The Shape of Work: Recent Episodes

Springworks

A podcast by Springworks bringing you insights from top People Managers on the Future of Work - how it's shaping our workplace, people and the ones who manage them.

"Find a coach or mentor, embrace failure, stay connected to business changes - keys to HR success."

In this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, we're honoured to host Aprajita Sud, Head of People Function at Indiagold. With a remarkable career trajectory spanning various HR leadership positions and a diverse educational background, Aprajita shares her profound insights and experiences with us. Let's delve into the conversation!

In this episode, Aprajita Soodbidas, a seasoned HR professional, shares insights on AI integration, psychological safety, and remote/hybrid work models. She emphasizes the importance of mentorship, embracing failure, and leadership development. Her practical advice serves as a guide for HR professionals navigating the evolving landscape of the workforce, highlighting adaptability, empathy, and forward-thinking approaches in human resource**s.

Episode Highlight**

What are the key emerging trends in the HR landscape?
How can HR strategies adapt to these changes in job roles?
What are some strategies for shaping flexible work policies?
What approaches do industry leaders take to support employee well-being?
How can HR professionals prepare themselves for the future of work?

Follow: Aprajita Sud

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host:Ipshita SharmaAbout Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Prioritize diversity, inclusion, and psychological safety in learning interventions to foster organizational growth and equity."

Today, we're joined by Sindhuja Parthasarathy, an HR Leader, DEIB Consultant, Psychotherapist, and celebrated Photojournalist. With prestigious degrees and dual passions in talent development and documenting human rights through her lens, Sindhuja is a two-time Laadli UNFPA award winner. Join us as we explore her journey across corporate excellence and impactful storytelling, highlighting her advocacy for change in India’s socio-cultural landscape.

In this enlightening episode, Sindhuja Parthasarathy. She advocates for proactive mental health strategies, intersectional DEI solutions, and coaching interventions to drive sustainable change. Through inclusive leadership and technology integration, this conversation navigates the complexities of modern workplace diversity and inclusion, offering strategic insights for leaders and employees alike.

Episode Highlight

Why proactive mental health support in the workplace?
What's the essence of an intersectional approach to DEI?
How does technology, like AI, contribute to inclusivity?
What's the shift in diversity coaching?
Why is inclusive leadership critical, especially in hybrid work?
What strategies support underrepresented groups?

Follow: Sindhuja on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Ipshita Sharma

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In times of hiring freezes or downturns, view challenges as opportunities for learning and internal talent development, ensuring future growth by staying agile and focusing on building a strong talent pool."

In this episode, we're joined by Abhijit Gandhi, a seasoned HR professional with expertise in talent acquisition. Formerly at Tatvic and now influencing HR communities like HR Mavericks and The Shape of Work, Abhijit shares insights from his journey across various industries including his time at Tatvic, Conga, and Anblicks amongst others. With a foundation in accounts and banking from Gujarat University, his approach blends analytical skills with HR practices. Dive into our conversation as we discuss the future of work and strategies for organizational success through effective talent management.

This podcast episode explores cutting-edge talent acquisition strategies in the technology and marketing sectors, emphasizing the significance of employer branding, transparent candidate communication, and the strategic application of social media. It delves into the use of artificial intelligence to streamline recruitment processes, while maintaining a human touch. Insights include the importance of behavioral interviews and the role of AI in enhancing HR practices, offering a comprehensive guide for adapting to the rapidly evolving landscape of tech hiring.

Episode Highlight

How to stand out in a competitive job market?
Why are behavioural interviews important?
Steps to enhance candidate experience
Strategies to speed up hiring without losing quality
Use of AI to improve recruitment processes

Follow Abhijit on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Ipshita Sharma

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In HR, understanding the big picture, empathy, strong interpersonal skills, resilience, and ethical decision-making are essential for effective management and trust-building."

In this episode, we welcome Sapna Pathak, an HR luminary and co-founder of HRXcelerate. With a storied career spanning LatentBridge, Cogoport, PayU India, and Bank Novo, Sapna shares her insights on HR innovation, diversity and inclusion, and the impact of technology on the workplace. Her academic background from IIM and Delhi University adds depth to our exploration of the evolving HR landscape. Join us for a captivating conversation with Sapna, a visionary in shaping the future of work.

This episode showcases Sapna Pathak, HR visionary, discussing transformative HR practices in startups. She emphasizes diversity, empathy, adaptability, and the importance of mental health in creating effective workplaces. Sapna offers insights on scaling globally, talent development, and embedding DEI into HR strategies, providing a roadmap for HR professionals and leaders to drive organizational success and foster a culture of continuous learning and well-being in a dynamic HR landscape. Episode Highlight

Lessons for Aspiring HR Professionals
Future Trends in HR and Talent Acquisition
Designing Talent Development Strategies
Key Milestones in HR Career

Follow: Sapna on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Ipshita SharmaAbout Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Build your business through brilliance, not haste. Cultivate a recruitment culture from day one that values meticulous hiring. Commitment and discipline in hiring today shape the success of your venture tomorrow."

In this episode, we're joined by Grishma Dalal, Ex-Global Talent Lead - LoyaltyLionand Founding Team Member at PrimaryBid, also an adept HRTech consulting advisor with rich international experience handling HR functions across UK, India, Australia and South Africa. With an MSc in Human Resource Management from LSE and a finance background from the University of Mumbai, Grishma shares insights into the dynamic world of work, leadership, and HR

In this episode, Grishma Dalal shares crucial insights in our podcast. Focused on startup challenges, she emphasises tailoring recruitment to core values and strategic networking, drawing from her role as Culture First London chapter lead. The episode extends to advocacy for women's rights in the startup realm, offering practical advice for international recruitment. Ideal for founders and HR professionals navigating the dynamic startup landscape, Grishma's wisdom is invaluable for fostering inclusive, high-performance cultures.

Episode Highlight

Innovative Recruitment Strategies
Advocating for Women's Rights and Gender Equality
Advice for Building High EQ Teams in Startups

Follow Grishma on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Ipshita Sharma

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Success mantra: Master your business, be empathetic and objective. Always rely on data. Stay self-aware, adapt, and keep learning. Resilience after failures is the key to standing tall in life's journey."

In this episode of "The Shape of Work" podcast, we delve into the remarkable career journey of Puja Khanna Kapoor, Global Senior Director of HR at OLX Group. With pivotal roles at SirionLabs, Evalueserve, and Google, Puja's extensive HR expertise shines through. Armed with a PGCHRM from XLRI Jamshedpur and a B.Com. from Delhi University, she navigates the dynamic world of work. Join us as Puja shares insights, lessons, and perspectives on the ever-evolving landscape of work.

Explore the transformative journey of Puja Khanna Kapoor, Global Senior Director at OLX Group, in the latest podcast episode of "The Shape of Work." Delve into her diverse cultural upbringing, career pivots, and impactful HR roles. Gain insights into her strategies for embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) across global workplaces. Puja shares valuable advice for women aspiring to HR leadership and emphasizes the importance of data-led decision-making. This episode encapsulates the essence of innovative HR thinking and the pivotal role it plays in shaping inclusive work cultures.

Episode Highlight

Navigating diverse cultures in global teams and its impact on HR strategies.
Key advice for leaders to ensure authentic DEI initiatives and foster inclusivity.
Puja's actionable insights for HR leaders and effective DEI

Follow Puja on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Ipshita Sharma

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In a competitive market, talent acquisition faces challenges of scarcity and skill gaps. Beyond recruitment, success hinges on cultivating a positive work culture and prioritizing employee satisfaction."

Meet Rajan Gupta, Head of Talent Acquisition at Lakshya Digital and Keywords Studios India. With a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Operations and a Certificate in HR Management, Rajan is a seasoned professional in technical and non-technical recruitment, gaming recruitment, stakeholder management, and talent retention strategies. Demonstrating leadership in HR, change management, and internal job postings, he brings extensive experience in performance appraisal, leadership skills, program planning, and applicant tracking systems. Join us for a brief insight into Rajan's rich educational journey and professional background

In this episode, Rajan Gupta delves into the intricate art of navigating talent acquisition. From conquering talent scarcity and skill gaps to embracing the transformative shifts in the digital realm, Rajan provides actionable strategies. The discussion covers the evolving importance of work culture, candidate experience, and the crossroads of HR and marketing. Job seekers also gain valuable insights, making this episode a treasure trove for HR professionals seeking career growth and mastery in talent acquisition.

Episode Highlight

Managing global teams in a competitive market poses unique challenges.
Proven strategies for attracting and retaining top talent across diverse companies.
Identifying key skills and competencies desired by employers for various roles.
Notable changes observed in recruitment practices, with insights into future trends.

Follow Rajan Gupta on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: ipshita sharma

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Empowering urban youth with affordable healthcare, MediMate offers comprehensive services at just one rupee per day. From mental health to eye care and nutrition, our innovative approach includes pioneering ophthalmology instruments and a unique drug vending machine. Making quality healthcare accessible for a healthier future."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work, we have Dr. Vishesh Kasliwal, Co-Founder & CEO of Medyseva Technologies, a trailblazer in rural telemedicine. With an MBBS from Nagpur and a Master's in Hospital Administration from England, his journey includes roles at iSmart Business Solutions, Arth Rural Connect Services, and ZIO Technologies in Dubai. His expertise shone as Operations Head at Vishesh Hospital and in research with the Indian Council of Medical Research. Join us as we explore Dr. Kasliwal's vision for accessible healthcare in rural areas and his innovative approach to medical entrepreneurship.

In this episode, the CEO of MediSeva discusses overcoming healthcare barriers in rural and urban areas through technology and strategic partnerships. Highlights include the MediMate app, AI advancements, and global expansion. The journey from medical graduate to entrepreneur is explored, showcasing how innovative healthcare solutions can have a worldwide impact. Tune in for an insightful look into this healthcare revolution.

Episode Highlight

Prospects and optimism in healthcare advancements.
MediSeva's journey from rural clinics to metropolitan healthcare innovation.
Integration of advanced technology with a human-centric approach.
Improving access to medical care in both rural and urban areas.

Follow Vishesh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host:Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In temples, we recall gods, priests, and crowds, yet behind the scenes, unseen guardians manage security, queues, and the intricate details, crafting a seamless divine encounter."

In this episode, we explore the transformative journey of Mr. Giresh Kulkarni, a veteran with 29+ years of shaping temple management. As the founder of ITCX and CEO of Divinity Worldwide, he's dedicated to innovation in administration, operations, and job creation. With brands like Temple Connect and Indian Puja Company, he's redefining the devotional ecosystem. Join us as we dive into his insights on media, events, entrepreneurship, and global business expansion. Mr Kulkarni, the convenor of Vibrant Goa, also shares his vision for making Goa a hub for trade, investment, and tourism. Let's shape the conversation

Discover how this digital platform revolutionizes temple worship, blending ancient spirituality with modern technology. Kulkarni shares his journey from critical observer to pioneering entrepreneur, illustrating the power of passion and resilience in transforming spiritual experiences. Tune in for a fusion of entrepreneurship and devotion, redefining the future of spiritual practice.

Episode Highlight

Digital platform revolutionizing temple worship.
Bridging traditional practices with cutting-edge technology.
Positive impact on personal and professional growth.
Role in documenting and sharing information about global temples

Follow Giresh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"At DriveU, trust is key. Stringent background checks and skill assessments guarantee top-notch drivers. We maintain strict standards, admitting only the best. Swiftly addressing customer feedback ensures a service you can trust."

In this episode, we explore the dynamic career journey of Ashok Shastry, a versatile professional who has worn many hats, from Co-Founder & CEO at DriveU to Event Alliances Manager at Taxiforsure.com. Ashok's diverse experiences include internships as a Leasing Consultant and Marketing Coordinator, along with a stint as a Sales Associate at T-Mobile. With a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Finance from California State University - East Bay, join us as we uncover the unique contours of Ashok's career, navigating the ever-evolving landscape of work in under a hundred words.

In this episode, Ashok Shastri shares his entrepreneurial journey from Taxi for Sure to revolutionising India's on-demand driving. Dive into the intricacies of expanding into new cities, the use of cutting-edge AI technologies, and DriveU's unwavering commitment to safety. Explore the innovative responsive system driven by customer feedback, and gain insights into the future of mobility. Don't miss this deep dive into the ethos of a company shaping the forefront of transportation innovation.

Episode Highlight

DriveU's remarkable journey and evolution in the on-demand driving industry.
The dynamic challenges and opportunities of operating across multiple cities.
Financial success milestones and strategies contributing to profitability and revenue growth.
Vision for the future of mobility services and DriveU's integral role in shaping it.

Follow Ashok on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host:Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"At FuelBuddy, we empower women in the oil and energy sector, offering flexibility, financial independence, and career opportunities. We're transforming lives and fostering inclusivity."

In this podcast, we explore the remarkable career of Neerajj Gupta, the CEO of India Business at FuelBuddy and a Certified Financial Planner. With a background that includes pivotal roles at Ford, Nissan, Barclays, and ICICI Bank, Neerajj brings a wealth of experience. His academic journey encompasses a Doctorate in Business Administration from Golden Gate University and an MBA in Finance from the International Management Institute. Join us as we unravel the insights, challenges, and successes that have defined Neeraj's career in the ever-evolving world of business.

In this episode, unveil the story behind India's doorstep diesel delivery revolution and delve into insights on challenging legal norms and fostering innovation. Discover FuelBuddy's transformative impact on energy distribution, workplace culture, and its commitment to diversity. This episode serves as a blueprint for success in the evolving energy sector and corporate dynamics. Tune in for a compelling narrative on entrepreneurship, innovation, and the future of sustainable energy.

Episode Highlight

Discusses the recent green light from the Indian government for doorstep diesel delivery.
Highlights FuelBuddy's edge through the acquisition of a key competitor
Introduces FuelBuddy's Women Energy Consultant Program for empowerment
Reflects on FuelBuddy's revolutionary doorstep diesel delivery approach

Follow Neerajj on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host:Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Democratizing finance for all, our vision is to seamlessly integrate financial inclusion into everyday life. Through the perfect blend of technology and a dedicated sales force, we strive to reach every corner of Bharat, making banking as simple as buying groceries."

In today's episode, we welcome Mr. Gitesh Karnik, the Chief People Officer at Nearby Technologies Private Limited, as our distinguished guest. With a wealth of experience spanning IT/ITes, BFSI, Retail, Real Estate, and Hospitality, Gitesh is a seasoned HR professional passionate about best practices and technology evangelism. His strategic leadership, evident in multinational and Indian corporations, has not only influenced business outcomes but has also elevated the employee experience. Gitesh emerges as a thought leader shaping the future of work through transformative initiatives and change management projects.

In our latest Shape of Work podcast episode, Chief People Officer Gitesh Karnik of Nearby Technologies Private Limited shares the secrets of aligning HR strategy with business success. Karnik unveils the alchemy of co-creating HR initiatives that resonate with employee needs while driving company goals. Get ready to be enlightened on timeless HR fundamentals and revolutionary strides in financial inclusion, where Paneer simplifies banking for the underbanked – a true financial renaissance.

Episode Highlight

Unveiling the company's approach to simplifying tasks and the go-to mantra for daily thriving
Understanding how diverse perspectives are actively brought into decision-making processes
Beyond Financial Services: Additional Product Offerings for Retailers
Addressing the challenges it tackles in the current job market scenario

Follow Gitesh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host:Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

"Crafting a high-performance team demands more than talent—it's about strategic hiring, cultivating the right culture, and, above all, fostering skilled leadership. Leadership, a constantly evolving skill, eclipses talent's role, contributing 75-80% to the symphony of success."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are honored to welcome Hakim Badshah, the Managing Director, Talent at Deloitte. With a distinguished career spanning Accenture, Sify Limited, and Jasubhai Digital Media, Hakim brings extensive experience. Holding a Post Graduation in International Trade and Finance from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and an Advanced Strategic Management Programme from the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, Hakim's insights at the intersection of talent management, international business, and strategic leadership promise a thought-provoking discussion for our audience.

Hakim Badshah, Deputy Talent Service Leader at Deloitte, offers practical insights on leadership, adaptability, and aligning team performance with organizational goals in this podcast. Exploring evolving talent trends, the episode emphasizes prompt engineering and staying informed about technological advancements. Hakim's LinkedIn invitation reflects his commitment to ongoing professional growth, making this a valuable resource for leaders and HR professionals aiming to build resilient, high-performing teams.
Episode Highlight

Emphasis on leadership strategies in managing large teams
Trends in personal development plans for employees
Exploration of specific skills gaining importance
Lessons learned in the field of talent development

Follow Hakim Badshah on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks pride&l

"In the evolution of employee recognition, we've transitioned from annual bonuses to dynamic R&R programs. Today, it's not just about monetary rewards; organizations celebrate well-being with unique incentives like cars, vacations, and gift coupons. Quality and quantity both earn appreciation, marking a shift towards holistic acknowledgement in the workplace."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we're excited to host Akshansh Bhardwaj, an HR Partner in Analytics at IndusInd Bank. With key roles at Pine Labs, iTV Network, and HCL Technologies, Akshansh, holding a Biotechnology degree from Manipal Academy of Higher Education and an MHROD in Human Resources Development, offers a unique perspective on the intersection of biotechnology and HR. Join us for a captivating conversation exploring the dynamic career landscape and the evolving nature of work with our distinguished guest.

In this episode, Akshansh Bhardwaj, HR Partner in Analytics, offers insightful perspectives on the evolution of employee rewards and recognition, emphasizing the shift from traditional bonuses to well-being-centric programs. He discusses the significance of adapting to technological changes, particularly in predictive analytics. The conversation concludes with a focus on future workplace challenges and opportunities. A must-listen for HR enthusiasts and those interested in evolving workplace trends.

Episode Highlight

The transition from yearly bonuses to dynamic R&R programs
Embrace performance points and tokenization
Enhancing satisfaction through personalized reward programs
Focus on role orientation and meaningful experiences
Anticipation of evolving workplace trends

FollowAkshansh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

"HR is the tightrope walker, balancing employee needs for job satisfaction with business objectives for productivity and growth. The key is creating harmony where both employees and the business thrive together."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we showcase Mr. Samir Robert Bara, a distinguished MBA graduate with over 14 years of post-MBA experience in HR Business Partnering, Talent Management, Plant HR, and Recruitment. Join us to delve into Mr. Bara's insights on the evolving dynamics of human resources and industry, offering valuable perspectives on 'The Shape of Work' in today's corporate landscape

In this episode, Samir emphasized the importance of strategic thinking, empathy, and agility in HR roles. We delved into aligning worker aspirations with corporate objectives, addressing challenges and opportunities. The impact of digital transformation, AI, and employee well-being was discussed, with Samir offering valuable insights for navigating the evolving HR landscape.

Episode Highlight

Explore the essential skills for success in an HR Business Partner role
Explore strategies employed by HR professionals to balance the aspirations of employees with corporate objectives
Challenges in the Trend Towards Hybrid Work
Insights into strategies and approaches to uphold a cohesive organizational culture during shifts in the workplace

Follow Samir on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

"In the evolving landscape of marketing, a 360-degree approach is crucial. It's about creating seamless communication across platforms for brand recall and resonance."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we delve into a captivating conversation with Divanshi Gupta, the accomplished Director of The Marcom Avenue and a graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and Business/Management from Delhi University. From her solid educational foundation to her entrepreneurial endeavours with The Marcom Avenue, Ucanji, Dance Helpline, and Digital Shikshak we explore the unique journey of a leader at the intersection of finance, creativity, and innovation. Join us for an insightful exploration of the shape of work in today's dynamic professional landscape

Today, we open the doors to her world, exploring the intricacies of a 360-degree marketing strategy that is revolutionising the industry. Within this journey, we tread upon The Marcom Avenue's innovative project with a global fashion giant, where state-of-the-art technology is being harnessed to predict future demand and sales. Let Divanshi's intriguing career journey inspire you and offer fresh perspectives on the future of marketing

Episode Highlight

Entrepreneurial Challenges and Key Learnings
Career Journey and The Marcom Avenue's Triumphs
Decoding 360-Degree Marketing
Staying Ahead in a Dynamic Industry
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Operations
Guidance for Emerging Entrepreneurs

Follow: Divanshi on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhat

Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Recruitment processes often inundate both recruiters and candidates, resulting in a substantial time-consuming effort. Our technology disrupts this conventional approach, leveraging data points from multiple sources to create candidate personas, aligning them with a company's ideal profile for a perfect match”

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, Cue our enlightening conversation with Sarbojit Mallick, Co-Founder of Instahyre. With an extensive career spanning over a decade, he has contributed his expertise to diverse organizations such as Jindal Stainless Steel, Bristlecone, TripHippie, and GlobalShiksha. His academic journey includes a B.Tech degree from NIT Durgapur and an MBA earned from IIM Mumbai.

In this episode, we delve into the challenges that companies face when hiring and find unique insights into how Instahyre is solving these issues. Sarbojit paints a vivid picture of how technology can create a persona of both the candidate and the company to find the perfect fit.

Episode Highlights

What are the main two problems faced by recruiters?
Using AI to improve the recruitment process
Describes problems in the job market where candidates are overwhelmed with irrelevant job opportunities
Importance of leveraging technology and human interaction in the recruitment process

Follow Sarbojit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The integration of digital payments across all levels of businesses, even at the grassroots, holds immense potential. Enabling artisans, hawkers, and small-scale entrepreneurs to receive payments directly into their bank accounts, thus establishing a financial history, is propelling a significant economic leap, promising improved access to loans and bolstering our economy."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work, we have an insightful conversation with Dewang Neralla, the Founder and CEO of HiWi. With a wealth of experience spanning over three decades, Dewang has made significant contributions across multiple esteemed organizations, notably Financial Technologies India and NTT DATA Payments Services. His academic foundation includes a B.E. obtained from Bharati Vidyapeeth.

In this episode, we unravel the tremendous impact of digital payments on societal transformation. Our seasoned guest, with a prolific career in spearheading digital payments, sheds light on how their company, Hi-Fi, is spearheading this change by offering comprehensive financial services to Indian students abroad.

Episode Highlights

Streamlining the study abroad process for students and partners
Digital payments for international student transfers
What kind of social transformation can digital payments bring to a growing economy like India?
Importance of collaboration and focusing on strengths to drive transformative change

Follow Dewang on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"AI's integration in recruitment holds promise, yet challenges persist. Exploring its potential in optimizing candidate searches, especially in addressing the indexing issue within applications, can significantly save time and enhance efficiency in identifying top talent."

Welcome aboard! In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we're turning the spotlight on the realm of tech recruiting and the journey toward workplace diversity, guided by our insightful guest, Sathish Arumugam, a Senior Talent Partner at Ansys. With over a decade of professional expertise, he boasts a diverse career path, having contributed to esteemed organizations like TML Inc, Symantec, Dassault Systemes, and VMware. His educational journey includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Bangalore University and an MBA attained from Visvesvaraya Technological University.

In this episode, you'll journey through Sathish's career, gaining insights on current trends in tech recruiting, the integration of AI, rising hybrid work opportunities, and the path toward achieving diversity.

Episode Highlights

AI in recruitment and hybrid work opportunities
Challenges in achieving diversity hiring goals due to scarcity, interview biases, and lack of accommodating workplace arrangements
What are the challenges faced regarding gender equality in leadership roles and during job applications?
Tech industry trends and skills in demand

Follow Sathish on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The essence of a circular economy lies in the transformative shift from a disposable mindset to embracing multiple-use perspectives. It's about reinstating the tradition of reusing items that have long served their initial purpose, infusing new life into products and materials."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we bring to you a riveting conversation with Annanya Agarwal, the CEO and Co-Founder of Runaya. With an extensive decade-long career, he has held pivotal roles across renowned organizations such as Standard Chartered Bank, McKinsey & Company, and Boston Consulting Group. His academic foundation includes a BA in Economics attained from Emory University.

In this episode, Annanya brings a fresh perspective to the resources industry, emphasizing the importance of ESG and carbon neutrality. He shares the transformative journey of Runaya and how their passion for sustainability is shaping the future of the sector. He also enlightens us about the concept of a circular economy, a potent solution for our resource-intensive lifestyle.

Episode Highlights

What is the concept of circular economy and how to be a leading player?
How does the resources sector contribute to circular economy practices and sustainability?
Importance of sustainable waste management in the resources sector
Highlights India's potential for manufacturing high-quality products at lower costs

Follow Annanya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Emobi's core focus remains steadfastly on the B2B market, endeavoring to transform products into services that align with our partners' needs. Our goal is not just to provide services but to make them cleaner, more reliable, and equally performative, catering to the high standards our B2B clientele expect."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we promise you an enlightening conversation with Bharath Rao, the Co-founder and CEO of Emobi, who's leading the charge in this dynamic and burgeoning industry. Bharath shares his unique career voyage that has led him to the intersection of renewable energy and electric mobility, where he's confronting the challenges of competing with global powerhouses like China. Get a sneak peek into the innovative products and services Emobi is offering to their B2B customers, designed to transform and help us adapt to a more sustainable future.

In this episode, Bharath joins us in a thought-provoking discussion on Emobi and its groundbreaking impact on the realm of emotional intelligence. Learn about the revolutionary work Emobi is pioneering, the opportunities that arise from integrating emotional intelligence into our routines, and the challenges we might face along the way.

Episode highlights

How does Emobi stand out in the current electric vehicle industry?
How is the future of renewable energy, energy storage, and the electric vehicle industry evolving with time?
Will renewable energy become the primary source of generation, necessitating greater energy storage due to its intermittent nature?
Advice for entrepreneurs interested in renewable energy sectors

Follow Bharath on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The future of education resides in a seamless blend of online and traditional learning, empowering continuous growth and flexibility. With the advent of artificial intelligence and data analytics, personalized learning experiences are becoming the cornerstone of academic progress.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work, prepare to be enlightened by our guest, Dr. Kajal Chheda, an esteemed Assistant Professor at Atlas SkillTech University in Mumbai. Dr. Chheda unravels her intriguing career journey, sharing how she entwines her law degree pursuit with her teaching responsibilities, and illuminating how the power of example can make an unforgettable impact on students. With over fifteen years of extensive professional experience, she has held pivotal roles across esteemed institutions like Gurukul College of Commerce, the National Institute of Industrial Engineering, and the ITM Group of Institutions. Her academic achievements include an MBA from Sikkim Manipal University and a PhD from Savitribai Phule Pune University.

In this episode, she introduces us to the burgeoning world of technological advancements redefining the education landscape, emphasizing the criticality of practical learning and consistent skill enhancement in the face of a rapidly evolving market.

Episode Highlights

How to balance education, teaching, and personal growth?
How will the future of education change?
What sort of innovations could be brought into education?
Importance of digitalization and accessibility in education

Follow Kajal on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The future of work hinges on empowering teams to celebrate wins, embrace failures, and provide platforms for authentic self-expression, aligning passions with professional endeavours for meaningful engagement."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work, get ready for a riveting dialogue with our special guest, Akansha Capoor, Talent Business Partner at Thoughtworks. A seasoned HR professional, Akansha takes us along her decade-long journey, wearing multiple hats in the industry, and provides a glimpse into the progressive culture at Thoughtworks. She boasts an extensive professional background, having contributed her expertise to esteemed organisations like Syntel, Wipro, and Incedo. She holds an MBA degree from the prestigious International School of Business and Media and is also a Mindfulness Coach.

In this episode, Akansha shares her perspective on how technology, including AI, is impacting the HR landscape and how it has paved the way for hybrid workplaces. We also shift gears to discuss the concept of 'employee experience', a term Akansha prefers over 'employee engagement'.

Episode highlights

Technology's impact on HR industry and employee engagement
Importance of focusing on employee experience
How can workplace creativity contribute to an enhanced employee experience?
Why should HR managers prioritise empathy and enablement over traditional management approaches?

Follow Akansha on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The evolution of HR business partners mirrors the dynamic pulse of the job market, embracing strategy-driven approaches, data-centric decisions, and a holistic focus on employee experience and talent management.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work, uncover the future of work with Mantript Kaur, a Senior Talent and Culture Business Partner at Globant. With over a decade of professional experience, she has cultivated a diverse background through roles at esteemed organizations like Naalsons Engineers, Sphinx Worldbiz, and Nihilent Technologies. Her academic foundation includes a PGDM from the esteemed I.T.S Institute of Management.

In this episode, we explore the evolving role of HR business partners in today's dynamic corporate landscape, and how key factors such as respect, recognition, support, and communication contribute to creating a positive work culture. We delve into the critical skills needed to succeed in this role and how the interplay of these factors drives employee well-being and fosters diversity.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of HR roles and its future
What are the key factors that contribute to a positive workplace culture?
What strategies do companies employ to integrate principles that foster a diverse and equitable workforce?
What are some of the best practices for onboarding new employees now?

Follow Mantript on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The essence of technology in onboarding lies not in replacing the human touch but in enhancing it. Pre-onboarding tools like chatbots serve to address the curiosity of new hires guiding them through the initial queries about office locations, documentation, and team dynamics. However, the true essence lies in the human connection, be it through updates about the company or the anticipation built through periodic communications before joining."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work, we have a stimulating discussion with Adwitiya Tiwari, Human Resource Business Partner at YASH Technologies, who sheds light on his journey from IT engineering to leading HR. Adwitiya boasts a rich professional tenure spanning over a decade, adorned with pivotal roles across distinguished organizations such as Star India, BeJobbed Incorporation, and I-PAC. His academic prowess shines through his BTech degree from Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, complemented by an MBA earned from the esteemed XLRI Jamshedpur.

In today’s episode, our conversation took an enlightening turn toward the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, with an emphasis on the critical commitment required by leadership. We tapped into the essential practice of onboarding new employees, revealing the importance of personal connections and the increasing role of technology in creating successful assimilation.

Episode Highlights

Evolving role of HR professionals, emphasizing flexibility and culture management
What are the crucial aspects of a positive workplace culture?
Effective onboarding strategies for new employees
The importance of meeting leaders and team members early on in the onboarding process

Follow Adwitiya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In the dynamic landscape of today's business world, benchmarking transcends the conventional boundaries. It's not merely about comparing experiences and compensation; it's about recognizing the emerging 'must-have' skills and roles that propel businesses forward.

Ever wished you had a front-row seat into the dynamic world of Human Resources? That's exactly what we're serving up, as Mrityunjay Rohit, the Vice President of Human Resources at CredAble, takes center stage on our latest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. With over a decade of diverse professional experience, he has contributed to renowned organisations including Beroe Inc., Infosys, and Amazon. His educational journey includes a B.P.O from Delhi University and an MBA from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.

In today’s episode, Our conversation takes a deep dive into the heart of the HR industry, exploring its prominent trends and projects. We also delve into the critical importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) in creating a harmonious workplace for all.

Episode Highlights

Importance of understanding the customer's needs and expectations
Benchmarking and upskilling in the workplace
Creating an inclusive work culture for diverse employees
Importance of learning agility in today's fast-changing work environment

Follow Mrityunjay on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The handling of critical data for our clients demands a profound understanding of an employee's background. Employee background verification is a non-negotiable step in our hiring process to ensure the integrity of our team."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work, we have Kalpana Gaur, Associate Director of HR at Scrut Automation. She pulls back the curtain on her HR strategy and shares her decade-long experience in L&D, talent management, and background verification. With a career spanning over a decade, she has accumulated valuable work experience across diverse organizations such as TAKE Solutions, Hitachi Solutions, BankBazaar, Ula, and Quora. She did her BE from the Government College of Engineering Salem and her MBA from Bharathidasan Institute of Management, Tiruchirapalli.

In our enlightening conversation with Kalpana, we tackle the challenges of background verification and delve into innovative solutions to expedite the process. From respecting privacy rights to giving candidates a chance to justify a negative result, Kalpana’s expert advice is a game-changer.

Episode Highlights

Future of work with top people managers
Importance of employee background verification
How to balance employee privacy with company interests
Importance of software and service providers in streamlining the verification process

Follow Kalpana on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Balancing demand and supply is paramount in talent acquisition. Recent layoffs in major companies highlight the consequences of an imbalance. It's crucial for organizations to align their workforce needs with market realities to maintain stability."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, join us on a captivating journey, as we unfold the transformation of HR roles with Ankush Gupta, Talent Consultant at EY. Angush, with his enriching expedition from a software developer to an HR professional, shares some profound insights about the evolution of HR roles. With over a decade of professional experience, he has contributed his expertise to renowned organizations including Tata Consultancy Services, KPMG, and Infosys. He holds an Engineer’s Degree from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and furthered his education with an MBA and PhD from the esteemed National Institute of Technology Warangal.

In this episode, Ankush unravels the impact of real-time analytics on HR decision-making. He emphasizes the significance of engagement surveys, data visualization, and statistical tools in HR analytics.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of HR over the years
How is HR analytics reshaping decision-making in real-time?
The challenges of talent acquisition and retention and the need for organisations to invest in technology
Importance of developing learning agility in the digital landscape

Follow Ankush on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Industry mapping is about understanding the landscape - what skills are in demand, and how they align with our business goals. It's not just about finding good talent, but the right talent that complements our team's efforts."

In this episode, join us on an insightful journey with Pratyaksh Jain, a seasoned Human Resources Business Partner at Amazon. Sharing his unique transition from an engineer to an HRBP, Pratyaksh Jain highlights the crucial secrets of project management, and the indispensable role of stakeholder involvement, potential challenge identification, and clearly defined goals. With a comprehensive professional background spanning over seven years, he has garnered valuable expertise through roles at esteemed organizations including ISF and EY. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Jaypee University of Engineering Technology and completed his PGDM at XLRI Jamshedpur.

In this episode, Pratyaksh Jain demystifies the essential process of industry mapping - a key ingredient in cultivating an inclusive work culture. Together, we navigate the terrain of mobility trend analysis and workforce upskilling, along with appreciating the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion in fostering a sense of belonging in a workspace.

Episode Highlights

Importance of success measures and stakeholder input in project development
Identifying challenges and anticipating potential obstacles before launching a project
Creating an inclusive work culture for diversity and belonging
Workplace culture, learning agility, and time management

Follow Pratyaksh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"HR has transitioned from being a mere support function to a crucial strategic partner. We've earned our seat at the table, and examples like HR professionals becoming CEOs highlight this transformation."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work, get ready to be enlightened as we dive into the realm of evolving HR practices with our guest Basant Sharma, Senior Human Resource Business Partner at Amazon. This captivating discourse traverses Basant's incredible journey, starting from humble beginnings to his current role at Amazon. He boasts over a decade of diverse work experience, having contributed his expertise to esteemed organizations such as SRF Ltd and OYO. His educational journey includes a B.Com from St. Xavier's College, an MLL from The University of Pune, and a PGDM from Balaji Institute of Management and Human Resource Development.

In this episode, No stone is left unturned as Basant dissects the metamorphosis of the HR role from a mere administrative function to a strategic partner. He discusses the pressing need for talent acquisition, appreciation of diversity, and the incorporation of technology in the HR domain.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of HR roles from administrative tasks to strategic partnership
How has employee engagement shifted from superficial activities to more complex and data-driven approaches?
Evolving role of HR analytics in the modern workplace
Importance of AI in talent acquisition, scalability, and quality of work

Follow Basant on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"To establish a genuine connection with your customers, it's imperative to convey that you comprehend their needs and will deliver precisely what they require. It's about offering a transparent and trustworthy relationship, where accountability is paramount.”

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we have Deepanker Mahajan, Co-Founder and CEO of CoverYou. He boasts a rich work history spanning more than fifteen years, commencing with his tenure at Citifinancial Consumer Finance. Subsequently, he contributed his expertise to esteemed organizations including ICICI, Bharti AXA, SecureNow, and JLT Independent. Deepankar’s entrepreneurial journey is a wealth of insights for anyone interested in customer relationship management, particularly in the insurance industry.

In this episode, hear firsthand, how Deepanker cultivates trust and transparency in his interactions and successfully handles industry challenges and trends. He also shares his perspective on the transformative effects of the recent pandemic on the industry.

Episode Highlights

Importance of customer relationship management in the insurance industry
The growth of the insurance industry in India
The growth of India’s insurance industry
Why is it important to create a sense of belongingness for employees?

Follow Deepanker on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Operating under constraints is a reality at this stage, and sometimes, I have to be the bearer of tough news, allocating resources judiciously. It's about making the most with what we have and prioritizing strategically."

Have you ever wondered about the thrilling journey of being among the first few employees at a tech startup? In this episode of The Shape Of Work, our guest Jereme Holiman, VP of People of Shardeum Foundation, shares his riveting tales from the trenches of Web 3.0 startups and the promising future they hold. Join us as we embark on an exploration of his experiences, right from the adrenaline rush of early-stage tech startups to the enlightened philosophy behind the vision of Web 3.0. With a rich professional background spanning over two decades, he has contributed his expertise to distinguished organizations including UrbanStems, Clyde, and Struck Crypto, among others.

As we continue the discussion, Jereme uncovers the inner workings of Shardeum's rapid expansion, detailing his role in managing people operations, shaping internal culture, and mastering the art of recruitment. Learn about Shardeum's diligent hiring process and its strategic approach to attracting top talent.

Episode Highlights

Web 3.0 and its potential to give users more control over their data
Hiring process and talent acquisition at a startup
Hiring strategy for a Web 3.0 company
Web 3.0 opportunities and global work culture

Follow Jereme on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"To effect change and gain stakeholder buy-in, learning the art of implementation and adeptly addressing challenges is paramount. This is especially crucial for an HRBP striving to align with the business goals."

Imagine charting a course for a career in physics, only to find your true calling in the field of Human Resources. That's the story of our guest in today’s episode of The Shape Of Work, Ankit Menaria, HR Business Partner at BYJU’S, whose journey has been anything but conventional. With over eight years of extensive professional experience, Ankit has demonstrated his expertise in diverse organizational settings, including notable stints at Lipi Data Systems, Jindal Stainless, and Darwinbox. He pursued his B.Sc at Mohanlal Sukhadia University, followed by an M.S.W from the prestigious Udaipur School of Social Work.

In this episode, Ankit discusses the hurdles he faced bringing e-learning to HR groups and how he overcame them with awareness and agility. From setting small, achievable goals to finding an accountability partner, he shares practical advice on making remote work, work for you.

Episode Highlights

Importance of data accuracy in HR and the impact of culture in an organisation
Importance of dressing professionally and highlighting benefits for stakeholders
Challenges of facilitating skills development and learning opportunities for employees
Why is adapting to digitalization in the workplace important?

Follow Ankit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Staying informed about the real estate market is paramount for making the right property choices. We rely on robust data analysis, tracking every transaction and trend in each building. This forms the bedrock of our decision-making process, allowing us to move forward with confidence."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, prepare to be illuminated as we chat with Shiv Parekh, Founder of hBits, a revolutionary venture that's redefining the real estate market in India. Raised in Mumbai, educated at Stanford and Harvard, and seasoned in New York, Shiv's journey from finance to entrepreneurship is nothing short of inspiring. He has held positions at distinguished organizations including Stanford Management Company, Citi, Workloft, and Raycon Infrastructure.

The conversation gets riveting as Shiv shares how they've created an end-to-end digital experience for investors. From property exploration to financial modeling and from transaction handling to tracking and exiting strategies, HBITS has made every step seamless and online. Shiv's insights on selecting the right properties, understanding market trends, and maintaining tenant relationships are a gold mine for anyone interested in real estate investments.

Episode Highlights

How to ensure that the foreseeable exit strategy is well-addressed?
Strategies to stay updated about the industry trends
How to adapt to the changes taking place in the market?
How to handle unexpected setbacks or market downturns in real estate investment?

Follow Shiv on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In a rapidly growing industry, adaptability is key. Our dynamic approach to responsibilities allows team members to seize opportunities and excel. It's a source of immense pride to lead such a capable and resilient group through adversity and triumph, knowing they will be the bedrock of our future success."

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work, hear how Jaideep Wadhwa, Director of STERLING GTAKE E-MOBILTIY LTD, charts a compelling course from his family business to becoming a business leader and entrepreneur. With 30 years of experience, he takes you on a fascinating journey through the world of international business management and the electric vehicle industry. He earned his BA degree from the esteemed St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, followed by an MBA from the prestigious University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Throughout his career, he has contributed his expertise to renowned organizations including Ingersoll Rand, Actis, Max Speciality Films, and Pravah Advisors, among others.

In this episode, Jaideep shares the secrets of his successful management style, focusing on building and nurturing a dynamic team. He talks about how he gives his team the liberty to achieve results while endorsing a healthy work-life balance.

Episode Highlights

How to ensure that the business remains focused on meeting the needs of the customer?
How to approach building and leading effective teams within the organisation?
Importance of leaders being aware of what their team needs
Strategies for maintaining work-life balance

Follow Jaideep on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The advent of technological progress has bestowed upon us a powerful toolset for talent acquisition. Market research and talent mapping, fortified by data-driven insights, have emerged as catalysts for our leaders, empowering them to make decisions of greater precision and foresight when recruiting for executive positions."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, get ready to gain a wealth of knowledge from a seasoned professional in the executive search arena. Listen in as we converse with the brilliant Sanjoli Mangat, Global Executive Search Partner A.P Moller – Maersk. Sanjoli brings close to 15 years of overall experience. Sanjoli has worked in leading executive search firms like Odgers Berndtson (HQ in UK with presence across 35 countries) and currently serves as a Global Executive Search Partner at A.P Moller Maersk (a leading shipping and integrated logistics company; HQ in Denmark with a presence across 130 countries).Sanjoli holds a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and organisational Analysis from the prestigious Kings College London and has a Bachelor’s degree from Jesus & Mary College, Delhi University. She completed her schooling at a premier residential boarding school; The Lawrence School Sanawar.

In this episode, we delve into how the industry has transitioned over the last decade, with executive search metamorphosing from a mere HR support function to becoming a reliable business advisor. Sanjoli gives us the lowdown on the pressing need for diversity and inclusion in leadership roles and the role of technology in reshaping the field.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of the executive search industry
How is talent mapping and candidate assessment done for senior-level positions?
Advice for individuals looking to build a successful career
The importance of networking and having multiple mentors

Follow Sanjoli on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength

"Crafting an unbiased interviewing process is an art rooted in understanding human psychology. Addressing this requires interviewers to undergo training, guiding them to pose essential, experience-based questions. The key to eliminating bias lies in standardizing the interview and assessment process, fostering fairness and equality in candidate evaluations."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, prepare to be enthralled by our conversation with Kanika Bains, Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Edelman. Her journey from studying psychology to holding the reins of a marketing team and now acing the hiring game is truly an inspiration. With an extensive professional journey spanning nearly two decades, she boasts a wealth of experience garnered from diverse organizations such as Bennett Coleman and Co, Paytm, Reliance Brands, and more.

In this episode, Kanika advocates for role-based questioning over personal inquisitions and emphasizes the role data and analytics play in shaping recruitment strategies. She gives us a peek into how an Applicant Tracking System can help identify patterns and optimize the hiring process.

Episode Highlights

Future of work and talent acquisition
Importance of interview training to eliminate unconscious bias in the recruitment process
Importance of using recruitment tracking systems to improve hiring outcomes and reduce costs
Recruitment strategies and networking

Follow Kanika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Stakeholder engagement is the heartbeat of any successful project. Their involvement, insights, and alignment are integral to seamless progress. Regular communication, robust feedback loops, and inclusive decision-making keep the project's pulse strong."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, join us in an engaging conversation with Jennifer D’souza, Amazon's Human Resource Business Partner. Jennifer has an overall work experience of more than a decade. She has worked at various organisations such as L’amar Natural Products, Asian Paints, and Coty. She did her BMS from S.K Somaiya College of Arts, Science and Commerce, and her EPDHRM from Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

In this episode, Jennifer unpacks her journey and paints a vivid picture of the key competencies required to excel in the dynamic landscape of human resources. Get ready to redefine your understanding of business, communication strategies, relationship building, problem-solving, and the art of leading with empathy.

Episode Highlights

What are the key skills that an HR professional needs?
What foundational steps are crucial to ensure a seamless and successful launch of HR projects?
Promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Developing learning agility in the workplace

Follow Jennifer on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Focusing solely on qualifications can exclude valuable talent pools with diverse skill sets and experiences. Embracing skills-based hiring broadens the talent horizon and fuels inclusion."

In this episode of The Shape of Work, get ready to reframe your understanding of the work environment with our guest, Abhineet Tyagi, HR Business Partner at Amazon. Abhineet has an overall work experience of over eight years. He has worked at various organisations such as NIVEA India, Beiersdorf, MPL, etc. He did his B.Tech from SRM University and his MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management.

In this episode, we plunge into the world of data and learning agility, and their integral roles in HR. Abhineet sheds light on how data can be a game-changer in root cause analysis and strategic decision-making.

Episode Highlights

The importance of understanding stakeholders' needs
Shifting from qualification-based hiring to skill-based hiring
How to use data to drive HR strategies?
Fostering learning agility in a dynamic landscape

Follow Abhineet on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"As we navigate the intricate web of generations, we must remember that every strand is vital. Each age group brings its own set of perspectives, a palette of colors that paint the canvas of progress. Casting aside the shadows of preconceived notions, we illuminate the path forward.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, prepare for an enlightening conversation as Anurag Jajoo, HR Business Partner at Amazon, spills his secrets to success in the ever-evolving HR world. Anurag has an overall work experience of close to a decade. He has worked at various organisations such as Credit Suisse, DBS Bank, Ola, etc. He did his B.Tech from COEP Technological University and his Post Graduate Diploma from XLRI Jamshedpur.

In this episode, let’s explore together the profound impact of recognizing and catering to diverse groups within our teams, and how fostering an inclusive environment can allow every individual to truly thrive.

Episode Highlights

Importance of creating an inclusive workplace culture
How can companies create an environment that promotes a sense of belonging for all employees?
How to Bridge generational gaps in the workplace?
Career growth and self-improvement in a busy work environment

Follow Anurag on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"AI's transformative impact on HR is undeniable. From data cleanup to converting insights into predictability, it's been a journey. Now, HR professionals have the potential to curate a more personalized employee experience by harnessing the power of AI, but with great power comes great responsibility. Ensuring data privacy and eliminating biases in AI tools will be critical."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we have Kaumudi Oak, the Vice President of People Success at Bizongo. Kaumudi has an overall work experience of over two decades. Kaumudi has worked at various organisations including Hewitt Associates, Capgemini, and JPMorgan Chase and Co. She did her BS from the University of Mumbai, her MS from the University of Florida, and her MBA from the Indian School of Business.

In this episode, Kaumudi opens up about her fascinating journey and the steps Bizongo is taking to revamp conventional practices. She sheds light on how the company maintains a motivated workforce and the significance of nurturing trust and understanding in the workplace.

Episode Highlights

How important are employee experience and engagement in today's time?
How is the role of HR professionals evolving or changing?
How to foster an inclusive culture that values diversity and ensures equal opportunity?

Follow Kaumudi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Recognizing and rewarding employees for consistent learning efforts fosters a culture of motivation and growth. Testimonials and acknowledgment of their dedication amplify the impact of any learning initiative."

In this episode of The Shape of Work, prepare to be captivated by our special guest, Shefali Singh, Senior Lead-HR at Lightstorm, as she guides us through her career journey across diverse sectors. She has an overall work experience of over seven years. She has worked at organisations such as Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, BYJU’S, Kivi Capital, Master’s Union, etc. She earned her B.E. from UIET Panjab University and her Symbiosis Institute of Business Management.

This episode takes a deep dive into the realm of employee performance, learning agility, and the potency of a 360-degree feedback approach. Shefali's insights on curating a capability development framework and maintaining learning agility to nurture and sustain skills are sure to keep you hooked.

Episode Highlights

What are some relevant skills needed for today's fast-paced environment?
How to facilitate learning opportunities and skill development for employees who work remotely?
How to assess employee performance based on skill mastery and contribution?
Approaches for employees to effectively cultivate and sustain their learning agility

Follow Shefali on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Transparent communication and regular updates are the backbone of project success, ensuring everyone is on the same page. Identifying and tackling roadblocks promptly guarantees timely project delivery."

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, join us for a fascinating tête-à-tête with Sankalp Saxena, Human Resource Business Partner at Amazon. With a career lasting over a decade, Saxena spills the beans on his journey from being a software engineer to a fulfilling HR role. He has worked at various organisations such as Infosys, Bosch, and Samsung Electronics. He did his B.E. from Jaypee University of Information Technology and his MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur.

In this episode, Saxena unravels his strategies for fostering unity amidst diversity. He talks about, cultivating a space of psychological safety, using technology for smooth collaboration, and the importance of shared goals and accountability.

Episode Highlights

What are some fundamental steps to ensure a smooth and successful project launch?
How to navigate the complexities of managing diverse teams?
Steps to ensure diversity and a sense of belonging for all employees
How can employees develop in a fast-paced digital landscape?

Follow Sankalp on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"A team is only as good as its leaders. Here, we believe in an open-door policy, encouraging open communication and familiarity. We make sure everyone feels valued and included, even going out for drinks to celebrate achievements. It's one of the best ways to keep motivation high."

In the latest episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we have Dr Nachiket Bhatia, CEO of DBMCI and eGurukul Official. Nachiket has an overall work experience of over eight years. He is also the CEO of Dr. Bhatia Medical Institute. He did his Executive MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Kanpur.

In this episode, Nachiket emphasizes on the importance of mastering specific skills for entrepreneurial success and shares how honing his public speaking and digital marketing skills propelled his business forward. He also enlightens us on the significance of financial education for strategic investment decisions and optimizing business opportunities.

Episode Highlights

Fostering a collaborative and cohesive team environment
Importance of being transparent with employees and taking care of their needs
What is the most important skill to learn?
How to assess and manage risks while making critical business decisions?

Follow Dr. Bhatia on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Creating a diverse workforce isn't just about checking a box; it's about driving innovation and seizing new market opportunities. D&I isn't a debate; it's a clear path to making our companies and society better."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast, we delve deep into transforming your workplace into a purpose-driven, inclusive paradise with Marissa Green, Employee Experience Strategist at Conspiracy of Love. Marissa has overall work experience of close to two decades. She started her career at Ruder Finn and went on to work for numerous organisations such as Edelman, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Fellow, etc. She did her BA from Indiana University and her MBA from the University of California.

In this episode, our conversation enters a new dimension as we delve into the vital concept of employee belonging. Drawing from her wealth of experience, Marissa provides actionable insight into fostering a sense of belonging in the workplace, highlighting the power of clear communication, purpose, and vision.

Episode Highlights

How to make organisations more inclusive to employees?
How to help employees connect with themselves?
How has technology impacted the way organisations are being run today?
How important is it to be inclusive?

Follow Marissa on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Collaboration ranks high among the essential skills for leaders and employees alike. It's reflected in the top 10 skills listed on platforms like LinkedIn. Leaders are expected to champion collaboration, be it within their department or across functions, aligning with our core values."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work, we have the opportunity to hear from Sagorika Kantharia, the CHRO of Radio City 91.1 FM. Sagorika has an overall work experience of over two and a half decades. She started her career at Bennett Coleman and Co. Ltd and has worked at multiple organisations such as Jagran Prakashan and KYO Human Resource Consultancy. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Mumbai and her MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.

In this episode, Chagurika has some interesting perspectives to share. Learn how AI can free up time for HR professionals to focus on more creative tasks, and why it's essential to keep learning and upskilling in today's fast-paced world.

Episode Highlights

What are some of the non-negotiable HR practices that leaders of today must adopt to keep their employees happy and engaged?
What are some particular skills that are really non-negotiable in a leader?
How is the role of HR professionals evolving, with AI coming into the picture?
Advice for budding HR professionals

Follow Sagorika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"HR and L&D teams wield significant influence in delineating the boundaries between upskilling and reskilling. Their discernment is critical in preventing misallocation of resources. Defining competencies at various levels sets the stage for targeted upskilling initiatives, ensuring employees progress and contribute effectively to the organization's objectives."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, prepare to be enlightened as we sit down with Mr. Pushkar Purohit, Senior Manager Sales Training at JB Pharma, the fastest growing company in the Indian Pharma Market (IPM). Pushkar has an overall work experience of more than thirteen years. He has worked at Cipla for over twelve years prior to his time at JB Pharma. He is a Dale Carnegie-certified trainer.

In this episode, Pushkar uncovers the secrets to keeping employees motivated and engaged in our technology-driven era. Delving into the realm of microlearning and personalized learning, he throws light on how these revolutionary methods are the key to effective learning in our fast-paced world characterized by dwindling attention spans.

Episode Highlights

The importance of Micro-learning
The impact of AI on the L&D fraternity
The importance of finding a balance between learning and upscaling
Why is upskilling so important?

Follow Pushkar on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Let's encourage companies and industries to not only hire women but also provide them with opportunities that stretch their capabilities. Women have a remarkable ability to dive into the unknown and emerge victorious with a successful story to tell."

In this latest episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, our guest shares her multilayered career journey - from mastering finance, and analyzing equities, to embracing the exciting world of startups! We have Pooja Mehta, the COO of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation. Pooja has an overall work experience of over fifteen years. She has worked at Arihant Capital Markets Ltd. and MTC Business Ltd. prior to her time at JITO. She did her B.Com from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics and her PGDM from Chetana’s Institute of Management and Research.

In this episode, Pooja shares her insights on how she navigates the challenges of her role that interestingly combines finance and marketing. Pooja also takes us behind the scenes of JITO Incubation and Innovation Foundation, an organization that opens doors of opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.

Episode Highlights

What has contributed to the rise of women investors in the startup industry?
Challenges women investors face in the start-up industry
Ways that investors can advocate for more women-led startups
The importance of specific mentorship for startups and entrepreneurs

Follow Pooja on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“In an era of rising aspirations, today's discerning customers seek premium experiences across all aspects of their lives. Landmark's legacy of exceptional customer service, extensive reach, and accessibility uniquely position us to cater to the needs of the premium car buyer, solidifying our role as a vital partner for ambitious brands in India's thriving luxury automotive market.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work, buckle up as we navigate the extraordinary journey of Aryaman Thakker, Executive Director of Landmark Cars Ltd. Aryaman has an overall work experience of seven years. He started off as Associate Director at Landmark Cars and later became the Director. He did his Bachelor’s Degree from FLAME and his MSc in Marketing and Strategy from the University of Warwick.

In this episode, Aryaman shares his insights into the trends driving India's automotive industry and how it is reshaping the country's economic landscape. He reveals how the younger generation's disposable income and a taste for luxury are fueling this growth.

Episode Highlights

Landmark cars and its impact on India's automotive industry
The future of the company and the importance of tying up with global brands
How the premium auto industry in India is growing?
How millennials are leveraging the luxury car trend in India, and how this is, in turn, uplifting the sector

Follow Aryaman on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The next three decades are pivotal for India's real estate industry. We are on track to become a global manufacturing powerhouse, with industries flocking to establish their presence here. It's a shift from our roots in IT, signaling a dynamic future for India's economic landscape."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work, Priyanka Rathore, Co-Founder of Strata, joins us to share her wealth of knowledge. Priyanka has over a decade of work experience, starting her career at D.E. Shaw India. She further went on to work at WeWork, prior to her time at Strata. She did her B.Com from St Francis College for Women.

In this episode, we delve into the future landscape of India's real estate industry, Priyanka sheds light on its growth prospects and her outlook on Commercial Real Estate. She also shares her unique experience of juggling different roles as a successful entrepreneur, leader, mentor, and mother, and how embracing delegation has been a game-changer for her.

Episode Highlights

What is Stata and how did it start?
The future of the real estate market in India
The future of India as a manufacturing hub
Why is delegating important for an entrepreneur?

Follow Priyanka on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Innovation requires not just capital, but also the proper infrastructure and support. As we evolve, we'll see more individuals venturing into entrepreneurship and positively impacting lives."

In this latest episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, get a front-row seat to the journeys of two trailblazing entrepreneurs, Karan Verma and Dr Dinesh Singh, co-founders and directors of the Faad Network. They’ve gone from colleagues to game-changers, traversing India and connecting with fellow entrepreneurs to understand their hurdles and aspirations. In this episode, they cast their net wide, focusing on sectors as diverse as electric vehicles, health care, deep tech, AI, ML, fintech, and Agri.

Karan Verma has an overall work experience of over a decade, working at organisations such as Pricol Limited and Syenergy Enivronics Ltd prior to his time at Faad. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from UPES.

Dr. Dinesh Singh has an overall work experience of thirteen years. He has worked at various organisations including Syenergy Environics, BNI Global, Five Elements Wellness, etc. He did his B.A.M.S from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and his PG Diploma from Clinical Research Education and Management Academy.

Episode Highlights

What is the state of entrepreneurship in India and how it will grow?
How to make people management more effective by being able to handle people?
What makes a business eligible for funding?
Which sectors will bloom in the immediate future?

Follow Karan on Linkedin Follow Dinesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In today's rapidly evolving landscape, the ability to articulate our innovative ideas and dynamic strategies is paramount for business expansion. It is here that AI steps in as a crucial ally, bridging the divide between concept and execution."

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, prepare to be enlightened by Harshal Dilwali, Director and CEO of Clarissa Group, one of the most admired and responsible chain of Hotels, Resorts, and Real Estate Developers. Harshal has an overall work experience of over seven years. He has worked at various organisations such as ShivSena and Udemy. He did his B.Sc in Hotel Management from the Institute of Hotel Management, Kolkata, his Bachelor of Laws from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, and his MBA from IILM.

In this episode, Harshal uncloaks the influential role of artificial intelligence in modernizing the hospitality industry. The Larissa Group, under Harshal's guidance, is quick to adopt this technological marvel, transforming its operations and standing out in the market.

Episode Highlights

How is technology changing the landscape of work?
The challenges in managing people
Advice to budding entrepreneurs

Follow Harshal on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR professionals need to embrace learning new skills to remain relevant in the face of shifting tech changes. Creating an HR-based skill taxonomy is the first step towards this journey."

In today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we have Sakshi Katuria, Human Resource Business Partner at Oracle. She is here to reveal the key skills that have propelled her through a nine-year career. She started at Credit Suisse and went on to work for various organisations such as Lowe’s Companies and Infosys. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from IMS Unison University and her MBA from Symbiosis Institute of International Business.

In this episode, Sakshi sheds light on the significance of business acumen, data analysis prowess, and sterling networking and relationship skills in shaping a successful HR career. She also unveils how data-driven decision-making can drive success for both the business and its talent.

Episode Highlights

The importance of Networking and relationships
How do you balance flexibility with structure in the workplace?
The benefits of collaboration at work
How can HR professionals prepare for the future?

Follow Sakshi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"We discovered that incentivizing learning by offering credits and tailoring course content to different skill levels sparked genuine interest among employees. The success of our LMS wasn't just about credits; it was about creating engaging content that employees genuinely enjoyed and benefited from.”

