Humanistiq Issue 3 | April'22 - Reimagining the world of work 2022

APRIL '22 | ISSUE III

HUMANISTIQ

|The

R Magazine

Reimagining The World of Work 2022

ABOUT HUMANIST We are a diverse team of individuals from different backgrounds, bringing together the best of our talents to assist the student community in transcending their limitations to become industry-ready and better versions of themselves. We passionately work on coming up with highly engaging and exciting activities for students where they can apply their management knowledge and can come up with unique solutions. We represent the student HR Committee of K J Somaiya Institute of Management.

OUR VISION To see every member evolve as an eminent leader and develop necessary soft skills to excel in the corporate world.

OUR MISSION To facilitate an understanding of the HR Stream through various demonstrations, events and activities and, in turn, groom our students and members to become more effective MBA Students and responsible potential corporate leaders.

We focus on bringing quality knowledge to students by conducting events based on course-related and Industry centric topics throughout the year like Transcend to equip students to ace their GDs & PIs in the placement process, Cinelytics, a pan India unique competition encompassing movie based case study with management lessons, and Spectrum an event with distinct themes each year managed by Junior Team.

We also support & facilitate events conducted by the HR faculty like CDMI, a panel discussion with industry experts on Breaking Barriers, and The International HR Conference, wherein industry stalwarts, dignitaries, and students are invited to showcase their research works.

We had a fantastic 2021 at Humanist organising and learning under the able guidance of the senior team.

We now proudly present the year-end, the third issue of Humanisitiq - The HR Magazine.

Siddhartha Sachar Co- Convenor

Khyati Sood Convenor

Rijul Ghosh Co- Convenor

THE

Writers & Content

Designers

Editors

TEAM

Rijul Ghosh

Khyati Sood ( She/Her )

( He/Him )

Shivangi Chaudhary

Richa Garg

Gayatri Puranik

( She/Her )

( She/Her )

( She/Her )

Bareera Masood

Rohit Wargantiwar

Siddhartha Sachar

( She/Her )

( He/Him )

Ashima Bajaj

( He/Him )

Aarushi Mathur Kuntal Chakraborty Anushka Trehan ( She/Her )

( She/Her )

( She/Her )

( He/Him )

Sreyoshee Banerjee

Tavishi Das

Keerthana Rao

( She/Her )

( She/Her )

( She/Her )

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

EDITOR'S NOTE

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HUMANS OF SOMAIYA - IN TALKS WITH PROF (DR.) VIDHYA DARSHAN THAKKAR

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TOP HR TRENDS FOR 2022

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ALUM CONNECT

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CROSSWORD

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AREAS DOMINATING THE FUTURE OF WORK

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HREVIEW

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FUTURE HYBRID

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SPONSORSHIP FEATURE

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WHEN A JD OF 2100 CE SEEMS TO BE INSPIRED BY A MEN IN BLACK MOVIE

OF

THE

WORKPLACE:

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WORLD HIGHLIGHTS

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HUMAN RESOURCES METAVERSE

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GUESS WHO

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2022: THE RISE IN INDIA’S FREELANCE COMMUNITY

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DIVING INTO PEOPLE EMPLOYEE MONITORING

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HUMANIST CONNECT

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THE YEAR THAT WAS: HUMANIST 2021-22

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CONTACT DETAILS

RE-IMAGINED

IN

GOING

ANALYTICS

AND

EDITOR'S NOTE

D

ear Readers,

Welcome back to the third edition of Humanistiq - The HR Magazine by Team Humanist

The response of our readers to the previous issue of the magazine has blown us away. While the last edition covered the much talked about topic of "Mental Health and Wellbeing," this edition aims to keep the momentum going by focusing on another crucial topic: "Reimagining the World of Work 2022."

"We talk about the future of work," says Lars, the host of the 21st Century Podcast, as though it were a faroff concept. "The reality is that it’s already here."

Until recently, the move away from traditional office design and toward more dynamic workspaces and work patterns appeared limited to certain types of firms. But as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, everything has changed. COVID-19 has brought to light hitherto unseen human and humanitarian challenges. Many organisations have acted rapidly to defend their employees' interests and adjust to a new way of working that was not anticipated.

Before the crisis, there was much talk about the trends influencing the "future workplace." Given that the discussion about the future of work is veering into uncharted territory, now is an excellent time to return and re-examine those tendencies—to the extent possible.

“The future we envision for work allows for infinite virtual workspaces that will unlock social and economic opportunities for people regardless of barriers like physical location. It will take time to get there, and we continue to build toward this.”

– Andrew Bosworth

We decided to grab the moment by hosting dialogues about rethinking the world of work in today's times to get insights into what the future of work might behold.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as our last. Happy Reading !

Editors, Khyati and Rijul

Humans of Somaiya In Talks with Prof (Dr.) Vidhya Darshan Thakkar (She/Her) Assistant Professor (OB/HR)

For the third issue of Humanistiq, we had the privilege of interviewing Dr Vidhya Thakkar, Assistant Professor at K J Somaiya Institute of Management teaching subjects related to HR and OB. She is a certified Career Counsellor and has 21 years of experience in the education sector across various cities in India. Following the theme of the latest issue, Dr Thakkar shares her remarkable insights on ‘Reimagining the world of work 2022’. Here are the excerpts of the interview.

1. In the post-pandemic scenario, many organizations have had to reimagine their work

2. Do you think that the social capital built up through numerous meetings and social

and the role of offices in the lives of their employees. Can you shed some light on how workspaces need to further evolve in order to facilitate better engagement and productivity?

engagements prior to the pandemic is what led to the success of the work-from-home model of work employed by organizations all over the globe?

