PM Magazine March 2023:WHAT COMES NEXT?

What's the next big adventure?

Over the last three years, we have seen profound changes in the world of work. The pandemic challenged us to rethink long-standing workplace traditions that we valued: from the importance of the office as the centre of work, to the necessity of a fixed nine-to-five schedule, to the emphasis that should be placed on employee wellbeing and mental health, and even the aspects of work that ought to be factored into performance reviews.

The end of the pandemic was not the end of this overhaul, either. Many organisations did roll back some of the changes they had made, including imposing a return

to office, and upheavals in the tech industry have shifted the balance in the war for talent somewhat back toward employers. But the clock is not so easily turned back on other changes, such as digital acceleration, the overhaul of office setups, or the introduction of wellbeing-focused benefits strategies.

Most of all, the mindset changes that happened in that short span of time are now keeping a cultural momentum going in the evolution of work and the workplace. Leadership styles, attitudes toward collaboration, integration of Gen Z into the workplace – or perhaps the other way around – and other less tangible shifts have taken root and will continue to bear their fruit for years to come.

The broader global environment also continues

to remind us that the only true constant is change. From darker macro trends including the continuing tragedy of the RussoUkraine war and the ominous shadow of economic recession, to unexpected developments such as crypto upheavals and generative AI, we are faced with something new at every corner that requires us to adapt, reframe, recreate, and find a new path forward.

So, what happens after all these changes? Our cover story takes a close and intentional look at the strategies that last after a trend has come and gone, whether the war for talent or the push to get more women on boards. We hear from global leaders including Red Hat's Jennifer Dudeck, Moloco's Brendan Browne, JLL's Tanvi Choksi, and more.

Our Big Interview features Bill Baker, CHRO of

Wolters Kluwer, who talks about the journey he and his team have taken to build a resilient organisation over the years, from philosophy to programmes and an intensive focus on engagement, skills, and quality management.

We'll next see our community in Singapore on 13 April, when we'll be bringing learning and skilling professionals from around Southeast Asia together for our L&D Conference to stay on top of the latest learning trends, best practices, hot topics and innovative Learning solutions. And after that we will be running up to the India and Singapore editions of our flagship TechHR conference.

If you haven't yet checked out our exciting new platforms, take a few minutes out of your day to tune in to my podcast, People Matters Unplugged, which brings

candid conversations on people and work straight to your digital doorstep. For the hottest trends, look on LinkedIn for our Big Questions series, live in both India and Southeast Asia, which invites leaders to put in their thoughts on the fresh trends and burning questions of today's world of work. Our latest discussions were on the brand new topic of generative AI and its impact on work and the workforce. Catch us live on LinkedIn every month as we bring you more bold and innovative discussions.

As always, we welcome your views, comments, and suggestions regarding our stories.

Happy Reading!

Esther Martinez Hernandez Editor-in-ChiEf

editor-iN-ChieF Esther Martinez Hernandez

editor & New produCt CoNteNt strategist (global)

Mastufa Ahmed

maNager - desigN, photography, aNd produCtioN

Marta Martinez

seNior editors

Mint Kang

Rachel Ranosa

seNior maNager - researCh aNd CoNteNt strategy - apaC

Jerry Moses

42 After the war for talent, what should we aim for?

JEnnifEr DuDEck, Red Hat CPO

By Mint kang

46 After equitability in leadership

By auDrEy tan, Head of Health & Benefits, Singapore at WTW

49 After startup funding, the focus shifts to structure – and talent

BrEnDan BrownE, Chief People Officer of Moloco

By Mint kang

53 After remote work: the office in 2023 and beyond

seNior assoCiates - CoNteNt

Asmaani Kumar | Aastha Gupta

Samriddhi Srivastava

assoCiate editor

Mamta Sharma

assistaNt editor

Jagriti Kumari

CoNteNt marketiNg lead

Ramya Palisetty

digital head

Prakash Shahi

desigN & produCtioN

Shinto Kallattu

By tanvi cH

oksi, Head of Human Resources at JLL Asia Pacific

56 After AI: should we worry about the machine or about the people?

Dr toMas cHaMorro-PrEMuzic, Chief Innovation Officer of ManpowerGroup

By Mint kang

60 After Employee Appreciation Day: Make employees feel cherished through the year

By MaMta sHarMa

nor the publisher can take responsibility for consequences arising from errors or omissions in the information provided. reproduction in any manner without prior permission from the publisher is prohibited.

All trends, good and not so good, come to an end. Time to look ahead for the next big adventure

Mamta Sharma

Ramya Palisetty

Letters of the month

Generative ai – the new wavemaker of the automation a G e

AI truly is the future of work. At a time when companies are cutting costs by layoffs, and worse still laying off lower-level jobs only to push that lower-value work to senior people, this is one more tool that we can use to relieve the burden. Writing job ads and job descriptions. Creating reports. Even helping us to prepare speeches for meetings presentations. It's no wonder some companies are offering huge sums for people expert in using AI, the cost savings in time and resources are more than worth it.

- CHARLOTTE BOQIN

Is a four-day workweek really worth it?

A four-day workweek is something that must take a very mature workplace to succeed. By which, meaning both managers and staff have very mature ways of thinking about work and performance. Sadly our working culture in Asia is often not evolved enough to really have such an innovation

without people spoiling it in some ways. We would frequently see that both managers, and staff, would somehow misunderstand work-life balance or even deliberately implement it in a way that is not intended. There is a long way to go to make this a viable option.

- PRIYA SINgHAL

7 ways reading can boost your career success

If only this article can be disseminated to young people who do not want to read or worse still, only read what they think is necessary for their school or work. It is an underrated skill that schools do not sufficiently encourage, nor do employers properly factor it in when looking at the potential of people to advance in their role.

- SAkSHI ADHIkARI

The art of building organisational culture

A great glimpse into what a huge company is doing. Appreciate especially the sharing of how behaviours are the focus, it is a great way of turning the vision statement into something observable and quantifiable. Also the training of the people managers clearly makes the difference in the success of creating culture. It will be great if we can hear more about that training system and how to bring so many people managers on board with the vision.

-

ANuSHkA kANT

February 2023 issue

HR fundamentals that help win the war for talent

Being proactive is indeed the best way to keep the workforce stable, going out to find pain points before they erupt into full-blown problems and addressing them in advance whether by coaching the individual or team or by improving processes. A step up from that would be to train managers to take the pulse of their own team regularly as well as taking data from organisation-wide pulse surveys, since these are the people closest to the ground and most able to understand the context of a pulse survey response.

- VISHmITA SuBHASH

Interact with People Matters

people matters values your feedback. write to us with your suggestions and ideas at editorial@peoplematters.in

The world needs more engineers:

here's what Thales is doing

oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (oNGC)@oNGC

"I am proud to share that we have been successful in having both genders actively participate even in that (ONGC's) distinctive format (14 days in remote offshore & onshore oil & gas installations)."

has always been a low-key challenge for businesses, but for it to percolate into HR is an extra layer of complexity. The many advantages are balanced by the many considerations. It is a new tool to lessen the burden but also another thing to have to evaluate. It creates competitive advantage but should it be implemented it calls for training in its proper use and like any tool, assessment of whether it is creating the outcomes that justify its investment.

- SWARNENDu BISWAS

Motivating talent in the FMCG industry in 2023

A very useful look into how employers can connect with younger employees today. For instance, many younger demographics especially Gen Z desire to have their output properly recognised, rather than the manager or other bosses being fixated on their presence in the office or even at all kinds of meetings and gatherings regardless of whether they are needed there. And completely true that especially for younger ones who are keen to advance, career path and growth must be taken into consideration. Everyone would like to see that their hard work yields some result in their personal advantage.

-

JANELLE

A very good description of HR's job as being to support managers. Traditionally the role of HR was once siloed away from other departments as a back room function, but obviously that does not work in a day and age when talent is so hard to find and so much extra effort is needed to keep them around and engaged. From looking at the companies that find the most success in their talent strategy it is clear that the right way to go is to first intentionally connect HR to the business strategy so that it is able to support business needs, and the next step is to connect HR to the business operations, hence supporting manager needs.

- VANIA SHARmA

Get ready for the top 5 HR challenges of 2023

For recruiters, AI is such a headache. Certain jobs call for the candidate to be assessed in their knowledge and communication skills before coming to the interview round, but ChatGPT and the like will apparently let people pass the online assessments without using their own skills, making the first layer of filtering quite useless! Moreover, recruiters must then implement some anti-AI technology like what educators are doing.

-

JANVI mAHESH

#ONGC Director (Human Resource) @ Pankaj3006k talks to @PeopleMatters2 for #IWD

Clevertap @Clevertap

Growth, both professional and personal - that's what talent today is looking for! The latest article in @PeopleMatters2 by Sidharth Malik, CEO, CleverTap, sheds light on how critical it is to design L&D programs that instill a sense of purpose. Read more: bit.ly/42bMmy7

Steelcase @Steelcase

Patrick Woo, Director of HR - APAC, shares how organizations can design workplaces for the way work is happening now at @PeopleMatters2.

Birlasoft @birlasoft

Read more insights from Arun Rao in the Well-Being Outlook 2023: A guidebook to reimagine employee well-being: birlasoft. com/news

Zoho @Zoho

Today, attracting and retaining talent has become more challenging than ever. This, coupled with the changing fundamentals of the workspace, makes it an exciting time to be part of the HR ecosystem. Some emerging trends this year http:// zurl.co/QLVi

iMocha @imochaHQ

Tech & AI-enabled hiring processes are revolutionising how businesses evaluate & employ the best candidates. Here are some benefits to this AI-led approach, penned down by iMocha CEO & Founder, @amitdmishra for @PeopleMatters2. peoplematters.in/amp-recruitmen…

The risks and rewards of generative AI

AI

H r tEc H nology

InCred Capital invests in TeamNest.com

InCred Capital, an institutional, wealth management and asset management platform, has announced an investment in TeamNest, a payroll and HR SaaS platform based in India, as part of a Series A funding round in TeamNest.The amount of the investment was not disclosed. With the

FOUNT Global raises $8 million in Series A round

ly hiring for a Head of Product and for software engineers and developers, suggesting that it is presently focusing on expanding its team.

Econo M y & Policy

India Inc faces sharp 60% dip in deals value in February

FOUNT Global, an employee experience management SaaS platform, has raised $8 million of funding in a Series A round led by Lavrock Ventures with participation from current investors Osage Venture Partners and Grotech Ventures. This almost quadruples the startup's existing funding, to $10.75 million. FOUNT is present-

Jo B s & l ayoffs

Global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions provider Heidrick & Struggles has entered into an agreement to acquire businessfourzero, a London-based consultancy specialising in developing and implementing purpose-driven change. The businessfourzero management team, led by Atif Sheikh, along with the brand name and its roster of employees and clients, will all remain in place for business and client service continuity.

Indeed cuts 2,200 jobs, CEO takes 25% pay cut

Indeed is laying off 2,200 of its employees, or 15% of the company's workforce. CEO Chris Hyams has elaborated that the move is due to a projected cooldown in the job market which will directly impact Indeed's business. According to Hyams, sponsored job volumes had already decreased by 33% compared to the previous year's quarter, and total job openings had decreased by 3.5%, and HR

Mergers and acquisitions in India show a 54% slump in volumes and a significant 60% decline in values in 2023 compared to February 2022, according to Grant Thornton Bharat’s Dealtracker February 2023 report. Altogether, only 89 deals, valued at USD 1.8 billion, were inked. This also marked the second-lowest deal volumes and lowest values recorded since 2014. The highest value deals were cross-border deals, particularly outbound transactions, but the majority of deals overall were domestic consolidations accounting for 67% of transactions. The start-up sector led the volumes with 25% of the deals, driven by the fintech segment, which dominated in terms of both volumes as well as values. Private equity investment also witnessed a drop both in terms of deal values and volumes over February 2022, recording only 65 deals worth USD 1 billion.

tech revenue is likely to decline again in the next financial year. Hyams himself is also taking a cut of 25% to his own base pay. Almost every team, function, level, and region within the company will be hit, and affected employees will get at least 16 weeks of base salary pay, compensation for accrued paid time off, a cash payout for restricted stock units that have not vested yet, and access to career placement and mental health services.

investment, InCred Capital will hold a 20% stake in the company.

Jo B s & l ayoffs 60-80% Asia Pacific companies struggle to fill IT roles in security, development, data

A report by IDC has found that 60-80 per cent of companies in the Asia Pacific ex Japan region are finding it difficult or extremely difficult to fill vacancies in many IT roles including security, developers, and data professionals. The report indicates that the layoffs among big tech companies are not representative of the overall skills shortage in the market, and difficulty filling job vacancies is

Amazon to cut 9,000 more jobs

still among the top issues faced by organisations across industries. Some major consequences of the skills shortage are increased workload on remaining employees, increased security risks, reduced customer satisfaction, and loss of critical knowledge.

Over 45,000 openings in AI jobs in India

A report by TeamLease has found that the boom in AI revolution is creating an urgent need for skilled professionals who can design, develop, and implement cutting-edge AI technologies. As of February 2023, there are 45,000 AI job openings in India alone, with data scientists and ML engineers among the most sought-after careers.

Amazon is set to lay off an additional 9,000 employees, following the largest round of firings in the company's history. The layoffs will hit jobs across units that include

Meta plans to eliminate 10,000 jobs in new round of layoffs

Meta has finalised plans to cut 10,000 jobs this year, with the majority of the cuts to be announced in April and May. It is the second major reduction in less than six months, following right after the company announced in November 2022 that it would slash 13 per cent of its workforce or 11,000 jobs. Meta plans to eliminate 5,000

its profitable cloud-computing and advertising businesses, a sign that the company’s cost-cutting is extending into all aspects of its operations as technology giants continue to slash spending. According to CEO Andy Jassy, the company's decision to streamline its costs and headcount comes in response to the uncertain economic landscape. Jassy has defended the company's previous decision to hire a significant number of employees in recent years, citing the need to address changes in Amazon's business at the time.

planned job openings, discontinue lower-priority projects, and streamline middle management levels to create a more horizontal organisational structure.

According to the report, freshers to experienced candidates can hope to earn between Rs 10-45 lakh per annum. Data engineers and data scientists can get up to Rs 14 lakh and ML engineers can earn up to Rs 10 lakh, while devops engineers, data architects and BI analysts are expected to earn up to Rs 12 lakh annually.

co MPE nsation & B E n E fits Only 56% of Indian employers offer maternity benefits

A report by employee health insurance Plum has found that only 56% of Indian organisations offer maternity benefits to their female employees, and of these, just 14% of them have a maternity limit greater than Rs 50,000. Only 5 per cent of Indian organisations offer comprehensive insurance coverage (comprising health insurance, accident and disability insurance, term life insurance, and comprehensive telehealth consultations).

House of cards: A closer look at the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank

By Rachel Ranosa-Joshi

scale, only exposed SVB to greater risk. Dodd-Frank mandates that banks that are deemed ‘too big to fail’ maintain sufficient capital and be subjected to yearly stress tests by the Federal Reserve.

Lack of leadership and oversight

Months before SVB collapsed, there had already been red flags emerging over its governance. For one, the bank had been lurching on for much of 2022 without a chief risk officer to guarantee management oversight. Laura Izurieta, who had previously held the position, had reportedly been inactive since April before departing the company in October last year. Only in January did the company onboard a new risk chief. The issue has become a point of contention in lawsuits against SVB.

From enjoying high liquidity to being crippled by account freezes almost overnight, employers with millions of dollars deposited in Silicon Valley Bank found themselves embroiled in the biggest financial crisis since 2008.

Once the favourite lender of start-ups and their venture capital backers, SVB had a market capitalisation of US$40bn and about $209bn in total assets, making it the 16th largest bank in the US. But the perfect storm of high interest rates and the overall downturn in the US tech sector left the bank reeling over an epic cash crunch in the weeks leading up to its collapse.

The tech lender had been investing in US treasury bonds to satisfy investor appetite for high returns. But these bonds were later divested in a $32bn fire sale after interest rates began to soar. When reports of the bank selling bonds at a $2.7bn loss circulated online, investors and depositors started pulling out.

“Clearly, the bank’s risk modelling didn’t anticipate the combination of interest rate and liquidity risk shocks it would face. Indeed, it seems apparent now that SVB’s liquidity risk management practices were deficient,” says Clifford Rossi of the Global Association of Risk Professionals.

SVB collapsed within 36 hours. Today, questions surrounding the tech lender’s massive failure have led many to re-examine where and how to keep their assets safe if even the most promising financial institutions – born out of the heydays of tech venture capital – are left vulnerable to a classic bank run.

Ambition vs regulation

SVB witnessed tremendous growth from 2019 to 2022. In fact, out of the initial public offerings in tech and health care which were backed by VCs in 2022, 44% were serviced by SVB. The failure of the tech lender, however, suggests how banks that are on an ambitious growth trajectory – and thus critical to the banking ecosystem – should be subjected to even stricter regulations to minimise their risk of a collapse.

However, the Trump era reversal of legislations such as Dodd-Frank, which aimed to prevent bank failures of this

And while the bank maintained a risk committee charter, the absence of a seasoned board member to monitor risks created a gap between what the leadership team set out to do and what it actually did to manage such risks.

