Businessworld & Founder, exchange4media Group DR. BHASKAR CHATTERJEE CEO, Anil Agarwal Foundation (Vedanta Group) DR. HUZAIFA KHORAKIWALA Trustee & CEO Wockhardt Foundation ANU AGA Former Chairperson Thermax Limited and Teach For India DR. RANJANA KUMARI Director Centre for Social Research New Delhi PADMASHREE DR. NIRU KUMAR Founder & CEO, Ask Insights POWERED BY KNOWLEDGE PARTNER EVENT PARTNERS EVENT PARTNERS Devika Kundu Sengupta +91 98716 54991 | [email protected] Neeraj Verma +91 80768 25854 | [email protected] Powered by 2ND EDITION Scan to nominate NOMINATE NOW SEPTEMBER, 2023 JURY DATE : JULY 22 LAST DATE TO NOMINATE: JULY 20
CONTENTS VOLUME 01, ISSUE 12 JULY-AUG 2023 INTERVIEW/ COLUMN VIEWS ON D&I WINNER INTERVIEWS VISWANATH PS MD and CEO, Randstad India, provides a comprehensive insight into the job market trends in India today DAVE ULRICH Rensis Likert Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, describes the G3HC (Governance and Guidance for Growth Through Human Capability) DEEPTI VARMA VP, People Experience Technology, Amazon India, Japan, and Emerging Markets, on the importance of language in creating inclusive organisations DISABILITY POSITIVE SUMMIT & AWARDS BW PEOPLE PUBLICATION AND ASK INSIGHTS ORGANISE A FORUM WITH AN AIM TO DISCUSS AND PROMOTE AWARENESS ON INCLUDING SPECIALLYABLED PEOPLE INTO THE WORKFORCE 32 LAL SINGH Chief General Manager, Human Resources, Union Bank of India MADHU BALA SHARMA Senior DEI Specialist – Communities leader APJCME, Amazon India PRALHAD JADHAV Associate Director (Library), Khaitan & Co PRIYANKA MOHANTY Vice President – HR and Global Head – Talent Management, Startek ANUPAMA SINGH Vice President - Human Resources, Concentrix 20 28 24 68 44 42 46 48 50 SHEFALI KOHLI Group Head – Strategic Rewards and People Processes at Godrej Industries and Associated Companies, sheds light on some inclusion measures at her organisation
56 58 60 66 64 62 Covers’ design: Shivaji Sengupta TOTAL NO. OF PAGES: INCLUDING COVER 92 LABOUR SPECIAL A PEAK INTO THE ADVANCES MADE TOWARDS INCLUSION OF PERSONS OF THE PRIDE COMMUNITY, AND THE SHORTCOMINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED 54 86 89 ANUPAMA SINGH Vice President - Human Resources, Concentrix LGBTQIA+ SPECIAL Discussions on a gamut of issues pertaining to employer-employee relationship 74 ALSO: Managing poor performance and distinguishing it from misconduct 82 SPECIAL STORY Golden Handshake: A Compassionate Departure For Laid-off Employees LAST WORD PREM SINGH President, Group HR (Group CHRO), JK Organisation, and National President, National HRD Network PRACHI RASTOGI Diversity and Inclusion Leader APAC, IBM, explains the need of opening up avenues for LGBTQIA+ professionals in our respective workplace JAYA SINGH PANDA Chief Learning & Development and Chief Diversity Officer, Tata Steel, talks about the need for sensitisation towards diverse workforce at workplaces SRIDHAR RANGAYAN Festival Director, Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, talks about the evolution of LGBTQIA+ movies and the change in attitude among the corporates ANJALI GOPALAN Founder and Executive Director, Naz Foundation (India) Trust, discusses the progress made in the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ community VIVEK SOOD Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India, says that Indian society needs to evolve before addressing the question of the recognition of same-sex marriages RITUSHREE PANIGRAHI Co-founder and DE&I Practice Lead, The Outcast Collective, talks about her experience of coming out to family and friends
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 IN ASSOCIATION WITH Watch our captivating video series, BW People HR Voices, where industry experts share their insights, experiences and best practices across a wide range of HR topics. Get insipired and learn from the best in the field. Watch & Learn from Human Resource Leaders 1. Prof. TV Rao, Chairman - TVRLS, Founder President - NHRDN; 2. Manu Wadhwa, CHRO, Sony Pictures; 3. Prem Singh, President Group-HR, JK Organisation; 4. Dwarkanath, Former Chairman, CSK Consumer Healthcare Ltd.; 5. Amit Malik, President, South Asia & Pacific, WadzPay Worldwide; 6. Rajendra Mehta, Global CHRO, Suzlon Group; 7. Vikram Bector, President & Group CHRO, Piramal Group; 8. Dr. C. Jayakumar, Executive Vice President & Head Corporate Human Resources, Larsen & Toubro; 9. Madhu Srivastava, CHRO, Sony Pictures Network; 10. Piyush mehta, CHRO, Genpact; 11. Simin Askari, Senior Vice President Human Resources & Business Excellence, DS Group; 12. Yuvaraj Srivastava, Group CHRO, MakeMyTrip; 13. Paul Dupuis, Chairman & CEO, Randstand Japan; 14. Manmeet Sandhu, Head of HR, PhonePe; 15. Emmanuel David, MD Grid International India, Board Member Aster DM Healthcare, Retd Director, Tata Management Training Centre. FOR PARTNERSHIP: Talees Rizvi | +91 93106 34007 | [email protected] FOR SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES: Reeti Gupta | +91 98996 10630 | [email protected] Ashish Kumar | +91 97179 22747 | [email protected] FOR EDITORIAL: Savi Khanna | +91 96542 09086 | [email protected] Krishnendra Joshi | +91 9039044648 | [email protected] Sugandh Bahl | +91 99997 15607 | [email protected] Scan to Watch
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 FOR SPONSORSHIP: Talees Rizvi | +91 93106 34007 [email protected] FOR SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES: Reeti Gupta | +91 99841 33666 [email protected] Ashish Kumar | +91 97179 22747 [email protected] FOR EDITORIAL: Savi Khanna | +91 96542 09086 [email protected] Krishnendra Joshi | +91 9039044648 [email protected] Sugandh Bahl | +91 99997 15607 [email protected] 1. Prof. TV Rao, Chairman - TVRLS, Founder President - NHRDN; 2. Manu Wadhwa; 3. Prem singh, President Group-HR, JK Organisation; 4. Dwarkanath, Former Chairman, CSK Consumer Healthcare Ltd.; 5. Amit Malik, President, South Asia & Pacific, WadzPay Worldwide; 6. Rajendra Mehta, Global CHRO, Suzlon Group; 7. Vikram Bector, President & Group CHRO, Piramal Group; 8. Dr. C. Jayakumar, Executive Vice President & Head Corporate Human Resources, Larsen & Toubro; 9. Madhu Srivastava, CHRO, Sony Pictures Network; 10. Piyush mehta, CHRO, Genpact; 11. Simin Askari, Senior Vice President Human Resources & Business Excellence, DS Group; 12. Yuvraj Singh, Group CHRO, MakeMyTrip; 13. Paul Dupuis, Chairman & CEO, Randstand Japan; 14. Manmeet Sandhu, Head of HR, PhonePe; 15. Emmanuel David, MD Grid International India, Board Member Aster DM Healthcare, Retd Director Tata Management Training Centre IN ASSOCIATION WITH The Video Series Watch our captivating video series, BW People HR Voices, where industry experts share their insights, experiences, and best practices on a wide range of HR topics. Be inspired and learn from the best in the field. Watch & Learn from Human Resource Leaders
JOTTINGS 12 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM White-collar hiring in India continued to consolidate in June 2023, according to the Naukri Job Speak Index. This is a 3 per cent decline compared to June 2022 and 2 percent decline compared to May 2023. While the number of white-collar jobs in the tech sector and metros declined, the number of jobs in the real estate and energy sectors, especially in non-metros, mitigated this decline to yield an overall flat job market. The oil & gas sector continued its bull run with 40 per cent growth in new jobs compared to June last year. This is in line with the rapid refinery expansion and supporting roles to meet the increased domestic and export demand. The real estate sector continued its bull run with 17 per cent growth in new jobs creation compared to June last year. Riding the infrastructure development and commercial real estate boom, Mumbai and Chennai surfaced as the key employment hubs for roles like property appraisers, construction project managers and real estate consultants. White-collar Hiring Remains Steady In June 2023: REPORT Similarly, the pharma sector surged with a 14 per cent growth in new jobs compared to June last year. Propelled by sustained R&D investments in drug development, the cities of Ahmedabad, Chennai and Pune emerged as preferred destinations for hiring biotechnologists, clinical research analysts, and quality assurance specialists. Automobile, hospitality and banking were some of the other sectors witnessing positive hiring sentiments, with 12 per cent, 11 per cent, and 11 per cent growth respectively in the new jobs created compared to June last year. The IT industry hiring continued to remain an area of concern, with a 31 per cent decline in new jobs created compared to June last year. The decline in hiring was prominent across all types of IT companies, including global tech giants, large IT services companies, tech-focused startups, and unicorns. Hiring dipped across all Metros and Non-Metros, with IT-dependent metro cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune being hardest hit.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 13 A strict warning has been issued to TCS employees by the management. The management has made it pretty clear to attend to the 12-day working roster in a month, which means three days a week. As of now TCS hasn’t specified the actions which can be taken but has sent across a threatening memo in the case of employees failing to come to office for the required number of days. In past two years there have been many new joinees at TCS; hence, the management feels it important for the employees to better know the place and deliver good results. TCS believes that working from office helps meet the objective and the company expects people to work from office for at least a few days. Hence, it is ensuring that the employees follow the rules. The ILO’s latest estimates project that the global unemployment rate will fall by 0.1 percentage points in 2023. This implies a decline in the total number of globally unemployed people of 1 million, which is due to greater-than-anticipated labour market resilience in high-income countries in the face of the economic slowdown. There are signs that further interest rate hikes in high-income countries will be limited as central bankers start to prioritise concerns about the health of the economy. Interest rates in many low- and middle-income countries are expected to remain stable or decline. Nevertheless, the risk of the global economy entering a recession remains sizeable, creating a major downside risk for global labour markets. As per a report published by ‘The Information’, Meta has taken the stringent route and is going to adopt a three-day in-person office work model for employees from September onwards. However, the mandate excludes employees working on a remote working basis as per the terms of their arrangement with the tech giant. Back in March, there were media reports suggesting that Mark Zuckerberg was in favour of in-person work over remote working as he was of the view that working from office is better in terms of employee productivity and collaboration. The development comes at a time when Meta is dealing with a high degree of employee morale crisis on the back of the recently implemented phase of layoffs. 12-Days-A-Month Work From Office At TCS Global Unemployment Rate To Fall By 0.1 Percentage Points In 2023 Meta Mandates In-office Work For Employees From September