Well, the focus on people and bringing about transformation in many HR practices was necessary, and the pandemic made this possible. Most organizations across the world have begun to keep their people in the centre and are working on various creative ways to increase productivity by simultaneously increasing the emotional quotient in every person involved.

Yes, certainly. In the initial days of Zoom and Microsoft Team meetings in early 2020, the previously built social capital in physical offices helped employees and employers support each other as several new challenges were being experienced by all. These challenges were both personal and professional, and everyone exhibited their softer human side in understanding each other.

The compassion shown by several managers and leaders towards their team members during the pandemic and post-pandemic has probably been one of the most effective talent engagement and retention practices for organizations. Every person in the organization must feel truly valued and must feel confident that their overall well-being is important in order to increase productivity.

To achieve this, organizations must take necessary steps and must make policy changes to enhance their Employee Value Proposition strategies.

Eventually, by the end of the first wave of the pandemic across the globe, people got used to Work From Home; they also got comfortable with newer technological tools and found creative ways to bond online too, thus increasing the social capital. Several youngsters who joined the workforce for the first time had a very smooth online onboarding experience and were made to feel special by the creative ways in which organizations welcomed them. Not only this, organizations went the extra mile to make all their employees feel engaged and connected by sending

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flowers on birthdays, organizing weekly zoom lunch get-togethers, arranging medicines and other essentials for those who were isolated due to being infected with the virus. Such initiative by the organizations contributed immensely to the success of the WFH model during a social crisis situation world over.

5. We have already established that the upcoming transformation of the workspace will incorporate a lot of unique solutions like flex space, co-working space, and remote work, but what about the aspect of policy challenges that would significantly affect the said

3. In the office of the future, will technology

transformation?

play a bigger role than human resources?

Technology is driven by humans and will never be able to take over the unique soft skills that only human beings have. So, technology can never play a bigger role than human resources. A beautiful integration of human resources and technology is already being witnessed, and this is what will be seen in the future too. I do not believe that technology and people are competing with each other but believe that both collaborate with each other to make the world sustainable for all in every way.

4. How would the evolving workspace affect mentorship and talent development?

Talent development is a wonderful outcome of a welldesigned mentoring process in organizations.

Mentoring system should become a part of the career journey of every person the moment they embark on it. Mentees must be curious to ask and discuss a variety of issues with their mentors, and mentors must have excellent communication skills to openly share all their wisdom and learning. The mentor-mentee relationship is a very special one where both grow and learn during every interaction they have with each other. The role of the organization is to introduce several mentor-mentee development programmes so that everyone, including the organization and society as a whole, can benefit from it.

Mentees must be curious to ask and discuss a variety of issues with their mentors

Policy challenges can easily be addressed and implemented by fostering all the 21st-century skills i.e.

Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, and Change Management among employees in the organization. Among these, I consider the most crucial being that of creativity as creative people will easily adapt to changes and are eager to collaborate with others for any new ideas, and are also keen to improve themselves on a constant basis. HR professionals can creatively design and introduce various initiatives to attract, motivate, engage and retain talent in organizations. HR professionals must design and execute employee-friendly policies that automatically steer the organization towards its goal achievement.

6. Given the rapid digitisation of the workplace that has become part of the new normal, what according to you, are some of the key HR trends for 2022?

I list the following five as the top HR trends of the future: a) Efficiently managing a multi-generational workforce where the motivational needs of every generation are very different from each other. b) Need-based Hybrid and Remote workspace opportunity. c) Providing support to people at every level in the organization for continuous learning and up-gradation of skills. d) Transforming organizations to be safe workplaces where there is an emphasis on DEI and every attempt is made to spread awareness about biases and overcome the same. e) Foster long-term people resilience by addressing the holistic health and development of people instead of just focussing on performance and productivity.

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TOP HR TRENDS FOR 2022 Developing and Retaining Talent Developing and retaining talent continues to be the biggest priority for HR in 2022. The pandemic has taught us the ability to be able to go digital. Since markets, strategies, and even dynamic company environments have been continuously developing; skill development has become a crucial part of any business strategy. It has become critical, particularly for IT organisations, to refresh and strengthen the talent of technology teams through ongoing training and development. Furthermore, with the flexibility of remote working, it will be easier to hire and keep a diverse workforce. It will aid in the expansion of the talent pool of potential applicants, making it easier to hire high-quality staff and executives.

Curating an Environment to Work In Employees were initially thrilled about working from home at the start of the pandemic, but as it progressed into 2021 and now into 2022, that sentiment has changed. Most people were psychologically exhausted, and employee resilience and optimism decreased.

As a result, finding and keeping talent from such a broad and geographically dispersed pool will be a new challenge. Innovative KPI-based productivity and performance tracking, focusing on long-term goals and development, and a positive attitude can help retain employees and build future leaders.

Developing Employees through Leadership Psychology

They must devote far more attention than they undoubtedly did previously to maintaining their employees' resilience, optimism, and motivation. Those organisations that remained supportive and focused on maintaining staff morale and motivation shone brightly during the pandemic. Mental health concerns have become significant in recent years, and talking about them with employees and encouraging them to seek assistance has become vital. So much so, it should now be considered one of HR's key performance indicators.

Organisations are discovering that much knowledge on human behaviour and thinking is needed, which they haven't delved into or properly utilised in their leadership and staff development programmes. These leadership psychology training and development programmes have become commonplace in many forward-thinking firms. Learning about our brain and how we think, judge, and make judgments is part of this.

Nothing is more important than learning and understanding human behaviour for leaders and managers, especially in human resources departments.

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TOP HR TRENDS FOR 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives According to a Glassdoor survey, three out of four job seekers and employees look for an inclusive environment when analysing firms and job offers. HR departments increasingly recognise the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Before the pandemic, research had shown that diversity and inclusion, particularly in senior management, might result in tangible economic benefits such as increased productivity, profitability, and stability.