Payroll issues triggered

With hundreds of accounts frozen, companies that banked with SVB were scrambling to process the paycheques of employees in the immediate aftermath of the collapse. Some transfers were halted midway. Meanwhile, start-ups that feared the worst were already preparing staff for eventual layoffs should the freeze end up depleting their cash reserves.

“Even companies who were not customers of Silicon Valley Bank may be impacted if their payroll provider utilised Silicon Valley Bank to process employee payroll,” advised the team from the US multinational law firm K&L Gates.

“Most states have more specific rules regarding frequency and timing of pay, as well as liability and penalties triggered by failure to comply with such regulations. Some of these requirements, such as California’s rules regarding timing of wage payment upon separation from employment and payment by check with insufficient funds, are subject to defences such as lack of willfulness and unintentional withholding of wages. Other statutes do not expressly contemplate such ‘unintentional’ defences, though certain advocates have lobbied governing bodies to extend leniency and waive penalties associated with Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse.”

House of cards

The perceived missteps of the leadership team at SVB prove the importance of robust governance policies that are enforced at every level of the organisation. In an era where ESG principles have come to dominate boardroom discussions, good governance is what advances the most successful organisations.

Without these regulatory frameworks and guardrails in place, even the most ambitious high-growth financial institutions can collapse instantly like a house of cards.

icks aJay Banga to succ EED Mal Pass at t HE orl D Bank

US president Joe Biden has picked the former president and CEO of MasterCard, Ajay Banga, to lead the World Bank and oversee a shake-up at the development organisation to shift its focus to the climate crisis. While the bank's governing body is only expected to decide the actual succession in May, the US, as the Washington-based organisation’s largest shareholder, has traditionally been allowed to nominate without challenging its preferred candidate for the post. Banga comes with decades of experience on Wall Street and has a track record of forging partnerships between governments, companies, and non-profits. He started his career in India, where he worked at Nestle and Citigroup before joining Mastercard, and currently serves as a vice chairman at General Atlantic.

walt Disn E y co MPany

ME s s onia col EM an as ro

The Walt Disney Company has named Sonia Coleman as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the company, effective April 8. Coleman, who most recently has served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, succeeded Paul Richardson, who is leaving the company after more than 15 years at Disney. Prior to that, Coleman served as Senior Vice President, Human Resources for Disney General Entertainment from 2017. She joined Disney in 2008, and was previously strategic HR leader at The Home Depot.

oints uzair Qa DEE r as Eo P l E o ffic E r

The BBC has appointed Uzair Qadeer as its Chief People Officer effective February 27, 2023. He reports to Leigh Tavaziva, Chief Operating Officer. Prior to this appointment, Qadeer was Chief People Officer at US healthcare provider Carbon Health, and before that he was the first Chief Diversity Officer at Alexion Pharmaceuticals. He has held numerous other leadership roles, including in Deloitte’s Human Capital Consulting practice where he advised clients across a range of industries, and at Bristol Myers Squibb Company where he worked in various roles in both the US and Italy.

oko H a M a o ff-Hig H way ir E s a PP oints aM it cH inolikar as g lo Bal c H ro Yokohama Off-Highway Tires has appointed Amit Chincholikar, former Global CHRO of Tata Consumer Products, as Global Chief Human Resources Officer. A leader with strong business focus and collaborative mindset, Chincholikar comes with extensive handson experience in developing and delivering human resource strategy through global experience across several HR verticals. He has worked with Universal Music Group, Aditya Birla Group, Novelis and Tata Sons Limited.

stlif E foo Dworl D oints ro H it H ku M ar as ro

Westlife Foodworld, the owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in West and South India, has ap-

pointed Rohith Kumar as the Chief Human Resources Officer. He reports to Saurabh Kalra, Chief Operating Officer, and will work closely with the leadership team to make the organisation future-ready. Before joining Westlife Foodworld, Kumar headed Human Resources at Max Hypermarkets India (SPAR India) - Landmark Group. He has also worked with Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, Lenskart Solutions, HyperCITY

Hon E yw E ll na ME s v i M al

P ur as c Eo

Vimal Kapur, President and Chief Operating Officer of Honeywell, has been named successor to Chief Executive Officer Darius Adamczyk, effective from June 1, 2023. He has been with Honeywell for over 30 years, previously serving as President and CEO of Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies and before that, President and CEO of Honeywell Building Technologies. Before leading HBT, Kapur also held the role of President of Honeywell Process Solutions.

Dixon tEc H nologi E s H ir E s

J un s ing H as c H ro

Logistics solutions provider

Ecom Express has appointed Prashant Khullar as Chief Human Resources Officer. Based in Gurugram, Khullar will be serving more than 50,000 employees at Ecom Express together with a team of over 200 HR professionals. With more than two decades of experience, Khullar previously worked with Max Life Insurance Company Limited, Mahindra Holidays, The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) among others in various capacities. He was the Founder & CEO of “nerv2serv Learning Company.

a PP oints k a M alika ka as Dir Ector of H r & Consumer electronics and home appliances company

Hisense has appointed Kamalika Deka as Director of HR & Admin. Deka comes with an experience of 16 years in the HR domain. Before Hisense, she had a stint with VisionSpring as Director of HR & Admin services along with Nicobar Design, Domino’s India, Titan Company, and Apollo hospitals enterprise. She was recently awarded T A PAI young HR leader 2022 and is also a TED X speaker.

Electronics manufacturing company

Dixon Technologies has appointed Arjun Singh as Chief Human Resources Officer. Singh, a former CEAT Tyres executive, comes with extensive global experience working in various roles including head of the HR function for sales, manufacturing, supply chain, and R&D organisations. Before joining Dixon Technologies, Singh worked with CEAT Tyres Limited as Vice President – Corporate Human Resources, for more than four years.

l a PP oints nEH a Dixit as

E Pr E si DE nt, P Eo P l E oPE rations

One-tap checkout platform

Simpl has appointed Neha Dixit as the Vice President of its People Operations team. She is responsible for heading the organisation’s HR Business Partner function, providing leadership for people and culture priorities at Simpl, and strengthening the policy and process framework to enable fast-paced learning and leadership development within the organisation. Dixit has over a decade of diverse experience in running HR programmes across agile technology-driven companies such as Amazon and Myntra.

Ex P r E ss on B oar D s H ant kH ullar as c H ro

Manju Dhawan

Co-founder and Director at Ecom Express

By Mamta Sharma

6

One false belief about diversity in the logistics

That it requires physical labour and is therefore predominately for the male population

And the reality?

Innovative technology, automation, and the e-commerce boom are creating more roles for women and entry into logistics has been made much easier

3

The best way to promote diversity in a logistics company?

Foster an environment of respect while focusing on mutual trust and compatibility, and ensure that HR practices are favourable to meet the demands of the employees

4

Some ways you are encouraging diversity at Ecom?

Promoting more and more women at our large facilities, having female team members in last-mile delivery, establishing all-women delivery centres across the nation, implementing skill-building initiatives to increase the number of women in supervisory positions

Being the only woman on the founding team of Ecom Express, I bring a diverse viewpoint to the organisation, whether it is in terms of workforce, investments, or strategy

5

How to make workplaces more welcoming to women?

We frequently conduct audits to help improve current facilities for female employees and have considerably invested in these facilities in order to empower and encourage more women employees across our many centres, like delivery centres, warehouses, hub, and processing centres

Challenges you've encountered?

Having the right mindset

7

How to tackle that challenge?

Skill development workshops and training sessions to highlight the importance of gender diversity, also career acceleration programmes which offer specialised courses to women looking for career enhancement

8

Advice for companies seeking to improve gender equality?

Be proactive in the aim to create a culture of equality which inspires and encourages women to rise to the top

9

And advice for young women aspiring to leadership roles?

Believe in yourself when it comes to business decisions; learn how to leverage business nuances; increase your knowledge base, learn from experiences, aim to fill a variety of functional responsibilities as soon as you can in your profession; accept advice that is helpful and apply it

Amid All the unrest, employees turn to orgAnisAtions for strength

iN aN exClusive CoNversatioN with people matters, BILL BAkER, Chro oF wolters kluwers shares iNsights oN his jourNey to buildiNg a busiNess that has the Capability to weather aNy storm

By Ramya Palisetty

The world goes through upheavals in each generation but the last three years have been particularly tumultuous. The world of work has undergone a seismic transformation in the wake of the pandemic prompting a widespread reassessment of priorities. Amid geopolitical unrest, widespread layoffs, economic downturns, and the ongoing challenge of attracting and retaining top talent, businesses are confronting an unprecedented array of challenges. The call for workers to return to the office has added a new layer of complexity, forcing organisations to navigate unfamiliar terrain and adapt to the shifting norms of the postCOVID world.

For Bill Baker, the HR chief of the Dutch information services company

Wolters Kluwer, the focus has always been on building bridges to better connect and engage with employees, providing insights into the needs of a multigenerational workforce that seeks purpose and impact from their employer. With a legacy of over 186 years, the company has evolved from publishing to digital and software, building a resilient model with a compelling story to tell. Bill’s got a hold on the pulse of the multigenerational workforce, who he believes ‘don’t really want uniquely different things’ but are pursuing the

notion of why a certain company exists and the good it is doing in the world.

With a firm belief in the philosophy that ‘If you don’t veer away from what’s fundamentally important and the principles you believe in, you can weather any storm,’ each of his answers reflect this state of mind. In this exclusive chat, find out what he thinks about the mass layoffs and tech companies reactionary approach to it, the changing perspectives of candidates towards what constitutes rewards, and more.

In the end, make sure that people understand what it is that your company does, why they exist, and how they can connect to it – that’s what is increasingly important to the workforce now

Excerpts from the interview:

A key competitive differentiator for an organisation today is its ability to attract, engage and retain its talent. According to 2022 statistics, the employee engagement rate at Wolters Kluwer was 73%. We are keen to understand the strategies that helped you sustain it amid the upheavals and the rise of trends such as quiet quitting and moonlighting.

While there is a lot of debate around the idea of engagement during these times, I feel that if leaders and organisations weren’t doing it before, they will have trouble with it now. At Wolters Kluwer, we have always valued diversity with people bringing different perspectives that’s been driving innovation. It’s been our priority and is reflected in our gender diversity ratio. But these numbers didn’t happen overnight or since the pandemic. We have been focusing on engagement and the concept of belonging for a long time. There’s a human element to it – it feels good to do good deeds.

For us, we’ve been measuring engagement annually since 2014 and there has been improvement year on year. And that’s been possible because we have a discipline of picking up two or three priorities every year from the feedback

forms shared by our employees. Since we have that piece of the puzzle, we have the opportunity to continue to build career development and skill development opportunities. We’ve incrementally tried to do activities and take actions every year where people know what they are for and why we are doing it.

These frameworks have been there for so many years that in these turbulent times, we are seeing the payoff of working so hard

at building the foundations right.

You have previously mentioned how remote and flexible work was something that was already happening in your firm way before the pandemic. Did that help you during the transition period?

When the pandemic hit, we were in a position where we had what we needed for our people to be able to WFH within two weeks. That was all possible because of the

I feel companies that have philosophically decided what their people will get in exchange for their work and genuinely work on it every day can figure out how to level it up or down as market conditions change without fundamentally changing what they have been doing

work we’ve been doing on making the employee experience better. It’s where the focus has been and that’s also going to be the key differentiator for us going forward.

While the first year of the pandemic was a shock to the entire world, the second year was one of our strongest years as employees knew what to do and we had a precedent on how to work flexibly. Now that the talk is about bringing people back to work, I believe choice and flexibility are essential but so is building that community among colleagues. Finding that balance is what we intend to do.

In this day and time, amid so much volatility, it is vital for people to have that flexibility as they have so many demands in their personal and professional life.

Wolters Kluwer has received various awards in the recent past for diversity, gender equality, sustainability, innovation, etc. What makes it one of the ‘great places to work’ for a multigenerational workforce?

I don’t think people uniquely want different things, but things are emphasised differently at different stages in our lives. Initially, when you are starting out, you are looking for a company that will help you build your skills and career. When you get to senior roles

in the organisation, you know how to grow your career and you become savvy with how the organisation works.

To the question of appealing to a multigenerational workforce, the biggest thing we try to do is listen because engagement, belonging and diversity – it’s all woven together. Our goal is to listen to what people value and what they need and do our best as an organisation to deliver what we can based on what they tell us.

I think there are things that organisations need to do in continuum – ensuring that people know that the workplace is flexible, making efforts to elevate careers, driving innovation so people continue to learn and helping them understand what good the company is doing in the world.

Employees want to work for organisations that are

doing good besides making money. Don’t get me wrong, making money is essential, but doing good at the same time is what we all want. In the end, make sure that people understand what it is that your company does, why they exist, and how they can connect to it –that’s what is increasingly important to the workforce now.

Can you share some of the programmes that have been designed to strengthen diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging at Wolters Kluwer?

Gender diversity, inclusion, equity and equality have been built into the DNA of our organisation. This was actually the first year with a very formal approach to DEIB at Wolters Kluwer. We’ve been doing work around community outreach through our hiring process-

es, where we have collaborated with local universities in India and even partnered with a few recruiting firms that specialise in helping us connect to diverse pools of talent.

As an organisation, we have always wanted to be reflected in the community that we live and work in, with special emphasis on understanding the availability of talent in the marketplace and what we should strive to achieve. The idea of impacting the communities positively through a kids toy drive, adopting villages in India and providing electricity and sanitation there, or funding to build a science lab in a school in Pune, we have been doing these things not just for the sake of it, but because they are directly tied to what we are trying to do as a business.

How is the company committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), which address the social, environmental, and economic challenges the world faces today?

Since 2009, we have been committed to UNSDG and in all these years, we have tried to focus on goals that we believe we can support and those that align with what we strive to do as a company. Gender equality, climate change and the environment coincide with

the way that we operate as an organisation. And when it comes to sustainability, there is an internal strategy titled Engage, that’s aligned to supporting UNSDGs.

ESG is an opportunity for us and we are looking to grow our solutions to help other companies meet their sustainability goals and aspirations. In March this year, we launched a fifth division focused on Corporate Performance & ESG. It was established to meet the growing demand from corporations and banks for integrated financial, operational, and ESG

performance management and reporting solutions. So, it’s a priority in the way we conduct business and run the company. And we ensure that it is communicated well to our talent built on the idea of engagement.

I think it is refreshing when you can be authentic about the things you are doing while using them as an opportunity to attract people to the organisations. And that’s one of the things about Wolters Kluwer that I like – the tone is set from the top, with our CEO committed to it and setting the priorities that permeate

We need to shift to re-balancing the equation of skills and experience as there are going to be certain skills that are critical for your business and that will have a certain pull in the market for rewards

through the entire organisation.

With the surrounding economies and wage inflation spiralling upward, how relevant do you think the total reward frameworks would be in the now and near future? With the uproar surrounding the Great Resignation, how can the reward strategies influence these trends?

I think rewards are vital because we all work for a living, and we want to ensure that we are fairly rewarded for it. As a company, we have always rewarded people fairly, but rewards are not only about money. But there was a period not too long ago when the talent market went super crazy and money took the front seat. To stay successful yet competitive in today’s turbulent times, organisations need to understand what’s happening in the talent market and ensure that they are at least responsive to it, preferably on the front end.

For us, rewards include the experience of what it's like to work at Wolters Kluwer – the benefits we offer, the social, financial, physical, and emotional wellbeing of our people, ensuring responsiveness to the needs of different generations, and thinking about the wants of employees from different walks of life.

I feel companies that have philosophically decided

what their people will get in exchange for their work, which includes the whole package – experience, pay, benefits, training, and development and genuinely work on it every day can figure out how to level it up or down as market conditions change without fundamentally changing what they have been doing.

Can you share more about the journey and the philosophy that led you to focus on creating a strong foundation that can withstand market fluctuations and meet employees' needs?

If you are driven by a philosophy that is not responsive to today or tomorrow, you really don’t need to abandon it but make the necessary adjustments. By focusing on key questions – how to treat people, the experience in the organi-

sation, how to reward and engage people – you can adapt to shifting conditions. For example, rather than simply throwing money at talent shortages, we built an outreach programme to establish connections and show excitement about new hires. As we return to the office, the companies that will stand out are those that can re-establish meaningful connections with employees in flexible ways.

Reactive approaches, such as laying off people after hiring them in response to a temporary phenomenon, can lead to unhealthy actions. Instead, leaders should stay true to their framework, philosophy, and beliefs while adapting to changing conditions.

That said, layoffs may sometimes be a part of adaptation. Over the course of our own history, we have had to restructure and lay

off people as we embarked on the journey of transformation as an organisation. If we had the same business model that we had 20 years ago, I don’t think we would have been here, at least not in the way we are today. But in the current recessionary environment, one thing that me and my CEO talked about and agreed on was ensuring that we are prudent in our hiring and that, unless something crazy happens, we should be in no way taking the kind of actions that we are seeing in the newspapers.

People's expectations of rewards and their perception of what constitutes rewards have changed over the years. With new demographics entering the workforce, what have been your observations?

I believe that organisations taught people to expect something very different in

the talent market of today. With mass layoffs, we now hear candidates asking HR about the stability of the company. It is amazing to see how fast it all changed, from the time when it was all about ‘I need a higher offer’ to ‘Will I have a job in the next six months’ if I join your company.

