HR Learning: 30 Dec, 2022

1.

Here are the hacks to make L&D interesting

To achieve learning outcomes more effectively, companies are leveraging an efficient gamification strategy that offers higher completion rates and improved recall and retention. Experts tell how creating leaderboards and recognizing employees can make L&D successful. A recent study shows that the completion rate for traditional online courses is just around 3 per cent. And this points out a significant downbeat in the scenario where companies are going all out with their learning and development initiatives to make their workforce future-ready. But there’s a hack to bridge this gap! Gamified learning!  Think this way, you have time travelled to your childhood and for every right recitation of mathematical tables, you get a badge that actually makes you stand out from the crowd. The badge has many benefits. You get extra two marks in your examination and a chance to treat yourself to your favourite place – the school canteen! This, in turn, makes you more competitive and you prepare better for the next such opportunity.

 

2.

Why a coaching culture and not any other culture?

An organisation’s purpose should go beyond profit. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), 79 per cent of business leaders believe that an organisation’s purpose is central to a business’s success, and millennials who have a solid connection with their employer's purpose are 5.3 times more likely to stay. 1 So, it’s worthwhile to find out more compelling reasons why building a coaching culture is essential. I often see organisations initiating multiple culture-shaping projects to shift the people and culture to the highest level of performance and productivity. However, some organisations may have chosen to develop a coaching culture simply because their rivals have started to do so, or they may feel that a coaching culture is a trend that their organisation shouldn’t miss. If this is the mentality, the “change strategy” will likely fail because the organisation has been unable first to determine its purpose and objective. Just as Alice, don’t care where they are heading. An organisation’s purpose should go beyond profit. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), 79 per cent of business leaders believe that an organisation’s purpose is central to a business’s success, and millennials who have a solid connection with their employer’s purpose are 5.3 times more likely to stay.1 So, it’s worthwhile to find out more compelling reasons why building a coaching culture is essential.

3.

Identify skill transformation catalysts or plunge into uncertainty: Aon’s Ishita

 

In an exclusive interview, Aon’s Ishita Bandyopadhyay talks about the top capability caps that are emerging currently and how companies should think about their skills transformation agenda. As companies take a step back to review their talent management strategies in light of the downturn in the global economy, they have many decisions to make. Preparing for an uncertain future involves making the organisation nimble and agile. So, what does future readiness in L&D look like? 

In an exclusive conversation with Ishita Bandyopadhyay – Managing Director, Aon's Assessment Solutions, India and South East Asia, she notes that skill transformation, although an obvious choice, is a complex journey. She also discusses the gaps in skilling interventions and how technology can be redesigned. Ishita has over 15 years of experience in Human Capital Consulting and Change Management. Currently, she leads Aon's Assessment Solutions for India and South East Asia markets, supporting the growth of businesses and clients. As an experienced HR advisor, Ishita has a strong track record in leading teams and partnering with clients to create business impact. Ishita has over 15 years of experience in Human Capital Consulting and Change Management. Currently, she leads Aon's Assessment Solutions for India and South East Asia markets, supporting the growth of businesses and clients. As an experienced HR advisor, Ishita has a strong track record in leading teams and partnering with clients to create business impact.

At the ‘Take off ‘point, L&D professionals must make at least three considerations. 

·       Will the skill transformation enhance the core business, or will it diversify it? Based on this consideration, the organisation needs to precisely identify the new required skill sets because the initial roadblock is to identify the required skill sets of the future with specificity.

·       Which functions and levels in the organisation need to be at the forefront of this transformation? It is necessary to identify skill transformation catalysts and their representation else the transformation will plunge into anarchy and uncertainty.

·       Is there a provision to build an incubation approach for skill transformation? There is a need to start from a proof of concept with a protected group that can make mistakes and learn from them.

Organisations need to keep the employee or the user at the centre of the strategy as all skill-building g programs are designed and rolled out. In the new normal, the mode of delivery and impact of training needs to be evaluated consistently based on employee feedback. Leveraging skill data and its regular collection will be essential for success.

HR Movement: 30 Dec, 2022

1.

Nykaa appoints Sujeet Jain as chief legal and regulatory officer

 

Prior to Nykaa, Jain was the chief legal officer with UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla company. FSN E-Commerce Ventures Ltd (Nykaa) has appointed of Sujeet Jain as their new chief legal and regulatory officer. Jain brings to Nykaa over 25 years of experience in telecom, media and technology (TMT) and diversified sectors, having held leadership and senior management roles. A seasoned general counsel, Jain has led legal, compliance, digital and competition laws, corporate governance and company secretarial functions in various organisations. Prior to Nykaa, Jain was the chief legal officer with UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla company. At UltraTech he led crucial legal and regulatory decisions, managed acquisitions and critical corporate transactions in India and overseas.

Before UltraTech, Jain was associated with Viacom18 Media as a group general counsel and company secretary where he witnessed the company's multi-fold growth journey as one of the leading media organisations in India. He also has extensive regulatory experience and has been part of various industry and self-regulatory bodies such as IAMAI, CII, IBF, CMA, BCCC and BARC and has influenced significant policy shifts in the TMT sectors. Jain holds an MBA from Warwick Business School, UK.

2.

Alok Mehta appointed as new group CHRO of Total Environment Building Systems

Mehta comes with 30 years of experience in various leadership and HR domain functions. He has been associated with companies such as INTAS Pharma, India Value Fund Advisors, Metro Cash & Carry, Astra Zeneca Pharma, Deutsche Bank Group, and Motorola India Electronics. Total Environment Building Systems, an Indian architect-led real estate and design company, has announced the appointment of Alok Mehta as group CHRO and president.
Before joining Total Environment Building System, Mehta worked at the Swedish IT product organisation Hexagon as executive director of human resources (global capability centres), where he was based out of Hyderabad. Mehta has contributed nearly 30 years of experience to various leadership and HR domain functions. He has been associated with companies such as INTAS
Pharma, India Value Fund Advisors, Metro Cash & Carry, AstraZeneca Pharma, Deutsche Bank Group, and Motorola India Electronics. “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Group CHRO and President at Total Environment Building Systems Pvt. Ltd.,” Mehta confirmed the appointment via social media.