Organisations must seize this opportunity by attracting, developing, and retaining talented people from many backgrounds. Employees, supervisors, and leaders may do this by allowing the appropriate flexibility for each category and skill and creating an engaging, demanding, and inspiring in-person and virtual environment.

Skills Based Hiring Is on the Rise Artificial intelligence is transforming the labour market, automating specific jobs, and creating entirely new jobs requiring new in-demand skills. A range of new HR jobs will be created between now and 2030, many focused on humans working seamlessly with machines, such as Algorithm Bias Officer and Human Machine Teaming Manager.

Demonstrating one’s competency in these new skills has become the currency for talent mobility, as degrees have shown to be a lousy proxy for possessing indemand skills. Glassdoor reports that 15 companies ranging from Google to Hilton Hotels and Apple offer well-paying jobs to those possessing in-demand skills but lacking a degree. More companies are piloting skills-based hiring, or the practice of setting specific skills and competency requirements for a job rather than only looking at a candidate’s credentials.

HR will be part of the solution and remain at the forefront of all-important business challenges in 2022, whether it is by facilitating a better employee experience, creating a supportive workplace focused on development and retention, developing employees through leadership psychology, or delivering inclusive and purpose-driven organisations. @TeamHumanist

By Kuntal Chakraborty

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Alum Connect Ms. Isha Mehta (She/Her) HR Business Partner - Datacurate Technologies Batch: 2019-2021

The new normal: Are we ready?

As we slowly come out of the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, we realise that workplaces can now function in ways that could have never been imagined before. But are corporates ready to continue working this way, or are they making a push to resume pre-pandemic models of working?

In the past two years, India Inc. has realised that there is a novel way of working. Wherein we do not need to sacrifice our personal life and well-being for work, all while ensuring productivity at the same time. And as we have now understood the benefits of working remotely or in a hybrid model, we do not necessarily feel the need to work in the pre-pandemic model.

Corporates need to understand that as long as their team is productive and achieving their targets on time, they need to adapt to the new normal. Hybrid and remote work is here to stay, and not adapting to the same can lead to employee dissatisfaction and high employee turnover rates.

When we truly reimagine the world of work in 2022, we visualize a healthy balance of work from office and work from anywhere. We envision a fulfilled and productive workforce, which is not restricted to the walls of the office. We picture global collaboration and diversity, as we can engage with a culturally and geographically diverse work team.

All of this is definitely possible, with just a few modifications to corporate policy. The reimagined world of work is surely a better world and we can’t wait to see what steps India Inc. takes to make this imagination a reality.

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CROSSWORD 1

Down: 1. Something all employees look forward to each month 2. Elimination of unproductive labour

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3. A reward or compensation given to the employees for their work performances.

4. Ascension to higher ranks.

5. Terminate your contract.

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3. REMUNERATION

4. PROMOTION

1. SALARY

5. RESIGN

2. DOWNSIZING

Crossword Answer Key

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@TeamHumanist

By Siddhartha Sachar

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8. INTUITION

7. ANCHOR

5. GENDER

4. CONTRAST

2. HORN

1. AFFINITY

CROSSWORD ANSWER KEY

9. RECENCY 5. HALO 3. CONFORMITY

@TeamHumanist

By Siddhartha Sachar

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WORLD HIGHLIGHTS Conflict, Russia launched a fullscale invasion of the Ukrainian mainland across a broad front, forcing Ukraine to dissolve all formal diplomatic connections with Russia.

A Russian military buildup on Ukraine's border in 2021 and 2022 heightened tensions between the two countries and worsened bilateral relations. In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine severed diplomatic ties with Moscow.

Russia-Ukraine Relations Following the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity, unmarked Russian forces occupied the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine, which Russia later annexed, while pro-Russia separatists engaged the Ukrainian military in an armed conflict for control of eastern Ukraine; these events marked the start of the ongoing RussoUkrainian War. On February 24, 2022, in a major escalation of the

(Author: Wikipedia)

FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, football's largest extravaganza, will be staged in Qatar this November for the 22nd time.

Following the most recent qualifying round, 29 countries have secured a place in the tournament, with the remaining three spaces to be decided by June. In Qatar, up to 13 European countries will compete. Africa is represented by five countries, whereas Asia, North America, and South America have four. Two additional countries from Asia, South America, or Oceania will join them.

(Author: Arjun Srinivas, Mint)

Trade: The Boom Continues International trade expansion is both a cause and an effect of economic recovery. According to the World Trade Organization, global merchandise trade grew 10.8% in 2021 and is expected to grow 4.7 per cent in 2022. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, business is booming: in 2021, US goods exports will be 5% higher than in 2019, while imports will be 11% higher.

The services trade shows a mixed picture: while digital business continues to rise strongly, reduced travel and tourism continue to be a drag on certain big employers.

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WORLD HIGHLIGHTS Finland and Sweden to Join NATO Russia warns Finland and Sweden of nuclear, hypersonic deployment if they join NATO. Russia threatens that if Finland and Sweden join NATO, a nuclear-free Baltic region will be impossible to achieve, alluding to additional nuclear deployments in Europe.

The remarks came a day after Finland and Sweden stated they would decide on whether or not

to apply for NATO membership in the coming weeks.

Sweden and Finland are EU members but not NATO members, with Finland sharing an 830-mile border with Russia.

(Author: Natasha Turak, CNBC)

Sri Lanka starts Fuel Rationing amidst a severe Economic Crisis According to Sri Lanka's state-owned petroleum firm, fuel rationing for vehicles has begun as the country grapples with an unprecedented economic crisis.