From a talent point of view, in the tech space, skills are the critical change that’s happening. With AI and the Metaverse taking centre stage, organisations are looking for people who might not have 10 years of experience as these are emerging fields. In that case, we need to shift to re-balancing the equation of skills and experience as there are going to be certain skills that are critical for your business and that will have a certain pull in the market for rewards. You need to monitor and adapt your

systems as the world changes and tech gets bigger and faster.

While we are all adapting to the rapid changes, we need to think about the structures we have in place, not only in terms of experience but also in terms of critical skills. With that comes the responsibility of finding the right skills and how one should develop it to be a professional and productive individual in the workforce. And that brings us back to career development opportunities. We need to think about how we get certain skills for our business and cultivate those people to enjoy working in the organisation. That’s the evolutionary path we are on.

As a global leader with over three decades of experience, what are the key issues that you see over the next 12 months and how are you strategising your policies to address these?

At Wolters Kluwer, our focus is on the idea of skills and if we find the skills, understanding how we can help create the experience that individuals need. In the process of talent development, we are building these experience maps to help people move within the organisation to diverse positions that will require versatile skills. We are looking at developing learning opportunities to help these

individuals travel onto the experience maps.

Another focus area will be the idea of connectedness, which was lost during the pandemic. If you had it prior to the pandemic, where people came in, put in their time and work to take home a paycheck, then it might be faster to cultivate it again but it is not automatic. The pandemic gave people the time to pause and think about what they really value in life and how they wish to spend their time henceforth.

The pursuit of connectedness, community and belonging are all directly tied to engagement, innovation and your business results, which improves attraction and retention of talent. It’s all about understanding how to take people with the skills you need and offer them the experience they want, which is going to put you ahead in the talent market, while getting people to the door.

For a tech company, a skills taxonomy is vital to understanding business impact. Is that something you are building on too?

For a business in our space, a skills taxonomy

is important. Technology impacts each one of us in every facet of our lives, and who knows what the world will be like with AR and the Metaverse. We might not know the entirety of it as yet, but it will change everything. To be able to adapt as a company, a skills taxonomy will play a critical role, especially if you are on the frontlines of technology.

We are making an investment in ‘How do we not only get but also maintain the trend of skills for the jobs we have’. We are scraping the internet to understand the jobs that are being posted with the skills out there, the skills that people possess when they graduate, and what it is that we need to be thinking about for our own job postings. There is a need to build the capability to stay current with the rapid pace of technology.

As a CHRO, what is your advice for leaders, who wish to take their companies from good to great with a dispersed workforce, trying to tackle diverse challenges as it develops an employee experience with the right rewards?

For a corporation, making money is important, and one shouldn’t shy away from that fact. But over the course of the life of a corporation, there are difficult decisions one needs to make, and when that happens, if you do it authentically, and based on the belief system of the organisation thinking about the kind of company you want to be, then you can weather any storm.

As a leader, surround yourself with the right people who can actually fill in the gaps and who don’t need to be micromanaged. They are the ones who will actually challenge you to think differently.

Understand the ‘why of things’ with data and analytics. If you have the impulse to make a decision, pause to ensure that the data is on your side. If you know the facts and the numbers, it will help you make better decisions for your organisation.

The old adage that people don’t leave companies, but managers, has never been truer. So, think hard about activating managers in your organisation to create that connection with people because that sense of belonging and engagement comes from the manager. In these times of unrest, people are looking for companies to be a place of strength for them, and for that, leaders need to be authentic.

The pursuit of connectedness, community and belonging are all directly tied to engagement, innovation and your business results, which improves attraction and retention of talent

The world needs more women in leadership roles, more than ever

Each year, International Women's Day is a reminder for us to reflect on the significance of gender diversity in leadership. In March, we heard from industry experts who stress the importance of sustaining efforts to prioritise and bolster women in leadership positions

By Samriddhi Srivastava

While women make up half of the world's population, they have been historically underrepresented in leadership positions. As we strive toward a brighter future, the need for gender diversity in leadership roles has become more crucial than ever. Studies have shown that having more women in top positions leads to better business outcomes.

For instance, diverse leadership teams are more likely to make better decisions, solve problems more effectively, and achieve better financial results. Not to mention, female leaders

bring unique perspectives, skills, and experiences that can help drive innovation, creativity, and competitiveness.

In the month just past, International Women’s Day was a reminder for us to reflect on the significance of gender diversity in leadership. That’s why People Matters exclusively spoke to industry experts to understand why it is vital that we sustain our efforts to prioritise and bolster women in leadership positions.

For the personal and vocational growth of the team

Gender diversity in leader-

ship means that there is a wider range of experiences and backgrounds represented, which leads to a more creative and innovative workplace. However, female leaders tend to bring a different set of skills and qualities to the table than men. For example, women are often more empathetic and emotionally intelligent than men, which can help them to build strong relationships with their team members and create a positive and supportive work environment. Women are also more likely to prioritise collaboration and communication, which can lead to

greater teamwork and higher levels of job satisfaction among team members.

“Women leaders are often more inclined to emphasise collaboration and communication, which can create a more supportive and inclusive work environment. They tend to value building relationships with their team members and encouraging open and honest communication, further fostering trust, respect, and teamwork. Also, women leaders often prioritise the personal and professional growth of their team members. They recognise the significance of investing in their employees' development and creating opportunities for them to learn and grow,” said Ms Nidhi Marwah, Group Managing Director, The Executive Centre.

For unlocking the most effective solutions

Due to being more collaborative and inclusive in their approach, women leaders are effective at finding solutions. They are also often better at handling conflict and managing difficult conversations. Additionally, women tend to be more adept at listening and responding to feedback, and are skilled at finding common ground and working towards solutions that benefit everyone. By prioritising collaboration, inclusivity, and empathy, women leaders can create a more

innovative and productive work environment, where everyone feels supported and valued. Shaili Chopra, who is the founder of Gytree.com and SheThePeople Network, believes that this not only benefits the organisation but also helps to create a more equitable and inclusive society as a whole.

ers, they provide a different set of skills and imaginative perspectives. I think that's true. And not because their leadership isn’t about numbers, profits or goals, it's because, more importantly, female leaders bring structural and cultural differences to the table, which drive effective solu-

“Our world has changed and we now live in a crisis. To combat a fast-spinning world, we need more women as leaders as they invest in people. Having launched a new health start-up this year, focussed just on female health, I realised what a huge barrier care has been for women to get into the workforce. Nearly 60 per cent of women don't opt for careers because they have some health issue - from menstruation to menopause. I believe our world needs empathy with focussed goals - both of which women bring to the table. We need leaders who think of impact with intent. Some argue that when women become lead-

For achieving equity and equality

The underrepresentation of women in leadership positions has been a persistent issue in many organisations for decades. Despite advancements in gender equality, women continue to face significant barriers to breaking through the glass ceiling and attaining leadership roles. On the other hand, women bring a different perspective to leadership that can broaden the organisation's understanding of the needs and expectations of diverse groups. This, in turn, can lead to better deci-

Women leaders often prioritise the personal and professional growth of their team members. They recognise the significance of investing in their employees' development and creating opportunities for them to learn and grow

tions.,” Shaili told People Matters.

sion-making, improved communication, and more creative problem-solving.

“Over the past decade, tremendous strides have been made towards building equity and equality at workplaces, however, the fundamental gap in leadership roles still exists. While organisations bear the responsibility of improving policies, building structure, and providing opportunities for women, encouraging females to break traditional barriers that hold them back and to seize opportunities that would propel their professional and personal growth is crucial too. With concerted efforts, the wheels of change will move to leverage on the strengths women leaders bring to organisations, from pay parity to diversity and gender equality,” stated Dr S Narayani, Business Head-Fortis Hospitals Maharashtra.

For fostering soft skills in your team

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of soft skills in leadership. Soft skills, such as communication, empathy, and emotional intelligence, are critical to building strong teams and creating a positive work environment. Women leaders, in particular, are often seen as promoting and embodying such skills. Also, they are known to be natural nurturers and caregivers, which is reflected in their community-driven thinking. Their inherent nature of caring and supporting those around them, which helps them to think beyond themselves and prioritise the collective well-being of their community,” believes Pooja Thakran, Sr DirectorCorporate Communications and CSR for Honeywell.

“Women possess a unique

skill in community-driven thinking, making them an essential asset in fields impacted by artificial intelligence. The higher likelihood of women reinvesting money back into their communities is why aid organisations advocate for investing in women. Neglecting oppressed voices in the development of AI products only enhances inequality, making a community-driven approach a prerequisite for anyone seeking to be active in this field. The importance of having more women in leadership extends to ethical decision-making. Companies with more women on their boards have been shown to make more ethical decisions. Women's perspectives are also critical in the development of extended realities like VR, AR, and MR. As academic institutions increasingly use VR, the lack of women's access to these technologies is becoming problematic. To promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in technology, we need more women leading the charge,” said Pooja.

For combating microaggressions

Microaggressions are subtle, often unintentional forms of discrimination that can have a significant impact on individuals and groups. Women leaders may be particularly well-equipped

to address microaggressions in the workplace as they may have firsthand experience with the types of biases that women face. For instance, being interrupted or dismissed in meetings, or having their ideas credited to others. This experience can give them a better understanding of how to recognise and address microaggressions when they occur with any other female employee in their team. Additionally, women leaders may be more likely to create an environment in which microaggressions are less likely to occur.

“It is often considered that women after a certain age will struggle to balance family needs with the requirements of a senior position or women are more sensitive, thus not able to handle the pressure that goes with leadership. These are all generalisations and stereotypes. Women bring to leadership a more complete range of the qualities modern leaders need, including self-awareness, emotional attunement, humility and authenticity that significantly foster innovation. They are an undeniable requirement for any organisation seeking to find success in the twenty-first century. If a company trusts its female leaders to lead with compassion, the entire organisation will benefit. Therefore,

businesses must make every effort to provide women with suitable leadership roles that will allow them to prove their productivity and potential,” said Pallavi Utagi, Founder and CEO, SuperBottoms.

For fueling the fire of innovation

Diversity of thought is essential for generating new and creative ideas, and women leaders bring with them a wealth of experience and insight that can lead to breakthroughs and advancements. One reason why women leaders are critical for innovation is their ability to bring different perspectives to the table. Research shows that teams with diverse backgrounds and experiences are more innovative and effective than those without. Women leaders, in particular, can

offer unique perspectives on issues related to gender and diversity, which can help to identify new opportunities and challenges.

“It has been acknowledged that diverse perspectives are key to fostering innovation. In this context, women leaders contribute unique experiences and viewpoints to the decision-making processes of any organisation. Women leaders bring valuable skills, fresh perspectives and cultural diversity that facilitate more effective problem-solving. Given their empathetic leadership style, women are adept at inspiring others to work towards an organisation’s common goal. They have high emotional intelligence which is crucial as leadership behaviour for recognising the pulse to get the best out of employees,” said Ritika Aghi, Assistant Vice President, Axa France Vie India Reinsurance Branch.

For challenging traditional leadership styles

As more women break through the glass ceiling and reach top positions, they are able to challenge traditional leadership styles and promote a more balanced, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Female leadership style is based on trust, collaboration, and communication, and is less hierarchical than traditional ones. By promoting a culture of inclu-

As more women break through the glass ceiling and reach top positions, they are able to challenge traditional leadership styles and promote a more balanced, inclusive, and equitable workplace

sivity and collaboration, women in upper positions can create a more equitable and balanced workplace.

“A woman embodies masculine and feminine energies within herself and can play those well when required. Creating a fine balance between results, actions, measures and milestones on one hand and compassion, empathy, and inclusiveness on the other is something that comes naturally to most women. This fine dance between the two is needed as the organisations move towards adopting a more sustainable, inclusive and conscious way of doing business and I believe women have a huge role to play in furthering this agenda,” explained Meenu Bhatia, Co-founder, VMentor.ai.

For tackling systemic barriers

Creating an environment that encourages and supports women in leadership is crucial. This means breaking down systemic barriers that hinder women's progress and providing them with the necessary resources to succeed. By celebrating the achievements of women leaders and striving for gender equality in all spheres of life, we can pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable society, suggested Tarusha Mittal,

COO and Co-Founder, Dapps and UniFarm.

“Women's unique perspectives, life experiences, and ways of thinking can offer valuable insights that drive innovative solutions to complex problems. A diverse group of leaders fosters creativity and creates an inclusive environment that leads to better decision-making. We must recognise and embrace the value that women bring to the table and actively work towards increasing their representation in leadership positions,” said Tarusha.

For navigating crises with unique insights

During times of crisis, women tend to exhibit qualities such as empathy, collaboration, and a focus on relationships, which can help to build trust and inspire confidence in their leadership.

“The role of women leaders in the Indian corporate

sector has undergone a paradigm shift in recent years. Women leaders are breaking the glass ceiling and building businesses from scratch to create value for all the relevant stakeholders of the industry. Women leaders not only bring a fresh perspective to the table but have a very unique approach to crisis management. They are better equipped to understand the issues faced by the female workforce and can address those issues more efficiently. If we have more women leaders at the top, it will be easier to fill the gender pay gap which is a major hurdle in providing a level playing field to the female workforce,” Sandhya Bollam, Vice President – HR, Liminal, a digital wallet infrastructure platform told PM.

International Women's Day may be over, but let’s continue to recognise the critical role that women play in shaping our world.

How do we give women a bigger part in DigitALL innovation?

We gather some experiences, strategies, and solutions from women leaders on encouraging more women to actively participate in digital innovation

By Mamta Sharma

With the theme

“DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality”, this year’s International Women’s Day was an opportunity to recognise the achievements of women who forged their own paths

to success, braving all the obstacles thrust in their way.

Digital technology is key here, but the question is how to be able to leverage it for further betterment and uplift of women and other marginalised groups. More women contributors to digital innov-

ation are needed, as they can come up with solutions and ideas that empower other women. However, the demands for digital innovation can be intense and most women may struggle to balance their careers with family and personal responsibilities.

People Matters spoke to women leaders across geographies and industries about the challenges women face in contribut-

ing towards digital innovation while sharing experiences, strategies, and solutions on how work-life balance can encourage women to actively participate in digital innovation. Here are some insights and solutions gathered from the conversations.

Overcoming barriers to contributing towards digital innovation

Work-life balance – a phrase that’s widely used to signify flexi-work and set boundaries at the workplace, is a major issue, and has to be acknowledged as a challenge as the first step towards overcoming it.

“As women, we need to understand what our priorities are – both at a personal and professional level, along with our short- and longterm goals. Once we have this clarity, we can then work towards maintaining a steady balance,” says Cheryl George, Product Leader for Data Protection, NetApp India.

Overcome inhibitions about asking for help

Prioritisation and the confidence to take on new challenges has helped Ritu Chakrabarti, Global Head – Learning & Development, LTIMindtree, strike the right balance on all fronts – in her career, family, and personal interests.

“Overcoming inhib-

itions about asking for help has also gone a long way towards building a strong support system that has enabled me to get to where I am today. Mentors have played an equally important role in providing the necessary counsel to navigate the various challenges,” she says.

She adds that the biggest challenge in contributing towards digital innovation is staying relevant in a rapidly evolving technology space. “To make the most of the digital innovation era, it requires a curious and continuous lear ning

mindset. Learning, upskilling, and cross-skilling will remain key differentiators,” she stresses.

Be flexible, as no two days are the same

Boundaries between work and life have blurred, and one needs to be flexible to make the most of them, says Shilpa Singh, Director of Engineering, Druva.

A firm believer in living a balanced life, yet realistic, she knows that no two days are the same. “Some days are tilted towards work commitments, and some days, life demands

First and foremost, we need to abandon the notion that women are less capable than men and begin to place value on success and development metrics

your attention. Every day brings its own challenges, and you need to be flexible in adapting and giving your best to the important and time-critical tasks. The key to successfully navigating these challenges is to have a strong partnership, both at home and at work. You need your people and support system to step in as needed. This ecosystem then functions like a well-oiled machine,” she adds.

Normalise combination of digital innovation and family

Serine Loh, Head of Culture & Talent, APAC, Qlik says the stereotype that women are a "softer" gender and are frequently underqualified regarding technical proficiency still persists.

As of 2021, technology is among the industries with the lowest share of female representation in the overall makeup of the industry, and Loh says this is of concern, as it prevents women from having a voice in developing technologies that are increasingly shaping our lives.

“First and foremost, we need to abandon the notion that women are less capable than men and begin to place value on success and development metrics. Because of these existing biases, qualified women are passed over for leadership positions, even if they

are more than capable of taking on the role. Secondly, the combination of a digital innovator and family has to be normalised. Because of the presumed all-consuming lifestyle of digital innovators and the expectations of those around them, many women will be hesitant to step into such roles,” she adds.

Woman digital contributors must learn to set boundaries

A perfect work-life balance is unachievable. Still, Loh says one can achieve it by knowing their values and personal goals, learning to set boundaries, prioritising their own and their families' well-being, practising time management, staying organised, and simply enjoying their work.

“Making time for friends, family, and myself helps

me balance work and life. I exercise, refuse unreasonable requests, skip too many meetings scheduled for late at night, and enjoy fulfilling hobbies. This way, I can give my best to both my job and my family while still being able to take care of myself. Finally, we must work to create a more balanced tech community that is appealing to and welcoming to female employees, which requires more women in decision-making positions,” she adds.

Maximise energy

With every new shift in the paradigm, changing gears is critical and Sangeeta Shetty, Senior Director, Human Resources, Ascendion has learnt trying to balance may drain you. Instead she believes in maximising energy.