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, strap in for a deep dive into the nitty-gritty of Human Resources as we converse with Sougat Nayak, seasoned Human Resource Business Partner at Omega Healthcare Management Services. Sougat has over a decade of work experience and started his career as an intern at EPCOS. He went on to work for various organisations such as ITC, Aegis Limited, Dilip Buildcon, VBeyond Corporation, etc.

In this episode, Sougat shares his insights into how he maneuvered the challenges of implementing policies and frameworks in multifaceted organizations. He discusses his triumphant venture into creating an effective Learning Management System (LMS) that revolutionized the learning experience for employees, allowing them to earn credits without stepping away from their work.

Episode Highlights

Differences between working with blue-collar and corporate employees
The importance of employee engagement
How to tackle the challenges of retention?
Advice for HR professionals

Follow Sougat on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In today's digital age, the key to successful talent acquisition lies in embracing online methods while keeping a touch of tradition. Striking the right balance between the two is the path to success."

In this episode of The Shape Of Work podcast, we have Mukesh Goyal, Human Resource Business Partner at Bandhan Bank. Mukesh strongly believes that the HR department acts as an essential bridge between management and employees. He also sheds light on how Human Resource Management Software (HRMS) has revolutionized the HR landscape by automating tasks and improving overall efficiency.

Mukesh has an overall work experience of three years and has worked at organisations such as ClearExam, Chai Sutta Bar, and Transition HRD Consultants prior to his time at Bandhan Bank. He did his B.Com from Panjab University and his MBA from University Business School.

Episode Highlights

The role and significance of human resource management software
What is talent acquisition and why is it important?
How can chatbots help with talent acquisition?
What can HR professionals do to attract talent?

Follow Mukesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The pandemic accelerated technology adoption, making virtual communication a necessity, but it also raised challenges in maintaining a company's unique culture and employee experience."

Ever thought about the relationship between technology and HR? Our latest guest, Narayanan Murli, a Senior HR Business Partner at Amazon, is here to shed light on this intriguing intersection. From his early days as a software developer to his current role in HR, Narayanan has an overall work experience of more than a decade, he has worked at Wipro and The D.E. Shaw Group prior to his time at Amazon. He did his B.E. from St. Joseph’s College of Engineering and his MBA from Xavier Institute of Management.

In our conversation, we take a deep dive into the role of technology within the HR landscape. Narayanan, with his background in software development, provides an insightful perspective on data-driven HR strategies and how they can enhance the efficiency of HR professionals, thereby adding more value to organizations.

Episode Highlights

How to effectively manage employee relations and maintain culture in an era of remote work?
How the pandemic has acted as an accelerator and evolved HR systems
Leveraging technology and digital tools to streamline HR processes
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for HR professionals in the coming years?

Follow Narayanan on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“In the world of HR, understanding the balance between a company's goals and an employee's aspirations is the key to finding the right fit. The collaboration between AI and HR in recruitment is shaping the future of workforce planning, creating a more efficient and effective process.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Mitesh Sharma, Human Resource Business Partner at AFRY, a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services, with a global reach. Mitesh has an overall work experience of over nine years and has worked at multiple organisations such as Shiv Shakti Enterprises, Paysquare Consultancy, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, etc. He did his BCom from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University and his MBA from Savitribai Phule Pune University.

In this episode, Mitesh generously shares his wealth of knowledge in this riveting conversation, highlighting the importance of exceptional communication skills, fostering strong relationships with business leaders, and the indispensability of the human touch in HR.

Episode Highlights

Key skills needed for success
The importance of the human touch
The emerging trends and challenges in the field of HR
The challenges of employee satisfaction, work-life balance, diversity, and global connecting with team members

Follow Mitesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“An essential facet of success involves delving into the nuances of the supported business. By aligning with their perspective, a more substantial rapport can be cultivated, enhancing credibility and cooperation."

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, brace yourself for an enlightening conversation with Atharva Deshpande, a seasoned HRBP at ATOS. Atharva has an overall work experience of over four years. He did his MBA from Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT WORLD PEACE UNIVERSITY, Pune. Known for his ability to build enduring relationships with stakeholders and employees, Atharv casts light on the challenges he contends with, while underscoring the importance of conviction in communication.

In this episode, Atharva shares an inspiring real-world example involving his company's leadership team and the ripple effect it had on employees' professional growth. If you've ever toyed with the idea of transitioning to an HRBP role, Atharva's candid discussion on the glamour versus the reality of the role is a must-listen.

Episode Highlights

Key challenges faced as an HRBP
How to start off a certification program?
The importance of establishing a communication line with HR
Advice to HR professionals

Follow Atharva on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Prioritizing skill development and creating a robust learning ecosystem empowers both individuals and organizations to adapt and thrive in the evolving landscape of the future of work.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, brace yourself as we peel back the layers of the rapidly changing work landscape with our guest, Salil Raheja, HR Director at Schneider Electric. Salil has an overall work experience of more than seventeen years. He has worked at various organisations including Tata Capital, Tata Consultancy Services and Essar. He did his B.E from BIT Mesra Student-Industry Relations Cell and his MBA from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon.

In this episode, join us for an insightful discussion, as we navigate the rising gig economy, decode the impact of technological advancements such as AI and automation, and stress the need for lifelong learning to stay afloat in these turbulent times. We dive into the transformative power of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, shedding light on strategies to cultivate an inclusive workforce.

Episode Highlights

How is the landscape of work changing with time?
The importance of lifelong learning in the workplace
How to acquire and cultivate skills for the future?
Importance of Diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Follow Salil on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Attaching oneself to the right network and mentors can lead to substantial growth opportunities, enhanced networking, and the confidence to assume leadership roles."

In this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, join us on an exciting journey with Delna Dhamodiwala, the Global HR Head at DNEG, the seven-time Oscar-winning VFX studio. Delna has an overall work experience of over nineteen years. She spent most of her career at Prime Focus World prior to her time at DNEG, where she was the HR Vice President. She did her MBBS at the University of Mumbai and did her MBA from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies.

In this episode, we get to dive into the impressive strides taken in uplifting women to senior management roles in India and the platforms developed to supercharge their growth. We're chatting about the urgent need for adaptability in a rapidly changing work environment, HR strategies that fuel sustainable growth, employee engagement, and retention.

Episode Highlights

The role of women in leadership
What are prevalent HR strategies that organisations must adopt to see sustainable growth?
How to keep employees engaged at the workplace and incentives to increase retention?
Advice on promoting equity in the workplace

Follow Delna on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Global Mobility professionals have transitioned from being mere administrators to strategic partners, playing a pivotal role in shaping the success of international assignments. They contribute to the overall well-being and satisfaction of employees, safeguarding their interests while promoting organizational goals.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have, Jyotirmayee Chaturvedi, Assistant Vice President at Genfact. With over 13 years of global mobility experience, she paints a vivid picture of how this role has evolved from being administrative to becoming a strategic business partner, especially in the wake of remote work.

Jyotirmayee has an overall work experience of thirteen years. Before her time at Genpact, she worked with EY as a Senior Consultant. She did her Master of Commerce from Meerut College and is a registered Chartered Accountant under The Institute of Chartered Accounts of India.

Episode Highlights

The role of the global mobility professionals
Key drivers behind the increasing need for global mobility
How to anticipate external factors such as geopolitical shifts?
Advice for people pursuing data mobility careers

Follow Jyotirmayee on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The world is no longer isolated; it is an intricate web of interdependencies. Companies must recognize and navigate this interconnectedness to thrive amidst the external forces that shape their operations."

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, join us as we go deep with Yugesh Mandvikar, Associate Vice President and Head at Zensar Technologies. Yugesh is an influential voice in the world of Learning and Organization Development. He has an overall work experience of eighteen years. He has worked at multiple organisations such as Bharti Airtel, Nielsen, and L&T Infotech. He did his BE from Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya and his MBA from Institute of Management Studies.

In this episode, Yugesh gives us a glimpse into his recent bestseller, Maximum Results, where he blends theory with practical examples to guide businesses to their peak performance.

Episode Highlights

How have business dynamics been changing in today's time?
The rise of hybrid ways of working
The rise of stress in workplaces
How should organizations go about developing a good talent strategy?

Follow Yugesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Our approach to waste management revolves around the belief that if we treat waste as a valuable resource and manage it at the source, we can transform it into something beneficial.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Kapil Jangale, the Managing Director of PLASTROOTS Waste Management and Solutions Private Limited. His innovative perspective sees waste not as rubbish, but as a resource. He passionately talks about the initiatives he's spearheading across India to foster a more sustainable world for our children.

Kapil has an overall work experience of over five years. He worked at JBM Group prior to his time at Plastroots. He did his BTech in Chemical Engineering from the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. In this episode, Kapil shares his experiences with sensor-based segregation technology and AI and how waste management is evolving into a high-tech industry with the use of data sheets and other tech aids.

Episode Highlights

How do you manage your team and work with different projects?
How can technology be leveraged to enable waste management?
The importance of segregating waste at home

Follow Kapil on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The paradigm shift from organisation-centric policies to prioritising the well-being of individuals has revolutionised the workplace. Personal health budgets, mental health initiatives, and comprehensive employee benefits demonstrate a nurturing environment that inspires dedication and propels our collective success.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, join us in a compelling chat with Himanshi Jain, Talent Business Partner at ThoughtWorks, as we trace her inspiring career journey from finance to human resources. Himanshi has an overall work experience of more than four years. She had worked at RedCarpetUp.com and Jobket prior to ThoughtWorks. She did her Bachelor of Commerce from Delhi University and her MBA from Teerthanker Mahaveer University.

In this episode, Himanshi shares a wealth of insights from her diverse experiences, illuminating the evolving workplace dynamics and the strategies that can foster organisational success. We shift the spotlight to the creation of inclusive environments, a topic Himanshi is passionate about.

Episode Highlights

How has work culture changed in today's time?
How to ensure organisational culture supports individual growth?
How to create an inclusive work environment?
Tips for creating an inclusive environment

Follow Himanshi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The constant evolution of tools and technologies in the workplace has no end in sight. It's both thrilling and challenging to adapt and learn as new modes of communication emerge. We are fortunate to be part of this dynamic journey.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are joined by Amit Mohla, Senior HR Professional at Wipro, who takes us through his extraordinary 27-year career journey, painting a vivid picture of the evolution of communication technologies and how they have revolutionised our work culture. He has worked at various organisations such as GE Capital, American Express, Hewlett Packard, Aon Hewitt, etc.

As we gaze into the crystal ball to glimpse the future of work, we explore how automation and digitization will redefine job roles and how organizations, with the aid of HR, will need to craft policies that accommodate flexible work environments. We also discuss the increasing importance of employee well-being in a fast-paced corporate world and the urgency for individuals to be adaptive.

Episode Highlights

How has communication changed over the years?
How will the workplace evolve in the future?
How to use historical data to make future predictions?
The qualities future people managers need to pick up

Follow Amit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Anything that can be automated should be, allowing human minds to focus on creativity and adding value rather than repetitive tasks. Our goal is to digitise and optimise the energy sector, making it more efficient, effective, and greener.”

Today’s episode The Shape of Work podcast, meet Saurabh Shrivastava, Assistant VP at Climate Connect Digital. His journey is a testament to the power of passion, and the courage to break free from the norm, even during a recession. He started his career at Tata Consultancy Services and later went on to work for various companies including INPAC Projects International, ACB India Limited, etc. He has an overall experience of fourteen years. He did his B.E from Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya and his MBA from UPES.

In this episode, Saurabh passionately advocates for the critical role of decarbonization, digitalization, and AI in the future of the energy sector. As we explore AI's benefits, both tangible and intangible, Saurabh elucidates how it optimises electricity demand forecasts, making power distribution companies more financially efficient.

Episode Highlights

The future of the energy industry
How is AI impacting the industry?
Key factors to lead effectively in the energy sector
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs

Follow Saurabh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The transformation of the work landscape has been phenomenal, and it's become the need of the hour. Thanks to COVID, remote working has become a reality, even in creative fields like marketing. In the past, we couldn't fathom collaborating remotely, but now, with sophisticated communication channels like Slack and Microsoft Teams, it has become seamless”

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, prepare for an enlightening journey as we sit down with the dynamic Dr. Raghavendra Hunasgi, co-founder of Zeebu and seasoned marketer, whose path has taken him through the ranks of Google, Infosys, and EvolutiScarp. We unpack his unique story, from his roots as a software engineer, to becoming a marketing maestro, having worked at various organistions such as QualityKiosk Technologies, The CMO Club, and EvolutyzCorp. He did his B.E. from Visvesvaraya Technological University and his PG Diploma from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.

One cannot miss the fascinating conversation about how technology is reshaping the telecommunications industry. Dr. Raghavendra deep dives into the challenges that plague this industry and how instant payment settlement platforms like Zeebu are game-changers.

Episode Highlight

How has the landscape of work changed over time?
Leveraging technology to make marketing easier
Three important elements of personal branding
The art of amplifying time

Follow Dr. Raghavendra on linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A career manager who addresses individual interests and mentors employees according to their skill sets can significantly contribute to their growth and job satisfaction.”

Welcome to a conversation that promises to enlighten and engage, as we sit down with Hemant Golechha, Founder Director and Principal Consultant at Extraa Insights Research. Hemant shares his personal journey, a unique blend of teaching and consulting, and his passion for supporting small and mid-size firms. His aims to help them develop the kind of robust processes and culture that larger firms possess through mentorship and hands-on support.

Hemant started his career in 2001 and has worked with many organisations ever since. He has worked with Evalueserve, GlobalData, Cornerstone Capital, SPARC Impact etc. He did his B.Com and M.Com from Nagpur University, his MBA from Maharashtra Institute of Technology, and his PhD from MIT World Peace University.

Episode Highlights

Stress management and managing politics in the workplace
How to create a culture of belongingness in teams?
Creating a safe working environment for employees
Importance of inclusivity in an organisation

Follow Hemant on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

“Establishing policies that support inclusivity, non-discrimination, equal opportunities, and anti-bullying measures, while promoting a culture that celebrates diversity and fosters acceptance, is key to creating inclusive environments.”

Welcome to the new episode of The Shape of Work. In this episode, we have a fascinating guest, Ravi Shekhar Singh, India Head at Mom's Belief, a powerhouse organisation that has set a mission to empower families of neuro-divergent children. Get ready to be inspired by Ravi's career journey and the remarkable vision of Mom’s Belief. He gives us a unique look at how Mom's Belief ensures that every child receives appropriate and individualised support, by involving parents in the therapy process and monitoring each child's progress closely.

Ravi is a seasoned veteran who has an overall work experience of more than a decade. He has worked at Tata Motors as a Project Manager and also works at various organisations such as Craise Solutions and Of Next as Partner and is also the Mentor of Change at NITI Aayog. He did his B.Tech from Uttarakhand Technical University and his PG AMPR from MICA.

Episode Highlights

How to make sure every child gets the best help without bias?
The importance of having a family support plan
How can schools become more inclusive?
How to promote a culture of diversity and inclusion

Follow Ravi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“As organisations strategize to bring employees back to the office, the seamless integration of AI into the employee experience paves the way for a transformative journey that combines technology-driven efficiency with human connection and collaboration.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work, get ready to navigate this new era with our guest, Najeeb Sheikh, Assistant Vice President of HR at a US Multinational Firm, as he shares his candid insights about organisational redesign, work culture, and more. Born in the world of steel production engineering, Najeeb has since shifted gears, becoming an HR business partner. He has worked at various organisations such as Tata Projects, Cyient, Tata Teleservices, and Wipro. He did his B.Tech from the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, and his MBA from IBS, Hyderabad.

In this episode, Najeeb gives insights that stretch beyond just the logistics of a hybrid work setup. Najeeb delves into the intriguing role of AI in our workplaces, echoing the sentiment that AI is not here to replace us but to enhance our efficiency and create a more enjoyable work experience.

Episode Highlights

How is the future of work going to evolve?
How will AI impact the work culture at HR?
Leveraging AI for team members coming back to the office
The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Follow Najeeb on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Our role as HR is to fulfil departmental needs while keeping the bigger picture in mind, engaging with various departments to ensure a seamless journey for employees and aligning recruitment and training processes for their success.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work, prepare to be enlightened by HR guru, Raveena Sharma, Assistant Manager and HR Business Partner at IndiaMart InterMesh Limited. Brace yourself for no-holds-barred insights into her approach to collaborating with diverse departments, the incredible importance of adaptability, openness, and tech knowledge in HR, and the significant emphasis on employee health over mere performance metrics.

Raveena has an overall work experience of two years. She had worked with RR Kabel as a Human Resource Intern prior to her time at IndiaMart InterMesh Limited. She did her B.Tech from Jaipur Engineering College and Research Centre and her PGDM from Institute of Management Technology, Nagpur.

Episode Highlights

How to Engage with other departments in the organisation?
How have HR professionals adapted to the shift to hybrid work?
Importance of taking care of the employee’s emotions and performance
How to adapt to rapid changes in the industry?

Follow Raveena on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Inclusive policies and programs are vital for promoting diversity and inclusion. This includes flexible working options, comprehensive benefits covering all groups, mental well-being initiatives, and learning programs for the professional development of underrepresented groups."

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest, Harshit Upadhyay, Senior Manager for People's Strategy at Publicis Sapient, gives us the inside scoop on how HR departments can achieve this lofty goal. From his fascinating career journey, including stints at Infosys. Harshit did his Bachelor of Technology from Nirma University, his PGDM from Welingkar Institute of Management, and a Certificate Program from Cornell University.

Harshit emphasizes the importance of being a lifelong learner, staying up to date with industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies. We also dive into the potential impact of generative AI and robotic process automation in the workplace and discuss how HR practitioners can proactively expand their knowledge and skills to stay ahead of the curve.

Episode Highlights

How to create a culture of psychological safety?
How to measure the impact of HR initiatives?
Essential skills for hr professionals to have in today's times
Why are emotional intelligence and a sense of empathy important?

Follow Harshit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Recruiting is a two-way street. While it's our responsibility as recruiters to support and assist hiring managers, they also play a crucial role. They have firsthand knowledge of the team's needs, and it's important to collaborate with them, ensuring a mutual understanding and joint effort towards finding the right fit."

What does the future of work look like, and how can we best collaborate with hiring managers to meet talent needs? Join us in this episode of The Shape Of Work, as we chat with Veerat Marwah, the talent acquisition partner at IBM, who sheds light on these pressing questions and shares valuable insights from their own journey in the ever-evolving workplace. Veerat has an overall work experience of more than twelve years. He has worked at various organisations such as Pink City Expressway, Hindustan Construction, Pratibha Industries, HCL Technologies, etc. He did his B.Tech from Giani Zail Singh College of Engineering and Technology.

In our conversation with Veerat, we dive into the importance of not judging people, and how offering a helping hand can set someone on the right path in their career. Discover why understanding and compassion are crucial when engaging in recruitment processes, and how you can be the human in HR when hiring.

Episode Highlights

How to collaborate with other hiring managers?
Key learnings learned over the years
The difference between theory and practical knowledge
Advice to the budding listeners

Follow Veerat on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Embracing digital transformation is a paramount challenge in the modern HR landscape. HR leaders must adapt to new technologies and implement digital solutions for various HR functions like recruitment, performance management, employee engagement, and upskilling.”

Are you ready to tackle the ever-changing world of human resources? In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, join us for an exclusive conversation with Moiz S Barodawala, an accomplished HR manager at IBM, as he shares his incredible 13-year career journey, starting at Collabera. He has worked at various organisations including, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Ishi Systems, Streebo, Tata Consultancy Services, etc. He did his B.Com and M.Com from Maharaja Sayajirao University.

Moiz discusses the challenges he's faced, from adapting to remote work and change management to embracing digital transformation, and offers valuable advice on how the HR department can support career progression and succession planning for employees.

Episode Highlights

Challenges faced by HR leaders
How can the HR department support career progression and succession planning?
Key indicators of HR performance

Follow Moiz on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Success as an HR Business Partner is like a well-crafted dish, requiring key ingredients such as empathy, communication, adaptability, and business acumen. It's a fine balance between aligning organisational goals and advocating for employees' perspectives.”

What does it take to succeed as a Human Resource Business Partner and build a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace? In today’s episode of The Shape of Work, we had the pleasure of discussing these crucial topics with Shreya Kumar, Lead Human Resource Partner at GE Healthcare. Shreya shares her fascinating career journey that started with an engineering background and evolved into a management role at GE Healthcare. Shreya has an overall work experience of eight years. Prior to her time at GE, Shreya had worked at Accenture. She did her B.Tech from Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Technology and her MBA from Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development.

In this episode, we explore Shreya's insights on fostering a culture of DEI within an organization, touching on the importance of inclusive leadership traits, visibility for diverse groups, and building relationships between these groups. Shreya emphasizes the need for a healthy balance of flexible arrangements that cater to both business and work-life needs.

Episode Highlights

Key skills necessary for success in a human resource business partner
How to sustainably practice diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Balancing flexibility and structure in the workplace
How can employees self-manage schedules?

Follow Shreya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Automation has emerged as a game-changer in the HR landscape, revolutionising the way organisations approach talent acquisition. With the introduction of AI automation and other innovative tools, recruiters and candidates now have a seamless experience, from job applications to scheduling interviews and receiving immediate feedback.”

What does it take to find the perfect candidate for niche roles, and how has technology changed the landscape of recruitment? Join us for a captivating conversation with Soundarya Sirimalle, Talent Acquisition Business Partner at ADP, as we uncover her journey from an internship as a recruiter to securing a role at a multinational corporation. Soundarya shares her invaluable insights on the importance of understanding job roles, the challenges of sourcing candidates for niche positions, and her passion for learning through conversations with experienced professionals.

Soundarya has an overall work experience of five years, she started her career at ZettaMine Labs, and she later went on to work for various organisations such as Cognizant, PADHHIGH, AnsrOne, etc. She did her BBM Raj Bahadur Venkat Rama Reddy Women’s College, and her Post Graduation from Vishwa Vishwani Business School. In this episode, we compare the differences in recruitment processes for experienced and fresher candidates and discuss common mistakes made by recruiters during the hiring process. Finally, we debunk misconceptions about the HR profession and emphasis the integral role HR professionals play in shaping an organisation.

Episode Highlights

The challenges of working at an MNC
How do you ensure a fair and equitable recruitment process?
How do you use data and analytics to optimise your recruitment strategies?
Common mistakes recruiters make during the hiring process

Follow Soundarya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Today, the opportunities are vast, and you can even turn your hobbies into a career. Our generation is financially better off, enabling us to provide a solid platform for the next generation to pursue their dreams and settle down."

Ever wondered how a diverse career spanning different industries and countries could impact one's perspective on leadership and the future of work? In this latest episode of The Shape of Work, join us in an insightful conversation with our esteemed guest, Sonali Dutta, National President of the Corporate Sustainability Council at WICCI, as she takes us through her incredible journey and shares the valuable lessons she's learned along the way.

From marketing research with IMRB to sales and advertising, Sonali's multifaceted experiences have shaped her understanding of processes, departments, and agreements. She also did her Master’s Degree from the Punjab University. As we explore her time working in Malaysia, we'll dive into the importance of effective communication, embracing technology, and business language proficiency for today's generation. Sonali also highlights the need for aligning policies with employees' expectations to minimise turnover.

Episode Highlights

The importance of being financially independent and supportive
The importance of empathy from a leadership perspective
How has the work culture evolved?
Advice for the younger generation

Follow Sonali on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“It's a greater level of equal opportunity and respect that you are giving to the candidate when you keep your hiring process open to the candidate and tell them everything about the organisation as well.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about Hiring the right people for the right job and the importance of diversity and inclusion. Our guest today is Devi Maheshwari, Chief Human Resources Officer at Pepper Money India, a consumer finance brand with a mission to serve the underserved. It is part of Pepper Financial Services Group, which has offices in India, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Devi has an overall work experience of fifteen years. She has worked at various organisations at Human resource roles such as Population Services International, Magic Bus India Foundation, FlexiLoans, Disprz, etc. She did her BA at Delhi University, her Master’s Degree from Amity University, and her Executive Program in Human Resources Management from the Indian Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

Hiring the right people for the right job
Reducing subjectivity in the hiring process
The importance of diversity and inclusion
What are the areas that don’t need innovation?

Follow Devi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Having a build vs buy approach is important in recruitment strategy, as organisations today need to grow and build talent from within while also attracting fresh talent."

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Reena Tyagi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Future Generali India Life Insurance, a joint venture between two leading groups: Future Group - A leading retailer in India & Generali Group - A global insurance group that features among the top 50 largest companies in the world. In this episode, Reena talks about how the industry has evolved over the years and how to align recruitment strategies with growth strategies.

Reena has worked in HR roles at various organisations including NIIT Ltd, Tata Teleservices, Bharti Airtel, Cigna TTK Health Insurance Company, and ManipalCigna Health Insurance Company. She has an overall work experience of twenty-three years. She did her B.Sc Hons in Physics from Hansraj College, Delhi, and her MBA from IMS, Indore.

Episode Highlights

How has the industry evolved in 20 years?
How can businesses align recruitment strategies with growth strategies?
Key factors to look at in recruitment
Why do organisations need to have a holistic health and well-being strategy?

Follow Reena on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The more diverse an organisation is, generally the more successful it is, especially if it's working in multiple markets. Having a more diverse team makes things more successful as you can understand your customers better.”

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, Luc Jones, Director of Senior Level Permanent Staffing at Randstad India, a talent company committed to providing equitable opportunities to people from all backgrounds and help them remain relevant in the rapidly changing world of work. In this episode, Luc talks about the current state of the Indian economy and the importance of diversity.

Luc has had a long career, he started in 1997 at ITE Group and later went on to work for various organisations in various places. He has worked with organisations such as Antal Poland, Siebel, Antal Russia, TerraLink Global, etc. He did his BA in Economics and Russian from the University of Portsmouth.

Episode Highlights

The current state of the Indian economy
How to overcome stereotypes in India?
How important is diversity in today’s world?
The importance of reaching out directly to potential hires

Follow Luc on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Technology has transformed not just work but also the culture and the younger generation brings new perspectives and behaviours shaped by the modern tech era.”

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Gautam Gopalakrishna, Country Head at Entrupy, a hardware-enabled SaaS company that uses computer vision algorithms & microscopy to bring trust to transactions. In this episode, Gautam talks about AI technology and the work culture changing due to technology.

Gautam has an overall work experience of more than twenty-five years. He started his career all the way back in 1997 and has worked at various IT organisations over the years. Some of them are, Robert Bosch, Ishoni Networks, and Mindtree, where he worked for sixteen years. He did his BE from the University of Mysore and the Executive General Management program from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

Episode Highlights

How technology is changing the work culture in India?
What are some of the current trends in the industry that are going to take over the functioning of the organisation?
Mental health challenges during the pandemic
The future of AI in India

Follow Gautham on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"You need to realise that your experience of doing certain things in a certain way is not necessarily your strength always. Unlearn old techniques, ideas, and thought processes. Be agile and adapt to new perspectives and ways of doing things.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about strategies for diversity and inclusion and staying optimistic during difficult times.

In this episode, we have Sakshi Walia, HR Business Partner at Tietoevry, an IT services and IT Consulting firm which focuses on creating purposeful technology. Sakshi started her career in 2009. She later went on to work for many well-known organisations such as Accenture, Wipro Limited, and Tata Consultancy Services. She did her BTech from RIMT-IET, Mandi Gobindgard, and her MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

How to remain optimistic in the face of a crisis?
Strategies to ensure employees are inclusive of all their needs
How to manage work-life balance during peak work days?
What inspired Sakshi to become an HR professional?

Follow Sakshi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Incorporating competency-based assessments, such as test simulations and work samples, helps in objectively evaluating candidates' skills and abilities beyond what can be gleaned from an interview alone."

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Sumit Nautiyal, Associate Partner at IBM, an IT services and IT consulting firm. Sumit is a seasoned veteran with over twenty-three years of experience. He started his career at FingerHut, and went on to work for various organisations such as CompuCredit, Encore Capital Group, and Allsec Technologies. He did his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Calcutta and his MBA from St. Cloud State University.

In this episode, Sumit talks about strategies for candidate evaluation and attracting and retaining skilled professionals.

Episode Highlights

Strategies for candidate evaluation and retention
What challenges to anticipate in the talent market?
How to attract and retain skilled professionals?
Advice for young and aspiring HR professionals

Follow Sumit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"As a leader, it's crucial to communicate the purpose and expectations of each team member's role. Simply assigning tasks like cold calling without context won't be effective. Give them the tools and competence they need to succeed."Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about having the right team and the three steps of leadership. Our guest today is Alpesh Vaghasiya, Chief Executive Officer at Superworks, a platform that provides a comprehensive employee management tool to businesses of all sizes.

Alpesh has been in the industry for a long time. Starting his career in 2007, he has an overall work experience of over one and a half decades. He has worked at various organisations including Avinashi Systems, Artoon Games, and Tie Surat. He did his B.E from the Gujarat University.

Episode Highlights

How do you maintain a work-life balance?
The three steps of leadership
The importance of having the right team
How to maximize productivity in the workplace?

Follow Alpesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“There's a huge difference between HR and People. While HR is more focused on healthy workplaces, the People team excels in creating a better understanding and interpersonal connection with employees."

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Shubhra Singh, People Operations Manager at Nautilus Labs, a technology partner that pioneers the decarbonization of the ocean supply chain. Shubhra has an overall work experience of over seven years. She has worked at multiple organisations such as Opentalk, PopcornStay, A B Architect, Yumzy, Bricshare, etc She did her Bachelor of Engineering from Maharashtra Institute of Technology.

In this episode, Shubhra sheds light on stress and anxiety at work and what it's like to work at a people's domain.

Episode Highlights

Stress and anxiety at work
Handling emotional and mental health
How are the dynamics at the workplace changing?
What is the most rewarding part of being a people operation manager?

Follow Shubhra on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“One-on-ones between managers and employees are super important. Because if you never speak up about something and communicate that you have an issue or that you have an area of improvement for them, they'll never know.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about the importance of growth and learning, and communication as a priority. Our guest today is Rebecca Toler, Director of Human Resources at PEAKE Technology Partners, an award-winning provider of healthcare IT services in the Mid-Atlantic.

Rebecca Toler started off her career as a Sales Associate in 2011 at Toys R Us. She later on went on to work at multiple organisations such as Rover.com, UVS InfoTech, Anne Arundel, etc. She has over a decade of work experience. She did her Bachelor’s Degree from Towson University.

Episode Highlights

Why is it important to adapt strategies for talent acquisition and retention?
The importance of growth and learning
How to stay optimistic while managing day-to-day operations?
The importance of setting boundaries and work-life balance

Follow Rebecca on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"HR has so much to do with enabling business leaders, nurturing talent, creating talent management parts, and working through leadership styles. The role as an HR professional actually gives a very deep view of how decisions are shaped for an organisation to move to the next step."

Listeners, today you have been blessed with the opportunity to learn some special tips and tricks of the trade from Colette Parakh, HR Management Partner at VMware, a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. In this episode, Colette talks about some of the valuable skills and lessons she learned through her career and the various challenges of leading a research and development team.

Colette has had a long career of over twenty-five years. She is a seasoned veteran who has worked with various organisations such as Adecco, Oracle India, SEIMENS Technology and Services, etc. She did her Bachelors and her MBA from Shivaji University.

Episode Highlights

Challenges and skills and lessons learned throughout her career
What is the ideal way to support employee growth and development?
The importance of being empathetic and giving good news
Why is it important to upskill employees?

Follow Colette on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The number one reason is people don't scan enough lenders because it's time-consuming and leads to spam and phone calls. Executing a loan or refinance can be a difficult process, and we aim to provide a white glove service along with technology to make it more seamless.”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Rohit Agarwal, Co-Founder at SoraFinance, an automated finance tool that aims to give everyone their lowest possible cost of debt. In this episode, Rohit talks about how technology has changed the lending landscape and the current trends in finance.

Rohit has an overall work experience of over one and a half decades and has worked at various organisations including Bank of America, McKinsey and Company, The Tusker Fund, and Kiva. He did his B.A. Economics from the Emory University, and his MBA from the Northwestern University- Kellogg School of Management.

Episode Highlights

Some common financial mistakes that people make
How has technology changed the lending landscape?
What are the current trends in financing?
How to track your customer’s performance?

Follow Rohit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast features Tim Streit, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Grand Venturesa,n early-stage venture fund investing in seed-stage B2B SaaS companies in emerging regions of the US and Canada focused on Supply Chain, Fintech, DevOps, and Digital Health. In this episode, Tim sheds light on the evolution of the entrepreneurial community and the importance of having the right mindset.

"Each company is going to have a slightly different diligence plan, and especially you get a sense for what's going to make or break this company, and you focus your energy there."

Tim is a seasoned veteran who has an overall work experience of twenty-three years. He has worked at multiple organisations such as JP Morgan Chase, HSBC Card Services, Huron River Ventures, SkySpecs, etc. He did his BSE from the University of Michigan and his MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of the entrepreneurial community
What are the two most important factors to consider when starting a company?
How do founders react under pressure?
Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs

Follow Tim on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The success of our hiring system lies in its ability to bring together all candidate information in one platform, enabling hiring managers, recruiters, and candidates to make the right hiring decisions based on synthesised information."

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Mudita Chauhan, Head of Human Resources at CoinDCX, India’s most valued Crypto Investment App which provides users single-point access to a diverse suite of crypto-based financial products and services that are backed by security processes and insurance. In this episode, Mudita sheds light on some key technology trends that can shape the future of HR and using tech for hiring.

Mudita has had a long career of over sixteen years and started her career at Credit Suisse. From there she worked at various organisations including Bank of America, IDFC Bank, Reliance Industries, and EduBridge Learning. She did her B. Eng from Nanyang Technological University and PGP from the Indian School of Business.

Episode Highlights

Key HR technology trends that can shape the future of work
How well can we use tech for hiring?
Effective strategies for encouraging employees to take calculated risks
How to measure the success of team efforts?

Follow Mudita on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The next 5-10 years are going to be the game-changing years with respect to AI. I think companies will have to also take into consideration this particular aspect going forward.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast highlights how to adapt to the industry’s transformation and how AI and technology will impact the HR industry. Our Guest for this episode is Gaurav Garg, Senior Director of HR at NoBroker.com, a disruptive brokerage-free property search portal that connects house/property owners & tenants/buyers directly by eliminating the middleman.

Gaurav has an overall work experience of almost fifteen years. He has worked at many organisations including Amdocs, Capgemini Consulting, Airtel, and CapitalVia Global Research Limited. He did his B.Tech from the National Institute of Technology Surat and his PGDM from XLRI Jamshedpur.

Episode Highlights

How to adapt to transformations in the industry?
How will AI shape the industry over the next two years?
Why is it important to Build a culture of trust and accountability in an organisation?
How to adopt diversity and inclusion more effectively?

Follow Gaurav on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Another key change that I'm seeing with regard to clients is their understanding of digital itself, how they can improve their workforce efficiency, how they can improve their work style and their work culture by bringing in digital first."

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Rajaram Surianarayanan, Senior Strategy Consultant at Ma Foi Strategic Consultants Pvt Ltd., a business services and consulting company with a service spectrum that extends beyond Recruitment and covers the entire gamut of HR services like Staffing, Training, Consulting, Outsourcing and HR Automation.

Rajaram is a lawyer with nine years of work experience in Strategy, Growth, Policy, Governance, Cross-Cultural Communication, Public Relations, International Affairs and Leadership across Higher Education, Technology, Start-ups, Media and Management/Political/Policy Consulting sectors.

Episode Highlights

Strategic approach to staying ahead of competition and incorporating industry changes
Rajaram talks about the driving forces that motivated him to become a consultant
Advice for aspiring consultants in the future

Follow Rajaram on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Creating an inclusive work culture really requires a combination of policy changes and cultural shifts. We as employers, we can start by ensuring that our policies and benefits are inclusive and supportive of all employees and this being regardless of age, gender or race.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast highlights how the nuances of the HR industry have changed over the past years, particularly regarding women and working moms. Our guest for this episode is Michele Sereno, HR Director at Chargeback Gurus- a Financial Services company which provides end-to-end consumer transaction dispute management to leading brands around the world.

Michele has almost 16 years of experience and has worked in companies like Essar Oil and ArtisArk Pvt. Ltd. & 7Mantle Studios, across sectors like the oil and gas, predominantly the technology industry, and the animation industry. She has also received women leadership awards across her career span.

Episode Highlights

How have the nuances of the HR industry changed over the past years particularly regarding women and working moms?
How to foresee the changes in the HR industry evolving in the future?
Merene talks about programs implemented in her organisation to foster inclusivity
What does the future hold for employees returning to full-time work?

Follow Merene on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The biggest transformation in the industry has been the growth of cloud kitchens because delivery became a very big part of the business during the pandemic. There were many new brands that started in the cloud kitchen format alone and were considerable savings”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about the restaurant industry and the biggest transformations in the industry.

In this episode, we have Mini Jacob, Co-Founder at Oddbox Business Solutions, an Events, Design & Training Company. Mini is a seasoned veteran with an overall experience of three decades. She has worked at various organisations in various roles. Some of them being, Educational Consultant at The Times of India, Food Columnist at Worldwide Media, and Production manager at Fleming. She did her MBA from Osmania university and her Masters from Heriot-Watt University.

Episode Highlights

How has the restaurant industry changed during the pandemic?
The growth of cloud kitchens
What are the biggest challenges when it comes to technology?
Why is people management important to successful entrepreneurs?

Follow Mini on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The real health care system that we need is one that combines virtual and in-person in a seamless experience for the patient that is delightful for the patient. That's the thing that we need to focus on”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about the current healthcare system and the challenges in the medical industry. We have Mary O’Connor, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer at Vori Health, an all-inclusive healthcare provider practising a holistic, integrated approach starting with musculoskeletal care.

Mary has an overall experience of over three decades. She started off her career as an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Mayo Clinic Florida, where she worked for 23 years, where she later went on to become the Medical Director. She also worked at the Yale School of Medicine as the Director and also was the Board Director for BONESUPPORT AB. She is also a published author of Taking Care of You.

Episode Highlights

The importance of treating the symptom instead of the root cause
What is the problem with the current healthcare system?
How to make the home exercise program more engaging?
Challenges in the healthcare industry

Follow Mary on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“We host conferences and monthly gatherings of individuals centred around these same ideas of knowledge sharing and staying on top of what the current trends are, and what's hype, and what's actually going to drive the real business value for our customers.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features James Metcalf, Chief Administrative Officer at Semantic Arts, an IT Services and IT Consulting firm. In this episode, James Metcalf talks about balancing priorities and the importance of knowledge sharing and learning.

James completed his BBA from Colorado State University in the year 2009 and also worked as the Admissions Ambassador for the same University. He went on to work as a Student Staff Assistant at Outdoor Adventure Program and as a Campus Evangelist at Grace Christian Church prior to his time at Semantic Arts. He has an overall work experience of sixteen years.

Episode Highlights

How to Balance day-to-day activities and long-term strategic initiatives?
The importance of knowledge sharing and learning
How can the company set itself apart from its competitors?
Advice and inspiration for the listeners

Follow James on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast features Guillermo Cornejo, co-founder and CEO of Riders Share, an online marketplace for street-legal motorcycle rentals. In this episode, Guillermo talks about risk management and hiring the right people for the job.

“Hiring remains a mystery and what has worked for me best is to hire someone as a contractor first and then hire them full-time. People that are really passionate about the space tend to perform better than the people that are a little more qualified.”

Guillermo has had a long career of fifteen years. He started off as a Research Associate for Council on Hemispheric Affairs, later went on to work for major motor companies such as Nissan North America and Hyundai Capital America. He has also worked for GM Financial as a Pricing Analyst. He did his B.S. and B.A. in Economics and Political Science from the Texas Christian University and later did his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Episode Highlights

The importance of risk management in a company
The evolution of technology in influencing and mitigating risk factors
What are the challenges of hiring the right people?
Ways to build brand awareness without spending money

Follow Guillermo on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The medical or the pharmaceutical establishment is coming to terms with the idea that psychedelic medicines can be the future of mental health and can be some of the most impactful treatments that will happen the next five years”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Matias Serebrinky, CoFounder and General Partner at PsyMed Ventures, a company that ventures funds & syndicates investing in transformational technologies that elevate mental health & wellness. In this episode, Matias sheds light on the misconceptions of psychedelics and mental health, and mental fitness as a continuum.

Matias is a veteran who has an overall work experience of over fifteen years. He has worked at major tech companies such as Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment, and NVIDIA. He has also worked with CookUnity and Business Trip as a CoFounder. He did his Bachelor’s Degree from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella and is a graduate of AngelPad.

Episode Highlights

Misconceptions about psychedelics and psychedelic treatment
What do investors look for in companies that they invest in?
The future of psychedelics and the future of technology
Challenges in the psychedelic healing journey

Follow Matias on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Tomorrow's workplace is going to be diverse. We are talking about generational diversity, gender diversity, sexual diversity. Probably tomorrow with Gen Z's coming on board, you'd have people who would not want to just do your job, they would want to do a gig with you.”

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Amrita Pandey, Human Resource Business Partner and DE&I Lead at Colgate- Global Business Service, an innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets, and our planet. A leading global consumer products company dedicated to improving the health and wellness of people and their pets. Amrita Shares her wisdom on the key skills needed for success as an HRBP and the challenges and opportunities in HR.

Amrita has an overall work experience of over thirteen years. She did her Bachelor of Technology from SRM Institute of Science and Technology ad her MBA from the Xaviers Institute of Social Service. She has worked at various organisations throughout her career some of which are Tata Consultancy Services, Nomura, and Hero MotoCorp prior to her time at Colgate.

Episode Highlights

Key skills needed for success as a Human Resource Business Partner
How to measure the return on investment?
How to balance flexibility with the need for structure?
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for HR professionals in the company?

Follow Amrita on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Profitability is the key, the whole startup ecosystem is evolving in a manner where every manager, every employee, every leader will have to think about profitability and scalability together. So sustainable scalability is the way forward, it cannot be at the cost of profitability.”

In the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are honoured to have with us Amit Singhi, Director at MFine, an online health organisation that has online consultations and at-home tests to medical delivery and scans. Join us to hear what he has to say about managing sales and the importance of relationships in sales.

Amit Singhi has an overall experience of ten years. He started off his career at SBI Capital Markets as an Associate and later moved on to work at various organisations including ClubYantra where he was a CoFounder, Genecorp where he was a CoFounder and HealthifyMe where he was the Head of Account Management. He did his B.Com(Hons) from St.Xavier’s College Kolkata and his MBA from SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

How to stay motivated when faced with difficult goals?
The importance of relationships in sales
Why are insights so important in sales?
How will the startup culture evolve in the next few decades?

Follow Amit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A good leader should be confident enough and make sure that people all around him or her are happy, and they are not just happy on the face, but realising the fact that they can share things with the person. So they're open to that leader.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Smriti Aryan, Medical Information Scientist at Fresenius Medical Care Asia-Pacific, the world’s leading provider of products and services for individuals with kidney diseases.In this episode, Smriti sheds light on the difference in work cultures in different countries and the importance of diversity.

Smriti Aryan is a well-versed medical professional who has an overall work experience of over a decade. She has worked at various organisations on a global level. She had worked at the University of Hong Kong as a PHD Researcher, and ROHTO Pharmaceuticals as an Associate Principal Scientist.

Episode Highlights

The work culture in Hong Kong and how it is different from that of India
The importance of diversity in the workplace
Why do leaders need to give space to their employees?
Why is Communication important in today's world?

Follow Smriti on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Building equity helps create a sense of belonging, fostering engagement and supporting personal and professional commitments.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast highlights the challenges that we see in the HR workspace and its future. Our guest for this episode is Darshika Chandra Khare, Head HR- Pharmaceuticals India and South Asia at Johnson & Johnson, the largest and most diversified healthcare products company in the world. Producing life-changing breakthroughs every day.

Darshika is an HR veteran, having an experience of over fifteen years. She has worked at many well-known organisations such as HDFC Standard Life Insurance, Godrej Industries, Nature’s Basket, etc. She did her Bachelor’s Degree from Isabella Thoburn College, did a student exchange program at the University of Applied Science in Germany, and her MBA from Goa Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

Challenges and future of HR workspaces
Diversity and inclusion in the industry
How to balance work and life?
The importance of motivating yourself

Follow Darshika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A company can put out as much information as possible, or drive this particular culture, but if we don't have employees to participate in that culture, then it doesn't make a difference.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about the top technology trends that will catch up as organisations adapt to the new world of working. We have Jasmine Norris, Director, Human Resources and Culture at eSimplicity- an engineering firm that delivers high-quality Healthcare IT, Cybersecurity, and Telecommunication solutions. Jasmine has been in the HR industry for over 25 years now, and has worked in companies like Manheim and Amentum.

Episode Highlights

Strategies that can enable a healthy work culture
How can organisations build an inclusive work culture?
Top technology trends that will catch up as organisations adapt to the new world of working

FollowJasmine on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“AI and machine learning are the skills that are happening, and not just that, in your future for survival, you really need to have these skills and understand how these technologies work.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast highlights the challenges that candidates face today while they prepare for interviews. Our guest for this episode is Sophronia S, Human Resource Director at Reshamandi- India’s first and largest B2B marketplace digitising the natural fibre supply chain.

Sophronia has around 14 years of experience in HR functional areas especially Manpower Planning, Recruitment, Vendor Management including HRM, Organization policies, Employee Relations, Rewards & Recognition, Performance Management administration, Compensation and Benefits. She did her PGDHRM from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning and has worked in companies like Ocwen Financial Solutions Pvt. Ltd and NET HR.

Episode Highlight

The changes in the role of HR directors from the past
Strategies to adopt to make sure that the company retained its workforce
Challenges that candidates face today while they prepare for interviews
What are the skills that budding professionals must have in them according to the current trends?

FollowSophronia on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“India is definitely open to diversity, equity and inclusion work, but it's just happening like a seasonal or occasional event and it is more event-based; it is not on a people development base. There is definitely a lot of scope, organisation can reassess what they want to do with diversity or with DE&I”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Lakshmi Sreenivasan, Founder at The Outcast Collective, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion consulting and advisory firm. The Outcast Collective was started with a mission to bring those individuals on the margins to the centre. In this episode, Lakshmi talks about making an organisation completely inclusive and how to handle the concept of DE&I.

Lakshmi has an overall work experience of a decade and has worked at Square Sequel Consulting and LS Learning Systems before her time at The Outcast Collective. She did her B.Com from the University of Madras, her PGDBM from ICFAI, her Masters of Psychology in Indira Gandhi National Open University and her PGTFT from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She is also a Erickson Certified Coach and has done Design Thinking from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Episode Highlights

How to adapt to the concept of DE&I?
How to make an organisation completely inclusive?
Best practices for addressing unconscious bias in the workplace
The role of technology in accelerating the DE&I agenda

Follow Lakshmi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A recruiter should make their own pool for candidates. And then they have to take references. It would be like you have to tap the person and you have to tap the market and accordingly, so that you can get the person for that particular role.”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Amanpreet Kaur, Talent Acquisition Partner at HDFC Bank, one of India's premier banks providing a wide range of financial products and services to over 43 million customers. In this episode, Amanpreet talks about finding the right candidate for the job as well as how recruiters ensure fair and equitable recruitment.

Amanpreet has worked in HR roles at various organisations including HDFC securities and eClerx. She has also worked as a Talent Acquisition Specialist at Om Careers. She has an overall work experience of five years. She did her B.A Economics from the Khalsa College for Women and her M.A Economics from KLSD.

Episode Highlights

How to find the right candidate for the job?
How do recruiters ensure fair and equitable recruitment?
The role of analytics in recruitment
Common mistakes recruiters make during the hiring process

Follow Amanpreet on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR uses a framework of 70/20/10 principle, which is basically, 70% of the things we learn by doing, 20% by exposure, and 10% by actually the outcome of classroom learning.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Akash Shrivastav, Lead Talent Management Partner at Flipkart, an e-commerce store. In this episode, Akash talks about the best strategies and practices for talent management and the biggest challenges for talent management.

Akash has an overall work experience of five years. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Mumbai and his MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He has spent most of his career at Flipkart starting as an intern.

Episode Highlights

Best practices and strategies for talent management
Importance of the 70/20/10 principle
How to mitigate the impact of laying off employees?
How can other people benefit from HR?

Follow Akash on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Now employees have a lot more power than before, so organisations have to keep their listening ear on all the time, and adapt to the changing work culture, to attract and retain talent. "

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Padma C, Chief Operations Officer at Scketch, a group of passionate Engineers, Marketers, and Analysts working towards enhancing business performance with cutting-edge end-to-end web and mobile solutions. Padma sheds light on the current trends in the industry and key factors of a successful recruitment process.

Padma has had a long career with an overall experience of over three and a half decades. She has worked at a couple of different organisations the most prominent one being Sonata Software, where she had spent the majority of her career. She has also worked at Hindustan Aeronautics as Deputy Manager. She did her B.Tech from The National Institute of Technology and her M.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology.

Episode Highlights

The current state of the career landscape
How has technology taken over the HR industry?
The key factors for a successful recruitment process
The importance of branding and employee value proposition

Follow Padma on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“AI is not here to replace humans, it is there to help humans. HR is a very recession-proof business because it's not going anywhere no matter how much AI comes in, when a person in an organisation needs a solution he needs a person to talk to.”

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Pratiksha Jichkar, Talent Brand Specialist at Amagi Corporation, a global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV. Pratiksha shares her wisdom on the change in working culture in the industry and how data has changed the game.

Pratiksha has an overall work experience of over five years. She did her Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology from Dr Ambedkar Institute of Management Studies Research and her PGDM from Welingkar Institute of Management. She has worked at many organisations including Xoxoday, PwC, BookShort, etc. She has also worked as an IGN Ambassador and as a Team Leader at AIESEC.

Episode Highlights

How has the working culture changed in the industry?
How has the advent of data changed the game?
Will the advent of AI affect the work culture?
Some of the best practices to increase employee engagement

Follow Pratiksha on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“As a project manager, you should be very spontaneous enough to deal with the unexpected situations and convert that particular weakness to opportunities and have the strength to convert those weaknesses in that particular market.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about some of the major challenges as a project manager and the importance of being available to the customers. We have Yelisetty Naga Saujanya, Projects Director at Pact Software Services, an international software development company headquartered in India with its branches across the Middle East(UAE, Saudi, Qatar) Kenya & USA. They specialise in ERP, Accounting and CRM software solutions.

Saujanya has an overall work experience of over two decades. She has worked at Riyan Creations and PMI Pearl City Chapter before her time at Pact Software, where she has worked for over seventeen years. She did her Bachelor’s Degree from St. Theresa’s College for Women, and her PGPMEX from Great Lakes Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

What Pack Services has achieved in 25 years of growth?
The importance of being available to customers
What are some major challenges of being Project Director?
Advice to the youth starting their careers

Follow Saujanya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“As an HR business partner, it's very important to be honest, because you're not only the representative of HR, you are also the representative of the overall organisation. Because you're closely working with the business, you're trying to understand their needs."

In the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are honoured to have with us Sneha Shende, Senior Human Resource Business Partner at Epicor, an organisation focused on helping companies to grow and transform, or simply become more productive and effective. They are essential partners for the world’s most essential businesses. Join us to hear what she has to say about her vision behind Epicor and talk about the industry trends and creating a more positive work culture.

Sneha did her BSC from GSSc College, Belgaum, and her MBA from KLS IMER, Belgaum. She is an 11 years seasoned HR professional as a Strategic HR Business Partner. She has worked at various organisations including Oracle, Huawei Technologies, Microland Limited, etc.

Episode Highlights

How can we create a more positive work culture?
How to stay up to date with industry trends?
How has remote work impacted health and personal life?
Strategies for improving the onboarding experience

Follow Sneha on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“It's important for people like us, or the leaders or professionals to stay on the top of the trends and to know how to use the technologies and they can advance themselves with these help of technologies."

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about organising team goals for success and how to use technology to support the goal. Our guest today is Chaitaly Mehta, Director at EKF Global Logistics.Chaitaly has an overall work experience of over twenty-five years. She is a seasoned veteran who has spent most of her career at EKF Global, formerly known as Express Kargo Forwarders. She did her L.L.B from New Ruparel Law College and her B.Com, in Travel and Tourism From H.R College.

Episode Highlights

How to build a high-performance team that is aligned with the organisation's strategic goals?
How to deal with a bad day?
How to approach technology and automation in a company?
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and founders

Follow Chaitaly on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I think when you get exposed to a new domain, or a new career, or a new job change or anything, wherever you're going, you will be facing recent hurdles. You will have to build it from scratch again, legacy cannot be carried forward. You have to work on it and you have to build it again and again."

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Sungkrityayan Khan, Vice President of Human Resources at Extramarks Education India, one of the fastest-growing educational technology companies, with a global footprint. The company has a huge presence in India, South Africa, Indonesia, and the Middle East. Sungkrityayan sheds light on the challenges of being a strategic HR leader and creating a more inclusive workplace.

Sungkrityayan has an overall work experience of over a decade. He did his B.Tech and his MBA from SRM University, and his PhD in Human Resource Management from Chitkara University. He has worked at various organisations some of which are iThink Learning, BYJU’s, and Airblack.

Episode Highlights

The challenges of being a strategic HR leader
Advice to HR leaders on creating a more inclusive workplace
How to stay motivated during challenging times?
Motivational and spiritual strategies for HR leaders

Follow Sungkrityayan on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest talks about incorporating the latest trends and developments into company's strategy.

“The identification of the problem statement is the biggest thing to focus on, especially in the first few years of the startup, till you're evolving your product, finding your market, finding who your right customers are, and it's a very iterative process.”

We welcome Ram Ramdas, Founder and Chief Evangelist at Wonderlend Hubs- a DIPP-recognised, IIT-B-investee FinTech which provides solutions across the lending and incentive compensation management spectrum. After his PhD in Mathematics, Ram spent about a decade in corporate and then for the last 25 years being a tech entrepreneur.

Episode Highlights

Ram shares the key challenges he faced in building his startup
How to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments occurring in the industry?
Advice to all the aspiring individuals who want to start a FinTech company

FollowRam on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Get behind the vision of your customer, on a long term basis, put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Sometimes you’ll get it right, sometimes you’ll get it wrong, but most times you get it right.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Mudassar Pasha Maniyar, CEO at Serpro Consulting.Mudassar graduated as a software engineer in 2007, from VTE College of Engineering in Mangalore after which he worked for about 10 months in a startup, as a software programmer. Later he did his masters in Software Engineering from The University of Sheffield where he speicialised in Agile methods. Prior to Serpro Consulting he has around 6 years of experience and has worked in organisations like Accenture, Neebal Technologies and JoulestoWatts Business Solutions Pvt Ltd.

Episode Highlights

Mudassar talks about how he manages his client relationships
Mudassar shares his company's approach to consulting
Advice to budding consultants entering the industry

FollowMudassar on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“It is absolutely essential for employees, managers, leaders, executives to practise active listening in the workplace which helps with a clearer mode of communication”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Akshay Shinde, Associate Vice President of HR at WNS- a leading Business Process Management (BPM) company. Akshay is a Human Resource professional with almost 15 years of experience in the domain of Consulting, Information Technology, Captive Centres and Business Process Management Industries. He graduated with an MBA from the ICFAI University, Tripura, and has associated with multiple organisations post that.

In this episode, Akshay talks about understanding the perspective and the needs of the employees.

Episode Highlights

How to understand the perspective and the needs of the employees?
Strategies for talent acquisition and retention
How HR practices have adapted to respond to the changes brought about by the pandemic?

FollowAkshay on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“When you're taking any step in your career, it's important to keep in mind about you as an individual and strike that balance between what your priorities are both from a personal standpoint and professional standpoint.”

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Sonali Bhatia, Global Talent Branding Partner at Capgemini. Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology.

Sonali did her engineering from Rajasthan Technical University and worked as an Editorial Trainee at Oxford University Press. She later did her MBA in HR from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon and currently has been working for around 6 years in Capgemini where she works on employee branding, talent attraction, candidate experience and so on.

Episode Highlights

Common career mistakes today's Millennials make
How to measure and improve employee engagement levels within an organisation?
Challenges while handling a large employee base
Advice for aspiring HR professionals

FollowSonali on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Networking is an essential part for career development, but we overlook its importance, or underestimate the power of building professional relationships.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Hardik Vishwakarma, Co-Founder at Recooty- an all-in-one recruiting software that streamlines hiring processes.

After completing his engineering in 2015, he started a food startup named Food O' Clock, along with his brothers. Later with his colleagues he started a video production company called VidTold, another startup before he went on to build a recruiting company.

Episode Highlights

Career mistakes today's Millennials make
Hardik talks about what motivated him to start his business venture
Hardik shares the challenges he faced in the early days of the company
Advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and co founders who have just started their career

Follow Hardik on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“We need to be flexible in such a way that we keep our learning and development in line with the demand of the market.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Saarthak Chandna, Senior Executive - HR Talent Partner and Special Project at Cognizant- a IT Services and Consulting Company.

Sarthak completed his B.Tech in Computer Science from DIT University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. He worked in Wipro and Crossbow Labs as a Project Engineer and Quality Assurance Engineer respectively. Later he joined St. Xavier’s Institute of Management (XIM Bhubaneswar) where he finally decided to pursue his dream of doing an MBA. Post Graduation he worked as an HR Intern in companies like L'Oréal and Roots Company. He currently works at Cognizant as a Senior Executive where he focuses on talent management process, employee engagement and so on.

Episode Highlight

How can we create a positive work culture?
What are the strategies to ensure that technology supports the goal of the organisation?
What steps should we take to continue learning and adapting as the digital landscape evolves?
Changes that will occur in the HR industry in the future

Follow Saarthak on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“If companies, whether profit or nonprofit, don't get on to the curve of ensuring that their workplaces are inclusive, they are going to miss out on the business and miss out on their own growth.”

In the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast we are honoured to have with us Aparna Mittal, Founder of Samāna Centre for Gender, Policy and Law- a leading consultancy exclusively focused on DEI - equality, diversity, equity and inclusion. Join us to hear what she has to say about her vision behind Samāna and on addressing issues of bias and discrimination at the workplace.

Aparna graduated from National Law School of India, Bangalore, and started her career in a law firm, in 2005. She has over 18 years of professional experience, and is one of the leading advisors in the areas of diversity & inclusion, gender impact investing, anti sexual harassment (PoSH) law and corporate law. She founded the Samāna Centre which works towards empowering women (and men), transgender persons and the LGBTQ community.

Episode Highlights

Aparna talks about her vision behind Samāna
How can we address issues of bias and discrimination at the workplace?
How do we promote a sense of belongingness for all employees?
How can we make AI a sustainable practice in everyday routine?
How to make sure that an organisation's recruiting team is committed to a diverse culture?
Can technology in any way be leveraged to provide a better working world to everyone?