Motorcycles and other two-wheelers can now purchase fuel worth up to Rs. 1,000 every visit to a petrol station, according to a statement from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

Similarly, three-wheelers can spend up to Rs. 1,500 on petrol, while automobiles, jeeps, and vans can spend up to Rs. 5,000. Rationing does not apply to buses, trucks, or commercial vehicles.

Long lines at gas stations have sparked widespread public outrage.

Furthermore, due to the plummeting value of the Sri Lankan rupee, homes are enduring nearly 12-hour-long power outages and a significant shortage of supplies.

(Author: Samarth Pophale, Finnoexpert)

Facts are what we provide.

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Human Resources Re-imagined in Metaverse The pandemic has ushered in whole new work culture, speeding up the virtual world of work and guiding the 2dimensional workspace. Businesses have chosen a hybrid workforce strategy or remote working to stay ahead of the curve. While most employees are seated in front of a flat-screen, making back-to-back client conversations or having a virtual team coffee session, the central aspect lacking is the pleasure of having a human connection.

Most organisations are still attempting to bring the complete human experience back to life, which has become an ongoing issue. However, based on recent Metaverse acquisitions, advances, and investments, the HR gamut has a very high chance of transitioning into this domain.

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Siddhartha Sachar (He/Him) MBA- A, 2021-23

Candidates can have the opportunity to be interviewed and onboarded in a three-dimensional virtual environment. This allows them to enjoy an immersive experience while learning about the company's culture and principles. New hires will be able to quickly establish rapport, trust, and professional ties with their co-workers. Employees are more likely to be enthusiastic about starting their journey if they have a positive onboarding experience. Furthermore, virtual reality (VR) can screen potential candidates by modelling and testing the analytical skills needed for the position.

But first, let us take a step back and understand what a ‘Metaverse’ is. It reflects various variations of a single notion, depending on the source: connecting people from multiple places, independent universes, or spheres of life and allowing them to engage with one another. It's a virtual world with avatars, digital products, and functional economies, where technology is more than simply a tool; it's a way of life.

Employee namesake Immersive experiences while Talent Acquisition A noticeable shift that’s already underway, the metaverse in the workplace will look like a heavy investment of businesses in the technological infrastructure of companies. Leading worldwide firms like Siemens and Hyundai are already using the Metaverse to recruit and manage their employees. While we now can hire people worldwide, the Metaverse will allow us to tap into a larger pool of talent, breaking down geographical barriers in the workplace.

Engagement

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Compared to the existing trend of remote/hybrid workforce models, the chances of seeing an upward trend in good employee engagement experiences will exponentially increase. Getting your avatar dressed up for your company's Rewards & Recognition ceremony and socialising with the executive team wearing a VR headset, as opposed to the current trend of doing so over a Zoom/Teams call, sounds a lot more exciting.

Many such events could be held in the Metaverse to bridge the gap and create a pleasurable experience for employees by allowing them to participate in the event through virtual interaction. Furthermore, businesses would not have to be concerned about employee safety because Covid isn’t in the metaverse (yet)!

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Establishing and nurturing meaningful connections

more

In a virtual work world, the metaverse promises to deliver new levels of social interaction, mobility, and collaboration. An avatar-based immersive reality platform could be utilised as an interactive working, collaborative, and learning environment. The goal is to eliminate the isolation and workforce separation that remote and hybrid work can cause.

Virtual Reality can be used to train employees to better understand their colleagues by subjecting them to circumstances they would likely experience as they progress up the corporate ladder. It's all about gamification when it comes to learning. From a mental health standpoint, such an ecosystem effectively eliminates the borders present over Zoom/Teams calls.

This reduces weariness and burnout caused by gazing at screens for long periods without movement.

Virtual workplaces may also prove beneficial in increasing work-life balance by providing a better demarcation between home and work life, creating the sensation of walking into the workplace each day and then leaving and saying goodbye to colleagues when your work is done.

Massive potential in the space of Learning and Development Finally, the element of the business that excites us and where we see many opportunities in the L&D side of things. Since the 1990s, computer-based training has been available. Companies invest a significant amount of money each year in executive training programs formerly exclusively available to a select set of people. Everyone can now access them, regardless of their position or hierarchy, who aspire to be tomorrow's leaders.

This can be accomplished using a 3D learning experience platform and simulation-based training. This will boost engagement and motivation while allowing for "selfpaced" learning and memorable live experiences. It would be interesting to examine how VR and Metaverse perform in terms of knowledge and productivity and then expand into other areas of HR. While the entire procedure appears to be pretty complicated, early adopters will have a competitive advantage in the future.

Furthermore, the ability of Gen X workers to adjust to the Metaverse, as opposed to Millennials and Gen Z workers, will be a severe difficulty.

Promoting the use of the Metaverse will take time. Still, since it's already a significant player in several industries, such as crypto markets, non-financial trading, and virtual real estate, people leaders must step up and ensure that policy-making and the human factor are kept in mind as developers and techies construct the nextgeneration workplace. Before it's too late, it's always best to have some skin in the game. This is where the HR and IT revolution begins!

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GUESS WHO? With an experience of 27 years in the field of HR, this person believes that engagement, development, and operational excellence go hand-in-hand. Because of him, Reliance Communications has been able to initiate innovative development-centric programs to boost confidence and competence among employees.

Jumbled Word: RNAAJ UTADT

She has served all aspects of the HR function, encompassing workforce planning & talent acquisition, organisation design & development, L&D, performance management, rewards & recognition, and employee relations. She is a part of the India Leadership Team and the KPMG India Board and specialises in People and Change Advisory, Post-merger integration, Program management, sales-force effectiveness solutions, and Financial Management Advisory.

Jumbled Word: IILHNAS YLAIPL

She has worked for various Indian and global organisations with talent assessment and selection certifications. She is also jury for several prestigious HR awards. She is an expert in developing competency-based solutions for Talent Assessment & development.