“To me, it is not about

50-50 every day, but it can be 60 per cent home, 40 per cent work and vice versa some days – or the 70-30 equation varies as per needs on both sides. Burnout or lack of motivation can be quite common if we don’t plan and act to our strengths –I’ve learnt this over years of careful choices, introspection, forming habits and communicating,” Shetty says.

“Proactively plan your agenda or people will decide your priorities. Invest time and effort in building relations with people you work with, enable two-way active communications, and encourage transparency. They see the intent, trust your accountability, and in turn appreciate the space you need to deliver. We at Ascendion believe in the power of ‘AND,’ versus the tyranny of ‘OR.’ We cele-

brate what they do at work, and beyond work, an individual joining us brings his/her complete self, we are building a place where passion meets career.`"

Upskill to stay ahead of the curve

Balancing work and life is critical to building a better life, and the Wheel of Life exercise has helped Romita Mukherjee, Associate Vice President, Human Resources, Whatfix personally.

“Setting priorities, evaluating what adds value to your life and work, and eliminating what does not add value are important steps. Setting life and career goals, prioritising both, and setting aside time for them are crucial for success. Finding an anchor for yourself can help you stay focused on important priorities,” she says, adding that women in

the digital innovation space need to upskill themselves continuously to stay ahead of the curve on the latest technology trends and needs.

“Keeping oneself connected to technology to evaluate the technology solutions proactively will enlarge one's understanding of global trends. It will help one align one's decisions with the next level of practices,” she adds.

What role can an employer play in supporting women's work-life balance?

Employers can consciously weave equity into every aspect from framing policies, learning and development and charting career paths among others.

Chakrabarti says caregiving and caretaking responsibilities, in addition to job responsibilities, should be carefully factored in while investing in programmes and infrastructure, as well as establishing "robust returnship programmes and alternate career paths that

Invest time and effort in building relations with people you work with, enable two-way active communications, and encourage transparency

provide flexibility and fulfill high career aspirations".

Mukherjee says employers need to support women leaders by providing unbiased opportunities to grow through true enablement, understanding their life and career aspirations, and having inclusive practices as part of the organisation’s strategic agenda.

For some women who take on the leadership role, the challenges would be more on the family front. Jhilmil Kochar, Managing Director, CrowdStrike India had her share of a few testing times, but says she was able to surmount them with the support of her family and colleagues.

As various women employees have undertaken various journeys to get to where they are, their diverse backgrounds, and their goals, objectives, and priorities also must be considered.

Kochar says recognising and accepting differences in experience and skill sets is critical to the success of any effort to reduce inequality. Organisations can start by acknowledging these differences and taking the required actions to identify how to support an individual's interests and aptitudes in order to help them be successful.

While leaders have the responsibility of supporting women through mentorship

programmes, peer training, induction, reskilling, and upskilling courses, she says that mentorship and guidance from women who have had successful STEM-based careers can also encourage others and allow them to gain knowledge and skills that can open up a variety of career paths within the same company.

As part of her contribution to the field, Kochar plays an active role as a mentor to women in cybersecurity and to children as part of the Atal Innovation Mission among others, including in partnership with BetterUp and JoiaWay.

On this year’s theme for International Women’s Day, Lakshmi Mittra, SVP & Head, Clover Academy says equity goes a step beyond equality in recognising that we all do not start from the same place, and hence must

acknowledge and make adjustments.

“As women leaders in the technology industry, we should strive to build an ecosystem that democratises access to technology and knowledge. We must adopt a synergised approach where corporates, government, and educational institutions create a conducive environment for young girls to develop interest in technology and become STEM leaders of tomorrow,” she adds.

George suggests two steps that employers can take in supporting a women's worklife balance:

• Work autonomy: Women can thrive if they are given the freedom to work in a manner that gives them increased control over their tasks, pace of work, and the opportunity to work remotely, if need be.

• Holistic care: One way in which companies can show they care, is by offering opportunities for enrichment through targeted initiatives like hackathons, childcare leave, wellness leaves, and more.

With women, in general, well aware of their responsibilities and always try their best to do a good job, while putting a lot of pressure on themselves to balance all aspects of their lives, Singh says a listening ear or an encouraging word from an employer puts the stress at ease, and life becomes easy knowing they have your back.

Shetty says an employer plays a pivotal role in promoting and upholding work-life balance. “As a company born during the pandemic, we understand women benefit greatly from flexi-work and remote work.

Our initiative, ‘Motherverse,’ aims at opening doors to bring mothers back to work – by offering a great work environment – tailored to their needs. We’ve been thrilled to connect with thousands of women technologists through this. We believe this has built a great support network for women – helping us navigate through work life with actionable solutions,” she adds.

How to set boundaries and avoid burnout

Singh’s experience has made her realise three very important facts that she lives by. These are: Compartmentalise: When you are in the office, you cannot worry about home or children, and vice versa. Attempting to run a house or office remotely will not benefit anyone. So be fully present where you are and give your best.

Plan: Make a plan for your day or week. Highlight the major things you want to accomplish both at work and at home, and then have time allocated to them. Once you are aware of your tasks, you will be relentless in covering the majority of your planned tasks as well as important unplanned tasks.

Be vulnerable or imperfect: Accept that you cannot achieve everything every time. Be kind to yourself, ask for help, and show your human side. This will ensure you don’t burn out. My house is not always the cleanest, but it is a well-lived one.

Chakrabarti believes in living life with purpose.

“Once our work aligns with our higher purpose, it is no longer a compulsion. In the absence of compulsion, there would be no boundaries and burnouts, just immense satisfaction and growth,” she says.

For George, time management holds the key to aiding in demarcating personal and professional boundaries –be it self-care, health, family and work commitments.

“Following a holistic routine of understanding priorities for the day as well as for the week ahead, will help tremendously.”

Prioritising your personal goals and aspirations alongside your career goals

compartmentalise, personal and career aspirations, say leaders who have already been through this grind.

Where possible, Chakrabarti tries to simplify her priorities, evaluating them from the perspectives of relevance, timeliness, and impact. “Introspection of past achievements and failures has also been a fertile learning ground that has helped me thrive in an environment rife with opportunities,” she says.

George says at the start of every year, she thinks about what she wants to be doing over the course of the year, and set three goals for herself. “Early on in my

career, I read a book “How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be: The 25 Principles of Success” by Jack Canfield, which I can proudly say has given me a lot of perspective and has been my North Star since.”

Role of support networks in navigating these challenges

Finally, a reliable support network can make one's work and life fulfilling and successful. Interest and need-based communities provide avenues to seek counsel, receive collective learnings, and draw inspiration from each other's lived experiences.

“Support networks can also be valuable in navigating challenges and allowing women to focus on both their personal and professional lives”, says Sharda Tickoo, Technical Director for Trend Micro, India & SAARC. Employers can play a role in supporting women's worklife balance by providing structure, planning, and clear communication of goals that benefit the business overall. With the right approach and support networks, women can navigate these challenges and achieve a better work-life balance, she adds.

“Mentorship adds another layer of support as women professionals navigate their climb to the top, teaching them the requisite skills to chart a successful career. In essence, allyship is the cornerstone to a successful and fulfilling life, and the bedrock of a steady support network,” says Chakrabarti.

“We are social beings, and no one person can achieve everything. We need our support systems. As you talk to each other, you learn from each other’s challenges and are better equipped with tools to handle situations. Your colleagues, seniors, partner at home, children, and friends all contribute to your daily life,” adds Singh.

Recognising and accepting differences in experience and skill sets is critical to the success of any effort to reduce inequality

From Implementation to Sustainability: How HR Tech Transformations Can Drive Lasting Change

Digitising the HR function is a gold target for many organisations that wish to improve efficiency and outcomes while more effectively managing costs. Here is some guidance for making such a tech transformation successful.

By HONO Solutions Team

The HR landscape is constantly changing as mobile and social technologies, as well as customisation, have redefined the benchmark for employee experience. With business models being disrupted across all sectors, the rules of talent acquisition are being rewritten. Despite these demands, the CHRO is often faced with

dwindling budgets and ongoing operational challenges. Nonetheless, they must navigate through these competing demands to find a way forward. Any transformation is driven by various factors, including the need for increased efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced employee experiences. Let’s dive deeper into the key factors that drive HR tech transformations, the human side of the transformation, and how data analytics can inform HR tech transformations.

Key Factors that Drive HR Tech Transformations

The primary drivers of HR tech transformations are the need for increased efficiency, cost savings, and enhanced employee experiences. According to a report by Deloitte, "organisations are leveraging HR technologies to enhance efficiency, improve compliance, and increase the value of their human capital" (Deloitte, 2019). Additionally, HR technologies can help organisations manage the growing complexity of workforce management by providing automation, analytics, and real-time insights. In our discussions with

clients, we frequently encounter requests to digitise and automate HR's transactional processes, as well as empower HR professionals to concentrate on strategic and business-critical tasks. HONO's HRMS solutions has delivered a range of capabilities that have addressed these requests. Here’s an example: Our HRMS’s realtime data and reporting features, coupled with rich analytics, have enabled companies to reconcile a variegated workforce with ease, while custom workflows have provided unparalleled flexibility.

Understanding the Human Side of the Transformation

While HR technology can provide significant benefits to organisations, it is essential to understand the human side of the transformation. According to research by McKinsey, effective communication has always been a critical factor in traditional change initiatives, and it is just as vital in the digital era. To enable the new, faster ways of working and the necessary mindset and behaviour changes in a digital transformation, companies must explore more innovative channels of communication. HONO Social is an advanced experience platform that enables seamless enterprise and workplace communication and collaboration. Its purpose is to foster teamwork by allowing various functions, teams, and employees to interact seamlessly. Users can engage in discussions through different communication channels such as status updates, topic threads, comments, or direct messaging.

How Data Analytics Can Inform HR Tech Transformations

Data analytics can contribute to HR tech transformations through predictive analytics. By leveraging data to forecast future outcomes, such as employee turnover, predictive analytics can help organisations take proactive measures to mitigate potential risks. Additionally, data analytics can help organisations identify areas for improvement in their HR processes, such as recruiting, onboarding, and performance management. The Smart Hiring Framework from HONO is a cutting-edge AI skills platform that leverages a comprehensive

With advancements in technology and an increasing focus on employee experience, HR tech is poised to transform the way organisations manage their workforce

library of skills to pinpoint ideal job candidates for your organisation's vacancies. By integrating all aspects of recruitment and HR into one platform, our solution streamlines the hiring process and enables companies to make timely, cost-effective hiring decisions.

The Role of Leadership in Sustaining Value

The implementation of HR tech brings significant changes to the organisation's structure and processes, requiring leadership support to ensure the transformation's success. Leadership support is critical for the success of HR tech transformations because leaders set the tone

for the organisation's culture and values. They play a crucial role in motivating and inspiring employees to embrace change and adopt new technology. Leaders need to communicate a clear vision of what the HR tech transformation aims to achieve, and how it will benefit the organisation and its employees. However, it's not enough for leaders to support implementation of HR tech and leave it at that. They need to develop strategies to sustain the value of the implementation over time. One such strategy is clear communication of goals and expectations. Leaders need to continuously communicate the objectives of the HR tech transformation and the expected outcomes. This will help employees to understand the transformation's value and keep them motivated to participate in the change process.

Employee feedback and involvement is an important factor. Leaders should provide opportunities for employees to share their experiences and suggestions on how to improve the HR tech implementation. This will help to identify potential issues and roadblocks that may arise during the transformation, allowing leaders to address them proactively. With these strategies in place, organisations can reap the benefits of HR tech and drive innovation and growth.

Measuring Success and Adjusting Course

Introducing HR tech solutions require significant investment of time, resources, and money, and

Leadership support is critical for the success of HR tech transformations because leaders set the tone for the organisation's culture and values

it is critical to track progress to ensure that the intended benefits are being realised. Regular measurement and evaluation can help identify areas for improvement, validate the success of the initiative, and ensure that it is aligned with the overall business strategy. To effectively measure the success of HR tech transformations, it is necessary to identify the right metrics. Some key metrics that can be used to evaluate the success of HR tech initiatives include time & cost savings, user adoption, employee experience, employee productivity and compliance. Regular measurement and evaluation can help identify areas for improvement and adjust course accordingly. For example, if user adoption of the new HR software interface is low, it may be necessary to provide additional training or improve the user interface. By identifying the right metrics and adjusting course based on feedback, organisations can ensure that they are realising the intended benefits of the initiative and driving value for the business.

Outlook for HR Tech Transformations

The outlook for HR tech transformations looks promising and exciting. With advancements in technology and an increasing focus on employee experience, HR tech is poised to transform the way organisations manage their workforce. One major trend in HR tech is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to automate and streamline HR processes. This

includes everything from recruiting and onboarding to performance management and employee engagement. AI and ML can help HR teams make more datadriven decisions and improve the overall employee experience. Another important development in HR tech is the rise of employee self-service tools. These allow employees to take more control of their HR needs, such as updating personal information and requesting time off, without having to go through a HR representative.

HONO is a Human Capital Management (HCM) Solution that utilises AI and ML technologies. It is currently being utilised by over 300 enterprises and has more than one million employees across the APAC region. HONO aims to enhance productivity and improve the employee experience through its innovative and user-friendly HR Solutions. It can be easily configured, used, and integrated, offering conversational intelligent HRMS via chat-bots for the entire employee lifecycle.

Ba RROw

Five top tips to create higher levels of employee engagement

Keeping employees engaged requires a much greater investment of time and attention than many managers realise. Here are five tips to guide leaders and managers in shaping an effective engagement strategy

In 2022, employee engagement remained the same or declined in 53 per cent of U.K. organisations. With engagement directly linked to a number of positive business outcomes including higher levels of productivity, companies need to continually invest in advancing employee engagement in order to gain a competitive edge. Here are five top tips on how business and HR leaders can best achieve this.

1. Take

the ‘pulse’ of

employees frequently Organisations must understand employee opinion and needs on a regular basis. By listening to the workforce through monthly or quarterly pulse surveys, leaders can gain valuable insights on what is and isn’t working, and how their people are feeling. This feedback can then be used to make positive changes. Employees will not only feel their voice is being heard and that their opinion counts, but will feel they can directly impact and

be part of the company’s culture and its direction. Strong, strategic corporate narratives are important, as is the employee belief and understanding of the part they play in achieving corporate goals and objectives. Without regular listening, you won’t know whether these aims are aligned.

2. Create moments that matter

This requires assessing colleagues’ experiences at dif-

ferent points in the employee lifecycle and also during milestone moments in their professional and personal lives. During onboarding, for example, are new hires made to feel welcome and valued? Are career anniversaries celebrated from one year onwards, and do remote workers feel as appreciated as their office-based colleagues? There’s a huge opportunity for organisations to create positive employee experiences, from

onboarding through to exit, whether individuals are physically in the office or elsewhere.

3. Balance the need for strong connections with avoiding burnout

Some managers feel that, when their teams are remote and dispersed, they need to schedule more online meetings. However, this can lead to meeting overload – and, instead of employees feeling more connected, they feel increasingly burnt out. Instead, line managers must be thoughtful about how they use technology, and be more intentional about how they connect people to the company purpose, their achievements and their colleagues. This allows employees to feel part of a supportive and caring team without feeling the need to be ‘always on’.

4. Encourage in-person interactions

This won’t be possible for fully remote workers, however, when feasible, employees should be encouraged to attend the office for at least one day per week to help strengthen workplace connections. This face-to-face time together should be used for leaders to communicate strategy and for employees to enjoy quality interactions, from team meetings through to social catch-ups. If regular office time isn’t

practical, think about how you can create regular calendar moments for in-person interactions.

5. Avoid a two-tier workplace culture

When workforces are split between those who need to be on site (such as customer-facing environments) and those able to work remotely, a two-tier culture can result in which office-based employees are potentially seen to have unfair benefits. There might be intentional or unintentional favouritism towards in-office workers, and feelings of resentment may grow among the workforce – leading to a ‘them and us’ culture. In fact, of those organisations that reported a decrease in employee engagement in 2022, 20 per cent had a ‘mixed’ workforce, versus only 12

per cent that were ‘primarily office-based’. Using technology to bring all employees together and ensuring equitable experiences and opportunities are key here.

Keeping employees engaged with their work can feel like a constant battle, especially now they’re demanding far more than a fair salary from their employer. They want purpose, belonging, and a range of opportunities to grow and contribute.

Organisations that continually listen to their employees and understand how to give them memorable, fair and meaningful experiences are more likely to have highly engaged employees – and a thriving culture.

i an Barrow is a Senior Employee Experience Consultant at WorkBuzz

All trends, good and not so good, come to an end. Time to look ahead for the next big adventure

The last few years brought us a plethora of changes and challenges. Formerly slow-moving, low-profile aspects of work and the workplace were catapulted to the forefront of business and people strategy by the pandemic. We saw the great work from home experiment as companies pivoted their entire workplaces to remote within a matter of weeks; we saw massive digital acceleration as business after business, cut off from their usual operating methods, turned to online alternatives.

Hot on the heels of these changes came the fallout: the great war for talent as that digital acceleration sent the demand for tech expertise sky-high, the upending of performance management and then talent management itself as leaders and managers at various levels of seniority had to adapt to leading and managing from a distance – without physical interactions, without eyes-on observation, without any of the tiny but critical cues that influence how a person views others and is viewed by them in the workplace.