Follow Aparna on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“We spend a lot of time talking, we talk to our customers, we talk internally, and we talk to our competitors because, at the end of the day, competitive advantage is perhaps more baked into what you do with knowledge, than the knowledge itself.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about how AI will revolutionise the industry in the coming years and the customer community will help in the growth of the value of an organisation. We have Phil Tee, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO at Moogsoft, an AIOps incident management platform for engineering teams responsible for maintaining high availability.

Phil Tee has an overall work experience of over three decades. He has worked at various organisations including Micromuse, RiverSoft, Njini Inc and Promethyan labs prior to Moogsoft. He did his BSc in Physics and his Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Sussex.

Episode Highlights

The challenges of running a tech company
What kind of AI technology will revolutionise the industry?
The importance of customer community to the growth in value of a business
Advice for the aspiring youth

Follow Phil on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The introduction of technology and by leveraging data, we were able to raise the profile of the L&D team and deliver higher value to our business and make our L&D team deliver and be more responsive to the business needs.”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Saurabh Bansal, Lead HR Business Partner at DXC Technology, an organisation that helps global companies run their mission-critical systems and operations while modernising IT, optimising data architectures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private and hybrid clouds. In this episode, Saurabh talks about leveraging data and analytics to make a significant impact and introduce more diversity in the workplace.

Saurabh has worked in HR roles at many organisations including Cairn Oil and Gas and Ecom Express and also worked at the New Delhi Institute of Management. He has an overall work experience of fourteen years. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering and his PG in Human Resource Management from XLRI Jamshedpur.

Episode Highlights

How to ensure that you stay up to date with the latest trends and practices in HR?
How to leverage data to deliver higher value to the business?
How to introduce more diversity in a warehouse?
Advice for young professionals interested in HR

Follow Saurabh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Companies need to foster psychological safety. Psychological safety is a concept where women, or anybody else, feel that they could voice their own opinions without any backlash from their superiors.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Aditi Arora, Country Director at Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation which is a girl-centred leadership development initiative, focusing on equity for girls and women in spaces where they are unheard or under-represented. She has an overall work experience of over eight years. She did her B.A in Political Science from Lady Shri Ram College For Women, and a Master’s Degree from Geneva Graduate Institute. She previously worked at Just A Girl Inc. as Inclusivity Advisory Board Member.

In this episode, Aditi sheds light on supporting women in the workplace and the difference between men’s and women's approaches in leadership.

Episode Highlights

How to support more women in the workplace?
The difference between men’s and women’s approaches to leadership
How will technology shape the future of work?
How to use technology to mitigate unconscious bias in hiring?
Importance of having a strong work culture

Follow Aditi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR is the bridge between the employer and the employee. We will be able to be that bridge, only when we have an understanding from both an employer's and an employee's standpoint”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Akshay K, Global Human Resource Business Partner at Wipro, a leading technology services and consulting company focused on building innovative solutions that address clients’ most complex digital transformation needs. Today, Akshay talks about handling the mental stress of employees and the importance of addressing stress in a work environment.

Akshay is a seasoned veteran in Human resources as he has a total work experience of more than a decade as of now. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from Ramaiah Institute of Technology and later went on to do his MBA. He has worked at various organisations including Tesco HSC, JCPenney, and Mindtree.

Episode Highlights

How to handle employees who report mental health issues or burnout?
The importance of addressing stress in a timely manner
How do you balance the needs of the organisation and the employee?
The importance of the exit points

Follow Akshay on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Avik Chakraborty, Human Resources Business Partner. Avik sheds light on the importance of equity, inclusion, and workplace diversity and strategising plans for organisational growth.

“It's essential to create an inclusive work environment where everyone feels like they are valued. I have tackled this challenge by developing diversity and inclusion policies, which provide diversity training to employees creating programs that encourage cultural awareness and sensitivity.”

Avik has his fair share of experience in HR. He has worked in various HR roles at various organisations for the most part of his career. He did his BCA from Burdwan University, his BBA from ICFAI Business School, and also graduated from Cornell University. He has worked at various organisations including Right Turn, VFS Global, and CBRE Host.

Episode Highlights

Why diversity, equity, and inclusion is important for an organisation?
How to deal with employee conflicts?
How can HR managers strategise their plans to enhance organisational growth?
Advice to aspiring HR professionals

Follow Avik on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Everyone on the team has their own priorities and expectations, so you need to align them to a common vision of the company. Why was this company created? Why you want to work at this company, and how you should be motivated to work for this company”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast throws light on the future of industrial roles with the onset of better technology. Our guest today is Bhavin Gandhi, Partner at Techlab Consulting, an innovative solution for addressing the problems faced by dental laboratories.

Bhavin's career is filled with various roles. In his eighteen years of work experience we can see that Bhavin has worked as a consultant, an analyst, a managing partner, and even as a co-founder. He did his Bachelor of engineering from the University of Mumbai and also did a certification course for Tabla from the Temple of Fine Arts.

Episode Highlights

What are the challenges faced as a co-founder of a company?
How to prepare for the future of industrial roles with the onset of AI?
The importance of aligning the team to common goals
How to plan ahead for project deadlines?

Follow Bhavin on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Having an outplacement agency helps the existing employees as well as the employee who will be part of the system because they know that the organisation cares about its employees and values.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about the challenges with employee retention and the importance of work-life balance. Our guest today is Shuchi Agarwal, Human Resource Business Partner at GfK, an IT services and IT consulting organisation that promotes sustainable growth.

Shuchi is a human resource veteran with over a decade of work experience. She did her Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Birla Institute of Management Technology. She has worked at Tripster Solutions and The Hi-Tech Robotics Systemz Ltd., both in HR roles.

Episode Highlights

What are the challenges with employee retention?
The importance of transparent and open communication
How important is work-life balance?
Advice for young people starting out

Follow Shuchi on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Being collaborative is very important. Because every decision you make, you should involve your business leader in it, they should be aware of what you're trying to do.”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Vishhal Pawar, Senior Human Resources Manager at Orion Innovation, a leading digital transformation and product development services firm. Vishhal is an HR veteran, with an overall experience of over sixteen years of experience. He did his B.Sc, M.Sc, and MBA from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad. He has worked at various organisations including Reliance Life Insurance, State Street, UBS, TMF Group, etc.

In this episode, Vishhal talks about the importance of fostering a learning culture and on building strong relations with business leaders.

Episode Highlights

How to foster a culture of continuous learning in your organisation?
Some challenges and opportunities associated with managing a global workforce
How can HR professionals build strong relationships with business leaders?
Key competencies that every HR professional should carry

Follow Vishhal on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A positive work culture can be a key factor in retaining top talent and employees. HR managers should focus on an environment where employees feel valued, respected, and supported.”

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode, we have Vaibhav Tushar, Human Resource Business Partner at Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer. Vaibhav sheds light on retaining an organisation's talent pool and the importance of a positive work culture.

Vaibhav has an overall work experience of over a decade. He did his B.Tech from the Cochin University of Science and Technology and his MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He kicked off his career at Infosys as a Senior Systems Engineer and later went on to work at various organisations including Hindustan Coca-Cola, Larsen & Toubro Infotech Ltd, Reliance Retail, etc.

Episode Highlights

How to design and structure an overall strategy for retaining the organisations talent pool?
How has the hybrid workspace model impacted the industry?
The industrial revolution and the impact of covid-19
Advice to budding HR professionals

Follow Vaibhav on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Learning and development are crucial in any organisation, whether you have 10 people, whether you have 10,000 people, whether they are globally scattered, or whether they might just be in one city and one office."

We are honoured to have with us Kelly Reardon Little, HR Manager at Tryon Solutions, services and consulting organisation that solves supply chain execution challenges. In this episode, Kelly discusses different training methods that can foster greater impact and employee retention.

Kelly has an overall work experience of two decades. She completed her BBA from Strayer University. She started off her career as a College Recruiter with The Pantry and later went on to work as a Firm Administrator at MVP Plan Administrators where she spent a major part of her career.

Episode Highlights

Some training methods which can foster greater success
How to get top management to invest more in learning and development?
The importance of investing in your employees and their strengths
How does the future of work look like?

Follow Kelly on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Today's times are very dynamic. It requires creating a culture and an employee experience, which meets today's needs of a digitally connected and distributed workforce.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Sangita Subnis, Talent Business Partner at Thoughtworks- a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation.

After completing her master's degree in Human Resource Management, she started her career with Tata Consultancy Services as a management trainee. Her first role there was that of an HR generalist. However, over the next several years, she delved deeper into the HR business partnering role, and has also covered various aspects of employee relations, performance management, organisational development and employee engagement.

Episode Highlights

Sangita talks about her ways of coping with stress
Strategies for devising employee engagement initiatives
How to handle issues of workplace harassment and discrimination
Sangita gives her advice to budding HR listeners

FollowSangita on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode we have Kanika Atheya, HR Business Partner at Qualcomm. Kanika sheds light on the tech integration in HR and how aspiring individuals should approach learning such deals.

"We should be investing in establishing rapport and having a good working relationship, because in every department, every leader will have a different context, their objectives, risks, everything will be different. So, understanding the landscape from that standpoint is very important. ”

Kanika did her MA in Human Resource Management and Labour Relations from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. She has almost a decade of experience and has worked in organisations like Wipro and Jumbo Electronics Company Limited.

Episode Highlights

Approach to engaging with other departments in the organisation to support the overall business goals
How are the HR departments adapted to the shift towards remote or hybrid work?
Tech integration in HR

Follow Kanika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“A talent mapping budget is a progressive approach and an ongoing activity. The sequence of steps, right from starting to identify, how you can include fresh new talent while saving some cost while also mapping the differences in skill set.”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Garima Gundesha, Talent Acquisition Partner at Siemens, a technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare. Garima is an HR professional with a history of working in the market research, retail, hospitality, BFSI, Engineering and IT industries and has an overall work experience of over 7 years.

In this episode, Garima sheds light on managing a talent pool and a strategic approach towards it.

Episode Highlights

Garima talks about the successful initiatives that her department has achieved over the years
The key metrics and strategic approach to talent mapping
How managing a talent pool is essential to the outcome of organisational growth?

Follow Garima on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“When you become a new business owner, you can do as much research and write the best business plan in the world. But once you get into the real world, in the process of starting a business, you're just going to hit road bumps that you don't even know are going to exist.”

We are honoured to have with us Jennifer Carnahan, Founder and General Manager at Primrose Park in the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. Join us to hear what she has to say about the idea behind starting Primrose and inclusivity in the organisation.

Jennifer did her undergraduate from Syracuse, New York. And then, she spent the first five years of her career working in sports marketing for Major League Baseball teams, the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and then an NBA team, the Minnesota Timberwolves. And then got her MBA from the University of Minnesota and worked for some of the top global consumer giants like McDonald's Corporation, General Mills, Swarovski, and also a B2B company called Ecolab. She later founded her first business, a retail store, Primrose Park. And within the first couple years of doing that, she had opened three new businesses, and started building a mini retail empire.

Episode Highlights

Jennifer talks about the idea behind starting Primrose Park
Jennifer shares how the Covid has impacted her business
How has the state of women changed, especially at the leadership levels?
Jennifer’s key takeaways from the various countries she has visited
How does Primrose make sure that it comes out as an inclusive organisation?

FollowJennifer on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I've been inspired by what Simon Sinek says. Start with Why? The more purpose oriented we are, the more we know how our work really helps the big picture, the big project, the big teams and so on. It creates a good pull factor, it helps people work better.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast throws light on what inspired him to pursue his career in his area of expertise. Our guest today is Asraar Hyder, AVP Rewards & Performance at Barclays- a British universal bank.

Asraar’s journey to HR and rewards has been a lot of happy coincidences. The first part of his career was working with an IT services firm, and later went on to take an MBA from Management Development Institute, Gurgaon. And has worked with around three IT services or other services companies throughout his post, HR MBA career.

Episode Highlights

Asraar talks about what inspired him to pursue his career
Common career mistakes today's Millennials make
How HR technologies have evolved to meet the ever changing priorities?
How to ensure that the team is working effectively?

FollowAsraar on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“More successful employee engagement programmes are by the people and for the people. Understand what people want and let them drive it, give them the autonomy to decide what and how they want to do it.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about employee engagement, the onset of AI and mass integration of tech in the industry. Our guest today is Sabyasachi Das, Managing Director at Nanoheal- a patented predictive and cognitive workplace automation software for technology support providers.

Sabyasachi has been in the IT industry since 1994 and has essayed several roles while leading multiple functions involving country, regional and global teams. He has worked in companies like HP, IBM and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

Episode Highlights

Sabyasachi talks about the key strategies that fueled him to hustle in a world of rapid developments
How to prepare for future industrial roles in the onset of AI and mass integration of tech in the industry?
What should be involved in the strategic planning process for improving employee engagement?
Advise on having an optimistic attitude towards work and life

FollowSabyasachi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

The newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Koulik Kar, Executive Assistant at vCommission Media Private Limited, a Global Affiliate Marketing Network delivering Performance on Web & Mobile to Worldwide Advertisers. In this episode, Koulik talks about building effective and trustworthy working relationships and dealing with difficult situations.

“I would always say that you always need to be honest and authentic to yourself and towards your client. If you won’t be honest, if you don't follow honesty, and if you won’t be authentic towards the client, the clients will not be there with you.”

Koulik has an overall work experience of more than five years. After he did his Engineering degree and his MBA, he worked as a door-to-door sales representative for ten months and later moved to a business development role for an IT firm. He has worked at various organisations including CYBERTRON Technologies and Ecogreen Energy Private Limited.

Episode Highlights

How to establish a trustworthy working relationship with clients?
How to deal with difficult situations and challenges?
Best practices and qualities for becoming an executive assistant
Why is adaptability important?

Follow Koulik on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Startups are looking at not just top-line revenue, but also at profitability. How can we grow into profitable businesses, that's an important aspect to ensure that the business can survive and make money.”

This new instalment of The Shape of Work podcast features Kritika Singhania, Senior Manager - Enterprise Marketing at Fynd, India's largest omnichannel ecosystem and multi-platform tech company. In this episode, Kritika talks about the opportunities in luxury brand management and sustainability.

Kritika has an overall work experience of over a decade. She did her B.Com from Christ University, Bangalore, her Chartered Accountancy from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, her Post Graduation from SDA Bocconi Asia Centre, and her Diploma in SDA Bocconi.

Episode Highlights

What kind of opportunities are rising up in luxury brand management?
What is the importance of sustainability?
What are some upcoming workplace changes that will come in the future?
Importance of using social media for the upliftment of a business

Follow Kritika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Work culture also means constantly being challenged to be engaged and innovating where the team is much more included in leadership decisions, etc. And all of that you feel like you have a stake in the company, and more involvement in the company.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks on creating an inclusive work culture and preparing for the hiring process. Our guest today is Swetha Harikrishnan, Senior Director - People at HackerEarth, a comprehensive developer assessment software that helps companies accurately measure the skills of developers during the recruiting process.

Swetha has an overall work experience of sixteen years. She did her B.Sc from Dayananda Sagar College of Science, Bangalore, and later her MBA in PES and Human Resources. He has worked in various companies including American Express, Hewlett-Packard, BT Group, etc.

Episode Highlights

How to create an inclusive culture?
How to prepare for the hiring process?
The importance of diversity in the workplace
How does technology help in hiring?

Follow Swetha on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“If we talk about the future of work from here, the employers and the employees have to understand what can be in person, what can be remote, for what you need to come together, what can be sort of executed while you're all alone”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about diversity in a team and making the best decision for the team. We welcome Atma Godara, Human Resources Manager at Netflix, Netflix is the world's leading streaming entertainment service.

Atma is an HR veteran who has an overall experience of more than a decade. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from Punjab Engineering College and his Master’s Degree from Tata Institute of Social Science. He is a seasoned HR veteran who has worked in various HR roles in various organisations such as Reliance Industries Limited, GreyOrange, Oyo, etc

Episode Highlights

How do you make sure your team is diverse?
How to decide what works best for your team?
How to instil motivation in an employee?
How will the future of HR change in the coming years?

Follow Atma on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The new age professional is driven by purpose. They want to do stuff, which is going to make a difference to the community, and to the environment. There is a higher-level reason other than earning money. Purpose, autonomy, and mastery, are the things that will be driving the new age.”

Today’s episode of The Shape Of Work features Manish Anandani, Director of Engineering at Macrometa, a development platform for building real-time apps and APIs on the edge. Manish talks about how the It industry has changed over the years and the latest trends in the IT industry.

Manish has an overall work experience of twenty-two years. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from Amravati University and his Adv Diploma from CDAC ACTS Pune. He worked at Veritas Technologies and TietoEVRY prior to working at Macrometa.

Episode Highlights

How has the IT industry changed over the years?
Some latest trends that are going to take over the industry
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
How is the job market going to change?

Follow Manish on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I think agility is a very important aspect in this whole ecosystem. So agility and adapting to fast-changing environments, diversity, equity, and inclusion will become an integral part of the employee lifecycle.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Supriya Joshi, HR Business Partner at Sterlite Technologies Limited, an industry-leading integrator of digital networks which design and integrate digital networks. Supriya has an overall work experience of over three decades. She has spent about twenty-one years at STL and has worked at various organisations prior to STL including Lupin India and Indo-German Tool Room.

In today’s episode, Supriya talks about how technology will shape the future of recruitment and the future of HR.

Episode Highlights

The state of HR in the early years
How technology is going to shape the recruitment process?
How will HR evolve in the next five years?
What are some critical skills that are non-negotiable in having a good career?

Follow Supriya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Now that organisations are more inclusive. When you embrace different communities or different genders, you are actually embracing different ideologies and different sorts of views that will actually help your organisation if not grow externally, but internally.”

This new instalment of The Shape of Work podcast features Shreya Tomar, Lead Human Resources Business Partner at Sharechat. In this episode, Shreya talks about how the workplace culture has changed and about the hybrid working model.

Shreya has an overall work experience of three years. She did her Bachelor of Engineering from IES IPS ACADEMY, Indore, and her Executive Postgraduate Programme from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore. She worked at AIESEC before her time in TaskUs.

Episode Highlights

How has the workplace culture changed?
The hybrid work culture in the current generation
What are some of the future trends that will be coming in?
How to handle employee retention?

Follow Shreya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

We welcome Runam Mehta, the CEO of HealthCube, a company that designs and manufactures point-of-care diagnostic devices to enhance the quality of primary care in diverse settings.

Runam has an overall experience of thirteen years. She did her Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the Sancheti Institute and her Executive General Management Program from the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. She has worked at various companies namely, Work Ergonomics and Portea, and spent her former years as a physiotherapist.

Episode Highlights

What is the meaning of organisational work culture?
What impact does an organisational work culture have on the employees?
Disparities faced by women because of the gender bias
How to maintain a good work-life balance?

Follow Runam on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Optimistic attitude is something that is very important. And accepting is a big thing. So if you have that positive attitude, you will try and accept new things as well. And if you can speak well, I think half the battle is won”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Harsh Khandelwal, Sr. Assistant Director at Fisdom Private Wealth, which provides HNIs with a reliable and robust technology platform to meet their wealth management needs, supplemented by dedicated and experienced wealth managers. Harsh has an overall work experience of over sixteen years. He did his MBA from the International School of Business & Research. He has worked at various organisations including Induslnd Bank, HDFC Bank, Karvy Private Wealth, etc.

In this episode, Harsh sheds light on the shifting industries and shifting perspectives, and the change in workplace culture.

Episode Highlights

The shift in perspectives when shifting industries
What are the current prevalent skills that employees need to have in todays market?
How has the workplace culture changed?
The importance of having an optimistic attitude

Follow Harsh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Every company has a happiness quotient target, and therefore every leader has one. So even if you deliver super duper profits, but you don't deliver happiness to our people,it doesn't fly in our company.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features S Venky Venkatesh, Member-Group Management Board & President-Group HR at RPG Group, one of India’s fastest-growing industrial machinery manufacturing business groups. He has an overall work experience of over thirty-five years. He did his Master’s in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. He has worked in various companies including ITC, BPL Innovision Business Group, Arvind Limited, etc.

In this episode, this seasoned veteran talks about how AI can contribute to building an inclusive workplace and how to measure a company’s success.

Episode Highlights

How does the company measure success?
What are some key performance indicators?
How can AI contribute to building a more inclusive workplace?
The importance of employee happiness

Follow Venky on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Engagement opens a bridge and creates an indispensable magic, wherein, the employees start trusting you better they start communicating with you better. And feedback is always important. It is a two-way bridge that is built through engagement.”

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast throws light on some basic skills required to get through the first screening process. Our guest today is Malabika Jena, Executive-People Operations at Simpl, India’s top check-out network meant to make payments invisible and money intelligent.

Malabika has an overall experience of two years. She did her BBA from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. She has various certifications from top institutes such as the University Of London, London Business School, the University of Toronto, etc. She has done various internships with various companies including Workduck, Dunzo, Nestlé, etc.

Episode Highlights

Basic skills required to get through the initial screening process
How to attract more employees?
Does having a gap year negatively affect your career?
What is the one quality that is totally non-negotiable?

Follow Malabika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR is a function that sits on tons of data. There is a big scope for using this data to predict the future into making better decisions. So I think this area of data analytics within HR is an area where I see a lot of focus and effort from companies”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about the various challenges HR is facing today and how to stay up to date with the latest trends in HR. We have George Verghese, Vice President, Group HR and CHRO at Kirloskar Group.

George has an overall work experience of eighteen years. He did his B. Tech from the College of Engineering, Munnar, and his PGDBM from XLRI Jamshedpur. George has worked in various organisations throughout his career, some of which include Dell, Reliance Communications, Cummins Inc., etc.

Episode Highlights

What are some of the biggest challenges HR is facing now?
How to stay up-to-date with the emerging tech trends in HR?
What are some effective strategies for managing employee performance?
The difference between a performance-driven culture and time-bound culture

Follow George on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Give them a sense of belonging, make them feel included in the organization, and assure them that taking these steps will lead to better productivity and retention of employees."

The newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Rupinder Sihra,
Human Resources Manager at Abalta Technologies Inc., a human-centered software solution focused on improving mobility and lifestyles across the globe. In this episode, Rupinder delves into the challenges he faced in his career and strategies for improving employee well-being.

Rupinder has an overall work experience of more than two decades. She did her Bachelor of Science from the University of Jammu and her Master of Science also from the University of Jammu. She also did her PGDBM from Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune. She started her career in the Indian Army where she was a Captain. She has worked at various organisations including Wipro as the Assistant Facilities Manager, The Boston Consulting Group, FIITJEE, Denken Solutions, etc.

Episode Highlights

What are some important strategies for improving employee well-being?
Importance of encouraging a healthy work-life balance
The importance of employee feedback
What are some emerging technologies that will have a big impact?

Follow Rupinder on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest talks about the best resources for learning and development and how to ensure to stay up to date with trends.

“L&D is going to make a big impact on how we can empower everybody who's investing in their careers. But the original end result is going to be how we can enhance somebody's career, how we can look at a long-term career in specific skills, and make things like that”

We welcome Arjit Gupta, Assistant Vice President- Learning and Development at Barclays- one of the best universal banks based out of the UK.

Arjit has an overall experience of fourteen years, where he spent the entirety of his career in Barclays. Started his journey at Barclays as Personal Banker, later as the Assistant Manager for Operations, and finally as the Assistant Vice President. He did his B.Com from Delhi University and his Masters of Business from Golden Gate University.

Episode Highlights

How to stay up to date with the trends in learning and development?
What are the biggest challenges while developing effective training programs?
How to ensure training programs are inclusive and accessible to all?
New trends and technologies in the future of the Learning and Development field

Follow Arjit on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Being an HR professional, I think there were several challenges that emerged during the pandemic. Many businesses had to quickly do transition towards remote work, which required HR to rapidly create new policies and also to provide support to employees working from home”

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Sahil Shah, Assistant Manager- HR Business Partner at Publicis Groupe- the third largest communications group in the world, a leader in marketing, communication and digital business transformation. In this episode, Sahil shares his thoughts on the various challenges faced as an HR manager in an organisation.

Sahil has an overall work experience of nine years. He started his journey as a recruiter. After nine years, he has now reached the position of HR business partner. He has spent his time meeting many people, in India and from abroad as well. He has worked at Datamatics and Capgemini prior to his time at Publicis Groupe.

Episode Highlights

Challenges of being an HR professional
What challenges did the pandemic bring as an HR professional?
Approach to talent acquisition and employee retention
How to support employee development as well as employee growth?

Follow Sahil on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“We find ourselves in a moment in time where we also need to think about how we can leverage technology as HR to create a more efficient, more fulfilling, and more equitable workplace that serves both the needs of employers and employees alike.

This latest episode of The Shape of Work introduces our listeners to Daniel Corsen, Founder of Reshapers- a business consulting and services company. Daniel has an overall work experience of over thirteen years. He did his Bachelor of Science from the University of Netherlands Antilles, and his M.Sc from RSM Erasmus University. He has worked at various AAA organisations such as Aqualectra Utility, University of Curaçao Dr.Moises da Costa Gomez, Barrett Values Centre etc.

In this episode, Daniel sheds light on leveraging technology to create a more equitable workplace and the current state of HR and its future.

Episode Highlight

The current state of HR and its future
How to leverage technology to create a more equitable workplace?
What HR professionals need to do today to prepare for the future?
Advice to use HR technology

Follow Daniel on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Organisations should keep in mind that the existing employees are working in the system for a long time and if they are performing they should get appreciated. If you don't take time to appreciate those people they will try to move on and look for other opportunities.”

We are honoured to have with us Akshay Patil, Talent Acquisition Partner and Associate Manager at Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Limited in the newest episode of The Shape Of Work podcast. Join us to hear what he has to say about attracting and retaining top talent.

Akshay has an overall work experience of five years. He did his BMS from the University of Mumbai. He has worked at Smartsearch Consultant and CareerNet Technologies prior to his time at Piramal Capitals. It is safe to say that he has quite a strong presence in the domain of talent acquisition.

Episode Highlights

Strategies for attracting and retaining top talent
Successful initiatives spearheaded by Akshay as an HR professional
Challenges faced in hiring people
How to hire for a high-level job?

Follow Akshay on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about how technology is going to impact the growth of an organisation or business and how technology is going to affect people’s lives.

"I'm extremely optimistic of the future generations coming in because they have seen scale. They have seen technology, they have seen opportunities as they went through school, college and early days of what they're doing."

We welcome Ashok Balasubramanian, CEO of Open Weaver- a SaaS tech company that is changing the way the world builds digital. Open Weaver was founded in 2019 and is based out of New York reinventing Digital Realisation, starting with accelerated, scalable application development.

Prior to Open Weaver, Ashok has more than two decades of experience. He did his BE from the College of Engineering, Guindy and his MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. He has worked in various organisations including Syntel, Atos and Forbes Technology Council.

Episode Highlights

How technology is going to shape the future when it comes to the HR division of an organisation?
Could the advent of technology result in the loss of people’s jobs?
Advice to people starting their careers now
How to maintain a good work-life balance?

Follow Ashok on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest talks about how the HR industry has changed over the years and on the current hiring trends.

“HRBP role should always be a strategic position, rather than a transactional position, where the HRBP is always on the face of the business leaders, asking them questions, look at the strategy for the organisation in the future.”

We welcome Arokia John, Human Resource Business Partner at Petrofac- an infrastructure organisation for energy industries.

Arokia has an overall work experience of sixteen years. He did his Bachelor of Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai, and his Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and Human Resources from Symbiosis International University. He has worked in various organisations including ICICI Bank as the Wealth Manager and at Flex as HR Business Partner.

Episode Highlights

How have the HR roles and responsibilities transitioned over the years?
What changes will come about in the HR industry with the changes in technology?
What skills are required in the current scenario of hiring?
The importance and need for engineers

Follow Arokia on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhat Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“As you grow in your career, after a certain point of time it is not just numbers anymore, it is more about the value you add to the organisation and at the same time, what value you add to yourself.”

Listeners, today you have been blessed with the opportunity to learn some special tips and tricks of the trade from Shakti Gupta, Senior Vice President for Retail Lending & Inclusion at RBL Bank, one of India’s leading private sector banks.

Shakti Gupta has an overall experience of eighteen years. He did his Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Mumbai, and his MBA from ICFAI University. His career in ICICI Bank, and later went on to work for HDFC Bank, Barclays Finance, Xpress Money Services, etc.

Episode Highlights

What kinds of market trends will be enormously popular in the future?
How to tackle challenges in the job?
Importance of expanding horizons to include technology and compliance
Advice for people who are just starting their careers

Follow Shakti on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast our guest talks about the different challenges faced while launching a new product and how to convince the target consumers.

“Some challenges in regards to growth get a little tight for all entrepreneurs but ultimately, being able to balance that and use as many resources as possible but also trying to make sure that the focus is always there.”

We welcome Jason Tiger, CEO and Founder of Bubble Universe. Jason has an overall work experience of seven years. He did his BBA in Economics from Chapman University. He started his career at Imperial Toy, was the founder of Tiger Source, and was Advisor at chargeFUZE.

Episode Highlights

How to educate the target consumer group about the organization?
The challenges faced by the organization in the growth phase
How to stay focused and maintain a proper life off work?
The future of Bubble Universe

Follow Jason on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“We want to make a marketplace, which is not just a place where you can subscribe to the services but also be able to manage the work across all of these services.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Arun Mallikarjunan, Co-Founder and CEO of Symbiosis LLC. Arun has an overall work experience of over two decades. He did his Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Madras, his Masters from the International Institute of Information Technology, his Post Graduate Diploma from the International Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, and his MBA from the University of Maryland. He has worked with various organisations including Next Generation Broadband, Amtrak, koVue LLC, etc

In this episode, Arun shares his thoughts on how to hire the right people and how as a leader he keeps his team focused and happy.

Episode Highlights

Importance of building a proper framework for the working of an organisation
How to uphold the satisfaction of the workforce and keep the employees focused?
What are the challenges faced while building a company?
The importance of having a plan

Follow Arun on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“For an employee, if they see that whichever company they have joined, they're learning something out of it, that gaining something out of it, and it is something which is eventually adding some value with the career graph, they will not leave you."

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about how to promote a healthy work-life balance and how to improve the motivation and performance of employees.

We welcome Aditi Gupta, Head of HR at Spyne. Aditi has an overall work experience of over a decade. She did her BBA from Banasthali Vidyapith, her Bachelor of Law from Meerut College, and her MBA from Amity University. She has worked with various organisations throughout her career, some of them being Green Thumbs, Jubilant FoodWorks and CARS24.

Episode Highlights

How to promote a healthy work-life balance?
What are the best practices for managing employee motivation and performance?
Various challenges faced during employee recruitment and selection
Advice to young professionals

Follow Aditi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Employees usually leave organizations because we don't offer them a proper career path. We need to design a sensible career path for them where they can see themselves developing professionally in the near future.”

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest talks about how HR initiatives work hand in hand with organisational goals and contribute to employee development.

We welcome Vibhuti Rane Naik, Head of Human Resources and Administration at Global Pinnacle Solutions. Vibhuti has an overall work experience of sixteen years. She did her MBA in Human Resource Management from the University of Mumbai. She has had a long career working in roles such as Manager at Pure Gold Jewellers & Diamonds as well as ACE Export and has also worked at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail in Human Resources.

Episode Highlights

What are some of the best practices for attracting and retaining top employees in the competitive startup landscape?
How can HR contribute to achieving organisational goal?
How to promote work-life balance in a startup environment?
What changes can be seen in HR in the future that could improve organisation’s efficiency?

Follow Vidhuti on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Human Resources is going to be driven by customisation, be it talent attraction, talent acquisition, and even talent management. Everything about human resources is going to be fundamentally customised and designed to what each employee wants and what each employee is aspiring to be.”

We are honoured to have with us, Lakshmi Bellave, Associate Manager- Talent Acquisition on NewSpace Research and Technologies in the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. Join us to hear what he has to say about talent acquisition.

Lakshmi has an overall work experience of eight years. She did her BTech from Sir M. Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, her MBA from M.P BIRLA Institute of Management and her PGCHRM from XLRI Jamshedpur. She has worked with Centum Electronics and Surin Group prior to her time at NewSpace.

Episode Highlights

What is the proper approach when it comes to building a talent pipeline?
Why is it important to make employee mental well-being a strategic priority?
Promoting employee health, mental health, and safety
How will employee customization become the foundation of HR?

Follow Lakshmi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast of guest talks about work culture and the effects of technology and work from home on work culture.

"While remote work can provide greater flexibility, work-life balance, it can lead to a feeling of isolation burnout. So we need to prioritise the building and provide support for the physical and mental health."

We welcome Shwetank Soni, Founder of StartupFlora and ProjectVala. Shwetank has an overall work experience of seven years. He did his Bachelor of Law from O.P. Jindal Global University. He is also the founder of Acolyte Ventures and is the director at Chartered Forensic Investigators and Acolyte Technologies.

Episode Highlights

Why is it necessary to maintain an hybrid work culture ?
Ways to integrate technology into the HR process
How is technology shaping the work environment ?
The human aspect of work and employee wellbeing

Follow Shwetank on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode we have Sara Štetić, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Memgraph. Sara sheds light on Acquisition of talent as well as the importance of employee welfare.

"The automation of various HR processes is definitely growing. There are more and more AI programs for tracking candidates, applications, screening candidates, communication with them, and so on.”

Sara did her Bachelor’s Degree from Institut Catholique De Toulouse, her Master’s Degree from the Catholic University of Croatia, and did Digital Communication and Media from Styria SCOOL Academy. She has an overall work experience of four years and has worked as an Event Management Member at EX-ALTO Agency prior to her time in Memgraph.

Episode Highlights

How does talent Acquisition work?
Why is good leadership necessary for the upbringing of an organisation ?
The importance of communication skills
How can an organization satisfy employee needs and meet their expectations?
The need for Communication skills in HR

Follow Sara on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Individuals want to make sure that they're impacting the work that they're doing, they don't want to just push papers around on their desk all day. They want to see the project go from start to finish and feel that accomplishment”

David LaBelle, Human Resources Generalist at Blue Label Labs, shares his pearls of wisdom with us in this latest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. He talks about the current state of hiring around the world as well as how times and technology have changed.

David has an overall work experience of seven years. He did his Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University and got his Human Resource Management Certificate from the University of Wisconsin. He started his career at Starbucks and has later moved to companies such as Plum Direct Marketing and Fraser Shipyards. He has also worked with the U.S. Air force as an Airman.

Episode Highlights

Latest hiring trends and hiring around the world
How can a company cultivate culture into its employees?
How times have changed and responsibilities have changed
How can we take advantage of technology?
How remote work has helped individuals with disabilities

Follow David on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Effective people management is what is required as you need strong people managers, and it's an extremely niche and technical skill."

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast highlights how one effectively fosters a diverse and inclusive workforce. Our guest for this episode is Savitha Lakshminarayan, Associate Vice President - Talent Strategy at Accenture.Savitha has an overall work experience of 12 years. She did her BE in Electronics from the University of Mumbai, and her MBA from Symbiosis International University. She has been a Senior Consultant at IBM, been Manager at KPMG India as well as an HR Manager at CHEP India.

Episode Highlights

What can we do to mitigate gender bias in job descriptions?
How to best utilise your team
Effective ways to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace
What has been the big game changer in the talent landscape?

Follow Savitha on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Mainly in startups, the first thing that you should have is a strategic plan, where you are getting to and then you stick on to that.”

We are honoured to have with us Ashfaque KP, CEO of BlueCast Technologies. Ashfaque has an overall work experience of more than two decades. He did his B.Sc in Physics from SN College Kannur and his MCA from TKM College of Engineering. He has worked in Asia’s largest IT company TCS for over half a decade where he worked as TPF programmer at ASDC, a joint venture between TCS and Singapore Airlines. And is now about to complete 10 years in BlueCast.

In today’s episode, Ashfaque talks about how to develop a strategic plan and the various impacts of AI in different aspects of HR.

Episode Highlights

Common pitfalls to avoid when developing a strategic plan
Promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace
The impact of AI on HR roles
Ashfaque’s take on the future of technology

Follow Ashfaque on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“When a good, strong interpersonal relationship happens, a very good team begins to build and when very good teams begin to build, very good productivity comes up.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Ananth Raghunath Veluturi, Learning and Development Lead at NTT Ltd. He has an overall work experience of fifteen years. He did his Masters in Arts from Indira Gandhi National Open University. He also went to the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. He has worked at various organisations including Pennar PEBS, Ybrant Digital, Prolifics, etc.

In this episode, Ananth talks about the LMD strategy, the challenges of leadership, e-learning and its merits.

Episode Highlights

The challenges in leadership
The design of the LMD strategy
E-learning vs traditional learning
Communication Strategies for dealing with difficult situations

Follow Ananth on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of the Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about micromanaging and the importance of building connections in the workplace.

We welcome Anjani B Kuumar, Global Human Resource Leader at MX Player."Unfortunately, the way to grow is to not manage down, but manage up because your route to success is not downwards, it's upwards."

Anjani has an overall work experience of over two and a half decades. He did a program on Transformations in Organisations from IIM Ahmedabad, Finance for Senior Executives from the Asian Institute of Management, and his MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He has worked in numerous organisations including Sony Pictures Network India, SUCCESSWRKS HR solutions, Prime Focus Technologies, etc.

Episode Highlights

The continuous process of learning
Developing One-on-one connections
Why do people Micromanage?
Advice to listeners and about self-motivation

Follow Anjani on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Today’s episode of The Shape Of Work podcast features Holesh Priyankar, Chief Executive Officer at Assystant. In this episode, Holesh talks about the growth of technology and the use of technology in HR.

“Technology is a must in every business to have some competitive advantage over others, I would say the business world has turned into technology first, rather than technology as a support system.”

Holesh has an overall work experience of over a decade. He started of his career as an Analyst and later levitated toward Product Manager. He did his B.Tech from the Silicon Institute of Technology and his MBA in Finance and Marketing from the KIIT School of Management.

He has worked with numerous organisations including Gadivada.com, XL Dynamics India, MakeITDeals, etc. He was also the Co-founder of SpotAxis where he worked for 6 years.

Episode Highlights

How to leverage technology to improve efficiency?
How to keep experimenting with new technologies
Changes in the HR industry in the future
The future landscape of the workplace

Follow Holesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Sometimes what happens is that what you do, you will always find the ecosystem not supporting you initially. And later on, things automatically shape up the way you wanted them to."

Welcome to another episode of The Shape Of Work Podcast. In this episode we have Ashish Mittal, Founder at Yugasa Bot. Ashish sheds light on the future of technology in HR and the importance of persistence.

Ashish has an overall work experience of about two decades. He did his Bachelors of Technology from Guru Jambheshwar University and his PGDBA from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies. He has previously worked with Global Graphics Software, Daffodil Software, OneVision Software AG, etc.

Episode Highlights

Ashish’s journey through the tough times
How will technology shape the future of HR?
Automation of the interview process
Advice for budding entrepreneurs

Follow Ashish on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Diversity results in innovation and creativity. For any organisation, it is very important because it also resulted in good growth and revenue.”

In today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest talks about diversity in the workplace and the impact of Covid on the lives of people. We have Ashita Gupta, Human Resource Business Partner at NielsenIQ.Ashita is a budding HR professional who has an overall work experience of three years. She did her Bachelor’s Degree from St. John’s College Agra, her Diploma in Psychology from Acholgy Ltd The Academy of Modern Applied Psychology and her PGDM from Welingkar Institute of Management.

Episode Highlights

The importance of Diversity in the workplace
The sudden onset of Covid and its effects on people’s lives
Technical skills and tools
The transformation of HR and HR analytics

Follow Ashita on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about managing the HR role and the key skills needed to be a successful HR professional.

"Along with technical skills, HR professionals must possess skills in behavioural science and people management to understand their sentiments and individual problems."

We welcome Nishith Parikh, Global Head HR at Krish TechnoLabs. He started HR with an automobile service company and now is a seasoned HR veteran.

Nishith has an overall work experience of fifteen years. He did his B.Com from Gujarat Arts and Commerce College, his MBA in HR from Saurashtra University, and Strategic Human Resource Management from the Indian Institute of Management Tiruchirappalli.

Episode Highlights

Importance of Managing the Regional HR roles
The people-first approach has become a necessity
Key skills needed to be a successful HR professional
Advice to upcoming HR enthusiasts

Follow Nishith on LInkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Managers need to play a significant role in emphasising flexibility, employee wellness, hybrid and remote work and a better work-life balance."

Today’s episode of The Shape Of Work features Tapan Sahani, Senior HR Manager at CEMtics. In this episode, Tapan talks about innovations in HR and the changing trends in HR.

Tapan has an overall work experience of fourteen years. He did his B.Com from Utkal University and his MBA in Human Resources from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies. He spent the first eight years of his career working mainly in Talent Acquisition, and then later moved to HR. He has worked with Impetus, Amdocs in his career.

Episode Highlights

How the future of HR looks
Innovations in HR and its key contributors
How the gig economy is the future of the economy
How to measure Employee performance?

Follow Tapan on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR has to learn technology, on how to develop the retention and hiring parts. Embracing technology is something that HR has to understand, we have to make that shift.”

Welcome to another episode of Shape of Work. In today’s episode, our guest talks about what it takes to be a successful leader and how leadership works today. Our guest today is Anjali S, Vice President Human Resources and Operations at KnackForge.Anjali has close to two decades of HR experience. She did her MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade. Her career is mainly HR, where she has worked as an HR executive and HR manager for various organisations including Truemen Consultants, Magna Infotech, MaxVal IP, etc. Her specialisation is mainly in the IT side.

Episode Highlights

How do you define leadership today?
How will the HR industry be affected by technology coming in?
How has technology changed since the pandemic?
Anjali’s advice for budding HR leaders

Follow Anjali on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest talks about the different challenges of a multi-generation workforce and extensively on the future of HR and its functioning.

“The hybrid structure is much better because it saves on costs, it saves on fuel, it saves on commuting time, it saves on resources, mental health balance and a lot of other things."

We welcome Ami Upadhyaya, Co-founder at HRprenuers. Ami has an overall work experience of fifteen years. She is a well-versed HR veteran who did her Bachelor’s Degree from Vivek College of Commerce, her Master’s in Commerce from the University of Mumbai, her MBA from Atharva School of Business, and her Master’s in Corporate Law from National Law School of India University. She has worked in various HR roles such as Asst. Manager- Human Resources at both HIH realty and TVC sky shop, and also worked with Sethia Infrastructure and Avighna India.

Episode Highlights

Challenges of a multi-generational workforce
Changes in the real estate sector
The future of HR, five years down the line
The importance of mental health and mental well-being departments

Follow Ami on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Look for the innovation evangelists, somebody in the organisation, like somebody who really talks about innovation, because a lot of things, especially the growth come from the innovation."

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Sandeep Setty, Head of People & Culture at Pazcare. Sandeep has an overall work experience of 10 years. He did his B.tech from AIT. His work experience includes time with Medlife.com on Talent Acquisition, as Principal Recruiter for ClearTax India, and as Associate Director for CashFree.

In this episode, Sandeep Setty talks about how open culture in an organisation can help in the effective growth of an organisation.

Episode Highlights

How can open culture help in the growth of an organisation?
How Sandeep implements and fosters a culture of innovation and creativity
Is it important to hire people with the same level of energy?
How does offering group health insurance impact the company?

Follow Sandeep on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Having worked in the gig economy where you can do multiple tasks at a given point in time, it gives you a very wide exposure to a whole bunch of things and learning."

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Aditi Pareek, Angel Investor (Previously, Head of Human Resources with Pepperfry). Aditi has an overall work experience of over 15 years. She did her BMS in Marketing from Birla College of Arts, Commerce and Science, and her MBA from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. She has worked as Business Manager for Motilal Oswal Securities Ltd and as a Manager for Prabhudas Lilladher Pvt. Ltd. Before coming into Pepperfry.

In this episode, Aditi throws light on the gig economy and how the gig economy has developed since the pandemic.

Episode Highlights

State of the gig economy in the post-pandemic era
How does technology help in promoting the gig economy?
How the gig economy is benefitting organisations
Gig economy’s contribution to diverse and inclusive work culture

Follow Aditi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“While balancing the client and the business needs, do not forget the employee because it's because of the employees that have business runs.

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Subham Banerjee, Human Resource Business Partner with IntouchCX. Subham has an overall work experience of four and a half years so far. He did his BBA in Marketing from BB College Asansol and later his MBA from KCC Institute of Technology and Management. He got into Barclays as a Process Advisor straight after graduation and later worked with Amazon as Sr. Onboarding Associate.

In this episode, Subham talks about his experience and the challenges faced while managing an employee base as an HR professional.

Episode Highlights

How to ensure a team is working together properly?
Changes in the recruitment process with the advent of greater technology and changing trends
Upcoming trends that may occur in 2023
Advice to aspiring HR business partners

Follow Subham on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Effective communication is very important, because HR as a function, interacts with lots of people in the company across all the departments.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Anshul Sharma, Talent Acquisition Lead for Product and Design at Info Edge India Ltd. She has a work experience of 8 years in different industries. She did her B.E. from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology and her MBA from Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. She has worked with Deloitte Consulting as a Business Technology Analyst and worked with Shopclues as Associate Product Manager.

In this episode, Anshul enlightens us on the importance of communication and the current GenZ workforce.

Episode Highlights

Key skills required for a growing HR professional
Managing the GenZ workforce
Post-pandemic changes in HR
Valuable advice for budding listeners

Follow Anshul on linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I think the concept of work-life integration makes more sense when we prioritise and try and understand what is both urgent and important and what is just urgent and not important.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Neha Sharma, Human Resource Business Partner at Oracle. Neha has an overall work experience of seven years. She did her B.Sc in Mathematics from Lady Shri Ram College for Women and her PGDM from Xavier Institute of Social Service. She worked as an Editor with Britannica, later getting in as Assistant Manager Human Resources for IHCL.

In this episode, Neha puts light on how one can improve their personal productivity as well as on women’s work-life integration.

Episode Highlights

How one should find work-life balance
On improving women’s personal productivity and life integration
Neha’s learnings from different organisations
Advice for youth planning to pursue HR ?

Follow Neha on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhat Podcast host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Your stability in a job will depend on how innovative you are, how creative, and what new products you can bring in terms of demonstrable programs.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Simanta Mohanty, Head of Human Resources at Milk Mantra. Simanta started his career a long time back, in 1989, and has an overall work experience of over 30 years. He did his B.A from Utkal University. His M.A from the University of Hyderabad. Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management from Xavier Institute of Management. Post-Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Rural Development from the University of Hyderabad and is pursuing his Ph.D. from Utkal University. He has worked with companies such as Wipro, IBM, Posco, etc.

In this episode, Simanty talks about some of the effective strategies he came up with as an HR professional and about his career in HR.

Episode Highlights

How Simanta came up with the family engagement program
What were the initiatives taken by Simanta as an HR Professional?
Major takeaways from his career
What should the youth be focusing on upon entering the industry?

Follow Simanta on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The simplest thing for every person, for any entrepreneur who is starting off, is that you are only as good as your organization.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Vivek Parekh, CEO and Founder at Rayzon Global LLP. Vivek has over ten years of work experience and has worked with multiple companies. He completed his BA from the University of Reading and later did Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Warwick. He had worked with JP Morgan and also worked with National Plastic, his family business.

In this episode, Vivek walks us through his journey as an entrepreneur and the things he has learned along the way.

Episode Highlights

The growth process of an entrepreneur
How proper treatment of employees leads to success for the organization
The importance of an entrepreneur in developing their team
Advice to budding entrepreneurs

Follow Vivek on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"I think the first thing that we, as HR professionals, need to do is listen with intent and build relationships."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Ishan Ratho, Joint Manager of Human Resources at DCM Shriram LTD. Ishan has six years of work experience. He earned his Bachelor of Technology from the International Institute of Information Technology, Bhubaneswar, and his MBA from Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development. He previously worked at Infosys as a senior systems engineer before transitioning to HR.

In this episode, Ishan discusses the evolution of HR and how it has developed beyond its previous role.

Episode Highlights:

HR's involvement in the strategic planning of an organization
Handling the mental and physical health of employees
The importance of building trust and open communication
How stepping out of comfort zones builds credibility

Follow Ishan on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Youth today are much more willing to take risks than I was when I was growing up, and there are more avenues accepting of that."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Mayanka Batra, Founder of Shhyfft Consulting Group. Mayanka has a work experience of two decades. She holds a Master's in Computer Management from Symbiosis International University, graduated from IIM Ahmedabad, and earned a Master's in Organisational and Social Psychology from The London School Of Economics. She has worked with NowFloats and AEON Credit service as Vice President and Senior Vice President, respectively.

In this episode, Mayanka talks about the need for flexibility in the workplace and how it shapes HR policies.

Episode Highlights:

Upcoming changes that will reshape the workplace and workforce
How diversity in the workplace will shape the future
Opinions on layoffs and the job market
A new era with more opportunities

Follow Mayanka on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Saqeeb Ulla Khan About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Technology is an extension of you. AI technology will never be able to manage people. People have to manage people."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Jodi Brandstetter, founder of By Design Brainery. Jodi has over 13 years of work experience and earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Evansville. She worked as a manager for HCTEC and the Director of Talent Acquisition for Navient. She has also published two Amazon Best Sellers: Hire By Design and HR By Design.

In this episode, Jodi Brandstetter discusses hiring and the key aspects of HR. She also talks about the impact of technology in this field.

Episode Highlights:

How hiring managers can find the best person for a specific role
HR trends and practices that will dominate
Whether technology will surpass people in HR
Overcoming mental and physical challenges

Follow Jodi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Brands will be able to sell their products for higher prices than they do today because, let's say, 82% of millennials are willing to pay much more to get a personalized product."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Gal Saar, CEO at Capsulab Ltd. Gal Saar has 13 years of overall experience, having earned a B.Sc in Information Systems from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and an M.E from Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. He has worked with El Al and also served as the Development Project Manager at Elta Systems Ltd.

In this episode, Gal Saar discusses what it's like to introduce a new product into the market and the various factors involved in and around this process.

Episode Highlights:

The importance of understanding what consumers are looking for
Insights into the product market
How to make a growing company successful
The work involved in product development and marketing

Follow Gal on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Balancing the requirements of the workforce with corporate goals will prove to be the most challenging issue for enterprises, while employees will endure the consequences of having to adjust to this fast-paced, volatile work environment."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Aishwarya S Gowda, Lead HR Business Partner at IntouchCX. Aishwarya has an overall experience of seven years as an HR executive in various firms. She did her Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from PES University and her MBA from Sikkim Manipal University. She has worked in Hinduja Global Solutions, Telligent Support LLP, etc., in Human Resources.

In this episode, she talks about what it would be like to pursue a career in Human Resources and what it would be like for organizations as well as employees in the coming years.

Episode Highlights:

How one could find success in HR
HR and its relation with staff augmentation
How the future looks for organizations as well as employees
Advice for up-and-coming HR professionals

Follow Aishwarya on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In order to retain talent, you need to have a great career framework. You need to give a lot of options to your employees, not just to grow vertically in their functions, but also to move horizontally."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Amol Sonawane, Senior Manager- HR Product at Reliance Industries Limited. He has an overall work experience of four years. He did his B.A in Statistics and Public Administration from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University and his M.A in Human Resource Management from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. He has worked with Reliance Nippon Life Insurance and WhiteHat Jr as HR Manager and HR Business Partner, respectively.

In this episode, Amol talks about the current state of employment in the country and the various challenges in the HR profession.

Episode Highlights:

Amol's inspiration to work in HR
Strategies to attract and retain top talent in the country
The challenges faced by Amol in his career as an HR professional
What should the youth entering the industry be focusing on?

Follow Amol on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"I would rather say, 'Sell a vision, don't sell a job.' Selling a job is not going to work in a startup, and people who associate themselves as a part of the startup also come for that particular scene."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Raj Tanwar, CSO & Head HR at Advantage Club Technologies and Advisory Council Member at Forbes. Raj has an overall work experience of about twenty years, starting his career in early 2000. He did his BBA from Vaish College, his MBA from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, and a Certificate Program at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. He has worked with companies like Hinduja TMT, Eicher Engineering Solutions, and Cipla in his career, mainly in HR roles.

In this episode, Raj talks about what career cushioning is and the progress of HR globally as well as in India.

Episode Highlights:

What exactly is career cushioning?
The progress of HR globally and in India
How to handle difficult HR situations such as layoffs
Key learnings in Raj's HR career

Follow Raj on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"As an HR, they always believe that we should create an environment where we should promote mental health and employee wellbeing as one of the primary factors."

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Sasikumar Thangamuthu, Director of HR and Product Delivery at Grootan Technologies. Sasikumar has an overall work experience of twelve years. He did his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from P.S.N.A College of Engineering and Technology and his MBA in Human Resource Management and services from Bharathiyar University. He had worked with Cognizant as a Senior Learning Consultant for eight years.

In this episode, Sasikumar talks about the importance of employee well-being and mental health and about diversity in the workplace.

Episode Highlights

Importance of employee well-being and employee mental health
How to make diversity and inclusion a part of your work culture?
How to support employees during tough times?
Proper development and implementation of training programs

Follow Sasikumar on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast host: Aparajeeta Boro

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“In the role of HR, focus on building strong relationships. It requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, empathy or interpersonal skills.”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Suraj Chandan Prusty, People Advisor Senior Analyst at Accenture. Suraj has an overall experience of seven years spanning different careers and industries. He did his bachelor's in civil engineering from Sivaraman College of Engineering and master's in HR, MBA from Xavier Institute of Management. He has worked in organisations like Decathlon Sports, Infosys etc, in Human Resources.

In this episode he puts light on the initiatives organisations should focus on to improve the development and growth of the employees.

Episode Highlights

How to tackle employees going through burnout?
What initiatives should organisations focus on to improve employee development and growth?
Technology that will have a bigger impact on the industry in the coming years
Advice to our budding enthusiasts for the future

Follow Suraj on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Behind Every Successful Business Lies an Origin Story
Listen as founders of Black Bear Diner, Theory Coffee, and Fall River Brewing share theirs
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

"The success or accomplishment of a Chief of Staff is mainly tied to the success or accomplishment of the team or organization they are helping."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Sujay Seetharaman, Chief of Staff at PipeCandy. Sujay has over six years of work experience and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from SSN College of Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Management from IE Business School. He has primarily worked for PipeCandy in his career but has also spent time with RevGenius and RevOps.

In this episode, Sujay sheds light on the various strategies involved in managing staff and the challenges faced in this field.

Episode Highlights:

Strategies for ensuring progress towards goals
Sujay's approach to measuring success in his role as Chief of Staff
Common challenges faced and how to overcome them as Chief of Staff
Advice for those considering a career as a Chief of Staff

Follow Sujay on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"While creating the development plan, we provide our employees with numerous benefits, not only to help them climb the corporate ladder but also to support their professional growth."

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Suditi Bhadauria, Vice President of HR and OD at EKCS. She has over fifteen years of work experience. She holds a degree in Psychology & Industrial Relations and Personnel Management from Delhi University, a PG Diploma from the Institute of Psychotherapy and Management, and a PGDM from the FORE School of Management. Suditi has worked with Hay Group as a freelance trainer/HR consultant.

In this episode, Suditi discusses the important skills required for a successful HR professional and shares her views on the future of hybrid work-from-home.

Episode Highlights:

The key skills needed for a successful career in HR
Strategies to maximize job satisfaction and productivity
The future of hybrid work from home
Advice for those looking to start a career in HR

Follow Suditi on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guest discuss the talent landscape that will shape up in the next five years and how to deal with technology hiring.

“We live in the information era. How we analyze information, solve problems, and make decisions is very important. Developing emotional intelligence is also very important.”

We welcome Daniel Jacob, HR Vice President - EC Group International. Daniel is a highly experienced Human Resource professional with over 20 years of experience. Additionally, he is the founder and Executive Director of the You Are Loved Foundation, which empowers communities through education, employment, and enlightenment.

Episode Highlights:

To what extent will technology play a role in talent acquisition in the future workplace?
Daniel shares his advice on how to deal with problems faced in technology hiring
How does an organization really define its culture?
How can we foresee the talent landscape shaping up in the next five years?
Advice to our listeners on the skills they should acquire, considering the shift in working practices

Follow Daniel on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“If I'm talking about recruitment and if I don't have any kind of technology-enabled for the purpose, then the job will become tedious and monotonous. So, try to leverage technology as a part of your mandatory requirement."

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast throws light on how millennials and Gen Z should prepare for future HR roles. Our guest for this episode is Manoj K Prasad, Vice President of Digital Transformation, Capability Development, and Change Management at Reliance Industries Limited.Manoj obtained his M.Phil and MBA in HRM, and began his career in a government organization. He qualified for civil services and worked for the ministry for nearly eight years before transitioning to tech companies such as Tech Mahindra, HCL Technologies, and ITC.

Episode highlights

How should millennials and Gen Z prepare for the future HR roles
What are the challenges that come with transforming the workforce towards technology-driven roles?
Key learnings for HR professionals when adapting to the current changes in the industry

Follow Manoj on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"It's important for HR leaders to make employees feel understood as individuals, or for leaders to show greater adaptability."

The newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Rashleen Kaur, Senior Specialist- HR Research and Advisory at Gartner. Gartner enables faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organisation's mission-critical priorities. In this episode, Rashleen delves into the work culture at Gartner and the differences she witnessed in each role.

Rashleen is an Organisational & HR professional, with 4+ years of experience across consulting and Research. She worked on multiple engagements and was highly passionate about working on diverse cross-functional projects across industries and geographical locations.

Episode Highlights

Rashleen discusses how she adapted to a changing field and the differences she witnessed in each role
The work culture in Gartner
Advice to the freshers in the workforce planning their career

Follow Rashleen on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On the latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guests discuss the importance of HR roles and hiring the right talent.

"The role of HR here is very crucial because it's people like us who need to go out there in the industry, talk to individuals, and instil in their minds the importance of focusing on their career path, learning curve, and long-term wealth creation instead of short-term wealth creation."

We welcome Bhavana Vijayakumar, Assistant Vice President - Human Resources at NewSpace Research and Technologies. NewSpace Research and Technologies (NRT), based in Bengaluru, designs and develops persistent drones for Earth observation and communications.

Bhavana has a Master's degree in Computer Science but decided to move into the HR space early on in her career. She started her HR journey by being a part of the talent hunt team and has over 8 years of experience. She has also had the opportunity to work with firms on consulting assignments ranging from behavior analysis to individual performance development modules.