Jumbled Word: EMEANL AJHADV

He has been an HR practitioner for over two decades and has worked with organisations like ITC and GE. Since joining Wipro in May 2009, he has transformed the organisation. Over the last three years, his work with people, processes, and organisational structure have contributed significantly to Wipro’s growth, improving operations and introducing many new initiatives.

Jumbled Word: BHUARSA GVIOL

3. Meenal Jadhav

4. Saurabh Govil

1. Rajan Dutta

2. Shalini Pillay

Answer Key @TeamHumanist

By Siddhartha Sachar

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2022: The Rise in India’s Freelance Community The Covid-19 wave has been quite the accelerant for the freelance revolution in India. With organisations shifting to remote working overnight with maximum restrictions and businesses disrupted, the marketplace stood still.

But this change has led to new dynamics and has blurred the age-old barriers to flexible working arrangements.

Organisations began to look at the global talent market riddled with freelancers and gig workers.

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Aarushi Mathur (She/Her) MBA- HCM, 2021-23

Adapted to a remote workforce. Following the pandemic, almost 40% of freelancers saw higher rates than usual. Since the pandemic, the gig economy has thrived despite substantial unemployment in numerous sectors. From Q1 to Q2 of 2020, India had a massive 46% growth in new freelancers, as many laid-off workers and employees turned to freelance to supplement their income.

Earlier, ‘gig’ was perceived as a part-time way of earning money since there were sporadic opportunities and less pay for the freelancers. Still, like any other trend, this one too became a phenomenon and has seen a rise in the freelance community over the past few years.

Many other countries have seen a rise in the freelance community as well. India has seen the second most surge for gig workers after the Philippines. This community is estimated to grow up to $20-30 billion by 2025. This could also add $2.7 trillion to the global GDP by 2025. If the gig economy continues to grow at this pace, these predictions could soon become a reality. Let's deep dive into the key enablers responsible for this growth forecast.

What does India have to offer as a market to the world?

How has the gig economy changed ?

The initial stages of lockdown wreaked havoc on the freelance community. However, as the business activities resumed, the pandemic led to a paradigm shift in the perspective of employers and employees. Employees began looking for alternative sources of income to survive and grow, while businesses wanted to remain lean while still operating effectively. The demand for freelancers increased exceptionally in organisations.

The job market in India is brimming with talented and skilled professionals in various fields, especially the IT sector, which is in short supply in the global market.

Many multinational firms have begun to eye the freelance talent pool to meet their growing demands for specialised experts such as UI & UX designers, architects, software developers, and digital marketers.

India is a hub for qualified people who can meet the global audience's growing demands. Each year, India produces a large number of tech graduates. The millennials and Gen-Z employees are very creative and don’t want to be bound to the traditional 9-5 every day.

As a result, India's young labour gravitates towards contract and freelancing work. India is home to one of the world's youngest working populations, and because of that, we have the potential to become the world's largest gig economy.

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Gig workers are a more viable option for startups all around the world The growing number of startups in India could be one of the evident causes for the expansion of India's freelance community. India is the third highest in producing unicorns at an extraordinary rate; they find hiring gig workers a more viable option for them. Since freelancers are cost-effective, they bring in domain expertise, are easier to work with and are less risky as a permanent bad hire would cost a company much more. Start-ups from all around the world are hiring them because of their competitive rates and better availability. Due to this, many cities in India adopt this culture, leading to an increase in coworking spaces for better collaborative opportunities.

Freelancing comes with its fair share of challenges as well

A flexible solution for business & employees The gig economy has brought better work-life balance opportunities, increased flexibility, excellent earnings, and better-skilled prospects. In India, the freelance community can help vulnerable groups such as women, the differently-abled, or those living in rural or remote areas to find suitable jobs. According to research published in 2019, Google's workforce consisted of more freelancers and contractors than full-time workers.

Millennials, in particular, value the freedom to work from anywhere on projects of their choosing that do not interfere with their work-life balance. As a result, a sizable portion of the workforce is eager to work as freelancers, allowing them to work on projects of their choosing from anywhere in the world. The freelancing community can also provide a slew of new job possibilities in the country and help the country's economy recover from the effects of the pandemic.

India's freelancing community will continue to grow and dominate the global gig economy in the coming years.

Honest HR Interview

" My short-term goal is to bluff my way through this job interview. My long-term goal is to invent a time machine so I can come back and change everything I've said so far."

@TeamHumanist

By Siddhartha Sachar

H Stands for Humor

The growing number of startups in India could be one of the evident causes for the expansion of India's freelance community. India is the third highest in producing unicorns at an extraordinary rate; they find hiring gig workers a more viable option for them. Since freelancers are cost-effective, they bring in domain expertise, are easier to work with and are less risky as a permanent bad hire would cost a company much more.

Start-ups from all around the world are hiring them because of their competitive rates and better availability. Due to this, many cities in India adopt this culture, leading to an increase in coworking spaces for better collaborative opportunities.

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Areas Dominating the Future of Work

The Pandemic has changed many things over the past two years. Almost everything regarding work has changed. Organisations. Businesses. People. The way work is done, communication channels, the meaning of workplaces and what not. There is a shift in power from the organisations to the people. People now quickly question why they are doing what they are doing, how it will benefit them, how they can perform better, etc. This shift in mindset poses an existential threat to businesses everywhere. So companies will have to respond to the new power dynamic in kind. They will have to treat their employees well, consider their needs, and ensure they assist them with challenges that the employees face in the current era. These changes cannot be dealt with without changing the way organisations function and perform work.

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Keerthana Rao (She/Her) MBA- HR, 2021-23

in mandatory corporate culture learning and development programmes. HR will develop real-time responses to data that will assist in performance management.