We saw the sudden elevation of wellbeing as isolation and anxiety bit deep into disrupted workplaces, and the spotlight on leadership as the people most responsible for setting the tone

in the new world of work but also often the most vulnerable simply because of their lone position at the top. We saw learning and development teams grappling with an unexpected need for skills that would tide organisations through volatile periods – not just in leaders but in the entire workforce.

Now, we are seeing yet more consecutive waves of disruption, this time against the backdrop of high global inflation and looming economic recession. Expectations in the workplace have been elevated by the war for talent. Advances in the way we use technology, not to mention the technology itself, is pushing organisations to redefine jobs and skills yet again; generative AI alone has, in a matter of months, upended the way dozens of types of work are viewed.

Our cover story brings together a series of viewpoints on what may follow each of these trends: how to keep the good and set aside the bad. We attempt to look at the future of work, not just the far future but the near future – three months away, three weeks away even – in terms of the big and small things individuals, organisations, and industries can do. Because as we have seen, every trend comes eventually to an end; what's important is to keep looking ahead.

After the war for talent, what should we aim for?

In the tech industry, the competition for talent has been cut-throat for years. But now it's entering a new phase, says Red Hat CPo Jennifer Dudeck – and the pursuit of skilled people will take on a rather different shape.

By Mint Kang

than buying and skilling rather than hiring.

What does this look like from the inside? People Matters met up with Jennifer Dudeck, Chief People Officer of Red Hat, during her recent visit to Singapore, and asked for her take on how hiring in tech has evolved and where it might be heading next.

Dudeck has been in the tech industry for decades, having spent a good 20 years at Cisco before moving to Red Hat in 2021, and has seen the industry's approach to talent evolve from the early years of tentative pipeline-building, to today's confusion of hiring and firing. Here's what she had to say about it.

What's your take on the whole hire-fire cycle that the tech industry has been going through?

ence, because for Red Hat in past years, we just didn't need that much precision. Frankly, we had such high growth that we were in a position to hire first and figure it out later. Well, that was then, and we're at a place now where we have to recognise that we're a more mature company. We're a very successful company –but we're not a startup any more. We're 30 years old and we have 20,000 people. At this stage of growth, we do need more precision now, in terms of where we're making investments, how we're hiring, how many roles we really need to do certain types of work.

The war for talent has been raging for years in the tech industry, and the pandemic only made it more intense. But now the tide appears to be turning: mass layoffs, employers pushing back against candidate expectations, a shift towards building rather

When you're in an environment like the one we saw for the last few years, where most of the tech companies – including Red Hat – have high double digit growth, it allows you to be less precise about what skills you need, where, and even how many roles you need.

I can say this from experi-

So with our hiring processes today, we're being more intentional about what we do. Every one of us in the people team is a steward of the company and our fiscal resources. And so we are prudent: if I have the budget for 100 roles, I have to decide, how many of those do we need in engineering? How many of those do we need in sales? We need to ask questions like: “Is it really worthwhile for me to have another person working on a process I can make more efficient? Or should I have an engineer that's building the next

generation of technology?”

I'm not saying that we won't grow our head count –we will – but as a company, we are at a stage of maturity where everything is a tradeoff. That's just the reality of things.

In other words, the focus is workforce planning?

Yes. Workforce planning to us means that we will look a year or two ahead, and we will be thoughtful, intentional, precise, around where we're going to make those headcount investments. We don't get to invest everywhere – no mature company does – we have to make choices, whether it be by role, by function, or by

region. This is very different from how a fast-growing startup would invest, lighting a thousand fires until something works. Where we are now, we have to have a thoughtful process.

It also means we may have to make hard decisions around where we have over invested – all mature companies have to do that. But my commitment to our associates is that we will always be objective, fair, and consistent. We will be thoughtful and intentional. We won't just be swinging on a pendulum between hire and fire.

When making these choices, how do you factor

in the short shelf life of tech skills and the shortage of many specialised skills?

I spent quite a few years in learning, so I have very strong points of view on this. One, we know that people often learn best through application. So we have to not only put people through courses, but make sure that there is an element of application at some point.

Two, the market for the talent and skills that we need is confined. There is not enough global talent in areas like AI and software. So companies have started to get more creative around their approach. Do we really need to always use traditional routes? Do we always need to hire through universities? That's where industry certifications and hands-on experience come in.

Three, we're always going to need specific skill sets. We can't run a tech company without hiring software engineers, for example, or computer scientists.

And because of all the above constraints, we have to get more and more creative around where we find people and what are our minimal requirements. We can teach people to do a lot of things, we can get them hands-on experience with a lot of things within Red Hat. And I also care about the qualitative things. I would rather find a person who's resilient, adaptable,

My CoMMItMENt to ouR ASSoCIAtES IS tHAt wE wILL ALwAyS BE oBJECtIvE, fAIR, AND CoNSIStENt; wE wILL BE tHouGHtfuL AND INtENtIoNAL; wE woN't JuSt BE SwINGING oN A PENDuLuM BEtwEEN HIRE AND fIRE

a critical thinker, a problem solver, even if they may not have direct experience in something, and give them that experience.

That's one of the things we're working on: creating more internal fluidity so that I can take an engineer and move them across domains, or take that IT person and move them into site reliability engineering.

On the topic of hiring and skilling, you've been in the tech industry for decades – how have you seen the industry's approach to talent evolve over the years?

the promise that we would hire them all – because we were going to need more talent than they could even produce. That was phase one, building the foundation. It was a really nascent talent base, and we didn't really know what we needed.

Then we went into the recessionary period, and people weren't hiring. And then we came into this heyday where it was insanely competitive, because we just couldn't get the amount of talent we needed. Everyone was trying to fight Google, or Microsoft, or the other big names –almost like our business was

I wouLD RAtHER fIND A PERSoN wHo'S RESILIENt, ADAPtABLE, A CRItICAL tHINKER, A PRoBLEM SoLvER, EvEN If tHEy MAy Not HAvE DIRECt ExPERIENCE IN SoMEtHING, AND GIvE tHEM tHAt ExPERIENCE

When I started with Cisco over 20 years ago, it was just the beginning of the tech wave and there was no infrastructure to build the skills that we needed in the industry. So companies spent a lot of time working out how to partner with universities to grow the talent pool, in the US, in India, everywhere we saw the industry growing. At Cisco, as an example, we worked with North Carolina State University and convinced them to build a software curriculum with

to compete for talent. And this war for talent wasn't even about what we needed these folks to do. It was almost a gold rush to just get out there and grab everything you could. That was phase two.

And then all of a sudden the talent pool was too small, and that's where companies started to get creative. The traditional talent markets weren't enough, the universities were too slow, there were immigration issues with bringing people in from

elsewhere. So companies were innovating as much as they could just to hire. That was phase three.

And now we're in the phase of precision, where not many tech companies are going to go out and simply hire as many people as they can. They're going to be much more focused on what they need, where they need it, and what are those specific qualities that make a person a good fit.

Do you think the war for talent has cooled, with the current industry situation and the overall global economic environment?

The last major recession we had, in the US tech industry and globally, was 2008. That means we've had approximately 15 years of new talent coming into the market, and all that talent has ever known is the war for talent. What more can you do for me? What more are you going to give me? How much more are you going to pay me? I'm not saying that everyone who joined us over the last 15 years are mercenaries. But there is a certain orientation where we've just been all about how we compete to win the war. I'm not passing any judgment, I'm not saying it's wrong – that was just the environment.

But now we have a whole mindset shift happening. Companies like Red Hat,

like Microsoft and Google, are starting to say, we need associates that are with us because they want us to be successful, not just because of what we give them. We will be competitive, we will value you we will give you us all sorts of wonderful opportunities. But we can't just have you here because of what you get from us. We need you to want to win with us. And I think that's the next phase of how we think about talent. As a company, we can't continue to be in a place where the relationship between us and our people is a one-way street. We need people to come to us because they believe in what we're doing.

For a generation that has spent their entire working life only knowing the war for talent mentality – if I don't like it here, I'm going to leave – it will be interesting to see how it plays out when that option to simply go somewhere else isn't as available.

It seems companies will have to play a major role in changing the direction talent acquisition has taken. What are your thoughts on how to do that?

We have to be comfortable with our identity as a company. I had a conversation with someone in India, who told me they are really struggling to compete with startups. And I said, “Nor should you try. We're not a

startup. We just need to get comfortable with the fact that we are a large, mature organisation. We are 30 years old. We have 20,000 people. And there's goodness to that.”

People will make choices around what energises them, what kind of environment they want to be in. But this notion that we have to somehow make ourselves present as a startup? That's just not something we should be trying to do. At Red Hat I'm really pushing for us to get comfortable in our skin and recognise the value that being at this point of maturity brings. Including the fact that as a larger mature company, we've gotten to a place where we've figured things out. We know how to manage processes. we know how to make life easier at work, we have more career opportunities.

If you think about why

people stay with a large, established multinational, it's because such a company gives you the opportunity to have many careers in one place. It gives you the opportunity to try many different things. So people don't leave. And that's my aspiration for Red Hat, that people want to be here because they know they will have many opportunities, because we're viewed at being the best at how we grow our talent. That's part of the value proposition moving forward.

And I also don't want us to be fearful that people might leave. Yes, I want critical talent to stay, but I'm also okay if we are known to be somewhere that has great talent, that people want to get our talent. And even we have to compete to keep people, I'm cool with that, because we'll keep finding ways to make Red Hat a great place to work.

After equitability in leadership

We measure the success of a company's DeI initiatives by the number of women in leadership. But equitability doesn't end there. Here are five things that can keep DeI successful after the leadership levels

By Audrey Tan

Aquick look into any company’s diversity and inclusion efforts and you will spot a common metric: the number of women in managerial positions or on the board.

Over the years, boardroom or C-suite representation have become the poster child to showcase that women can be given equal opportunities to excel as men. It’s easy to see why – having women on the board has proven effective to encourage other women employees to pursue their careers and instigate cultural change. At the same time, it is one of the more easily measured indicators to showcase a company’s progress and commitment to diversity.

But in the aftermath of

this year’s International Women’s Day and #EmbraceEquity, we must ask ourselves: is having a female leader enough to ensure an equitable workforce that truly empowers women?

To answer this question, we must first understand the difference between equality and equity.

Where equality means giving everyone the same resources or opportunities, equity recognises the differing needs and circumstances of each individual and allocate the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome.

This means that providing equal opportunities is not enough, companies also need to create a workplace that will enable every em-

ployee, including women, to thrive.

Here are five things employers should think about to help women advance their careers and create an equitable workforce:

Bridge the gender wealth gap

Our research has shown that the average woman in Singapore is expected to reach retirement with just 79% of the wealth accumulated by men. The primary drivers contributing to this include disparity in pay and delayed career trajectories. Gaps in financial literacy and family caregiving responsibilities outside the workplace also influence women’s participation in paid employment.

It is important, therefore, that employers increase pay transparency by assessing HR programmes and processes, understanding which ones are contributing to the gap in inequities and making improvements that could address this gap. Employers can also organise financial resilience workshops to increase financial literacy and eliminate unintended career progression barriers to improve career enablement.

Rethink family building support

The recent doubling of paid paternity leave in Singapore was a much-needed move to reduce the financial, emotional, and social insecur-

ities that many working parents face. Yet the nature of maternity and paternity leaves continues to reinforce the common presumption that women should take responsibility for childcare and the stigma against fathers who want to assume the role of the primary caregiver.

To take it one step forward, why not redefine childbirth (or adoption) leaves by primary and secondary caregiver instead of by gender? Countries like New Zealand and Australia are already doing this, and we believe this approach could alleviate the persistent inequalities in caregiving and give women greater flexibility to pursue their ca-

reer goals. It could also give a boost to the local fertility rate, which has dropped to an all-time low of 1.05 in 2022, with many couples delaying marriage and parenthood due the increasing pressure to raise young children.

Then there’s the need to provide more help for aspiring mothers. More than 85% of APAC-based companies currently exclude fertility treatment from their health benefits schemes, compared to 76% in the rest of the world. Employers need to be more forward thinking and supportive in providing access to these services, giving working women greater control over their lives and relieve them of the financial

burden that comes with fertility treatments. This is especially important as more women are choosing to have children at an older age.

Enable flexible work

Flexible work is often a top consideration for women looking for a new job or staying at their current roles, especially for mothers with young children or dependent care responsibilities. Yet only less than one-third of APAC companies are currently reviewing flexible work and caregiving arrangements. A gender-balanced flexible work policy that gives both men and women employees equal opportunity to care for their families could alleviate the disproportionate burden of caregiving placed on women and normalise men’s roles as caregivers. This would then give women employees more time and flexibility to excel in the workplace.

Besides, flexible working isn’t just about working from home versus working from the office. For roles where remote working is not a viable option, employers can also consider flexible locations, such as allowing employees to work in a company outlet or branch closer to home. Some countries are also piloting a four-day work week, which has proven to result in more productive employees and more efficient businesses.

PRovIDING EQuAL oPPoRtuNItIES IS Not ENouGH, CoMPANIES ALSo NEED to CREAtE A woRKPLACE tHAt wILL ENABLE EvERy EMPLoyEE, INCLuDING woMEN, to tHRIvE

Empower women’s choices in health

Medical conditions like endometriosis, breast cancer and cervical cancer are all unique to women. While cardiovascular disease, often thought of as a condition for men, is in fact the leading cause of death for women globally. Heart attacks in women, accounting for onethird of all female deaths, have worse outcomes and higher mortality rates than men.

According to WTW Global Medical Trends survey last year, cancer and cardiovascular disease are the top two conditions in Asia by costs. Gender-specific screening packages are therefore not just a good to have, but a necessity to enable women to make informed decisions about their health. Early detection and treatments like mammograms and pap smear tests will not only save

lives, but significantly reduce the potential financial impact on female employees and their employers in the long run.

Besides reproductive health risks, working women aged 45 to 55 face a common issue not often understood: menopause. Compared to 63% globally, only 48% of companies in the region are covering medical treatments for menopause, a common health issue that causes brain fog, forgetfulness, and even mental health conditions like stress and anxiety, all of which affect workplace performance. Employers thus need to optimise their health benefit schemes to support this unique health risk to empower more mature working women.

Prioritise mental wellbeing

Mental wellbeing has be-

come a mounting concern in the workplace, and women are twice as likely as men to experience mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Employers therefore need to consider more holistic lifestyle interventions to improve the wellbeing of their female workforce. Access to mental wellbeing support such as employee assistance and sleep management programmes are some of the possible solutions companies can provide. Managerial support is also key to help employees strike a better work-life balance.

The road towards gender equity will not be easy, and the needs of women are so unique that they cannot be resolved by simply appointing more female leaders across the management and the boardroom.

Instead, companies need to rethink and reshape their workplace cultures in all aspects, and invest in more inclusive, holistic healthcare and wellbeing benefits.

Only in this way can we truly address the challenges women face, enable them to stay in the workforce throughout different life stages, empowering them with the opportunities they need to embrace equity and thrive in their careers.

au D r E y tan is Head of Health & Benefits, Singapore at WTW.

After startup funding, the focus shifts to structure – and talent

Plenty of attention goes to startup funding, but what happens after the money rolls in? Brendan Browne, Chief People Officer of Moloco, offers some suggestions about how to shift the focus to talent as a young company grows

By Mint Kang

This is how the story goes for many startups: they drive ahead full speed, pouring the energy and resources of a young business into finding the one product, service, or strategy that will bring them success. Then their efforts pay off, and they draw the support of an investor. Only to realise that, in the rush

to create their place in the world, they have not laid the foundation for the next stage of growth – whether in terms of internal structure and processes, or in people management capabilities, or even in talent at all.

How do startups move into that next phase and build the solid base that they need to continue growing and expanding? To get some perspectives on that question, People Matters met up with Brendan Browne, the Chief People Officer of machine learning solutions provider Moloco, on his recent visit to Singapore. Prior to joining Moloco late

in 2022, Browne was with tech startup accelerator Y Combinator, and before that, he spent over a decade heading talent acquisition for LinkedIn, scaling its workforce by a factor of 20x in his tenure there.

Here's what he shared from his experience.

As someone who's been closely involved in the process of startup scaling, what does hiring look like for a company in that particular growth stage? What do talent acquisition professionals for these companies need to focus on?

oNE of ouR BIG GuIDING PRINCIPLES

ARouND ouR HR StRAtEGy IS tHAt tALENt IS wHAt

DIffERENtIAtES uS, AND oNE of tHE toP StAtEMENtS to SuPPoRt tHAt IS tHAt

EvERyoNE DESERvES

A GREAt MANAGER

From the venture capitalist point of view first, at Y Combinator the bulk of the work was helping companies think about when to hire certain types of people. You don't want to hire someone too senior if you don't really need that person. You also don't want to hire someone too junior. You don't want to hire too aggressively and scale up quickly before you have a product that's market fit – and a lot of companies think their product is market fit before it actually is. So there's a lot of advising companies about where they really stand and what their real needs are, how to create the right structure for the organisation, how to identify the culture and values – that's a huge part of it – and even how to interview and assess talent.

When it comes to actually finding that talent, you need to keep in mind that startup life is a very particular type of life. There's something different literally every hour

and every minute of every day, nothing like working in a big company. And you need to find someone who's both motivated to work at that pace and has the experience to solve those types of problems.