Episode highlights:

Understanding hiring talents
The importance of HR
How startups are dealing with major decisions in changing scenarios?
How millennials and Gen Z are adapting to industry trends?
Moving up the ladder quickly in the HR space
Advice for future HR enthusiasts

Follow Bhavana on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Layoffs are going to be much more frequent, and it is important for employees not to live in a fearful mindset or remain complacent. Instead, they should stay relevant by upskilling and building on core competencies.”

In this latest episode of The Shape of Work, our listeners are introduced to Bhavna Ate, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Experience Commerce - a full-service digital agency that combines strategy, content, and technology to drive up brand commerce. Bhavna offers her thoughts on layoffs and trends that will dominate the HR industry.

Bhavna is a Human Resources Leader with 15 years of experience in core HR across industries. She has worked in several HR functions and had an overseas stint in the UK, where she was the HR business partner for sales and strategic groups.

Episode Highlights

Bhavna discusses about her shift from microbiology to HR
How do layoffs impact the organisation and the employees?
Trends that are going to take over the HR industry in 2023

Follow Bhavna on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guests discuss the evolution of HR in the past few years.

"The days when a performance rating scorecard and feedback from managers were enough are long gone. Nowadays, data-driven decisions are necessary even when it comes to matters such as identifying top talent and determining who to promote."

We welcome Vikas Maheshwary, Global HR Transformation Manager at Biocon Biologics, a fully integrated global biosimilars organization.

Vikas started his career in sales and ended up in HR. He has almost 25 years of experience in Human Capital Management. He is passionate about connecting HR to business goals and has led, developed, and managed complex Organizational Change programs.

Episode Highlights:

How has HR evolved in the past few years?
Vikas shares the challenges he faced on his career journey.
Vikas discusses how HR has become lucrative for him on a personal level.
Advice for budding enthusiasts for the future.

Follow Vikas on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"HR professionals handling remote workforces need to be versatile and employ outcome-focused processes that are easily accessible to effectively support their teams."

In the latest episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Prerna Chatterjee, Senior HR Manager at Talent500, shares her pearls of wisdom with us. She provides valuable insight into managing the workplace effectively and the future of work. Additionally, she enlightens us on her career journey and the challenges she faced, which had a huge impact on her work-life.

Prerna has almost a decade of experience in the field of Human Resources, working in companies such as HCL Technologies Ltd., Asian Paints, and Samsung.

Episode Highlights:

How to manage a remote workforce effectively?
How to handle difficult conversations in a remote setup?
How work is shaping up for the next generation of HR?

Follow Prerna on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“After you have hired the right people who are a good cultural fit for your company, it is important to communicate with them and make them aware of your company culture. Additionally, you should seek their input on how to build and improve the culture by asking them what they like and what could be enhanced”

Today’s episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Madhur Khake Dyte, Global People Success at Xalts (previously Lead-Talent & Culture at Dyte). Madhur has almost 7 years of extensive experience building high-performance teams and people functions across different industries.

In this episode, he sheds light on the skills to acquire considering the shifts in working practices and how to define a workplace culture.

Episode highlights:

How does an organization define culture?
What challenges did Madhur face while managing the team?
To what extent will technology play a role in talent acquisition?
What skills should be acquired, considering the shifts in working practices?

Follow Madhur on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"What is happening in the market is an interesting phenomenon. There are diverse events occurring simultaneously. On one side, there are layoffs; on another side, there is growth; and on the third side, there is new job creation. It's an ecosystem where things are happening in multiple directions, not just like a waterfall.

Reetu Raina, the Vice President and Global Head of Talent Management at Amdocs, shares her expertise on today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast.

Reetu is what one would call a veteran in HR management. With over 10 years of experience. She is a true expert in all things HR. Prior to working at Amdocs, Reetu held the positions of Assistant Vice President of Corporate HR and Chief Human Resources Officer at HDFC Bank and Quick Heal, respectively.

Episode Highlights:

The shortage of skills is becoming a key challenge for organizations.
How will the talent landscape change in the future?
Reetu elaborates on the idea that "irrespective of industries and cultures, people are people, and challenges are not very different."
Reetu offers advice on which skills to acquire considering the shifts in working practices.

Follow Reetu on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Today's episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Nandini Suzanna Liddle, HR & People Manager at Be Zen, a platform that promotes sustainable and eco-friendly brands. Nandini shares some important details about her role in the company and her overall journey.

"If you're entering the HR field, be confident, patient, and daring, because HR is like customer service, and you will meet different types of people. So if you're entering the HR field, be ready."

Nandini started as a content writer but soon found her calling in HR management. Prior to working at Be Zen, she worked as an HR manager at Diggiplus and HURLAD By The Eaglets.

Episode Highlights:

Nandini shares key highlights that have been transformative in her journey
Nandini talks about her company and the role she played in the overall design and execution
Advice to young people entering the field of HR

Follow Nandini on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify— B2B verification platform

EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Companies are realizing the importance of offering more than just salary and benefits to attract top talent. Building a strong corporate culture and clearly communicating it to potential employees is crucial."

We are honored to have David Thompson, an Employer Branding Consultant and Director, on the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. Join us to hear what he has to say about employer branding.

Before starting his solo endeavor as a branding consultant and director, David worked with Cogito and ThirtyThree. He has a strong presence in the field of employer branding.

Episode Highlights:

Why Employer Branding is important
Who is responsible for employer branding in an organization
What candidates look for in a good employer branding

Follow David on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Right from hiring to retirement, everything is taken care of by HR, making it the skeleton of any organization."

Listeners, today you have the opportunity to learn special tips and tricks of the trade from Gunjan Singh, Administrator of US Payroll and Global Operations at Accenture, a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud, and security. With over six years of experience, Gunjan is a force to be reckoned with in the HR domain.

Prior to working with Accenture, Gunjan worked as an HR analyst and coordinator at JLL and NDIIT.

Episode Highlights:

Gunjan discusses the learning curves in the HR field
Gunjan shares her experiences throughout her journey
Advice for budding HR professionals

Follow Gunjan on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"How to run a company while being remote? If your internal performance management system is in place, this is workable. You have your outcomes decided and your tracking system in place."

Chirag Thakker, the Founder of Lateral Bridge, the only renowned dedicated platform for technology-talent outstaffing as of today, graces us with his presence on the newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. He offers a sneak peek into the unique strategies he followed while building Lateral Bridge, and enlightens us about staff augmentation and busts some myths surrounding it.

Chirag is an experienced Senior Human Resources Manager with a demonstrated history of working in start-ups. Prior to founding Lateral Bridge, Chirag worked as a Regional Manager at Livespace and as Senior Manager at PaySense.

Episode Highlights:

Chirag's career journey
Strategies and challenges of recruitment
How to deal with challenges in technology hiring
Staff Augmentation: What it is and its advantages

Follow Chirag on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"It's important to keep in mind that individuals come with different ideas about how they want to grow. So, it will also be important to help customize their journey within the organization."

Raman S R, the Chief People Officer at Log9 Materials, a deep-tech start-up with the sole mission of Pioneering Responsible Energy, shares his pearls of wisdom with us in the latest episode of The Shape of Work podcast. He provides valuable insight on how to identify talent and maintain a great employee experience. Raman, who describes himself as an engineer by chance and an HR practitioner by choice, is a seasoned professional in people analytics, change management, and leadership development. His mission is to build sustainable, people-centric companies.

Episode Highlights:

How to maintain a great employee experience
How organizations can define culture
The primary approach to identifying talent
Views on the statement "Intent needs to precede regulations and for human resources to be strategic, intent needs to precede policy."
Advice for the young generation starting their career

Follow Raman on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.
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On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guests discuss strategies for motivating employees to reach their performance goals and offer advice for budding HR professionals.

"Periodic reviews help team members stay focused on the goal and reward the right behavior. These are a couple of the strategies I use to motivate my team and track their performance," says Shadman Ahmad, Head of Performance and Talent Assessments at Pidilite Industries Limited, a pioneer in consumer and specialty chemicals in India.

Shadman has 14 years of experience in business partnering and talent management roles across various industries, including FMCG, retail, IT, and mining.

Episode highlights:

The effectiveness of performance management
Strategies for motivating employees to reach their performance goals
Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the organization
Advice for budding HR professionals"

Follow Shadman on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, our guests talk about the onboarding process and the challenges they faced during their journey.

"Constructive curiosity is super important. You don't get everything from standard secondary information. And if you don't find people who are willing to get out of their chairs, go to the market, talk to people, that is a challenge that has to be coached."

We welcome Ramprashanth Ganesan, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at IppoPay, a Chennai-based fintech startup. IppoPay is a payment solution for small businesses, freelancers, and women entrepreneurs in Tier 2 and 3 towns of India.

Ramprashanth has spent a significant portion of his career in the financial services and fintech industry, specifically in investment banking for over 10 years. Prior to that, he briefly worked with a private equity fund and his professional experience has primarily been focused on financial services. He has also completed his Chartered Accountancy studies.

Episode Highlights:

Ramprashanth describes the atmosphere in his workplace
Discusses the onboarding process
Ramprashanth talks about the challenges he had to overcome over the years
Advice for budding enthusiasts who will be entering the industry

Follow Ramprashanth on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aparajeeta Boro About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The businesses that we look up to as examples have taken decades to establish themselves as reputable and successful. As a result, we tend to approach our decision-making and value-setting with a long-term perspective."

This latest episode of "The Shape of Work" introduces our listeners to Sparsh Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO at Wingify. Wingify is an India-based, fast-growing software company that makes globally admired technology products. In this episode, Sparsh offers his thoughts on building work culture, both in the workplace and remotely. He also shares his thoughts on diversity and inclusion and how to incorporate it into the DNA of an organization.

While pursuing a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering, Sparsh spearheaded the development of the college and university websites. He completed his Master's degree in computer science and AI from the University of Oxford, one of the most prestigious educational institutes in the world.

Episode Highlights:

Sparsh shares his thoughts on workplace culture
The challenges in building a remote culture
How to implement inclusion and diversity into the DNA of the organization
Sparsh shares his rewarding moments and lessons in his journey
Sparsh talks about the future of Wingify
Advice for HR and founders in building the right culture

Follow Sparsh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ramakrishnan Lokanathan About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"In order to keep pace with the digital economy, organizations need to innovate and put processes in place that leverage digitalization or AI. They should also consider the fact that the current and future workforce would prefer to work from anywhere."

The newest instalment of the Shape of Work podcast sheds light on women in the HR landscape. Our guest for this episode is Sanmitra Mallick, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources at Kotak Life. Kotak Life is an insurance company that provides its customers with innovative life insurance products, enabling them to stay financially independent at every stage of life. Along with advice to women in the HR landscape, Sanmitra provides insight on the role of technology in talent acquisition and the changes that can be expected in the talent landscape in the next few years.

Sanmitra's career journey is indeed a spectacle to behold. He is an IIM graduate who went on to work with some of the most prestigious companies such as the Aditya Birla Group and Reliance Communications. In this episode, he shares the challenges he faced in his career and how he overcame them.

Episode Highlights:

Sanmitra talks about the challenges in his role and how he keeps going
Advice to women who are looking forward to a career in HR
How will the talent landscape shape up in the next five years?
What extent will technology play a role in talent acquisition?

Follow Sanmitra on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Culture is a crucial aspect for companies to hire for, and currently, many companies are emphasizing the need for culture managers. This is one of the significant changes that has been occurring in the industry."

On this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, we are joined by Ashwathy Philip, a People Operations Partner at Drivetrain- a platform that empowers businesses to reach their goals through financial planning and strategic decision-making, enabling them to grow and achieve their targets with a sense of predictability and control.

Ashwathy began her career in 2015 in the social impact sector, managing multiple areas and serving as an HR manager for an NGO. After gaining three years of experience in that role, she moved on to WeWork, where she took on responsibilities for operations. Following a year and a half-break, Ashwathy returned to work with a small NGO, where she established HR processes and policies. In May 2021, she joined Drivetrain as the head of People Operations, where she is responsible for overseeing compliance, employee welfare, and engagement. Throughout her career, Ashwathy has had a focus on social impact and human resources.

Episode Highlights:

Ashwathy discusses her inspiration for pursuing a career in people operations
Strategies for incorporating inclusion into the workplace culture
How trends have evolved in the industry
Ashwathy shares some of the rewarding moments from her career

Follow Ashwathy on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Unless the business and the TA (talent acquisition) don't work hand in hand, it will be extremely difficult for them to close a position and to find the right candidate. The recruiter should be present during the interview and understand what the hiring manager is looking for."

The newest episode of The Shape of Work podcast features Ashish Mahajan, Global Head Talent Partner at MoEngage Inc., an insights-led customer engagement platform for marketers and product owners. In this episode, Ashish delves into the challenges he faced in his journey and shares some pro tips for budding HR professionals.

With over 20 years of experience in the field of talent acquisition and recruitment, Ashish is considered an industry mogul. Prior to working with MoEngage, Ashish worked with well-reputed companies such as Mindteck, Wipro technologies and Bajaj Capital Ltd. Ashish is a seasoned professional with loads of well-earned wisdom, some of which he imparts with us on this episode.

Episode highlights:

Ashish talks about the biggest challenges he faced in his journey
Strategies to incorporate diversity and inclusion in the work culture
Advice for budding professionals in the industry
Future of the HR industry

Follow Ashish on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The role of a manager is evolving. In the future, managers will not only be responsible for the productivity and performance of their team, but also for managing the employee lifecycle."

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, Vaibhav Kashyap, an HR Business Partner at GSK, discusses ensuring a great employee experience while managing a large employee base and redefining the work culture.

Vaibhav received his undergraduate degree in Hotel Management and gained experience through internships at companies like the Oberoi Group and Taj Groups as a management trainee. This experience gave him a customer-first mindset and a focus on people, which has shaped his career. Later, he earned his MBA in HR and worked as an HR Manager at PepsiCo. His diverse background allowed him to develop a unique perspective, picking up nuances of customer orientation, core sales, and supply chain before moving on to HR.

Episode highlights:

Methods for a positive employee experience with a big workforce
Ways for an organization to redefine its culture
Vaibhav's learnings as an HR professional
Key qualities to develop in light of changing workplace dynamics

Follow Vaibhav on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"The way you talk to people, present something, or connect with individuals factors in a job. People often underestimate life skills and people skills, but they can help you stand out from everyone else."

On this latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, Dhairya Gangwani, the founder and career coach at Dhairya Decodes, discusses the challenges for growing her business, her greatest learnings throughout her career, and how the parameters have changed in hiring.

Dhairya Gangwani is a career coach and content creator with a background in Electronics and Communication Engineering, management consulting and experience in SAP Associate consultant role at KPMG. She discovered passion for content creation and mentoring students while working in corporate. Dhairya is a public speaker and conducts talks, sessions, and webinars for startups and colleges. She has experience in various industries such as business development, business analysis, content writing and creation, market research, marketing, operations, NGOs and NPOs.

Episode Highlights:

Dhairya's plans and challenges for growing her business
Dhairya's reflections on the greatest learnings throughout her career
How the parameters have changed when hiring a new candidate
Why a career break is healthy
Dhairya's advice to the community

Follow Dhairya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and the future of recruitment.

"Creating a culture of inclusion must be a consistent effort. If we hire someone but don't include them in important decisions or give them a role where their contributions won't be meaningful, it is ineffective and pointless."

We welcome Prashant Sahay, Lead Campus Engagement at U GRO Capital, a BSE-listed, small business lending fintech platform. The company is focused on addressing the capital needs of small businesses operating in select eight sectors by providing customized loan solutions.

Prashant has close to 7 years of experience in Talent Acquisition. Currently working with a start-up, he has also worked as a consultant dealing with specific responsibilities and targets.

Episode Highlights:

Changes in strategies for recruitment
Views on diversity, equity, and inclusion
The future of recruitment
Advice for students entering the corporate world

Follow Prashant on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the challenges and potential advantages of building a strong learning culture in an organization.

"Establishing a strong connection with employees is vital. Creating a clear and compelling vision that resonates with employees on an emotional level is essential for fostering commitment and a sense of investment in their personal and professional growth within the organization.

We welcome Swati Gupta, Associate Vice President, Global Head of Learning and Development at Evalueserve, a global company at the forefront of using product-led solutions to enhance and accelerate decision-making throughout enterprises.

Swati has almost 10 years of experience in research, consultancy, and strategy. She has experience in Go-to-market, Corporate Strategy and Planning, Business Development, and Strategic Innovation.

Episode Highlights:

Strategies for ensuring learning and development is a continuous process
Challenges and potential advantages of building a strong learning culture in an organization
The future trends that will shape the organization
Advice for budding professionals who want to enter the field of learning and development

Follow Swati on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhat Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the emerging marketing trends that could impact the industry and strategies for improving performance in digital marketing.

“Today's audience have a plethora of choices available to them and won't tolerate any form of disrespect. Therefore, it's crucial to cultivate a work culture that not only promotes empathy, but also elevates employee morale.”

We welcome Budhesh Chopra, Director at DigiVersal Consultants, an education-first technology company promoting literacy with a creativity mandate. A scale-stage tech startup based in Noida, India, managing a large study-resource digital library for undergraduate, post-graduate, and PhD study levels with respect to research-based pedagogy.

Prior to DigiVersal, Budhesh has over 10-plus years of experience in Business Development, Customer Engagement and was the CEO of SSSI Tutoring Service. His specialties include Content Marketing, SEO, Paid Search, Paid Social, Training and Employee Development.

Episode Highlights:

Ensuring employees are accessing the right format of content
Emerging marketing trends that could impact the industry
Innovative strategies to increase traffic and sales
Effective ways leaders can boost and project empathy in the workplace
Techniques for improving performance in digital marketing

Follow Budhesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the challenges coming in the future of work and how they will shape the workplace in 2023, and the benefits that can be expected two years down the line.

“Work-life balance is crucial. Being constantly on the go, 24/7, will not lead to optimal performance. There will be highs and lows in productivity. To maintain a consistent level of productivity, it's important to strike a balance between work and non-work activities."

We welcome Arko Chattopadhyay, Co-Founder of Ajenda. Ajenda assists product teams in conducting efficient meetings through the management of agendas, action items, and creation of a knowledge base.

Prior to co-founding Ajenda, Arko took on the role of both Co-Founder and CEO at Amigo - a mental healthcare service, where he helped individuals achieve a better work-life balance, boost their well-being and be at their most productive.

Episode Highlights:

The challenges coming up in work and how they will shape the workplace in 2023
Strategies for identifying and addressing burnout among employees
Techniques for improving meeting productivity in a hybrid or remote setup
The benefits that can be expected in the workplace two years down the line

Follow Arko on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host:Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses setting the foundation in HR for the next couple of years and emerging trends in HR.

"If you examine the major trends in HR, you'll find that they all revolve around the fundamental principle of managing and developing human resources."

We welcome Shivani Reddy Nigudagi, an HR professional and OD practitioner with over 15 years of experience in diverse industries translating some of the core business vision into scalable HR solutions.

Currently, she is serving on the board of Girls in Tech Kuala Lumpur, where she works towards empowering, educating, and engaging girls in the tech industry.

Episode Highlights:

The biggest emerging trends in HR
Procedures that companies can follow to lay off people in a manner that is beneficial for both the organization and the employee
How can leadership set the stage for future progress?

Follow Shivani on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the top priorities from a business and talent perspective and the challenges of staying current with the latest innovations.

"We have adapted our strategy to optimize the efficiency of our employees and to enable our team to utilize remote tools as well. There is no need for anyone to travel across the city to meet someone when the same goals can be accomplished through a Zoom call."

We welcome Himanshu Garg, the founder and CEO of Fanztar, India's first platform that enables fans to own a share of their favorite creators' success. Fanztar enables fans to become active shareholders in the creator economy rather than being passive consumers of content.

Prior to Fanztar, Garg has over eight years of experience and has worked at organizations such as Delhivery as Senior Manager of New Ventures and Wrig Nanosystems as Business Head.

Episode Highlights:

The crucial traits to look for when hiring
How can a leader help everyone on the team reach their full potential
The top priorities from a business and talent perspective
The top issues when keeping up with the latest innovations

Follow Himanshu on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host:Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the impact of new trends in approaching talent and how organizations can empower their leaders and make the hiring process more human.

"Leaders in the industry already understand that digital innovation is key to unlocking the value that the future holds for us. The true differentiator is no longer the technology itself, but the tech talent behind it."

We welcome Sangeeta Shetty, Senior Director of Human Resources at Ascendion. Ascendion manages software platforms and products that power growth and deliver great experiences to consumers and employees. She has two decades of experience in the IT industry and is an expert in human resources.

Sangeeta is passionate about developing people's capabilities, building organization culture, and contributing to organizational growth. She has served as a trusted advisor to CEO and senior leadership, successfully delivering numerous transformation and revenue-impacting projects. She has also co-created organization values, managed integration and change management efforts, and built and improved processes with a focus on employee experience and organizational development.

Episode highlights:

What to consider when redesigning employee experience
How organizations can empower their leaders and make the hiring process more human
How emerging trends in HR will redefine recruitment and retention
The impact of new trends in approaching talent
Lessons on leading in the human resources space

Follow Sangeeta on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host:Rohan Mankad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses the future of work and the key skills HR professionals will need to possess in order to be more relevant in the future.

"There is a trend towards using more analysis and predictive decision-making in the world. This means that HR professionals will need to have advanced numerical and analytical skills to be effective in their roles going forward."

We welcome Nitin Dheer, the founder and lead consultant at inQsights. Nitin provides advisory HR services in organization design, rewards, performance and talent management, change management, and HR operations across industries. He is also building a new-age suite of plug-and-play HR analytic solutions.

Before starting inQsights, Nitin had almost 24 years of experience in HR, working in various roles in the field of human resource management.

Episode highlights:

The future of work and top talent trends
How to hire and retain talent
Key skills HR professionals will need to possess in order to be more relevant in the future
A checklist for successful digital adoption in hiring practices

Follow Nitin on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest discusses how companies can encourage employees to think beyond their current roles, departments, and industries and create a culture of continuous learning to attract and retain talent.

'Training the team in both skillsets and industry expertise, and balancing them properly, would not only restrict employees to their roles and responsibilities but also allow them to go beyond and that's how innovation happens.'

We welcome Avinash Ambati, CPO of Rehlat- a world-class global travel booking platform. Avinash is a product management leader known for delivering innovative products. He is deeply committed to understanding the needs of his customers and developing solutions that effectively address those needs. His expertise in product strategy, UI/UX strategy and execution, and his ability to build collaborative relationships with engineering teams make him particularly skilled at delivering innovative products.

Episode highlights:

Challenges faced on the journey to becoming a Chief Product Officer
How can companies encourage employees to think beyond their current roles, departments, and industries
How can companies create a culture of continuous learning to attract and retain talent
How to maintain a future-ready and disruption-ready workforce

Follow Avinash on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Bhuvan Dash

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the innovations in the learning platform to help companies create value and upskill employees.

“Organisations need to shift their focus not treating learning as an event but as an intervention. An event has a start and an end, the objective is not so well defined. Whereas an intervention is a long-term process.”

We welcome Virendra Singh Rathore, Founder of Udyog Paathshala- Prior to Udyog Paathshala, he was the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Challenging Horizons. He has been into Learning and Development for 14 years.

Episode Highlights

The evolution of the learning paradigm in the post-pandemic business ecosystem
The role of learning programmes in enabling organisational agility and business success
Innovations in the learning platform to help companies create value and upskill employees
The biggest roadblocks that companies need to tackle to bring about effective skill transformation
How to tackle the challenges within the learning and development team

Follow Virendra on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest shares her advice for talent leaders when it comes to recruitment strategies and creating a positive employee experience.

"Talent should be assessed rather than experience, education, or industry. Sometimes, the most valuable candidates are not immediately apparent."

We welcome Pratibha Tiwari, HR specialist at Bravura Solution- an IT services and consulting company/a leading provider of software solutions for the wealth management, life insurance, and funds administration industries. Prior to Bravura Solutions, she has 6+ years of experience in human resources and holds an MBA in human resources management/personnel administration.

Episode highlights:

The importance of a strong onboarding experience for retaining talent
Strategies for finding the right candidates for senior management roles
Defining employee experience
The benefits of creating a positive employee experience
Tips for successful recruitment strategy implementation

Follow Pratibha on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ishika Jani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guests talk about the top areas that HR needs to focus on developing new work arrangement strategies.

"As an HR leader, it is crucial to have strong change and risk management skills, as well as the ability to anticipate and prepare for future developments."

We welcome Joel Paul, Business Development and Account Growth Manager at Supersourcing- a B2B platform for hiring remote engineers at scale. Prior to Supersourcing, he has 4+ years of experience in sales, B2B business, and client relations.

Episode highlights:

How do the new models (hybrid/remote plans) of work shape the future of work?
What are the key challenges of hybrid workstyle & how can they be addressed by leaders?
What skills should HR leaders equip themselves with?
Technology trends for the changing world of work
Developing new work arrangement strategies

Follow Joel on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guests talk about the emerging talent trends that have redefined Scry Analytics and how to create a fantastic organizational culture.

"Prioritizing employee satisfaction and experience leads to a positive work culture and increased productivity. It's a win-win for both the company and employees."

We welcome Naela Rafeeque, Employee Engagement Lead at Scry Analytics (previously Culture and Talent Acquisition Specialist at Turing.com). Prior to Scry Analytics, she has 2+ years of experience in human resources and employee engagement.

Episode highlights:

Impact of talent trends on Scry Analytics' HR strategies and policies
The primary focus areas when redesigning employee experience
How to create a stellar organizational culture?

Follow Naela on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about innovation in terms of hiring.

"You will experience a lot of ups and downs. The learning is quick, but it is quite high in a startup."

We welcome Anil Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Incruiter- a human resources service that provides remote interview solutions for businesses to identify the perfect fit for their company through precision and accurate evaluation. Prior to Incruiter, Agarwal had 7+ years of experience as an engineering manager and has founded and co-founded startups - The Interviewer and SparePay, respectively.

Episode highlights:

What is innovation in terms of hiring?
Challenges Agarwal faced in setting up Incruiter during the pandemic
The recovery post-pandemic
Points for budding entrepreneurs who are looking to enter the world of HR

Follow Anil on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about what lies ahead for the HR industry.

“Knowing what to deal with and what to let go is an important skill that needs to be balanced, that needs to be learned.”

We welcome Biren Ashu, the CHRO of The Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz- an autonomous robotic platform that delivers co-working and collaborative environments in factories or warehouses globally.

Prior to joining The Hi-Tech Robotic Systemz, he has over 20 years of experience, including serving as General Manager and Vice President of Punj Lloyd Limited and The Oberoi Group, respectively.

Episode Highlights

Impact of Changes on HR Industry and its People
The responsibilities of a CHRO
What are those qualities that somebody who is at the helm of affairs in the company should have?
Prospects that are coming over and taking over the HR industry

Follow Biren on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the long-term values that a startup company should focus on and points out what makes the hiring process successful.

"I try to focus on the aspects of my work that I don't enjoy and find ways to make them more disciplined and enjoyable. It's not always easy, but the challenge of trying to bring some enjoyment to the tasks I don't like can be rewarding."

We welcome Aishwarya Kannan, Lead - People Ops & Culture at Nymble, a computers and electronics manufacturing company building robotic assistants for 'smart kitchen' appliances. Prior to Nymble, Aishwarya has had 5+ years of experience in human resources as a manager and people function lead.

Episode Highlights:

Aishwarya points out the goals for the HR sector going forward
How did employee engagement take place at Nymble during the pandemic?
The few long-term values that a startup company should focus on
What makes the hiring process successful?
Advice to young HR professionals when switching industries

Follow Aishwarya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about her ambition for the future of the HR industry and shares her tips and tricks for handling large employees.

"As the business grows and the employee base increases, it can become a challenge to find solutions to problems. Instead of grouping all problems into one category, the issue may lie in applying the same solution to everything."

We welcome Deepti K S, who has been a Senior Manager HR Business Partner at MyGate, a community management app that is a one-stop solution for visitor management at housing societies. Prior to MyGate, Deepti has over 10 years of experience in HR and software development. She started her career as a software developer but later realized it wasn't for her and went on to get an MBA in Human Resources. She has held various roles across multiple startups and MNCs, including HR business partner, HR generalist, and training and development.

Episode highlights:

Tips and tricks for handling large employee bases
Upscaling in this season of layoffs, and Deepti's views on layoff issues
What is a toxic workplace?
The future of the HR industry

Follow Deepti on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the things to keep in mind when defining and shaping company culture.

"At the beginning stages of running a startup, it is essential for all team members to be adaptable and willing to take on any task, no matter how large or small it may seem."

We are pleased to introduce Manuela Seve, CEO and Co-Founder of Alphaa.io. Manuela has been working in the tech and art industry for the last 8 years and has founded Alphaa and alphaa.io as a way to bring the physical and digital art worlds together using blockchain certification, licensing, and dropshipping. Before starting her own company, Manuela worked as an equity analyst at Gávea Investments, a highly regarded investment management firm based in Brazil.

Episode Highlights

How can managers be grown into leaders?
Considerations for defining company culture
Key areas for employee retention
Opinions on instant recognition programs
What is the first step to take in shaping the culture of an organization?

Follow Manuela on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about how employers can manage and engage employees to the organization's advantage.

"Choose strategies that adapt to organizational changes, can handle growth, consider market conditions, and consider employee feelings."

We welcome Pranali Save, CHRO at Icertis – an IT services and consulting company/a contract intelligence company that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with contract lifecycle management.

She has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and has worked in a variety of industries, including IT, manufacturing, and construction, in various locations around the world. She has expertise in employee experience, open-source culture, leadership development, talent acquisition, post-M&A integration, and change management, and has a strong record of success in people management, change management, leadership, and business revitalization.

Episode Highlights:

What should HR leaders consider when improving employee experience for both remote and in-office workers?
How can employers manage and engage employees to the organization's advantage?
How can performance management strategies be effectively implemented?
How can learning programs be adapted for remote and hybrid work environments?
How can digitization help HR and improve their people operations?
What should an organization prioritize as it adapts to the new world of work?

Follow Pranali on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about how Sprocket Games sets in work-life balance for its employees.

"We prioritize taking care of our employees and creating a supportive work environment where they can perform at their best, regardless of any individual needs or characteristics."

We are pleased to welcome Jo Graylock, Chief Creative Officer of Sprocket Games. The company, which was founded by experienced game industry professionals in 2022, creates games that bring friends and family together through shared adventures and experiences.

Episode Highlights

Jo Graylock talks on Sprocket Games
How Sprocket Games set in an environment for work-life balance for its employees
What kind of games are up for releasing
The structural setup at Sprocket Games

Follow Jo on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about trends that will be significant for businesses in the longer term and hiring the right talent.

“HR processes can only augment and accelerate the defined culture. They cannot create the culture, or the processes.”

We are pleased to introduce Abhi Ballabh, the co-founder of ExtraaEdge.com. ExtraaEdge is an award-winning SaaS product startup that is headquartered in Pune, India.

Abhi, a tech entrepreneur and data scientist, leads the company in its efforts to use data-driven techniques to make global admissions more predictable. He currently resides in Pune, India.

Episode Highlights

Trends that will be significant for businesses in the longer term
How to attract and hire the right people?
How can fast-growing organisations improve and scale their HR processes?
Leveraging the strengths of fast-growing industries to compete with large enterprises

Follow Abhi on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Rahul Dasyam About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the major focus or touch points for the HR industry in the coming future and how to deal with situations as a manager.

"Our main focus was to eliminate tasks that were taking up a lot of time and energy. The goal was to free up our team from unnecessary work so they could be used more effectively."

We welcome Jay Vachharajani, Manager at DS Group (Dharampal Satyapal Group)- a multi-business corporation and a major player in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Before joining DS Group, he worked as a Product Specialist at GE for over 4 years.

Episode Highlights

Presumptions about HR and how to change it
Handling situations as a manager
What does the future of HR look like with the increasing integration of technology?

Follow Jay on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the important strategies that organisations must invest in to align work culture.

“One needs to be compassionate, transparent, realistic & innovative while building a positive work culture.”

We welcome Rushabh Dharamshi, CEO and Co-Founder of Amvigor Organics- a healthcare company that specializes in providing effective and holistic solutions. The company works to enhance its customers' product offerings and bring new products to market through strategic global partnerships, innovative solutions, and seamless execution within the fields of cosmeceuticals, dermatology, and nutraceuticals."

Before founding Amvigor Organics, Rushabh accumulated more than 10 years of experience in the B2B sector, including in the fields of cosmetic dermatology, pharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals.

Episode Highlights

Rushabh shares his secret sauce for winning the top talent
Views on lack of career advancement and growth as a recently highlighted issue
How can companies maintain a personal touch and positive work culture in the digital workplace?
Strategies that organizations must invest in to align their work culture
Is it important for a company to cultivate its work culture from the beginning, or not?
Cultural initiatives recommended by Rushabh
Factors to consider in building a positive work culture

Follow Rushabh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the top priorities and major challenges in framing the best L&D practices for employees.

"It is important for individuals to understand the importance of digital learning and possess the necessary technical skills to adapt to their organization's learning objectives."

We welcome Amar Pathak, Head of Learning and Development at Viraj Profiles (previously Head of Learning & Development at Alok Industries Limited). With a background in Learning & Professional Development, Human Resource Management, and Academic Administration, Amar brings over 18 years of experience to the table. He has worked in a variety of sectors and industries, including government, PSU, service, manufacturing, education, and academics, as both a learning consultant and team member."

Episode Highlights:

Key priorities for L&D leaders to consider
Challenges to foresee with the rise of new trends
How L&D teams curate the right content
How companies handle user-generated content
Major challenges in framing the best L&D practices for employees

Follow Amar on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host:Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about his journey and experience in starting At Ease Rentals.

"I learned that you must have tough skin while also being graceful with others. You must listen to people and identify different opportunities, but also hold them accountable."

We welcome Anthony J. Gantt Jr., CEO at At Ease Rentals Corporation - a short-term rental platform helping military and federal employees and their families find government-approved, temporary housing with less time and frustration. Prior to At Ease Rentals Corporation, he was an active-duty Marine for over 20 years.

Episode Highlights:

Anthony shares his journey of starting At Ease Rentals
Anthony shares his experience on how he kept going throughout the process
What to look for when hiring?

Follow Anthony on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the significant talent acquisition challenges and the importance of employee retention in the competitive talent market.

"I make a point to meet with the most junior members of the team, without supervisors in small groups. This allows me to hear firsthand what is going well and what could be improved upon. It also gives me the opportunity to take action to make necessary improvements."

We welcome Pooja Taparia, Founder & Chief Executive of Arpan - an award-winning organization in Mumbai, India, that works to address child sexual abuse. It is the largest NGO in India in this field, with over 120 social workers and counselors offering prevention and intervention services to children and adults.

Pooja is a member of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) and has received numerous awards for her work on child abuse, including the Inspire Award, the Astitwa Award, the Architects of the Future Award, and the Karmaveer Puraskar Award. Since 2007, Arpan has impacted over 2 million (20 lakh) children and adults and has received 6 National and 2 International Awards, including the WISE Award and the C. Henry Kempe Award.

Episode Highlights:

Ways in which technology can help boost productivity among the workforce
Key strategies that can help drive the growth potential of employees
Talent acquisition challenges that leaders must consider when meeting their hiring needs
Different strategies Arpan follows in engaging employees internally
The importance of employee retention in the competitive talent market

Follow Pooja on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength

In this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the function and uniqueness of her role as Director of People and how it is different from other HR roles.

"Aligning HR strategy with overall organizational strategy requires an understanding of business."

We welcome Malavika Sahoo, Director of People at FalconX- a digital asset trading platform that provides clients fast, secure and reliable execution using data science to eliminate slippage and hidden fees.

Prior to working at FalconX, she had 8-plus years of experience in human resources at Myntra and Flipkart. She is a human resource professional with experience in driving large-scale change management, organizational design, and mergers & acquisitions.

Episode Highlights:

Exploring the Function and Uniqueness of the Director of People Role
Developing a People Strategy to Achieve Company Objectives
The future of the HR industry
Criteria that are the most crucial when hiring from a pool of good candidates

Follow Malavika on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Riddhi Agarwal About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the challenges of being an entrepreneur and the changes he would like to incorporate in his role.

"Entrepreneurs should consider both market opportunities and personal strengths."

We welcome Vivek Malhotra, Founder of Prune App- an app that helps users discover mobile and travel experiences

Prior to Prune App, he has around 20-plus years of experience and worked as the Vice President of Marketing at Idea.

Episode Highlights:

The challenges of being an entrepreneur
Changes in workplace dynamics in light of the pandemic and the future of work
Things in entrepreneurship that Vivek would like to change
Vivek talks about his industry role model
A message to the younger generation who are just starting their careers

Follow Vivek on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the biggest challenge that the HR industry is facing right now.

"If a computer is left on for an extended period of time without any breaks, it will eventually experience lag and may shut down automatically as a protective measure. Just like a computer, as a human being it is not possible to work continuously for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

We welcome Rishikesh Parida, Talent Acquisition Partner at CureBay- a hybrid healthcare and fulfillment model that uses a digital platform to connect patients in underserved markets to healthcare providers and other key players in the ecosystem. It operates using a three-tier model comprising a hub, spoke, and network of satellite health centers.

Rishikesh has around one year of experience in the field of human resources. He is skilled in recruitment, talent management, talent strategy, employer branding, negotiation, and employee engagement, making him a well-rounded HR professional.

Episode Highlights

The biggest challenge that the HR industry is facing right now
Identifying the best tool to use in any project is important
Rishikesh discusses how he handles difficult work situations
Rishikesh talks about the industry role models he considers

Follow Rishikesh on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the strategies for winning the war for top talent and what companies can do in terms of retention.

"In the technology field, there are many skills that can be learned quickly with only two things - a genuine interest and a strong work ethic. These are the key ingredients for success."

We welcome Krishnan Nair, CEO and Co-Founder of GeekTrust - an online platform that helps developers fulfil their potential by connecting them with unique, interesting opportunities.

Prior to GeekTrust, Krishnan was a Delivery Manager at ThoughtWorks for 10 years, where he worked closely with client stakeholders identifying business and engineering agility needs.

Episode Highlights

Building a strong talent pipeline and attracting top candidates
The potential benefits of hiring candidates with less experience
Winning the war for top talent through effective strategies
Retaining and engaging employees in the digital workspace
Maintaining a strong work culture and human connection in the digital age

Follow Krishna on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about her secret sauce for winning top talent and how employers can manage and engage employees to the organization's advantage.

"Millennials prioritize diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They want to feel that their well-being and success are supported by the company. This is important to them when considering a job offer."

We welcome Dr. Nakia Hamlett, CEO and Founder of Complex Psychology - a mental health and wellness company dedicated to helping eradicate work and racial oppression.

Dr. Hamlett is an educator, psychologist, professor, and consultant with two decades of experience helping individuals and organizations create communities of learning focused on exploring identity, racism, and other patterns of power and oppression.

Episode Highlights:

Nakia talks about her secret sauce for winning top talent
How can startups enhance the culture of the organization?
Competencies that will dominate today's skills economy
Mistakes that startup founders should avoid
How can employers manage and engage employees to the organization's advantage?

Follow Dr. Nakia on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the impact of recognition programmes and the strategies for tracking and encouraging high performance.

"Understanding that the individual you are trying to develop into a leader has the right attitude, aligns with your values and vision, and has the ability and adaptability to change is crucial to their success, as it accounts for 75% of the job."We welcome Bhavin Bhatt, Co-founder and Head of Strategy at Azkka Pharma, a healthcare and pharmaceutical company. Bhavin holds an MBA in Pharmaceutical Management and has previous experience in brand management."

Episodes Highlights

Views on micromanaging
How to plan to motivate a team
Strategies for tracking and encouraging high performance
Can recognition programmes be a primary focus initially to motivate people?
The impact of instant recognition
The influence of leaders and managers on the growth of the organization

Follow Bhavin on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Abijith Kanthadai About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the steps to be taken for shaping the culture of any organisation and the focus areas when it comes to employee retention.

"Albert Einstein once said that if you can't explain a concept to a five-year-old, it means you don't fully understand it yourself. We follow this principle and work to create a strong training framework for our team members."

We welcome Cyan Mookherjee, Founder of 221 B Baker ST- end-to-end Investigative EQ Based B2B Liaison/ Development Services.

Prior to 221 B Baker ST, he has over 8-plus years of experience as a Senior Business Development Manager, Operations Manager and Chapter President.

Episode Highlights

Cyan explains what EQ-based prospecting is
Thoughts on micromanaging
How to grow managers into leaders, and how to motivate that?
Key areas to consider when striving to retain employees
Perceptions of instant recognition programs
Actions to take to shape the culture of an organization

Follow Cyan on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about people management and how to coach the employees in making the most efficient resource of an organisation.

"Companies don't need to advertise their diversity and inclusivity on LinkedIn. If they truly value diversity and inclusivity, their employees will spread the word, not the company itself.”

We welcome Atulaya Goswami, Director, HR at General Mills- an American multinational manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer foods sold through retail stores.

Prior to General Mills, he has 10-plus years of experience in the field of Human Resources. An HR Leader with Domestic and International HR Experience with companies like Procter & Gamble, Hero MotoCorp, and UPL across FMCG, Chemicals, and Manufacturing sectors.

Episode Highlights

Changes in the HR field
People management and how to coach the employees in making them the most efficient resource of an organisation
How to wave inclusion into the fabric of the organisation?

Follow Atulaya on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit sethi About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the workplace dynamics that have changed in the last two years and what the future of work is going to be.

“The employee now bears the responsibility to ensure that their work is being carried out responsibly. There will not be continuous supervision to monitor the progress."

We welcome Ishita Dasgupta, Associate Vice President at Spice Route Legal- a premier Indian full-service law firm with a focus on Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Lifesciences, and Energy & Renewables.

Ishita’s role involves Business Strategy and Development, Practice Area Development, Community Building, Talent Acquisition and Management, and Knowledge Management.

Episode Highlights

What changes have occurred in work and workplace dynamics over the past two years?
What is the future of work going to be?
Ishita’s advice to the younger generation who are just starting their careers in this field
Challenges in the Legal Service industry

Follow Ishita on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the trends that will be significant for businesses in the long run and effective ways companies can adapt internally to make the reward and recognition function more efficient.

“It's important for people to love what they do and love challenges because, in a startup, you have to wear multiple hats, some hats they are not great at, and some they don't enjoy.”We welcome Gary Kohn, Co-Founder of Luxury Travel Hackers - they shoot story-driven content in luxury and experiential travel hosted by influencers.

Gary Kohn has 25+ years of experience in the film industry as a film and TV producer. Over the years, he has worked with A-list producers, directors, and actors in the entertainment sector, as well as top executives in various businesses and hedge funds.

Episode Highlights

Trends that will be significant for businesses in the long run
Major blockers to working remotely
Strategies for employee engagement
Biggest changes in employees' expectations
What to look for in a candidate when hiring?
Ways companies can make rewards and recognition function more efficiently
How rewards and recognition work in a remote company and their challenges

Follow Gary on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Gupta Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about how companies can foster a culture of lifelong continual learning to retain talents & more.

"I don't agree with the concept of the boss. We must build our company culture where even an intern can share their ideas with the same confidence as a manager. That's when an organization truly grows."

We welcome Kartik Sarda, Founder and CEO at Seven Square Learning. Seven Square Learning is primarily a test-prep and tutoring company that caters to American high school and college students.

Prior to Seven Square Learning, he has 5-plus years of experience as an Education Consultant, Product Developer and Digital Marketer.

Episode Highlights

In light of the pandemic, how workplace interactions have changed over the past couple of years?
How can companies encourage employees to think beyond their current role, department, and industry?
How can companies foster a culture of lifelong continual learning to retain talents?
What top technology trends will help organisations adapt to the new world of work?

Follow Kartik on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about what the future of work is going to be.

“We try to look after the mental health of our colleagues; we ensure that we check in with these colleagues, what's happening with them to understand their needs.”

We welcome Sanket Jain, Partner at Pioneer Legal- A law firm with expertise in providing advice for legal and commercial needs.

Sanket has more than a decade of experience as a transactional and investigative lawyer. His areas of practice include mergers and acquisitions, private equity, employment law matters and forensic investigation in white-collar crimes. Prior to joining Pioneer Legal, Sanket has worked for Haresh Jagtiani and Associates, ARA Law and DSK Legal as part of the corporate and M&A team.

Episode Highlights

What should everyone in the industry start or stop doing?
What is the future of work going to be?
Sanket shares how he keeps himself motivated
Message to the younger generation who are just starting their careers

Follow: Sanket on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about Building new skill sets for employees and making the workplace future-ready, especially in challenging scenarios.

We welcome Pallavi Poddar, CHRO- Fenesta Windows (previously, Regional HR Director at Ingersoll Rand).

Pallavi is a strategic HR Leader, having perfected the technique for the best HR intervention and innovative talent strategy for global businesses by focusing on organisational growth to drive bottom-line results, working closely with the senior leaders across the businesses.

“The biggest need today is partnership- not only within the team but across organisations. That's what is going to be our winning strategy for the future.”

Episode Highlights

Building new skill sets for employees
Change management for digital transport
Strategies to build a future-ready workforce
What will be the future of work?

Follow Pallavi on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the future of work and gives advice to the younger generation who are just starting their careers in the field.

“Find yourself a good mentor; they help you in understanding your strengths and weakness and exploring new opportunities for you.“

We welcome Vasundhara Shankar, Founder and Managing Partner at Verum Legal- a full-service law firm that helps clients with legal structuring, legal auditing, IPR, data privacy, white-collar crimes, dispute resolution, etc.

After working with quite a few Marquee law firms in India, Vasundhara joined MyAdvo as their core team member and Legal Head in February 2016. Having worked in a startup environment and heading Sales verticals, Marketing and Tech Development for them- she garnered varied experience in the development of a business, which helps her provide expert legal assistance.

Episode Highlights

Vasundhara talks about her career journey
What the future of work is going to be
What would be the questions that Vasundhara would have for a leading expert in her field?
Advice to the younger generation who are just starting their careers in the field

Follow Vasundhara on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about building an employee experience strategy and gives advice on leveraging technology to bridge the employee experience.

“There should be a limit to which you adopt the technology. While it's all fancy, I think they can definitely never please the human element.”

We welcome Navin Patel, Global Talent Acquisition Head at Affine- a leading Consulting Firm that delivers Analytics-driven enterprise transformation.

Navin is a Talent Acquisition expert and an innovative strategic thinker with a progressive career in a dynamic, multicultural, diversified and matrix organisation. With strong experience in various leadership roles within the Talent Acquisition domain for over 15 years and overall 19 years of experience, carries a good blend of experience and exposure gained from TA Ops, Talent Sourcing, Recruitment Delivery, and strategizing staffing plans with the leadership.

Episode Highlights

Building blocks of employee experience strategy
The work environment expectation of the millennials
The challenges in moving from one remote culture to a hybrid model
Key advice to leaders planning for employee work-life balance
Advice on leveraging technology to bridge the employee experience

Follow Navin on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Abijith Kanthadai

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

In this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the future of work and how he balances life and work.

“Hybrid work models and work-from-home models are extremely efficient. If you have hired right, then you can drive a tremendous amount of efficiencies by allowing them the flexibility to use their time in a way that's most optimal for them.”

We welcome Clarence Anthony, Partner at Trilegal- one of India's leading law firms with offices in four of India’s major cities - Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram and Mumbai. It represents clients on a large number of the most complex and high-value transactions in India.

Clarence has over 13 years of experience in corporate M&A, PE and VC transactions. While his practice is sector agnostic, he has dealt with the renewables, technology, retail, financial services, pharmaceutical, defence and telecom sectors.

Episode Highlights

Clarence talks about the changes in the industry
Common beliefs about his role that Clarence disagrees with
What is the future of work going to be?
How to balance life and work?

Follow Clarence on Linkedin Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about the HR agenda that companies and leaders must prioritise as they reinvent their people and business strategies.

“Be transparent and consistent about the core principles and values. This brings a sense of a different purpose for every individual.”

We welcome Manoj Kumar, Co-Founder and CTO at Avysh- a B2B channel commerce and engagement platform for Brands, Dealers and Distributors.

Manoj is experienced in Product & Software development for over 18 years and has worked as Head Of the Digital Workplace, Product Head, and Solution Architect in the information technology and services industry.

Episode Highlights

Digitization for an organisation
HR agenda to help reinvent people and business strategies
Manoj talks about scaling challenges
How can organisations go about choosing the right tech solutions for their skilling programmes?
Retention initiatives taken by Avysh
Key insights for leaders who are investing in digitisation

Follow Manoj on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest talks about workforce strategy and the new skill sets and competencies that are considered necessary.

“Gen Z are very vocal about what they want and don't want. By being more flexible & giving them what they want you might be surprised with what they can deliver”

We welcome Ajay Desai, Vice President Talent Management and Leadership Development at EPL Limited- a global specialty packaging company which delivers extraordinary packaging solutions that cater to the FMCG and Pharma space.

Having over 20-plus years of experience in Human Resources, Ajay is a Human Resource and People Development enabler credited with leading people and leadership development practices aligned to business objectives.

Episode Highlights

Talks about Workforce Strategy
New skill sets and competencies that are considered a necessity
How to address the talent shortage?
Successful methods for facilitating flexible working practices
Leveraging next-generation network techniques

Follow Ajay on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, our guest shares how organizations should instill Rewards and Recognition policies without losing its charm.

“Rewards and recognition policy should be created in this way: appreciation should have a deeper meaning & not on the surface level. It shouldn't happen too frequently. Otherwise, it's not going to serve its purpose.”

We welcome Deepak Agarwal, Founder & CEO at Auric- a Beauty & Wellness food brand based on Ayurveda.

Prior to establishing his venture, he worked at Unilever for 8-plus years. He held numerous roles, including Haircare & Skincare Planning Manager, Cluster Industrial Performance Manager, Global Industrial Performance Manager, and Manufacturing Manage.

Episode Highlights:

Trends that will be significant for businesses in the long term
Major blockers while working remotely and how to overcome them
Does working from home affect productivity?
What are some of the biggest changes in employees expectations?
Effective ways to make reward and recognition more efficient
How frequent should Employee Recognition be?

Follow Deepak on LinkedInProduced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Carl Myers, Founder & CEO of Switch Healthcare- a startup focusing on catalysing better health-related decisions to enhance members' health and decrease their healthcare costs.

With 40-plus years of experience and having worked in the Hospitals and Health Care industry as Vice President of Medical Affairs, Medical Oncologist, Chief Medical Officer and VP of Medical Affairs, Carl has plenty of experience and insights to share in this conversation:

What is Carl's go-to tool for any project you work on?
What's the current issue that he is working on resolving?
What keeps Carl motivated
With a 10x budget, what's the best way to spend it?
Advice to the younger generation starting their careers

Follow Carl on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Prioritize delivering good comfort and flexibility for your employees at the workplace. That’s when they deliver best.”

Our next guest is about doing things right and not just following traditional HR norms. We are delighted to welcome Arpan Chakraborty, Human Resource Lead at Saleshandy.

His previous stints have included working for companies like NED Studio, Xylem & Schoogle-TGES. Entrepreneur Arpan is entirely self-made. He founded his venture, Book Your Books (BYB), in 2020. BYB is an E-Commerce solution for book delivery, book library and creative display-sharing platform.

Episode Highlights:

Tips for HR leaders enhancing the employee experience
Tips for leaders to engage their employees
How to ensure performance management strategies translate into successful execution
What should organizations focus on as we transition into the new working paradigm?
What is more challenging is it finding the right job or hiring?

Follow Arpan on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Paul Fayad is a lifelong entrepreneur and is best known as the Co-Founder/ Chief Administrative Officer at ELM Learning.

Serial entrepreneur, Paul, knows a thing or two about running successful companies. He founded numerous companies in the learning industry.

He has written numerous articles in trade journals, produced over 50 industry training videos, and has been invited as a national speaker to over 20 conferences.

In his conversation with Paul, he shares tangible tips on everything:

What’s one tool that you use no matter what project you’re working on?
What’s the current issue that you are working on resolving?
How do you keep yourself motivated?
If you had 10x the budget you have now, what would you spend it on?
What is your advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?
How do you balance life and work?

Follow Paul on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“HR is both an art and a science. HRs must focus on understanding business and prioritizing D&I while formulating people's policies. In addition, they need to assess the impact of initiatives and guide future human capabilities.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Preeetika Mehrotra, Founder of ManageUrHR- a one-stop HR service that helps start-ups hire, retain and train teams to grow and achieve their business goals.

Preeetika is a strategic HR, recruitment and management consultant with more than 20 years of experience. Her capability also extends to the start-up sphere, where she worked closely with a Fintech start-up right from its inception. Her expertise covers employee life cycle management as well.

We discuss with Preeetika:

What are the top areas that HR needs to focus on?
Ways for leaders to slow down the talent exodus
Employee expectation in the workplace: Performance assessment and rewards
What is your ambition for HR in start-ups and SMEs?
What will the future of HR look like in 2030?

Follow Preetika on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ishika Jani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Pradnesh Warke, Associate Partner at Link Legal - a firm that provides a full range of advisory and transactional expertise to companies.

He has previously worked with firms like AZB & Partners, Rajani & Associates and Dave Girish & Co. At Medtronic, he was responsible as Senior Legal Counsel for India and Subcontinent.

With 10-plus years of experience, Pradnesh is a competent and versatile legal professional. We discuss with him:

What was more challenging than you expected when you first started your career?
Take on the future of work considering the pandemic & how workplace dynamics have changed
What’s something law firms should start or stop doing?
How to have a good work-life balance?
Advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in the legal services field?

Follow Pradnesh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Durgesh Mukharya, Equity Partner at K&S Partners- a full-service intellectual property Law firm.

Durgesh is one of the leads for the Life Science practice at the Bangalore office of the firm. Over the years, he has developed considerable expertise in advising clients on IP strategy and worldwide portfolio management, in sync with their business models.

In this episode, Durgesh answers:

When you first started your journey, what was something that was more challenging than you expected?
What’s something that everyone in your industry should start or stop doing?
Considering the pandemic and how work and workplace dynamics have changed in the past 2 yrs, what is your take on what the future of work is going to be?
Who’s your mentor or industry role model? Why?
What is your message/advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

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On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Vikram Chalana,
CEO of Pictory- AI that produces a month of video and social content from longform content such as blogs and webinars in minutes.

He is also best described as an entrepreneur with a passion for creating technologies

Vikram started his career as a Research Scientist at Insightful Corporation. His entrepreneurial journey began in 2003 when he co-founded- Winshuttle, an enterprise software company that offers application data management software solutions to transform SAP-based businesses.

In this episode, he shares the story of founding Pictory, his career journey & the challenges he faced on his journey to success.

Follow Vikram on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Himanshu Manghani, Founder of HE Services - Architectural and engineering services with valid technical consultation.

His career began in the automobile business, where his patent on Reclaiming the Identify of an Attacked Connected Car was chosen by IAS officers from India who worked at the selecting firm. With a deep understanding and passion towards technology, Himanshu undoubtedly succeeded in the same.

We discuss with Himanshu:

What was more challenging than you expected when you first started your career?
Take on the future of work considering the pandemic & how workplace dynamics have changed
If you had 10x the budget you have now, what would you spend it on?
Who’s your mentor or industry role model? Why?
Advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?

Email: honey@heservices.online

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Anupam Prasad,
Founder Partner, AP Law Chambers.

With 25-plus years of experience in general corporate and commercial law practice, he undoubtedly has excellent learnings and insights to share with us. Prior to joining AP Law Chambers, he worked with giants such as Nishith Desai Associates, Khaitan & Co, IndusLaw, and Fashion for Good.

Anupam has assisted numerous businesses with India entry strategies, including forming corporations and providing all related post-incorporation advisory services and documentation.

Episode Highlights:

What was more challenging than you expected when you first started your career?
What’s something about your industry that has surprised you lately?
What do you wish everybody understood about your job?
Take on the future of work considering the pandemic & how workplace dynamics have changed
Advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?

Follow Anupam on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“One of the biggest things employees want is to be valued and inclusive.”
In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we ask Sriniketh Chakravarthi, CEO of Apexon, to share successful ways to recognise and reward employees & more.

Sriniketh is a business leader with a track record of growing, managing and transforming multiple businesses. He is a seasoned P&L leader with experience across the Americas, Europe, and Asia helping clients successfully navigate various business and technology shifts.

He is passionate about driving a robust, client-first and digital-first plan to transform and rewire businesses. His previous stints include working for Tech Mahindra as SVP and Head of BFSI and Enterprise Alliances, Americas & SVP and Head of Banking and Financial Services, North America at Cognizant.

Episode Highlights:

Sriniketh’s secret sauce to winning the top talent?
How are you investing in enabling meaningful careers at Apexon?
What competencies will dominate today’s skills economy?
How can businesses retain the human touch & strengthen work culture in a digital workplace?
What words of advice would you like to share with our community for thriving in the future of work?

Follow Sriniketh on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kira

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“The key factor of employee retention is continuous employee engagement.”

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we interacted with Kiran Chennadi, Head of Talent Acquisition at Kanerika Inc.

With 18-plus years of work experience, Kiran undoubtedly knows the ins and outs of Human Resources, Talent Acquisition, and People Management. Prior to Kanerika, he worked with giants such as iGATE, Oracle, Yash Technologies, & Ciber Global.

He talks about his career journey & shares actionable insights on:

Some of the best practices businesses should invest in to hire better
How should companies address the overheated talent market globally?
Is it necessary for employers to invest in an employee retention plan?
Top 3 ways to retain employees
How to ensure employee engagement activities on a daily basis
Employee Engagement Strategies for remote companies
Words of advice to fellow leaders to elevate their business and people strategies

Follow Kiran on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Our guest on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast puts forward a different perspective on the future of work.

Sagar Manju, Partner at Saraf and Partners Law offices, disagrees that the future of work is hybrid. He believes in empowering employees. If they have an ownership factor, deliver at the right time, and can connect with the organisation's goals, then WFH or working from Office doesn't matter.

Sagar, a graduate of Nashville law school, starts his career as a LAMP (Legislative Assistants to Member of Parliament) fellowship. He gained rich knowledge on how laws are made, how the groundwork is laid before even the laws are brought into action and more.

Prior to Saraf and Partners Law offices, Sagar worked as a Principal Associate at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, Associate at Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas & Associate at SNG & Partners.

He has 10-plus years of experience in Banking & Finance, Insolvency, and Fintech. With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

Episode Highlights:

Challenges faced during the first step of your journey to success?
What do you wish your younger self knew about your current role?
What’s something about your industry that has surprised you lately?
Take on the future of work considering the pandemic & how workplace dynamics have changed
Advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?

Follow Sagar on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify— B2B verification platform
EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I believe in taking direct feedback from my team. First, understand where they're coming from, what’s working for them & what’s not. Then, give them the liberty to decide which solution/route they want to opt for.” - Gaurav Sonkar, Founder of Bid4Best Technologies.