3. Manmohan S Kalsy is president – business operations & HR, Medi Assist

Kalsy moves from Inbrew Beverages, where he was CHRO, based out of Bengaluru. Medi Assist Healthcare Services, the Indian insuretech/healthtech and health benefits administrator, has appointed Manmohan S Kalsy as president – business operations and human resources. Kalsy has moved from Inbrew Beverages, where he was chief human resources officer or CHRO since August 2022. There, he was leading talent acquisition, training and development, as well as performance management. Having begun his career with Honda Siel Power Products, as senior personnel officer, in 1989, Kalsy has come a long way. From 1992 to 1996, he worked for Gillette India as HR executive. He served as general manager – HR at PepsiCo for almost seven years, from 1995 to 2001. His next stop was Bharti Airtel, where he joined as head – HR operations (mobility business) in 2001. Three and a half years later, he found himself at Triveni Engineering & Industries, as vice president – corporate HR. In 2006, he joined Vodafone as VP-HR. He was also associated with Xerox for over two and a half years, as executive director – HR. The period 2013 to 2021 was spent at United Breweries, as CHRO. His next stint, albeit a short one, was with Go First, as vice president & head of human resources. In his new assignment at Medi Assist, Manmohan will be responsible for building a world class team for delivering on Medi Assist’s ‘Borderless Benefits’ promise.

HR News: 30 Dec, 2022

1.

UAE extends Golden Visa to attract more employees

To get more workers, the United Arab Emirates is extending the Golden Visa programme. This includes scientists, researchers, and skilled professionals. Senior scholars and clerics, elite specialists in industry and the fourth industrial revolution, specialists in the field of health and education are also included in the list of workers. The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa that enables foreign talents to live, work, or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits. These benefits include a long-term renewable residence visa valid for five or ten years; the benefit of not needing a sponsor; the ability to stay outside the UAE for longer than the uaeusual period of six months in order to maintain their residence visa as valid; the ability to sponsor their family members, including spouses and children regardless of their ages; and the capacity to sponsor an unlimited number of people. 

2.

PharmEasy suffers a 270-crore loss -result of increased employee benefits

The company recently withdrew its initial public offering (IPO) due to "market conditions and strategic considerations" and witnessed a huge loss for FY22. PharmEasy, an online pharmacy and health tech platform, reported a net loss of Rs 3,992 crore for FY22, which is comparatively more than the Rs 641 crore loss incurred in FY21 (2020-2021). These numbers are according to the RoC filings by the company with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. The company also recently withdrew its initial public offering (IPO) due to “market conditions and strategic considerations” and witnessed a huge loss for FY22 as its employee benefit expenses surged more than five times during the year. The regulatory filings showed that employee benefits costs surged to Rs 1,459 crore in FY22, which almost accounted for nearly a sixth of the company’s expenses, from Rs 270 crore in FY21. However, excluding exceptional items or one-time losses on impairment of goodwill, the e-pharmacy unicorn reported a loss of Rs 2,731 crore during the year, as per the filings.

 

3.

Micron to cut 10% of workforce as demand for computer chips slumps.

Amid the adverse industry conditions, Micron, a US-based semiconductor firm has announced to lay off 10 per cent of its workforce by 2023. The choice was made in response to Micron’s first-quarter FY23 performance. As per a report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said that, “On December 21, 2022, we announced a restructure plan in response to challenging industry conditions.” It further highlights the company’s restructure plans and the reduction in the headcount by 10 per cent over calendar year 2023 through a combination of voluntary attrition and personnel reductions. Reportedly, Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO, Micron, also sited that too much supply of memory and lack of demand, as reasons for the company keeping inventory and losing power over pricing.

HR Learning: 23 Dec, 2022

1.

Pearson to acquire workforce assessment provider PDRI for $190 million

Acquisition to significantly expand Pearson's services to US federal government. London-based education publisher Pearson has entered into an agreement with SHL Group to acquire workforce assessment services provider Personnel Decisions Research Institutes, LLC (PDRI).

PDRI has significant expertise in providing assessment solutions to the US federal government, one of the largest employers in the US with more than 4 million employees. 

The consideration for PDRI represents an enterprise value of $190 million, which will be funded from Pearson's existing cash and available liquidity. 

Completion of the acquisition is expected to occur during H1 2023 subject to regular closing conditions, including any required regulatory filings or approvals. 

This acquisition further expands Pearson's portfolio, accelerating the company's strategy to capture new market opportunities and grow its presence with large employers.  

PDRI will join Pearson's assessment & qualifications division. Within this division, Pearson and PDRI already have an established, strong working relationship, partnering to deliver high quality assessments to federal jobseekers at Pearson VUE test centers. 

2.

An organisation's ability to swiftly adapt to newer technologies depends on how well-oiled its L&D machinery is

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our everyday life and how we conduct business, collaborate and make decisions. It has also significantly impacted the learning paradigm that has thoroughly evolved - Live Online and Virtual Classes have become the norm instead of limiting learning to classroom sessions. This shift is not just practical and scalable but cost-efficient too. As per LinkedIn Research, Workforce Upskilling can be accelerated by up to 240% by leveraging Live Online Training (VILT). Just like everything else, along with its advantages, this shift has its share of cons, such as challenges in learner engagement, management and administration, and provisioning of labs, to name a few. To augment their upskilling capabilities, organisations big and small are increasingly engaging workforce upskilling companies for all their learning needs - training, certifications, new hire onboarding, assignments, assessments, infrastructure, etc. 