JOTTINGS 14 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Days after reports suggested that Meta is asking its employees to come to the office for three days a week, another tech giant Google reportedly wants its employees to switch to a hybrid mode of working. Those who fail to adhere to a 3-day work policy while living near a Google office will be sent reminders to come to the office. Media reports say that Google will track physical attendance through office badges and managers may factor in the onsite attendance matrix as part of performance reviews. Future Generali India Insurance Company Limited (FGII), has launched a campaign that puts a spotlight on providing the LGBTQIA+ members in a live-in relationship an equal opportunity to secure their health insurance needs. Staying true to its ‘Inclusion’ agenda and intent of being an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community, the insurer has expanded its definition of ‘family’ across all its retail health insurance offerings, to include LGBTQIA+ community and live-in partners. The first-of-its-kind brand campaign, represented by two real-life, same-sex couples, demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to Diversity Equity & Inclusion, both as an employer and as an insurer. The campaign runs across the central theme of redefining the term ‘family’ to include live-in partners, including same sex partners. The campaign is launched on digital and on Out Of Home (OOH) platforms in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, Goa and Bangalore and will be live for 3 weeks starting January 01, 2024. Google Asks Employees To Adopt A Hybrid Work Schedule Future Generali’s Outdoor Campaign Advocates Equal Rights For LGBTQIA+ Community Just like how Meta’s founder Mark Zuckerberg had said that physical attendance in the office enhances productivity, Google, in an internal email to its employees has reportedly said that there is no substitute for working together. It seems like leading companies around the world are moving to a three-day work week and choosing to make remote working an exception to the norm.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 15 Starbucks has denied reports stating that the coffee chain has banned Pride displays across its US stores. Trade unions have said that Starbucks is trying to suppress worker activism citing pressure from conservative groups reports say. It is pertinent to note that while pride displays are a common sight in US cities during the pride month of June, a number of conservative groups also spring into action to boycott such movements. From equal employment opportunities to comprehensive health coverage for same-sex and transgender partners, Starbucks has been an LGBTQIA-pro company from a policy and cultural point of view. But recent controversies, including the current one, have given fodder for trade and employee unions to join hands in agitation against the company. It remains to be seen how the controversy will impact Starbucks’ image. Starbucks Denies Claims Of Suppressing Worker Activism By Banning Pride Displays ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has revealed strong demand for the recruitment of finance or accounting professionals among Indian employers. A total of 96 per cent of Indian companies surveyed by ACCA have stated their plan to hire finance or accounting staff in 2024. The interest to hire professional accountants is well above the global average of 83 per cent, demonstrating the substantial growth potential of India’s job market, particularly in the finance domain. This survey was conducted by ACCA among Indian employers hailing from a wide range of sectors, of whom 63 per cent are finance professionals, 20 per cent are human resources (HR) professionals and 14 per cent work in learning and development (L&D). The survey also revealed that a substantial 80 per cent of Indian employers reported difficulties in recruiting skilled financial professionals. About 80 per cent of the employers also said that they plan to further train and upskill their existing employees working in finance, to keep up with the evolving field. 96% of Indian Employers Plan To Recruit Finance Professionals In 2024: Survey
16 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM K Krithivasan Takes Over As TCS CEO TCS is set to witness a new leadership era, with Rajesh Gopinathan stepping down and K Krithivasan taking charge as the new CEO and MD. K Krithivasan’s appointment was announced by the company earlier in April 2023. He has been an integral part of the TCS family since 1989, working in its global technology sector for over 34 years. He is known to have adorned many hats at TCS, from customer relationship management to large programme management, and sales at the IT firm. Krithivasan’s appointment as CEO is for five years till February 2027. Government Appoints Ashwani Kumar As MD, UCO Bank The family of UCO Bank congratulates Shri Ashwani Kumar to be assigned as the MD & CEO”, reads UCO Bank’s Twitter post. “Kumar is known to have served various offices of five Public Sector Banks viz. BOB, Corporation Bank, OBC, PNB and Indian Bank and has a rich banking experience of more than two decades. “He is known to hold experience in the Wholesale Banking division, as Head of several Branches (including Industrial Finance Branches and LCBs), as Head of Mid Corporate and Large Corporate verticals, and as a CFO. We look forward to working under his sheer guidance,” the post goes on to say. APPOINTMENTS Pooja Duggal Joins Zee Media As Head HR Pooja Duggal has joined Zee Media Corporation Limited as Head of Human Resources for ZMCL and its subsidiaries, based out of Noida office. Duggal has over 16 years of varied industry experience revolving around designing and execution of people strategy and solution to help business realise its overall objectives. Her last assignment was with HT Digital streams as Head - HR for the digital business. Prior to her tenure at HT Media, Duggal was the HR Head of Raychem RPG Pvt. Ltd. for almost five years. She has also worked at Jindal Steel in the past, where she held the position of Senior Manager, Global HR. Rahul Pinjarkar Appointed As Tata Chemicals’ CHRO Rahul Pinjarkar has 24 years of professional experience in industries varied in their endeavours, temperaments, approach and policies. As an HR leader, he is known for facilitating a culture of meritocracy and improving HR functional delivery. Pinjarkar has also tasted success in fostering healthy industrial & employee relations and managing the change process. His expertise lies in creating a competitive advantage through people and further transforming a company to become an employer of choice.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 17 Aditya Sareen Elevated As Head HR - Corporate & Intl At Tata Power Aditya Sareen has been elevated to the role of Head HRCorporate & Intl at Tata Power. In his career spanning 2.5 decades, he has worked for reputed organisations like Tata Power, Reliance Industries, GMR Group, Standard Chartered Bank, Landmark Group - UAE & NIS Sparta, across diverse sectors including power, airports & aviation, retail, hospitality, banking, telecom, consulting, advertising & media. A ‘Human Relations Manager’ first & always, Sareen is a dynamic professional with immense experience in learning & development, capability building, leadership development, talent management, organisation development, performance management, employee engagement, change management, culture building, campus relations, cadre recruitment & development, HR strategy, policies & processes, talent acquisition, organisation effectiveness, diversity & inclusion and rewards & recognition. Raja Radhakrishnan Joins Ashok Leyland As President and Head - HR I n his previous role, Raja Radhakrishnan was the Country Human Resources Director for Hitachi Energy India Limited. He has over 22 years of experience in leading HR initiatives at the country, regional and global levels. With a solid track record of creating a performance-oriented culture, Radhakrishnan has built, led and supported teams to drive business transformation across different geographies. He has led more than 50 leadership development workshops in 20 countries. Nandini Bhalla Elevated As Global Talent Acquisition Manager At L’Oréal L’Oréal’s Nandini Bhalla has been elevated to the position of global talent acquisition manager at the beauty tech company. At L’Oréal, she is working towards establishing the brand as a preferred employer of choice for the candidates and partnering with the business divisions in scouting for the best talent across diverse businesses of the company. Prior to joining L’Oreal, Bhalla worked as an HR manager at Mahindra group with a focus on talent development and campus engagement. During her career, she has also worked for ICICI Bank. She looked after sales officer recruitment and training for the bank, including career acceleration programmes for young managers and was part of the performance appraisal team. Rahul Baunthiyal Moves To Hinduja Group As New VP-HR Rahul Baunthiyal has been a p p o i n t e d as new Vice President HR of Hinduja Group and will be responsible for strategic HR projects and initiatives for the Hinduja Group. Prior to joining Hinduja Group, Baunthiyal has also worked with organisations like EY as Director – People Advisory Services; in TCS, as a compensation benefits specialist; and in ICICI Bank, as HR business partner, to name a few.