Prior to his current role, Gaurav served as the Strategy and Marketing Manager at TAAL Tech. He has 16+ years of experience in strategic marketing, digital marketing, strategic planning, and brand management.
In this episode, Gaurav talks about:

Should CEOs micromanage hiring?
Tips on designing a leadership self-reflection practice?
Strategies for managers to improve their management skills
Leaders' role in building high-performance teams
What's the impact of technology on the HR function
Should startups adopt technology in the early stage?

Follow Gaurav on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Jessica Lobo

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“No team is a one-man army. It's very important to build a culture, a team and an atmosphere where you observe and learn things from your peers, partners, and team members.” - Harsh Trivedi, Founder & Managing Partner at Trivedi & Parashar
(Advocates and Solicitors).
Harsh has an incredible career journey of 7 plus years- starting his career as a legal intern post which he became an Advisor / Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs for the Government of India. His entrepreneurial journey started in 2020.

Episode Highlights:

What was more challenging than you expected during the first step of your journey to success?
What is the biggest problem you or your team solved in the last year?
What is your take on the future of work?
Who’s your mentor or industry role model, and Why?
What is your advice to the younger generation just starting their careers in your field?

Follow Harsh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — ...

Diversity and inclusion should be a core value of any organization.

At a basic level, employers need to level the playing field and provide equal opportunities to all members of the workforce. Because the post-pandemic recovery has to be resilient. Therefore, D&I will form the core theme for businesses in the coming years. - Parul Kashyap, Founder Partner at SunLegal.

Parul heads a law firm in India. Her practice areas focus heavily on Infrastructure Projects, Public-Private Partnerships, Public Procurement, Project Finance and Commercial Contracts.

With 15-plus years of experience and background that extensive, it is no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground:

What trends will be significant for businesses in the long term?
How has the workplace dynamic changed since then, especially for women?
Why should Diversity & Inclusion be a core value at organisations?
What are some steps that organisations & governments should take to build a fairer society?
What to do to level the playing field in the C-suite and boardroom?
How do you see the future of women's leadership?

Follow Parul on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — ...

“Employees perform well when they have a sense of belongingness & are treated with pride. Treat them like humans and not machines”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Karandeep Singh Grover, CEO at AtliQ- an IT company which provides a range of services, including Software Development, Web & App development, and Digital Marketing.

Karandeep started his career as a Junior editor and worked as an editor for 2 plus years, after which he switched to a software engineer role.

Episode Highlights:

How to ensure a strong talent pipeline?
Employee well-being areas to focus on in 2022
What should organizations focus on in the new paradigms of working?

Follow Karandeep on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Rahul Dasyam

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — ...

'Organizations must develop their own talent rather than hiring ready resources. This also serves as a retention strategy as we show them the roadmap for growth by upskilling them with the skills required to reach the next level of growth option.'

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is a housewife who woke up from a nap one day with a sudden urge to start her professional journey. We welcome Bhavna Asrani, Head of People Experience at Lifestyle Housing.

She is the founder of Abhyas Academy, a professional training platform which accelerates organisational development. She is also a member of the Madras Management Association. She is a part of the Corporate Council at Agni’s Ignite – India for nurturing, developing, and sustaining an entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem across Tamil Nadu.

Bhavna is an ambitious professional with 11 years of experience in strategic planning and organizational development. She is an expert in managing a full spectrum of Human Resources, Training, and Brand Communication.

She answers:

How do flexible policies with regard to formal education impact the processes of HR since the parameters of hiring will change?
Do you think the pandemic has proven beneficial to women, especially because of the WFH situation?
How do you think the percentage of women in senior management in India could be increased & what are the current roadblocks?
Do you feel the organisations & academia can work hand in hand to take the best out of the increase in annual growth in the L&D Industry?
Bhavna’s take on 'The Upskilling Revolution': Is this a good way to increase the organisation's productivity?

Follow Bhavna on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Aashi Jesani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Avoid making the biggest mistake of thinking that collaboration can only happen when everyone is in the same work environment. Companies will need to keep an open mind & rethink what kind of work requires collaboration.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Somya Kalani, HR Manager at The Address, shares ideas for helping a hybrid workforce collaborate and interact.

Somya started off her career as a freelancer for 2 years post which she joined N.R. Doshi & Partners as a Human Resources Executive. Currently, she is responsible for end-to-end HR activities, from recruitment to exit formalities, attendance, leave management, and payroll.

In this 30 min conversation, we discuss with Somya about:

Emerging business trends that will redefine how we recruit and retain talent
What roles will the new-age workforce and the gig economy play?
How can leaders strengthen a collaborative environment and the right work culture today?
What tools can ensure a seamless onboarding experience & transition to the work life of fresh graduates?
What is your advice for leaders as they revamp the business and work models for the rapidly changing world of work?

Follow Somya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Aashi Jesani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Ankita Singh, Co-Founder & Partner at A&P Partners joins us today on The Shape of Work podcast. Ankita is an inspiring advisor who explained this to us- build your own narrative, don't let society build the narrative for you.'

Ankita started her journey 11 years back as a Legal Intern at Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. Prior to finding her company, she worked for 4 plus years at ALMT Legal. She specializes in the field of intellectual property rights, sports, media, & entertainment law. Her firm A&P Partners has been enlisted in the Forbes Legal Powerlist 2020 as one of the top law firms in IP practice.

She shares her experience and challenges as a first-time entrepreneur and more:

Advice to folks starting their career in Law
Advice for women to help advance their careers
Ankita’s take on the future of work

Follow Ankita on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Hashmita Tarasinghani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

How can we ensure performance management strategies translate into successful execution on the ground?

Zarna Trivedi, Head of Human Resources at Versa Networks, articulates the keys to achieving this-

Define clear goals, followed by periodical reviews and a feedback system with a frequency suitable to the organization.

Zarna, a strong business-oriented HR professional with more than a decade of experience, is well-versed in working across various HR domains and geography.

She shares her learnings over the years & talks about the rapid changes in HR functions. We asked her:

Meaning of productivity and performance post evolution in the business environment
Ways to translate performance management strategies into successful execution
How should performance strategies be revised to adapt to hybrid & remote work?
How to sustain the value of empathy in appraisal systems?
Advice for talent leaders to enable transparency & fairness in performance management strategies

Follow Zarna on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Aashi Jesani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“There’s no perfect person for any role. The role has to transform, the person has to transform. They need to come out and work together for each other to be a success.”

This and a lot more on this informative chat with Aditya Oza, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at EMotorad.

Aditya has a true entrepreneurial heart. He founded his first startup- My Ride, while pursuing his Master's. He talks about meeting the other co-founders and how they started by renting out bikes. He shares this fun & inspiring journey along with several actional insights with us in this episode.

Episode Highlights:

Thoughts on conventional talent acquisition models. Should it change?
What pivotal shifts in employee preferences led to refiguring how companies attract and hire the right people?
What are the top strategies that EMotorad follows to win the war for top talent?
What are some of the hiring strategies that you follow at EMotorad to identify soft skills?
Aditya’s take on leveraging employer branding for organizations to persuade qualified candidates.

Follow Aditya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

The key to the formation of employee experience is to keep an open line of transparent communication. It helps employees align with the experience and the culture of the organization.

This is one of the many things Dipen Sharma, Senior Manager - HR Business Partner at Medline India demystified in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast.

He is a strong believer of empowerment and support. Everything today is need-based, it is about how you enable people's journeys while creating a win-win scenario for your organization as a way to go forward.

Dipen is an HR professional with over 16 years of recruitment experience across the telecom, insurance, financial services, cloud infra, and IT security domains. He has worked with numerous giants like Tech Mahindra, WNS Global Services, Wipro Limited, and Cognizant.

In this podcast, we discuss various topics with Dipen, such as:

Support and empowerment needed by today’s workforce
History of Medline India: employee needs and wants, a new trend
What practices at your organisation have the most significant impact on employee experience?
How to bridge the gap between employee health and productivity?

Follow Dipen on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

'The culture of your organization & employee well-being is one of the most important things. It results in happy customers, students & employees who will take the extra initiative to go an extra mile.'

Divya Jain is the Co-Founder of Seekho, a promising new ed-tech startup in India which is a video-based social platform to match the needs of graduates/early career professionals.

She is a social entrepreneur working for the past ten years to provide a solution for the massive unemployable youth of the Indian subcontinent. She was BW 40 under 40 entrepreneurs and among India Today’s 50 most powerful change-makers under 50.

She previously worked at Ernst & Young as an Associate Consultant & Director at Safexpress Private Limited. She was also the CEO and Founder of Safeducate.

Episode Highlights:

How can organizations incorporate design features and amenities to prompt well-being at the workplace?
What are some of the focus areas when it comes to the well-being of employees?
Outcomes of a positive employee experience in terms of business, employee satisfaction, and work culture?
Practices at Seekho that had a significant impact on employee experience?
Divya's take on the statement - “Companies often think the employee experience (EX) strategy is a tech strategy.”

Follow Divya on LinkedIn & Twitter

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Aashi Jesani About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Our next guest dislikes the conventional way of rejecting candidates.

'There has to be a mechanism to make rejecting candidates more human. It becomes more transactional when it's an automated email. The candidate's experience is impacted. Instead, conduct a candidate experience survey, and revise your process accordingly. That's more reactive.'

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Gautam Duggal, Director, Global Talent & Learning Consultant at Mastercard. In this conversation, we gained insights ranging from great resignation to employee experience.

Gautam has worked with several giants like IBM, American Express, Avon, and S&P Global. With an experience of over 19 years, he gained expertise in talent management & development experience amidst building strategies for end-to-end delivery across global markets.

Episode Highlights:

What work trends will have a decisive impact on recruitment plans?
How can organisations avoid workforce instability that was brought by the Great Resignation?
How can you position your company better in this market to hire better?
What practices at Mastercard have the most significant impact on employee experience?
Advice to the HR community for thriving in the future of work.

Follow Gautam on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ramakrishnan Lokanathan

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

One of the most insightful suggestions for policy or change management:

'To set up any policy/change in your workplace, you must first understand your employees' pulse and requirements. Find the right balance between focusing on your employee and the direction you want your company to go in.'

This advice was given by our next guest, Shantanu Karnik, HR Manager at Questt. He found the perfect combination to go with after completing his Bachelor's in Law- MBA in Human Resource Development and Industrial Relations. The combination has helped him with policy formulations and legal interpretation, which is required in the HR field.

Prior to joining Questt, he worked with Amazon for more than two years where he managed over 30+ employees. He sure is a team player.

In this fun-filled, insightful conversation, we cover:

How can business executives make the most of HR technology?
What is Questt doing differently to improve employee retention and positive work culture?
What biggest changes/demands do employees want in their jobs these days?
How to set & communicate a flexible work model for employees?

Follow Shantanu on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ishika Jani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

'Focus on what's optimal for the business, sort your internal policies and experience because word of mouth is what attracts great talent. Without it, attracting any new talent is difficult, regardless of what marketing you do. '

In this episode, we have a successful & inspiring IIT Bombay graduate who founded his first company right after college in 2015. Sahil Vaidya is the co-founder of The Minimalist, India’s fastest-growing creative solutions company.

Sahil shares the story behind The Minimalist & how he bonded with his co-founder, Chirag Gander over bad grades and a passion for creativity. They co-authored a short read- Think like The Minimalist. A book for students, practitioners, and leaders who are eager to succeed in the world of creativity.

Sahil was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list & in LinkedIn Top Voices 2021 for his signature, minimalist-style humour.

In this insightful conversation, we discuss topics like hiring, employee empowerment & experience, brand communication and more.

Episode Highlights:

How to support and empower today's workforce?
What practices have the most significant impact on employee experience?
What strategy works for communicating your employer's brand to talent?
Strengths of emerging organizations for winning the talent war against larger enterprises

Follow Sahil on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

‘Invest in the younger generation, hire them young, and train them to be future leaders.’

On the latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, Elsa Varghese, Director of Talent Development - India at FleishmanHillard, talks about work trends in 2022, retaining challenges, best hiring strategies and more.

Elsa tells us that helping people & motivating them is directly proportional to her energetic personality. She always had an inclination toward HR, which made her pursue her Master's in transitioning into Leadership, Organizational Leadership & Strategy from IIM, Calcutta.

Elsa started her career in the manufacturing industry and went on to work in various industries with the goal of learning about different demographics, people, age groups, and businesses for 14-plus years. She worked with giants like TATA AIG, Demag, Scorpio and Nestlé Skin Health.

Her passion lies in helping individuals meet their professional goals, to help them find new opportunities & achieve business as well as their own career goals.

In this 30 minutes conversation, we cover:

What are some of the trends that might impact recruitment plans?
Retaining challenges and how to overcome them.
The most in-demand skill sets in the current situation.
Best hiring strategies that firms should use in this new world of work.
How can recruiting managers effectively coordinate their talent search to deliver business ROI?
How can companies address the overheated talent market globally?
Words of advice for talent leaders.

Follow Elsa on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Abijith Kanthadai

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Our guest brings out-of-the-ordinary, fresh and eye-opening insights to the table around the new way of work and the well-being of the team. We are delighted to introduce Alekhya Rakhecha, Founder of Creative Commute.

Alekhya explains ‘strong talent’ in the most beautiful and noteworthy way- a person who's ready to adapt & strives to do better each day is a strong talent. Skill on day 1 < How much they have evolved on day 30.

Curious Alekhya and her inclination towards the creative side of things led her to pursue marketing as a career. Her areas of expertise include brand strategy, content writing & copywriting, social media marketing and integrated marketing.

She also threw light on much-needed initiatives toward building a positive & trusting workplace. We discuss:

Her views on the new world of work
Building a strong talent pipeline
Maintaining the welfare of the team members
Alekhya becoming an employer of choice & enhancing the experience of employees across the value chain
Parameters followed to pick the best talent

Follow Alekhya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Aashi Jesani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Design thinking -a framework that allows organizations and people to come up with creative solutions to complex problems- that’s just one of the things we learned while talking with Greg Dickerson, Design Coach at Bowling Green State University.

Our design passionate guest gives us 5 key concepts that the design framework is based on- Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. All this put together is what makes Greg a design coach. He uses the concept of design thinking and applies it to people.

Greg started his career in law enforcement but soon found his passion in working with college students. Post that, he became a college advisor at Bowling Green State University for 18 years.

In this episode, we discuss:

What life design is & how is it useful for students and working professionals?
What are some of the major challenges of counselling?
How did you switch off from work & focus on your life after work hours in the remote working model?
How are leaders accommodating the ever-evolving schedules of employees while building a successful organization?
Innovative strategies to improve employee engagement & curb the attrition rate

Email Greg: dgreg@bgsu.edu

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

'Employee feedback is the foundation to a better employee experience'

On the latest episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, Head of Ecosystem Growth at bitsCrunch, Ajay Prashanth explained the importance of employee experience for your business success, in addition to sharing:

How can companies build an inclusive hybrid workplace
How can companies build an employee experience roadmap that’s inclusive of gig workers
Effective ways to use technology to improve the employee experience
Tips to beat your competition when attracting talent
Things he learned wrt performance assessment and rewards expectations

Follow Ajay on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Jessica Lobo

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

We have heard about the tools and initiatives that organisations should take to retain & hire talent. What is an HR professional’s role in this? How can they change the dynamics?

Dheeraj Shetty, Sr General Manager - HR & Operations at Ultraviolette Automotive elucidates that & more in this episode.

He says HR people should be strategic, data-conscious, visionary, and oriented towards business acumen. Usage of analytics is more effective for better decision-making and nurturing relationships. They should understand the business and nuances of what comes in to appreciate and contribute better to your organisation.

Having spent more than 25 years of his career working across industries, he definitely has excellent learnings and insights to share with us. His expertise lies in strategic HR, employee engagement, change management, and learning & development.

Episode Highlights

How should talent leaders reimagine their roles & prepare for the evolution of the HR landscape in 2022?
How to address employee well-being and resilience?
Things that HR need to do to add business value.
How can managers create a feedback culture?
Role of data and technology in helping organizations measure the employee experience.

Follow Dheeraj on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

'Almost half of the companies using tandem are either partly in office or contemplating coming back to the office at some point in the future. And I think it's going to be determined by the company size, location and concentration of people.'

The rise of Tandem occurred when Rajiv Ayyangar and his co-founder went from working in person every single day, brainstorming, whiteboarding together, and having those quick yet creative conversations to working from home all of a sudden, because of the pandemic. And they stopped feeling like a team anymore.

We all know that remote work and distributed companies are slightly different from the traditional office setting. There’s always a little bit of magic that’s lost when you don’t have those informal interactions at the office. But in a world that’s becoming increasingly distributed, Tandem is trying to replicate the feeling of being in an office. Tandem is a virtual office app for your remote and hybrid teams that lets you see who's around and talk in one click.

Tandem CEO and co-founder Rajiv Ayyangar is our guest on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast. He talks about the inspiration for Tandem and the importance of collaboration.

We discuss with Rajiv:

The story behind Tandem: how it started and how much the app has evolved?
What percentage of companies that use tandem are hybrid vs remote?
The nuances of a flexible-hybrid workplace: is it the Future of Work?
How to embrace asynchronous communication
Essential tools to create a great hybrid workplace

Follow Rajiv on LinkedIn and Twitter

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Abhash Kumar

'Create an environment where people & processes blossom. Try to learn one extra initiative from every employee.'

Dheeraj Kumar Pandey, Vice President of Sales at Keka Technologies, is joining us in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast. Prior to working at Keka, Dheeraj has held roles in Business Development and Human Resources domain.

Is it difficult/challenging, and what’s your mantra?

It’s probably the first thing we all tend to ask people from Sales. Dheeraj talks about the basic ground rules and why it’s important to be a good human being. He explains that we are selling products to people who take a chance upon us, and they will do it once or twice but not beyond. Hence, it’s essential to be truthful & genuine.

In addition, Dheeraj talks about:

Positive outcomes of empowering a workforce
His thoughts on making D&I more impactful
How can technologies create a culture of happiness?
How do digital solutions create a positive culture and reimagine the future of work?
Advice on leading well-being in the era of digital transformation

Follow Dheeraj on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

From being the first hire at Steelcase to now growing to a Managing Director (SAARC, Design Application- APAC) role in the same organization, Praveen’s journey sets some great benchmarks for us.

Our guest on today’s episode, Praveen Rawal has spent over 18 years contributing to the growth of Steelcase.

Prior to Steelcase, Praveen worked at giants like Shell India & ESPN. The creative side of a business such as the development and ideation of products intrigues Praveen. This interest and passion have also helped him bring success to every new product he launched.

Episode highlights:

How to measure the effectiveness of your employee experience initiatives?
How can a well-defined policy framework serve as a culture differentiator and help attract talent?
How can companies build a community that is collaborative, highly communicative, and upholds wellbeing practices?
Praveen's initiatives for developing a feedback and appreciation culture and the relevance of employee listening strategy.

Follow Praveen on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Sameer Kalra is a polymath whose breadth and depth of interests and knowledge are truly astounding.

He is the Co-Founder of pumpumpum and is best known as the industry's best salesperson. His 22+ years of seasoned experience includes corporate sales and consulting.

Sameer and his co-founder are loud and clear about their mission- democratize car lease policies for corporates. Tune in to the episode and learn about his journey as a first-time entrepreneur, the challenges he faced, & everything that took him to build pumpumpum from the ground up.

This wide-ranging conversation covers a lot including:

Listening to Employees: More significant than you think
How is leasing pre-owned cars beneficial for employees: Tax advantages
What problem is pumpumpum trying to solve?
Measures organizations should take to evaluate employee experience
Attracting and retaining top talent

Follow Sameer on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

With a fierce passion for HR and the desire to use the best technology for large-scale changes, our next guest is Sunil More. Sunil combines a career in HR including working with giants like Voltas Limited and Maersk Global Service Centres.

He currently brings that expertise as the Regional HR Operations Lead at Svitzer- a global market leader providing towage and sustainable marine solutions to customers in 30+ countries across four regions.

Sunil has over 20 years of experience across industries like Liner Shipping & Logistics, ITES, Procurement, Consumer Electronics, and Infrastructure. He has also worked with teams from the Asia Pacific, West & Central Asia, and Europe, where he helped set up HR processes and outsourcing.

With such vast knowledge & experience, Sunil shares many insights on employee experience, talent management, innovative learning programs & more in this episode.

Here are the highlights of the episode:

How can HR enhance employee experience for remote and hybrid workplaces?
Two HR transformational journeys & five lessons learned
What are the changing talent requirements in an increasingly hybrid workplace?
How do innovative learning programs accommodate the remote & hybrid teams?
Advice to fellow leaders to elevate their business and people strategies

Follow Sunil on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Dinesh Pandey

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

'You need to have a strong value proposition to attract and retain talent in the organization.'

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Akash Agarwal, Co-Founder & CEO at Sahaj Software Solutions- an artisanal technology services company crafting purpose-built AI and data-led solutions for their clients.

Akash brings a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving employee experience and the impact of the pandemic on it.

His career journey of over 25 years has indeed been an inspiring one. He started as a Developer at HCL and then became Senior Project Manager at Infosys, Head of Test Services at Aditi Technologies and Marketing director at ThoughtWorks.

Having spent eight years growing Sahaj by leaps and bounds, it is no surprise that in this episode, Akash covers a lot of ground:

How to create a great employee value proposition to attract the right talent?
What elements help build a healthy work culture with an engaged workforce?
How can organizations uphold well-being practices in a remote organization?
What is Sahaj doing differently to enhance the overall experience of its workforce?

Follow Akash Agarwal on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture, leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of work podcast, our guest is Anant Pradhan, HR Manager at Archetive Solutions Pvt. Ltd

With several years of experience working in the HR fraternity, Anant has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

We discuss with him:

Leveraging HR Tech for a transparent performance management process
Strategies to support employee growth and professional development
How can organizations ensure that employee growth increasingly falls in line with the goals of organizational growth?
Keyways that data analytics can improve the workplace
The fairness factor in performance management

Follow Anant on LinkedIn

Podcast host: Aashi Jesani
Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Our guest in this episode is Satadru Chakraborty, Head HR at Signify Innovations Lab, Bangalore. He advises leaders to ensure different levels of retention plans within their organizations. Retention is not a “one size fits all” concept.

Satadru has 15+ years of diverse experience in the HR field. Prior to building the workplace of Signify, he worked with giants such as Schneider Electric & Jubilant Organosys Ltd.

Currently, he manages the end-to-end HR function around talent acquisition as well as operations.

Episode highlights:

Elements influencing new ways of working and the evolving hybrid workplace?
How to meaningfully transform employee experience?
How did the pandemic influence employee experience strategy?
How are employers responding to the need to digitize internal processes and systems?
What is the need to raise employees' digital capabilities?
Word of advice for more extraordinary employee experience and retention.

Follow Satadru on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ramakrishnan Lokanathan

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

“In every company, there's a formal organizational chart which is how the executives think the work is getting done. And, then there is an informal org chart which is how the work is actually getting done. The informal org is mapped out by the communication patterns through platforms like MS Teams or Slack.

If a leader understands the informal org chart and peeks into that digital DNA of the organization, they can leverage that information to help the company be the best version of itself.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we learn how technology can monitor internal messaging platforms for legal compliance, sentiment analysis, and more.

Our guest, Mark Harris, is the Chief Technology Officer at Aware hq, a company producing comprehensive AI-driven solutions for information management, data protection, and organizational insights.

Through his current role and as a former software development engineer, Mark brings an incredible blend of experience in the startup and enterprise space, and is deeply technical with a keen understanding of the business as a whole.

Mark joined Aware from Fuse by Cardinal Health, where he led development of pharmacy-facing software for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and administration. Previously, he has also held leadership roles at Microsoft, CoverMyMeds, and Grange Insurance.

Listen to the full interview above.

Follow Mark on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

'I strongly believe that talent is everywhere. But the opportunity is not. One has to use unconventional strategies to find the untapped talent.'

Our next guest has spent 20 years building incredible talent teams & designing and implementing HR strategies. She has a relentless passion for hiring talented candidates and is a strong believer in enhancing the candidate experience.

We welcome Meenakshi Pande Kogje, Global Director of Talent Acquisition, NewVision Software. Prior to joining NewVision, she worked with GlobalLogic, InfoBeans, and Velocity Technology Solutions.

In this episode, Meenakshi shares insights for any organization looking to develop a D&I initiative in their workplace. We discuss:

Meenakshi’s take on companies that don’t invest in DEI
What metrics for measuring change management should companies focus on in 2022?
What is keeping underrepresented talent a secret, despite the current focus on DEI?
What is the role of technology in accelerating the DEI agenda?
Steps businesses can take to improve Diversity and Inclusion in the workforce

Follow Meenakshi on LinkedInProduced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Dinesh Pandey

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have a serial entrepreneur, the founder of four tech startups, Arpit Agarwal. Arpit is the Co-founder & CEO of Cion Digital.

Arpit started his journey in the IT industry & has 14+ years of expertise to share with us. With a rise in the blockchain trend, Arpit self-learned all-things-blockchain and taught the same to several people. He also helped build 30 startups with their product development strategy, and engineering.

Today, Arpit is here to share a litany of insights through this conversation on:

Why are people shifting from Web3 to Blockchain?
How to make Web3 more user-friendly?
Challenges faced while building a Talent team
Ways to improve employee retention
All about the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)
Roadmap for the future of Cion Digital.

Follow Arpit on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nisarg Shah

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

“Treat your team members like adults- they know what work needs to be done. Communicate openly with them, and help them prioritize their work. Give them the flexibility to pick their hours & projects as well. Let them choose the direction in which their career is headed.”

Tanya D Souza is a psychologist turned people person and currently brings her 6+ years of work experience to Lummo (formerly BukuKas) where she helps growth-oriented entrepreneurs unlock their full potential through D2C SaaS solutions.

Post her Master's in Psychology, she was looking for a more exciting and engaging role, and HR felt like the last piece of the puzzle. She describes the HR field as challenging, engaging, and exciting. Prior to joining Lummo, she worked at GSN Games and Recko, Inc.

Here's what we discuss with Tanya:

What are some of the pillars of performance that you focus on? Which performance metrics will now determine compensation?
How can leaders sustain the value of empathy in their appraisal systems?
Some of the initiatives Tanya has panned out well around performance and rewards
What can leaders do better to encourage employees and ensure clarity of goals?

Follow Tanya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ishika Jani

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

“All organizations have to be sensitive towards their employees’ needs and provide customized policies and solutions.”

That’s an idea that Sunjoy doesn’t just understand deeply, but has codified and taught to others as well.

Sunjoy Dhaawan, VP of HR at DHL Express India has spent almost a decade shaping their framework and making DHL a great place to work.

Prior to joining DHL, Sunjoy worked with MNCs like Colgate Palmolive, Johnson Controls, Otis Elevator, and Reliance Retail.

He also bagged global awards like Gold ‘Employer of Choice’ Award, DP DHL Health and Wellbeing award in India (2014).

Episode Highlights:

How can organizations incorporate design features and amenities to prompt well-being at the workplace
Major challenges in adapting to this new normal
How to empower employees and build a workforce aligned with the company’s vision
His vision for 2022 for HR influence and how HR professionals can connect communities through collaborative technologies
Changes that need to be brought about by organizations to seize the moment for the long term

Follow Sunjoy on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

'You need to have the ability to do a little bit of everything which does not mean that you're a generalist or a specialist, but more in terms of ability to do more than one thing. That means you're skilled for the future.'

Today on The Shape of Work podcast, we are talking to two serial entrepreneurs who built Zensciences, an award-winning digital marketing “un-agency,” from scratch: Rahul Koul and Rohit Kumar M S.

Rohit went from being a delicious food creator to entering the world of marketing. He has spent 20 years building incredible, branded experiences for organizations like J. Walter Thompson Worldwide, Wipro, and Reliance. He is a member of the Forbes 2021 Agency Council and serves on the board of an NBFC.

Rahul is best known for his entrepreneurial skills and business strategies. Prior to founding Zensciences, he worked with Wipro for 9 plus years and also founded his first company, Elanstreet.

In this episode, they share their story, including the wins, the roadblocks, and the twists involved with changing a startup’s entire business model. They cover:

Moving the needle of workforce productivity post-pandemic
Role of leadership in facilitating the performance of the dispersed workforce
What does the future of work look like?
Factors affecting the new way of working: Roles & skills
Top challenges in the post-pandemic workplace today, and the implications on the TA team
Why is policy transformation crucial, and what’s your advice to talent leaders?
Why is there a need for creating Brand EVPs now more than ever?

Follow Rahul & Rohit on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

'These days, it is more about how we work lean. We are no more in a waterfall way of delivery, but more agile. Hence, the utilisation of open source technologies and team collaboration can improve productivity'

That’s what our next guest, Malini Bandi talked about in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast.

Malini Bandi is the founder of CestaSoft Solutions, She is an industry thought leader in software development with over 19 years of experience.

She has held leadership roles at organizations like Multichoice, MTN, PayCorp and Capgemini (formerly Patni Computers). Malini is an industry powerhouse, and we were excited to learn from her about the influence of technology in the workplace.

We discuss with Malini:

Ways to improve work performance with technology
The employee experience: Culture, engagement, and beyond
Key skills that organizations must invest in to build a skilled workforce for Strong, sustainable and balanced growth
The new possible: How HR can help build the organization of the future
New talent landscape: In-demand skills And their impact

Follow Malini Bandi on LinkedIn

'When you have L&D as one of your top objectives, it signals that everyone in your organization (from the founders, executives to teams across various functions) is invested in making sure that they truly create a culture where employees can charter their own career growth'

Margaret Dsouza, Head of People Success at Zeta has been working in the People Practice domain for over 15 years.

Her journey so far is an important lesson on having the courage to choose the road less travelled, constantly trying to find what fits, and making choices.

Margaret brings a wealth of wisdom from companies like Radix, Flock, Directi and Essar group, in addition to the numerous startups she has advised over the years.

In this far-ranging conversation with her, we uncover a litany of insights:

Where companies go wrong with Learning and Development: Making L&D your EVP and not just a part of an initiative or a tool
Thoughts on investing in employees: what if we train them and they leave?
How to help every employee achieve their distinct goals, milestones and encourage their hobbies
First-time manager training framework: how to prepare for a leadership role
A peek into the Future of Work and how is it shaping up: 'Back to work', Hybrid vs Remote and polygamous careers

Follow Margaret on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

A company that trains its employees creates a high morale environment. This is just one of the many reasons why it is critical to invest in employee training and development.

Our guest, Piyush Ghosal, Head of HR at Pratiti Technologies, is here to share them all.

Piyush is also an author of an Amazon-listed book, “Stop Telling Start Showing”- a piece that challenges the traditional method of storytelling. Rather, this book comes up with the concept of “story showing” where we use stories to influence others in our business and personal life.

He has spent 15+ years in the HR domain and worked on end-to-end employee lifecycle which includes recruitment, HR, business, partnering operations, & employee engagement. Prior to working at Pratiti Technologies, he worked at companies like Optimum, TCS, KPIT, and Intercon.

How to be prepared for the workplace of the future? Keep listening to The Shape of Work podcast and get the best insights from the top people managers from all over the world.

Follow Piyush on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

Congratulations! In this episode, you will find the optimal solution to get some extra free time for your next vacation along with some eye-opening takeaways for budding entrepreneurs.

We welcome Alex Simon, CEO & Co-founder of Elude- an app that lets you plan your next vacation in just a few clicks.

Prior to becoming a full-time serial entrepreneur, Alex has worked with giants like Mercedes-Benz USA, Morgan Stanley, and Deutsche Bank.

Episode Highlights:

Vision for an Elude-enabled world?
The story and the challenges faced while building Elude during the pandemic.
What inspires Alex?
What is the future of Elude?
Tips for entrepreneurial success during the pandemic.

How to be prepared for the workplace of the future? Keep listening to The Shape of Work podcast and get the best insights from top people managers from all over the world.

Follow Alex on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

The biggest risk that the HR fraternity is facing today in their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) goals is ‘the risk of exclusion.’

The risk of exclusion is derived from personal biases. We hold our own subjective world views and are influenced by our own experiences, beliefs and values. When we identify these personal triggers contributing to personal biases, we can actively manage, mitigate or avoid them.

Many companies today are leading only women-specific DEI initiatives while excluding other attributes such as age, cultures, communities, backgrounds, sexual orientation, disability, etc.

This is today’s topic of discussion with our guest, Swetha Harikrishnan, HR Director at HackerEarth. Having been a part of the HR fraternity for the last 16 years, she has worked across different functions such as organizational development, change management, and, of course, her favourite space of ‘inclusion’.

Swetha answers questions like:

What does Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) mean in the workplace?
What is a holistic approach to workplace wellbeing?
Employee engagement mistakes to avoid
How to be a better manager in the remote workplace - beyond microaggression and micromanagement
Her advice for DEI professionals
How is today's workforce taking better charge by upskilling?

Takeaways from this episodeThree ways to approach your workplace wellbeing:

Tweak your existing leave policies with terms like ‘Personal Time Offs’ or ‘Mental Health Leave’
Build an EAP (Employee Assistance programme) for your employees
Create a platform/forum for your employees to share their personal stories within the company

The key to great leadership is to move away from control, and rather give control. The only thing that matters is getting the work output.

In order to kick off your DEI program, start with psychological safety first. Pen down your DEI- specific goals on a document. Identify your current culture and compare it with the culture that you want to build. Find the gaps and marry your DEI- specific goals with them. Therefore, make sure to not let exclusion happen during the process.

Important factors to consider while running your employee engagement initiatives:

Be cautious of the time and schedule of your employees
Figure out your must-have vs good-to-have initiatives
Measure effort vs impact

Follow Swetha on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Yashwanth Jembige

In the current scenario, talent hunting is a big challenge for every organization. Comparing the efforts and time consumed in making new hires, it is obvious that employee retention is a better way to go.

Our guest for this episode, Anish Shah, advises organizations to incentivize their employees, provide growth opportunities, and stability in order to retain them better.

Anish is a luminary from one of the most diverse multinational, Indian-origin conglomerates, Reliance Industries.

Anish Shah (President, Digital Platforms, Information Technology- Jio Platforms Ltd) has been an integral part of the company's journey so far. Having worked at Reliance over the last 20+ years, not only has he helped scale Jio to what it is today, but also has been instrumental in shaping the future of technology over the next few years.

Anish’s recent accomplishments include successfully delivering business transformation (STAR-Smart Transformation At Reliance) for RIL’s oil and gas business. He has also nurtured emerging businesses such as RIL’s e-commerce venture (Ajio.com) and banking services (Jio Money) by adopting technology as a game changer to drive better customer experience. Prior to RIL, Anish headed IT at Shoppers Stop and Godrej GE Appliances Ltd.

Episode Highlights:

How large organizations can address the issue of blurred work-life balance
Will digital transformation go human-centric and the impact of such a change in the workspace
What organizations can do to retain employees apart from offering a pay raise
Measures companies can adapt for better employee well-being
Key focus areas for organizations trying to ramp up their learning and development policies.

Follow Anish Shah on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

A creative genius working towards transforming the world of background verification- our next guest is Daniel Braithwaite, Co-founder & CPO at Veremark.

A fascination towards creative tasks led Daniel to his first job in marketing. Building flash games during his spare time piqued his interest, and he went on to pursue Master's in London College of Communication.

Soon after, he entered the field of user experience. The idea of building user-focused digital experiences enraptured him & he worked for a decade in digital & design agencies.

His entrepreneurial journey started when he got an opportunity to work with his friend in the blockchain space. And together they built Veremark, now a global employment screening platform.

Daniel is truly a well-accomplished product leader and designer. With 20+ years of experience and having worked with giants like EY Seren, Marks and Spencer, and SapientNitro, he surely has a lot of insights to share in this episode.

Episode Highlights:

How do you see the focus on innovation for sustainable growth?
Strategies to align work culture and business growth.
What skills should organizations invest in to build the workforce?
How can leadership leverage HR technology to augment human capabilities? What would be its impact on the workforce?

Follow Daniel on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“I strongly believe that no human being is spared of unconscious biases. An awareness of it and working consciously to remove those biases would be a way forward to a successful execution of any D&I initiatives in an organization.”

In this episode, we welcome Saurabh Kale, Global Director - People & Culture at Talent500. He is best known as a talent developer, explorer, learning & organization development leader.

Having spent 15+ years in the Human Resources space, Saurabh has worked with renowned organizations such as Wipro, McAfee, Practo, Grab, and Directi.

Episode Highlights:

Best tool to attract and retain customers - storytelling vs story-selling
Most important perks to consider in the modern workspace
Role of an organization in up-skilling the modern workforce
Making DEI more sustainable - daily routine vs occasional awareness programs
Biggest challenges hindering sustainable DEI and how organizations can overcome these

Follow Saurabh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shwetha Parshi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Alok Shastri, HR Head at Superpro.ai, sums up his learnings in one line- “ If a man is known by the company it keeps, I believe, even the vice versa is also true.”

Alok joins us today to share his tips, tricks and best practices picked up in his 15+ years of experience in the HR domain. He has spent a major portion of his career understanding talent and their psychology, mindset, and their retention.

He is a man who believes talent retention is far more important than acquisition. Hiring the right people and firing the wrong people can make or break the company's success.

Episode Highlights:

The most common recruiting challenges & how to overcome them.
HR tech innovations in the domain of talent management.
Focus areas while enhancing the Employer Value Proposition.
What is Superpro doing differently to enhance the employee experience for the workforce?
How should HR & talent leaders plan for a successful organizational future?

Follow Alok on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Prashanth V

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are joined by Suma PN, Director - Human Resources at Otis India.

Having been a part of the HR fraternity for over three decades, she has held numerous strategic leadership roles at organizations like Brady Corporation, Molex and United Technologies.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Suma:

Critical questions that leaders should ask as they prepare for 2022
Why talent communities are important and how to build one
Leveraging next-gen technologies to manage people and improve DEI at workplaces
Focus on your people's needs, and they will respond by meeting yours
Vision for the future of work

Follow Suma on LinkedIn

Encouraging better conversations-

On this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, we welcome Anja Vukovic, COO & Co-founder of Gravvity- a social media app empowering people to have healthier & more meaningful interactions.

Along with running her own company, she is also a Risk Management Lead, Market Renewal Program & Enterprise Risk Management at Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

With over a decade of experience working at startups to Fortune 500 companies on operational, governance, risk, and compliance programs across many industries & geographical regions, she sure has a lot to share.

Episode highlights :

All about Gravvity
What will a Gravvity enabled world look like?
What are some of the challenges faced while building Gravvity?
What inspires Anja?

Follow Anja on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe VhanunuAbout Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

In this episode, we are joined by two serial entrepreneurs, Brianna Blaney (CEO & Co-Founder) and Dr. Aria Hahn (CTO & Co-Founder) of Pocketed.

Pocketed is a platform that simplifies access to grant funding for businesses. It’s a free platform through which businesses automatically match with different funding programs they're eligible for. It also provides funding management solutions for businesses where they act as their agents.

Brianna has successfully scaled an HR and recruitment services company across Canada called Envol Solutions Inc. including securing grants for clients with annual revenue over $1M.

With a PhD in Metagenomics and Bioinformatics, Aria is experienced in developing algorithms and data solutions for complex problems. She successfully built a bioinformatics service company, Koonkie Cloud Services.

Brianna and Aria have a shared passion for developing scalable businesses and powering economic growth.

Read on for our favourite highlights and top takeaways from the conversation.

The story behind ‘Pocketed’ and its name
Companies that have raised grant funding through the platform
Some challenges that they have gone through and their learnings
Inspirations that have helped push through tough times
Their vision for a Pocketed-enabled world as they continue to expand and grow
Advice for budding entrepreneurs, founders, and business owners

Follow Brianna and Aria on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

Our next guest is a real-life superhero who saves lives. We welcome Michael Moore, Founder & COO of Pathware Inc.

Pathware is a medical device startup focused on creating custom solutions for digital pathology. They aim to automate on-site cancer screening and diagnostics by assessing the quality of biopsies in real-time.

Michael’s journey into the entrepreneurial world started after his father was diagnosed with cancer and with a series of events that followed it. He is now on a mission to improve the quality & efficiency of healthcare globally through the seamless integration of medicine and machine.

Episode Highlights:

What does a Pathware-enabled world look like?
What were the challenges faced while building Pathware?
Advice to the founders

What does a Pathware enabled world look like?

Pathway enabled world is going to bring diagnostic services closer to the patient. It will have its systems deployed in a number of settings such as nursing homes and community health centers. The ultimate aim of Pathware is to provide a personalized healthcare approach and to improve clinical decision-making.

What were the challenges faced while building Pathware ?

One of the challenges they faced during the initial days was when there was no market for their tool. They collected feedback from some of the researchers and clinicians which helped them plan and kickstart their company to address the results of the feedback.

Another challenge was when they hired the wrong team for some tasks which affected some of their milestones. Michael shares that the key to successfully overcoming challenges is adapting to the changing circumstances of the world.

Advice to the founders

Michael highly recommends against falling victim to the pitch book effect. Leaders should primarily focus on building networks and relationships, money will follow eventually.

He advises founders to take care of themselves emotionally. Some days they might feel like they're at the top of the world. On other days, they might feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. He also recommends speaking to a therapist to help them through this challenging process of building an organization.

Follow Michael on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools & products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, & retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition & rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, & interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, &
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Balaji Kalyansundaram, Co-Founder of Better Home App.

Balaji is working towards his dream and his passion. He is the Head of Engineering Delivery at Crystal Delta whilst also building his startup called Better Home App on the weekends. His 21 years of experience spans e-commerce, government services, travel, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals, Ed-Tech, and now hyperlocal e-commerce as well.

Balaji strongly believes that iterating existing employees is more important than recruiting new ones.

Episode highlights:

What are some key trends that will impact the digital workplace in 2022?
In what ways can organizations build a positive employee lifecycle & what role can a learning culture play in this endeavour?
Innovating learning strategies to fit into the organization’s growth strategy and adapt to the digital landscape.
What could be the big differentiators for companies to win the talent war?

In what ways can organizations build a positive employee lifecycle & what role can a learning culture play in this endeavour?Organizations should ensure commitment to their employees right from the onboarding process. They have to map out what they can offer as a company, what employees can learn, ensure that they are learning at the right pace, and more.

Innovating learning strategies to fit into the organization’s growth strategy and adapt to the digital landscape.

Organizations should define the purpose of learning prior to providing them with all the necessary tools. To motivate employees to keep learning, companies can reward them with monetary or non-monetary benefits along with constructive feedback.

What could be the big differentiators for companies to win the talent war?

One main value of an organization should be trust. Trusting their employees & reducing notice period to two to four weeks can really give them an upper hand in the talent war. Focusing on employees' long term development plans & providing them with learning opportunities can help in hiring & retaining great talent.

Follow Balaji on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

All about helping and giving back to society, our next guest is Jeff Zee, CEO of Airwaive- a foundation created on the blockchain with a mission to close the gap in the digital divide by bringing affordable, wireless internet to homes around the world.

Jeff has over 25 years of experience and has held roles such as Product Manager, COO, Sr. Director- Global Business Development, and VP of Innovation & Partnerships. He is a technology enthusiast and is skilled in various fields of marketing, product management, business development, and corporate operations.

Episode highlights:

Challenges faced while building Airwave
What does an airwave-enabled world look like?
How does Airwaive generate cash flow?
Advice to budding and future entrepreneurs

Follow Jeff on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company

Daniel Sternlicht is an entrepreneur and Software Engineer - CEO and Founder of Common Ninja. Common Ninja is an online marketplace for web developers offering a large selection of free, customizable, and responsive apps, plugins & widgets.

Daniel's background is a career in web development—including working with companies like Microsoft, Outbrain.

In addition to his daily work in these companies, Daniel would work on side projects, and as a developer, dealt with boring and repetitive tasks. For example, designing a comparison table and adding functionality to it such as search, sorting, and pagination, etc.

To solve this problem, he created an online tool for generating these kinds of tables and offered it as an open-source project for the developer community. And since then, there’s been no looking back.

In this episode, we discuss with Daniel:

The story behind his startup, Common Ninja and the name
Two major hurdles while building a developer platform
His vision towards building an awesome developer community
How COVID became a catalyst in the growth of Common Ninja?

Follow Daniel on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform

EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Welcome to the 200th episode of The Shape of Work podcast.

In this episode, we’ll be speaking to Sidu Ponnappa who, as described by him, is an engineer by training, a manager by profession, an entrepreneur at heart, and a programmer for pleasure.

Having been a serial entrepreneur, Sidu's last startup, C42 Engineering, was acquired in 2015 by GO-JEK Indonesia (now Pt. AKAB) -one of the most valued and on-demand technology platforms in the world. He then spearheaded the engineering team in GoJek for six years.

His 30-year-long experience as a tech entrepreneur has many lessons — on failures, entrepreneurship, and leadership — for anyone aspiring to strike out on their own.

From making complicated concepts accessible to helping rethink the possibilities of creating an engineering brand for hiring at GoJek, his fusion of data and storytelling have made him a self-taught thought leader.

Our conversation with Sidu covers a litany of insights:

How to hire a team of makers: things to look for when hiring engineers
How technical stack choices at GoJek made it efficient to attract, hire, and manage the cream of the crop
Dealing with engineers who fear their future employment prospects due to the shift in the tech stack
What an organization wants to see in the take-home interview and how it is it almost like an assessment of the company
How did Gojek turn down its undesired employee attrition to 2% through product thinking
Why culture is one of the ‘dangerous labels’
Unlimited leaves vs a fixed number
Should you use the word ‘family’ at work?

Follow Sidu on LinkedIn and Twitter

Podcast Host: Kartik Mandaville, CEO of Springworks
Produced by: Priya Bhatt

The reality is that remote work can be difficult, especially when it comes to team collaboration and communication. Face-to-face communication is hard enough, but it's much harder while working from home. In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we sit down with Suhail Vadgaokar, Head of People at dezerv. - a technology-led platform that helps people grow their wealth.

Suhail joined ITC hotels as a management trainee to be a chef. But during his training, he found more interest in a customer-facing role. He went on to manage F&B operations, and then eventually Sales. Post his tenure at ITC, he joined the Urban Company, an early-stage company that is now a unicorn. He helped build the customer experience operation, brand, and people function.

We discuss with Suhail:

Evolution of employee wellness programs
Key learnings that will drive people strategies in the year 2022
Barriers to organizational learning programs and how to overcome them
Cornerstones of building an inclusive and high-performing digital work culture

Here are some of the sneak peeks of the eye-opening insights shared in the conversation:

Evolution in employee wellness programs

Since the pandemic, employee wellness has seen some evolution. Focus has moved to rural psychological safety. Organizations are giving people the opportunities and avenues to get the right psychological and medical care.

What are some of the challenges faced while delivering a great employee experience?

One of the challenges would be the occurrence of natural bias considering a hybrid environment. A manager would be able to bond better with a person they meet every day over a person they meet virtually. This will also affect the results of performance reviews. It's important for HR functions to align closely with the business in order to understand the business and people strategy.

What are some of the barriers to organizational learning programs? How to overcome them?

Learning has become the biggest driver to join a company, followed by culture and compensation. Leaders need to clearly communicate the importance of learning and pushing one's own limits to the team. Giving time and space to get some external learning can improve performance.

Follow Suhail on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Gaurav Kapoor, Director at Practico Interior Solutions Pvt. Ltd. It is a multi-disciplinary solutions provider engaged in providing modern electrical and digital locking solutions.

Having worked with multiple global companies like Kajaria Ceramics Limited, Steelcase, and Hettich Group, Gaurav has over 20 years of experience.

He established Practico with the skills he gained over the years. Practico has seen an upward progression in these past years. Starting in the market of Delhi, it is now available in major cities of India as well as foreign countries.

Episode Highlights:

The next normal: Business trends for 2022
Essential tools to support digital transformation
Advice to fellow leaders for the future of work

Of the many interesting things Gaurav shares, here are our top 3 learnings from him:

Critical preparations for leaders to get a jumpstart on 2022

Organizations can prepare for uncertainties by having short-term goals. Long-term goals should be divided into short-term goals in order to be flexible during uncertainties. With fluctuating trends, plan B is the way forward to overcome uncertainties easily.

Strategies to improve the employee experience:

Employee experience can be improved through both the company and employees. Here's how:

Employees should be honest and fully commit to the job. Moreover, they should utilize the opportunities of the remote setup completely.
Employers should make an extra effort to help the employees grow even in the virtual setup.

Workplace trends and innovations in 2022

According to Gaurav, the trend of 2022 is to make the employees feel safe at their workplace. The workplace set- up has changed ever since the pandemic with now having partitions between employees to maintain distance. The trend is to make the employees feel safe and prioritize wellness.

Follow Gaurav on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Nishchal Dua, Director Of Marketing at Airmeet - an all-in-one platform for community managers, marketers, entrepreneurs, and educators to host interactive virtual online events.

Nishchal is a serial entrepreneur, a self-taught marketer, and a remote work evangelist.

A little about his first start-up - The Remote Life was a community of individuals who were interested in building a location-independent lifestyle for themselves. They had also started a virtual conference called Remote Work Summit which grew to become the world's largest virtual conference for remote work. They attracted over 12,000 audiences and 200 influencers, speakers, and mentors.

Post his entrepreneurial journey, Nishchal joined Airmeet and worked on building it from the ground up. He also led the entire marketing function. With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground:

‘Head of Remote-First’ - the new hottest remote role?
Key strategies to keep the remote workforce together on the same frequency
Key to building a culture of belonging
Challenges faced by employers when evaluating remote employees and ways to overcome them

Of the many interesting things Nishchal shares, here are our top 3 learnings from him:

In these evolving times, will ‘Head of Remote-First’ become the new recommended addition to the team?

Yes, and it is already happening. 'Head of Remote' is a position led by people practices. It has to be viewed from a leadership perspective as well. It's a combination of building the right brand but at the same time ensuring massive efficiencies and cross-functional collaboration with themes.

Key metrics an organization should keep in mind when curating such wholesome culture:

Leaders should focus on building a common sense of identity among the members, and on increasing community engagement. Building a community with predetermined metrics is not possible.

Key strategies to keep the remote workforce on the same frequency:

Radical transparency is the key. Here is how one can achieve it:

1) Correct communication: Whenever you are in doubt, try and communicate as much as you can. Use emojis and expressions wherever possible to make it more like a request.

2) Celebrate wins: Make a habit of sharing every organizational win with the team. It boosts remote teams' morale and will make them feel more involved with what the company is doing.

Follow Nishchal on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Indusekhar Chandrasekhar, Vice President of Growth at Hypersonix Inc - an enterprise AI platform purpose-built for Commerce. He is currently responsible for driving the hyper-growth trajectory.

We geek out with Indu over workplace transformation, HR trends in 2022, and leveraging data. He shares his 25 years, aka silver jubilee years, of his career journey with us.

Indu’s passion for business and messaging, communication, content, and creativity intrigued him to pursue his career in marketing. He mainly worked in the IT with giants like Infosys, Cognizant, IBM, and Microland.

He is well-known for writing catchy and memorable taglines- ”Thrill of doing big things early”. He has spent years sharpening his tools in Brand, Strategy, and Marketing roles. With such vast experience, we are sure to cover a lot of ground.

Episode highlights:

Key to ensure that the workplace transformation is purposeful, and not just reactive.
How can data be leveraged to develop/ hire/ retain talent within the company?
Trends that will redefine the workplace of 2022.
Aspects requiring extensive tech adoption in order to enable a ‘return to workplace’
Preparing for the next big change in the way business is done

Of the many cool things Indu shares, here are our top 3 learnings from him:

Key to ensure that the workplace transformation is purposeful, and not just reactive:

Technology can be leveraged completely only when objectives are well-defined & it is used intelligently. Organizations should embrace technology only when they understand what part of the status quo needs to be enhanced.

How can data be leveraged to hire & retain talent?

Data can be leveraged in understanding people more intelligently rather than going with gut feeling. The use of analytics can give a better picture of the talent outside the organization & it can also help pick better culture-fit talent.

Trends that will redefine the workplace of 2022?

Indu shares 3 C’s to explain the trends:

Choice: To improve talent participation, employers need to tailor fluidity and customization for roles and opportunities accordingly.

Connections: In a remote setup, one needs to work a little harder to make sure that you're forging the right relationships. This will peak talent performance and longevity.

Collaboration: Working collaboratively enables team members to share information, build healthy workplace relationships, and work more effectively.

Follow Indu on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Ishika Jani

In today’s episode, we are joined by Amitha Kamath, Human Resources Manager at Observe.AI - an Intelligent Workforce Platform revolutionizing contact centers by using AI.

Prior to joining Observe.AI, Amitha worked as an Executive Assistant for almost a decade. Working with well-known CEOs of the country helped shape her professional persona and look at things from the CEO’s perspective. Her role as an EA also helped her become more strategic.

Amitha started her new journey in the HR field at Observe.AI. She thrives in startups as it gives her plenty of opportunities to grow and work on the firsts of an organization. At Observe.AI, she learned how to build the HR function from scratch.

Episode highlights:

How to address employee well-being & resilience
HR challenges in the 'new normal’
DEI initiatives Observe.AI is focusing on
Advice to emerging HR Professionals

Of the many cool things Amitha shares, here are our top 3 learnings from her:

How to build resilience in the workplace?

According to Amitha, building trust across organizations is the main pillar that makes our workplace resilient. This can be achieved by transparent communication practices and being empathetic towards the employees.

What are some of the DEI initiatives that Observe.AI is focusing on?

Behavior of inclusion training program- This program helps individuals recognize biases they make unknowingly and overcome them. The training provided also helps them have gender-neutral communication and leverage various cultural differences.
Similarity and diversity- Observe.AI celebrates women’s day in a much more thoughtful way. Instead of the traditional way of sending chocolates & flowers, they sent a swag box with prints of diversity to raise awareness. Listen to the episode to find out more!

Advice to the emerging HR Professionals of today?

Her advice to all the HR leaders is to be creative, bold, and to be able to strategically present their ideas before the management. HR professionals need to upskill themselves to understand the challenges in Human Resource Management (HRM) and be prepared to deal with unforeseen problems. Upskilling equips them to support employees more effectively resulting in a happier and more engaged workforce.

Follow Amitha on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Nikita Chowdhary

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
and more...

Our next guest has mastered the art of doing HR the right way. We welcome Ravish Saily, Head HR- Global Delivery Center, Syngenta - an agriculture company focused on improving global food security by enabling millions of farmers to make better use of available resources.

Ravish has over two decades of diverse experience in the HR field. He spent the first half of his career working in Indian MNCs such as Tata Motors, Godrej & Boyce, and Reliance, after which he got opportunities to work in international MNCs such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Mastercard.

In this exciting career journey, he has explored various areas of HR - Commercial HR, Manufacturing HR, IR, Corporate HR, Diversity and Inclusion, Employee Engagement, and much more.

Ravish is well-known for conceptualizing, developing, and implementing HR practices that strongly align with the business.

We discuss with Ravish:

How can employers manage and engage diverse employees to the organization’s advantage?

Organizations should think outside of the box - HR managers should convert their HR function into one that loves people for who they are.
One size does not fit all - organizations should assign employees to tasks based on their strengths, and this will, in turn, motivate the employees.

How can managers contribute to the success of leadership development programs?

Leadership development programs should be designed according to the needs of the employees to ensure their growth. Managers should take the initiative to keep track of the progress in their L&D programs.

Precautionary steps to take while implementing changes in workplace rules

While implementing change, an organization's goal should be to empower its employees and gain their trust. This encourages more loyalty among employees.

How to successfully onboard new employees and retain them during 'The Great Resignation'?

Organizations should work towards bringing more flexibility within the existing policies to attract and retain talent. They should also focus on reducing dependency on a single employee.

Follow Ravish on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system Springworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture.

“Employee well-being is the role of every individual in the organization and not just HR's.”

Our guest on this episode is here to give us all the insights we need to build the workplace of the future. We welcome Shiromi Bose, Chief of Operations at Divum Corporate Services Pvt Ltd. Divum is a software services organization that builds new products for startups.

Shiromi is the jack of all trades. Prior to joining Divum, she worked in the HR field for over two decades and specialized in areas such as talent management, performance appraisals, and audits.

At Divum, she started exploring the operations side of things. She is responsible for culture building, team engagement, program management, as well as ensuring the smooth functioning of an organization.

We discuss with Shiromi:

How to motivate employees to achieve peak performance
How organizations can leverage async communication to improve productivity
What leaders should do to improve employee experience (EX) in 2022
Advice for employers to integrate well-being into the flow of work
Workplace benefits landscape of the future

How to motivate employees to achieve peak performance?

Regular feedback integrated into a coaching and mentoring session can help motivate employees. Ensure that the feedback given and received from the employees is recorded digitally so that the organization & the employee act on it and grow.

How can organizations leverage async communication to improve productivity?

Employees work better when they are not micromanaged and are given flexibility. Using asynchronous communication, employees can respond to messages whenever they're available.

What should leaders do to improve employee experience in 2022?

Leaders need to be async with what the employees want and then structure the programs accordingly. A good employee experience can help retain employees in the long run. Their passion and purpose need to be addressed.

Advice for employers to integrate well-being into the flow of work.

Organizations should be more empathetic towards their employees. Managers should have informal conversations, 1v1s with the team to check on them, and ensure they are doing well.

Where do you see the workplace benefits landscape in the future?

Organizations should understand that the requirements of every individual are different. Hence, it is necessary to be flexible with the benefits offered.

Follow Shiromi on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shwetha Parshi

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
and more...

Our next guest is Bofin Babu, Vice President of AI at CloudSEK- an AI-powered digital risk Monitoring platform that provides real-time visibility of cyber threats and actionable Intel.

In this episode, Bofin shares an exciting story from his career and the great lessons, hacks, and best practices he picked up along the way.

Bofin started his internship as a developer at NVIDIA for 6 months. His time there made him realize that the number of deep learners in India is less compared to the USA. That’s when he spoke to Rahul Sasi, founder of CloudSEK, and a very well-known ethical hacker. Both of them built the company together. Bofin made the first team hire, designed, & built ML tech. He has now spent five-plus years at CloudSEK and has held positions such as Sr. Data scientist and Machine Learning Lead, and Head of Machine Learning.

Episode Highlights:

How should leaders prepare for 2022?

Communication is the key to a smooth functioning organization. Bofin recommends conducting 1v1 meetings with the team members to get an idea of the work done, progress, and challenges faced. Leaders should be empathetic towards their team members. They need to be non-judgmental and communicate clearly in order to succeed.

What is CloudSEK doing differently to enhance the employee experience for the workforce?

CloudSEK personalizes every candidate, may it be onboarding a candidate or rejecting. They send a personalized message explaining why candidates weren't hired so as to help them for their future.