Curating state-of-art impactful Upskilling programs is an art. It also took a lot of thought and time to keep these factors aligned while designing courses at edForce. As a result, our Upskilling programs revolve around the core aspect of an immersive learning experience. This ensures quantifiable outcome-based learning, which includes NPS scores and beyond. Every learning program that edForce provides is crafted to enable companies to kickstart their skilling journey right from the beginning to every stage in an Upskilling lifecycle. Every client coming to us has a different approach and requirements. From Cost, turnaround time, and NPS score to Learner engagement, all have been blended perfectly in all our programs.  

edForce is investing and working on an Upskilling Platform designed bottom-up for the future of learning. To enhance the learner experience, it will have an AI-based learning and engagement engine that will customise the learning path per the learner's skills and abilities. Additionally, the platform will provide advanced features, like enterprise-Reporting, Analytics, and Business Intelligence, to provide critical insights to the stakeholders and decision-makers. Additionally, the AI syndication engine will collate relevant content from various sources to provide a rich learning experience to the learners.

3.

BetterManager raises $16 million in series A funding

The San Francisco-based startup plans to use the fresh funds to accelerate its efforts to scale its virtual leadership development solution. Leadership development platform BetterManager has announced the completion of a $16 million series A funding round led by Education Growth Partners. BetterManager’s seed funder, Polar Capital Group, also contributed to the round.

The San Francisco-based startup plans to use the fresh funds to accelerate its efforts to scale its virtual leadership development solution.

Founding in 2017, BetterManager has supported the growth and development of people leaders–from new managers to senior executives–at over 200 organisations around the world through a combination of 1:1 executive-level coaching, collaborative group learning models (such as group coaching and training), practical e-learning tools, and actionable assessments.

“BetterManager highly integrated model has demonstrated consistently that it can enhance the quality of leadership across all levels of an organisation, all as it improves retention of managers and their direct reports. This investment is more than a transaction to us; it’s a partnership. BetterManager is a mission-driven company that was founded on and operates with social impact at its core,” said Stefan Szanto, Education Growth Partners. 

HR Movement: 23 Dec, 2022

1.

Satyadeep Mishra leaves OYO, joins CleverTap as CHRO

With 20 years of experience, Mishra has worked at Jio, Bajaj Finance, Barclays, and Infosys among others. Satyadeep Mishra joins CleverTap as the chief human resource officer (CHRO). CleverTap is a SaaS-based customer lifecycle management and mobile marketing company, headquartered in Mountain View, California. CleverTap has the world’s number one retention cloud which supports app-first brands to personalize and optimize the consumer’s touch points, this improves user engagement, retention, and lifetime value. Before joining CleverTap, Mishra was the chief people officer at OYO, a hospitality technology platformAt OYO, he was responsible for the company’s technology, product, global functions and international markets teams.

2.

Sneha Arora appointed as CHRO of Simpl

 

Arora brings 10 years of extensive experience providing HR leadership in diverse, fast-paced and multicultural environments across technology, e-commerce, and retail industries to her new role. Arora had earlier led HR & talent strategies across India origin organizations Flipkart & Myntra, and MNCs such as SAP and Texas Instruments. Simpl, one of India’s leading 1-tap checkout platforms, announces Sneha Arora as its chief human resource officer (CHRO). In this new role, she will be responsible for scaling the organisation and building talent capabilities and a culture to power Simpl’s business, which is on a high growth trajectoryShe has a master’s in business economics, human resource management, and labour relations from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai.

 

3. Sanyukta Gholap appointed director talent and culture, Novotel Pune

She brings with her, extensive HR experience covering diverse situations in a career spanning over a decade. Her expertise includes HR functions with international chain of hotels such as Accor Hotels - Mercure Lavasa and Lavasa International Convention Centre, Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa, and Oberoi Hotels – Trident Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. Sanyukt Gholap has been appointed as Novotel Pune’s new director of talent and culture. Novotel Pune is one of the finest hotels in the city where business meets pleasure with state of the art facilities. Gholap has over 12 years of experience of HR functions and has been part of many Indian and international hospitality brands.

HR News: 23 Dec, 2022

 1.

How to build a thriving workplace culture by integrating recognition and leveraging the power of symbols

The past three years have prompted us to re-evaluate our lives in very meaningful ways – finding fulfilment in what we do or seeking more opportunities to connect with each other. As workplaces continue to evolve, we are seeing the impact of these changes in HR & workplace strategies first-hand across many organisations. In an exclusive interaction with Zubin Zack, Managing Director, South Asia, Middle East and Africa, O.C. Tanner, we discovered some promising ways to build a culture where employees can thrive. Recognition is the most underleveraged leadership tool. It is not only cost-effective but also can bring about the most significant organisational changes. When a recognition moment happens, the the receiver, giver and audience feel the impact. They all feel valued and a part of the workplace community. Therefore, in my opinion, it is common sense to incorporate recognition as a part of everyday life. On the contrary generic recognition, or when it is impersonal, can have the opposite impact. There are underlying discoveries which will make it challenging for any organisation to achieve a high level of integrated recognition culture, especially memories of recognition experiences from prior workplaces as they have a profound and enduring influence.  Symbols are impactful. Symbolism has the power to build connections. When a career recognition experience includes a symbolic award, it increases the employee’s connection with their team, leader, and organisation. Our research says that employees are three times more likely to remember a recognition experience when it includes a symbolic award. Read O.C. Tanner’s Global Culture Report 2023 to get more insights on the eight key measurements for achieving a high level of integrated recognition.

2.

NATO launches new HRM tool for the public sector

NATO BI released a new HRM toolkit that hopes to bridge the gap between principles and practices in the public sector. The new Human Resource Management (HRM) toolkit for the public sector was released by the NATO Building Integrity (NATO BI) programme on October 24, 2022. Developed by the Norwegian Center for Integrity in the Defence Sector (CIDS), the toolkit offers an interactive guide to integrity building in the public sector, including systematic planning guides for human resources personnel, questionnaires for employees, and hands-on assessments of managerial competencies. HRM is critical to working towards transparent, accountable and democratic institutions. NATO BI works to support allies and partner countries to promote good governance and implement values of integrity, transparency and accountability in the defence and related service sectors.