18 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM DATA POINT By Sugandh Bahl › The Work Trend Index 2023 has three key findings - employee engagement matters to the bottomline; clear communication unlocks employee engagement and for sustained engagement, there is a need for feedback mechanism I It is noted that AI is radically changing the way people are working and while there’s some fear in the system, Microsoft Work Index’s 2023 data really shows that for many, the change is not really happening fast enough. AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing and robotics have the potential to automate repetitive tasks, augment human capabilities and streamline processes in office environments. The findings from the Work Trend Index of the India report presented by Bhaskar Basu, Country Head – Modern Work, Microsoft India, provides insight as to how employees and leaders in India are thinking and experiencing work in this age of AI. So the future of work is here and now. Some key findings of the report are: Employee engagement matters to the bottomline: The report says that organisations that doubled down on employee engagement in times of economic uncertainty performed twice as well financially as compared to organisations that deprioritised it. Clear communication unlocks employee engagement: Employees at highly engaged organisations are 46 per cent more likely to see their organisations as strong communicators and 37 How Is AI Impacting Workplaces And Employee Morale per cent more likely to express confidence in leadership. Feedback mechanism needed to sustain engagement: Employees at highly engaged organisations are 40 per cent more likely to have confidence that their feedback will lead to action. At the launch session, some key issues pertaining
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 19 to AI’s impact on workplace productivity and on human resources were discussed. Is AI shaping future of workplaces? AI has existed for 70 years and is believed to have gone through phases of evolution and development. “Beginning with typewriters in the offices, to computers, the invention of the phone and data in the cloud, AI is just one more step on the journey,” said Richard Lobo, Executive Vice President and Head – Human Resources, Infosys. He added that one should not view it as something which is separate from a part of the evolution. Merlyn Mathew, Head - Delivery Excellence & Talent Management, Persistent Systems, was of the belief that there is going to be a fundamental change in the way people work and access information, but it can only happen with the fusion of technology and human capability. “It is believed that in times to come, AI will be a multiplier of human capability. This will help us unleash a lot more productivity, creativity and bring new skills to work. Though there will be job losses, but some tasks will be automated and some will be assisted by freeing up people to do exactly what they like to do,” he shared. We should be open to ideas, because as people experiment and also since AI is at a stage of experimentation, none of us really know where it will go and how it will evolve. This will bring about a big change in the way we interact with each other at workplace. There will definitely be a transformation of HR processes which will enhance the way employees experience the workplace, which in turn should boost creativity. “AI is another inflection point in the tech journey and people are the single most important factor in using AI. Fundamentally we should be open to experimentation and not just viewing AI as substitution for human work,” stressed Basu. Can AI become force of empowerment and experience for employees’ burnout? While AI intervention can contribute to burnout in certain cases, it can also be harnessed to support employees and create a more balanced work environment. But Lobo on the other hand felt that employee burnout is not really related to technology. He explained that this is a problem of how we work and what are our weaknesses; what are our uncertainties and what impacts us. AI will definitely help, provided it’s using human intelligence. Therefore it is apt to believe that AI has to work with the human to make the work world better. But without that also, leaders definitely need to address this issue of the impact of increased pressure, the increased domination of technology. Mathew was of the similar view, “When we think of the workplace, we have to think of humans first, as this is a time for us to relook at what is creative.” Burnout is about a people-first approach, not a tech first approach. And employee experience is the ultimate key, where technological intervention can only be an enabler. The road ahead It is important to have a foundation in terms of responsible AI. It is important to train our modules and usage around removing bias. AI can never be a standalone entity but AI as a copilot having the human in the loop is very important and at Microsoft, there is a very important fundamental in their AI design. They believe humans need to be in charge as the pilot, as the navigator of the journey of the strategy of the expression of the work and AI can be a very responsible ally if of course expressed well through responsible AI practices. Today it is more important than ever to drive human experience, to connect with employees, to energise them, to address burnout by empowering them to flourish in a people first environment and really using tech as a supplement to the people first approach.
20 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUS T 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM “MORE JOBS BEING CREATED WITH AI” INTERVIEW By Meha Mathur Viswanath PS, MD and CEO, Randstad India, provides a comprehensive insight into the job market trends in India today, the impact of AI on job market and what skills are critical for individuals’ and organisations’ success
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUS T 2023 21 AI is going to be more of an enabler but it would never be in a position to replace human intelligence; so, what would change is some jobs getting redundant What are the broad job market trends post Covid? And also, what is it that the employers are seeking at this point of time? What we see today is a churn in the market. There was a phase after Covid when people were holding on to their jobs. Then, in 2022 we saw huge attrition. We saw people jumping jobs at astronomical salaries – 70-80 per cent increases. In some cases, it was as high as doubling it. Lately, there is a little bit of settling down. People are still keen to change jobs, but are ready to wait for that right opportunity. We are expecting a churn of around 22 per cent over the next few years. And this churn is mainly due to emerging roles coming from artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and data segments. So, the traditional jobs are depleting and more AI and ML related jobs are coming up. Employers are actually looking for people with expertise in these areas. There is a demand for around 40,000 cloud computing engineers. Cyber security is, again, another segment where there is a lot of demand. So, the emphasis is on technical skills. There are certain sectors like banking, automobiles, real estate where the investor confidence is high, leading to exponential business growth. And this also means that there is a demand for talent in these segments. Employers are also looking at things like problem solving, teamwork, adaptability and high emotional intelligence. They also recognise the need for Diversity and Inclusion. A majority of the population in the country is under 30. These are people with two to three-year experience, looking for a better trajectory in their careers. There is also a need for this talent to be future ready because there will be a lot more automation. I think upskilling and reskilling is becoming a norm. Artificial intelligence, while creating opportuVISWANATH PS MD and CEO Randstad India
22 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUS T 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM nities, is also an area of concern. There is the fear of job losses on account of AI. What is your take on that? I spent about three decades in the industry. Around 1998 there was the fear of the Y2K bug. And there was a lot of concern about technology replacing human beings, especially in manufacturing. And we have seen different revolutions happening over the last two decades. This topic is always being discussed. But what we have seen in reality is more jobs being created. So, even if it is artificial intelligence, you need human beings to design that intelligence. I am a firm believer that AI is going to be more of an enabler but it would never be in a position to replace human intelligence. So, what would change is some jobs getting redundant. With Covid hopefully behind us, what are the lessons that organisa- tions need to remember in terms of recruiting and retaining talent? Do you think that certain Covidtime practices will remain with us? Covid has brought about a lot of changes. I think the workforce of the future is not excited with autocratic leadership. I think it’s all about being more humble, showing empathy and compassion and being able to create a purpose driven organisation. What attracts candidates is the job challenge, meaningful work and being valued at work. And they are also looking for companies which embrace sustainability. So, for example, in our organisation, we drive a triple bottom line approach called ‘people, profit, planet’. So, we put people first in everything that we do. Through profits, we need to sustain and grow and reinvest in our people. And the last element – planet, is about taking steps for making this world a better place for our future generations. And the younger workforce has a lot of affinity with companies which encourage sustainability. The second thing is flexibility. We have seen a lot of discussions in recent times about coming back to the office. Now, the office is no longer a place where you work. It needs to be something very different and meaningful for people, because it takes time to commute. An office needs to be a place of collaboration, celebration, fun and also bonding. And as long as productivity is maintained or even improved, I think work can be done from everywhere, anywhere. There is also this crossborder network. This has really brought the world closer. It benefits clients because, now, you don’t need to travel on an H-1B to the US and do the work from there. You can actually do it from wherever you are. Companies are also embracing inclusion, getting more women in the workforce, getting people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ community. This helps in terms of thinking inclusively and making policies that creates a welcoming workplace and everybody feels that this place is something which we belong to. I would also like to emphasise the culture of the company. And the culture of the company is shaped by the people. When we get new people, most often hiring managers look at, It is all about being more humble, showing empathy & compassion and being able t o c r e a t e a purpose driven organisation; what attracts candidates is the job challenge, meaningful work and being valued at work INTERVIEW
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUS T 2023 23 does this person fit into our culture? But I would say sometimes, if somebody can offer a good cultural addition, rather than just being a culture fit, it also helps us to reinvent ourselves and get even better. In an organisation, how can the upskilling needs of Millennials and Gen Zs on the one hand and people in their 40s and 50s be catered to, especially in the case of skills that older employees find difficult to learn? I believe that learning needs to be a constant journey, irrespective of whatever age you are. It’s about mindset. I think everybody has the same ability or equal ability to learn and upskill themselves. So, first of all, they have to make it a personal commitment that I want to learn and unlearn some things and learn new things. And if that mindset is there, I think, the ability to upskill becomes that much easier. But if people do not take that leap of faith, they are going to fall behind. At the same time, I think the way people learn when they are young and the way people learn when they are in their 40s and 50s would be different. So, it has to be hyper personalisation when it comes to learning and development initiatives. Some of them would like to do self-learning. Some of them would need faculty-led learning. And I think most organisations today realise that coaching is also important. And it is important that people invest in coaching and look for somebody who can give them career advice and guidance about life skills. Which are those skills that you would lay emphasis on for beginners, as well as for middle level employees and senior employees? Competency building is becoming very important. Most organisations have this dilemma. One is about delighting people; the second is about performing today; and then the third aspect is being future ready. How do you delight your people through your leadership competency? How do you motivate people? How do you communicate effectively and how do you manage your emotions? When it comes to performing today, it’s a