The important thing to understand is that a startup does not need a big recruiting team until a certain point in the company's life, where it has a certain amount of momentum. A lot of work goes into gauging those organisations: do they have product market fit? Are they truly ready to scale? What happens if they don't hire this person? It's a lot of close monitoring and continuous analysis of where the company is, because hiring 20 is different from hiring 200 is different from hiring 2,000.

What would you say are some things that give these

startups an advantage in competing for talent?

Culture matters a tremendous amount. So at Moloco for example, we just have gone through a refresher on our values, and how to articulate these and weave them into our recruiting process, how we use these to assess and promote. We want to find people that are aligned with those things that we care about, and if you can do that, I think you're more than halfway there.

Then another thing is mentorship and management. And one of our big guiding principles around our HR strategy is that talent is what differentiates us, and one of the top statements to support that is that everyone deserves a great manager. We want to let the employees of the company know that if they don't have a great manager, then we will work with the manager,

provide them with training or support – we have a really robust leadership and management training programme – or sometimes we might even find that that manager should be doing individual contributor work. That's how serious we are about people deserving great managers to help grow their careers.

And part of that is supporting people's development, where it's sort of a guarantee that if you do well, if you are supported, if you have a great manager, your career will evolve and transform.

And the final part is just about hard problems. The types of people we want to attract thrive on solving very hard technical problems. And our machine learning work offers really, really tough problems for them to solve.

Tech startups historically have a problem with 'bro culture' and lack of diversity. What are some ways of averting these issues?

A strong culture, rooted in psychological safety, is very necessary. Survey your employees – get some signals, some data, on whether they feel comfortable and welcome, make sure their experience is measuring up to the kind of culture you want to have. And measure diversity, equity, inclusion, and

belonging. Diversity is about having a diverse set of backgrounds, something you can quantitatively measure and be transparent about, and it's necessary for building better products and being more innovative. Inclusion is about making sure that for example, people are included in meetings and discussions, that their voices are heard. And belonging means that people can be their authentic selves wherever they are, and they can feel comfortable and psychologically safe. Because when people are not comfortable and don't speak out and are reluctant to share their ideas because they don't feel like they belong, nobody benefits.

I actually think a lot of people in tech today are very sensitised to the dangers of 'bro culture'. Their eyes are wide open to it and they don't want to be around it.

How do you strike a balance between building talent internally, and bringing in people from outside who have the needed skills and experience?

Internally, you want to make sure that people can truly look at their career ahead and see a clear path to go from junior individual contributor to senior, to becoming a manager, and then maybe a director somewhere down the road. You want them to have the confidence that they can get there.

wHEN PEoPLE ARE Not CoMfoRtABLE AND DoN't SPEAK out AND ARE RELuCtANt to SHARE tHEIR IDEAS BECAuSE tHEy DoN't fEEL LIKE tHEy BELoNG, NoBoDy BENEfItS

At the same time, you need to bring in other folks that can really teach and mentor. At Moloco, I think we've found a nice balance there –we bring in someone who's a very experienced director, who brings depth of expertise around management and technical leadership capability, who can manage and train. And while we're doing that, we still keep a path open for people that want to become a manager.

You've been in the tech industry for years. Have you seen an evolution in the kind of leadership that works for these companies?

I think, in my personal opinion, the best leaders lead with humility. That was actually a huge part of my attraction to Moloco, because being the head of HR is a hard job. There are very few CEOs that I want to do that work with because it is so

hard. And you want to make sure that you are working with someone you are sufficiently comfortably with, that they can call you on Sunday at 10 o'clock at night, and you're okay with taking the call.

So going back to the belonging piece from earlier, I think authentic, vulnerable leaders are the ones that can foster people in different types of environment. Where employees can look at these leaders and see they are being open about the fact that they're they've made a mistake. This is a much more trusting environment than the style of leadership you had maybe 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. That's the biggest difference I've seen. And I think it's because today, the voice of the employee is being heard so clearly and they want to make sure they're getting the type of leadership that

they feel they deserve. So that dynamic is different, and it's something that leaders need to understand and adjust to. If they're used to a command and control style, and they're working in a company that values authenticity and vulnerability, the employees are going to speak up and say, this does not align with who we are.

We've been talking a lot about what talent is a good fit for startups. But the typical startup conversation is about funding, and never about people. What are your thoughts on that?

Well, valuations are buzzy and get a bunch of attention. But I would actually challenge some of the big tech publications to put out the message that startups should probably spend more time worrying about culture, values, and talent – because you don't make products without that.

Personally, my own goal is to create the most mind blowing positive and memorable experiences anyone's had in their career. I want people to look back in two, three, five, ten years down the road and feel like they've been part of one of those iconic generational journeys. And doing that requires having a strong people strategy, having a plan, having a vision, and executing that plan with a lot of intention.

After remote work: the office in 2023 and beyond

The office – can't live with it, can't live without it. After the success of the great WFH experiment, what role does this space play in our lives?

By Tanvi Choksi

How the new generation of employees sees the office

Over the last three years, flexibility became the new buzzword for both sides of the employee-employer power dynamic. We all gained a new perspective on workplaces when nations worldwide came to a sudden halt, and the concept of remote and hybrid working spread rapidly across organisations globally.

But even as these trends became more entrenched, JLL’s 2022 Future of Work Survey found that 77% of corporate real estate (CRE) professionals in Asia Pacific still consider the office central to their organisation’s long-term work ecosystem.

The pandemic was a catalyst for the burgeoning transformation, driving companies to recognise the

office’s role in today’s working environment. Today, a new generation of workers – those who have been empowered by greater flexibility and work-life balance, and those who began their careers working remotely amid the pandemic and tight labour market – are redefining the role of the office in their lives.

And as employees become more vocal about their needs and preferences, companies are taking notice and becoming more attuned.

The shift to hybrid work has shown employers that remote working is not the disaster they feared it would be, and offices no longer represent a space where employees clock in for eight hours to get work done.

Generation Z is poised to surpass Millennials as the largest generation on earth, with more than one-third of the world’s population counting themselves as Gen Z-ers. Many of them have never known a workplace that was not flexible so come with new expectations. Their expectations include greater flexibility and control over their time; more opportunities for collaboration and social interactions

REMotE woRKING IS Not tHE DISAStER tHEy fEARED It wouLD BE, AND offICES No LoNGER REPRESENt A SPACE wHERE EMPLoyEES CLoCK IN foR EIGHt HouRS to GEt woRK DoNE

with peers; a greater focus on health and mental wellbeing; and a new perception of the office’s role in their professional lives.

According to JLL’s Hybrid Work Decoded research, 36% of Gen Z respondents in Asia Pacific preferred hybrid work, while 38% preferred to work from the office. Of these, over 62% plan to use the office as a social hub to fulfil social interactions they cannot access virtually.

How organisations are responding to these changes

To win the hearts and minds of younger employees and remain competitive in the current talent landscape, employers have begun

prioritising requests for the office to become a space that encourages collaboration and innovation, and promotes employees’ health and wellbeing.

Collaboration

JLL’s Future of Work Survey shows that organisations today view collaboration as the primary purpose of the office. Around the world, 45% of respondents rank collaboration among their top three objectives for the workplace. This figure rose to 55% among corporations that had more than 10,000 employees.

In Asia Pacific, 80% of respondents stated that their companies view investments in collaborative and creative spaces that foster employee

wellbeing and allow them to maximise productivity as a more significant priority than expanding the total footprint.

From software to video conferencing apps, spending on collaboration tools to fill the gaps during the pandemic era has greatly increased. At the same time, JLL has observed a rise in spending on physical collaboration spaces. According to JLL’s Asia Pacific HR Leaders Survey, 56% of organisations plan to redesign their office space in the next 12 months, with collaboration being the number one reason.

Innovation

When it comes to innovation, the office plays a critical role in encouraging creativity as it provides employees with opportunities for social interaction and peer-to-peer learning.

In fact, 36% of JLL’s Future of Work survey respondents plan to use the office to foster innovative ideas, and almost a third plan to use the office to provide opportunities for spontaneous idea-sharing and fostering on-the-job learning experiences for their workforce.

Health and wellbeing

A growing number of employees are reprioritising their health and wellbeing. These two focus areas join the list of necessities employ-

ees look for in a meaningful workplace culture alongside flexible working hours, great location, and a decent salary. In response, companies are offering mental health programmes and leveraging technology in the office to promote employees’ physical and psychological health.

From smart sensors and air purifiers, to dedicated spaces for employees to rest and recharge, almost half of respondents from the Asia-Pacific region in JLL’s Future of Work survey plan to accelerate investment in workplace design projects that are intended to improve employee engagement and wellbeing. Meanwhile, 43% expect to push forward investment in new or en-

hanced health and wellbeing amenities in 2023.

Among the areas being explored is the application of neuroscience in the workplace. JLL recently carried out a two-day study in Singapore that scanned the brains of volunteer employees while they performed tasks that mimicked a normal working day.

People in the study were 12% more engaged when they worked together in the morning compared to when they did the same work alone at a computer, with their brains more active and aroused when others were around. Such insights could help companies to improve the experience and productivity of their employees.

PEoPLE IN tHE StuDy wERE 12% MoRE ENGAGED wHEN tHEy woRKED toGEtHER IN tHE MoRNING CoMPARED to wHEN tHEy DID tHE SAME woRK ALoNE At A CoMPutER, wItH tHEIR BRAINS MoRE ACtIvE AND ARouSED wHEN otHERS wERE ARouND

The future of the office

It’s clear that the office is here to stay as more corporations are either asking nicely or mandating that their employees spend a certain number of days of the week in their workplace. And with uncertainties about the economic outlook, some employers believe they have more leverage to impose such policies.

But while every organisation seeks to find the right balance, most acknowledge the benefits of being in the office for overall learning and development. Both employers and employees recognise the limits of online learning and the benefits of in-person interactions to build knowledge, culture, relationships, and career growth opportunities.

The good news is that many of the positive changes precipitated by the pandemic will stick, and the role of the office will continue to evolve this year and going forward.

As the workforce continues to diversify, companies must deepen their understanding of employee needs to tailor and invest in better quality workspaces

– not only to drive collaboration and enhance physical and mental wellbeing, but to attract and retain talent in today’s competitive landscape.

tanvi cH oksi is the Head of Human Resources at JLL Asia Pacific.

After AI: should we worry about the machine or about the people?

It's not that AI is a bad thing in itself. The problem is how we use it, and what our humanity will look like when we've been shaped by it. That's the caution that Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Chief Innovation Officer of ManpowerGroup, wants us to take away from his new book, 'I, Human'. Are we directing AI for the greater good... or is it directing us for our greater bad?

By Mint Kang

Artificial intelligence has fascinated us through the history of computing, even becoming the centre of popularised fears that it will replace us. But it's not AI that we should be worried about; it's us, the humans who build it and use it and work and play with it. That is the warning conveyed by 'I, Human', the new book by noted international social scientist Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Chief Innovation Officer of ManpowerGroup.

Throughout 'I, Human', Dr Chamorro-Premuzic contends that the danger of AI lies not in the technology itself, but in humanity's own inability to self-regulate how we respond to it – how easily we shape our behaviour to the algorithms in ways that ultimately regress our intellectual, emotional, and social development.

In conjunction with the release of 'I, Human' on 28 February, People Matters met with Dr Chamorro-Premuzic for a conversation in Singapore about the place he sees AI taking in today's world and what impelled him to raise a red flag.

Here are the highlights of the discussion, edited for brevity.

Reading your new book, I get a distinct sense of pessimism about what an AI-powered future will look like. You don't think that society at large is capable of the level of self-awareness and self-regulation required to live and work with AI?

Exactly. We often focus on the impact that AI has on driving conspiracy theories and the role it plays in specific cases, whether it's Brexit or Trump's election, but we forget that everyday users are also being influ-

enced by just the normal algorithms that inhabit social media and other platforms.

Millions of people in the world are ordinarily dependent on the content they get on these platforms, and the algorithms are optimised for making these people a more exaggerated version of themselves because they suppress any information that is discrepant, or discordant, with what they think. It's like living in a town or working in an office where people only tell you what you want to hear all the time. How can that make you more open minded? AI is the perfect self enhancement tool, because it makes us feel better about ourselves. You cannot fully blame it because it's built to

successfully exploit human weakness: the desire to feel right, as opposed to the desire to understand what goes on.

Are we giving too much credit to the present-day applications of AI?

The AI business model is predicated on the value we attach to prediction. Look at how recently Google Bard managed to wipe out $100 billion of market value, just because of one error, and how the market immediately assumed that one product must be better than the other.

But while these algorithms have been very impactful, shaping our lives, shaping our choices, I think the market has so far overesti-

mated how well they know us. Because they can only predict us within a narrow realm. Spotify can predict my music really, really well; everything that Netflix recommends for me is an attractive choice. But even if they can do this, it's only within the very specific range that each platform covers. You'd have to stitch together all of the models that all of these different platforms have of us to get to something that gets close to our full human model.

Is it really such a good thing, this ability to predict people's preferences on such a personal level?

You can optimise your life for efficiency. But it doesn't necessarily make it better. The reality is, if we outsource most of our choices to others to make our lives more efficient, there are very few opportunities to make mistakes.

And I think inevitably, that translates into making us more robot-like because everything is optimised for our past preferences. It's designed to squeeze out unexpected choices.

And it gets worse with age. When you're young, you should be rebellious, nonconforming, dreaming of breaking rules and changing the world. For the vast majority of people, as they grow older, they become more conservative. In fact, the meaning

AI IS BuILt to SuCCESSfuLLy ExPLoIt HuMAN wEAKNESS: tHE DESIRE to fEEL RIGHt, AS oPPoSED to tHE DESIRE to uNDERStAND wHAt GoES oN

of conservative comes from preserving your beliefs and ideas. Because the more experience you have, the more immune you become to anything that challenges your knowledge. But if we're indoctrinating people for homogeneous thinking from a young age, and they're not rebellious and nonconforming at a young age, they will only get even more conservative later.

How is this different from what young people are already doing, though? They will tend towards homogeneity in their social groups anyway, whether due to social pressure or because it's enforced by educational institutions.

The difference is that they are spending most of their time producing data that feeds AI, and getting more and more detached from the real world. That has never happened before. You could argue, within the digital revolution or the AI age, people may choose to go to this platform or that platform and within it, they can still express their preferences for this trend or that option. But that does not change that the overwhelming majority of people are still spending more time in the online universe, on AI platforms, than in the real world.

tHE PRoBLEM wE HAvE wItH tECHNoLoGy IS How to LIvE, How to RELAtE to otHERS; wHAt to Do wItH ouR EMPAtHy, ouR CuRIoSIty, ouR CREAtIvIty

going to have to start teaching children how to rebel against the Matrix?

They're going to have to help students understand how to cultivate the behaviours that make them human. The power of education has changed. Having knowledge and transmitting knowledge or information to students – that now has been commoditised. There is no need for a student to go to class to learn something. AI really is better than the vast majority of teachers. It's always there. It's free. You can ask it anything. Its answers might be correct or not – just like the teacher's.

It's even less biased, or more politically correct, than humans, on anything that is remotely controversial. You can ask it about controversial figures like Trump, and it will say something like “Some people say he is a good influence, some people say he is a bad influence...”

And I think it's inevitable that we're going to have to help young people in the next generations understand how they can become better people with these technologies, and not worse.

Pretending the technologies don't exist or that they're going to go away is very naive. Treating them as an enemy is counterproductive. The question is, how can you leverage this? And you have to recognise that some people might succeed and others might get lost in addictive, non-educational components. That's the beauty of human individuality: given the same tool, we're going to interact with it in different ways. And education has to help people make the most of these interactions.

What about deep knowledge, deep skills? Will AI ever be able to substitute for those?

So how do we break them away from it? Are schools

The problem we have with technology is how to live, how to relate to others. What to do with our empathy, our curiosity, our creativity.

It's a great tool to see what the vast majority of people think on average. If you want to know what the consensus is, AI is a very quick way to draw information. But an expert opinion is not just about what everybody thinks. A consensus is not a substitute for an educated specialist perspective. So what I worry is that AI is a really good excuse to become lazy and say, “Oh, I don't need to study anything. If you ask me anything

about something, I'll go to ChatGPT.”

Two minutes is no substitute for spending three months or three years understanding something.

Where can AI actually improve people and organisations, then?

The area that I'm most actively interested in is how we can use this to de-bias organisations and increase meritocracy. The average hiring manager and the average recruiter has limits to their ability to understand human potential. And this is even harder when they have to take into account what jobs are going to exist in five years. How are they to help this person with skills and education that are not relevant today be an active contributor in the economy?

All of these things require data, and AI is the best tool

to translate the data into insights. Even more so in the field of diversity and inclusion, which by the way, are mostly limitations. Let's say that an organisation is very committed to increasing diversity and inclusion. But people are still relying on gut feel or intuition. It's great that hiring managers and recruiters are getting unconscious bias training, but no matter how many hours of training you go through, your brain can never un-know what somebody looks like: man, woman, young, old, rich, poor, attractive.

But an algorithm can be trained to only focus on the things that matter and ignore all the things that are irrelevant. So I'm rationally optimistic about the opportunity and the potential in that.

