IIM ROHTAK H U M A N E - R CLUB P re s e n ts
H R BULLETIN VOLUME 68
humane.r@iimrohtak.ac.in
HUMANE-R|VOLUME68
HR BULLETIN
Differentiating your employer brand in the next normal Today, COVID has thrown new variables into the mix that play a central role in determining an employer of choice. With the onset of the pandemic, the definition of the workplace has taken a tectonic shift -- perhaps, forever. The coronavirus has accelerated our journey to an inevitable future, agnostic of distance and time. The attributes used to define a great workplace have been turned on its head. Today, COVID has thrown new variables into the mix that play a central role in determining an employer of choice. In India, Global Capability Centres (GCCs) have resorted to strengthening different attributes of brand positioning to stand out in a talent market crowded with cutting-edge startups and service-oriented tech players. For one, GCCs offered a global work environment with ample opportunities for an international career path. They were also the first to embrace progressive cultural practices like WFH and employee wellness programs. However, COVID has thrown a spanner in the works of this narrative and, in one clean swoop, normalized the erstwhile
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differentiators and rendered existing perks meaningless. To understand this new normal better, we need to analyze the new wave of differentiators. Let’s look at the workplace through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and study the impact of COVID in the space of employer branding. Physiological Needs Hybrid Work Models Over the last year, WFH has become the modus operandi across industries. Companies have been forced to adopt this way of life and adapt to the changing demands. Many went on to brace themselves for a long stint of WFH by equipping their employees with infrastructure. In this light, WFH is no longer a privilege one enjoys but rather the only option. Companies can no longer proudly flaunt their telecommuting policy and its contribution to work-life balance. Employees are at the risk of burnout because of fading boundaries between work and home and increased work-life stress. The best companies are going over and above by defining hybrid work policies that allow for flexible work in the long term. They are using this temporary blip as an opportunity to embrace new ways of working. In the hybrid model, organizations will combine remote and on-site working. Employees are likely to come to the office only 2-3 days a week, or perhaps every alternate week. As we transition to the hybrid model of working, there are more questions than answers in the leaders’ minds. However, it’s safe to say that the future of work is hybrid, and hybrid working policies will prove to be a massive differentiator in the near future. Remote-first companies are challenging the traditional paradigms of working in an office. They offer us a window into the future of work. They have created a robust working environment for mobile talent unwilling or unhappy to be bound by the office’s four walls. Figuring out the right balance between WFH and WFO, your hybrid work model, is critical for successfully attracting talent in the next normal. Have you defined a remote working playbook and hybrid work strategy for your company yet? The Role of the Office The role of the office is undergoing a rapid shift as well. Today, the office is not just an enabler for great work. However, it is also a platform for team building, collaboration, and creativity. It is a social platform that serves as a release from the drudgery of working from home. We are witnessing the metamorphosis of the office into break-out zones where teams catch up over coffee, ideate over foosball, chalk out plans on paper napkins – work can always happen from home. Offices are becoming venues to hang out and catch up, meeting grounds for collaboration, bonding, and celebration. While productivity was the office mantra of yesteryear, today, it is collaboration, celebration, and connection. Are your workspaces designed to attract, engage and inspire top minds of the next normal world? Safety Needs Wellbeing Companies are revisiting insurance plans and employee wellness programs. Today, ‘people over profits’ has become a stark barometer for candidates as they rank top employers. In addition to safety and hygiene practices at work, companies are going the distance to ensure safety in the physical, financial and mental health of a workforce that is stressed like never before. In addition to the uncertainty caused by the economy, the pandemic has removed all avenues for catharsis, leading to families facing financial and psychological ruin. Working Hours Traditional working hours are no longer ‘normal,’ with calls extending late in the evening, often disrupting precious personal and family time. As a result, some companies are stepping forward to institute policies that restrict working hours and ensure that employees have time to recuperate. How is your company making sure that your employees are well-protected from the additional strains placed on them by the current environment?...
Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/employerbranding/differentiating-your-employer-brand-in-the-next-normal-31063
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Tech upskilling startup Scaler acquires Coding Minutes Scaler (by InterviewBit) is an exclusive upskilling platform for tech enthusiasts and has grown to be a prominent name in the tech segment in a very short period. Scaler (by InterviewBit), one of the fastest-growing tech upskilling startups, has announced the acquisition of online learning platform Coding Minutes for USD 1 million in an all-cash deal. This is the second acquisition for the edtech startup. In August, Scaler acquired Coding Elements to accelerate business growth, leading to their Data Science & Machine Learning vertical launch. With the acquisition of Coding Minutes, Scaler will focus on building specialised content that effectively engages the beginner-level tech aspirant. To date, the edtech brand has focused on upskilling existing tech talent. This acquisition allows Scaler to tailor content towards students and professionals who want to enter the tech industry and have no background in coding or programming. Additionally, it bolsters Scaler’s instructor and engineering teams. Bootstrapped by Prateek Narang, Mohit Uniyal and Jatin Virmani, Coding Minutes was started in early 2021. Coding Minutes will become a part of Scaler and will continue to bring pocket-friendly specialised courses for beginners as part of the acquisition. Prateek Narang has joined as the Engineering Lead & Instructor for Scaler Academy, while Mohit Uniyal has joined as the Instructor for Scaler Data Science & ML Program and Jatin Virmani has joined as Program Manager -Content in the marketing team. Abhimanyu Saxena, Co-Founder, Scaler & InterviewBit, said, “We are very excited about this acquisition as the Coding Minutes team is fantastic. They are a great combination of outstanding engineering minds with a sincere passion for teaching and giving back to the community…
Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/skilling/tech-upskillingstartup-scaler-acquires-coding-minutes-31377
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Skilling in the IT sector for a post pandemic era – An Experts View Do you know 56 skills emerged under four categories, cognitive, interpersonal, self-leadership & digital, that emerged as the required skills for the future of work, according to research by McKinsey? Tech-led business transformation has changed the nature of work and learning. While technical skills continue to be necessary, the focus on higher-order skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, and empathy has increased in a hybrid work model. Organizations must look at how to sensitize employees to these new priorities and help build these skills. In an exclusive virtual roundtable hosted by People Matters and Harappa, leading industry voices from the IT sector shared their thoughts on how they’re navigating the new learning priorities of this sector. Speaking of the shifts that employees adapted to in the past year, Gayathri Ramamurthy (VP, India Learning Head, Capgemini Technology Services India) noted that, “Digital literacy is not a choice anymore. Everyone had to learn to navigate apps like Aarogya Setu during the pandemic.” Also, employees everywhere needed to learn how to make the best of the digital tools while navigating remote work and engaging with their peers. The need for upskilling “When there’s a necessity, innovations follow,” said Mahipal Nair (People Development & Operations Leader, NielsenIQ). The company moved from people-interaction-dependent learning to digital methods to navigate skilling priorities. As consumer expectations change, leadership and social skills have become a priority for workplace performance…
Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/skilling/skilling-in-the-itsector-for-a-post-pandemic-era-experts-view-31058
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PeopleStrong to recruit over 200 students from campuses across India This talent pool will be used to bolster the various product lines inside PeopleStrong. PeopleStrong, leading Enterprise HR & Work Tech company, plans to ramp up its workforce by hiring & mentoring 200+ campus recruits from the best tech institutions across India. This talent pool will be used to bolster the various product lines inside PeopleStrong. Over the next 6 months, the company will also laterally hire Full-Stack Engineers, Product Managers, Designers, as well as AI/ML and Data Engineers to work on various products that impact employee productivity, performance, and experience for large enterprises at-scale. Vineet Pandita, Chief Technology Officer at PeopleStrong said, “Building a global, robust & comprehensive platform for enterprises that continues to deliver value & scale is both our biggest achievement & our passion. We plan to usher in a new era of HR transformation through HR tech, one software release at a time. To achieve that mission, we are hiring Full-Stack Engineers, Product managers, SDETs, and ML Engineers to work on our full suite of products and iteratively deliver configurable platforms that can handle complexity and scale.” PeopleStrong continues to attract top engineering talent by offering jobs that challenge the young guns to work & solve complex problems in the HR tech space. Over the past years, it has emerged as one of the top SaaS platforms for enterprises looking to transform their HR practices, improve employee experience, and create a resilient, futureready workforce…
Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/campusrecruitment/peoplestrong-to-recruit-over-200-students-from-campuses-acrossindia-31269
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Ola Cars planning to hire 10,000 employees
In the middle of the ongoing festive season, Ola Cars has started pre-owned vehicle sales in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad and will also expand to Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kolkata and Indore by end of this week. Ola, plans to hire 10,000 new people, as it eyes a market leadership position with $2 Billion GMV for its vehicle commerce platform Ola Cars over the next 12 months. Ola Cars has already sold 5,000 pre-owned cars in its first full month of operation, the fastest growth achieved in this category for a new entrant. Over the next two months, Ola Cars will be operational in 30 cities and expand to 100 cities by next year. As a digital first platform, Ola Cars offers a dramatically better ownership experience superior to that of new car ownership, with innovations such as doorstep test drive, 7 days no questions asked return of a purchased vehicle. Arun Sirdeshmukh, CEO, Ola Cars, said, “With Ola Cars, we are redefining the entire car buying, ownership and resale experience. Our ‘better than new’ buying experience is driving tremendous demand with over 5,000 cars already sold in our first full month of operation. We are rapidly expanding to 100 cities in the coming months and are adding 10,000 people across key areas including sales and service centers”. As part of Ola Cars, Ola is also setting up service centres across the country to provide a dramatically better experience through advanced telematics, AI and Vision based systems that ensure high-quality repair work and advanced robotic paint shops will provide paintwork that will match OEM factory finish, as well as the promise of genuine auto parts…
Read more at: https://www.peoplematters.in/news/recruitment/ola-cars-planningto-hire-10000-employees-31379
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