little bit about managing the financials, about your KPIs and your targets. It’s also about what are the metrics that matter? Focus on what is important for that situation, rather than getting overwhelmed with all the different metrics. And future readiness is about being curious, being passionate. Somebody asked me what the world would look like in 2050 and what’s going to change? It can be very overwhelming, because you do not know what is going to happen in the next one week. But instead of asking this question about what is going to change, ask this question, what is going to not change. And by 2050 what is not going to change is that the clients will still be demanding and they will expect the lowest cost and fastest turnaround time. So, focus on that, rather than being worried about what is going to change. How does Randstad In- dia position itself in the country in comparison to its competition? Randstad is a global company. We operate in 39 countries and India has been a powerhouse for us. We have been here for 30 years. We understand the labour market very well. We are pioneers in terms of working with the government where labour reforms are required. And our vision globally is to be the most equitable and specialised talent company in the world. And what equitable means is that it is a place where everybody is treated with respect and dignity and we also ensure that they get paid fairly for the work they do. And the way we differentiate ourselves is in terms of how we add value to our clients with a human forward approach. While technology creates a lot of efficiencies, we also use the human touch, because we are in the people business. So, when you are talking to people, you have to be able to relate to them and be able to understand their emotions and also be able to manage them better. We believe in being narrow and deep, not generalist, but specialist. We are very deeply specialised in certain verticals. And with our position and with our knowledge that we have as thought leaders in the industry, we are able to provide the best possible customer experience. We also want to help our talent bring in their best possible version. So, towards that, we help them with thought leadership and the skills that are required in the industry, in the domain and in the job, so that they can be a perfect match to our clients’ requirements. 37%/240
24 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM COLUMN By Dave Ulrich › Governance and Guidance for Growth Through Human Capability (G3HC) Like many others, we have spent our career seeking to discover how to create value for all organisation stakeholders inside (employee fulfilment and strategic realisation) and outside (customer share, investor confidence, and community reputation) through people and organisation practices. This illusive, but relevant, aspiration has inspired ideas, research, and experiments. We are closer to this holy grail (or pot of gold at the end of the rainbow) today because of progress on three efforts: outcomes, frameworks, and research. Outcomes that matter Because of technology, political, demographic, and social contextual changes, about 80 percent of firms’ market value today comes from intangibles (up from 20 percent in the last twenty years)—intangibles representing the ability to adapt to these changes. Further, access to funding, strategic declarations, and digital innovations are less differentiating than the ability to manage people and organisation. As a result of these contextual changes and competitive deHR’s Disclosable Impact On Value Creation Dave Ulrich mands, HR (broadly defined) is less about HR and more about the outcomes of doing HR work. For example, good people and organisation work is less about the number of days of training, CEO to employee pay ratio, time to hire, workforce policies, or other initiatives and more about the impact on customers, investors, and communities. Simply stated, if an organisation does not succeed in the marketplace, it has no workplace. This focus on outcomes more than activities makes people and organisation investments more relevant, and even material, to investors, boards, and senior executives. The recent US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirement to disclose human capital in regulatory reports signifies the increasing interest in people and organisation. With little direction about what should be disclosed, about 7,000 US firms reported a host of initiatives and metrics in 2021. Framework for progress Because of increased attention on people and organisation issues, a profusion of ideas and actions—many of which do not focus on outcomes—have shallow or non-existent roots in previous work, lack research evidence to support them, and end up as shiny objects and fads. To counter this quick-fix mentality, we have been actively engaged in the last few years in three relevant and large research projects: 1. HR Competency & Capability Study, concluding the eighth round of data in 2021with 28,500 respondents (over 120,000 people surveyed over the life of the study). 2. Organization Guidance System with over 1,000 companies. 3. Governance and Guidance for Growth through Human Capability (G3HC, with 7,000 companies). From this research and our experiences, we propose a simple but integrated framework for the HR field: Human Capability (talent + leadership + organisation + HR department). • Human refers to talent (human capital, employee, workforce, people, competence). • Capability refers to organization (team, workforce, capability). • Leadership bridges the two. • HR function refers the HR department, practices, and people that deliver value.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 25 This Human Capability framework clarifies and evolves the HR profession (see figure 1 for evolution of field). Investors, boards, and business leaders can explore each of the four Human Capability pathways and link them to stakeholder outcomes. HR professionals, as architects, can diagnose performance in each pathway and offer blueprints for progress. Innumerable innovations proliferate in each of these four pathways (see figure 2 for 37 initiatives across the four pathways). Having a way to integrate these innovate initiatives allows organisations to progress in ways that build on each other rather than having isolated and often repackaged initiatives. These four pathways are like the four Figure 1: Evolution of HR Field to Human Capability • Terms and conditions of the work • Operational Excellence • Terms and conditions of the work • Operational Excellence • Design and deliver HR practices • Functional Excellence • Align HR practices with business strategy • Deliver individual competence (Talent) • Align HR practices with business strategy • Deliver individual competence (Talent) • Design and deliver HR practices • Functional Excellence • Design and deliver HR practices • Functional Excellence • Terms and conditions of the work • Operational Excellence • Terms and conditions of the work • Operational Excellence • Create marketplace value (outside-in) • Deliver organisation and leadership PERSONNEL HUMAN RESOURCES HUMAN CAPITAL HUMAN CAPABILITY food groups that lead to many diets, the GAAP principles that shape financial decisions, or the big five personality traits that offer numerous personality assessments, etc. We are encouraged by this “framing” of HR that may become a foundation for the field. In any business discussion related to people and organisation, these four pathways may be the basis for dialogue and investments. HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) 1. Establishing HR reputation 2. Serving HR customer 3. Determining HR purpose 4. Governing HR design 5. Growing human capability 6. Using HR analytics 7. Refining HR practices 8. Advancing HR professionals 9. Strengthening HR relationships Figure 2: Thirty-Seven Initiatives in Four Human Capability Pathways Human Capability TALENT (HUMAN CAPITAL) 1. Acquiring talent 2. Managing employee performance 3. Developing employees 4. Managing employee careers and promotions 5. Communicating with employees 6. Encouraging diversity, equity and inclusion 7. Retaining the best employees 8. Managing departing employees 9. Tracking employee engagement 10. Creating a positive employee experience LEADERSHIP 1. Clarifying the business case for leadership 2. Defining what leaders know and do 3. Assessing leaders and leadership 4. Developing leaders and leadership 5. Measuring leadership impact 6. Ensuring reputation ORGANIZATION 1. Hiring, developing and managing people 2. Acting with agility 3. Establishing strategic clarity 4. Delivering customer centricity 5. Establishing the right culture 6. Advancing collaboration 7. Promoting social responsibility 8. Expanding innovation 9. Fostering efficiency 10.Ensuring accountability 11. Sharing information/analytics 12. Leveraging technology
26 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Below 5 is worse than other in the industry. 5-7 is at parity with other in the industry. 8-10 is best-1n-class. Research with actionable insights Most efforts to assess the four pathways and thirty-seven initiatives come from surveys that ask respondents to offer their views on scripted questions. Surveys collect information but have response bias, limited information sourcing, and multi-collinearity findings. For research to lead to actionable insights, we access information with the advance of machine learning, AI, and natural language processing, which takes us beyond traditional surveys. In partnership with Amazon Web Services AI experts, we were able to use machine learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to score 7,000 organisations on the extent to which they disclosed efforts in each of the four pathways. For 5,700 of these COLUMN Figure 3: Results of Human Capability on Key Outcomes Employee Productivity: Revenue\employee Finance: Cash flow (EBITDA) Finance: Tobin’s Q (value to book) Social Responsibility: Fraud Social Responsibility: Litigiousness Human Capability R2 .445 R2 .261 R2 .253 R2 .359 R2 .484 firms, we were able to run predictive analytics about how Human Capability overall as well as in each of the four pathways impacted employee, financial, and social reputation outcomes. Our findings are remarkable (see figure 3). Human Capability scores explain: • 44 percent of employee productivity. • 26 percent of cash flow (EBITDA) (also 25 percent of market value over intrinsic value or intangibles [Tobin’s Q]). • 36 percent and 48 percent of two social responsibility indicators. These results are nearly double the industry average for impact of Human Capability on these results as measured by surveys (figure 3). This validates the reliability of our Human Capability framework and the machine learning/AI methodology for explaining results. Investors, boards, senior business leaders, and HR professionals who seek higher confidence in employee, financial, and citizenship results should oversee and make informed Human Capability investments. Clearly SEC human capital reports are not perfect sources of data on Human Capability. Companies differ on what they disclose because what they are doing and how transparent they chose to be differs. However, over time, the SEC reporting on Human Capability will likely evolve, and disclosures may eventually more closely match the rigour of financial, strategic, and risk management information. Implications for HR Profession, Your Company, and You We have called our work in this domain Governance and Guidance for Growth through Human Capability (G3HC).It provides a conceptual and empirical foundation to upgrade and evolve the HR profession by making progress on how Human Capability initiatives deliver value to all stakeholders and by informing SEC disclosures. The work also helps any organisation profile their current (see figure 4) and determine desired Human Capability investments to make intentional choices for improvement as well as what to disclose, drawing on thirty-seven actionable insights from our work. Most important, this work helps business leaders and HR professionals make conscious Human Capability choices that help them be effective. Talent Leadership Organization Human Resource Industry Top 10% Company SES Filing Companies - The author is Rensis Likert Professor, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan; Partner, the RBL Group and G3HC. Co-authored by Norm Smallwood, Partner, the RBL Group and G3HC