What are some of the significant shifts in workplace learning since the pandemic?

Pre-pandemic one could learn a lot from their colleagues through group discussions and group meetings that happen within the office. However, it is now unavailable.

Follow Bofin on LinkedIn & Twitter

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Our next guest on The Shape of work podcast is Niraj Shukla, Head of HR Operations - India BU at Rebel Foods.

Rebel Foods was established in the year 2011. They are the world’s largest internet restaurant company.

Niraj has spent over a decade building his tool stack in the HR space. Prior to Rebel Foods, he worked as an HR ER at GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, HR Manager at CARE Risk Solutions Pvt Ltd, and Assistant Manager - Talent at CarWale.

Episode Highlights:

How should talent leaders reimagine their roles and prepare for the future?

HR professionals form a bridge between the employees and the organization, and hence it's important for them to set the right expectations and fulfil those accordingly. They should have a broad view of their employees, business, and the market to come up with initiatives for achieving set goals.

How to retain your current workforce?

The key to retaining talent is by providing them with support and motivation. Organizations should conduct regular surveys to understand their employees better & act on them.

What is your one piece of advice to emerging talent leaders of today?

Niraj advises future leaders to inculcate a habit of listening. Listening to your employees, business, team leaders, and stakeholders gives a new perspective & also resolves the challenges faced.

Follow Niraj on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Dinesh Pandey

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Bensely Zachariah is the Global Head of Human Resources at Fulcrum Digital Inc - a leading business platform and digital engineering services company.

He has over two decades of experience in the HR space and is specialized in areas such as strategic planning, organisational development, change management, talent management, HR operations, and mergers & acquisitions.

Prior to joining Fulcrum, Bensely held various positions like Senior Director of Human Resources, Head HR(Global)- Business Units, and General Manager HR.

Episode Highlights:

Positive effects of mental health on productivity:

Organizations must focus on the mental health of their employees as it is directly linked to employees absenteeism, the productivity of work, and turnover rates. Some of the ways to drive positive mental health are work culture, health assessment programs, building wellness programs into L&D Dept, and promoting employee engagements through learning initiatives.

Impact of employee engagement on productivity and quality:

It is important to clearly communicate an employee’s role in an organization, and how he/she can help in achieving it. This can help them accomplish their own personal goals along with organizational goals.

HR's role in Business Continuity Planning (BCP):

BCP should not be devised only during some pandemic. Rather it should be planned in advance for 'new normal' so as to help in the smooth functioning of an organization.

AI in performance management:

Bensely suggests organizations use AI for the development, growth, and productivity of employees but never in favour of monitoring employees. He strongly believes that the benefits of technology only depend on the intent of using it.

Follow Bensely on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Lokesh G

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Sandra Bysack. Sandra leads the HR department at vCommission Media Private Ltd- India’s leading global affiliate network.

She started her career as a receptionist at vCommission, while it was transitioning from a family-run business to an organization. Over time, she learned how to build things from the ground level and then found opportunities in the HR sector. Her career trajectory is truly inspiring. She has 9+ years of experience and has held roles like administration, planning initiatives to build a people-centric organization, mentoring, HR management, to now leading the HR team.

Sandra aims to build a better workplace that gets people excited to come back to work.

Episode Highlights:

Why experimenting with things and then implementing, rather than imposing, makes a big difference:It’s important to make your employees feel belonged, this helps an organization and its employees achieve goals they were set out to do. One can do so by providing platforms where employees can share their ideas, opinions, and feedback.

Strategically aligned culture vs a misaligned culture:Every member of the hierarchy is responsible for maintaining the work culture. If one part of the hierarchy breaks the flow, it can result in breaking the organization down.

Positive employee experience can lead to organizational outperformance:Establishing open communication and building a bond with the employees at different stages in their life cycle can help increase a positive employee experience.

Transforming HR through technology:
Removing duplication and redundancy, technology has helped plenty of businesses scale up. Sandra is pro-technology when it comes to performance management.

Education < Experience:The key to making the right hire is to look at the intent of the candidate and passion for the work over an educational background.

Follow Sandra on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition & rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being & workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength

An Engineering leader who turned full-time entrepreneur, we welcome Muralidharan Venkatasubramanian, Co-Founder & CPO at Wingman. It is a real-time sales coaching and note-taking tool for reps that aims to bridge the gap between coaching and action.

Prior to plunging into entrepreneurship, Muralidharan spent almost a decade as a Software Engineer at organizations such as Trilogy, Like.com, and five years at Google.

Muralidharan found the best opportunities to thrive in startups. His stint in Like.com gave him the most amount of exposure and opportunities to grow. He was a key engineer responsible for the acquisition of Like.com by Google and for the acquisition becoming successful at Google.

Episode Highlights:

How to attract talent using reverse interview strategy
How the responsibility of up-skilling should be split between the employee and the employer
Impact of the pandemic on learning experiences and the workforce’s commitment to up-skill
The necessity of re-imagining work and culture.
How to measure work culture
Ways to support employee growth and professional development in the workplace

Employee upskilling

According to what Muralidharan thinks, there are two significant aspects of upskilling of employees:
1. Organic growth
2. Organized learning

Organic development should always be on the horizon as it provides exposure. It looks at a broad landscape that extends to the future. Organized methods come in the form of rigid training and formal courses.

A startup offers excellent learning and provides you with the responsibilities that you are unqualified for today. It offers significant room to learn and fail, which is quite unlike working for a big company that assigns you the work you are already qualified for.

Measuring work culture

According to Muralidharan, work culture should be:
1. Less about free food, office leisure facilities, etc.
2. More about the supportive environment, focusing on solving the customer's problems holistically and ensuring effective team-building.
The team that brings the best out of themselves and will be able to enjoy the assigned roles.
3. Relevance of the work should be displayed to the people which benefits the business and customers directly.

Reverse interview strategy

A top-tier talent market remains under the radar of the recruiting companies. However, the primary message from the candidates' perspective while evaluating the companies is usually somewhat similar and doesn't allow the candidates to introspect.
Candidates usually struggle to differentiate one company from the other and determine what it would mean to work at a particular company. This thought process forms the groundwork for Reverse Strategy. This is a Two-way-interview phenomenon, where the recruiter interviews the candidate and vice-versa.
1. The process starts with interviewing the candidate and making multiple offers to let them decide the trade-off, i.e., pay and equity.
2. Candidates also get their turn to interview the recruiter in multiple conversations.
It might even be a half-an-hour-long conversation with personnel working in teams (potential peers).
3. It helps the candidates to assess the work culture, nature of the operational teams, etc., at Wingman.
4. The questions posed by the candidates are addressed by the working personnel, unlike the traditional "Do you have any questions for us?" scenario.

Follow Murlidharan on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Our next guest is not a founder of just one startup but two (we are sure to get double the insights from this episode). We welcome Arun Jagannathan, founder of CrackVerbal- currently India’s leading GMAT test prep and MBA applications consulting company.

Arun was a victim of poor career advice which resulted in him being extremely dissatisfied with his job as a techie. He later moved into a project management role before plunging full-time into entrepreneurship.

His journey as an entrepreneur led to him having a very fulfilling mission in life which is to help people make better career decisions. His second entrepreneurial venture started with English for India in which they help companies meet their business outcomes through better communication.

Over the past decade, he has also worn multiple hats as a tutor, an entrepreneur, and a technology manager. Arun likes to read online on digital marketing and productivity. He has also mentored over 5000 students and some startups on a pro bono basis.

Episode highlights:

Positive trends that emerged during 2021
Why re-skilling your workforce is important
Key characteristics a leader must have to lead successfully
Why letting the team take the spotlight is important
How the above helps in multiplying the growth of the company
Positive things that have happened in 2021
Arun feels that the working people were pulled to a state of shock in 2020 due to the pandemic. However, in 2021, they have found the sweet spot of working at home. They go to the office when it is really needed. In 2022, the hybrid working model will evolve and more people will find the perfect space for working from home and office simultaneously.
Re-skilling workforce and its need

As per Arun, managers in their 30s and 40s use emails innately. However, youngsters in the workforce in 2022 converse via chat. Therefore, creating an environment where people could communicate freely would be one way to re-skill the workforce.

Key attributes that a successful leader has

Employees mimic their boss, and therefore, if a boss exhibits a certain kind of behavior, the employees tend to follow it. The new workplace changed the perception that leaders have to be more empathetic towards their subordinates. Leadership styles are evolving, and it will need time to grow completely.

Paradigms that leaders should let go with respect to evolving workspace

Teams don’t need a top to down approach, but a guerrilla approach is required to figure out the things that are to be done. Experience does not matter in the remote workspace as youngsters are more capable of handling social media and digital tools when compared to their seniors. However, they should continue supervising so that the workplace energy is maintained.

Why should the founders give the spotlight to their teams? How does it help to grow a company?

Arun gives examples of heroic leadership showcased in Ramayana and Mahabharata to explain this concept. In Ramayana, Lord Rama took things forward whereas, in Mahabharata, Lord Krishna took a backseat and gave advice. As a corporate leader, one should be more like Lord Krishna. An efficient corporate leader should identify the strengths of employees and act as an advisor for them. In short, the perspective should be employee-driven to move a company forward.

Follow Arun on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

Our next guest is Rujuta Jamgaonkar, Org builder at Forage AI. Forage AI is a data automation and data science company with a core focus on the financial, healthcare, and energy domains.

Prior to working at Forage AI, Rujuta held various positions like Process Executive, Project Assistant, Senior Associate of Date Operations, Manager- Research ops, Quality & Metrics, and more. She also founded - We Can Do Anything Good. The vision was to build a strong community that enables gender equality and empowers men, women, and children to reinvent their lives beyond existing cultural and social dogma.

Rujuta is an experienced and strategic professional with out-of-the-box ideas. She also loves learning new languages.

TOP TAKEAWAYS

Tips to improve your company's organizational culture
How to develop & sustain employee engagement
Strategies to improve your employees' health and well-being
How to build high-performing diverse teams at work
How can leaders influence the work culture
Influencing workplace culture in remote settings

Managers should create enough sense of belonging, intimacy, and connectivity to collaborate. They should hire people who are culture-fit and would help meet their vision, for which they need to be extra cautious while hiring.

Promoting a sense of engagement in the team

As per Rujuta, employees tend to engage more when the organisation offers them a strong career path. A career path does not include only vertical promotions but also relatively smaller milestones like employee work recognition and advocacy of their skills by seniors. Having career-related conversations is necessary to promote engagement and build connections.

Things to implement for the well-being of the employees

Valuing employees' contributions and using their strengths makes them feel good about themselves. Putting employees in different job roles can also give them more opportunities in their careers.

Follow Rujuta on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Ishika Jani

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Bhavya is at the heart of everything at Outplay. Whether she’s meeting new candidates or hosting team events, she’s passionate about making culture the centre of the company.

She is the Talent Management and Culture Partner at Outplay which is a sales engagement platform that offers sales outreach, dialer, email open tracking, email click tracking, and many more features for sales teams

With a BA and MSc in Organizational Psychology, Bhavya has spent the last three years sharpening those skills to carefully choreograph and engage with leaders to envision and implement their ideal work environment.

In this far-ranging conversation, we discuss with Bhavya:

How to set great work-life boundaries for your employees
Why it is not a crime to reach out to your employees after working hours
Different ways to up-skill your employees
How to combat 'The Great Resignation'
The shift from a hierarchical form of communication to an individualized, two-way conversation

A comprehensive document

It is certainly not a crime to reach out to employees beyond working hours. All you have to do is humbly respond that you’re on leave and won’t be able to work.

Let the employer know about your availability.
Precisely communicate your situation with your employer.
Set pre-communicated boundaries.
Employers should create a culture that looks simply beyond salary and pay.
Employee benefits are an integral part of the work culture.
Employee feedback and suggestions must be considered.

Understanding and empathy

Employees need to have understanding and empathy towards each other. Companies will always require the person to go beyond working hours to address issues that warrant immediate attention. However, no company or startup will try to subject their employees to work rigorously on weekends unless there is an emergency. Companies cannot operate without their employees. Hence, being employee-centric is extremely important.

Follow Bhavya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

This conversation uncovers insights into how product teams can make sure their work is driving measurable impact.

On this episode, our guest is Monica Shrivastava who is a 10-year veteran of the product industry and a go-to thought leader in both product development and product management with a diverse domain background —including working with giants like Ola, Amazon and PWC.

She currently brings that expertise to BYJU'S as the Director of Product Management.

In this far-ranging conversation, we discuss with her:

Product lifecycle: what matters most at every stage
The concept of 'customer-focused leadership'
Tips for hiring a great Product Manager for your product team
How to motivate and inspire your team to achieve a better customer experience

How does product management differ in a startup vs an MNC?

Monica explained that despite customers being the obsession of every company out there, product management approach varies a lot. In a startup, the road map for innovation is close to 4 months while in an MNC the same time frame happens to be around 10 months.

In product management, research plays a very vital role in the initial days. This stage is tough for a startup because it lacks data and is behind in making data-driven choices. While in a multinational corporation, data is well-maintained and updated.

In terms of harmonising the stakeholders, the story, methodology, data-driven information, and vision [what is saved for stakeholders] are all similar in both.

How do you deal with continual change in the Edtech business as a market leader?

According to Monica, the pandemic has caused a significant change among parents. They feel that occupying learning has become an important aspect of traditional education. We took advantage of this chance by doing space research on the ground. Our product team was upskilled as our firm grew, becoming more focused on execution and reaching a higher level of management.

Follow Monica on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Only sustainable policy is no policy.”

All about taking risks and exploring opportunities, our next guest is Shaakun Khanna, Leader of Human Capital Management at Oracle.

Shaakun practices what he preaches. He took up all the exciting opportunities that came his way. Prior to working at Oracle, he held various high-level positions at giants like The Tata Group, ICICI Bank, ManpowerGroup, IBM. He also founded his own company called Consentus Advisory which specialized in enhancing the effectiveness of business organizations. Over the last 25 years, there's truly nothing Shaakun hasn’t done when it comes to his career growth.

He has been a consultant to many Fortune 500 organizations in areas of Talent Management, Organization Design & Transformation, Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, and Succession Planning.

Episode Highlights:

Transformation of HR function at Oracle
How organisations can achieve ‘Family experience, the new yardstick of employee experience’
How to avoid digital transformation failure
Essential components of a successful L&D strategy
Future of AI
Top L&D trends for 2022
Oracle’s transformation in Human Resource

Shaakun explains that technology becomes accessible only through conversion. He gives an example of integrating accessories in the car for a couple of decades where the actual originality of the car changes. However, there is no need for such things now as company-fitted technologies are available.

The same goes for transformation in HR, according to him. Companies like Oracle realised the need of integrating technologies on top of anything and worked on that. He explains that instead of asking employees to provide their details again on the last day of working, they managed to create a holistic experience by asking only incremental information like PAN number or bank account number. He explains that embedded technologies empower data analytics and provide a lot of insights that are not possible with systems that aren’t embedded.

Correlation between employee experience and family experience

Shaakun feels that family has become an integral part of our work after the pandemic. Like they expect transparency in the family, employees also seek transparency at the workplace. Families try their best to make a member successful in their lives and similarly, employees are now expecting companies to work on the same lines. He also feels that the policies can be adapted contextually with the exception of statutory requirements. Exposing vulnerabilities is important for leaders just like they do in the family. It helps other people voice out their opinions and the energy in the workplace becomes positive.

Technology has made it easier to learn new things and motivated people to change their careers. Earlier, people would stick in the same industry for their lifetime, but new age people change at least 7 careers and 20 jobs during their career span. Organizations should learn how to leverage new skills learnt by their employees to prevent them from seeking jobs elsewhere.

Advice for HR in building a successful L&D (Learning and Development) strategy

Shaakun feels that the L&D community doesn’t have an understanding of the business yet. Therefore, they must acquire more business acumen and start learning the pains of leaders like CEO, CFO, etc. After that, they must learn to talk in their language and then convert the subjective aspects of the outcome into dollar values.

Follow Shaakun on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Yashwanth Jembige

Our guest on this episode of the podcast is Anil Santhapuri, Director of Skills Solutions, Global Talent Management at FIS.

Anil started off his career as an IT consultant. Five years into it, he found himself leaning towards HR and Learning. After spending 19 glorious years in talent management, learning and leadership development, he definitely has a lot of insights to share in this episode.

Prior to FIS he worked at various firms such as Western Union, HCL Technologies, Mahindra Satyam, and iGate Global Solutions. He has designed and delivered award-winning talent initiatives.

He is a 'future of work' and 'digital transformation' enthusiast, and is currently a Technical Advisory Board member for Global Skill Development Council - an international credentialing and certification body for the latest emerging technologies. He is also an adjunct teaching faculty with the Indian Society for Training and Development (ISTD).

Anil curates a weekly 'L&D Practitioner Knowledge Series' called "Learning Circles" which is open to anyone from the HR/Learning profession to join and participate. He is also a frequent speaker and panelist in HR and Learning industry events.

Episode Highlights:

Role of Leadership in a Crisis

Anil Santhapuri talks about eight practices that every leader of an organisation that faces a crisis should follow. They are:
Revisiting the purpose of establishing the organisation
Focusing on the confidence of stakeholders and employees
Engaging with key stakeholders
Becoming proactive in communication
Demonstrating visibility
Responding to the crisis through focused execution,
Changing or adapting the business model according to the changed situation
Demonstrating a sense of urgency.

Ways of implementing and managing workplace changes effectively

The shifting mindset of employees across the world needs to be taken into account, according to Anil. The workplace is no longer a physical location after the pandemic, and therefore business plans must consider the new market dynamics. He said adapting for a hybrid workplace is also essential from now onwards.

Future workplace and importance of employee engagement

The future workplace for every organisation would be different, but the basic principles will remain the same. Organisations are focusing on the employee-driven market nowadays, and the pandemic has played a huge role. Therefore, we must relook at engaging policies. Organisations should promise employees two things: (a) How will the companies contribute to employees' professional development, and (b) how will they engage them. Anil talks about intellectual alignment to engage the employees' minds and emotional alignment to engage their hearts. Empowering them and working on their legacy will engage both their body and spirit, according to Anil.

Future skills that the workplace needs to be prepared for

There is a huge gap between what systems generate and what industry requires. Anil suggests the adoption of cloud computing, AI, data analytics, etc. He recommends reading the World Economic Forum to learn more about the key skills required for the future workplace. He talks about classifying skills into three types: upskilling, reskilling, and meta-skilling. Upskilling is thinking about the next thing that an employee should focus on while working in an organisation. Reskilling is adapting to new technologies like AI and the cloud.

Follow Anil on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

“If you take care of people, they will give it their everything in return.“

Our next guest has one amazing career journey and she’s here to share all the tips, tricks, and best practices she picked up along her way. We welcome Ruby Jane Antony, Director of People Operations at Setu.

Setu is focused on rebuilding and future-proofing India’s fintech architecture. Ruby leads the People Operations function. She describes her work experience at Setu as magical and fun.

She started her career in Tally Solutions as a Product Manager. This made her realize that she loved to be a part of a team that revolves around finding people and knowing the contributions of the overall functions to carve out people's success practices.

Episode highlights:

Practices implemented by Setu to ensure the well-being of employees

At Setu, they reached out to employees for counselling them on mental well-being, self-care, stress management, mindfulness, etc. They introduced extended weekends and allowed employees to take leaves without questioning them. Reducing team meetings to lessen fatigue is one of their tiny steps to ensure employee well-being.

Methods for improving feedback, especially in remote setup

Feedback contributes to company culture. It should be kept separate from daily SCRUM conversations. Employees should be great at delivering and receiving feedback. Feedback between check-in conversations should be documented, according to Ruby. Data points, examples, and scenarios should be included in the feedback. Instead of dictating things, the conversations should be two way.

Attracting talent from the market both internally and externally

According to Ruby, if you take care of employees, they give their 100%. Giving employees ownership and focusing on their growth and learning help retention strategies. Ensuring you provide good packages to the employees is also important for retaining employees.

Follow Ruby on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode, our guest is Tej Arora, CTO of Guardinex. They protect businesses and their customers from identity frauds.

Tej grew up in Hyderabad, India, and did his Bachelors in Computer Science at IIT, Madras. Soon after he moved to the US to pursue his masters. Tej has over 25 years of experience and has worked with giants like Oracle, Netscape, and Yahoo.

His curious mind and passion to keep learning made him re-skill and look at cloud infrastructure through a customer’s lens. He then went on to learn and achieve certification in AWS. Tej also published his AWS knowledge through videos.

Episode highlights:

HR priorities for reinventing business strategies

Due to the pandemic, the entire globe is a marketplace for searching talent. It opens up tremendous options that encourage job-hopping and taking up multiple gigs. To deal with this landscape, HR should not enforce tight employee guidelines but provide flexibility to take multiple gigs. Having a nice blend of home and office work helps, according to Tej. Slack, Zoom, cloud tools should be allowed to make remote setup employee-friendly.

Upskilling challenges in the tech industry

As per Tej's experience, employees don't utilise the budget companies allocate for upskilling programmes. Companies should incentivise employees to encourage upskilling. Periodic conversations with employees and L&D should be strengthened to minimise upskilling challenges. L&D should become part of management employee conversation to overcome upskilling challenges.

How to find the right solutions for L&D and upskilling?

The younger generation commonly uses cloud-based tools these days. Employees shouldn't face the hassles of using multiple tools for different assignments, and therefore, these tools must have SSO support. Slack-like tools should be integrated for VC tools and cloud storage along with social networks. It would encourage employees to share the courses they have taken up on their social media accounts.

Follow Tej on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

It's safe to call our guest on this episode, a tech-savant. We welcome Nitish Mehta, Co-Founder at INTEGRTR.

Nitish was first introduced to the culture of work-life balance in his first job at SAP. Five years later in his career journey, he co-founded CashPositive (a fintech start-up focused on simplifying B2B credit transactions) and INTEGRTR (an enterprise-tech start-up simplifying HR-Tech integrations). Nitish aims at simplifying problems with the use of technology and is currently contributing all his tech and founding expertise to INTEGRTR.

Episode highlights:

How to build a positive work culture
His thoughts on micromanaging
Tips on designing a leadership self-reflection practice
Workplace lessons learned from the employees during the pandemic
Tips for managers to motivate and inspire their team for better performance

Episode Highlights

Building the right work culture

Culture is defined by the value system of founders and early team members. A positive culture automatically sets in with the right people who value the right things. Therefore, Nitish feels that companies should hire the right people for setting the right culture.

Thoughts and views on micromanaging

According to Nitish, if there is a need for micromanagement in an organisation, there is something wrong with either the people or processes. However, the CEO must be involved in micromanagement at the hiring level, especially during the initial days of the company.

Creating a practice that reflects through leadership

Leaders should take some time off and get into a zone where they can analyse things over time. Nitish gives an example of their annual company catchup where they look at their yearly achievements. Focusing on both the good and not-good part helps leaders strike the right balance in the organisation. For self-reflection, one must get inputs from the team and co-founders. For that, empowering the team to speak actively in meetings is important.

Major lessons learnt during the Covid pandemic

Adaptability and resilience played an important role in the early stage of the pandemic. It is because it impacted hiring and onboarding people for remote work. In the second part, working in a remote setup with people who have never interacted and met in person was challenging, according to Nitish. It provided new learnings to the company. People helping each other in the team was pleasant, according to him.

Which is better: remote work or working from the office?

Nitish feels that remote work can be balanced with offline meetings. INTEGRTR is spread across two continents, and therefore offline meetups play a huge role in working things out. Employees love remote work because they can balance work and personal life. However, outdoor work learning is missed due to remote work. Non-remote setup encourages engagement and bond-building. Therefore, fostering engagement while working remotely is also essential. As a leader, one must empower the employees to grow and help others grow.

Virtual platforms for engaging employees

Nitish thinks that the video engagement platform helps employees get cues by visual apart from voice. Having an environment that fosters friendships and workplace bonding is essential, according to him. Virtual platforms are excellent tools in this regard.

Follow Nitish on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Ankita Kirad

Maya Chandrasekaran is the Co-Founder of Green Artha Innovations - a climate venture fund and innovation firm established to make a low-carbon economy possible. She also co-founded and continues to actively run the 200+ member network, Women in Investing.

Prior to being a founder, she held roles such as Senior Executive, Analyst, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Chief of Talent, and Strategic Advisor. She was also a part of the founding leadership that scaled Babajobs.com into India’s largest tech-enabled livelihoods platform, securing meaningful work for over 10 million people in just 7 years.

Maya is an expert at scaling companies that change lives, both as an investor and leading operations, talent, and growth. She has been a mentor with TechStars India for multiple cohorts now and works with a number of startups in an advisory capacity.

Episode Highlights:

Her role as HR executive at Babajobs

As HR executive for Babajobs, Maya wanted to make the job seekers' experience stronger, better, and more engaging. Babajobs was a small-scale company when she started working for it. She takes great pride in this journey of hers as it helped her gain expertise and knowledge about so many other functions in the office apart from the HR field in which she excelled.

Tips to CHROs for the growth of the company

Maya credits the balance between seniors and new joiners for keeping the company culture and values intact. She feels most startups that have grown into larger organizations do not want to become stratified and hierarchical. However, she stressed the importance of a flexible organizational structure to avoid chaos.

The right time to implement OKRs

According to Maya, OKR is an excellent template with different versions - but essentially, it is too vast a concept to explain in a few words. In a company, employees and leaders have a common goal: to work for the company's success. The daily execution of work is something that makes or breaks the company. There is no way a firm can fail if its people give it their all and devote themselves entirely to its development. Small victories daily are a crucial first step toward bigger ones in the long run.

The right time to hire an HR specialist

Maya feels that hiring an HR specialist as soon as possible when starting a new firm is vital since it gives critical assistance to the entrepreneur. It will relieve the CEO of some of his duties and provide a helping hand. Because every company is different, you should not consider these principles to be definitive. If you anticipate that your firm will grow considerably in a short span – say, by 100% or 50% in the coming 6-12 months – you should hire an in-house HR professional at the earliest.

Rewards and recognition to employees

Professional appreciation is more than just a checkbox on the managers' to-do list. On the contrary, timely awards and recognition should become intrinsic to the workplace culture. Employees are more loyal to a firm when valued for their contributions and labor. Not unexpectedly, the present dominant forces of millennials and generation Z are challenging to satisfy. They don't consider acknowledgement to be a memorable event. Today's young workforce feels obligated to be recognized for outstanding performance. Appreciating them in a way that appeals to them is essential for attracting, retaining, and satisfying the new wave of workers. Establishing a robust, organized framework for financing and rewards is vital for an organization's long-term performance.

Follow Maya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Kartik Mandaville

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” - Warren Buffett

Our guest on this episode is here to give us all the insights we need to build the workplace of the future. We welcome Anoop Singh, Brand Manager and Head of Marketing for Indomie at Kellogg Tolaram Nigeria Limited.

Anoop is the jack of all trades. He has held various positions like Business analyst, Sales and Marketing Manager, and Micro Market CEO. Prior to joining Kellogg’s, he worked with large MNCs like OYO, Cognizant, and Reliance Industries Limited.

In this fun-filled conversation, you get insights about Anoop’s personal and professional insights like never before.

Episode Highlights:

'Growth mindset' is important for all industries

Anoop Singh says growth mindset refers to the welfare and development of the workplace in its entirety, with workers playing the central role in the transformation of business practices. He elaborates upon the significance of personality traits and collective growth for instilling a growth mindset in the young people joining the industry.

The feedback-giving process is an excellent way to enrich the workforce

Anoop has previously worked at multiple corporate positions in multinational companies like OYO, Micro Market, etc. Recalling his experience, he emphasized the necessity of constant feedback-giving processes for employees so that they can contribute towards the overall growth of the company.

There are social aspects of a growth mindset too

Anoop Singh highlighted that we must adopt continuous learning as the criteria for determining the growth levels of the members of an organization. According to him, during the pandemic, he witnessed a higher level of social bonding and supportive nature in his employees, which helped the company fight such challenging times in the international markets.

Follow Anoop on LinkedIn, Twitter & his blog.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Like many CEOs of growing companies, Himanshu Singh Raghuvanshi is on a mission. He is an ex-management consultant, having worked with manufacturers/ OEMs across India and US for over a decade.

Through his previous experiences of serving manufacturers & OEMs, he saw a gap with manufacturers running complex direct material sourcing processes in a manual, long-drawn way. Hence, Capgrid was born - a B2B commerce company specialising in sourcing and procurement of direct-material supplies.

CapGrid’s AI-powered platform and deep network of suppliers allow manufacturers to significantly reduce the complexities in the direct material sourcing and procurement process.

Having catered to clients in automotive, aerospace and Oil & Gas space, Himanshu knows these industries inside and out.

The general hiring concept:

Himanshu said that the initial set of people you hire should be more like those you associate with. When starting out, you need people that have a lot of trust in the company and its goals. There might be a lot of changes that come in the company in the beginning - so you need people that you can discuss things with. The first set of people that Himanshu hired for his company were people that he already knew.

Importance of the first set of people you hire:

As a company grows, the founder and co-founders become more and more hands-off; you can no longer interact with every employee personally. So your employees need to pass on the culture. For this, the first set of employees becomes vital.

Employee satisfaction:

Himanshu also points out that whether the employees are happy is very important for a company's growth - especially a smaller one. For example, an important question in employee happiness surveys is whether people have any friends in their office - because the best memories in the office are with people you like. Happier employees do more for the company, and it increases productivity.

Follow Himanshu on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Shradha Mundhra

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Mudita Chauhan started off her career as an engineer but realized her key strength was bringing out the best in people. She then changed paths leading her to the HR space and she is currently the Head of Human Resources at CoinDCX.

Mudita is on the roll as she heads the people function and works on building the largest fintech in the country. Her key strengths are in building startups, HR transformation, data and analytics, operationalizing HR Technology, managing senior stakeholders, and driving employee engagement and productivity.

Episode Highlights

Key points to enhance human resource management

Mudita recounts that culture fit was an important step when she started working in CoinDCX. First, they gathered all the hiring agents and arrived at the right questions to ask during the hiring process.

Next, she talks about the importance of the right hiring partners who can help hire the right people for the company.

She says that delivering the right experience to the employee is essential and is the responsibility of recruiters and managers.

She says that communication is a significant step that ensures transparency within the team.

Sharing her views on internal job postings, she feels that it is a powerful tool for employee growth as it offers them a variety of roles.

Ways by which crypto industries can leverage employer branding

Mudita says that employer branding is not easy. In her experience, people usually go for a stable organization with a clear vision of their future. She says that it is imperative to give new employees a proper introduction about your company and your expectations from them. CoinDCX is different from other employers; as for them, branding is not just about a company but also about crypto.

Mudita concludes the interview by saying that the crypto industry is in its nascency and needs young talent and new ideas. Therefore, at CoinDCX, they usually look for people passionate about crypto.

Follow Mudita on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Have you thought about your 'Learning health' - the collective ability of your organisation to outperform the competition?

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Nishchae Suri, President- Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa at Edcast navigates us through the shifting sands of the Learning and Development ecosystem.

EdCast is an award-winning platform that offers a unified platform designed to operate end-to-end employee experience journeys spanning learning, skilling and career mobility.

In this episode, Nishchae goes deep on the theme of moving with greater agility to drive cultural change and creating a learner experience where individuals view work as an opportunity for self-discovery and growth.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Why learning should be viewed as a cultural obligation rather than a legal requirement

A learning culture is a set of organisational norms, attitudes, practices, and procedures that promote learning. Employees and organisations are encouraged to increase their knowledge and skills through these conventions.

How an L & D-focused culture improves employee retention and profitability

Fostering L & D encourages employee engagement, which boosts your retention rate. Employees require the opportunity to expand their expertise and advance in their careers. Employees feel fulfilled and thrive when they have the opportunity to learn new things regularly, which is easily visible in Edcast. The company has managed in bringing its employees together, adding variety to their experience increasing their engagement and creative output.

Relationship between the L & D and R & R functions
Yes, absolutely as stated by him, Employees who have successfully gained new skills and abilities should be acknowledged and recognised to keep them motivated and urge others to do the same. The combination of R&R and L&D is powerful because it produces a positive habit loop.

Follow Nishchae on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Security is not a point in time thing, it's a culture that you need to ingrain.”They say curious people are happier and our guest on this episode proves it just right. Ujwal Ratra is the Chief Operations Officer at Astra Web Security.

Currently, Ujwal is involved in setting up and running multiple teams across Software Development, Marketing, and Product Management.

Prior to working at Astra, Ujwal had worked at Amazon as a Software Developer but found the job a little isolating. At the same time, his curiosity to be involved in challenging on-ground business problems like how orders reached homes grew. This made him change gears and join the operations team.

Episode highlights:

Impact of COVID on cyber risks and how it can be prevented

The increase in the number of cyberattacks since the onset of the pandemic has been tremendous. We have seen a considerable uptick in cyberattacks. Before this, organizations had a single office, and it was easier to be secure. Now, everyone is working from home, and it is difficult for the organization to secure everyone’s laptops. Most organizations were not prepared from a cybersecurity perspective.

Ways organizations can tackle cybercrime

The most important thing is not to forget about cyber security. Most organizations get a security audit once and forget about it. Most organizations release features every few weeks, becoming vulnerable to attacks. Organizations should not get complacent about cybersecurity and need to get cybersecurity audits done regularly. Astra Web Security has automated vulnerable checks. However, they are still not as sophisticated and comprehensive.

Follow Ujwal on LinkedIn, Twitter.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Shwetha Parshi

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Dave West, CEO and Product Owner at Scrum.org, is on a mission to enable professionals to apply scrum through training courses, certifications, and ongoing learning all based on a common competency model.

Prior to joining the team at Scrum.org, Dave was Chief Product Officer at Tasktop where he was responsible for product management, engineering, and architecture. As a member of the company’s executive management team, he was also instrumental in growing Tasktop from a services business into a VC-backed product business.

Dave is one of the foremost industry experts on software development and deployment.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Dave defines a growth mindset as the ability to look at things and problems differently. He also shares his inspirational journey of how being dyslexic didn’t stop him from achieving his goals.

Episode Highlights:

Constructive ways in which leaders can handle criticism

The key tenet at Scrum is transparency. With a transparent culture, you have to be open with your team and stakeholders. Not only that, but you have to sit and listen to what they have to say. When you explain your reasoning behind things and what your mission is, people will understand your decisions.

Role of CEOs in envisioning and implementing well-being initiatives

One of the problems Dave has seen with these initiatives is that organizations think everyone is the same. The truth is that people benefit from different things. Scrum.org focuses on trying to empower people to make their own choices regarding their well-being. They encourage people to seek their answers and provide the funding and support to do that.

How to deal with failed well-being initiatives?

Eventually, it’s the relationship between employees and their bosses. If the team members know that their boss cares about them, the initiatives will be successful. It’s the responsibility of line managers and bosses to ensure that their team members feel that they care.

Follow Dave on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abijith Kanthadai

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

‘Focus your assessment on the passion for the mission’

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Shailaja Pittie, Senior Executive Recruiter and Talent Advisory at Google. She is responsible for identifying, attracting and engaging & hiring the best leaders to build the future of Google Cloud.

Some of her more notable Google roles include: Global Staffing Lead Geo, Head of Talent, and Engineering recruiter. She started off her career as an entrepreneur but found her love for the HR space along the way.

Shailaja is extremely passionate about building teams, functions, and organizations.

Episode highlights:

Common mistakes made by recruiters while hiring executives
Recruitment and hiring process to get the desired candidates
How to manage candidate relationships
Guide to hire an executive leadership team for first-time founders
Pitfalls to avoid while hiring executive talent

Common mistakes made by recruiters while hiring executives

Talent management is involved in the development of succession plans. They have insights into critical talent gaps that are in the company. They know about the bench strength and what is the up and coming internal talent. On the other hand, executive recruiting has an external approach. They are the experts on market intelligence, and they have the best competitor knowledge. When there is good synergy and knowledge sharing, companies can hire better where internal talent and external talent is taken into account when hiring.

Advice for young people

One is not to be afraid of taking risks. Invest in getting different experiences, even if it is laterally. If someone aspires to be an executive recruiter, it is important they have the ability to interact with senior leaders, the ability to influence without authority, the ability to engage talent in the market and to have good business acumen.

Follow Shailaja on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

Our guest on this episode is Meetika Malhotra, Talent Acquisition Group at Tata Consultancy Services.

The study of subjects like psychology and sociology in college strengthened Meetika's conviction of pursuing a career in human behaviour and pushed her to intern with big firms with large HR departments.

Having been a part of the HR fraternity for more than 5 years now, Meetika has worked across various HR functions. Her actual journey in HR started in 2015 when she joined nearbuy.com (then Groupon India) as a part of their HR team.

Meetika has also established HR initiatives like 'HR Meet Ups' where she invites HR personnel from similar firms to brainstorm ideas and solutions to homogenous HR problems.

Episode Highlights

HR Areas that can use a tech-friendly approach

Documentation is not digitized yet, especially in startups. There is a lot of scope for digitization in the talent acquisition team. The scheduling process can be digitized for selecting interview slots and updating changes in real-time. The feedback process can be digitized as many startups still use feedback forms.

Importance of background verification in the recruitment process

With background verification, employees might feel that the organizations they are coming into don’t trust them. Recruiters should understand that background verification helps organizations help their employees as they get an idea of their strengths and weaknesses from their previous employers.

Flexibility, dynamic approaches, and adaptability from an individual and organizational perspective

A rigid company is susceptible to destruction. Being a large organization, if TCS did not adapt to the lockdown challenge, it would have been destroyed, according to Meetika. However, within a short time, they adapted to the situation by providing internet, systems, and other facilities to employees working from home.

Follow Meetika on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Yashwanth Jembige

About Springworks:
Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organization that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking systemSpringworks prides itself on being an organization focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

'Treat others as they wish to be treated'

Our next guest took a 180 in her career journey. She is a scientist by training and double majored in Molecular and Cell Biology, and Media Studies, at UC Berkeley. She currently runs her own company which envisions a world where people feel safe and empowered to pursue their goals. We welcome Meghana Srinivas, Founder and CEO of TrustIn.

TrustIn enables a safe workplace with a cutting-edge, contextual solution for seamless POSH implementation.

Meghana thrives to solve complex problems that impact people in a positive manner. She also believes that co-creating a more equitable world is our moral responsibility and not just a worthwhile dream.

She has more than six years of experience in teaching, training, and coaching. Moreover, she has developed and implemented multiple interventions to improve life and learning outcomes.

Meghana led a program at The CoWrks Foundry, a business accelerator for early-stage tech companies. She also managed multiple programs, projects, and people in the social impact space at major nonprofits including Teach For India.

Episode highlights:

Advice to employees struggling with self-objectifying issues in the professional space
How to manage diversity and equality in the workplace?
Best practices to address workplace discrimination
How PoSH can help facilitate a safe workplace in the WFH setup
How should employees deal with self-objectifying issues in the workspace?

While talking about how they handled work during the pandemic, Meghana clarified that one should be able to draw work and space boundaries to be able to work without stressing out. She emphasized the need to identify differences between asynchronous and synchronous working modes.

Managing diversity and equality in the workplace

Meghana thinks that employees must feel safe and included in their workplace. Setting up grievance forums and committees to look at sexual harassment, bullying, and other types of workplace discrimination is a must, according to her. Setting up a strong culture that promotes effective communication is the key to avoiding workplace discrimination.

Best practices to address workplace discrimination

For cases of sexual harassment, an internal committee consisting of employees of the organization can be constituted to investigate the matter. However, they should be headed by a person who is well versed in the PoSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) laws. Ideally, ⅔ of the members should be women, and the head of the committee should be the senior-most woman of the organization. It is because she will have the social capital to handle such cases. For other cases, ethics or grievance committees can be set up. The investigation, nature of the impact on the victim, documentation, etc., can be carried out in a similar manner.

How PoSH can promote safety in the work-from-home setup?

Meghana feels that employees should be provided with multiple modes to report sexual harassment cases even when they are working from their homes.

Opportunities for women in top management roles in corporate India

Meghana thinks that diversity starts off very well at the grassroots levels with organizations. However, there is a sharp drop-off at the management levels. Corporates are giving opt-in and opt-out options to their employees in a hybrid working model, but they should also see to it that the employees who are working from home should not feel left out.

Follow Meghana on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Ishika Jani

What's better than only one podcast guest? Two!

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Harsh Singh, Founder and Gautam Sethi, Co-founder of QuilinX.

It’s not every day you get both people management lessons and a window into the future world of the workforce all in a single conversation.

As they say, two heads are better than one. It is easier for two people who help each other to solve a problem than it is for one person to solve a problem alone. Harsh and Gautam's startup, QuilinX is a true example of it.

Harsh brings 20 years of global experience in enabling organizational excellence through technology, people, process and leadership, while Gautam spent 15 years in the HR fraternity and always wanted to build something through technology that is future-ready. That's where Harsh and Gautam's visions aligned and helped them come together to build QuilinX.

Episode Highlights:

Skills that recruiters look for in new employees

According to Gautam, mindset+attitude is the key, apart from the orientation of a person. Leadership is necessary at all levels, and therefore, they look at people who can take responsibility and ownership of their work. From a technical perspective, Harsh says that having the technical skills and ability to work fast is the key.

Leadership and importance of taking feedbacks

Harsh believes that managers should take feedback from the employees in an informal setting to make them feel comfortable.

Changes & Evolution in HR

Gautam feels that digitization was the sole reason behind evolution in HR. It reduced the documentation hassles and provided time at their hands to focus on other things. It gave rise to partnerships with HR and businesses. Now HR is more into building work culture and hiring and retaining talent.

Follow Harsh & Gautam on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

“Hire people who believe in your company values but yet make sure the hiring decision is prejudice-free.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Amrit Jaidka Arora, Head Human Resource at Digit Insurance - an online general insurance company that offers various non-life insurance products covering your car, bike, travel, home, and mobile.

With an experience of over 10 years in the HR space and having worked with giants like Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd. and Hindustan Times, Amrit covers a lot of interesting aspects in this episode.

Episode Highlights:

Empowering employees: Meaning, benefits, and ways to do it.
What’s more important: Performance vs Cultural fit?
How to foster an environment of equality in the workplace?
Remote Onboarding: Challenges and Employee Experience

Virtual onboarding needs a lot of effort as it becomes hard to extend the company culture experience to the remote employees. Talking about the company's journey and telling them real stories of employees can be one way of introducing company culture to the new employees. Digit Insurance uses an AI chatbot that enables the new joinees to engage with their seniors and take feedback from their regular work.

Impact of organizational culture on performance of employees

Culture is how employees behave when seniors are not around. It helps companies navigate through a crisis, and therefore values of the company should be genuine. At Digit, they give Guardians of Digit awards to employees that exemplify the organization's values. According to Amrit, a winning culture allows employees to outperform their peers. Therefore, it can be the critical difference between performing and non-performing companies.

Hiring employees who are culturally fit for your organization

While it is essential to hire culturally fit employees, it is also essential to bring diverse experiences to enrich the work culture. Looking for culture fit improves retention, whereas diverse culture leads to creativity and innovation. Therefore, according to Amrit, recruiters have to balance performance and culture.

Follow Amrit Arora on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Mahesh Gourishetty, Head HR at Five-Star Business Finance Limited, a non-banking finance company providing financial solutions for the business, housing and personal needs of India's unbanked population.

With more than 18 years of experience working in the HR fraternity, Mahesh has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

The changing role of HR Business Partner

The whole existence of an HR Business Partner began with bringing in new talent into your company. The initial expectations were to hire people with the right quality of talent. It then slowly evolved to develop and retain these people because you already know how the business works. It then moved on to going more in-depth into the industry, coming in with suggestions and input and implementing them in the company. There has been good growth in HR Business Development, and technology plays a huge role.

Why is the HR of the future about being an expert at leading people & technology together, not one versus the other?

The way technology has come into play makes it easier for HR to recruit people and for their responsibilities to expand. HR must be tech-savvy and take the responsibility of people management and technology.

What skills do future HR leaders need to possess in this changing nature of work?

The current generation of HR graduates is much more competent regarding the exposure given to them. They need to have the skill of being adaptable. To be reasonable between being logical and emotional. You need to have the skill of managing the requirements of the company and the employees. The ability to explain new jargon to the employees and communicate in a way everybody understands things. The ability to prioritise and resilience are other skills that a future HR leader needs to have.

Follow Mahesh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

"Training is the single most important investment in people that an organization can make."

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Arun Harihar Rao, Director Knowledge Services at Zipgrid. He leads Zipgrid’s knowledge management efforts to ensure that the agency’s workforce has access to the critical knowledge needed for mission success. He is also a certified ‘Leadership Coach’.

Zipgrid delivers knowledge-based services by creating a professionally managed eco-system that is uniquely designed & customized for housing societies to function more efficiently & enjoy superior community living experiences.

With a total work experience of over two decades ranging from Marketing Manager, Training Manager, Vice President of Operations to founding his own company, Arun surely has done it all and it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

Episode highlights:

Hiring trends in the community management sector
How to attract talent to the community industry
How to leverage employer branding to increase brand visibility
Future of community management
Importance of employee training process

The community management industry's recruiting patterns:

Large complexes and residential areas in metro cities and tier-two cities also necessitate a large workforce and resources to manage. A lot of blue-collar work needs to be done, like many security guards, facility management, housekeeping staff, etc., to make sure the community runs smoothly. The finances of all these things are to be managed effectively and adequately. So, this industry comes into play to check the compliance of bylaws and manage the blue-collars.

Attracting talent to the community industry:

Potential candidates have many options to consider, but employers also face challenges when it comes to finding the right talent. The community industry is entirely new, and candidates are unaware of such types of management, like residential housing management. Employers like Zipgrid ensure they get the right training and skills to go forward. People lack managerial and soft skills. For example, Zipgrid organises Pathshalas, providing prospective managers with on-the-job training for the future.

How can employer branding be used to improve brand visibility?

Employers should increase their employer branding to increase their brand visibility. The community must add value to its employees. Use domain expertise in society management to increase employee and customer attraction. Prospective employees are very active on social media platforms. Therefore, leveraging a brand for its good employers is essential.

The future of the community industry

Community managers serve as brand ambassadors as well as customer ambassadors. They cultivate customer relationships by ensuring that current consumers are happy and engaged. The importance of the user experience has never been greater. Simple accommodation markets, such as paper towels or toothpaste, may not produce the enthusiasm or energy required for successful community outreach. The importance of brand association cannot be overstated. In the future,

The importance of employee training

Employees leave the company at a higher rate in the early phases. Employees remain longer because they enjoy what they do, feel appreciated, and see their performance improve. Training is the most critical investment a company or industry can make. Your industry determines the type of training you receive.

Follow Arun on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Rohan Mankad

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Cynthia Burkhardt, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Kimberly-Clark. Cynthia is not just recognized as a thought leader in the TA space but is also a global HR award winner. She has held top positions in giants like Adecco, Johnson & Johnson, and Philips.

With over 20 years of experience working in the HR space, Cynthia has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation:

Most common hiring mistakes made by recruiters
How recruiters can work with hiring managers
Key elements of recruitment marketing
Best HR tools & practices
Top advice from the expert herself

Episode Highlights:

Narrow down the search:

It is essential to narrow down the search during the hiring process to save time and effort.

When recruiting for a particular role, you need to search for suitable candidates. Interviewing countless people will not only waste the company's time but will be inefficient as well.

Prevent 'one size fits all' philosophy:

To enhance the company's impact, you need to set different standards for different roles.

A graphic designer cannot perform the role of a software developer. Hence, you need to hire different people for different positions.

Organize your talent acquisition properly:

You cannot be everywhere and handle everything. Hence, you need to place your HR in the right place.

For example, you cannot find pulses in a hardware store. Similarly, you need to look in specific places for particular candidates.

Form an internal talent intelligence team:

The internal talent intelligence team consists of employees who look out for the labor market and continuously analyze the macroeconomics of the world.

Follow Cynthia on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Saransh Garg, CEO & Co-Founder of Nova Benefits.

Nova Benefits is a tech platform providing the best of health & wellness benefits to employees. They help find the best deals for the company along with ease of access. All while ensuring no administrative overhead for your HR.

He has a relentlessly curious brain for a perspective that captures both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to start a company. We discuss with Saransh:

His professional journey
The story behind Nova Benefits
Tips for hiring the right employee
The recruiter's guide to handling candidate objections
Tips to build an inbound recruiting strategy for talent acquisition

Creating Nova Benefits:

Saransh and his co-founder, Yash Gupta, had started ideating in January 2020. They had picked the financial services as it was their common area of interest. Eventually, they decided on insurance as not many new companies were launching in that field.

They were debating motor VS health insurance when the pandemic occurred. During the pandemic, cars were used less, and they realized that there was going to be a huge shift in the market. It pushed them towards health insurance policies; they noticed that it had a great potential to grow and had only 10% penetration in the Indian market. This led to the birth of Nova Benefits.

They looked into their own experiences with health insurance. They realized how difficult it usually is to get everyone in a company on-boarded a health insurance plan or get a good plan. Even when companies provide a good health insurance plan to their employees, the employees tend not to know what is covered, etc. Saransh and Yash decided to go the B2B route.

Saransh’s tips for an HR personnel, picking a policy for their company: 5 things to keep in mind
The sum insured is the amount covered by the policy.
Look into what is the family definition within the policy - whether it covers only the employee of his whole family (Saransh stated that adding parents tends to double the premium)
Room rent limit - the amount for the medical room that your policy covers.
Ensure there are no disease-specific rules or co-pay rules hidden that you have missed.

On Talent Acquisition:
For hiring for Nova Benefits, Saransh stated that they used Linkedin, Angel-list and also hired some recruitment agencies.
Additionally, conducting outbound hiring for senior roles helped build muscle within the team.
Building a presence on LinkedIn is helpful; even putting a profile on blaster helps.
Sransh said that there are at times roles for which there are many applicants. To filter the applicants in such situations, using an automated assignment can help.
Make your entire team your angel list when hiring for entry-level positions.
Include the manager of the relevant team. They would be the most interested in whoever is hired for the position.
Content marketing also helps get people for hire.

Client objections:
For entry to mid-level hiring: There is an issue if the assignment is too long; only then people might not be interested.
For senior-level hiring: Saransh stated that senior hires tend not to want to do assignments; however, a call on which there is a white-boarding session or problem-solving session for hiring purposes works better.

Follow Saransh on LinkedIn, Twitter.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Kartik Mandaville

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Stephen Bates, founder of Certain Change Ltd - a company that makes sure that skilled & talented business people work at their highest level.

Stephen has been an entrepreneur for almost two decades. He truly understands the entrepreneurial DNA & what goes inside the mind of an entrepreneur. He breaks down his most passionate opinions on topics like leadership & management.

Episode highlights:

Stephen’s professional journey
Common leadership mistakes
How to align individual, team, and organizational goals for success
How often should you have one-on-one with employees
Top qualities of leaders in the third bucket

What is the importance of making the right career choices?

Stephen Bates is a confident and experienced person, who shared about his early life and career. He started as a physiotherapist, and later, he was inspired to start his own company after a few years of industry experience.
He elaborates upon the need to direct individuals towards their right career paths because it is essential for the proper utilisation of their abilities.
In this podcast, he has advised that young professionals must make well-researched and timely decisions in relation to their career prospects and future plans in this highly competitive society.

What are the significant leadership qualities required in an organisation?

According to Stephen Bates, the leader must take into account the views of every member of their organisation’s team. He discussed qualities such as devotion and friendliness, and constant feedback-giving processes as essential attributes of an ideal managerial position such as Founders, CEOs (Chief Executive Officers), CFOs (Chief Financial Officers), etc.

What are the common leadership mistakes while managing a team?

Bates elaborated that we must understand common leadership mistakes with knowledge of some instances. These leadership mistakes made by the HR and Management of the organisation take a toll on productivity, engagement, the mental health of the employees, and Corporate Social Responsibility. During the podcast, he gave examples of his initial struggles that shaped his future career choices.

What are the ways to align the organisation’s goals with those of the team?

He talked about aligning the business goals with the interests of the members of the organisation. This can be achieved by giving them more shares and stakes when they contribute towards the progress of organisational goals.

What are the keys to organisational success in the future?

Stephen Bates highlighted the importance of internal consultations and group discussions to increase the profitability and productivity of the company.
In the end, he talked about the importance of a leader having one-to-one interactions and constant feedback sessions with the team members. These will ensure that the team can share their personal issues and organisational problems in an efficient manner in the future.

Follow Stephen on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Rohas Nagpal, Chief Blockchain Architect at Wrapped Asset Project.

Rohas started off his career in hacking and then spent over a decade as a blockchain architect and crypto expert. Hence, it goes without saying, we discuss everything related to blockchain.

Episode highlights:

The Regulation of NFTs

It’s not like we don’t have fraud in the stock market. With regards to NFT, there is a legal agreement in place between the issue and the buyer of the NFT. Next, if someone defaults on something, you will be blacklisted from raising money from NFTs in the future. However, there is always a small amount of risk with any financial instrument.

Why will the Metaverse be the next big thing?

In the real world, people are not 100% how happy they are. In the Metaverse, you can create a digital avatar with the perfect you. It would be fun to explore the world and the universe by sitting from the comfort of their own home. It would also redefine working from home. You can sit in your office with your colleagues without actually leaving your home.

The Use Cases of blockchain

Blockchain use-cases should be around crypto. Blockchains developed around data will not
work because the technology was not created to hold data. It was created for smart asset lifecycle management. You only have to create a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin, and the technology would take care of everything.

Things you should know before Investing in Crypto

Firstly, you need to do your due diligence on crypto before starting your investment. Understand what cryptocurrencies are and how they work. You need to understand how crypto exchanges wallets work and how to maintain them securely. It is only after you get to know the basics that you should start investing. Lastly, as a rule of thumb, you need to know the ABCDE of crypto.

A = Avax
B = Bitcoin
C = Chainlink
D = Decentralization
E = Ethereum

Follow Rohas on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Aditya Sreekumar

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Joshua Bowlin, CEO of Autimely. Joshua has taken the future of car buying by storm.

Autimely is an automotive startup that aims to streamline the car-buying experience. It claims to be the first platform that allows users to purchase vehicles using cryptocurrency.

He shares some valuable insights on the new wave of car buying, AI, & cryptocurrency. We discuss with Joshua:

The story behind founding his first company.
What next for AI in Autimely?
What will 2022 look like for Autimely?

Episode Highlights:

What’s Autimely?

Autimely is an automotive digital retail platform that provides consumers with the ability to negotiate with multiple automotive dealerships at the same time. Consumers can use cryptocurrencies to make payments. On the other hand, dealers can use our virtual sales rep, an AI that helps them negotiate with consumers on their vehicles. The AI can pick up emotions, feelings, etc., to build and get the deal done.

Making an Easy User Experience

If you offer a great customer experience, people will come back to you. You look at Tesla, which has taken much of the buying process online. You can look at the prices, see deals, and much more online. There’s no chance of someone fleecing you on a payment plan or the cost of your car. On top of that, they have kept the offline experience of seeing and experiencing the car in the showroom. So, it’s a great customer experience all around.
What’s Next for Autimely and AI
"We want to expand our AI into the financing part as well. You can get answers on financing through our app itself. I see Autimely growing into potentially having our dealerships."

So, we will hold multiple brands under our umbrella with test centers. People can test out different brands and select the car of their dreams.

Visions for 2020

Our goal in 2020 is to bring 1500 dealerships into our app. When consumers come to us, they have a wide variety of options. With COVID, everything has changed. People are trying to find new ways of doing business. They are more open to trying things and are interested in doing things online. Lastly, we will have 13 different cryptocurrencies, and you will be able to purchase a car through SHIBA COINS. Shiba coin is a cryptocurrency that got into the limelight when Elon Musk tweeted about it.

Follow Joshua on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is James Ellis or should we call him 'Alton Brown of Employer Branding'? James Ellis is a Senior Employer Branding Manager at Recursion - an organization decoding biology to radically improve lives.

James is a noted employer brand and talent strategy thinker, keynote speaker, consultant, and podcaster. He has done it all. Oh, and that’s not all! He is also the author of a total of 7 books.

In this wit, energy, and humour-filled conversation we discuss Employer branding: what, how, and everything in between.

His passion for employer branding absolutely blew us away!

Episode Highlights:

How can recruitment agencies attract the best external talent they desire?

James talks about how recruitment agencies can retain top performers and attract the best external talent they desire, and the importance of developing a compelling employee value proposition (EVP) that is relevant to the company's employees and potential candidates' needs and wants. Additionally, James discusses how recruitment agencies can make themselves desirable to potential candidates in the highly competitive labour market even before starting the hiring process. Besides, he also explains the importance of ranking top in the individual’s list.

The significance of brand position and marketing in the recruitment industry

In the second part of his interview, James throws light on the significance of brand positioning and marketing in the recruitment industry to occupy a distinctive place in the candidates’ minds who are looking for jobs. He further adds that building authentic relationships and standing out in an over saturated recruitment market is arguably the best way to enhance loyalty and brand advocacy. Plus, James talks about the reasons why employer brands break down and how to get it right. He also shares new content strategies and frameworks that most of the top employer brand specialists apply and use to design a successful employer-branding strategy.

Drawbacks of employer branding

Lastly, James sheds light on his two newly released books on employer branding and his weekly newsletters. So if you’re looking to attract the best talent, then this is a must-listen.

Follow James on Linkedin.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Gerry Crispin, co-founder & Principal at CareerXroads- a premier talent community for recruiting & HR professionals willing to collaborate, innovate and lead.

Having been in the industry for more than 30 years, he is best known as a ‘Virtual Encyclopedia’ for all things HR, talent acquisition, and recruiting.

And, that’s not all, Gerry is also a co-author of 8 books and over 100 articles, and a lifelong student of staffing.

We discuss with Gerry:

Common mistakes most recruiters make
Recruiting tips from talent acquisition leaders
How has recruitment marketing changed in the last 30 years?
It's all about the data: TA & Data.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Common mistakes most recruiters make

In the first part of his interview, Gerry talks about why most recruiters consistently make common mistakes. He discusses a new initiative of the International Standard Organisation (ISO) for fair recruitment and critical listening. Engaging with the hiring manager may help improve the recruitment process.

Recruiting tips for talent acquisition leaders

Gerry also shares the recruiting tips for talent acquisition and recruitment professionals. He discusses how recruiters need to align their hiring strategies with hiring managers to measure the same success metrics and get the appropriate skills needed for the role. Besides, Gerry talks about how recruitment and talent acquisition professionals must work against their biases to draw the best talent and support candidates through the process to make informed decisions.

How has recruitment marketing evolved over the last 30 years?

Gerry Crispin walks us through the evolution of marketing practises over the last 30 years. He discusses how recruitment technology now helps you solve diverse recruitment challenges and the ability to collect the Candidate Net Promoter Score (CNPS) to measure and improve candidates' experience with your company.