 

3.

Comedians and content creators alike, shoot their shot at becoming Twitter’s next CEO

As Elon Musk announced his intention to step down as Twitter head, many on the microblogging site took the chance to poke fun at the situation. Following the results of his poll, Twitter boss, Elon Musk announced his intention to step down as CEO and is actively looking for replacements. Musk while addressing the situation on twitter he said only a fool would take up the job and promised to run the software and server teams. This has given many people the opportunity to shoot their shots and poke a little fun at this situation. More recently on the 22nd of December, 2022, an Emmy nominated comedic writer Bess Kalb posted a tweet announcing herself as the new CEO of the microblogging site.

HR Learning: 16 Dec, 2022

1.

Volkswagen India recognises and rewards sales & service personnel

Through the Sarvottam Skill Contest, the Company conducts extensive training programmes for over 5,000 personnel across the 157 sales and 125 service touchpoints in 117 cities. Volkswagen Passenger Cars India successfully completed the seventh edition of its annual Sarvottam Skill Contest. This upskilling, learning and development programme focuses on recognising and rewarding excellence among the sales and service team members, within the Volkswagen India network. Through this Contest, team members from the sales function are trained on product know-how, technological advancements within the product, soft skills and understanding customer requirements. The service personnel are taught the fundamental principles for technical problem solving, customer satisfaction and loyalty, thus ensuring that the service advisors and technicians deliver on the Volkswagen promise of enhanced service and peace-of-mind ownership experience.

2.

One way to turn the tide of employee retention

"A workstation is a place where employees spend most of their time. HR leaders There's a surprising link between skill development opportunities and job satisfaction. Jeremy Braidish, Chief People Officer of Cyara, shares some ways of boosting skilling and thereby talent retention. Organisations across the globe are facing the challenge of skilled labour shortages. Hiring new employees can be a significant financial and administrative investment that takes time, so prioritising the retention of existing staff has become a high priority. Reducing staff turnover not only saves money but also helps foster a positive company culture and develops future-focused thinking. However, according to PwC’s 2022 Workforce Hopes & Fears Survey, four in ten employees in Asia Pacific are not satisfied with their job and one in five intend to switch to a new employer in the next 12 months. A key area of effective employee retention centres around upskilling (developing existing skills to optimise performance) and re-skilling (teaching new skills for a different role). By focusing on both sides of the skills coin businesses can foster new capabilities, stay competitive, show commitment to its people and ensure employees are ready for the demands of the future. Only 10% of APAC employees expect to be back in the office full-time in the next 12 months while 90% plan to work remotely or in a hybrid capacity. This shift towards non location-specific or remote work arrangements means companies need to create training programs that can work well anywhere. A big challenge for employers is the ability to coordinate and balance virtual and in-person training, ensuring both types of training are invested in appropriately and deliver the same quality outcomes. Companies need to be careful not to overlook those who work fully remotely. In-person time has become increasingly valuable due to the pandemic, especially with employees located across various locations. Organisations need to think about purpose. Why are you getting employees together? What do you intend to achieve? It’s important to be intentional and mindful, making those in-person opportunities more about the people's needs than the business. Many successful organisations plan ahead and develop long-term training strategies for their employees. However, future-proofing a workforce is a two-pronged approach. Firstly, providing ongoing, broad-based skills and training to every employee in the organisation is essential. Secondly, identify individuals you believe are capable of taking on more responsibility and filling critical positions within the company. 

3.

A key focus for L&D going into 2023 should be business alignment: Degreed’s Venkat Subramaniam

 

Venkat Subramaniam of Degreed believes that learning is core to business success and organisations need to invest in the right processes and technologies to adapt to continuous change. Venkatachalam Subramaniam is the Regional Vice President of APAC at Degreed. He comes with over 2 decades of rich & extensive global exposure in Strategic Business Development & Management, Operations Excellence, Stakeholder Engagement and People Management. Venkat is a People Leader who has successfully led and motivated teams in cross-cultural & geographical environments towards growth and success in the organisation; created a clear & compelling view of the future through coaching and execution.

Before joining Degreed, Venkat was a General Manager, Head of Sales at Oracle NetSuite India. He also had successful stints at ADP and Adrenalin — leading HCM product and services organisations. In conversation with People Matters, Venkat outlines critical trends that will impact L&D strategies moving forward, the urgency of investing in power skills, aligning learning solutions to business outcomes and employee experience and more.

Organisations are dealing with multiple pressures in these turbulent times, including the shift to hybrid and remote work, and the recession impacting some countries (less so in APAC region, but still a factor in the global economy). Understanding the outlook is key for L&D teams planning for 2023, but that ties in with a wider shift — becoming more strategic and aligned with the business. Because everyone in the organisation needs to see, clearly and undoubtedly, that learning is core to business success. That’s the only way you can justify learning budgets and gain buy-in for innovations in learning. why aren’t more organisations building power skills? It’s because they cannot be easily taught in a traditional way; you cannot learn them easily in a classroom. They also can’t be assessed as easily as a hard skill like coding. Degreed helps organisations build power skills through several means, including enabling L&D to curate the best learning resources available to teach a power skill in different ways. Whether through an online pathway, videos, podcasts, or peer learning. Then a learner can stretch their skill by practising it on real-world applications like stretch assignments or projects. It allows someone to develop the skill in the best way that suits them and the skill being learned. Offering personalised learning opportunities that are tailored to someone’s interests and goals will make the overall experience more engaging. We’ve become used to having content served up seamlessly through Netflix, Spotify, Facebook and others. It’s time for company technology to do the same. It’s important to note that the days of having a rigid three to five-year strategy are gone. Learning leaders, above all, need to be comfortable with change and their strategy needs to be able to pivot as needed. Uncertainty is the only certainty these days and learning is at the forefront of this, one of the first to be impacted, because as a business suddenly changes, so too do the skills that employees need. To achieve this, having processes and technology that can easily adapt is a must. So too is the ability to understand the market, changing needs, and new trends. Gathering skill data from your various HR and learning systems will help you understand the internal environment for your employees. Simultaneously, gather market data to understand how skills are evolving and where your business needs to be next, in order to thrive.