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28 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM PERSPECTIVES By Sugandh Bahl › Gender-neutral language aims to be inclusive of all genders and recognises that individuals may not identify within the traditional gender binary, explains Deepti Varma, Vice President, (HR) People eXperience and Technology (PXT), Amazon APAC, Japan, Middle East, Africa and Emerging Markets, in an exclusive conversation Significance Of GENDERNEUTRAL PRACTICES At Workplace For any organisation, a large part of being inclusive is embedded in daily practices and initiatives that make everyone feel equal. Just like the use of gender-neutral language – a language that does not reinforce or perpetuate gender stereotypes or biases. It aims to be inclusive of all genders and recognises that individuals may not identify within the traditional gender binary. Deepti Varma, Vice President, (HR) People eXperience and Technology (PXT), Amazon APAC, Japan, Middle East, Africa and Emerging Markets, dives deep into this aspect, laying emphasis on the dire need of gender-neutral speech and practices at the workplace. Edited excerpts: How does gender-neutral speech contribute to a more inclusive and diverse workplace? Inclusive language is a powerful vehicle not only for individuals to express their gender but also to validate or invalidate other people’s genders. Using inclusive language communicates with people in a way that is respectful and brings everyone into the conversation and helps build an equitable workplace offering a level playing field for everyone. Building inclusive language starts at the hiring stage itself, where the organisation regularly inspects job descriptions to ensure the language and details do not inadvertently imply preference to a particular gender or demographic over another. We indulge in teaching by action, where we conduct role plays where people try communicating about things that make them uncomfortable. We also build interactive dialogue-based sessions between two or more employees engaging with one another to impart lessons on usage of inclusive language. The company ensures that all managers undergo inclusive leadership training to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to create and sustain an inclusive environment. Our leaders are encouraged to lead by example and promote inclusive practices within their teams and across the organisation.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 29 Deepti Varma What are some examples of gender-neutral language that can be used in the workplace? Much of our everyday language has an implicit bias toward two genders - male and female - dismissing or outright erasing employees who identify as non-binary or part of the LGBTQIA+ community. By embracing pronouns such as ‘they’, ‘them’ and ‘their’ as alternatives to gendered pronouns, we demonstrate our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Using phrases such as ‘everyone’, ‘team’ or ‘folks’ instead of gender-specific greetings, such as ‘ladies and gentlemen’ or ‘boys and girls’ when addressing a group of people ensures that individuals of all gender identities feel included and respected. Phrases such as ‘diversity hiring’ can be used only as recruiting strategies but not when it comes to people, in which case, the phrase could simply be ‘hiring’. Furthermore, it is good practice to use gen-
30 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM der-neutral terms rather than the gender-specific versions, even if we know the preferred gender of the person concerned Inclusive language should permeate every facet of workplace communication, from job postings to performance evaluations, team meetings and corporate policies. Historically, many jobs were traditionally for either men or women and titled accordingly – chairman, spokesman, deliveryman etc. However, that these jobs can be performed by a varied group of individuals, for this reason, gender-neutral alternatives can be used – chairperson, spokesperson, delivery person etc. This may seem simple, but in fact it can help anyone envision themselves in these roles, rather than it being stuck with a stigma. Inclusive language is embedded in how we communicate everything and remains a key enabler of our commitment to equality for all. Why is it important for organisations to promote gender-neutral practices and policies in the workplace? How have you been incorporating the same within Amazon India? It is imperative that organisations have an inclusive and equitable approach to designing and implementing workplace processes and practices, to cater to the specific needs of each individual. Inclusive and equitable workplace practices help strengthen the commitment that an organisation is focussed on the personal and professional success of all individuals. When employees are offered a level playing field with equitable opportunities to excel, organisations can benefit from the diverse perspectives and experiences of their workforce. For the LGBTQIA+ employees, the firm offers a ‘Same Gender Partner Coverage Programme’, which helps employees enrol their same-gender partner in their health insurance proPERSPECTIVES gramme. Employees also have the option to choose a gender reassignment surgery or sign up for infertility treatment, both of which are provided as part of the health insurance benefit. We focus on conducting sensitisation workshops for our leaders and all employees to eliminate the usage of non-inclusive terms and behaviour, which in turn helps build a more positive and inclusive workplace environment. We came up with a concept called ‘Human Library’ through which we actually asked senior leaders to have conversations with people from the LGBTQIA+ community where they simply shared their stories which acted as an awareness exercise, as people had no idea about the challenges this community was facing. It resulted in an immersive learning experience for them and built increased awareness around the life experienced of the LGBTQIA+ community. The exercise helped our leaders in leading with a lot more empathy and build more practices in teams to foster inclusion towards the community. We continue to look for ways to scale our impact by providing opportunities to diverse cohorts in our workforce. How can gender-neutral speech and practices help to reduce gender bias and discrimination? Promoting and practising inclusive language in the workplace is crucial for workplace leaders and organisations as a whole, because it fosters a culture of diversity, equality and respect. Inclusive language cultivates collaboration, improves employee morale and reduces biases and discrimination. By using inclusive language, we create an environment where all employees feel valued, included and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. We work towards providing fair opportunities for everyone and have mechanisms in place to ensure that we hire for the skill and capability without any bias and prejudice offering parity of opportunities for all talent. There are also detailed trainings, mandatory for all hiring members, which covers aspects of removing unconscious biases, using inclusive language and focusing on candidate experience while raising bar of hiring. What are the potential benefits of implementing gender-neutral language and practices in terms of employee morale and productivity? Embracing inclusive language ensures that all LGBTQIA+ employees are not excluded in our
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 31 conversations or our work. It creates an open and respectful environment that helps break down prejudice, stigma and stereotypes. Promoting inclusive language also has a positive impact on employee morale and productivity. When employees feel valued and respected for who they are and what they bring to the table, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated to bring their most authentic self at work and perform to their best potential. What challenges or obstacles might organisations face when trying to implement gender-neutral speech and practices in the workplace? Do share any such anecdote from Amazon and how did you deal with the same? Barriers to implement gender-neutral speech and practices in the workplace stems from many sources, including societal norms, lack of awareness, unconscious biases, assigning gender when gender is unknown and stereotyping - for example, the assumption that all company directors are men and all secretaries are women. We have a continuous listening mechanism to seek employee feedback on processes, policies and culture from all employee cohorts and build actions basis feedback. This helps us in ensuring that the practices for inclusion we are implementing with good intent are being followed across. We follow a close loop mechanism with clear success measures to see needle movement on overall sentiment for the team and ensure to regularly review and update policies and practices to eliminate any bias. We regularly review and update our policies and practices to ensure equitable opportunities for all employees. This includes measures such as implementing inclusive hiring practices, ensuring fair compensation and providing equal opportunities for career advancement. What strategies or initiatives can organisations employ to raise awareness and educate employees about the importance of gender-neutral speech and practices? To create a truly inclusive culture, it is critical that we take a hard look at how people in all areas of organisations are using language and build practices to help them understand and imbibe the usage of inclusive language to help eradicate alienation of specific cohorts at workplace. It’s also important to have senior leaders actively endorse and support LGBTQIA+ initiatives and promote a culture of respect and inclusion. We consider building an inclusive work culture with gender-neutral speech and practices as not just a business goal or a check in the box, but simply as the right thing to do. It is a yearround investment and an ongoing commitment to foster an inclusive culture every day. How can gender-neutral language and practices positively impact recruitment and talent acquisition efforts? We work towards providing fair opportunities for everyone and have mechanisms in place to ensure that we hire for the skill and capability without any bias and prejudice offering parity of opportunities for all talent. Our hiring process provides an equitable ground for all to share about their skills demonstrated in different scenarios. The panels are designed to ensure a healthy mix of tenure, background and gender who are trained for inclusive hiring. Our business leaders and recruiters undergo trainings intended to guide them on an adoptive approach on inclusive interviewing practice. Even our internal transfer policies are transparent and robust, allowing employees from across all cohorts to apply for jobs across job families and locations globally. Amazon aims to overcome the challenges by implementing an inclusive environment right from the recruitment stage.
32 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM › BW People and Ask Insights together devised a forum ‘Disability Positive Summit & Awards’, with an aim to promote awareness regarding inclusion of ‘specially-abled’ people into the workforce By Team BW People DISABILITY POSITIVE SUMMIT & AWARDS I n today’s fast-paced world, it is important for workplaces to focus on hiring based on talent and qualifications rather than physical abilities. By doing so, they can ensure that they are hiring the best candidates for the job and creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace. Today, the need of the hour for organisations is to promote a culture where every employee feels respected and valuable to a company. Believing in this initiative, BW People and Ask Insights together devised a forum called Disability Positive Summit & Awards, with an aim to provide a platform to discuss and promote awareness in the field of disability. The aim of creating such a platform is to honour achievers, outstanding professionals, government and non-government organisations and enterprises that have made remarkable contributions to the quality of life for persons with disabilities as well as DISABILITY AWARDS the initiatives that have helped facilitate it. The awards honoured and showcased the extraordinary efforts of persons, groups, teams and organisations, fostering an inclusive society where people with disabilities are not only accepted but cherished, celebrated and given equal opportunity to contribute to society. The award ceremony preceded a day-long conference involving industry heads and experts
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 33 like CEO, CHROs, Chief People Officers and more, from various industries. The process The awarding procedure was as transparent as possible. It was a thoughtfully discussed decision of awarding these winners, screening their work, achievements and the determination with which they never considered their disability to be a hindrance in their success. The list of decision-makers had Satish Pai, Managing Director, Aditya Birla Hindalco as the Jury Chair. The other Jury members, without whose keen participation we couldn’t have come up with the awardees’ list were: Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, exchange4media; Niru Kumar, Padma Shri, CEO, Ask Insights, National Icon and Board Member, Election Commission of India; Aman Lal, Chief People Officer, KFC India; Ira Singhal, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Divisional Commissioner, Delhi, All India Rank 1 IAS 2015; Anil Jain, Head & Director, Jaipur Foot Centre, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital; Raman Kumar Singh, CHRO and Country HR Manager, ABB South Asia; Kakoli Sen, Dean and Head, Business School, Woxsen University; Pavitra Singh, CHRO, PepsiCo India; Talees Rizvi, Director, BW People & BW CFO World and BW Businessworld and Akshay Kumar, Senior Fellow, Indian Council of Medical Research and Director, Ask Insights. Disability Awards 2023 Winners Category Status Name Designantion Company Best Organisation for PWD Inclusion Award Winner Lal Singh Chief General Manager, Human Resources Union Bank of India Best Organisation for PWD Inclusion (Manufacturing) Special Mention Jai Ganesh Devarajan Training manager Michelin Breaking New grounds Award Winner Madhu Bala Sharma SR. DEI Specialist – Communities leader APJCME Amazon India Corporate PWD Icon Special Mention Pralhad Jadhav Associate Director (Library) Khaitan & Company (International Corporate Law Firm) Corporate PWD Icon Award Winner Madhu Bala Sharma SR. DEI Specialist – Communities leader APJCME Amazon India Fast Runners in Disability Award Winner Rakesh Prasad Director - Lead D & I InterGlobe Aviation Limited Emerging HR leader Award Winner Akshay Tyagi Head - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group Leading Representation of PWD Employees Award Winner Priyanka Mohanty Vice President – HR and Global Head – Talent Management Startek Company Social Inclusion with PWDs Award Winner Harshvendra Soin Global Chief People Officer & Head Marketing Tech Mahindra Best Allyship & ERG’s Award Winner Anupama Singh Vice President - Human Resources Concentrix