Although I'm less optimistic about humans being open minded enough to do it. Some

people call me cynical, and I'll tell you why. If you had an X-ray that can go into an organisation and understand what really goes on and the value of the work being done, it will reveal the gap between how successful people are and what they actually contribute. It can help people who have been unfairly overlooked. But the people who are not contributing are of course afraid of being called out. So I think a lot of the opposition against AI is coming from that group.

About opposition against AI – what do you think of the concerns around AI ethics, or the fears that AI will destroy jobs?

Technology automates tasks, and AI is no exception. That creates so many other jobs. When copywriters or researchers or generalists are automated, those jobs automatically become ethical AI specialists. The question is, how do we reskill and upskill people so that they can have access to and benefit from all the jobs that are created? Because some jobs will always be destroyed. And in many places, inequality increases because fewer people in the population have the skills to access the jobs that are created.

This is the real risk. This is the main social challenge of the times.

After Employee Appreciation Day: Make employees feel cherished through the year

and effective ways to make employees feel appreciated all through the year.

The right way to appreciate

Frontline workforce management platform

BetterPlace believes in appreciation on a personal level and at the core of all of this, is the concept of "social proof".

Employee Appreciation Day falls on the first Friday of March every year, and is supposed to be an occasion for making employees feel valued and recognised. But appreciation shouldn't be restricted to one 'official date'

By Mamta Sharma

Every employee creates value in some form or another and by recognising and appreciating this, organisations can not only motivate them but also encourage them to contribute towards their larger mission.

Recognition and appreciation plays an important role in maintaining a positive work environment, engaging employees, keeping them motivated, and boosting

their morale, leading to improved retention and enhanced productivity. Usually, companies organise recognition events annually when it should be an everyday experience and a continuous effort throughout the year, say industry experts.

People Matters asked industry experts how organisations can move beyond traditional methods to make employees feel valued, sharing some of their creative

“For high performers and team members, we call out their efforts and recognise them at Town Halls. This gives legitimacy to the efforts people have taken to drive the company’s mission. Also, the entire process of recognising the right talent instills a practice across the value chain of employees to evaluate their team members and assess the best performers,” says Mohana MD, Chief People & Culture Officer of BetterPlace.

“We recognise stellar performances through a digital appreciation card that leaders share widely and publicly. This helps us scale the process of appreciation, considering we are a

fast-growing workforce.

"Additionally, the annual performance reward entails a percentage of the budget that the Founder and CEO gives to key employees who have gone above and beyond in their contributions,” she adds.

Reaching out to employees' families

An employee’s prog ress is not only their own but also their family’s. Considering an employee spends the majority of their time with their families, especially in a hybrid setup, a happy family converts into a happy workforce.

“Hence, we plan to send thank you notes and memorabilia as gifts to the family for supporting the employee’s performance. This helps us create a feeling of care and oneness among employees and their families," says Mohana.

Profit sharing model

Since year one of its inception, technology and process digitisation company

Innover has established a profit-sharing model where every quarter, it shares a percentage of its profit (apart from regular salary, bonus, or entitlement) with the employees.

“The Profit-sharing Programme is the most tangible way of thanking and appreciating our employees for being an integral part of the

company's success,” says Rakesh Prasad, SVP – Strategy at Innover.

Emerging leaders programme

Innover has also introduced an "Emerging Leaders Programme", which recognises high-performing, high-potential, mid-management individuals and provides them with sponsored training support, mentorship opportunities with senior management, and incentives.

The company has also introduced a comprehensive education assistance policy which allows employees to maintain and improve job-related skills or enhance their ability to compete for reasonably attainable jobs within the company.

“The programme provides our employees with financial assistance to pursue their further education and job development through these courses (technology courses on various languages and platforms, degree and non-degree courses). It also allows employees to attend industry seminars or conferences for certifications, licensures and continuing education credits to maintain licenses or certifications,” adds Prasad.

The DEI route

To recognise efforts by employees, fintech firm Yubi has integrated several initiatives into DEI fabric.

The company has efficiently leveraged social media to run campaign #EpicHuman-

tHE ENtIRE PRoCESS of RECoGNISING

tHE RIGHt tALENt INStILLS A PRACtICE

ACRoSS tHE vALuE CHAIN of EMPLoyEES to EvALuAtE tHEIR tEAM MEMBERS AND ASSESS tHE BESt PERfoRMERS

sOfYubi, showcasing the humans behind employees and highlighting their talents, skills, passions, achievements, etc., beyond their work performance.

“We encourage our employees to pursue their hobbies/interests and have several internal dedicated clubs for musicians, book lovers, sports enthusiasts, and more,” says Tanya Mehan, Head of DEI and Employer Branding at Yubi.

Leveraging communication platforms, innovative workplace programmes

Mehan adds that to strategically connect with the employees across various levels, they have Slack channels that celebrate individual efforts and business wins, both small and big, aimed at instant recognition

and appreciation for their employees.

Infusing enthusiasm in employees

Mili Panicker, AVP - Human Resource & People Operations at marketing automation platform WebEngage, feels that employees need to believe in a company’s mission and goals. A clear understanding of the same, coupled with trust in the organisation and the opportunities it offers, can help overcome talent wars and allow a company to grow freely without fearing undue attrition, she adds.

“This is what has helped build the culture at WebEngage and allowed us to reach the status of the most resilient B2B SaaS company in India. We have been able to achieve this through several

creative initiatives that help us keep our employees engaged and ensure they feel appreciated for their contributions,” says Panicker.

She shared some of these initiatives with People Matters:

• Rewards and Recognition programme: One of the categories in Engagers Excellence Circle is "Peer to Peer Awards," which allows each employee to recognise, appreciate, and reward their colleagues.

Engagers recognise one another's accomplishments, innovations, and humanitarian efforts.

• Value Stories and champions: WebEngage strongly encourages its team members to remain driven by its strong value system. “To keep them motivated, we run a series

of videos called Engager's story - these videos discuss how and where the person has demonstrated the core values, and we recognise and reward one story every month on different WebEngage Channels,” says Panicker.

• Wall of Gratitude Channel on Slack: This space allows employees to express their gratitude and positive feelings while also fostering joy at work.

• Women Sales Leaders: This is a closed group of all female sales team members and Panicker says it was formed with the intention of sharing knowledge and supporting and appreciating one another in order to advance their careers.

Celebrate your employees

To celebrate their employees and let them know how deeply intrinsic they are to the company’s collective goal, Bengaluru-based fintech firm Razorpay rolled out the Acknowledge-Recognise-Celebrate Campaign for an entire week recently, dedicated to Employee Appreciation.

Chitbhanu Nagri, Senior VP, People Operations, Razorpay shared some of the many ways in which the company acknowledged its employees.

Being cognisant of the butterfly effect, even a small gesture of appreciation at

A CLEAR uNDERStANDING of tHE CoMPANy’S MISSIoN AND GoALS, CouPLED wItH tRuSt IN tHE oRGANISAtIoN AND tHE oPPoRtuNItIES

It offERS, CAN HELP ovERCoME tALENt wARS AND ALLow A CoMPANy to GRow fREELy wItHout fEARING uNDuE AttRItIoN

the workplace can go a long way, he says.

“We went ahead and rolled out an entire week of showing interpersonal appreciation across the organisation. Recognising fellow teammates, cheering them for all the amazing work they undertake day in and day out, and reiterating how valuable they are, goes on to foster team spirit and generates sheer belongingness at the workplace. Going above and beyond as always, Razors curated personalised emails to be sent to mates, called out good work on team calls, and shared employee appreciation stories across various internal communication channels,” he adds.

In addition to verbal and

written appreciation, to further bolster oneness at the workplace, the company organised several employee engagement events throughout the week, with a pre-decided theme for each day.

“One of the much celebrated activities, ‘Pick a Card Here and Give it to a Peer’, saw rather excitement among Razors, as they had banter while exchanging cards with each other, which also had elements of their personality traits described on them, making it more engaging and wholesome. These activities not only allowed us to do our tiniest bit as a token of our appreciation, but also helped us know our Razors further and champion them as individuals.”

Will you transform HR with AI?

Automation is both empowering and alarming. And today's increasingly sophisticated forms of automation, as shown in the rapid advance and development of AI, can have extensive implications for the HR function – both positive and negative

allowing HR to make more informed decisions.

It is likely that the use of AI in HR will continue to grow. As organisations face increasing pressure to remain competitive and efficient, they will look for ways to automate and streamline HR processes using AI technology. This will enable HR teams to focus on higher-value tasks, such as talent development and job redesigning.

Multiple areas can be transformed

Experts and media have varying opinions on the role of AI in HR. Some experts argue that AI has the potential to revolutionise HR processes and improve efficiency and fairness. Others caution that AI is not a silver bullet and must be used responsibly and ethically to avoid perpetuating biases and discrimination.

HR leaders opine at learning events that AI will become a vital tool for HR processes this year. AI can help automate repetitive tasks, analyse data, and make predictions based on that data,

One area where we may see significant growth is in the area of employee engagement. AI can be used to analyse employee data, such as survey responses and social media activity, to gain insights into what motivates employees and how to keep them engaged. This can lead to improved job satisfaction, higher retention rates, and a more productive workforce.

Indeed, there exists the potential to transform in many ways starting with the recruitment process itself. Automate the talent acquisition process by analysing

resumes, screening candidates, and conducting initial interviews. This can save time and reduce the risk of human bias in the selection process, and is much faster and cheaper as we have seen with humanoids like EvueMe, a solution that can perform all these tasks with great accuracy.

Performance management is another key area ripe for transformation. AI can track employee performance and provide feedback in real-time. This can help identify areas for improvement and provide personalised learning and development opportunities. The natural extension of this is into employee engagement processes. AI can be used to analyse employee data and identify areas for improvement. For example, AI can predict which employees are at risk of leaving and suggest personalised interventions to improve retention.

In the quest for better employee experience, HR can introduce AI and Metaverse-based onboarding to start with and extend the same to learning and development programmes. In addition chatbots and virtual assistance can be useful for providing instant support to employees on HR-related issues. The use of AI for HR analytics can help predict trends related to employee performance and other key focus areas.

AI will bring many benefits

There are various AI tools available for HR today that can help with different aspects of human resources management. Applicant tracking systems or ATS is useful to scan resumes and match

candidates to job descriptions, helping to quickly filter through a large pool of applicants and identify top candidates. Video interviewing platforms provide insights on candidate personality, communication skills, and emotional intelligence. HR chatbots use natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to provide quick answers to HR-related questions, such as benefits, company policies, and other general inquiries.

There are employee engagement tools that can analyse employee engagement data to identify potential issues and

recommend solutions, predictive analytics tools that use historical data to predict future outcomes such as employee turnover and help make data-driven decisions, performance management tools that can help managers evaluate employee performance by analysing data from various sources such as productivity metrics and peer feedback, and diversity and inclusion tools to analyse hiring and promotion data to identify potential biases and recommend ways to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Overall, the shifting of HR towards a more sophisticated use

While AI can be a powerful tool, it should not replace human judgment. HR teams need to balance the use of AI with their own expertise and experience to ensure that they are making the best decisions

of AI will probably come with the following benefits.

Increased efficiency: AI can automate many of the routine and repetitive tasks that HR teams perform, such as resume screening and scheduling interviews. This can help HR teams to work more efficiently and focus on higher-value tasks.

Data-driven decision-making: Will provide insights that can help make better decisions, such as identifying top candidates or predicting employee turnover.

Improved employee experience: AI-powered chatbots can provide employees with quick and personalised answers to their questions, while AI-powered performance management tools can help managers to provide more effective feedback and support.

Enhanced diversity and inclusion: Identify and eliminate biases in the hiring process, such as using algorithms to remove identifying information from resumes or job applications.

Better talent management:

AI can help to identify and develop top talent within the organisation, as well as to identify areas where additional training or support may be needed.

Beware of the pitfalls of AI

However, there are also concerns about the use of AI in HR. Here are some of the key challenges and risks to be mindful of.

First is the bias that AI algorithms could carry. These are only as unbiased as the data they are trained on. If the dataset is biased, they may perpetuate those biases, leading to discrimination in recruitment or performance evaluations. T

Next is the lack of transparency. Some AI algorithms are complex and opaque, which leads to difficulty in understanding how they arrive at their conclusions. This can be a problem when HR teams need to explain their decisions to stakeholders.

The third challenge is data privacy/security. AI algorithms rely on large amounts of data, which can raise privacy and security concerns. HR needs to be careful to protect employee data and ensure that it is used in a responsible and ethical manner.

Fourth is the possibility of becoming boxed into artificial limitations, as we have seen with ERP and CRM where drop down menus, and not original thinking, rule. While AI can be a powerful tool, it should not replace human judgment. HR teams need to balance the use of AI with their own expertise and experience to ensure that they are making the best decisions.

Additionally, there are concerns about the potential loss of human touch in HR processes, such as the review or interview processes.

By being aware of these challenges and risks, HR can work to maximise the benefits of AI while minimising its potential pitfalls.

Best practices that HR can adopt while considering AI

Define clear objectives: HR leaders should have a clear understanding of the business objectives they want to achieve through AI. This will help them to select the right tools and measure the success.

Ensure data quality: It is important to ensure that the data used in AI applications are accurate, relevant, and up-to-date.

Evaluate AI vendors: HR teams should evaluate potential AI vendors carefully, looking at factors such as their track record, expertise, and commitment to ethical practices.

Ensure transparency: AI algorithms must be transparent

and explainable so that employees and other stakeholders can understand how decisions are being made.

Address bias: Take steps to address bias in algorithms, such as testing algorithms for fairness and eliminating any biased data or features.

Use AI to complement human expertise: While AI can automate many routine tasks and provide data-driven insights; it should not replace human judgment entirely.

Invest in training: Specifically, training to develop the skills and expertise needed to work with AI tools effectively and responsibly.

Monitor and evaluate: Monitoring the performance of AI applications and evaluating their impact on the organisation by adjusting their strategies is critical.

Mun EE r is a Fortune 500 consultant, author and startup investor/mentor. He is also the co-founder of the non-profit Medici Institute. Twitter @MuneerMuh

While AI can be a powerful tool, it should not replace human judgment. HR teams need to balance the use of AI with their own expertise and experience to ensure that they are making the best decisions

Beastly business customers

Business leaders are key internal customers for HR Business Partners. But what happens when these customers go rogue? Here is a bestiary of the main forms they can assume and the best ways to deal with each

Given the huge amount of writing on Business Leadership and the more modest yet still significant literature on HR Business Partners (HRBPs), it is surprising that very little is available on the behaviour of the former towards the latter. This column rushes to fill the void left by wiser angels. We shall specifically examine that fringe of Business Customer behaviour that can be called truly beastly. Fringe, of course, doesn’t mean undifferentiated. There are at least five distinct types of Beastly Business Customers (BBCs) for HR. My 'spells' for staying safe from each of the five members of this bestiary have limited potency. Each section, therefore, ends with a scenario where the incantation is ineffective.

Tough tyrants (TTs)

When tyrannosauruses roamed the earth and I started my career, most

managers were robust Type Xers. The odds are very different today. TTs are in the minority. There are plenty of role models of successful nurturing leaders who are respectful of their Business Partners. But, for these very reasons, HRBPs have not had the opportunity to develop either the thickness of skin or the repertoire of tactics to counter a TT Rex in the corporassic park.

It is no use for an HRBP to attempt converting a TT’s

style independently. This is an important example that proves the worth of having an independent chain of command for HR and of having the CHRO at the topmost table. The HRBP needs to go as far up the hierarchy as necessary, with evidence of the costs of the existing style and the worth of salvaging the individual concerned to get an unequivocal signal for change to be given to the TT. The next task, of providing coaching or

other solutions to effect the style change, then becomes feasible. The HRBP can also provide feedback to the TT on progress and to the super-senior who gave the ultimatum. This provides positive reinforcement which the TT values while making the effort.

What if there is no one in the hierarchy, right up to the CEO’s level, who can give the TT the initial improvement impulse? I faced such a situation when a newly appointed CEO needed the TT to keep production rising (those were the good old product rationing days when everything made could be sold) and dared not give the "become-human-or-become-history" message. Despite SOS calls from HR, the CEO chose to coddle rather than confront the TT. The result was major liquidation of people assets and culture in the company and an exodus of the very people who could have provided alternative leader choices for the TT.

Political Patromaxes (PPs)

Different approaches to partnering PPs can hold hugely contrasting outcomes for HRBPs. If they provide enthusiastic support for the PP, becoming some of the most lethal (because their bites come from a quarter expected to be neutral) Dogs of Office War they can enjoy Most Favoured Nasty (MFN)

status.1 Those too scrupulous for such extreme conduct can even get by, at least for some time, by keeping their heads down, meeting normal expectations and pretending to see none of the games and career vrooms and vendettas surrounding them.

The day does dawn, however, when those not enthusiastically with the PP are seen to be in the enemy camp. By then, as Niemöller puts it, it is too late to marshal defence by the decent.2 The greatest cost, of course, is paid by the HRBP which feels professionally bound to put a spoke in the welloiled political machine. With an established engine, the spoke and the hand holding it, are likely to be mangled

beyond recognition.