HR Movement: 16 Dec, 2022

 1.

Rajendra Mehta moves to Suzlon as group CHRO

Mehta comes with 28 years of rich experience in HR, and has moved from Welspun Group, where he was president and group CHRO. Suzlon has appointed Rajendra Mehta as the new group chief human resource officer for India and South Asia. Mehta has moved from Welspun Group, where he was president and group chief human resource officer. Backed by over 28 years of experience, Mehta comes with strong expertise in talent- management strategy and operations, learning and development (L&D), talent management, succession planning, talent attraction, employee relations, inclusion and diversity and human resources transformation. In his long career, Mehta has worked with organisations such as Synergy Capital, DHFL, Zee Entertainment, DCM Shriram and the Times Group. His longest stint was with the Times Group, where he served as the general manager and then was promoted as the VP and head of human resources. His longest stint was with the Times Group, where he served as the general manager and then was promoted as the VP and head of human resources.

2.

RateGain elevates Sahil Sharma to CHRO

 

Sharma, who joined RateGain in 2016 as a senior manager, carries an experience of over a decade. Sahil Sharma is now chief human resources office at RateGain Travel Technologies. This promotion comes after having spent over a year as the senior vice president and global head – people and culture. Sharma has almost a decade and four years of experience. Having joined RateGain in 2016, as senior manager – global learning and organisational effectiveness, he spent the last six years managing managing global human resources. He has been successfully organising the workforces of RateGain’s multiple acquisitions made over the last three years. Before joining RateGain, Sharma was senior manager – strategic human resources, at IndiaMart InterMESHHe completed a successful tenure of four years at IndiaMART.

 

3. Mohan Sitharam joins Shadowfax as CHRO

Sitharam moves to this on-demand delivery platform from Subex, where he was CPO for over 6 years. Shadowfax ropes in Mohan Sitharam as the new group chief human resources officer. Sitharam has moved from Subex, where he served as the chief people officer (CPO) for more than six years. Backed by over 25 years of experience, Mehta comes with strong expertise in talent- management strategy and operations, strategic management and development of HR policies to support growth and retention, talent management, employee relations, inclusion and diversity and human resources transformation. During his over two-decade long career, he has had the opportunity to manage and lead multiple facets of the human resource function for several organisations, such as Subex, Mindtree, HCL Technologies and Mphasis. His longest stint was with Mindtree, where he started as head – corporate people function in August, 2004. He served in the role for more than five years and oversaw numerous human resources initiatives such as functional communications, people engagement and employer branding, along with mergers and acquisitions. With his great efforts, Mindtree became a part of the top-15 companies in the Best Employer Surveys by different assessment entities. 

HR News: 16 Dec, 2022

1.

Employers in Finland have until December 31 to check for non-competition restrictions

Employers in Finland have until December 31, 2022, to check for noncompetition restrictions in employment contracts signed prior to December 31, 2022. Employers in Finland have until December 31, 2022, to check for noncompetition restrictions in pre-2022 employment contracts.  Furthermore, if required, to waive them before the conclusion of the transition year, as starting January 1, 2023, employers will be obligated to pay compensation to any resigning employees. They will be even responsible to pay the compensatory benefits to employees dismissed for cause, for the period of the noncompetition restriction after the employment,
even if their pre-2022 employment contracts did not contain non-compete compensation clauses. According to the statute, non-compete agreements entered into after January 1, 2023, must pay at least 40% employee’s usual wage for non-compete agreements lasting up to six months, and 60% if the non-compete agreement lasts more than six months.

2.

Piramal Finance announces the unveiling of new Piramal Innovation Lab in BLR

The new Innovation Lab aims to hire over 300 professionals from software engineering, product management, user experience (UX) and data sciences sectors. On December 15, 2022, Piramal Capital and Housing Finance (Piramal Finance) announced the unveiling of their new, state of the art, Piramal Innovation Lab in Bengaluru. The Piramal Innovation Lab is an extension of Piramal Finance’s goal to create innovative products and services which meet the various finance requirements in the under-served and unserved Indian The Piramal Innovation Lab is an extension of Piramal Finance’s goal to create innovative products and services which meet the various finance requirements in the under-served and unserved Indian market. Piramal Finance aims to have a team of over 300 professionals at the Piramal Innovation Lab in Bengaluru for various tech and business intelligence positions by the end of FY23 who will complement the existing large pool of professionals led by Saurabh Mittal(chief technology officer) and Markandey Upadhyay (head, business intelligence unit) across Mumbai and Bengaluru. Bengaluru was the preferred choice for the ‘Innovation Lab’, as the city has established itself as one of India’s leading IT hubs, providing them with a vibrant ecosystem for technology and a solid digital infrastructure that attracts tech talent from across the country.

 

3.

Bioderma, a NAOS brand, implements 4.5-day work week in UAE & India

The new employee-centric ecosystem will start from December 2022. Introducing a renewed sense of culture in the workspace, NAOS- a dermocosmetic brand, India, has announced a 4.5-day workweek module. The new employee-centric ecosystem will start from December 2022 in the UAE and India. The company stated that the Pandemic led to changes in social behaviours and trends across sectors and industries, inducing a new mindset at the workplace. Sharing her thoughts on the new module, Sony R. Kadavil, hr head, NAOS India said, “We invest in people in terms of comfort, freedom, and openness to express, so that they in-turn invest in the organisation. At NAOS, we believe in human care first, irrespective of them being our internal or external customers. We will continue to prioritize it in the future too whilst making sure that simplicity, honesty, learning, and work transparency continue to be the core of our organisation.”