34 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Rajesh Aggarwal, IAS, Secretary, Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Department, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, said, “Almost 10 per cent of the globe’s population has some kind of disability. This is something we do not talk about very often. In our country, it is estimated that about one-third of the disabilities are from birth, onethird are acquired during adulthood due to some accident or infection and the rest, one-third, are due to old age.” Raising differently-abled kids is difficult. Parents of differently-abled children are typically drained and depressed, struggling to provide resources for looking after the child. Aggarwal pointed out that differently-abled children are devoid of a communication channel with their parents. As a result, they become estranged from their parents. Hence, it is equally important for parents and family members to learn one of the communication channels to provide their kids with the upbringing they deserve. Aggarwal explained that very few differently-abled kids reach their full potential. They drop out after standard Xth, XIIth or during graduation years. Interestingly, they are more productive than so-called ‘normal employees’. A differently-abled person has a 10 times smaller friend circle. Hence, they cannot get distracted easily. Aggarwal said, “Research also shows that when you hire a person with a disability as an employee, it increases the rest of the employee’s productivity as well.” › HR Honchos from the corporate world discussed the business case for recruiting persons with disabilities, besides highlighting the empathy aspect of DEI Skills That PwDs Bring To The Table DISABILITY AWARDS “Disability Should Never Be A Constraint In Achieving Something”: CEC The most accomplished people in the world including Albert Einstein, John Nash, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci and Stephen Hawking, all had something in common. Whatever disability they had, it never became a constraint in whatever they wanted to achieve, Rajiv Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India,said. He emphasised on how the Election Commission dwells upon voting for persons with disabilities and makes everybody sensitised towards their needs. As a CEC, Kumar said, “We appoint national icons from each field like sports, academics, culture, PWD, transgender and others so that there will be the source of inspiration, as all of them have achieved something in life and they have been championing the cause.” Chief Guest Address
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 35 Niru Kumar, Founder and CEO, Ask Insights, and Padma Shri awardee, called this event a first-of-its-kind in India, where able-bodied people, people with disabilities, government, industry and students have come together to share thoughts so that we can include PwDs in every sector of life through accessibility, technology and mindset change. “We have lagged behind in this critical area of inclusion,” she pointed out. She narrated her own journey when she got polio at three and life felt like one long battle. There were hardly any PwDs in my school or college to relate to or for her institute to pay attention to. “I did not become bitter but wanted to help in whatever small way I could,” she said. Now the agenda is being taken seriously. But we need leaders to be trailblazers, she added. Expressing happiness at the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, she commended the CEC for the phenomenal work in making polling booths accessible to PwDs. This makes them valued citizens of the country and gives them the confidence that their voice matters. At Uber, we are reimagining how the world moves for the better. And in that, DEI has seat at the table and minoritised groups are front and centre at the table,” said Ritika Khullar. She made the gathering introspect with questions like “How can you as leaders think differently so that there is inclusion in your organisation”. She said PwDs are severely underrepresented. And this is a question mostly left unanswered. We have created organisations where it is unsafe to identify as a PwD. We celebrate overwork, unhealthy expectations around availability and harmful attitudes towards sick leave. She pointed out to leaders that in their respective organisations they would already have PwDs who have invisible disabilities and are afraid to come out. A disability could also be acquired later on during life and organisations need to prepare for that. Ageing also brings with it its own set of disabilities. Disability inclusion in that sense is about future-proofing your organisation. Leaders often ask, can they bring in inclusion without lowering the hiring bar? Is this based on the assumption that only certain aspects of your identity correlate with merit, she wondered. Keynote Address Niru Kumar Founder and CEO, Ask Insights Ritika Khullar Head - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Uber, Asia Pacific
36 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Panel Discussion 1 Panel Discussion 2 DISABILITY AWARDS Understanding, Hiring and Including Neurodiversity The Impact of Allyship on Intersectionality & Inequity – Themes We Don’t Discuss There is enough evidence available to suggest that individuals differ on the basis of their neural chemistry. The diversity in terms of cognitive ability and differences in terms of patterns of behaviour is referred to as neurodiversity. Tracing the genesis of the term, Khushboo Chabria, Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager, Neurodiversity Pathways, explained that Neurodivergent’ and ‘Neurodiversity’ essentially refers to the differences in how the brain functions as well as the brain variation regarding learning, mood and attention. Akshay Kumar, Director, Ask Insights, said, “One in five people have a neurodevelopmental condition.” Quoting numbers from a recent study, Kumar said 1 in 10 people did not disclose that they are neurodivergent. If numbers tell you a story, a neurodiverse demographic is a part of society but a general unwillingness to accept it is a hurdle in many ways like facing communication barriers, perceptual bias and social stigma. Ashissh Kapoor, Director (Talent), EY India, talked about his experience where he realised the significance of involving neurodivergent people as they have more ability to focus, ability to work continuously in particular interest areas and for their knowledge about technology and forensics. Nish Parikh, Co-founder and Global CEO, Rangam Consultants, said, “When we work with neurodivergent talent, we do not put them in a box and do not put limits. But we always consider what type of job is out there and then we go out and look for talent and titles that match their ability.” “It is important to have an inclusive and equitable work environment for everyone. At the same time, we have different streams and all these streams are led by business people, not by HR. So, it is a business-led initiative,” said Meha Grover, Director - Chief of Staff, Office of the CEO, Societe Generale Global Solution Centre. Rakesh Prasad, AVP – HR (IFS), Indigo, discussed the role of allyship in assimilating persons with disabilities (PwD) in company culture. He stated, “First, we need to understand the barriers to a person with disabilities. One of the primary barriers is the attitudinal barrier, which leads to under-confidence in the disabled person.” The important stages in allyship are the skilling stage, which helps disabled individuals work in different areas successfully and the interview stage, which develops the confidence of the candidate. Diversity and inclusivity are critical components. When asked how Uber deals with persons with disabilities, Shiva Shailendran Sekar, Director - Regional Business Operations and Supply Growth, Uber India & South Asia, replied, “Uber is striving for the inclusion of not only employees but also our customers. Over the last few years, we have had multiple issues where our drivers were not accommodating disabled persons. So it is our responsibility as Uber to ally with consumer partners.” Richa Singh, VP HR, D&I and CSR, Max Life Insurance, spoke about the need for active representation of persons with disability. She said 20 per cent of the population suffers from some form of disability and are largely invisible. Ira Singhal, Special Secretary, Education, Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of Education, shared her experience as a disabled woman. She stated, “In India if you were born a woman, you have a lot of challenges. As a disabled woman, you have even more challenges. You have to prove to every person that you deserve the opportunity. I was lucky in the corporate sector because people looked more at my ability than any other thing.” The session was moderated by Niru Kumar.
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 37 Panel Discussion 3 Panel Discussion 4 Hiring and Engaging People with Hearing & Visual Disabilities Identifying and Eliminating Barriers to PwDs – Power of Disability Inclusion Organisational culture plays a very vital role in improving the inclusivity of people with disabilities in an organisation, as it is not just about hiring people with disabilities but rather the interactions that they go through on a day-to-day basis, said Anupama Singh, VP – HR, Concentrix. She delineated that it is not just about the programmes introduced, but also about their implementation in word and in spirit, making it requisite for everyone in the organisation to participate in them. Rahul Gupta, Founder and Managing Partner, ValuAble Capital, explained that by being a part of the diversity group, you are able to bring a broader perspective and the concept of equity comes naturally to you.” Today, spectacles are no longer seen as an assistive device, they’re more of a fashion statement. Hence, if wearing a spectacle is not taboo, why is wearing a hearing aid?” Gupta stated. Aradhana Lal, Senior Vice PresidentSustainability & ESG, Lemon Tree Hotels, explained the business sense behind hiring people with disabilities. She said that by including people with disabilities, we get better results in terms of engagement. Furthermore, there is a lower attrition rate. Madhubala Sharma, Senior DEI Business Partner - International Markets, Amazon, said, “In order for organisations to make people feel at home, fostering relationships is important. This can be done through communication and sign language becomes the vehicle of communication for the hearing impaired.” Despite the legal safeguards and policies in place to encourage the hiring of people with disabilities (PwDs), the truth is that considerable barriers remain in the workplace that hinder PwDs from getting hired and thriving in their professions. It is critical that we ensure that all people, including those with disabilities, have equitable access to employment and success in the workplace. While talking about the hiring with PwDs, Aparna Balakrishnan, Co-chairperson for able@uber–APAC, said that the company wants to reimagine diversity beyond gender diversity and it also includes people with disabilities. While talking about challenges that PwDs face during elections, Deepali Masirkar, IPS, Director - Election Planning; Accessibility & Inclusion Section and Uttar Pradesh Section, Election Commission of India, said, “The commission has taken steps to make polling booths accessible, such as providing ramps and wheelchairs and introducing postal ballot facilities for PwDs with benchmark disabilities of more than 40 per cent.” Anil Jain, Head – Dr PK Sethi Rehabilitation Centre, Santokba Durlabhji Memorial Hospital, discussed the improvements made in crutches, which are used to support orthopaedically challenged people while walking. “The new crutches are lighter and more comfortable and people can choose shoes of their choice,” he added. Mohammed Asif Iqbal, Associate Director, PwC said that the barriers people face are often in their minds and shared a story about how he was able to run after being cheered up by a friend. Manisha Kumari, Front Office, The Lalit, emphasised the importance of learning basic sign language and providing interpreters at places like police stations and hospitals for deaf people. She also suggested training sessions to educate people about sign language and deaf culture.