It's all about data: Talent Acquisition and data
Gerry also talks about how timely and precise data is essential for a well-functioning talent acquisition program. It is the most important metric for talent acquisition professionals to be efficient and improve their hiring skills in a data-driven culture. Lastly, Gerry shares some of his favourite recruiting tools and traits that helped him reach the top of his game.

Follow Gerry on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Tushar Dadlani, Principal Product Manager at Walmart.

He shares his inspiring career journey - from founding his own company to being one of the senior employees, to now working with Walmart - the world’s largest retailer.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

Episode Highlights:

1) How does an Employer Hire Culture-Fit Employees?

Tushar Dadlani believes finding culture-fit employees is very crucial for success and growth. He shared how they ensure culture-fit people in Walmart. They find people in their network; who are either referred from an existing employee, ex-employee, friend or relative of the person etc.
The second thing to consider is a willingness to learn and aspirations in the long term. They ask a set of questions to eliminate non-serious candidates and understand their culture-fit quotient.
A culture-fit employee brings valuable soft skills to the organisation.

2) Strategies to Improve Remote Team Productivity

Managers should allow employees to work with liberty; they should come out of their ego. In his words, these are ‘recipes of cultural disaster’. Management should understand and involve the expert person in the role.
In addition, write down notes when working remotely. It helps in keeping everybody on the same page and avoiding misunderstandings or missed project deadlines.

3) How to Improve the Employee Onboarding Process?

Onboarding has become more and more important during contemporary hybrid or remote work cultures. Managers and HR should communicate and build a friendly relationship with employees. Do not be rigid. Flexible with policies and processes. He also mentioned the ‘First Ninety Days’ book as a good reference to understand the onboarding process.

4) Employee Benefits and Compensation Ideas

For employee benefits and compensation, organisations can hire a benefit provider. It will help them to assess quantitatively. Secondly, keep communication open and grow a feedback culture for qualitative evaluation of employees and management.
Show your support during hot spots or transitional periods of their life. This could be marriage, childbirth, divorce etc.

Link to Tushar's Linkedin & Blog

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Adam Stonehocker, Head of Sales at Gemini, a workforce planning and analytics tool for every company’s most important resource – its people.

Having been in the industry for 15 years and worked with brands such as MarketStar and peek.com as a director of sales, Adam knows a thing or two about building and leading a successful team.

Our conversation with Adam covers:

Top skills for a career in sales
Effective ways to structure your team
How to build a great salesperson from scratch
Developing a feedback culture in your sales team

Episode Highlights:

1) Top Skills for a Career in Sales

Adam Stonehocker points out skills that he wants from their sales representatives. The best salesperson should be natural with a strong mindset towards achieving goals. They should be competitive and resilient. They should keep trying even after failure, and improvise.

He does not believe great resumes and attractive degrees make the best salespersons. Sales skills come gradually with experience. People should be ready to learn, humble, and coachable.

2) Effective Ways to Structure Team

He does not believe in SDR (Sales Development Representative) or BDR (Business Development Representative) for small and medium businesses. These structures are viable for large corporations and organisations. For smaller companies, these positions can cause high cost, attrition etc.

The better option is having AE (Account Executive) and assigning them a task to get four to five calls a week. For medium-scale companies, smaller teams are a good option.

3) How to Build a Great Salesperson from Scratch?

An employee should know their day in the life at work, even before starting an actual job. Adam conducts a hiring event every month in his organisation, where the candidates go through an orientation before the interview. They explain their expectations and job role such as quota, activity metrics etc.

Companies should be aware of new employees about the work culture at the organisation. After that, show them perks and ramp them up with the system during training.

4) Developing a Feedback Culture in your Sales Team

A feedback culture is crucial, especially during contemporary WFH situations. They conduct feedback sessions after every 3 or 6 months. Managers should be taught to become better coaches.

The manager should focus on the consistency and productivity of employees. They should build a one-to-one relationship. The effort and ability to perform among employees is very crucial. He believes tools such as HubSpot, Salesforce can help to identify activity metrics and performance.

Consistency is a superpower; it has snowball effects on the organisation's structure and functioning.

Follow Adam on LinkedIn

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we speak with Srikanth Adiga, Founder of OpenSpecimen - the world's most widely adopted open source bio-banking (bio-specimen) LIMS platform.

Having been in the industry for 20+ years, Srikanth knows a thing or two about building and leading a team of creative thinkers.

In this episode, we discuss with Srikanth:

Positive work cultures are more productive
‘Employee First’ philosophy in workplace design
Redefining the role of the leader in the re-skilling era
Factors to consider in organizational design

Follow Srikanth on LinkedIn

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Ajay Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO of TheHouseMonk - a property management software platform that helps real estate businesses market, sell, and manage their portfolio.

Ajay has founded multiple companies within the same domain over the past decade. With years of experience being an entrepreneur, we picked his brain to share his learnings & thoughts with us.

Episode highlights:

Organizing the future of work with technology.
Hybrid work best practices to guide your new normal.
Impact of the hybrid model on employee retention.
Re-skilling and up-skilling: a strategic response to changing skill demands.
Successful L&D strategy to improve employee engagement & performance.

Organizing the future of work with technology

Hybrid work culture requires engaged employees and regular motivation. For this purpose, structured planning and workflow are needed. It can be achieved through digital tools such as Google Tasks, Google Calendar, Cloud, Zoom, etc., which help one work, manage and communicate with the team online. Utilizing technology for the future of work is the new normal.

Hybrid work best practices to guide your new normal

Maintaining team alignment should be the top priority for every type of firm. One of the major challenges in this is communication. Things like aligning employees' daily activities to the company's macro objectives through digital software, planning physical meet-ups once every quarter or six months, etc., regulate the work culture and allow employees to understand each other well.

Hybrid model impact on employee retention

A reduction in in-office expenditure occurred due to the rise in the hybrid work model. Digital tools allow employees to focus on the task at hand. If there is a lack of it, organizations can fix it through practices such as fun activities, get-togethers, etc.

Reskilling and upskilling: A strategic response

Large firms tend to have a structured plan to train new employees. However, small-scale firms don't usually focus on training new employees and onboarding them directly. Training is necessary as it adds value. Therefore, small-scale firms must initiate training methods to reskill new employees. Large companies can conduct skill-updating activities to help keep employees abreast of the latest work trends.

Successful L&D strategy to improve employee performance

It’s a myth that people change jobs for a raise in salary. Work culture, team behavior, management, etc., are all reasons why one changes jobs. They also leave when there is a lack of learning opportunities. Firms must keep this in mind and focus on implementing a continuous learning policy, planning events and fun activities, maintaining digital tools, and focusing on employees' states of mind.

Follow Ajay on LinkedIn
Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Shradha Mundhra

In a post-pandemic world, the rules of HR are changing. On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Sumit Lakhani, Chief Marketing Officer at Awfis Space Solutions Private Limited.

With over 15+ years of experience & having worked with giants like Yes Bank, Tesco, and Tech Mahindra it is no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

Sumit shares insight on some of the biggest questions right now in both hiring and the future of work.

Episode Highlights:

Pros and cons of the hybrid workplace model
The workforce of the future
Effective strategies to reduce employee turnover
All about the pulse of the organization, feedback, and 1v1 with the team.

Advantages and drawbacks of the hybrid workplace model:

The hybrid workplace model gives a choice to the employees to choose to work remotely or at the office. It also depends on the work requirements and productivity of the employees. After the pandemic, most people have found remote work to be more comfortable, forcing workplaces to introduce hybrid work models.

Hybrid workplaces increase the productivity of the employees and save expenses and time on the commute. A survey found that most of the employees spend 1-1.5 hours on commuting which makes an additional 44 days of working. On the other hand, remote working seems not very efficient for freshers. They cannot experience the same exposure and work environment working remotely.

The changes in work nature for Gen Z:

The future workforce, which is Gen Z, will create significant impacts on workplaces. A few years back, things were changing as for the preferences of the millennials, but Gen Z is taking over that. They are directly participating in the gig economy. Their approach towards work-life balance is very different from other generations, which will change the way workplaces function and open the doors to work on preferred time slots.
They seem not to be very interested in the 9-6 work model, which can rise to the 24x7 opening of physical offices. Now organisations should be more focused on the safety, well-being, and flexibility of the employees to increase their productivity.

Practical strategies to enhance employees productivity:

In almost every sector, employees spend half of their day. So, their productivity is directly related to their well-being. The workplace environment should force them to come to their work every morning happy and recharged. This is only possible if organisations promote a learning culture, socialising, and collaborations. Every employee should enjoy their work rather than taking a toll on their mental health.

Organisation's approach to improving employee engagement policies:

Any workplace negativity affects the productivity of their employees. They will feel hesitant to discuss important issues with the core team and eventually leave the organisation. This negativity comes from poor management, lack of communication, unexpected changes in staffing, and inexperience management.

To tackle this and improve employee engagement policies, organisations need to focus on feedback from the staff and bridge communication gaps.

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.

Follow Sumit on LinkedIn

Being the Executive Director of a nonprofit is like being shot out of a cannon. It’s a tough and demanding job. But what exactly does an Executive Director do? And more importantly, how can Executive Directors manage their time to truly be effective?

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we speak with Tyler Radford, Executive Director of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, about what it really takes to be an effective big boss of a nonprofit organization.

We discuss how to balance big-picture strategy and leadership with day-to-day management. We also delve into how to manage the unknown and the unexpected while still moving an agenda forward. In the episode:

building talents Vs buying talents
How to design people friendly policies in social organization?
Tips to lead a successful humanitarian firm

The tips offered on the podcast by Tyler are valuable to every Executive Director as well as those that aspire to lead an organization.

Episode Highlights:
How can NGOs attract and retain talent?

The primary concern of every humanitarian firm working in a competitive market is to attract and retain talents, where a secret weapon of purpose and meaning is used to hire people with the same motive to connect technology with human needs rather than just focusing on the provided salary. Hiring people with the same objective as the firms allows the team to unite more and retain talents longer. Further, providing flexibility to employees, fun activities like yoga, and analyzing work results on a daily basis enables talents to stay for a longer period.

Managing issues and challenges by HR in a non-profit sector

When asked about the issues and challenges HR faces in NGOs, Tyler defined and provided solutions on persisting in a competitive global market, building a team to benefit social spaces, etc. The balancing of big-picture strategies and leadership with daily management is the key. Focusing on social firms, Tyler talked about the day to day issues HR faces in order to run a smooth work culture in a non-profit organization.

How do Humanitarian agencies hire the right employees?

Strategies of salary transparency and salary framework are used, which allow people to view salaries of every individual working in the firm through a website. The intention is to find people with sense and ambition, instead of people looking for higher salaries. Tyler defines the mechanism as efficient for hiring people effectively in a short period of time.

Employer branding in nonprofit organizations

Employer branding is another key factor to be focused upon while dealing in a global firm. NGOs’ focus should be towards establishing themselves as well known and considered in their sectors. Public discussions, social media platforms, community references, building connections and networking with professionals of the same company allows effective employer branding in a nonprofit organization. Policy framework for human benefit leads to the success of humanitarian firms too.

Tips to lead a successful humanitarian firm

Inching closer to the end of the podcast, Tyler shared worthwhile tips to executive directors and those with the same notion. From the discussion about HR automation in NGOs to maintaining only valuable aspects for speedy growth, the tips dealt with the current challenges in the field of social work and professionals working to provide empathy. Tyler Radford focused on maintaining a happy and healthy work culture, building connections, and quality social work rather than the pay scale. Likewise, HR leadership skills must have a favorable impact for the firm to stay and move closer in the global competition of social space experts.

Follow Tyler on LinkedIn

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost

Nishith Kumar is a lifelong entrepreneur and best known as the founder and CEO of Interstellar Systems- helping startups & brands achieve their digital goals.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Nishith shares his journey from being a Computer Science Engineering student to founding Interstellar Systems.

With over 15+ years of experience, he had plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. We discuss with Nishith:

Effective employee retention strategies
Steps to develop a continuous learning culture
Importance and ways of improving Employee Relations
Ways to increase employee productivity with Rewards and Recognition
Increasing employee retention by flexible working opportunities

Nishith feels that people should be motivated to work from home as it can help them generate better output. Managing resources was a challenge for their organisation during the pandemic, but eventually, the employees started adapting to working from home. After the initial hurdles, the employees started investing more time and eventually, they liked the opportunity of working from home.

Maintaining productivity without hampering employees’ personal lives

According to Nishith, there were trust issues in the initial part of the lockdown. However, employees started micromanaging things, and the reduced productivity started falling back into place. He thinks that employers shouldn’t bother the employees after 7 pm unless it is extremely crucial. Working from home allows managers to extend the time and provide flexibility to the employees.

Changing workspace dynamics and concerns

Because of the pandemic, Nishith’s organisation had to dissolve some of its offices. Rather than having three offices, they now have only one office in a metro city. Some employees are frustrated because of working from home. Therefore, they should have the option to come back to the office, according to him. This is because employees don’t have the necessary infrastructure like optical fibre in their homes.

Virtual workspace for meetings, parties, etc., help the employees engage while working from their home. Arranging a dinner once a week from the company’s side where everyone can have dinner together virtually, and activities and games that can be played together are some ways of engaging them. Once in a month or six months, the employer should sponsor team or project wise trips according to the budget and projects. For that, employers should allocate a budget that can include these things.

Slack, Zoom, Skype, WebEx, etc., are the tools that they use for communication and employee engagement as per the requirements of their clients.

Effective rewards and recognition policy and its impact on productivity

Nishith Kumar feels that sending surprise goodies to employees is a good thing to motivate them. They give quarterly credits that add value to their appraisals, goodies, and monetary benefits to the employees, including Amazon gift cards and vouchers, which are some of the rewards they prefer to give to hardworking employees. It happens via both peer-to-peer recognition and management to employee recognition, but most of it is the latter.

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.

Follow Nishith on LinkedIn

Madhavan Malolan is the Founder & CEO of Questbook, an app that makes it easy for busy professionals to up-skill other professionals with bite-sized courses. He has also worked as a Software Development Engineer at Microsoft.

On this episode of The Shape of Work, we picked his brain to have a litany of tactical insights on Web3, blockchain & more. We discuss with Madhavan:

The most common recruiting challenges and how they overcame that
The no-code potential in the Web3 world
DAO & its future/potential
How to assess candidates for job-fit

Episode Highlights:

Building a crypto community on Discord

Madhavan Malolan shares his snippets about his journey of building a crypto company and nurturing an active community on Discord, a platform with a large population of cryptocurrency enthusiasts.

Issues in the Web3 and Crypto space

The Questbook founder talks about the potential of cryptocurrencies in a world where even highly educated professionals are not fully aware of crypto and Web3 and what can be built using these digital currencies.

Incentivizing community members in the context of Web3

Madhavan strongly feels that without incentivizing the community members, it is impossible to sustain a business that is so heavily dependent on its community. He talks about how individuals are now upskilling in the field of Web3 and cryptocurrencies, and they use Questbook as a marketplace to find opportunities.

Recruitment challenges faced by companies dealing with these technologies

While it’s a great time for product managers and user experience designers to establish themselves in the tech market, there aren’t sufficient Web3 developers in the ecosystem. It is why Madhavan has built Questbook - to enable developers to learn Web3 technology. As a company, Questbook is focusing on helping developers upskill and reach their potential to survive in today’s thriving digital economy.

Future and existing potential of DAOs

DAO at its fundamental level facilitates decentralization of decision-making. Madhavan shares his thoughts on how Facebook, a highly centralized platform where Mark Zuckerburg takes all the decisions, is likely to move faster compared to DAO. He sheds light on how the need of the hour is to design economic incentives such that companies achieve both decentralization and speed.

Choosing blockchain to build products

Every blockchain has its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, you need to choose them based on the use cases depending upon whether you prioritize security, faster transactions, or other things. For example, to achieve high security, bitcoin is a suitable blockchain.

Comparison between ETH and ENS

Madhavan says that ENS solves the issue of sharing addresses that one encounters while sharing an address on ETH. ENS is gaining prominence over other projects because of its emphasis on community, people, and the non-greedy approach of founders across tech companies.

Future of NFT and Web3

Though people buy NFTs only for further sale, Madhavan feels that it has got huge potential ahead. He also believes that NFTs will not reach millions of users but instead will be used as an identity or as credentials by professionals.

Follow Madhavan on LinkedIn.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Sandeep Kumar, Senior Manager Operations Pune and Operational Excellence Lead India at Rich Products Corporation which is a multinational food-products corporation.

With over 15 years of experience across world-class organizations ranging from manufacturing, FMCG & power division, Sandeep's experience as a production engineer has given him an in-depth look at driving a manufacturing plant, production management, quality engineering and process improvement.

In this far-ranging conversation, we discuss with Sandeep:

The three most important leadership lessons
Post-pandemic effect on the manufacturing industry
How to address and solve for workforce shortage following the pandemic
How to reduce attrition in your manufacturing workforce
HR challenges in the manufacturing industries: recruiting, attrition, engagement, productivity and innovation

Three most important leadership lessons

Building trust among employees, creating an unbiased approach toward everyone to provide them with equal opportunities, and supporting them to have a strong belief in themselves are the three most essential leadership lessons that Mr. Sandeep Kumar learned from his mentors and seniors.

Recruitment challenges in the pandemic period

As employees left organizations on a large scale, Sandeep says that caring for employees is one of the best ways of addressing employee attrition. According to him, supporting employees during such challenging times is the key to managing attrition. Therefore, they experienced zero attrition in their Pune plant, due to which they did not face any major recruitment challenges.

Ways of improving employee retention rate

Security and future prospects are the two main factors an organization needs to take care of to improve its employee retention rate. Setting clear roadmaps for employees, i.e., adopting transparency, is also a key for employee retention, according to Mr. Sandeep Kumar. Employers who manage to take end-to-end responsibilities of their employees like their future, family responsibilities, work-life balance, etc., tend to retain their employees easily even if the employees get a better opportunity in the market.

Ways of fostering an engaging work environment

Sandeep says they use a tool called Total Productive Management that makes every employee accountable for their daily deliveries. The design of this tool promotes diversification and inclusion in the organization. Therefore, this tool can be a gamechanger in the manufacturing sector. The culture they foster in their workplace is so engaging that the employees are ready to visit the factory even during the pandemic.

Leveraging the latest techniques and tools to attract the talent

On this front, Sandeep feels that during the onboarding process, they need to focus on giving the employees an exact picture of how working in their organization will feel like. Along with the latest recruiting techniques, their global team is also working on acquiring tools to make the recruiting process smoother for both the interviewer and candidates.

Lowering labor cost with engagement, productivity, and automation

According to Sandeep, automation can reduce the numbers and remove the risk that comes with manual operations. Sandeep feels that they need to think global and act local. As a result, they try to observe the concepts of the global market and analyze them to understand if they will fit into the context of local markets.

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Wonder what tech hiring is like down under, or how to build a culture when the team is geographically distributed?

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we talk with Shubham Rastogi, Founder & CEO of Recro.io that connects vetted and skilled developers with fast-growing startups. Shubham's experience as a CEO has given him an in-depth look at India’s broken hiring culture and how it is costing talented developers their professional growth and causing businesses to miss out on real talent.

In this conversation, Shubham shares the story behind building Recro.io and plenty of expertise around tech hiring, culture, up-skilling and the future of work.

We discuss with him:

Secret sauce: The three building blocks for tech hiring like a pro
Why is motivation or qualifications most important in a candidate
Why upskill and repeat needs to be a part of the future-ready workforce
Why hybrid is the 'easiest escape route' for companies today
How to build a culture when the team is geographically distributed
What new-age HR should be doing

1) Secret Sauce: The Three Building Blocks for Tech Hiring like a Pro

India is a big talent pool, and if a company can not hire in India, they can not hire anywhere.
The three building blocks for tech hiring like a pro is:
Screening from the highly skilled database, Rounds of assessments, and Matching engine to facilitate volume hiring.
2) Why is Motivation or Qualification Most Important in a Candidate?

Hiring companies assess candidates before employers do. In addition, people are working remotely. They need to be self-motivated and qualified for the job role. It makes hunting, vetting, and selecting easier.

3) Why does upskill and repeat needs to be a part of the future-ready workforce?

There is knowledge everywhere, and companies need not spoon-feed upskilling for their employees. Recruits should have a hunger to know in an environment that facilitates upskilling or repeat.

4) Why is Hybrid work culture the easiest escape route for companies today?

HR also has to learn asynchronous communication, performance management, meet employee demands etc., in a market driven by candidates. People have more options than ever. Companies are experimenting with hybrid work culture as the easiest escape route to fulfil their requirements and candidate demand.

5) How to build a culture when the team is geographically remote?

Culture is the implementation of values. If your value system is in place and properly communicated, there is nothing to worry about a geographically distributed workforce. There should be a feeling of ownership among employees.

Write down values, communicate what you stand for, act to justify your values, and implement them through tools and automation.

6) What should a new-age HR do?

New age HR managers need to consider employees like customers and build policies & processes around them. A paradigm shift requires a sense of belongingness and a data-driven approach

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“A company is nothing without its people. That’s fundamental and every top employer will always value their employees.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Sameer Malhotra, CEO of Shriram Automall India Ltd. With over three decades of experience, he is the first in the Indian Automobiles Industry to have introduced the concept of physical bidding of used vehicles and equipment, establishing 85+ Automalls across the country.

He is also counted as a veteran in the commercial vehicle and infrastructure/construction equipment industry.

With a background that extensive, Sameer has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. He discusses with us:

The hiring practices in the automotive sector
How companies should frame their hiring policies to align with the changing dynamics
Ways to assess organizational fit
Practices to improve business processes & boost employee retention
Secrets of successful change implementation

Episode Highlights

1) The Hiring Practices in the Automotive Sector
The whole automobile industry is changing. There has been a significant difference between pre- and post-Covid era hiring practices. We need to hire people who can adapt to the dynamic needs of the industry. Employees should have the right skill set to manage technological requirements and customer demands.

2) How Companies should Frame their Hiring Policies to Align with the Changing Dynamics?

The right talent and technological knowledge are a couple of challenges that the automobile sector was facing even in pre-Covid era. The automobile sector needs different categories of employees.
We need to show them career prospects. Companies require the best talent to align with the changing dynamics.
Employees have to adapt according to the internal and external environment. The need of the hour is the right set of people with the right set of skills.

3) Ways to Assess Organizational Fit

A company is nothing without its people. Organisations should focus on three prominent aspects to hire and assess candidates: cultural fitness, behavioural skills and tech skills.

4) Practices to Improve Business Processes & Boost Employee Retention

Five dimensions to improve business processes are credibility, respect, fairness, pride, and trust. Companies need to focus on transparency, open communication, and higher employee participation. There should be liberty to express ideas and grievances.
Companies can employ soft-skill training, mentorship programs, budding programs etc. to boost retention and upskilling.

5) Secrets of Successful Change Implementation

Three pillars of an organisation are CEO, CFO, and CHRO. They need to work together for the successful implementation of desired changes.

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On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Prakhar Agarwal, VP of Operations and Technology at Combustion Research Associates (CRA) which makes solutions for the Energy, Defence, and Aerospace sector.

In this episode, Prakhar shares his distinct career interest in sustainable energy and mobility that convinced him to study Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley.

In addition, we discuss with Prakhar:

Using local experts within teams, projects and platforms to think deeply and guide architectural discussions
The importance of cultivating a culture of ownership in the organisation
Performance management that makes a difference
Effective ways to reduce employee attrition

1) Using Local Experts within Teams, Projects and Platforms to Think Deeply and Guide Architectural Discussions

Teamwork and collaboration are crucial considerations for a successful organisation. People can manage school and colleges alone through textbooks and other resources. But later in life, when challenges become higher, we realise the importance of teams and working together.
About local experts and architectural discussions:
Companies or leaders need to plan in three levels: short-term, medium-term, and long-term. Long-term people should be reliable, able to identify and train local experts. They should take responsibility for their decisions.
He also said hiring depends upon the volume and stage of the company. The hiring requirements of a company with hundreds of employees and an MSME company cannot be the same.

2) The Importance of Cultivating a Culture of Ownership in the Organisation

Ownership in an organisation, especially, manufacturing is a very well-read topic. There is a Japanese concept known as ‘kaizen (continuous improvement). It emphasises ownership at every level of the organisation is essential for consistent growth.
Sense of ownership makes a lot of sense in manufacturing, where people on the shop floor are often neglected. Every individual should feel like they are part of the organisation.
This creates a sense of responsibility. Therefore, a culture of ownership increases productivity, retention, and maximum participation.

3) Performance Management that Makes a Difference

Companies should develop a system of feedback for effective performance management. Feedback should be honest, in-time, and in a proper way. Employees also need to take feedback constructively.

4) Effective Ways to Reduce Employee Attrition

The best way to reduce attrition is to be kind, humane and invest time in the employees. Companies should focus on branding the work and build a good work narrative.

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On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Karthik Sridharan, Co-founder of Flexiple, Remote Tools, and The Remote Clan.

Flexiple- an online curated freelancing platform aiming to empower both companies and freelancers.

Remote Tools - fastest growing online remote working community that features top tech, remote-first, product tool stack used by actual remote teams and insightful reads on the Future of Work among many other exciting things.

The Remote Clan - a community for remote workers to build a strong career with the help of those who are pursuing the same goals.

Having more than seven years of experience across investment banking and technology, Karthik joined JP Morgan straight out of engineering and slogged for three years in the Investment Banking industry.

After having enough of the IB lifestyle, he joined IIM Ahmedabad for an MBA and started exploring his passion for entrepreneurship during this phase, which led to the start of Flexiple.

With a background that extensive, Karthik has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. It’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Karthik:

How effective change management empowers employees and improves business performance
How to hire and manage your first 10 employees
Onboarding tactics that help new hires success
Common mistakes when leading remote teams
Work friendships are key for team camaraderie, but how do you cultivate them remotely?
Ways to embed continuous learning when working remotely

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

What is effective change management related to business performance?

Like Flexiple, a big name in the B2B market, there are millions of start-ups striving consistently to provide value to companies and build trust. Starting as remote work, every start-up finds a unique way to hold on to the essence of working in remote teams, cultivating friendships, and depending on continuous learning to deliver a multitude of tasks.

Two Things Defining the Structure of Your Start-up

Clarity
Have a transparent thought process with the techniques, including bootstrapping and funding sources. It determines the chances of your start-up being better placed than struggling to shuffle across the wrong fit.
For instance, Sridharan was quite clear to choose B2B space rather than B2C space as it did not suit his interests. But, on the other hand, the B2C area needs funding and an enduring vision to power its functionality.

Kind of Start-up
Second, what kind of start-up do you want to build? Again, it will impact your move as deciding the structure also includes financing the resources well to all the teams. It dramatically affects business performance as a product of effective change management.
Remote working is the core of today’s start-ups.

Staying upfront in the conversations of remote working was essential for Sridharan while starting with his first team. He believes every team member must understand the responsibility to work remotely. Also, it operates as a remote bank, similar to a two-way street, for everyone to deliver their best, right from the first level.
Secondly, communication needs to be in place. For instance, the modern world’s chat lingos may also find a functional space for your start-up to stay updated. Also, Sridharan quoted that most of the hiring in his start-up was based on referrals: shows the trust that grows in a start-up, morally! Then comes the idea of documentation so that every person in the company finds the right solution at the right time.

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On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Vipin Sharma, Head of HR at VT Netzwelt Pvt Ltd.

Having been a part of the HR industry for over 20 years, Vipin is a strategic HR thinker with hands-on expertise in managing internal HR MIS and reporting matrices, HR yields and matrices for the success of entire human capital management.

In addition, he consults HR leadership on how to approach and create strategies on all elements of talent acquisition, RPO, leadership development, and total rewards to enable achieving business and operational goals.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground:

The failure-accepting culture: strategies for learning from failure
The rise in voluntary attrition: why it's time for a remote employee retention strategy
Agile talent management strategies for changing workplace
Why do you need a skills-based approach to hiring and developing talent
The power of frequent employee recognition
Soft skills in the workplace: Why they matter

Failure-accepting culture: it covers strategies to learn from your failure.

Orthodox practices of HR practice do not seem fit for today's corporates. It is the world of a hybrid working style, with the Work From Home model for most employees after the pandemic. With the acceptability of opening opportunities and trust among the companies to switch to the new model, there is a broad acceptance for learning from failure. However, it primarily depends on the kind of trust and category you are looking for in your organization's resources.

The importance of retention strategy

People working from home have a different set of problems, which is required by HR to understand. Indeed, today's HR should work as a corporate monk, with the right tone of communication. Moreover, as there is a shift from rational to emotional model, there should be an engagement value added to the HR's responsibility to build people's trust.

Agile talent management strategies for changing workplace

It majorly depends on the industry a person is working with. For instance, if the drive is from the IT workspace, the primary concern to provide a better life to employees revolves around the concept of power. Talent management keeps your organization's business continuity running to prevent any risk for failure. Plus, the strategy to use talent management also includes grouping the tools where the individualistic frontier of an employee is valued.

What are the skills-based approach to hiring and developing talent

Firstly, talent acquisition teams have to change the gears for the recruitment channels they are utilizing. Secondly, how the organizations are reaching out to the resources is a big question to deal with. Indeed, creating trust in the arena of the talent pool is equally essential to retain the best talent for the organization. So, instead of head-hunting, recruiters should consider the different aspects of where the selection starts and where recruitment starts!

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.

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On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Abhinav Ramesh, a tech entrepreneur focused on Blockchain.

Having been recognized as one of the top 100 Blockchain influencers in Asia, Abhinav currently brings that expertise as the Founder of Chainflux, a blockchain-based company helping enterprises make their products and services more reliable, transparent and secure.

He leads a passionate team that builds applications on public and private blockchains- including Shine Blockchain, a SaaS-based traceability solution that enables any supply chain to incorporate product traceability and source verification metrics. The other product is called Shine-Green which is India's first Green bonds issuance, trading, and monitoring platform built entirely on the back of a Blockchain platform.

In this episode, we discuss with Abhinav:

His journey from being a Consultant at EY to building Blockchain products
The strategic lessons he’s learned over his many years of experience launching products
Interesting use cases of Blockchain
Tech hiring challenges in web3
How to set up the right culture in a distributed workplace: from communication to engagement

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Abhinav's Journey From Consultant To Entrepreneur

In the beginning, companies and technological giants essentially stumbled upon blockchain. There was a lot of awareness for employing hackathons and reading material on the subject. Right now, the crypto side of blockchains is the most popular. However, here the idea is to explore the applications even further to create a new base and satisfy demand in the blockchain.

When should one pursue a full-time startup? What role does an investor play in this?
Individuals are not immediately confident if their use case or product and service are sustainable in the market. In this case, inventors generally work on their use case part-time, with the support of full-time employment (essentially a backup).

Blockchain Applications
There are many applications of blockchain technology with many potential applications that haven't been explored, like:
NFT marketplaces
Music royalties tracking
Supply chain and logistics monitoring
Sustainability tracking and transparency
Secure sharing of medical data ( private and permissioned blockchains) etc.

Hiring challenges for funded startups:
After being funded, the hiring depends on the aspects in Chainflux.
The clients who are already present and their needs.
The future clients and expectations they can have from the projects.
The need for web3 in building certain products or use cases that can float in the market.

How does Chainflux create a good work culture?
Chainflux has recently become a seed-funded company; hence, there has been more hiring and clientele. To maintain a good work culture Chainflux hosts weekly meetings and discussions with its employees to create normalcy in remote working conditions. Abhinav also promotes holistic hiring processes that include looking at personality traits and characteristics along with skills and competence.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast Host: Aditya Sreekumar

'Culture is a mindset that comes from the top managers'

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Sanchit Malik, Co-Founder & CEO of Pazcare, which is redefining the way employee benefits are managed in India.

As a serial entrepreneur, Sanchit has founded a couple of more start-ups before Pazcare, including Padhaaro and Townscript.

In this episode, we sit down with Sanchit to talk about:

Ready and resilient: health insurance strategy for a COVID-19 world
What a good employee benefits package should look like
How can people managers ensure creating a robust organizational culture
The importance of anonymous feedback
Why the future of work is employee mental well-being

What does an adequate health insurance strategy look like for a COVID-19 world?

Insurance is a financial risk mitigation product. Healthcare expenses can go up to any monetary value, thus an adequate health insurance strategy is a tool that helps companies safeguard the health of their employees in this pandemic-stricken world. Just as you create wealth by investing in mutual funds, insurance enables you to protect that wealth.

Unfortunately, not many people buy health insurance for themselves and their families. So, after the pandemic, there are chances to re-establish the importance of buying adequate health insurance, and MNCs should include it in their employees' packages.
This has become a norm for most organizations. Now, employers also make it an essential part of employee welfare strategies. Thus, apart from the company's salary in their compensation letters, there is now an embracing change to include health insurance to benefit the employees and their families.

What can a good employee benefits package be for today’s workforce?

In the post-pandemic world, organizations are working to retain their employees with better facilities for their mental and physical health. Employees look forward to getting hired where the company provides health insurance. While building a robust organizational culture, giving insurance has proven competitive. So, today, the employee benefits package includes the retirement plan, provident fund, and gratuity, among the employee benefits, including wellness and cost of consultations.

What does a robust organizational culture consist of?

Organizational culture is a mindset that comes from the top, right from the managerial positions, and determines how accurately management thinks about their employees. It starts from the different benefits a company offers to the employees. For instance, as quoted by Sanchit Malik, if a company is not offering insurance benefits to the employees, it straightforwardly points to a weak organizational culture. Secondly, two scenarios highlight the culture of a company. First, suppose you, as a business, are offering health benefits, but only to the employees. It talks about a different culture than the second case where insurance benefits are provided to employees and their families.

So, essentially, it is the mindset of the management which determines the culture of the organization.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Sonam Lama is the Associate Director- Middle East at Cars24, which we all may know for their online used car marketplace. Since 2017, she has built a strong team at Cars24 by improving and scaling recruitment practices.

Before her current role, Sonam served as the Manager of Recruitment at an Indian multinational restaurant aggregator and food delivery company, Zomato.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Sonam shares plenty of expertise.

We discuss with her:

Her two most important and useful leadership lessons
Essential risk management skills that every manager should have
Developing and sustaining employee engagement
Aligning individual goals to organizational goals
AI and automation in HR: Impact, adoption and future workforce

What are the most important lessons in leadership practices?

The practice of unlearning has been one of the most important lessons. A vital part of listening is practicing what is said instead of applying the existing knowledge. It is easy to assume that this leadership process is achievable and convenient.

How to hire the right people for a company?

A company’s organizational goals are set right at the onset of the practice. Hence, any employee joining the company works towards those goals from day one. However, if the employee feels that their personal goals are not aligned with the company goals, it becomes a problem. To tackle this, HR has to pay attention at the grassroots level and hire individuals who understand the company goals and know that their personal growth goals align with the same.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Ravi Alluri

About Springworks:Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation that is building tools and products to simplify recruitment, on-boarding, employee engagement and retention.

The product stack from Springworks includes:
SpringVerify — B2B verification platform
EngageWith — employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture
Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun and interactive games platform for remote/hybrid team-building
SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and
SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system

Springworks prides itself on being an organisation focused on employee well-being and workplace culture leading to a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor for the 200+ employee strength company.

On this episode of The Shape of work podcast, our guest is Gayathri Gudipati, Human Resources Manager at Roundsqr.

With over 13 years of experience working in the HR fraternity, Gayathri has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. We discuss with Gayathri:

How to measure the productivity of remote workers
The need for HR innovation
What is and how to create a great candidate experience
How Diversity and Inclusion matter
Employee engagement strategies that actually work

Episode Highlights

Ways of measuring the productivity of remote workers

While speaking on measuring employees' productivity, Gayathri feels that it is not right to assess the performance of a candidate after a year. Monthly touchpoints, quarterly analysis, and other modern measuring methods should be incorporated, especially in remote working situations when an organization has no standard goals.

HR Innovation and its need

While answering the question related to HR innovation and its need, Gayathri explains that in the 2010s, HR technologies were more focused on automating processes and people management. However, now, newer technologies like AI platforms are used for management, recruiting, and several other ways for improving productivity instead of just improving the functionality of an organization. She also explains the need for HR innovation in verifying the backgrounds of the candidates as HR teams are still relying on third parties to gather information about their past careers.

How to create a great experience for candidates?

While answering the question associated with turning employee experience into a positive thing for the organization or employer branding, Gayathri feels that the companies should do root-cause analysis for the bad things written about them on platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn. If the company policy or recruitment process is at fault, the employer should own up and acknowledge the mistake, she admits.

How Diversity and Inclusion matter in HR?

While addressing the question of how to include diversity and inclusion in an organization, Gayathri says that the company should develop a culture where there is mutual respect for each other. The company's top management, along with the HR team, should encourage executives to include these values in the organization. She feels that organizations should start respecting diversity while making the holiday calendar and including things like floating holidays to accommodate everyone. According to her, small things like addressing basic needs like leaves to pregnant employees and providing prayer rooms to members during their holy month are also important. Localizing some policies to make the employees feel included is a must as per her thoughts.

Effective Employee Engagement Strategies

Choosing the right platform for a particular communication policy, how frequently you want to engage with your employees, what will be the agenda of the communication, and recognizing the effort of hard-working employees is important, as per Gayathri. The employers must recognize the parameters of recognition and provide a competitive salary structure to provide a good environment for all the employees. According to her, giving the right learning path to employees is also an essential part of effective employment strategy.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Nikita Chowdhary

Want to learn the ins and outs of culture and hiring?

Sharthok has you covered on both accounts in this wide-ranging conversation with us. As the Co-Founder of Klaar (an HR tech start-up), he also shares:

The learnings from building the culture
Founder's mental health and why it is important
Why building in public + execution > the idea
Identifying the right problems to solve
Hiring the right candidates and the role of leadership
His mistakes as a founder and learnings from failures

Sharthok combines a career in HR—including working with giants like Aramex, Cipla and Kraft Heinz.

In addition, he has also been the founder of 2.5 failed startups (Ten Mint Entertainment, Pyper and Rootstore). He says 2.5 because his earnings from TME did put him through two years of B School.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Founder's mental health and why it is important

Psychological wellbeing is important to be efficient and encouraged about work. Hustle culture has made the most primal need of individuals an option. For a founder, it is important to understand that their startup is not a sprint, it's a marathon. It requires dedication, hard work, and attention for a long period. So losing sleep or in its initial days can be harmful to both the founder and the startup. The lack of proper mental health effects is an individual's passion for their product or service. Hence, founders need to get appropriate sleep, eat adequately, and continue living life in a routine that expands outside of the startup and business. It is beneficial in the long run.

For product development, it is important to pick which problems are to be solved:

Humans love to ease their lives. If given an option, an individual may automate everything and fulfill all their needs via external sources. Hence, the demand for innovation and products never ends. At a given point in time, there may be five demands that need to be fulfilled.

What is a vital hiring right problem for a company?

When a startup or a business starts hiring employees, it becomes essential to check and analyze if their needs align with the company objectives. As the number of employees increases, there are Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) out into place to ease the process. Furthermore, Talent Acquisition systems are also put in place for companies that are hiring beyond 70 employees.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Aditya Sreekumar

“Candidate experience needs to be the most vital part of an interview process.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Thomas Dove, Executive Search Specialist and Co-Founder of Fraser Dove International, an international search firm that helps exceptional life science organisations source the talent they need to design, manufacture and distribute life-changing drugs and treatments all over the world.

With 15 years of search experience, Thomas and his team have advanced hundreds of careers by partnering top talent with global life science brands. They have completed searches in 40+ countries to date, covering EMEA, APAC, US and LATAM.

In this episode, we discuss with Thomas:

Dynamics of a global recruitment process
Why do you need to stop asking candidates why they want to join you… and start selling them reasons why they should
Why candidate experience will be the Trip Advisor or Glassdoor, where bad news travels 100 times faster and deeper than good!
How COVID-19 has and will change the Life Science industry

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Dynamics of the Global Recruitment Process

As Mr. Thomas is working in life sciences, he can hire the best people for the job irrespective of their locations. Plus, the candidates are willing to relocate quickly.

Language can be an important parameter for certain locations. The notice period varies from one country to another, which can often be a big challenge for the recruitment firm. A short notice period makes it hard to find employees. For longer waiting periods, a recruiter has to wait and remember the right time to hire suitable candidates.

Start Selling Reasons to Impress Candidates

The time when recruiters expected the candidates to know their company and join out of desperation is gone. The recruiters must explain what they are doing and how it is a wonderful prospect for the candidate.

Impact of a Candidate’s Experience on a Company

Candidates remember good interviews but talk more about the bad ones. The recruiters should follow a more humane approach even while drafting a rejection email to the candidate. In the life sciences, candidates have a strong network and tend to discuss their bad experiences. This puts the company off in the mind of future employees.

Companies use podcasts and other channels for interviewing employees. They use their narratives and experiences to motivate the other candidates. This is the best employer branding, according to Thomas.

Transformation of Life Science Industry due to COVID-19

The manufacturing of pharmaceutical products and medicines did not stop during the pandemic. More investment has been coming into the life science industry. Therefore, the biotech industry is the best industry to invest in.

Pandemic’s Effect on Employees’ Mental Health

With the growth of technology, people have stopped hearing their inner voices. Also, they haven’t connected with nature much. This affects mental well-being. Many leaders spent hours on the internet interacting with the employees on how things have been going during the pandemic. A good personal and professional life balance is the key to success according to him.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

Kathleen Steffey is a talent finder and the CEO and Founder of Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search that helps business leaders achieve revenue growth by recruiting Sales and Marketing professionals.

Having been a part of the recruiting industry for over 19 years, Kathleen has her unique insight into the corporate talent acquisition world, agency recruiting and what it takes to manage and lead a team of marketers and recruiters in the digital landscape.

In this episode of The Shape of Work, our conversation with Kathleen covers a variety of fascinating insights on the nuances of recruiting Sales, marketing and Ops talent.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Mistakes companies make while recruiting Sales and Marketing folks
Sales and marketing hiring trends as opposed to technical hiring
Reasons for the Great Resignation
Naviga’s unique recruiting process: from developing a talent pipeline to getting them hired
Hiring CRM and tech stack for recruiting
Why LinkedIn Recruiter is predominantly a single source of truth for recruiters
Exec hiring cadence: hiring timeline, communication, pitfalls to avoid, and repeating challenges & trends

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Recent trends in Marketing and Sales Executive Recruitment:

Kathleen says, "if employers handled the pandemic well and retained their employees, most sales and marketing reps are loyal to that. Those sales and marketing people don’t want to leave because they sort of went on a boat ride through a storm with an employer that showed loyalty and essentially saved them".

The second component apart from loyalty is the fact that people did very well during the pandemic. Most of the B2B and technology thrived in it. All they had to do was move to remote working if they weren’t already remote. People are doing well, and it’s harder to recruit someone when they are making much money in sales. In contrast, you always have a percentage and group of people that are ready to leave. So even if the market is tight, there will always be candidates you can lure and recruit. Many things have remained the same in the recruiting world.

Many people don’t want to go to the office now; hybrid workplaces have to be the best practice. Employers need to be aware that they are not stepping up with other employers if they are not offering that.

How to Build Recruitment CRM and Tech Stack?

It takes time to build the CRM, and it is only as relevant as live and accurate. The data is changing so much, so it’s tough to keep up with the CRM system.

Kathleen mentions, as we recruit somebody, they go into our system. We remain in front of our systems updates, newsletters, and automated processes to stay relevant. Scrubbing the CRM system happens almost every day. It is always on the To-Do list.

LinkedIn Recruiter Remains the Single Source of Truth

LinkedIn recruiters have a hold on relevant, immediate data, and it’s effective. Kathleen’s team has tried alternatives; However, because LinkedIn users are in the system and updating data in real-time, it is tough to compete with other research or data tools.

LinkedIn remains the predominant tool for recruiters. Data is available to everyone. How to use it effectively depends upon the strategy and sophistication of the recruitment firms.

Podcast host: Abhash Kumar
Produced by: Priya Bhatt

“Israel is one of the startup epicentres of the world after Silicon Valley. Over the last two years, 71 companies reached the unicorn status, 15 waves of IPO happened and the startup ecosystem soared to a $50B valuation."

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Tsvi Lev who combines a career in innovation and strategy including working with giants like Amdocs as the VP & Head of Strategy and Samsung Electronics as VP innovation & Strategy.

He currently brings that expertise to NEC Research Center Israel as the Managing Director and Corporate Vice President, where he helps Israeli companies, products, and technologies to incorporate into the NEC Global business offering.

Tsvi is also one of the respected authors of numerous patents, and a frequent speaker at events related to technological innovation.

In addition to his extensive corporate experience, Tsvi has been an entrepreneur in the mobile multimedia and computer vision space and brought his two-year-old company to a successful exit.

In this far-ranging conversation, we discuss with Tsvi:

Israeli technological Innovation- what’s going on and what’s coming up next?
Startup ecosystem - Drivers, challenges and pillars of support
Trends in the remote work- all sorts of flavour
Why always-on connectivity is the new infrastructure
A dual cybersecurity mission- supporting business continuity and protecting the enterprise and its customers

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Israeli Technological Innovations and Transformation

There have been seventy-one unicorns and 15 IPOs in 2020 that have changed Israel. If you combine the number of employees of pre and post IPO company’s want to hire. Theirs is more than available; talent competition is fierce. The unicorns were able to raise over 15 billion dollars in the last couple of years.

Tsvi says that NEC Research Center has an excellent view of the latest trends and waves in the technology sector. The key is the coupling of digital transformation with AI; NEC has been doing things independently for a long time. However, no one can do everything by themselves in this new world. Hence, they lookout for a new wave, a major global trend that is going to change everything and at the same time relates to NEC’s current or future business.

They find a plethora of new startups to collaborate with NEC. Tsvi says the startups are quick and nimble, like surfers who can paddle quickly and catch the wave; they can guide NEC there. NEC’s job in the lab is to understand what they do, see how it may relate to NEC, and then push it in NEC. NEC does co-research, development, product positioning, analysis, and commercial negotiations. Hence, they don’t call the employees researchers but innovation coaches; they coach the startups to make a difference.

Remote Work, Challenges and the Future of Work

Just like other countries, Israel had a couple of small covid lockdowns. Most folks worked from home. Few multinational companies ceased functioning running operations as part of global directives. In the worst case, 40% of the workforce was at the office; now, it is 60%. Employees come to the office three days a week. Since NEC isn’t only into software, there are also labs; working entirely from home was never an option.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

"There are three major roles of a CEO. One is keeping the lights on, whether it's through customer money or through funds. The second is hiring the right people. The third is setting up the right culture."
To say that Swaroop Hegde knows about entrepreneurship is an understatement—he is a 20 year veteran of the startup industry and not only has he helped other startup owners as an advisor but continues to walk the talk as the Co-founder and CEO of Powerloom and BlockVigil as well. After selling his first startup, Swaroop dabbled into the blockchain space and has since focused on building something bigger for web3.

The idea behind PowerLoom is to aggregate all the data in a verifiable way. With every snapshot that comes out, there’s a way to verify the information. Swaroop says they plan to build it to be fully decentralized and become a DAO. Their other startup, Blockvigil is an API Gateway for Blockchain.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we discuss with Swaroop:

Everything blockchain
How to approach developing a web3 product
Culture-first approach from the beginning
What next for blockchain/web3

Follow Swaroop on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Aditya Sreekumar

If you care about leadership, Atul Mathur is someone you should know.

Atul combines a career in Human Resources—including working with Indian telecom operator giants like Vodafone, Idea Cellular, Max New York Life Insurance & Times Group—with a perspective that captures both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to build today’s workforce.

He currently brings that expertise as the Executive Vice-president at Aditya Birla Capital. Having been a part of the HR fraternity, he has years of corporate leadership experience to his name.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, hear him share his insights on various aspects of leadership. From adapting to changing world conditions, enabling and embracing empathy, and practicing mindfulness - he opens his heart in this extremely engaging conversation.

The role of HR Leaders as strategic business partners
Why employees are the most important customers in any organisation
How upskilling your workforce benefits your organization
Enabling ‘Top-Down’ approach to building learning cultures
Why is it important for leaders to stay on top of technological changes & innovations to effectively counsel their teams

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Role of HR as a Strategic Business Partner

Mr. Mathur explains his journey of how he, an electrical engineer, transformed his career in HR. The interviewer asks about the role of HR as a strategic business partner. Mr. Mathur replies, saying that the role of HR has grown from being a support function to being a strategic business partner because HR understands various functions of an organization. HR leaders now play the role of strategic business partners to MD and other business leaders of a company, and organizations were recognized when the HR leaders played a pivotal role.

Are Employees the First Customers of a Company?

Mr. Mathur thinks that employees are the first customers of any company. If employees are customers, it means that they are happy with the organization. He feels that HR and other leaders should take care of their employees and practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace. When they do that, the employees take care of the customers, he adds. According to Atul, progressive organizations do that and put humans first and resources later.

Upscaling and Descaling to address the issue of evolving skills
While answering this question, Mr. Mathur gives an example of how a salesperson can use digital technology to reach customers. He emphasizes learning new skills and highlights the importance of mindset and skill set.

While answering the learning and development questions, he explains that even customers need to be groomed and skilled as they are a part of the ecosystem. The complete ecosystem should be aligned per the L&D programs, he feels.

Why is it essential for leaders to stay on top of technology changes and innovation?

While answering this question, Atul ascertains the importance of the pandemic and how it brought digital mediums into the forefront. An HR leader should propagate digital mediums, and they must also be able to demonstrate it. Therefore, management should learn things that they want their subordinates to practice. The top leaders should be passionate about new trends and bring ideal elements from a business point of view.

Follow Atul on LinkedIn Produced by: Priya BhattPodcast host: Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is a Technologist and Innovator leading high-growth B2B SaaS companies, Joe Karbowski, CTO at FM: Systems that provides cloud-based workplace management solutions.
Serial entrepreneur Joe knows a thing or two about running successful technology companies. He founded a bootstrapped software company, a VC funded software/SaaS company and a division of a SaaS public company and brought them to a successful exit.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Re-focus, rationalization and restructuring of the workplace: remote and hybrid
The critical role of Facilities Management
Unrolling of the hybrid work model: collaborative future of our workplaces
What it means to think more from the perspective of a leader than an entrepreneur
How does he envision the future of work: automation tools, gig economy and culture

1) Re-focus, rationalization, and restructuring of the workplace: remote and hybrid

Mr. Joe Karbowski gave some excellent insights about the organization’s efforts to re-focus, restructure, and rationalize the entire workplace.

He gave an example about changing trends pre and post covid pandemic. Before covid hit the world, one out of thirty people was working remotely. That has risen to one person out of three presently.

This is a massive indication of how people are going to work in the future. On hybrid working, he said we can not shift entirely online. People working in fields as facility management need to visit premises physically. So, hybrid working is required.

Though there is conflict on the structure and consensus. Employees ask for 3 to 4 days whereas employers want 2 to 3 three days work-from-home.

2) The critical role of facilities management

Facility management people are getting the adult’s table’ (he refers to thanksgiving).

Facility management has become crucial during and post-pandemic. Before the pandemic, they knew who would come, when, and how many were at the office. There is a high quotient of unpredictability with sudden lockdowns, new waves of covid, and other factors. There is a break-- inconsistency. In addition, stationery, system, and other operational challenges.

3) Unrolling of the hybrid work model: collaborative future of our workplaces

Mr. Joe Karbowski opined that a hybrid working model is essential to keep the human aspect in the workplace.

People meeting on video platforms lack personal touch. They can work from anywhere for anyone globally. This trend has led to significant resignations that the world is experiencing post-pandemic.

Collaborative work culture is indeed the future of our workspaces.

4) What it means to think more from the perspective of a leader than an entrepreneur?

Mr. Joe Karbowski is a believer in OKR and objective data. Management is an organizational process to get things done. Leadership is to encourage people to optimize their productivity. There should be some amount of personal involvement and collaborative work to learn and grow as an organization.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

Want to learn the ins and outs of video communication OR hiring 130 people remotely?

Gilles Bertaux has you covered on both accounts in this far-ranging conversation on The Shape of Work podcast.

Gilles Bertaux is perhaps the biggest expert on video communication. Before his current role as CEO and Co-founder of Livestorm, Gilles served as a Product Designer at Totems (an Instagram engagement platform) and Growth Hacker at Mention.

Having been an active member of the tech startup scene and a frequent speaker on startups, growth, and remote company culture, Gilles has plenty of expertise to share in this episode.

We discuss with Gilles:

What does it feel like to hire 130 people remotely
Culture-fit vs culture-add: acknowledging the bias
Remote communication at Livestorm: async tools and rituals
Where does video come into the picture when the work is async
The future of video

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

What does it feel like to hire 130 people remotely?

Gilles Bertaux believes that remote hiring is a less cumbersome process than offline hiring. It becomes easy for the human resource team to schedule and conduct interviews and encompass a wider talent pool. He has a strong opinion for remote working because it provides flexibility, good work-life balance, and increased productivity.

In one year, Gilles and his team at Livestorm hired 130 people, and that too remotely. For him, the experience of hiring such a commendable number was astounding. This number was twice of his previous year's hires. Additionally, he discussed his involvement in the interview process.

Culture-fit vs. culture-add: acknowledging the bias

Gilles acknowledges the prejudice of having a particular type of culture in the Livestorm. He believes that it is crucial to own the change that we wish to see in others. Cultural fit does not have stringent guidelines. It is much more of diversity and involvement of active participation in all the domains in the firm. It is equally crucial to be resourceful and bring a diverse set of experiences to the table. In hindsight of being a co-founder of the Livestorm, he recalled that being a developer wasn't enough to scale his product. It became crucial to recruit people from sales and other domains to scale and bring varied experiences to grow and scale a startup.

Remote communication at Livestorm: async tools and rituals

Gilles paid emphasis on designing a "self-sufficient system".

This framework helps the organization build mutual relationships among peers and clarify communication, even in a remote working model. He also mentioned the importance of rituals in the organization. He believes that having a ritual will emanate mutual bonds between employees.

Where does video come into the picture when the work is async

Gilles discussed the inclusion of videos when the work is now being async. He mentioned that Livestorm has pre-recorded videos for rituals. The host and Gilles also mentioned the penetration of the digital metaverse by Facebook. The discussion of metaverse also entails the comparison of VR (virtual reality) vs. video.

Future of video

Gilles discussed the remote or hybrid workplace market. He also emphasizes internal communication among employees. He talked about the current technical constraints of Zoom. The role of the Livestorm to overcome the same was also discussed.

He also emphasizes easy and smooth interaction via video communication tools to help the future of work and internal communication.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Sujoy Banerjee, Group Chief People Officer & Group Head - Marketing at Gainwell Commosales Pvt Ltd.

Sujoy is an HR professional with 30 years of experience across industry sectors like Automobile, Tyre, Chemicals, Gases, Consumer Good, Industrial Products, IT, Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and Infrastructure & Construction.

He started his career in 1990 with Tata Motors Limited and since then has worked in various capacities in organizations like Dunlop, ICI, Philips, BOC, Organon, Eveready, and McNally Bharat Engineering Company Limited.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Why working from home may not be for everybody: hybrid vs remote
Future of work in the Manufacturing Industry
The concept of “Holistic Development & well-being of employees
His views on ‘The upskilling revolution’
2021 Recruiting trends shaped by the pandemic

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Hybrid vs. Remote work patterns

The pandemic has brought many changes in organizations working patterns. Working from home as a part or whole has become necessary today. Mr. Sujoy Banerjee believes that different organizations have different requirements for their operations. The three W’s - work, workforce, and workplace have been impacted due to the pandemic. Work has changed, resulting in skills changes required. Eventually, the workplace has also changed in terms of hygiene and safety.

A hybrid model works for companies where some operations can be performed from home. The hybrid model is here to stay, and it is going to take a while for people to come back to the workspace.

Coming to the remote working model, Mr. Banerjee sees that going remote work best suits IT firms. But, they need to take care of the emotional and mental health of employees.

Future of manufacturing industry

The speed of work in manufacturing industries will change drastically because the repetitive nature of work is leading to automation. Robotics and artificial intelligence will take over repetitive, simple operations. This automation has cut the number of employees needed to perform work. Workers need re-skilling or up-skilling due increase in automation.

3. Concept of holistic development & well-being of employees

Holistic development and mental health of employees has gained focus, and organizations are to do their part to maintain the momentum. If the employees are required to come to the shop floor, their physical health requirements regarding hygiene have to be considered. In the case of working from home, there is a challenge of mental health issues. Remote working blurs the line between professional and personal.

4. The upskilling revolution

Upskilling has become a reality and a necessity. Organizations have a social responsibility of upskilling employees for higher-level jobs. Where upskilling was not possible, companies have also shaken hands with their employees as entrepreneurs. Reskilling only shifts the position and does not allow upper-level attainment.

5. Recruitment changes because of pandemic

The pandemic has led to changes in all functional divisions. In hiring, the physical presence of a prospective employee is no more a requirement. The turnaround time has also collapsed due to speedy documentation. The cost of hiring has been reduced. The most significant advantage is that the geographical boundaries have blurred, and the talent pool has opened.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast host: Ajith Ravindran

What does it really mean to be data-driven?

Vibhore Kumar has applied his training as an engineer and a researcher to the world of non-technical business, transforming various telcos, banks, insurers and retailers into truly data-driven machines. As CEO & Co-founder of Unscrambl, Inc, Vibhore knows better than anyone how organizations can best work with data.

Unscrambl is a business intelligence provider that helps businesses and companies easily analyze data in real-time for impactful insights.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

What is harder: code vs people
Unscrambling the data: what does it look like?
What does it mean to be a data-driven organization
How to understand the story the data is telling you: Hiring and employee engagement data for insights
Future of remote work: gig workers, employee retention and collaborative apps
Crystal- glazing the corporate metaverse: is it a big deal?
His biggest learnings being the first-time founder: people management and employee’s professional growth

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

1) What is harder: code vs. people?

Coding needs technical expertise, and people management needs communication skills, including leadership, decision-making, etc. According to Mr. Vibhore Kumar, he started coding at the age of ten. But dealing with people is the more challenging part.

2) Unscrambling the data: What does it look like?

Data has revolutionized how we work, interact, and analyze. Mr. Vibhore Kumar used two keywords to explain his take on data in our workplace in contemporary times: true data democratization and true consumerism of data.

After the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, offices shifted to Microsoft Team, Zoom, and other online platforms. This new arrangement brought a unique opportunity to include bots in our work culture as sidekicks or assistants.

3) What does it mean to be a data-driven organization?

Mr. Vibhore Kumar began with an example of Netflix, Amazon, Google, etc., how they almost replaced humans with data-driven technologies.