HR Learning: 9 Dec, 2022

 1.

‘Learning Tuesdays’ at Barco are not just about learning

Barco started this initiative during the pandemic to enhance the knowledge of its employees. Growth of employees has become a priority for most organisations today, and growth does not only happen through promotions and pay raises alone. Upskilling of employees is a key area that needs attention in order to keep employees relevant and updated. Many companies offer certification programmes and e-learning modules to ensure that their employees keep learning continuously. However, Barco, a technology firm that specialises in digital projection and imaging technology has gone a step further.

It has come up with an initiative called ‘Learning Tuesdays.’ Started by Barco during the pandemic in 2021, when most of the workforce was working remotely, the programme, unlike what its name may suggest, involves much more than learning; Peer-to-peer learning, Cross-functional learning, Bonding,

Confidence building, Empathy. Barco has various other learning initiatives such as certifications in different areas of engineering, as well as emerging skills, including cybersecurity.

 

2.

Grab every single opportunity to ensure your people have a ‘great day’ at work: Aakanksha Bhargava, CEO, PM Relocations

"A workstation is a place where employees spend most of their time. HR leaders should grab every single opportunity to enable people in having a ‘great day’ at work," said Aakanksha Bhargava, CEO, PM Relocations Pvt. Ltd. Under the universe of MSMEs there is a large subset of family-owned businesses that struggle to scale and transform over different generations. Aakanksha Bhargava, CEO, PM Relocations Pvt. Ltd, is a second-generation entrepreneur, who drove the Gurugram-based packers and movers’ organisation that her dad began in 1986. Being born into a family of movers, she came to fall in love with this industry and wanted to create a distinct recognition for the brand. She traversed numerous urban areas and nations to furnish PMR with incredible levels. In the interview, Aakanksha talks about putting a team together, taking business to greater heights, addressing the unique challenges of MSMEs sector and the new role that HR teams in MSMEs have to take. I believe for a business to begin and progress, there are several aspects that stand extremely important. And one of them includes having the right team by your side. The term ‘right team’ might mean different things for different people. We often perceive it to be a group of well-versed people, professionals in the field, who have a great set of skills and unparalleled talent. In an industry like Relocations, it's already a really difficult task to make people understand what we do and where our legacy and expertise lie and why almost anybody who desires to move needs us. In such a case, gathering people who understand and work for the vision as dedicatedly has been a really hard time. 

Additionally, establishing a sense of belonging within them towards the company had been an important factor too. However, living for at least one year in each major metro city of the country, establishing a branch in each of them, and hand-picking my team in whom I could see the commitment and dedication towards the company have helped me overcome all the challenges. 

When I joined the business, we were a team of mere 45 employees but today, we are a proud team of about 600 PMRians working tirelessly to make global mobility seamless and hassle-free.  At PMR, we have always concentrated on building our people and focusing not only on their professional but also personal growth. 

Our Learning & Development programs aim to cater to this aspect of our work culture. We take a quality-driven and value-centric approach to ensure that none of our customers or clients ever face a gap in our services and have a seamless moving experience every time they decide to choose us. To meet this objective, it is highly important to train our people from time to time and keep them well-equipped with the changing trends within the industry. The regular training sessions (such as the Warehouse Training & Port Training) have successfully been making sure of that. 

Also, we hold monthly reviews and quarterly reviews with each department and team within our offices to ensure that we are aligned towards reaching our ultimate target for this financial year.

These review meetings not only ensure total productivity in the company but also help address the problems and concerns of our people to reach a conclusion that ultimately assists us in bettering ourselves as an organisation. This gives us the space to come up with some brilliant ideas and plan on executing them. Our employee engagement activities that are set especially keeping in mind the mental well-being of our people contribute to the growth as well.  

3.

Top HR skills in demand for the future

Developing a variety of skill sets can help HR professionals position themselves better to support organisational objectives and growth in the workplace of the future. Building critical skills and competencies tops the list of priorities for HR leaders along with prioritising change management and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for the fourth consecutive year, according to a study by Gartner.

As organisations approach the future of work, the convergence of HR and technology is anticipated to act as a catalyst for the future of workplace transformation. Additionally, by focusing on developing a variety of skill sets, HR professionals will be better positioned to support organisational objectives and growth. Apart from AI and machine learning, people analytics and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) training are recent developments that are being adopted by HR functions. People, AR and VR-led learning initiatives, Metaverse and Change Management.

HR Movement: 9 Dec, 2022

1.

Hero Vired appoints Samra Rahman as head – people & culture

Rahman has worked with IBM, HCL and Tata Teleservices in her about 20-year long career. Samra Rahman has been appointed head – people and culture at Hero Vired, the Indian learning tech company for higher education aspirants and professionals. Rahman moves from Centum Learning, where she served a tenure of over nine years, of which the last five years were in the role of head of human resources. An alumna of Delhi University and XLRI Jamshedpur, Rahman Has over 20 years of experience in HR and people management. She has a proven track record in ensuring greater alignment of the human resource function with overall business goals to achieve growth. She has demonstrated expertise in recruitment, retention, employee satisfaction, rewards systems and L&D initiatives for senior leadership and the staff.

2.

Kyndryl India gets Rajita Singh as CPO

Singh has completed her MBA in marketing and HR and also carries a PhD from XLRI Jamshedpur. Kyndryl India, an IT infrastructure services company that designs, builds, manages and develops large-scale information systems, has appointed Rajita Singh as its chief people officer. Kyndryl was created from the spin-off of IBM’s infrastructure services business. In this role, Singh will lead the people function at Kyndryl India. Sharing her excitement at joining the “phenomenal team at Kyndryl,” Singh writes on social media, “Powering human progress by touching billion lives with technology transformations, working towards a better world to live, is a fab opportunity. Such a privilege to be able to create immense value rooted in a growth mindset, ultimately making an impact at scale.”.