38 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Session on Best Practices Masterclasses DISABILITY AWARDS in the next 15 minutes, then how can we accept the world to act the way we want. In a world where we are too quick to judge others’ action and reaction, Tyagi said we need to close one eye and see the broader picture. He emphasised the need for a holistic society, wherein everyone stands together and dissolves the disability tag. “In an attempt to view everyone equally, having the same opportunities to participate in every aspect of life, we need to accept the ‘especially abled’,” he added. “Every individual is unique and has its own story, we just need to give people their space and understand their accessibility,” Tyagi said underlining the individual’s identity. “How often do we see mirrors, how many among us observe the finger of one hand is smaller or bigger than other? It’s all about learning our diverse existence,” said Akshay Tyagi, Head – Diversity Equity and Inclusion, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, Keshav Suri Foundation. He said, as an individual we don’t know how to react or respond Suvarna Raj, International Para Athlete, member of the World Assembly of Women with Disabilities, Access Author and National Role Model Awardee by the President of India; Niru Kumar, Founder and CEO, Ask Insights; At the event, masterclasses in disability inclusion were conducted by: Susanne M Bruyere, addressing the gathering virtually Suverna Raj had the audience in rapt attention - With inputs from Amisha Sharma, Bhupendra Paintola, Md Zakariya Khan, Nitesh Kumar and Sangeet Kumar Sanu Susanne M Bruyere, Professor of Disability Studies and Academic Director, K Lisa Yang and Hock E Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, Cornell University ILR School, Ithaca, New York.
For Nominations: Akash Kumar Pandey | +91 78989 08944 | [email protected] For Speakership and Partnership: Reeti Gupta | +91 98996 10630 | [email protected] KNOWLEDGE PARTNER EVENT PARTNERS Celebrating the Trust Builder & Change Makers #BWFinance40under40 NOMINATE NOW Jury Meet: August 1, 2023 Summit & Award: August 12, 2023 FINANCE Presents In Association With FUTURE O F SUMMIT FINANCE JURY MEMBERS NITIN PAREKH Group CFO Zydus Lifesciences DR. ANNURAG BATRA Chairman & Editor-in-Chief BW Businessworld & Founder, exchange4media KAPIL MANTRI EVP & Head of Corporate Strategy and M&A Jindal Steel & Power Ltd. PANKAJ VASANI Group CFO Cube Highways InvIT SANJAY UPADHYAY Director-Finance & Group CFO Deepak Nitrite Limited SAMEER MADAN Director-Finance Agilent Technologies NOOR FATHIMA WARSIA Group Editorial Director BW Businessworld TALEES RIZVI Director BW People & BW CFO World Community SANTANU ACHARYA GM-Finance NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India) & Director- Nixi-CSC Data Services Ltd MAMTA JANAK GORE Finance Director, Controller South East Asia Region 3M DHARMENDER TUTEJA CFO Dalmia Bharat Ltd. & Dalmia Cement (Bharat) POORNIMA SUBRAMANIAN CFO Reliance Nippon Life Insurance
40 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Fearless Ones Take The Centrestage DISABILITY AWARDS › Performances by PwDs, some of them on wheelchairs, left the audience spellbound
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42 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM › Lal Singh, Chief General Manager, Human Resources, Union Bank of India, delineates what needs to be done to make the workplaces equitable “Actively Involve PwDs In Decision-making” DISABILITY AWARDS What steps can employers take to ensure pay parity for employees with disabilities? To ensure pay parity for employees with disabilities, employers should ensure that recruitment and selection processes are inclusive and free from bias. This includes providing reasonable accommodation during the application and interview process. Providing fair and unbiased training to managers and employees for hiring as well as during promotion processes is necessary. Review of policies, procedures and practices at regular intervals should be ensured so as to identify any potential barriers that may affect pay parity for employees with disabilities. How can we raise awareness about the issue of pay parity for people with disabilities and encourage action to address it? Following are few effective ways for spreading awareness about the abilities of persons with disabilities (PwDs): • Organise workshops, seminars or training sessions to educate individuals within the organisation or communiBest Organisation for PwD Inclusion Award–WINNER By Sugandh Bahl ty about the abilities and talents of PwDs. • Sharing personal stories and testimonials of individuals with disabilities who have achieved success in their careers or made significant contributions. • Conduct accessibility demonstrations or events to showcase the assistive technologies, accommodations and adaptations that enable individuals with disabilities to perform effectively in the workplace. What are some examples of infrastructure accommodations that organisations can provide for people with disabilities? Organisations can provide various infrastructural accommodations to ensure accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities. Here are some examples: • Provide assistive technologies and devices to support individuals with disabilities. These include screen readers for individuals with visual impairments, hearing loop systems for individuals with hearing impairments and ergonomic equipment for individuals with mobility limitations. • Ensure that communication methods are accessible to individuals with hearing or speech impairments. This can include providing sign language interpreters, captioning services for videos and meetings and accessible communication tools like text-to-speech software or video relay services. • Establish a help desk for persons with disabilities so that they may seek the specialised help to navigate the challenges they may encounter while discharging their duties. How can organisations promote a culture of inclusivity and accessibility to improve infrastructure availability for people with disabilities? For promoting a culture of inclusivity and accessibility within the organisation, following key steps can be undertaken by organisations: • -Leadership to demonstrate a strong commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, which
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 43 Providing infrastructure accommodations to PwDs is of utmost importance for creating an inclusive and accessible environment as it leads to providing equal opportunities, independence and autonomy to PwDs reflects in policies and mission statement and is communicated consistently throughout the organisation. • Provide comprehensive training to employees on disability awareness, inclusivity and accessibility. The topics to be covered in such trainings are understanding different types of disabilities, appropriate language and the importance of accessibility in infrastructure design etc. • Review and revise organisational policies related to recruitment, hiring, accommodations, career advancement and overall workplace accessibility. What are some of the challenges that organisations may face in implementing an inclusion policy for people with disabilities? Negative attitudes and biases towards individuals with disabilities can be a significant challenge. Stereotypes and misconceptions may exist among employees, leading to resistance or reluctance to fully embrace inclusive practices. Existing infrastructure and facilities may not be fully accessible, making it challenging for individuals with disabilities to navigate the physical environment. Retrofitting or modifying facilities to ensure accessibility can be costly and require significant time and resources. Also, organisations may lack the necessary resources and expertise to effectively implement and manage disability inclusion policies. How can organisations ensure that their inclusion policy is effective and accessible for people with disabilities? In order to foster an inclusive and welcoming work environment for PwDs, following points are to be ensured for effective and accessible inclusion policy: • Include individuals with disabilities in the policy development process. Seek their input, perspectives and feedback to ensure that the policy addresses their needs and challenges effectively. • Ensure that the policy is accessible in terms of content and format. Use plain language, avoid jargon and provide alternative formats such as large print, Braille or electronic versions compatible with screen readers. • Conduct comprehensive training and education programmes for all employees to ensure they understand the inclusion policy, its purpose and their roles and responsibilities in implementing it. How can organisations promote a culture of inclusivity beyond the implementation of an inclusion policy for people with disabilities? Organisations can promote a culture of inclusivity beyond implementation of inclusion policy in the following ways: • Conduct awareness programmes for all employees to promote understanding, empathy and cultural competence. This includes training on unconscious bias, disability awareness, effective communication and inclusive leadership. Encourage open dialogue and provide resources for continuous learning and development. • Foster an environment of open and inclusive communication. Encourage employees to share their ideas, perspectives and concerns. Ensure that communication channels are accessible and provide multiple avenues for employees to voice their opinions and provide feedback. • Ensure that workplace benefits and accommodations are inclusive and accessible for all employees. This includes offering flexible work arrangements, accessible technologies and reasonable accommodation that meets the needs of individuals with disabilities and other diverse groups. Lal Singh
44 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM › Madhu Bala Sharma, Senior DEI Specialist - Communities leader APJCME, Amazon India, sees this award as her support to advocate for people with disabilities DISABILITY MEANS DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY DISABILITY AWARDS Diversity is an integral part of an organisation that also provides strength to its core. Hiring talent from different backgrounds – regions, religions, languages, skills and physical abilities – helps companies to grow rapidly. Disability is one facet of diversity wherein a person is specially-abled in terms of a certain skills and works differently than other individuals in his or her organisation. But often, these different ways of doing work are considered abnormal and become the basis of discrimination towards disabled people in workplaces and society. Article 21 of the Indian Constitution provides the right to life and liberty to every citizen of the country irrespective of their caste, creed, religion and ability. These frameworks help disabled people to be empowered. Madhu Bala Sharma, Senior DEI Specialist - Communities leader APJCME, Amazon India, is one such personality who went beyond her limits set by nature and proved herself in the best way possible. In a conversation with BW Businessworld, Sharma shares the challenges and victories of her journey. Excerpts: What is your personal philosophy and vision for disabled people in the corporate world? My philosophy truly is that we people with disabilities are people first and disability is something that has come to us and it does not define us. Disability is just one part of us; if we just have it, now we need to work with that. So, If I am totally blind, I need to now find solutions. I will not do different things but will do things differently. We don’t have any special ability, we do not have extra sense. We have one out of the four or five senses missing, and we use the other four senses to compensate for that one last sense. So we are not especially abled, we are people first. Calling people with disabilities specially-abled, differently abled or people with special abilities – is not something which the community actually prefers. By Shruti Tripathi Breaking New Grounds Award (for organisation)- WINNER And Corporate PWD Icon Award- WINNER Madhu Bala Sharma
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 45 What was the driving factor that inspired you to work for disabled people? I feel that people with disabilities are the best advocates for themselves. Self-advocacy is very important. I was born with the disability and have been living with it, so it’s not something that I got late in life. I have learned to live with it from the start. And one big motivating factor was how my parents groomed me. I have an elder sister and a younger brother. My sister and I are totally blind while my brother can see. Our parents did not to limit us, they spent on our education, they enabled us to step out of the house and even with the limited resources they did the best for us. The second factor is self-advocacy. I know best what I need. If I am able to open doors for myself, I would like the same for others as well. What is your vision for the disabled community? I have been working in the corporate for over 20 years now. I am in the space of diversity, equity and inclusion. I try to foster inclusion and champion inclusion as much as I can within my organisation. I work with various NGOs, like National Association for the Blind (NAB) as a governing council member. I serve on the board of the Centre for Blind Women. Within my organisation, I serve on the board of the affinity group for people with disabilities. I give a lot of talks, address people in various forums and through these initiatives that we take and awareness workshops that we conduct - we envision a society where there is no need for me to do this work. People become so aware that inclusion happens as muscle memory and inclusion happens effortlessly. Please elaborate on the programmes, sensitisation drives and guidelines Amazon has to cater to disabled community within the organisation. Within Amazon, we have a lot of initiatives that enable people with disabilities. The organisation provides the tools and technology required to work independently. We have policies and processes. We have an affinity group that enables people with disabilities. The group has senior leaders who advocate for us. We believe that sign language is not something that only the deaf should know. It is a language that everybody should know to communicate with deaf and dumb people. We are running one project where we are training our employees to learn sign language. How does it feel to win such an award and recognition? It gives credentials and authenticity to the attempts that I bring to the table. I totally see this as a big support for me to enable me and build that credibility in all that I do for helping people to understand people with disabilities.