In a scenario analysis by the organisation, PwC emphasises the future domains of work by dividing the worlds of work into a Blue, Green, and Orange world.

The Blue world says ‘Corporate is King, ’ where the globalists take centre stage, consumer preferences dominate, and a corporate career separates the haves from the have-nots. The goal here is profit, growth, and market leadership in a business predicated on flexibility, efficiency, speed to market, consumer preferences, and profit margins reign supreme. The constant pressure on performance is fuelled by peer competition and aggressive new entrants trying to spearhead innovation and undercut established firms. The HR trends are also shifting in tandem with the recent work trends. Now, screening and monitoring of employees have moved to a new level. Sensors check their location, performance and health. The evolution of corporate culture is a significant priority for leadership teams, with stringent recruitment processes ensuring that employees are required to share

The Green World says that ‘Companies care’. Companies develop a powerful social conscience and a green sense of responsibility here. Society and business see their agendas align. These are collaborative, learning organisations that play an essential role in supporting and developing their employees and local communities.

Ethics is at the forefront of any business done.

Corporate responsibility is not a charitable nice to have but a business imperative. The organisational structure of Green firms is primarily non-hierarchical, flat, and flexible structures.

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It follows the principle of democracy wherein employees’ views are considered for decision-making.

HR helps foster close collaboration between employer and employee in designing jobs around aspirations and lifestyles. Reward models will be highly flexible and personalised.

The Orange world says small is beautiful. The goal here is to maximise flexibility while minimising fixed costs, hiring a diverse mix of candidates on an on-project basis. There is flexibility, autonomy, and varied challenges in working on a short-term contractual basis.

The rise of the portfolio career has bolstered the move to an orange world. Many people have realised that they would love to work as freelancers or on a project basis. The role of HR has become increasingly important.

Recruitment becomes essentially a sourcing function, which is often merged with managing the vast number of contracts and price agreements required for each company’s network of partner organisations.

Companies will look to technology or dedicated agents to supply needs. People are more prone to think of themselves as members of a specific skill or professional network than employees of a particular corporation. A key challenge will be to ensure that the hired people genuinely have the expertise required or claimed.

These are a few significant changes in the work landscape in the coming years. The effectiveness with which your organisation plans people management for the long-term will be critical to ensuring you have the right people, with the right skills, in the right places to realise your evolving goals.

“The future of work isn’t about displacement of work by machines but rather has more to do with restructuring of the human skillset.”

– Dr. Ritesh Malik.

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HReview THE 2020 WORKPLACE: HOW INNOVATIVE COMPANIES ATTRACT, DEVELOP, AND KEEP TOMORROW'S EMPLOYEES TODAY AUTHOR: JEANNE C. MEISTER AND KARIE WILLYERD PUBLISHED: 11 MAY 2010

Employers face significant difficulty in today's world. In the face of rapid change, they'll have to recruit and motivate people of diverse ages and backgrounds. In 2020, five generations of employees will be working together simultaneously. The top employees will demand novel contracts from their employers to join them. Employers who are unable or unwilling to provide such new paradigm agreements will struggle to attract top people and suffer.

Post-2020, the workforce will be very different from what it is now. With a growing number of Latinos, the US population will be older and more diversified. Because of decreased fertility rates across Europe and Asia, people from five generations (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation 2020) will be working together in the workplace.

Work will require more conceptual skills as it becomes more technological. People use these abilities to solve problems and make decisions—Problem-solving, judgement, listening, data analysis, and relationship development.

Brazil, Russia, India, and China each have a considerable number of companies on the Financial Times Global 500 list.

By 2020, they'll be among the world's economic leaders. Staff will no longer be required to work at a central location, and there will be fewer employees overall.

The amount of digital content available is continually increasing. Employees who can handle this digital material and keep it secure while also developing fresh, accurate digital content will be required by businesses. Because the number of mobile phones in the world exceeds the total population, they have become an integral part of our daily life. Mobile phones are now often used for educational purposes. There are almost 7,200 education-related apps on iPhones alone, and some financial organisations utilise them to train their workers.

In today's world, there is a culture of connection. This may be seen in Facebook, iPhones, and instant messaging, to name a few examples. These gadgets have blurred the line between business and home life, allowing individuals to stay in touch with one another. Companies are making it easier for people to interact with their products. One example of this trend is Zagat surveys, which allow individuals to review restaurants online. Another example is Blue Shirt Nation, a group where employees may join and share ideas.

In the coming decade, social learning will become increasingly significant. In the future, socially responsible companies will be more successful. Eighty-eight per cent of new college hires want to work for organisations that match their beliefs, indicating that this trend is already underway. IBM is one corporation that excels at this. For example, they started a service corps programme that sends IBM personnel to developing countries where the company expects to grow over the next ten years. Instead of being trapped in cubicles, millennials want to be able to work in a collaborative environment.

@TeamHumanist

By Siddhartha Sachar 21

Future of the Workplace: Going Hybrid

2022 – Two years since the pandemic hit, and what a rollercoaster ride. Especially for HR professionals across global organisations who are always on edge contemplating the next step to smoothen employee experience, increase productivity and maintain organisation culture.

Covid-19 has pushed organisations to work from home – an entirely new concept that no one had previously thought of. While working from home had several benefits, there were some drawbacks. It was observed that workers were feeling more anxious (37%), alienated (31%), overburdened (28%), and less motivated (24%) since the pandemic began, according to a Workhuman study. And what's the source of this tension? By a wide margin, 59% of those polled blamed "less human connection" for the problem.

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Tavishi Das (She/Her) MBA- B, 2021-23

To make moving to a new model easier, businesses need to implement innovative solutions. For example, Dropbox provides stipends to employees who require a physical office to subscribe to co-working locations. In the absence of a physical link, GitLab encourages its employees to take virtual breaks and use platforms like Slack and Google Hangouts for informal, spontaneous interactions.