 

3. Raj Raghavan moves on from Indigo; Sukhjit P rejoins as group CHRO

Raghavan is set to join as a global CHRO at a Seattle-based technology startup working in the cloud governance space. Sukhjit Pasricha has rejoined Indigo as group CHRO. He will take charge from November 01, 2022. Pasricha has worked with Indigo before as VP-HR & admin for close to five years between 2013 and 2018. Till date, Pasricha was heading the HR function for Kotak Mahindra Bank as president HR & group CHRO. Pasricha’s 25-year career in HR spans various sectors, with a significant amount of time spent in the telecom space. Before joining Kotak Mahindra, Pasricha was the CHRO at Bajaj Finserv. His longest stint was with Bharti Airtel where he spent close to 9.5 years. At Airtel, he started as the head-HR, AES where he spent three years. Later he was elevated as V-P, HR for Northern Region of Airtel’s mobile business. In 2008, he was named the CHRO for Enterprise Services Business. In 2010, Pasricha was again promoted as Sr. V-P-HR at Airtel Africa. At the same time, he was also the head-HR and HR business partner for nine Anglophone countries in Africa.

HR News: 9 Dec, 2022

1.

SEZ rules now allow WFH to all IT/ITes staff till 31 Dec. 2023

Earlier, WFH was allowed for a maximum period of one year alone, and only up to 50% of the workforce could avail of the facility. With the Government having made amendments to the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) rules, all employees of IT/ITeS units in SEZs will now be allowed 100 per cent work from home (WFH) till 31 December, 2023. However, the units allowing their staff to work from home or any location outside the SEZ, will have to inform the respective development commissioners of the zones and will also have to keep operating from the premises as mentioned in their letter of approval. The facility can also be granted to employees who are travelling, or are temporarily injured or unwell, or are working offsite. Additionally, such units will have to ensure that the export revenue of goods manufactured or services offered are accounted for. Such employees may be provided with the necessary equipment to facilitate work-from-home, including laptops or desktops for which duty-free movement will be allowed.

2.

1,100 employees of New York Times stop work

It is the first time in 40 years that a strike of this scale has been called for. About 1,100 employees of New York Times have gone on strike and stopped work, demanding pay hikes to tackle inflation. Employees, including journalists disappointed at having reached no positive conclusion post discussions on contracts, stopped work at midnight on 8 December, 2022. A strike of this magnitude has never been called for at NYT in over four decades, according to the union, the NY Times NewsGuild. While those not members of the Guild will continue to report for duty, others — that make up a significant number — including reporters, editors, guards and other employees, will stay away from work. Needless to say that their absence will disrupt operations. The members of the Guild have been seeking better remuneration in keeping with the inflation. They have also been demanding better health insurance and retirement benefits, as was reportedly assured at the time of hiring.

3.

‘Can’t appoint ad hoc employee in place of another ad hoc employee’: JKL HC

Only a regular appointment as per standard procedures can be made in place of an ad hoc employee. An ad hoc employee cannot be replaced by yet another ad hoc employee said the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (JKL) High Court. In place of an ad hoc employee, only a regular appointment can be allowed, after going through the standard processed prescribed for filling such a vacancy. Justice Sanjay Dhar was hearing a plea where the petitioners had challenged an advertisement notice via which respondents were seeking applications for temporary roles of staff nurses. These nurses were to be appointed as per an academic arrangement initially for a period of six months. The staff nurses who were already occupying the posts had also been appointed for six months, as per a government order. Their contract was, however, extended off and on. While their recent extension allowed them to work till November 2022, the nurses objected to the ad seeking staff nurses, posted by the respondents (their employers), again on an academic arrangement, that is contractual basis.

HR Learning: 2 Dec, 2022

 1.

Aurobindo Pharma collaborates with IMT Hyderabad to offer leadership programme

An MoU has been signed to offer a certified leadership programme called ‘Auro Astra’. Aurobindo Pharma, an integrated global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hyderabad, India, has signed an exclusive MoU with IMT Hyderabad to offer a custom-designed Certified Leadership Programme called ‘Auro Astra’ to its employees. The Company has co-created the curriculum along with experts from IMT Hyderabad. The course is aimed at providing mid-level managers with skills pertaining to strategic planning, leadership abilities, building resilience and managerial skills. Thirty-five candidates from amongst 150 mid-level managers have been shortlisted from across functions, following a structured process that included psychometric and behavioural assessments, business simulations and a series of conversations with heads of departments. The six-month long Post Graduate Certification in Leadership Programme or CLP will comprise four modules covering, management of self, that is, leveraging core strengths and qualities to inspire other colleagues; management of teams, that is, leading developing and supporting other team members to attain common goals; management of business, that is, a strategic approach with business acumen and financial literacy for the overall growth of the organisation; and management of change, that is, collaboration with various stakeholders and adoption of best practices.

 

2.

In the age of specialists, how important are transferable skills?

While specialised skills can be learnt and taught, core or transferable skills are more inherent. Transferable skills, also known as ‘core skills’ or ‘soft skills’, are developed by people over time. These skills not only add versatility to an individual’s overall profile, but can also add significant value to one’s career and life. Some common examples of transferable skills include communication skills, leadership qualities, exceptional analytical skills and so on. Unlike technical skills that are always changing, these make one more agile. These skills not only help in personality development, but are crucial when an individual is looking to fit into a role in a territory that he hasn’t explored before. These also stand one in good stead at the time of changing careers or moving from one industry or domain to another. For instance, candidates with no prior sales and marketing experience may find the role challenging, but, if they possess excellent communication skills, they may be able to leverage those skills to perform even better than the experienced personnel. Similarly, good communicators armed with exceptional problem-solving and collaboration skills and an effective speaking style can be promoted to lead roles in no time.