46 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM “I INVEST IN MY UPSKILLING” DISABILITY AWARDS Pralhad Jadhav, hailing from suburbs of Thane, got afflicted by polio at the age of three. However, thanks to a supportive family and his own positive spirit, he has never let his physical condition overwhelm him. Jadhav has been on a high learning curve all his life and has steadily risen up the corporate ladder. In an interview to BW People, he displays that positive spirit in abundance. Excerpts: Can you share with us your journey till this point of time? And what has been your inspiration? It was not easy for me, as a polio-affected person. I got this affliction at the age of 3. Since then, this battle is going on. But my family never gave up. By Meha Mathur Disability Awards/Corporate PwD Icon - SPECIAL MENTION My mother has been the biggest inspiration. She fully backed me in terms of education and made sure that I get good schooling and graduation. After graduation, I started working in the University of Mumbai. I was doing stenography as the librarian of the university. But I aspired to go for higher studies and did my Masters in Library and Information Science from Mumbai University. I am now a registered PhD scholar with IGNOU. In 2006, I got a break in the corporate world and joining as junior executive; today I am associate director. So, my family and my organisation have encouraged me in every way. What are some of the policies and practices of your organisation which have helped you flourish? They have created different function areas. They created the library function and gave me charge at centralised level. And whenever there is an infrastructure or ergonomics issue for a person with physical challenge, with a single mail that can be resolved. They give utmost importance to human capital and which is why there are employees who have been working here for the last 25-30 years. Can you elaborate on the infrastructure aspect? How has an adequate infrastructure been created? I am on calipers and since the washroom didn’t have a support, I wrote a mail to the HR and this was taken care of within a few days. Similarly, they changed the seating arrangement near my desk. › Pralhad Jadhav, Associate Director - Library, Khaitan & Company, describes his struggle as a person affected by polio and his victories
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 47 What is the sensitisation done for fellow colleagues and are there workshops conducted? Of course, there are. I have got support from the organisation – from the junior-most to the highest level. And when I won this award, many of my partners wrote to me congratulating me. There have been several legal reforms, providing for jobs to persons with disability. What further legal provisions should be introduced? I have never used legal provisions because they have already given everything to me. The rules are already implemented here. But for my fellow persons with disability, I want them to have the benefits like tax exemptions and half-an-hour relaxation in government setups. But would you suggest further legal provisions for PwDs? I know that there are problems at grassroots, but I have to give a thumbs-up to the government for several initiatives. For example, if a person with visual impairment wants to access a document, he can now access it through an audio file. So, the Indian government is doing a lot, not only in terms of education but accessibility too. But while we have achieved a lot, we can achieve much more as a country. What would you say about accessibility in public transport? Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) provides reserved seats, but there is a lot of encroachment. PwDs are also being provided 50 per cent concession on tickets in Maharashtra. At grassroots levels, that concession makes a lot of difference. What would be your advice to persons with physical disability? My suggestion is, never consider it as a disability. Fight for your rights. You have to raise your voice. How was it growing-up and what was your interaction with classmates in school and college like? Did they treat you differently? I wasn’t differentiated because I was also part of their cricket team. And the real motivation to do well in career also came from my friend. I got inspired from him when he got selected to an MNC with a good package. You mentioned cricket. So how did you develop an interest in cricket and what are your other interest areas? I played in local teams and am quite popular in cricket, having played the sport for 7-8 years. The biggest moment of pride for me was getting the best catch award in a tournament. That’s how I am popular in my locality. I am also keen to learn new technologies and implementing those in the library. I also train young students in applying new technologies in libraries and in education and research. I spend at least Rs 1 lakh on upskilling. Every year, I keep aside that much for this purpose. Pralhad Jadhav
48 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM PWD INCLUSION IMPERATIVE FOR BUSINESSES TODAY DISABILITY AWARDS Persons with Disabilities form a significant aspect of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) framework in most organisations. Organisations today understand that diversity goes beyond simply acknowledging differences in people. It rather involves recognising the value of differences, combating discrimination and promoting inclusiveness. By Krishnendra Joshi Startek, winner of the BW People Ask Insights Disability Positive Award for leading representation of PwD employees, epitomises how companies should lead with their D&I and PwD inclusion initiatives to become an employer of choice. “There is an imperative need for equal opportunity and inclusion wherein organisations need to ensure that all workplace policies and practices are free from discrimination and any differently-abled applicant should be considered for employment according to their aptitudes, abilities and qualifications,” says Priyanka Mohanty, Vice President – HR and Global Head – Talent Management, Startek. Sensitisation: Crucial aspect in bringing D&I consciousness For D&I leaders like Startek, the focus has moved towards sensitisation at a very granular level when it comes to addressing the aspect of representation of PwD employees in the workforce. Underlying the theme of the sensitisation programmes, Mohanty says, “Sensitisation programmes are implemented with a focus on understanding various kinds of disabilities and their causes, challenging some of the general assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs regarding disability, providing them support without making them feel different.” Talking about the key differentiators which make Startek, a pioneer for PwD inclusion, she adds that leadership support is an important › Hiring PwD candidates not only adds to the cause of social inclusion but also brings an element of competitive edge to the business, says Priyanka Mohanty, Vice President – HR and Global Head – Talent Management, Startek. Excerpts from a recent conversation
WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 49 Sensitisation programmes are implemented with a focus on understanding various kinds of disabilities and their causes, challenging some of the general assumptions, attitudes, values and beliefs regarding disability, providing them support without making them feel different facet in the holistic process for empowering differently-abled people at work. Besides this, training supervisors/line managers is important to ensure that they take utmost care while dealing with persons with disabilities. Employee-driven groups for community engagement At Startek, affinity groups for persons with disabilities are created which are voluntary, employee-driven groups that typically focus on shared interests. These groups provide support and enable networking opportunities such as mentoring, community outreach, career development and cultural awareness activities. “PwD clubs are formed where members can discuss topics as diverse as value-addition to any initiative, to partner with a socially sustainable growth model and discuss suggestions for improvement,” Mohanty tells BW People. PwD inclusion is an imperative Companies like Startek have realised the value that diversity management, especially PwD inclusion, brings to the scheme of things. Hiring PwD candidates not only adds to the cause of social inclusion but also brings an element of competitive edge to the business. To drive home the point, Mohanty says, “Many companies now view diversity management as a way of addressing the need to reflect the diversity of their customer set and employees who can understand better and communicate with them. This will definitely result in better customer and supplier relationships, which in turn could lead to improved financial performance.” Getting the most productive outcome for any organisation boils down to getting the best out of every employee group. A diversified employee base, including PwD candidates, means more heads to think and more creative minds to act. It ultimately has a positive bearing on the organisation, believes Mohanty. As companies steadily awaken to the possibilities and benefits PwD inclusion brings from a cultural, social and financial perspective, shining examples like Startek make a compelling case for more organisations to take concrete steps in this direction. Priyanka Mohanty
50 BW PEOPLE JULY - AUGUST 2023 WWW.BWPEOPLE.COM Hire, Empower And Engage DISABILITY AWARDS Congratulation to you for winning the Best Allyship &ERG Award at BW People Ask Insights Disability Positive Summit 2023. How have you and your team at Concentrix implemented D&I initiatives, both, in letter and in spirit? At Concentrix, we have DEI inbuilt into our vision statement: We will be the greatest customer engagement services company in the world rich in diversity and talent. Our journey in the last three years has been about laying the foundation in 2021, crafting a superstructure in 2022 and we are focused on solidification in 2023. Concentrix, as an organisation, has pledged to be an equal-opportunity employer, to nourish the extensive skill pool within the PwD category. To make a meaningful impact in the lives of the PwD skill pool, we have followed a 3-step approach of Hire, Empower, Engage. Hire: It has been our continued focus to strategise and bring more and more PwDs into our family. This we do through a multi-faceted approach: virtual & physical hiring drives; hiring participations in job fairs across the country exclusively organised for PwD, campus hiring from PwD educational institutions etc. Empower: As an organisation, we are not only committed to increasing our diversity count but also to create inclusive behaviour within our leadership group – we have hired two By Krishnendra Joshi Anupama Singh › A robust D&I policy can enhance a company’s reputation, making it attractive to a broader pool of potential employees, believes Anupama Singh, Vice President - Human Resources, Concentrix Global DEI Policy & Philosophy Formulation of strategy and DEI goals Culture & Belongingness Survey & FGD’s Staff Resource Group Structure and Reporting & governance Revamp of Equal Opportunity Policy Networking platforms Infra audit & provision of Reasonable accommodations Internal and external PWD hiring drive Take Flight customised learning programme Job mapping 2021 D&I Journey 2022 Ongoing initiatives in 2023 * dedicated sign language trainers and have certified 30 ‘People Leaders’ to ensure our HI ambassadors are always heard. We have our in-house PwD exclusive career growth-oriented learning programme Take Flight; MS Office suite accessibility training is also facilitated to educate how best can we make systems user friendly catering to VI and HI ambassadors; this is not all, we have our PwD stream deployed into banking and other complex processes through effective training facilitated with the help of SLTs.