Cisco employed videoconferencing technology to make two separate rooms appear to be one to enable uninterrupted collaboration even before the outbreak.

According to Accenture's 2021 Future of Work Study, 83% of workers prefer a hybrid employment paradigm to fulltime in the office or full-time remote work. And now that they've had a taste of it, it's unlikely they'll settle for anything less.

A hybrid working paradigm is a location-flexible approach that allows individuals and their employers to mix onsite and offshore work as they see appropriate.

Many hybrid arrangements have sprung up after the release of lockdowns worldwide, allowing staff flexibility previously unavailable.

Many prominent firms worldwide, including Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Twitter, have indicated that they will allow more employees to work from home following the outbreak. As we all envision the future of work, companies' remote and hybrid work advantages are becoming more evident. If hybrid is genuinely here to stay, cultivating a culture of connectedness is no longer a choice.

Employees in a hybrid environment will be able to continue working remotely while also working in the office or commuting between the two. In addition, the post-Covid office will require renovations to ensure safety and hygiene. But, just as technology allowed the world to function despite physical constraints, it now gives businesses the tools they need to transition to a hybrid future. Here are some of the benefits that AI and IoT-enabled enterprise technology can provide: IoT sensors can detect the number of people in a building to regulate occupancy. Artificial intelligence (AI) could help employers effectively use their office spaces with on-site staff.

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As organisations adopt flexible work hours, hot-desking (the practice of allocating desks and rooms as needed) will become increasingly widespread. AI-driven enterprise solutions can automate this process. Workers will be able to schedule desks or conference spaces automatically and modify their workspace based on their needs. AI can also assist companies in determining the prospective profits and expenditures of disposing of underutilised office space.

While the hybrid model provides advantages to both employees and employers in terms of flexibility, better work-life balance, and reduced costs for office space, it has a few disadvantages. Industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and education might not be able to implement such a model due to the physical nature of the business. There are also higher risks of security concerns when working remotely, like loss of confidential information, data corruption, and cyber hijacking. Thus organisations must make careful evaluations before going hybrid.

In a hybrid setup, it's even more critical to provide realtime feedback across the board, not only from the management to the direct report but also form teams to

Leaders, from a new employee to the CEO, an individual to their client, and a family member to the individual.

As the house becomes the workplace and the office becomes the home, it's critical to ensure that family plays a vital role in this arrangement.

People have developed or reignited several passions outside of work in the two years since the pandemic.

Working on a startup idea, teaching dance or music online, and becoming a freelance speaker, writer, coach, or social media influencer are all possibilities.

Companies must promote employees, making it easier to explore and possibly even monetise side gigs as long as no company information is leaked and work outcomes are not harmed. Allowing people to pursue their passions while working increases work efficiency.

It would have been easy to believe that the digital revolution would be years away by 2020. The Covid-19 outbreak has debunked this myth. There are two worlds we inhabit today: the physical and the digital.

Businesses must find a way to strike a balance between the two as they reopen offices.

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SPONSORSHIP FEATURE

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@TeamHumanist

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H Stands for Humor

@TeamHumanist

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When a JD of 2100 CE seems to be inspired by a Men in Black movie

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Sreyoshee Banerjee (She/Her) MBA- HR, 2021-23

About ‘Kuiper Innovations’ – We’re proud of what we do. At Kuiper Innovations, we transport words straight from your mind and deliver them to your loved ones across the solar system. With our latest version of Hermes 15.0 processor, we can send an encrypted version of your messages (text/audio/holographic) from earth and mars to the ‘Heliopause’ at a time rate that’s under 1 Earth day, which makes us the fastest msg delivery system in all of visible space.

We are intensely focused on understanding the needs of all our clients spread over 12 planets and planetesimals and building top-notch geography defying networks and channels that facilitate faster and more efficient methods of communication across the solar system.

When you work for us, you join a team of professionals who value communication, collaboration, and dedication. Our corporate culture is rooted in extraterrestrial diversity and inclusion, and our offices are informal to inspire creative thinking and encourage tenets of sustainable living in all our human and non-human employees Organisation Website: www.kuiperinnovations.com

JOB DESCRIPTION Profile: Transmission overseer Skills Required: Xcribe/ Office 2100 Holographic Programming (Basic) Fluency in any 2 Global Languages Duties: 1. Interacting with clients and addressing their requirements during and post message transmission, apprising them of the delivery status of a home message or the delivery of a return message.

2. We are working closely with developers and systems analysts and reporting the software status to them.

3. Overseeing the compression and conversion of text/audio/holographic messages in Global Languages to Machine Language via the Kuiper Interactive System Software (KISS).

4. Analysing messages and preventing breaches of the Extraterrestrial Code of Conduct.

Location: 1. Mars, Base camp 1 2. Ceres Base camp 3 3. Earth (Candidate location/WFH) [available only if a candidate agrees to the installation of Hermes Coordinator software 15.0 and Kuiper Monitoring & Info Systems in their forearm] Salary: 1200 Bitcoins p.a (fixed) Interested candidates may send their Hologram Resumes and Global Identification Documents to – kuiperrecruiter@Panhologram.com

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Diving into People Analytics and Employee Monitoring

With the world suddenly moving into digital space and remote work patterns, a more robust technological system replaced traditional on desk reporting and frequent updates. Every department was scattered across the country, and in some cases, across the world; in such a scenario, the employers were compelled to bring in advanced metrics and monitoring tools to keep a tab on the activities undertaken by its workforce and impart more effective functioning in their organisations.

Organisations have used comprehensive HR tools that primarily handle attendance, time tracking, and managing work activities. But the remote working pushed them into the building and implemented a more sophisticated strategic tool that takes care of the HR functions.