 

3.

Scrap 10+2 education format from next academic session: CBSE

As per the recommendation of the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), will soon direct all CBSE-affiliated schools to migrate to the 5+3+3+4 system of education and scrap the current 10+2 format. The new periodical education system will be effective from the upcoming academic session in all CBSE-affiliated schools in India. The CBSE will soon begin the creating a school registry, teacher registry and student registry to track the growth of resources throughout the stages of schooling. The 5+3+3+4 periodical education system is based on the cognitive developmental stages of the children. The new system comprises three years of pre-school education and 12 years of school education.

HR Movement: 2 Dec, 2022

 1.

Jayadeva EP takes additional charge as director- HR, HAL

With Alok Verma retiring from the post of director – HR, HAL, Jayadeva will shoulder the responsibilities for three months or until further orders. Alok Verma, director – HR, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), has superannuated on 30 November, and therefore, ceased to be a director of the company board. Jayadeva E.P, director (operations), HAL, will now take additional charge as the director- HR for a period of three months or till the next orders, whichever is earlier as per a letter from the Ministry of Defence, dated 22 November. Jayadeva EP joined HAL as a management trainee in 1987 after completing his graduation in electrical engineering. In his more than three-decade long career, he spent time in various divisions at HAL including overhaul, aircraft Division, LCA Tejas and also the corporate office. He played some crucial roles and is known for some significant accomplishments such as managingthe new fighter aircraft manufacturing, overhaul and upgrade from project inception to execution stage.

2.

Change of guard at P&G

Bala Puroshothaman is now CHRO, while Tracey Grabowski has decided to retire. Procter & Gamble has announced the elevation of Bala Purushothaman to global CHRO. He will be stepping into the shoes of Tracey Grabowski who has decided to retire after a successful three-decade long career. The Company proudly reveals that Purushothaman has become the fourth Indian to be part of P&G’s global leadership team after Shailesh Jejurikar, COO; Sundar Raman, CEO, Fabric & Home Care; and Kirti Singh, chief analytics & insights officer, P&G. India has been observed to be a significant talent factory for P&G as the Company has about 300 Indian expats working in global roles. Purushothaman has spent his entire career at P&G starting as a management trainee in 1992 in the HR department. He worked across geographies such as Thailand, Singapore, Russia and the US.

 

3. Fibe gets Monica Mishra as head of human resources

Mishra has spent close to a decade with YES Banks as group executive VP- human capital management. Fibe, a leading consumer-lending app, previously called EarlySalary, has roped in Monica Mishra as the new head of human resources. With 18 years of diverse experience backing her, Mishra is a seasoned HR professional who has worked across sectors such as BFSI, healthcare, retail and fashion, with a brief stint in her own startup. In 2005, she worked with Nicholas Piramal for a year as an HR generalist, before moving to Reliance Retail as talent acquisition and business partner – HR in 2006. A little over two years later, she moved to Catwalk Worldwide as head – HR for a year. Her next stop was YES Bank, where she joined as group executive VP – human capital management, for a long and successful tenure of over nine years. It was in 2020 that she founded her own startup. During her HR journey, she has had ample opportunity to lend strategic support, provide leadership support and counsel to organisations in the areas.

 

HR News: 2 Dec, 2022

1.

Marico prepares to hire people with career breaks

The Company has officially launched the ‘Pheonix’ programme to hire professionals who have had to take a break for some reason or the other. Inspired by some real-time stories at Marico, the Company has come up with the Phoenix programme which focuses on giving an opportunity to people who have had to take a career break due to some the other reason. Though Marico has been very open to hiring people with career breaks in the past, it is only now that it has come out with an official programme to streamline things. Marico has employees who have taken multiple breaks in their career. Rakhi Gupta (name changed) had to take multiple breaks in her career due to many reasons such as shifting to the US with her husband, childbirth and child’s health condition. Later, she unfortunately lost her husband at a time when she became a leader in a manufacturing setup. She was forced to take a break to take care of her own mental health and support her family. However, she joined Marico in a full-time consultant role and is content with her job, and the facilities and flexibility it gives her. To be the part of the Phoenix programme, a candidate needs to have a career break of a minimum of one year.

2.

Has FIS asked 400 Pune employees to leave?

Some employees of the American multinational have reportedly been told to not come to work till 30 December, their last date of working. Fidelity National Information Services (FIS), Pune, the Indian arm of the American multinational fintech firm, is on a layoff spree, to deal with redundancy. Looks like the Company has already asked 400 of its employees to leave, and media reports say that more will be laid off in the weeks to come. Some employees have been told not to report for work till 30 December, which will be their last working day. he Company has offices in Bengaluru and Gurugram as well. The employees will be given severance of a month’s basic salary for each year of service they have completed with the firm, with the maximum limit being 12 months. This severance will be paid to them within five days of the date of separation.

 

3.

The blue collared industry has maximum job seekers in 18-30 age group: Report

Mumbai and Delhi accounts for 4.15% and 0.49% people aged between 18-31 and 31-40 applying for jobs. According to data shared by a blue-collar recruitment platform, top metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Delhi account for 4.15% and 0.49% people, applying for blue-collared jobs. Furthermore, these applicants are between the age group of 18-31(Delhi) and 31-40 (Mumbai) respectively. After the top two cities, maximum job application record is held by Pune at the third spot, Bangalore at the fourth, and Kolkata at fifth with 0.40%, 0.33%, and 0.24% respectively. Surprisingly, Lucknow, one of the largest states’ capitals, only witnessed 0.37% of people in the age group of 18-30 who have been applying for jobs. While, cities like Patna have been on the radar for hiring more than 10,000 people this year, Tier II cities like Mohali have zero records of receiving job applications, and Nasik just ahead with 0.2%.