This, again, is not a battle for David alone. Similarly, head-on confrontations are to be ruled out. For professional reasons, HR cannot play the game with the same political tools as a competing line peer to PP could. Given these constraints, only a low-lying strategy provides an effective counter to the low, lying methods of this kind of BBC. It consists of three Rs (six, actually, if one takes the adjectival riders into account) that must be well embedded before even looking for directions to the OK Corral:

Restrained Results: In hostile environments, any customer delivery shortcomings will be highlighted and, hence, should be avoid-

For professional reasons, HR cannot play the game with the same political tools as a competing line peer could

ed, whatever be the cost of personal or team stress and even corporate HR goals. This is, therefore not the time for high-risk, reputation-building, transformational programmes – especially not ones demanding sustained Business Partner support. The slower momentum can be used to acquire some useful skills that had been kept in abeyance in more busily heroic times.

Reportable Rules: The only thing stopping a PP from running a rampage in using HR to victimise opponents and reward supporters is the existence of pre-formulated and documented processes with regular reporting and established conventions for taking exceptions to discouragingly high levels. Admittedly, this is only a defensive measure and brings with it taunts of HR being a bunch of rigid bureaucrats but, for a target victim of PP, it can have life-saving consequences.

Robust Relationships: If the word of a lower paygrade partner is to count with a PP, the HRBP should be known to have a mentor, godfather or solid corporate support when s/he takes a stand. It is hazardous in the extreme to fake such backing without having it because PPs are particularly adept at sniffing out real power from pretended versions. The advantage of

a relationship reputation is that it can be asserted without actually having to invoke the invisible deity. That seems like a whole lot of insurance against the games PPs play. In the fine print of the policy, however, there is a potentially fatal exclusionary clause. None of the insurance safeguards functions adequately if the HRBP is personally in the crosshairs of the PP’s gun. Without insurance cover, the harassed HRBP "is de-energised, depressed and demoralised to the point where normal tasks suffer and reputation deservedly starts getting eroded".3

Favourite Familias (FF) 'Familias', in our context, extends beyond the family to work friends, clients and PIE (Politically Important Employees). The FF stretches HR systems to breaking point (and beyond) in order to provide protégés with an

unfair advantage. The HRBP is then faced with the cruel choice of displeasing the FF, and perhaps acquiring a powerful enemy for life, or capitulating, with predictable consequences for the credibility of the function and the clarity of the HRBP’s conscience.

Three people processes are the primary targets of the FF:

Recruitment and 'Plum' Assignments: It is important to remember that the FF’s prejudices extend, not just to individuals, but to entire categories of employees or aspirants. These can be simply misguided biases in favour of certain qualifications or personalities (which automatically put those who lack these outside the pale of consideration). They can also acquire far nastier colouration when race, religion, caste or gender become the labels of reckoning. At the individual level, there

are the claims of patronage, calling in of favours, carrying one’s crew from job to job and neat (100 proof) nepotism.

Progression and Rewards: Once people are within the system, FFs can bestow beneficence in full force. Rare is the promotion or merit increase process that has no place for supervisory discretion and even rarer is the supervisor who can resist suasion from an FF on high. In situations of close competition, only a tiny nudge is needed to push one contender just ahead in the race for a coveted position or a higher reward slab.

Transgressions and Due Process: All of us have committed penalisable acts during our careers. If we got caught, most of us benefitted from a mentor who saved us from being punished to the furthest extent of the law of the corporation. Such forgiveness, for rare lapses, is desirable in an organisation with a heart.4 An FF, however, takes the process considerably further in either direction. For favourites, witnesses turn forgetful, complainants marshal the weakest of arguments and censures are milder than cooked cabbage leaf being gently placed on a wrist. The reverse happens for those out of favour or competing against a favourite.

The proximate positioning of the FF to the PP permits

at least the second and third remedies suggested in the previous section to be deployed to reasonable effect. No less important are three process-specific measures that can prevent much heartache if implemented as soon as an HRBP enters a 'favourful' environment. For recruitment, the more filters that can be designed to operate without human intervention, the less likelihood and demand for out-ofturn favours.5 When entire groups are likely to be discriminated against (or for), switching to identity-blind

externalise the disciplinary investigation process.

Are we, at last, ready to face an FF onslaught? Pretty much – but not always. None of these checks proves efficacious when the FF is pushing thicker-than-water family (m)embers. Crushing these recommendations with too much enthusiasm can portend the vanishing fate of the snark-hunting baker for the HRBP.7

Arrogant Ashwatthamas (AAs)

It is an open question whether Macbeth was made

selection processes can make a huge difference without any quality sacrifice.6 For promotions at key cross-over points and entries into fast-track schemes, in addition to relatively objective checks (like assessment centres), functional and unit rotations can be made mandatory. In addition to eliminating self-serving motives on the part of recommenders, they give the organisation an opportunity to judge individuals without the protection and support of an FF. Lastly, it may be advisable to outsource or at least

more ruthless and reckless because he was assured "none of woman born" could harm him. It is a shut case, however, that those who are relatively invulnerable to organisational threats are frequently inconsiderate, arrogant and wilful. Heaven helps the HRBP who shows them the rule book, the value code or even proffers advice.

There are three disparate sourcing streams that bestow relative invulnerability and the consequential temptation to throw 'whalean' weight around. The most common in corporate India are:

It is a shut case that those who are relatively invulnerable to organisational threats are frequently inconsiderate, arrogant and wilful

• Promoter progeny who have not had to struggle their way to the top. They treat HR as a childish bauble to be played with and discarded on the way to the more adult pastime of managing a business.

• Expats (whether employed by 'West is Best' Indian promoters or deputed by MNCs on 'punishment postings') who see Indians through neo-colonial glasses. They cannot imagine any suggestions about people management that do not emanate from the holy central see. Any process that could suggest improvement in their own styles and cultural (mal) adjustment is anathema.

• Civil Servants on deputation to Public Sector enterprises are intellectually streets ahead of the former two categories. Even so, there are a few close-minded individuals

among them who find it hard to view HR outside of some past-era framework picked up in their Mussoorie training days.

In all of these cases, their relative corporate immortality proves no less a curse on their ability to break out of their capability limitations than the curse put by Krishna on Ashwatthama. As long as the HRBP has direct access to the same fount from which the AAs derive power these entitled executives can cause little real damage (though they put paid to any claims to a professional image for the organisation for the time being). The real trouble for the HRBP starts when the HRBP’s power access is disrupted, as it can be for myriad reasons. The exemplary deterrent for having taken HQ support to check the AA is Hanging Drawing and Quartering.

Corrupt Capos (CCs)

There are three reasons an HRBP is better placed (and, therefore, expected) than most others to deal with this type of BBC:

• Early warning signals of fraudulent behaviour, are likely to be available from multiple sources (including exit interviews, grievance handling sessions and ongoing employee contact programmes) and triangulate towards specific causes and culprits for an observant HRBP. The faint footsteps of fraud can be perceived by HRBPs having ears close to the ground long before the sound reaches checking agencies.

• In several business units, especially those in independent locations, HR is one of the few functions having independent functional reporting. This reduces both the danger and the disloyalty of reporting the problem to quarters that can take action.

• HR is expected to be the guardian of the organisation’s values, where integrity doubtless has pride of place. Preaching the gospel is less than meaningless if actual transgressions are not called out. Mi-zaru, who sees no evil, Kika-zaru, who hears no evil, and, Iwa-zaru, who speaks no evil, are excellent mod-

els.8 They should not, however, be used to 'zaru' (sweep) under the carpet transgressions against a fundamental value.

Strong as are the reasons for an HRBP not to remain a mute spectator of wrongdoing, the options for action are not too plentiful. The HRBP can prompt Internal Audit or Finance to launch a discreet, preliminary investigation and let them take the matter further.

Secondly, s/he can report the matter as far up the HR hierarchy as possible, prompting them, in turn, to up the line structure if the seriousness of the infraction demands. Lastly, s/he can suggest systemic changes in reporting relationships, the delegation of authorities and counter-approvals, that would reduce such misuse.

There is only one fly that can spoil our ointment – and it is Mydas sized! Raising a matter of corruption to the highest level can hugely backfire on the HRBP if the CEO is either complicit in the fraud or (as in the TT case) is so dependent on the 'perp' that s/he cannot take a tough call. In such cases,

Notes:

1. Visty Banaji, The Dogs of (Office) War, Angry Birds, Angrier Bees – Reflections on the Feats, Failures and Future of HR, Pages 371-377, AuthorsUpfront, 2023.

2. Here’s a familiar version of Martin Niemöller’s remarks:

3. First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out –Because I was not a socialist.

4. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out –Because I was not a trade unionist.

5. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – Because I was not a Jew.

6. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.

Boards that owe their appointment and continuance to CEO largesse, are also unable to exercise their governance roles adequately.

Counterchecks, Combos and CEOs

HRBPs under the delusion that they are in a partnership of equals with their Business Customers should have some salutary sense stuffed into them after a stint with a Beastly BC. Such exposure should also teach them a valuable set of organisational survival skills and the advisability of building connections, collab-

7. Visty Banaji, The Dogs of (Office) War, Angry Birds, Angrier Bees – Reflections on the Feats, Failures and Future of HR, Pages 371-377, AuthorsUpfront, 2023.

8. Visty Banaji, A Company is Known by the Way it Punishes, Angry Birds, Angrier Bees – Reflections on the Feats, Failures and Future of HR, Pages 87-94, AuthorsUpfront, 2023.

9. Elaine D. Pulakos, Selection Assessment Methods – A guide to implementing formal assessments to build a high-quality workforce, SHRM Foundation, 2005.

10. Visty Banaji, There is an Elephant in the Room, Angry Birds, Angrier Bees – Reflections on the Feats, Failures and Future of HR, Pages 163-169,

orations and credibility in good times so that they can be drawn upon when faced with BBCs.

All these gains, however, become very faint silver linings when any of three misfortunes accompany a BBC. One of these is when the HRBP responses suggested in each of the foregoing sections is met with the countercheck mentioned at the section’s end. Almost as fatal is the combination of more than one BBC character combined in the same beast. The worst-case scenario is when the BBC is the CEO of the organisation.

In all of these situations, options are limited. The least disruptive is when the HRBP can rotate to a Centre of Excellence or Line Management role, both of which should anyway be on the career choice menu for an HR leader. Failing these, resorting to an external headhunter might prove less hazardous than awaiting a Louis XVI conclusion internally.

v isty Bana J i is the Founder and CEO of Banner Global Consulting (BGC)

AuthorsUpfront, 2023.

11. Lewis Carroll, The Hunting Of The Snark, Book Jungle, 2009. The relevant lines from the conclusion are:

12. They hunted till darkness came on, but they found

13. Not a button, or feather, or mark,

14. By which they could tell that they stood on the ground

15. Where the Baker had met with the Snark.

16. In the midst of the word he was trying to say,

17. In the midst of his laughter and glee,

18. He had softly and suddenly vanished away—

19. For the Snark was a Boojum, you see.

20. A W Smith. On the Ambiguity of the Three Wise Monkeys, Folklore, 104:1-2, 144-150, 1993.

Raising a matter of corruption to the highest level can hugely backfire on the HRBP if the CEO is either complicit in the fraud or is so dependent on the 'perp' that s/ he cannot take a tough call

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The modern-day people manager

People management looks easy – but the hard cold reality is that it is anything but, and HR professionals have the task of making it more manageable for the people in the hot seat

The evolving role of a people manager looks easy at first. They have an entire team rallying to complete a series of tasks and strategies. But the role today has as many layers as an onion. It includes being empathetic, hiring and leading diverse teams, acing hybrid and remote management, communicating unpopular company stance on decisions such as where their teams work, convincing them that the pay is fair – all of this on top of work distribution, effective delivery, innovating rapidly and deeply understanding the customer.

I can guarantee there are at least thirty elements of their job expectations I have missed listing, none of them less important than the other. As someone who works with people leaders’ day in and day out, I not only empathise with their roles but am also increasingly grateful of my own status

as an individual contributor. This empathy and recognition however is highly mis-calibrated amongst those best positioned to drive impact.

Earlier this month while building the plan of activities, in an enthusiasm to build the perfect version of a healthy organisation, my peer and I dumped in a series of activities we believed were critical for our senior leaders to execute over the next twelve months.

Most of them are no-brainers. A good organisation leader must plan succession, should inspire their teams, communicate regularly, drive inclusion while building diverse teams, determine how geographically spread their organisation needs to be, own career conversations and promotions, analyse org health metrics on a regular basis, and focus on well-being at minimum.

Where there exist gaps,

they need to invest time via long drawn training programs such as those on leading with empathy and coaching skills. We then calculated time investment per quarter for all tasks and realised that about 50% of their time would be absorbed by these activities; which felt like a fair amount. After all, they chose to be people and large organisation leaders. We did not account for 1:1 conversation, time written to write promotion documents and other peripheral tasks that don’t require HR oversight unless when going sideways.

Let’s just say the business leaders did not agree. While all activities were considered important, given the external climate, needing to invest more time with customers, innovate and accelerate growth, investing 60% of their time on activities listed, was not something they could afford to do. Make it easier –was the ask. And scratch our head as we might, as HR leaders, we couldn’t scrap anything off that list without some heartburn. This was not only a moment of realisation that our processes were clunky, manager dependent, lacked clear measurable outcomes, and painful, it was also recognition that ‘if not them, then who’? Of course, this was followed by facing the inevitable truth – the answer is us. It is a problem

our profession was created to solve. The solution is not to ask people managers to do more; especially when they don’t have enough hours in the day.

This isn’t a recent problem. The topic of manager tax started creating ripples of discussion when the overburdening of the role was first spotted a few years ago, but now that the tide is upon us, here are a series of bandages you can apply now while rethinking the role and the environment it exists in.

The bandages Maximising predictability, minimising surprise:

The world has been shifting under our feet. If you were to add the events over the past three years, they would no doubt overshadow events from the preceding three decades put together. Human beings are creatures of habits and a constant shift translates into our bodies and minds being in a constant state of high vigilance. As much as we want managers of the future to normalise living in a world of ambiguity, it is critical to recognise that we aren’t there yet. The least we can do at this stage is maximise predictability and remove elements of surprise to the extent possible.

What does this look like in implementation? Creating a rhythm of business. Cadences are heartbeats and

knowing which events take place when let’s managers come prepared. Create a yearly HR plan clearly stating which activity will be covered in which month. Once that schedule is out, block calendars. Start there.

Here’s one other way I build predictability in. I meet with the leadership team for 30 minutes every week. There’s a shared document that captures what we will be reviewing that week with a section on what we’re discussing today, things to keep in mind this week and what’s upcoming. I also have a predictability on what will be covered each week. We now know that the first week, we will always discuss org health metrics, second week is always engagement scores, third week is X,Y,Z and the fourth week is reserved for adhoc topics. Of course, not everything goes per plan as urgent tasks are never far behind the corner but it helps maximise predictability and minimise surprise.

Absorbing uncertainty: the above might encourage one to double down on transparency in the name of predictability. That used to be me. However, there is one big downside that I had not accounted for. When I don’t have all the answers and pass information under the guise of ‘here’s what’s coming down the line’ without knowing the action they need to take or the impact, it creates

anxiety and chaos; much akin to knowing something is coming but not knowing what.

As I grow in my career I am increasingly aware that I have preview to early information and I am constantly having to make trade-offs between what needs to be shared, with who and what needs to wait for when I have greater clarity. It is time to not just ruthlessly prioritise tasks and goals but also what information flows when and where. The modern-day HR professional is also an expert in absorbing uncertainty in the pursuit of maximising predictability and minimising surprises.

While the bandages may sound absurdly simple, the more I talk about it, the more I realise how rare it is; but bandages at the end of the day are bandages. What would the ideal state look like?

The long term vision

I came across the concept of ‘leader of work’ vs ‘leader of people’ a while ago thanks to a HBR article. Since then my tiny brain has been trying to mull the concept over. Is it really that easy to split roles and replicate what Telstra had implemented? It took me a while to connect the proposal to what already takes place in real life with squad and team leads in technology. However, as we go up the leadership chain,

this distinction blurs. We can most definitely split the work and maybe ask for more heads, but in a world where heads are currently rolling at a great pace, it may be frowned upon.

It’s only by endless noodling that it hit me that it isn’t the manager role that is broken, it is the support system around them. We look at managers as ‘the scaling solution’. We create, they implement. They answer employee queries, own growth, delivery and well-being while entrenched in an environment that is not maximised to minimise the tax of all these activities. We don’t need to split the role or to have them trained in doing 101 things. All we need is to focus on the process, cut out the fat, create easy tools, build alternate roles that take away all non-core activities and voila – the modern-day manager is safe. They don’t have to be responsible for building diverse teams – the talent acquisition function can

own that. They don’t need to own 100% of an employee’s career. They only need to own 33% with the rest split between the employee and a mentor. They don’t need to be responsible for work distribution and completion tracking or even reporting – the squad lead can do that. The solutions exist. We just haven’t laid them out in a neat pattern.

Thus, the long-term vision is this – for the next 12 months, we focus on making the job of a manager easier by changing the support system around them. We fix our arduous ancient process and beliefs. We create an environment which reduces dependency on a manager but provides employees with multiple resources/people who will help them grow. And we equip managers with information necessary to sell ideas and policies they may not personally believe in.

If you ask me why I love my job, it is because of this – because we have the power to identify head winds (even though this one is a wind we’ve already been swept by), raise alarms and usher in a revolution to ensure that the world of work we create tomorrow is not a replica of our failings from today.

How do you plan to equip your managers to thrive?

The modern-day HR professional is an expert in absorbing uncertainty in the pursuit of maximising predictability and minimising surprises