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Ashima Bajaj (She/Her) MBA- HR, 2021-23

Recruitment and onboarding have been another critical process that has been transformed digitally. With the help of AI-based screenings, the recruitment cycle is reduced by manifolds, allowing the recruiters to invest in more crucial steps. They can effectively shortlist from a pool of candidates with the help of big data and using augmented and virtual reality for the onboarding process.

Learning and development have been integrated as an essential function. Since 2020, there has been a rise in digital training, online learning modules, remote education, and easy access to the best learning materials through online learning. The companies can track these training modules' outcomes and learning and invest in upskilling and providing new KPIs through a data-driven learning & development program.

The monitoring tools and the productivity metrics have been a boon for the organisations, providing them with the records of all the on-the-job activities, time spent, and the materials accessed. They can also analyse the progress and the growth of projects, individual performance, and the success ratio of the task undertaken.

One of the critical areas observed by the employers during the pandemic was employee wellbeing and mental health. The organisations have used HR tech like chatbots, one-on-one meets, keeping a check on overtime, and providing regular leaves during overloads.

Due to the success of these initiatives over the past two years, the companies have been continuing with the tech that would help them keep a tab on employee wellbeing.

Companies like Loreal, Unilever, and Disney have extensively used chatbots for their recruitment processes. Wal-Mart has been using people analytics concerning talent development and capability.

With the increasing apprehension of data, employers can only look at the quantitative perspective and a narrow range of qualitative growth. More robust development of tech and AI in the future can help employers look at broader behaviours and growth patterns and implement an impactful incentive plan.

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Workforce Analytics has been applied in every HR domain, from recruitment to learning and development. It helps them gauge the engagement metrics, productivity ratios, diversity, and inclusion and optimise the cost per the employee's needs. Many organisations could cut on their brick and mortar expenses, allowing them to spend on HR tech; however, with the mixed work dynamics, the costing and investment would be one of the hurdles; the firms are compelled to get engaged in analytics due to the mounting competition in the industry.

The HR tech has led the leaders and the organisations toward data-centric decisions. Instead of the traditional processes of evaluation plans post changes, the companies in the new normal are looking towards preventive measures and thinking ahead of the contingency by capturing the current and future scenario through the people's data.

Even though the workforce is becoming more manageable and data-driven, the firms need to keep in mind certain aspects so that they are not merely on the bandwagon to adopt data analytics for their human resource.

Do the data metrics align with the organisation's productivity goals and outcomes?

If the analytics is implemented, which direction would it take the organisation?

Does the work culture and employee perception support the technological system?

How can the company implement the system in the most accommodating manner?

But what also will be the test of the time are the newfound challenges of privacy, data breach, information overload, and the amount of investment required to maintain the analytics in the organisation.

As the companies are picking up pace, the primary dilemma is: Can the companies gauge the privacy concerns due to Big data, or would the employees be one of the many things trapped in this world of abundant data?

The world is revolving and the HR with it

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Humanist Connect

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Anushka Trehan (She/Her) MBA- HR, 2021-23

TEAM HUMANIST 2021 Dear Senior Team, It has been a pleasure knowing you, working with you, and learning from you, to say the very least. Our journey with you began with the Humanist Induction, where we, the juniors, were introduced to you and the committee for the first time. After that came the interview round and the final selection. From the legal team's announcement to the senior team's final announcement for 2022-23, it has been a roller coaster ride. You guided us through our mistakes and achievements, and we've made loads of virtual memories with all of you. Our events Transcend, Spectrum, IHRC, and many more were successful only because of your support and help. Apart from that, the various editions of Humanistiq that we published along our journey were immensely insightful and delightful.

You all were not only interested in teaching us how to work and organise events, but you were also interested in getting to know us as individuals. You took an interest in our likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, and pushed us to step out of our comfort zones and become a better version of ourselves. Every Senior Member and Vertical Head was always present to help us accomplish our tasks and have fun. The Steering of Humanists was always available whenever we needed them, and we cannot thank you enough for that. To have people with such responsibilities and posts available to us, not only as heads but also as friends and peers, is something we are all grateful for. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Prof. Megha Gupta for being a part of us, helping us, and teaching us along the way. Ma’am, you’ve been a true inspiration to all of us.

We want to take a moment and thank each one of you for being patient with us, being a friend, and a mentor. In your presence, we have unlocked our true potential and grown as people. We are all proud of working under you and with you and being a part of team Humanist.

Best Wishes, Junior Team 2021-22

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THE YEAR THAT WAS

HUMANIST 2021-22 TRANSCEND The first event organised by Team Humanist consisted of a 2 Day programme where the team conducted mock GD sessions for the first & second-year students on the first day. The following day, Mr Omar Maner, a JBIMS Alum, took an expert session on 'How to ace your GD-PI process'. We had a participation of more than 200 students for the event.

CINELYTICS We also organised 'Cinelytics', a visual case study competition that tested the participants' analytical skills by interpreting movies. This year, the case was based on the film 'The Intern', and the event was a grand success with 250+ registrations. Students from Top B-schools like IIMs, NMIMS and IITs participated in this event.

SPECTRUM 'Spectrum 2022- There are possibilities in everything' was part of Melange, the flagship event of K J Somaiya Institute of Management. This year the theme was based on Timescape, a situation-based case established on specific scenarios that have already happened in history but presented with a twist. With 175+ registrations, it was a lauded event that gave participants a chance to showcase their creativity and imagination and strategic and logical thinking skills.

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CONTACT DETAILS Humanist - Official HR Committee K J Somaiya Institute of Management Vidyanagar, Vidyavihar (E) Mumbai - 400077 Email ID: humanist.simsr@somaiya.edu