Workflow of these companies- Data spectrum: Raw Data-Insights and Analyses -- Decision-making-Action and Implementation.

4) How to understand the story the data is telling you: Hiring and employee engagement data for insights?

Mr. Vibhore Kumar referred to a study where people engage not, nor collaborate. Online meetings, virtual conversations have limited engagement. We need arrangements like a hybrid or blended working.

5) Future of remote work: gig workers, employee retention, and collaborative apps

Remote working, Gig workers are the current and future of work culture. These are here to stay. People are adjusting to the new normal, and collaborative apps like Jira will define the future workplace.

6) Crystal-glazing the corporate metaverse: is it a big deal?

Trends will change with gig culture and new preferences. People are leaving full-time jobs and moving to tier II and tier III cities to work as freelancers. The use of tech and work remotely will reduce this so-called crystal glazing, the corporate metaverse.

7) His biggest learnings being the first-time founder: people management and employees' professional growth.

Mr. Vibhore Kumar shared his biggest learning that communication is the key to a successful business. Build trust, maintain channels open, keep motivating, and share the company's vision with employees.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Ashish Anand is the Founder & CEO of Whrrl Loans, which allows the transfer of loan amount to farmers in just five minutes in a secure and transparent way by making the lending process risk-free for the banks using proprietary blockchain solutions

As a parallel entrepreneur, Ashish recently founded Bru Finance, an award-winning Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocol which is linking real-world assets ranging from agricultural commodities, real estate, gold, mortgages, receivables, loans against securities and exotic assets with a new DeFi ecosystem, free from speculative products and protocols.

In addition to his 17 years of experience in varied fields of finance, viz., debt syndication, CFO services, commodity finance, hedging etc. Ashish has spent four years in the blockchain space, running an international advisory blockchain platform with more than 100 advisors before starting Whrrl.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

His journey from becoming a Chartered Accountant to starting his own fintech startups
Blockchain & financial inclusion: how digital lending is reaching the farm gate
Building a solid culture in early-stage startups
How blockchain will transform recruitment
Future of DeFi and its potential
How to prepare the market to be receptive to the world of blockchain and DeFi

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The Journey of Blockchain, Commodity Finance and Farm Gate

Blockchain technology is challenging to use at the consumer level; its UX UI still needs to evolve; secondly, it has significant usability issues. Hence only the back-end was developed using blockchain. Farmers only need to go to the warehouse and get the loan without going to the bank. It’s a paperless, person-less system where farmers’ interaction with technology is limited to “pressing a button”, “Apply for a loan”.

How Do You Set Up the Building Blocks While Starting up Something New?

Ashish says that since the margin of error on hiring is very low in startups, the right building blocks are vital.

Focus on hard skills during initial hiring; the person should perform from day one. This changes after things have settled and processes are in place.
Two aspects are essential. Are we able to make an impact? Is our work making an impact? If you are coding, are they coming from the perspective that farmers can use it?

Effect of Decentralized Finances (DeFi) On Centralized Banking

DeFi is the fintech equivalent of the crypto market. The competition of DeFI is definitely with traditional banking. For example, if you own digital assets, you can go on any DeFi platform and take a loan. You don’t need to go to a bank to take a loan.

Most central banks don’t have a good comment on cryptocurrency because they are concerned with the supply of money that decides growth and inflation. Bitcoins distort everything from their control.

How to Create a Market for a Blockchain Solution?

A blockchain requires an ecosystem. For example, in commodity finance, we need both farmers and warehouses to come on board. It is similar for supply chain solutions that work on traceability and other factors. Every component of the supply chain must be on the blockchain itself. Unless that happens, we will defeat the purpose of the blockchain.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Aditya Sreekumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Razat Gaurav, CEO of Planview Inc. that enables the transformation journey as organizations rewire strategy to deliver in today’s fast-paced, highly disruptive market.

With more than 20 years of experience in the enterprise software space, Razat brings proven leadership in scaling and growing businesses globally. Most recently, Razat served as CEO of LLamasoft, where he was driving an expanded product vision for AI-based supply chain design and decision making. This vision enabled the company to more than double its revenue in three years and resulted in a successful $1.5 billion acquisition by Coupa in November 2020.

Earlier in his career, Razat has held leadership positions at giants like Blue Yonder, i2 Technologies, and Ernst & Young’s management consulting practice. He also served on the Board of Directors of Sparta Systems.

Top Takeaways

Changes brought on by the pandemic
The importance of prioritizing changes
Problems in executing changes
How to effect changes as a leader
Developing empathy

Episode Highlights

Changes After Coronavirus Swept the World

The evolution in leadership style is going forward. The change had started even before 18 months. We already saw shifts caused by generational change, technology, etc.

The pace of change took a different trajectory, and the rate of change got turbocharged in the last 18 months. An example would be retailers. They were experiencing a lot of change with online shopping. During the pandemic, the business model and consumer shift from in-store to online just quadrupled. The change that people were expecting in 4-5 years happened quickly.

Change Varied Depending on the Industry

The physicality changed, and the impact changed depending on the industry. For example, companies still had to find ways to get the workers back on the automobile shop floor or metals companies. They had to ensure that workers had PPE equipment and they were safe.

The more fundamental issue beyond physicality is how teams come together to work. In the backdrop of the change, the number of initiatives companies took quadrupled. Innovation, which was a nice thing, has become a necessity. Digital transformation accelerated.

Prioritizing Change is Essential

There was a need for different changes. Some changes were consumer-specific, while others were process changes, digital changes, etc. Companies did not have the resources to make all of those changes. Prioritizing change was essential.

Plainview Inc. use a framework by thinking of change initiatives as a portfolio of projects and tie into those specific ROI – expectations and business case metrics. In this framework, one goes through playing out different scenarios and figuring out what one wants to execute.

Problems in Executing Changes

Razat says how Plainview found the exacerbation of misalignments with functioning silos interesting. According to him, the magic happens when one syncs these functions. A lot of change initiatives require cross-function alignment. So, there is a worsening of the disconnect that occurs.

The Importance of Offline Interactions

One of the most amazing innovations is whiteboards and napkins. It provides dialogue, discussion, and ideation. It brings people together, allowing them to brainstorm and come up with new ideas.

The pandemic has given us the awareness that we can work across geographic boundaries.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“To me, Steve Jobs is a true epitome of product management. If you think about his role, it draws a lot of inspiration. Not only was he the brains behind Apple, but he helped design it. He helped develop and sell it. And that's why I refer to product managers as the CEO of their product.”

If there’s anyone that knows how to build products, it’s Frederick John, who is a 20-year veteran of the product industry and a go-to thought leader in both product development and product management with a diverse domain background —including working with giants like Deloitte, GE Digital, ADP and NCR Corporation.

He currently brings that expertise to Diebold Nixdorf as the Vice President of Global Product Management, Banking.

TOP TAKEAWAYS

Why are Product managers the CEO of their products?
How to vet different aspiring product managers coming from diverse backgrounds?
Impact of the pandemic on product manager workflow
Difference between product managers: Early-stage versus Enterprise-Stage
The biggest mistake that product managers make.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Why are Product Managers CEO of their Products?

Frederick currently leads a team of 50 product managers and product developers. According to him, they act as mini CEOs of their products; they go out and help others. The indirect or dotted line influence of the product team is actually throughout the entire software organization.

The concept of keeping product management is relatively new. The agile transformation led to the need for product managers. The iterative approach of agile requires product managers to build everything in two weeks.

How to Vet Different Aspiring Product Managers Coming from Diverse Backgrounds?

The background doesn’t matter, but it is their approach to products in general that matters. A product leader must check if someone from a technical background understands pain areas and good points developed for their clients since empathy isn’t a scoring criterion in interviews.

Impact of the Pandemic on Product Manager Workflow
Pandemic has affected product development, which is visible in the details of product design, stories, understanding of development, and quality team. There is absolutely nothing in a virtual environment that can replace the power of 8 people stuck in a room looking at a whiteboard.

Difference Between Product Managers: Early-Stage Versus Enterprise-Stage

The good thing about large companies is that the reach is much wider If you want to know about what is happening in the world. Offshore or nearshore development capabilities let you create products quickly and economically. You can also tap the diverse talent pool available across the globe.

Smaller companies have agility, skill, and flexibility; they can soon move in the direction of technology or in which clients are moving. Hence, innovation happens faster, the concepts and deployment of new technology occur rapidly. Product managers can’t have that agility at the enterprise level.

The Biggest Mistake that Product Managers Make
Most product managers treat the products as babies, and it is hard to call the babies ugly. Hence, they end up making the biggest mistake by not stepping back and doing a course correction. They should have the humility to view with the lens of pure facts versus emotions.

Follow Frederick John on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Some shocking (but kind of not shocking) leadership stats:

50% of leaders spend about half of their time with their minds, not on what they're actually doing.

70% of leaders report regularly being unable to be attentive in meetings.

Only 2% of leaders regularly make time to enhance their personal productivity.

So, 98% of these leaders aren't investing in themselves and their teams for productivity.

Almost three-quarters of leaders and organizations don’t pay attention or take part in the meeting.

When we talk about mindfulness at work again, it’s not hugging trees and trust falls. It's about how we can be more productive, more resilient and build better relationships. These are the three things that we need to focus on.

Jennifer is the founder and principal advisor of Viszen Security, offering technical strategy, network security architecture, and coaching to CXOs and practitioners.

A network architect turned advisory CISO and infosec leader, Jennifer is an internationally recognized authority on network and wireless security architecture, a published author and a public speaker. Over the last 15 years, she's worked with hundreds of organizations up to Fortune 50 on strategies ranging from network security to leadership.

In addition, she's an editorial contributor and trusted adviser for information security strategy for technology manufacturers. No stranger to public speaking, she’s a highly sought-after international speaker.

Jennifer is also known for introducing mindfulness-based leadership to individuals and organizations in infosec. And aside from meditation and security, she's a competitive powerlifter and dancer including ballroom and swing.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode of The Shape of Work podcast is packed with insights and solid perspectives.

We discuss with Jennifer:

The importance of mindfulness in the workplace: leadership stats
How to become a mindful leader,
Mindful Leader Development: How mindfulness training and workshop experience has transformed today
How to improve cross-office collaboration for bonding over work: Myers Briggs’ personality test for understanding your employees

Recommended resource by Jennifer to learn more about mindfulness-based leadership: Institute for Mindful Leadership

Follow Jennifer on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work, we have Gowri Kustagi, L&D and Diversity Lead- AMEA Region at ABB Industrial Automation.

Having been a global leader with over 25 years of strategic experience across various HR functions such as change management, D&I, leadership, talent and organisational development, Gowri has worked with giants like Reuters, Le Meridien and Cerner Healthcare.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Gowri:

The three most important leadership lessons from her professional experience
How any organization can truly embrace diversity: the next step beyond “Diversity & Inclusion”
Work culture - who sets the tone?
Talking to the C-Suite about Inclusion and Diversity
Does workplace diversity generate a higher job acceptance rate?
The overlooked essentials of employee well-being
Ways diversity and inclusion changed in the last year

Three Important Leadership Lessons from Gauri

These are three leadership lessons, according to Gowri:

Learn from Everyone
Build your network
Need the leader to be self-aware

Leadership is an art that cannot be learned by reading books. Books only serve to give pointers, but the real-life lessons play out without guaranteeing how it will happen. A leader needs to be self-aware in facing those challenges which life throws back at you.

Pointers & Steps for Creating and Maintaining Workplace Diversity & Inclusion (DNI)

Gowri states that the increase in diversity does not directly translate to effectiveness. It now depends on how an organization harnesses diversity and its willingness to shape its power structure.

Three critical modifications can help make an important and powerful business case for the DNI initiative.

Transform the platitudes that we make into sound empirically-based conclusions.
Business leaders must embrace a broad vision of success that encompasses learning, creation, innovation, flexibility, equity, and human dignity.
Leaders must ask themselves the hard questions in terms of creating effectiveness with demographic diversity.

Three-steps to bring in more DNI

Build trust among people in the organizations, where they feel safe to speak freely.
Actively work against discrimination by building psychological safety and trust.
Embrace a wide range of styles and voices and learn from cultural differences.

Tactics to bring about DNI

Offer flexible work schedules.
Conduct pre-hire assessments to gauge the candidate’s personality for job fit.
Encourage referrals from diverse employees.
Use blind hiring methods that prohibit unconscious biases from creeping in.

Correlation between DNI and Talent Acquisition

Bringing in DNI has a lot to do with the journey undertaken by the organization. If the organization is ahead in its journey, the HR team can easily depend on getting referrals from existing diversity within the company.

L&D for Employee Retention

L&D is today looked at as an intervention to resolve business challenges. Recent studies indicate that high attrition within companies is primarily due to the lack of “developmental opportunities”. Companies often cite L&D as an engagement tool that encourages employees to foresee growth in their assigned job role through developmental opportunities.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

Akshay Gurnani is a lifelong entrepreneur and marketer best known as the founder and CEO of Schbang, a holistic marketing solutions agency. Having grown a team of 650 creative thinkers over the last six years, he is recognized as one of the most game-changing leaders in the marketing agency industry today.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Akshay shares his journey from working at one of India’s most famous digital marketing agencies to running his own.

In addition to sharing his thoughts on working with a team of varied creative thinkers, Akshay has plenty of expertise to share about hiring, leadership and learning and development.

We discuss with Akshay:

What HR leaders get wrong about hiring
Why employee well-being is the utmost priority at Schbang
Breaking through the status quo: pandemic-induced positive change in client-agency employee relations
Ways to support employees' personal and professional aspirations
How to develop employees that will drive company growth
How is it like to work with creative thinkers

What has Schbang done for the well-being of its employees during this pandemic?

This lockdown has affected the employees a lot, and work from home was also very hectic. Tackling morale issues were a major concern for the HR team, and they did not want the internal stakeholders and the clients to take the employees for granted.

Schbang got hired an in-house therapist; there have been more than 95 anonymous consults for the last year. As per the new policy, people are allowed to have two days of mental health leave. There have been other engagement activities like tambola nights, antakshari nights on weekends.

Breaking the stereotypical client-agency relationship and its effect on employees

Post pandemic and lockdown, the status quo is changing between client-agency relationships. Schbang has been able to instill expectations in the minds of its clients. They have stopped taking the employees for granted and understand that working on the weekends is not always possible.

The expectation of work has been well-built. Often, the toxic agency culture leads to higher attrition, which eventually affects the majority of the clients with team changes. Hence, the clients have also tried to understand the agency’s perspective, and they do help with the work.

Building expectations and timeline is a major way of streamlining work on this side of the business.

When would one feel that their company is growing?

Schbang believes in an open-office concept, where everyone is approachable. There are no cabins, and everyone can talk to everyone. Also, as the employees grow, the company will grow. People who were part of Schbang since its inception are now leading teams and are the next layer of leadership.

Also, many senior Schbang employees have parted ways with the company and started their own companies. These companies are now part of the Schbang network, and Akshay loves to invest in them and their people to foster growth. Taking ownership is a significant attribute that makes people realize if they have the urge to grow or not.

Creative Thinkers: A rare bunch of people, and working with them

It is always interesting to work with creative thinkers, and most of these people are fresh out of college. They are youngsters with a different perspective on life. They come with a different mind space and worldview, and their take on business problems and solutions is quite creative.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Hrishikesh Pardeshi, Co-founder and CTO at Flexiple, Remote Tools, and The Remote Clan.

Flexiple- an online curated freelancing platform aiming to empower both companies and freelancers.

Remote Tools - a fastest growing online remote working community that features top tech remote-first products, tool stack used by actual remote teams and insightful reads on the Future of Work among many other exciting things.

The Remote Clan - a community for remote workers to build a strong career with the help of those who are pursuing the same goals.

Hrishikesh is perhaps the strongest proponent of remote work. When he started Remote Tools in 2018, there is no way he could have foreseen that the digital transformation many companies had been planning for years would take place in a matter of months. Now, everyone is looking at remote tools as a matter of business continuity.

In this episode, we discuss with Hrishikesh:

His professional journey from working at giants like Adobe and Amazon to building Flexiple, Remote Tools, and The Remote Clan.
Stop the meeting madness: how fewer daily review meetings can actually increase the efficiency of work
The main blockers to a 100%-remote employee org
Hybrid-remote: understanding nuances and pitfalls
Powerful ways to improve your employee recognition
Team building approaches: alternatives to team off-sites
Everything you need to know about employee monitoring

How to ace remote working? – Fewer meetings

In a typical office environment, meetings are the ideal way for communication. In remote working, though, it is best to have as few meetings as possible.

Virtual meetings are not the most productive way to communicate and can be hard to set up because everyone cannot be present for the meeting. It might be due to their geographic location, what they are working on, or simply because their internet connection is not stable enough at that time.

Meetings are essential, and companies should aim for virtual meetings. However, sending invites to directly involved people is better.

Significant issues with remote working

Hrishikesh claims that there are considerable challenges to remote working, but these problems are avoidable if tackled early on. Moreover, the advantages of remote working far outweigh the disadvantages.

The first major problem of remote working he talks about is that many employees find it incredibly hard to disconnect after their working hours are over. Because we always have our work devices within a hand’s reach, the urge to reply to that one email is too strong to ignore.

The next major drawback of remote working is loneliness. Many remote working employees are restricted to their rooms with no one to talk to throughout the day.

Making Employees Feel Valued in Remote Setting

Making employees feel that their work is appreciated when they work remotely can be a challenge. It is easier for colleagues to compliment each other when they are sitting next to each other.

Hrishikesh suggests that management should create channels for enabling people to appreciate each other’s hard work. They have a dedicated channel where employees can share their achievements, and their peers can react.

Employee Monitoring

When asked about employee monitoring, Hrishikesh was clear in voicing his negative opinions about the term. He feels that tracking employees’ time and their work constantly can never create a healthy company culture.

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Produced by:

“Robots will continue to get smarter, but sometimes they will need to learn from the experts…us”

If you care about Robotics, Florian Pestoni is someone you should know.

Florian combines a career in building and leading teams, and creating innovative products—including working with giants like Facebook, Microsoft, Atlassian and Ooyala—with a relentlessly curious, ‘mesh network’ brain for a perspective that captures both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to lead a product team.

He currently brings that expertise as the founder of InOrbit Inc. that helps organizations streamline their robot operations with a cloud-based robot management platform built to maximize the potential of every robot.

Inorbit’s vision is pretty clear- to enable a world where humans, robots and AI work together to drive radical productivity improvements and empower people to reach new heights. They are on a mission to become the de-facto standard for RoboOps: DevOps for Robotics.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we picked Florian’s brain on how he thinks about Robots shaping the Future of Work.

We discuss with Florian:

What's going on in the world of robot operations: public perception of robotics
How AI will rewire us: would Robotics make humanity better?
Self-supervised learning for robotics: will robots be able to learn on their own without human supervision?
Where machines could replace humans, and where they can’t (yet)
How work is going to transform in the future

At the end of the podcast, Florian leaves us with a great question- ‘Are robots a workforce?'
What do you think?

Public perception of robotics

According to Florian Pestoni, attitudes towards robots vary from one individual to another and among countries. For instance, Japan has a fairly positive attitude towards robots, as evidenced by their investment in robotics research.

The negative attitude towards robots stems from fear. People have many misconceptions because of the stories in the science fiction genre. In many of these stories, robots can be seen taking control of the world and wanting to rule over humans.

Pestoni attacks these myths by saying that robots in real life do not even look like those shown in the movies. In fact, they may look like a tractor plowing a field or like a cooler that you would take to a picnic, except that it will move on its own. They are just machines trying to make our lives easier.

Self-supervised robots — possible or not?

Pestoni asserts it will be a very long time before robots will not need to be supervised, and they can never replace humans because there are certain things that robots cannot do. Machines are good at following commands and doing repetitive tasks, but they are not very flexible to adapt to changes. They need to work under a certain parameter.

Humans are malleable and can adjust to a variety of situations quickly. Pestoni believes that this intuitive ability is not present in robots and is nearly impossible to develop.

Specific tasks like setting explosives for mining operations will be fully automated, but knowing where to mine the explosives will require a human being for at least 500 more years.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

How do you leverage the smartest minds in your company so that they also become your best leaders?

Wonder how to transform technical managers and geeks into successful leaders?

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Christian Espinosa who helps organizations develop their team’s technical minds so they become better humans and strong leaders who excel in every role.

In addition to working as a Managing Director at Cerberus Sentinel, Christian Espinosa is a cybersecurity engineer, a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and leadership coach with experience ranging from working with various technology companies to running his own.

Having been a part of the industry for almost three decades, Christian is a speaker, coach, and trainer in the Secure Methodology, helping to make the smartest people in the room the best leaders in the field through his book, ‘The smartest person in the room’.

Our interview with Christian covers a variety of fascinating insights:

Can anyone learn leadership skills?
Challenges with ‘the smartest people in the room’: seven-step secure methodology
Crafting the right interpersonal skills assessment: mental models and tests
How to hire: culture fit vs culture add
Recipe to transform technical managers and geeks into leaders
Why a high IQ is a lost superpower when effective communication, true intelligence, and self-confidence are not embraced.
The job title is just a label, but we are more than that

Recipe for Creating Good Leaders

Christian opines that everyone can learn leadership skills, but not everybody is allowed to develop these. Generally, one takes it for granted that technically sound individuals also make good leaders. However, it is hard for an individual to transform into a good leader without some training and coaching.

Challenges to Creating Good Leaders Among Smart People

Christian says that if you constantly gauge your significance by being smarter than the next person, you will probably create a divide with the other person. Subsequently, your failure to connect with people will eventually lessen collaborative effort due to a lack of communication and empathy.

The desire to be significant at the expense of others will only lead to frustration among intelligent people. You may be putting in the best effort, but the results would not be something up to your expectations.

The Gradual Process of Creating a Good Leader

Individuals need to change their mindset, communicate better, let go of the desire to be the smartest person, and break some habits. They should also understand that by trying to be the smartest person, they alienate themselves.

This approach impacts communication and leads to poor collaboration, and ultimately, poor team output. One of the key things the individual has to be aware of is that the desire to be so significant holds them back.

Core Tenets of Developing Good Leaders

It is easy to assess the technical skills of an individual but not people skills. Some core tenets for assessment include ownership, communication, listening intently and responding, collaboration, etc. And ask questions by providing scenarios and assessing or rating them on these core values.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“Digital transformation is not an IT project. It is a true collaboration between business and technology. The more the end-user drives it, the better it is.”

Want to learn the ins and outs of digital transformation with no code, low code?

Vaidya Aiyer has you covered on both accounts in this far-ranging conversation with us. As the Founder and CEO of Pillir, Vaidya possesses the reputation of a major leader and innovator in the low-code space.

Pillir's low-code, rapid application development solutions allow enterprises to use SAP core with a modernized cloud-native edge solution.

Having spent over 30 years modernizing SAP implementation developing applications and integrations for various Fortune 500 companies, Vaidya is a leader, innovator, entrepreneur, and technology geek. His years of experience has propelled Pillir’s vision of accelerating modernization and digital transformation.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we discuss with Vaidya:

His professional background which laid the foundation for starting Pillir
Digital transformation: from the meaning of the term to its impact
'Connecting bubbles' and accelerating the pace of Digital Transformations with low code, no code
How much digital transformation is end-user vs people who are sitting on their computers
How impactful is no code, low code in the digital transformation journey
Digital transformation pitfalls that enterprises make at the start of their digital transformation journey

His professional background laid the foundation for starting Pillir

Vaidya Aiyer has a technical background and has worked in ERP, SAP, and other platforms for over 30 years. He had faced specific issues at his previous firm, and he understood how complicated and expensive the ERP space is. He aims to make improvements in these sophisticated systems.

Digital transformation: from the meaning of the term to its impact

According to Vaidya, Digital Transformation is a broad term whose definition changes from person to person. For him, it is like a specific work procedure that involves a systematic approach to all types of discussions, signatures, software processes, etc.

When it comes to measuring digital transformation, it is similar to departmental printers in that we can’t reduce or eliminate pages. It undoubtedly has an impact on the usual procedure but in a positive way.

How much digital transformation is end-user vs. people who are sitting on their computers?

According to Vaidya, we cannot tell the difference between end-users and office workers when it comes to digital transformation. However, “visibility” has the most significant impact on those working within the office.

People will know what they need to accomplish after they achieve visibility, and they will be able to take proactive actions based on events.

Digital transformation pitfalls that enterprises make at the start of their digital transformation journey

One of the most common pitfalls is that individuals beyond the specific bubble believe, “This is how a particular procedure works,” even though this is not the case. It is primarily due to a lack of understanding between the two different bubbles within or outside a company.

Enforced adoption is used in some circumstances to avoid this. However, eventually, this is not so beneficial. A meaningful partnership between business and technology is digital transformation. It is preferable if the end bubble uses it or drives it.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“I don't think a company's size matters in terms of HRs having a seat at the table. I think the dynamic, the chemistry, the alignment and the business acting in between, starting with the CEO and the HR executive, that's what drives everything. And then it permeates from there. If you don't have that at the top, it is not going to work well. So, the top position selection is so mission-critical to how HR will be optimized or not.”

Milly Christmann is perhaps the leading expert on strategy in the HR industry today.

As founder of Marathon Growth Management, she coaches small to mid-sized companies in pursuit of operational excellence and growth through establishing quality people processes.

Having been a part of the HR fraternity for over 20 years, Milly has held numerous strategic leadership roles in both startups and Fortune 100 firms, including a stint as Director of Customer Care, West Region at Coca-Cola Refreshments.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our conversation with Milly covers:

Her journey from starting a career in finance to becoming an accidental HR professional
HR’s 'Seat at the table': Small vs large organizations
How to break out of a career rut
The virtue of perfect alignment: intellectual curiosity, intellectual agility and humility as the leadership traits to align yourself with your team
Mental models for the upcoming HR leaders

How to break out of a career rut

Milly believes that as a business professional, you must have core beliefs and answers to questions such as, “Who am I?” and, “Why am I here?” And not be afraid to take risks because they can only help to shape your profession and lifestyle.

The next step is to make a list of things that make you happy, lessons gained from previous experiences, things to do for a career change, and so on. Also, keep in mind that taking action on time is the only method to help you overcome fear.

HR’s Seat at the table: Small vs. large organizations

According to Milly, you can’t be a part of the business table if you don’t know what your firm wants, how your company makes money, how all external and internal issues influence your organization, and so on.

The greatest barrier for HR professionals is the lack of confidence to exit a firm that does not appreciate or value their contribution and growth. It is not a case of failing or giving up. Only in this way will you be able to put your skills and personal value to work.

The next point to remember is that there is no distinction between small and large companies. The chemistry, synergy, and alignment between top management and HR executives constantly propel the organization to new heights.

The virtue of perfect alignment: intellectual curiosity, intellectual agility, and humility as the leadership traits to align yourself with your team

The main attributes a leader should have are intellectual curiosity, intellectual agility, and humility. Because these characteristics allow a leader to change course even if things are not going as planned. They also serve to keep others open-minded.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is a passionate entrepreneur and Data Scientist, Muktabh Mayank, Co-founder of ParallelDots Inc - an AI-first company that works with consumer packaged goods clients globally to improve their retail execution.

Muktabh has held numerous data science roles in tech companies, including a stint as an R&D Software Specialist at Opera Solutions. In addition to building ParallelDots, Muktabh has published machine learning papers in many reputed conferences and journals and writes about data science and programming on Quora.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Muktabh:

His journey from working at tech companies to starting his own
His experience managing a team of 50 members
Accurate job descriptions: tips for crafting highly effective job descriptions
Differences between beginner, moderate and advanced level knowledge of technology
Taking cues from the concept of sentiment analysis for people analytics and engagement

Know Something About Employee Sentiment Analysis:

Experts define employee sentiment analysis as the automatic process that uses natural language, machine language, and AI techniques to analyze people’s reviews and unmanaged review data. These analyses help to obtain data quality and employees’ feelings towards the organization.

Employee sentiment analysis is not an easy task. How does it work, and what are its benefits? Many questions need to be analyzed. Muktabh Mayank explains in his episode that every person likes things as per their taste and need. He gives good examples to convey what sentiment analysis means.

Why Is It Important to Measure Customer and Employee Sentiment Analysis?

Sentiment analysis is good for customers, employees, and organizations. It gives advantages to the organization to improve their product and service.

Muktabh Mayank is also an entrepreneur in addition to being a database scientist. Hence, he understands customers’ thoughts about any service or product. Some points prove that sentiment analysis of people is essential. These things are as follows

Upgrade services and products:

Analyzing feedbacks, surveys, social media posts, and many more things can shed light upon some points:-

Issues that require fixing: Sometimes, you can find an unexpected influx of dislikes that point to a bug.
Segment for enhancement: Many customers would mention the specific area of service or part of the product. So, finding them could be easy sometimes.
Customer requirements: Sometimes, customers can comment on mission features like missing chili flakes and sauce from the pizza box.

Customize marketing strategies:

Muktabh Mayank claims that a straightforward marketing strategy can make things positive. Product promotion should conveniently reach the customer. The best way to make a strong marketing strategy is to keep an eye on the latest demand and trends on social media and the market.

As a matter of competition, you need to be careful about your competitor’s new launch. It is essential to notify the fault in their new product. By this, you can rectify your product’s weakness. Another approach is identifying your competitors’ strengths and imitating them in your marketing strategy.

You can use sentiment analysis to segment your customers. You can also use Net Promoter Score (NPS) to detect customers’ thinking by offering a free trial coupon or discount. By this, you can stop the cycle of negative thoughts.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Suman is a 24 year veteran of the HR industry and has held numerous strategic leadership roles in multinational companies, including a stint as Head of Talent Development and OD at Larsen & Toubro.

Today, he is the Vice President - Human Resources at India's largest ed-tech company, Byju’s where he partners with the organization’s ambitious leaders to maximize the business impact.

Suman is an excellent orator and HR thought leader and is often invited to speak in news journals, management and business magazines, national/international HR forums and Seminars.

In addition to discussing his dynamic and fulfilling HR career journey in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Suman shares plenty of expertise in this insightful conversation.

We discuss with Suman:

The key to HR digital transformation success - the adoption of HR technology
The digitalisation of employee background check processes can transform HR functions
Why an interview should be a conversation and not simply a Q&A session
How HRs can leverage the 'career peak' phase for employee efficiency

HR digital transformation- adopting new HR technologies

The HR processes now involve way less manual processing than a decade ago. Also, there are numerous digital solutions to increase productivity, ease collaboration, promote learning, and more. Furthermore, rather than a multi-generational approach, HR strategies are now more focused on appealing to tech-savvy millennials, who account for 60-70 percent of the workforce. The adoption of HR technologies also aims at providing work-life balance to their employees, he adds.

Conversation interviews rather than a simple Q&A session

In the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the digitization of companies across all industries. Due to the rapid digitization, the need for specialized and skillful individuals that can adapt to the changing needs and deliver results has emerged, Suman adds.

Rather than asking questions right away, start a conversation to explain how the company operates, what its goals are, and how it is bringing about change. This can help you keep the talented candidates interested in your company and increase the chances of them joining you.

How many rounds of interviews should be conducted

Some businesses choose candidates with just one or two rounds of interviews, while some go as far as 5-6 rounds for a job profile. It all depends on a variety of factors such as the skills the company seeks, the candidate's skill level, how quickly they can hire, and so on.

Although, what truly matters is not the number of rounds but what is discussed in each round of the interview. If the candidate is asked the same questions in each, they would surely lose interest. Let’s be honest. Nobody likes to answer the same question six times in a row. Also, asking the same questions multiple times can give the wrong impression of your company’s work ethics.

Leveraging the 'career peak' phase to increase employee efficiency

A high employee retention rate is an important aspect of a successful business, but not all can achieve it. One of the leading causes for employees to leave the company is that they no longer see their goals aligned with the company's goals. In short, they don’t think that they can achieve their career peak if they continue working for the company. Hence, they look for an opportunity elsewhere.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Rohin Samtaney, Co-founder of The Souled Store - an online one-stop destination for all fan and quirky merchandise ranging from superheroes to TV shows, sports, music etc.

Having worked as an analyst at a financial services company, Rohin along with his two co-founders with a shared passion for pop culture, decided to build a merchandising business that could provide independent artists with a platform to showcase and monetize their creativity and provide a wide range of products to buyers which include t-shirts, boxer shorts, tote bags, backpacks, wall art, notebooks, etc.

Episode highlights:

Why the workplace culture needs to be as sustainable as a clothing brand
How employee satisfaction can lead to customer satisfaction
The significance of a founder's role in the people function
The Souled Store's tool stack for the workflow and communication

How can a Workplace Culture be Sustainable?
An organization works better if the employees are motivated. Rohin shares his views on the sustainability of the workplace culture. Three key things that motivate employees to stick to their work are:

Autonomy - Employees should be given the freedom to do their work their way.

Mastery - Structuring their work schedule with regular challenges so that they are excited to work and improve as a professional. The ultimate goal is to upskill.

Purpose - Each employee in the organization should have their purpose, which means the 'why' behind doing their jobs which should also resonate with the organization's purpose.
If these 3 things are managed, the organization will grow exponentially.

How employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction?

Employees are a crucial part of an organization. Also, without customers, the business is non-existent. Rohin states that employees, as well as the customers, help a business in scaling up.

In a clothing brand workplace, say The Souled Store, where only a few customers take the time to write a nice thing, it is very important to keep them satisfied. Things such as website performance, product quality, easy-to-use checkout page and smooth navigation, play their roles in satisfaction.

What is the significance of the founder's role?
Understanding the market size and figuring out the market fit are the leading steps to the growth of a company, says Rohin. He adds that when a company is new and tight on budget, the founder may not hire experienced people, so he does most of the decision making.

In such cases, hiring the right people is very important. It should be based on the candidate's attitude and the three principles - Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose - that will help in the rapid growth of the organization.

While hiring the wrong person for a role affects a company negatively, it also shows the organization's lack of clarity of where they fit in the market. He adds that as the company grows, the founder can work with experienced employees, so he does not have to do the execution work and instead focus on managing employees.

How do recognition strategies for employees work towards better suiting company goals?
Rohin says that acknowledging employees for their work consistently is one of the best ways to keep them moving forward. The Souled Source has a system that awards the employees every month for their work on various channels such as LinkedIn, Slack group, etc, which helps in boosting the confidence of the employees.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Ajith Ravindran

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Mrinal Kumar, Founder & CEO at Navriti Technologies offering technology solutions for learning and assessments.

Having been in the industry for more than six years, Mrinal has worked across varied technology stacks and possesses hands-on knowledge of contemporary web technologies.

Before founding Navriti, he was leading a team at Actiance India Pvt Ltd to deliver a product, focused on compliance and auditing of data traffic over various email networks.

In this episode, we discuss with Mrinal:

About his entrepreneurial journey
Why employee referrals are the best source of hire
The most underrated leadership skill: Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the team members
The concept of ‘unlearning’ and ‘relearning’
Sureshot ways to reduce employee attrition

Attrition

One of the biggest challenges that people managers are facing at this hour is Attrition. Mrinal Kumar, Founder & CEO, Navriti Technologies, while sharing his thoughts on what companies and managers can do to reduce Attrition, says, “The only solution is to increase retention.”

“Managers play a very crucial role. We need to understand if the individuals’ strengths and weaknesses are in sync with the organization’s. Not just that, but we need to see if they are doing what they want to do,” he goes on to say and mentions an example of an individual who likes to talk but is working in the operations team.

Employee Referrals

Hiring the right individual is another big decision that managers are required to make. The trend of employee referrals is one of the most trusted and accepted ways of getting a trusted resource onboard.

Sharing his set of reasons for banking on employee referrals, Mrinal says, “With employee referrals, there is a promise that there is someone who can vouch for the new hire. You can’t completely rely on the one-day interview process. Because that might not be a very good day for the interviewee.”

“However, with employee referral, you are sorted with the background check and most of the other things. All that needs to be done in evaluating the attitude and see if the person can be a good fit within the team or not.” Kumar goes on to say.

Showing a contrast between startups and established companies, Kumar says, “For established firms, the process might include various other things, but for startups, employee referral is the best way. For any requirement, spread the word internally, trust your employees and send a value proposition.”

Underrated Leadership Skills

While leadership is a skill not everyone can learn, Mrinal Kumar believes that “Unlearning” has always been an underrated leader skill.

While supporting his remark, he says, “The most harmful thing for leaders is their ‘Know It all’ attitude. Leaders should unlearn their past experiences and create room for new ideas. They should not stop trying out new things because of their past experiences.”

To narrate further, he says, “Life is all about learning new things every day, from zero. Unlearning comes naturally, and all that needs to be done is give room to new ideas, solutions.”

“Many-a-times leaders rule out new ideas based upon their past experiences when they end up with not-so-pleasing outcomes. But the same idea might do wonders if applied in a different scenario and with a fresh approach,” shares Mrinal.

Not only the corporate sector and job market, but Mrinal has a strong point of view about the current education system.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

“If you could attend fewer meetings, would you? The answer is not in talking less, but in talking differently.”

Serial entrepreneur Josh Little knows a thing or two about running successful software and technology companies. He has founded numerous global software companies, including Qzzr, Bloomfire, and Maestro eLearning. His previous stints include working at Pfizer as National Account Manager.

He currently brings his entrepreneurial expertise to clients as the CEO of Volley app - a video-first platform for businesses to have efficient and productive communications.

Further along, Josh has been carrying on his family's legacy for the last 10 years by making the most delicious pickles just like his great grandfather used to make.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Josh clarifies what asynchronous communication is and what it isn’t, and offers some great insights on async communication and remote work.

We discuss with Josh:

His journey from being a teacher to being the CEO of four successful tech companies
Why async wins
Volley’s mission: enable the future of work and save the world from death-by-meetings.
Why more companies are frustrated with the concept of Async communication for remote teams
His thoughts on the future of the workplace
Asynchronous video communication as the next big thing in the world of remote work: building a Slack challenger.

Why are more companies frustrated with the concept of Async communication for remote teams?

As per Josh, people have been doing things a certain way for decades. There are only two ways in which companies can communicate with their workers, which are typing (memos, email, chat) and talking (meetings, video conferences and tools like zoom). The need to talk has increased slightly because there is less proximity and less ad-hoc communication. Since a lot of people have been working remotely during the pandemic, the frequency of meetings has increased by 13%.

Why do companies need to change their current ways of communicating with employees?

Josh says that companies need to pick their poison, implying, they need to choose between talking and typing. However, typing is 7 times slower than talking as an average person can compose written business communication at 19 words per minute. On the other hand, an average person can speak 150 words per minute. Josh added that when you communicate through speaking, only 7 per cent of that is the words that we choose to speak, 38 per cent is how we sound when we speak and 55 percent is what I look like when you are speaking.

Asynchronous video communication as the next big thing in the world of remote work: building a Slack challenger?

As per Josh, Volley aims to create a hybrid of both, richness of talking and flexibility of texting, which looks like a video messaging app. It would help to deal with the major issues of remote working, namely loneliness and lack of communication. Josh stated that Loom characterizes video as a piece of content, just like YouTube.

Why is Volley being a separate platform altogether and why async wins?

Josh says that Volley can replace some of the meetings as on one end of the spectrum it is achromous and on the other hand, it can replace a lot of brainstorming and one on one meetings. He believes Volley can make achromous communication better to a great extent. Some teams use volley; however, according to Josh, some teams fall back into the same behaviour and use slack. Zoom is said to be the dark age of remote work.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“Don’t walk away from management, quite yet. Embrace it. See if it works. Talk to people. Don’t treat management as management. Always treat it as if you’re a mentor, or you’re talking to a friend. And you’ll see that It’s going to bring a lot more value to your personal growth vs just bringing the value to someone else.”

Kevin Hasley shares a new way to think about hiring, managing and retaining engineering teams in his conversation on this episode of The shape of Work podcast. As the CEO of RootMetrics and one of the top experts in the mobile and telecommunications industry, Kevin combines deep, in-the-trenches insight with examples from his vast array of experiences (developing a benchmarking program at Texas Instruments to being the CEO of RootMetrics) for a conversation every people leader should hear:

How did he react to ‘The Great Resignation’ as an employer
Team structure at RootMetrics: From contract-based hires to full-time employees
Why hiring the right engineering talent has become a challenge with the ballooning salaries
How does RootMetrics manage the personal and professional aspirations of its employees
Tech leaders on the biggest challenges managing teams: why managing teams doesn’t come easy to everyone
Thoughts on ‘The Great Resignation’ wave as an employer.

Kevin says that ‘The Great Resignation’ phase is challenging as an employer. After a year filled with lockdowns, there are so many opportunities and challenges coming out of the pandemic world. Although organizations that had held back on hiring have finally opened their gates. It’s far from perfect. Kevin feels that there are both pros and cons to this intense phase of transformation. The biggest pro is that it allows you to attract amazing new talent, and the main con is that you lose stellar talent to your competitors. However, he believes in being courteous and respectful to an employees' choice of resignation.

How does RootMetrics manage the personal and professional aspirations of its employees?

RootMetrics provides two paths to growth for its employees: a management tech ladder and a technical tech ladder. The organization encourages its engineering talent to embrace management opportunities when they hire contractors for projects. Kevin says that managing contractors helps engineers to hone their management skills. Moreover, sharing their own work-life and technological experiences with contractors is a good growth opportunity. For example, how they code, how they develop code, organizations, and more.

Tech leaders on the challenges managing teams: why managing teams doesn’t come easy to everyone.

Kevin believes that the choice largely depends from person to person. Typically, most engineers perceive the change from an individual contributor to a team manager as a drastic change of career track. He says that if you consider your job as a long-term endeavor, then you must embrace the managerial side of the engineering profession. Leading a team as a manager provides you with the opportunity to manage your team’s coding as well as learn from their skills, and elevate your career. Overall, developing managerial skills is important to build a holistic engineering career. Lastly, seeing your team grow in their role is a very fulfilling experience as a manager.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“Just like climate risk is a financial risk for the bank, human capital risk is also a financial risk for the organization.”

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Han Mesters, Sector Banker - Business Services at ABN AMRO - one of the leading banks in the Netherlands.

Being a staffing and business expert, Han helps many executives in the staffing industry navigate the changing labour market and technological landscape.

Han has virtually transformed from a banker into a Human Capital expert: advising within professional services. In addition, he is also a trend watcher and cultural anthropologist who takes on the role of identifying issues within and outside the organisation.

In this episode, we discuss with Han:

Demographic catastrophe: the shortage of skilled people, retention, technology, and international workforce.
Global skills mismatch: fixing it through competencies
Will technology extend the Dunbar number and what does this mean for remote work?
Why organizational culture is the future of work: shift of focus on profit to creating value for the environment
What changes become permanent when the situation returns to normal?
What work will look like by 2030: will people still be working for organizations?
Is it necessary to strive for friendships at work?
How HR can adjust processes and outcomes during unprecedented times?

Specialists vs. Generalists: What is the future trend?

In the olden days, specialist knowledge was enough to survive in the job market. The focus was only on one type of skill set. Back then, interpersonal skills often took a back seat. This organizational hierarchy creates an atmosphere of fear and distrust, leading to low institutional productivity.

However, the youngsters of today no longer believe in hierarchical work. They need more freedom and creativity at work. Luckily, things are changing for good. Interpersonal competencies like empathy and communication skills are being given equal importance as technical skills. These factors play a crucial role in reducing ego at the workplace, thereby increasing productivity.

How do you see the future of work?

The post-institutional world is becoming a reality. But, how this world spans out depends a lot on cultural differences.

Han Mesters takes the example of his home country, the Netherlands, to say that they don’t follow a hierarchical work culture. The Netherlands is a feminine country with a caring component that believes in treating everyone equally at work. Han Mester’s organization believes in a post-institutional world with just 20,000 employees. Ten years ago, this number stood at 130,000. Also, out of the top 10 economically competent countries, 5 follow this Scandinavian-Dutch cultural component of non-hierarchical work culture.

Will people continue to work for organizations in 2030?

The world is shifting towards a non-institutional framework, with more people preferring to work independently. For example, 40% of Manhattan laborers are not permanent employees; they are contractual people with the right core competencies.

Similarly, Upwork research shows that 50-60% of young graduates seek employment as independent contractors. Also, many graduates in the Netherlands wish to start their businesses.

Which all industries can weather the storm of changing work culture?

Typically, small startups that focus on one core product tend to perform better in the business market. For example, Fintech companies have seen phenomenal growth due to their innovation streak.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Bhagvan Kommadi, Director of Product Engineering at ValueMomentum - a software & solutions firm focused on the Insurance, Banking and Healthcare industries.

Having been in the IT industry for over two decades, Bhagvan’s experiences range from large-scale enterprise development to helping incubate software product start-ups.

In this episode, he shares his thoughts on digital information, communication and rethinking our relationship with work in the new normal. Everything from challenges to opportunities of remote work in this conversation.

Bhagvan Kommadi podcast talks about how 10 years back when no one had even anticipated the pandemic, a bank initiated the thought of building a proper content management platform. The thought was greatly criticized by many as they believed that it was not right for a bank, whose functions and requirements are very different, to establish a digital platform for content management. The idea behind this was to create a brand experience, target touchpoints, create intern solutions, collect, organize, and produce digital assets, create digital audio-video, broadcasting, web-publishing, analytics systems, and marketing. Little did anyone know that the thought initiated so long ago would be executed prominently now.

Bhagwan compares the lockdown situation to that of a war room scenario, where everyone is stuck at home, but still, need to execute their operations. He terms such a state a “stalled state”,

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Digitization has enhanced and made efficient all operations, from classrooms at schools to the banks and companies, which has made the lives of people much easier. Bhagwan mentions the various online platforms available such as Zoom, Teams, GoToMeeting, Webex which have various features, such as self-up-gradation, the possibility to share documents, etc.

WHERE NEXT?

Bhagwan talked about how before the pandemic the organizations followed a system wherein during a meeting everyone would be in one room, with a whiteboard and having brainstorming sessions, jotting down ideas and debating. But the lockdown took the collaboration to the next level. Earlier, IT operations had external office applications in case of any emergency or for future purposes, but it was never expected that it would go full-fledged in a short period. The organizations realized the need to collaborate and work in real-time despite being situated at different locations. This brought in the Cloud systems. Everybody now has all the features available on their laptops and have the access to work from anywhere without the need for a particular office desktop to work.

HOW TO HAVE A NORMAL LIFE WHILE WORKING FROM HOME?

Bhagwan finally talked about how two years ago, everyone was swaddled to the office, but the lockdown made people realize that interactions were possible around their own house also. He emphasized the balance that is needed while working from home. Before the whole WFH system, everyone had a set routine, from getting up in the morning to going to their workplace, taking lunch breaks, and coming back home. But now, an individual can get up and get started with work.

Learning to take breaks is very essential in work life. The touchpoints to interact with the people and environment around and not be confined to the laptop with web meetings and office colleagues.

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Get the highlights of this episode in our blog.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Catherine Mattiske is the inventor of the globally acclaimed instructional design system – ID9 Intelligent Design. This inventive, research-based system creates corporate training that delivers exceptional results.

Catherine founded The Performance Company (TPC) in 1994, serving clients worldwide with offices in Australia, Los Angeles, New York, and London.

As a globally recognized training expert, her focus is on energizing and influencing organizations to change employee behaviour to drive business results and achieve goals.

Sought after as a consultant advising the world’s largest organizations on their L&D strategy, Catherine is also the author of 31 published books. These include the 27 part Learning Short-take™ series, the best sellers, Train for Results, Training Activities That Work, Leading Virtual Teams, and her latest book –. Unlock Your Inner Genius, published in 2021.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The story behind her ‘ID9 Intelligent Design’ principles
What L&D leaders are doing wrong OR Where companies go wrong with Learning and Development
Feedback loop and communication lines for setting up your L&D process
The virtual L&D paradigm
Her views on the rise of cohort-based learning
Insights from her recently published book ‘Unlock Your Inner Genius: Power your path to extraordinary success'

What L&D Leaders are doing wrong or where companies go wrong with learning and development?

Catherine recognises that there are many fairly fundamental issues in organizations. The preliminary aspect is to understand the value of learning in the organization. How do they truly value learning? Do people show up for learning? What's the no show rate? What's the feeling around learning and development programs that are put on by L&D or HR?

Feedback loop and communication lines for setting up your L&D process

The senior leaders always focus on a simple question, ‘What do you need to do your job better to achieve our visions and goals?’ The key to this question is learning and performance. Adults learn, all day every day. Even a small google search provides them with new knowledge. However, when they are told to undergo a training program for learning, a resistance starts creeping in. There is no more the same level of curiosity, motivation and engagement. Because to read and understand is no longer a training program now, since there are no behavioural changes experienced by the participants.

The virtual L&D paradigm

During the beginning of the pandemic, the actual training schemes were converted into virtual programs just by putting all the related information in slides, presented during zoom calls. However, this did not prove to be helpful, since there was no interaction between the parties. ‘Check the box- I did the training’ became the approach. There was no value in such programs, no one learnt anything new from such virtual activities.

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Get the highlights of this episode in our blog.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we speak with Nimisha Kunnath Chatterjee, a Human Resources professional, author and mentor.

Nimisha has always been passionate about relationships and the human connection, along with an interest in psychology and human behaviour. Working across various HR functions with organizations such as Pulse Secure, AAyuja Inc and PVR Limited, Nimisha has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The employee experience: Culture, engagement, and beyond
One-up your 1-on-1s with trust and compassion
Is remote work a roadblock in defining organizational culture?
Proximity bias in a hybrid workplace
Fun, engaging and seamless virtual on-boarding

The Employee Experience

The term ‘employee engagement and experience’ has received its due recognition during the pandemic. Earlier, the management was only concerned about increasing the commitment and productivity of employees at work. Now, the perspective is transitioning towards how to keep the employees happy so they can perform better at their jobs. Nimisha defines that these practices create an organization where we willingly show up for work rather than think before showing up for work constitute ‘employee experience’.

One-up your 1-on-1s with trust and compassion

Technology is playing an important role in ensuring a smooth workflow at the workplace. However, it is also creating a gap between the team members in their capacities. There are a few strategies that Nimisha suggests to bridge this gap:

Strengthen the atmosphere of trust because we need to embrace flexibility. The more the team is involved in any decision making, the more the employees will feel valued and respected as individuals.
The managers can also try to bring compassion to possible situations. To not only ask an employee about their wellbeing, but to also understand the struggles they might be facing.
Encouraging the teammates to check in on each other and develop collaboration among themselves enforces values and culture and bridges the one-on-one interaction among employees.
Recognizing and acknowledging an individual’s work within the team creates an everlasting relationship between the team members and employees and the organization.

Is remote work a roadblock in defining organizational culture?

The Hybrid model of work is what is suits everyone’s needs at present time. For many people, collaboration and working with their families has helped in improving their performance during work from home, but it has also affected a large number of people due to the absence of working facilities and a supportive work environment.

Proximity bias in a hybrid workplace

As human beings, we all suffer from proximity bias. It is a natural inclination towards those who are closer to us. We unconsciously tend to favour people whom we physically meet every day over those who don’t. To combat this, Nimisha talks about a few skills that the managers need:

They should build awareness towards such biased actions and strive to create an inclusive environment to reduce this effect. For instance, scheduling meetings or sharing information in an inclusive manner such that everyone can participate.
The organization should establish a culture of psychological safety. Managers should address such biases through performance evaluation or one-on-one interaction with employees. An individual’s trust in the organization is built and strengthened during such practice.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

"Diversity is inviting everyone to a party. Inclusion is asking everyone to dance and Equity is to ensure that everyone is having a good time whether they choose to dance or not."

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we are joined by Shikha Gupta, HR Director at Schneider Electric.

Having been a part of the HR fraternity for over two decades, she has held numerous strategic leadership roles at giants like WNS Global Services, JP Morgan Chase, Wipro and Infosys.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

Why the chant ‘leaders are born, not made’ is an escape button for a failed leadership development
Authenticity, vulnerability and facilitation as impactful leadership traits
Why attitude is more important than intelligence to ace the 'art of leadership'
What organizations are missing in their DEI initiatives: Inclusion impediments
What HRs can do to change negative, outdated perceptions of the human resource function to gain more influence and impact
Foreseen challenges for HR function post-pandemic
Top HR innovations in the last 5 years

Follow Shikha on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we speak with Sandip Maiti, Founder & CEO of Experience Commerce, which brings digital business, brand comm and media & marketing to major brands like Ambuja, Castrol and Adani Wilmer.

Having been in the industry for 28 years and worked with brands such as Zycus and ControlSoft to head their marketing, Sandip knows a thing or two about building and leading a team of creative thinkers.

In this episode, we discuss with Sandip:

Give your team wings to fly: tips on effective team building
Setting up the right values for your employer brand
Their ‘HR gone missing’ campaign
The importance of town halls and 1-on-1
Being global at heart: rules of being a global brand
Simple ways to ensure team effectiveness
His views on the happiness index of the employees: living an analog life

Effective team building tips

An effective team is better at collaboration and problem-solving. It is necessary to give the team members wings to fly to come out with original ideas. Some practical ways in which Sandip Maiti’s organization Experience Commerce implements effective team building are:

The managers try to listen to suggestions put forth by every team member actively. A different idea can arise from anywhere and be a hit in the future.
Encourage team members to pursue innovative ideas. Financial and emotional support is crucial in the starting stages of innovation.
Top management follows a risk-taking path and takes ownership of the outcomes.
Ways to create a global brand and attract top talents

To become a global brand, you need to communicate your brand values effectively. In addition, you also need to embrace the global culture. This cultural integration is brought about by letting go of biased beliefs and being open to change.

Word of mouth plays a significant role in brand perception. If employees are happy with your brand, they will talk about you to their family and friends. Hence, the entire leadership must take responsibility for employee dissatisfaction.

The importance of 1-on-1s and tracking employee performance

Tracking and measuring employee performance is crucial to boost workplace productivity. Sandip Maiti opines that he has tried out various mechanisms to smoothen the hiring process. But, it is always difficult to hire top performers. For example, a candidate may perform well in the interview but underperform after joining the organization. Hence, the best way to track performance is through 1-on-1 reviews and definite key performance indices (KPIs).

KPIs give a clear idea of qualitative analysis of work. Employees can set goals on what they want to achieve in a quarter. At the end of the quarter, they can see if the objectives are achieved. Similarly, Sandip Maiti also encourages quarterly 1-on-1 reviews in his organization. Managers give detailed feedback on the performance of employees and help them improve.

How to measure employee happiness

Sandip Maiti feels that happiness is something that must come from within due to inner peace. We all are used to leading a digital life with a constant social media presence. Also, there is much obsession about social approval of posts.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

"A fun metric tracked for employer branding at GO-JEK is the number of people wearing GO-JEK's t-shirt and sharing pictures on social media! "

Adithya Venkatesan is one of the original superstars of the craft of Employer Branding. Through his team and his own branding strategies, he’s built a world-class employer brand for GO-JEK - a super app for ordering food, commuting, digital payments, shopping, hyper-local delivery, and a dozen other products.

His previous stints include working with Gutenberg LLC and Thomson Reuters. He currently brings his branding expertise to Meesho - an Indian social e-commerce unicorn as the Head of Employer Branding.

In our conversation with him on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we discuss with Adithya:

How GO-JEK went from being an obscure, unknown org to a popular brand among their primary target audience - Engineers, Product Managers, Designers
How GO-JEK got buy-in from their engineers to rally around their Employer Branding objectives
How they scaled their employer brand through content and public relations
What not to do when it comes to employer branding
Is employer branding enough for a tech talent market where salaries have shot up?
The context of ‘pair programming’ in retention
First few things to kick-off your employer branding exercise
Tools of his trade for employer branding - automation & documentation

Different ways to scale employer branding

In addition to blog content, GO-JEK relies on events & conferences to build employer branding. Their strategy lies in attending those conferences where they are projected prominently. Also, they picked events with low competition. For example, many companies rarely attend an event on closures. By attending these obscure events, GO-JEK got a unique platform to pitch its products. Also, instead of marketers, expert engineers pitched the company products during events.

What not to do for employer branding?

Strategies like offering a recruitment incentive are bad employer branding tactics that may not pay any dividends eventually. For example, recently, a unicorn company offered BMW bikes worth 2-3 lakhs to recruits. This strategy may not help you attract the best engineers who value your brand values and work culture more than temporary incentives.

What is the concept of ‘pair programming’ in retention?

Pair programming is an engineering principle where two people work closely to get a job done. One acts as a replacement for the other. If one of them cannot work (or is hit by a truck), the other can take their place and complete work on time.

As a budding startup, what should be your employer branding strategy?

The employer branding exercise for a budding startup should be narrow and focused. In the starting stages, a startup must have a top-notch website to have a primary brand identity. Second, you need to pitch about what you do through a blog platform. Third, the job description is an excellent way to project your brand positively. Lastly, founders must get more social and build long-term connections.

Follow Adithya on Twitter, LinkedIn and Medium

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

‘Companies don’t know how to manage people who are remote because they don't know how to manage people that are actually onsite either.’

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Susan L. Lang, CEO of XIL Health - a health technology company building complex predictive analytics platforms to reduce the cost of drugs.

Having been a part of the healthcare industry for over three decades, Susan has advised top pharmacy executives and digital healthcare startups while working as the C-suite Executive at Express Scripts and Chief Strategy Officer of Blink Health.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground.

We discuss with Susan:

Hiring virtually, beyond geographies: the new normal
The structure and lines of communication at XIL Health
Great resignation hits IT departments: why companies need to switch strategies and run 'The Great Experiment'
Tech talent retention strategies: profit sharing, retention bonus, ESOPs and more

Managing People in the Workplace of the Future

Apprehension among firms, about remote work, arises from their inability to manage people well even when they are on-site. Being goal-driven is key to good management. Instead, firms build layer upon layer of control. Managers need to be familiar with the work of each employee and the impact their employees' work has on the organization.

This is possible only if the firm has a well-defined business model. Most firms do not have a business model, and their work cultures tend to be personality-driven (the CEO's or the CHRO's). The absence of a business model and a lack of congruence between the personal values of the senior leaders and the employees cause friction at work. This friction can get exacerbated in the remote/hybrid workplace.

Making Remote Work Effective

The availability of capital increased startup activity, and the limited pool of good tech talent has led to a rise in salaries. This causes an exodus of talent from the relatively poorly funded firms. The leaders of these firms are, therefore, too caught up with managing attrition to be able to pay attention to culture and engagement — further worsening attrition.

Susan says that she hires people when they are young and finds out what they are comfortable and not comfortable doing. XIL Health then tasks these employees with jobs that they are not comfortable doing. This challenges them and helps them learn how to manage and work around challenges to get to the goal. This is an excellent strategy to groom better executives for the firm in the long run. The nature of the task that employees get to work on is a huge determinant of their effectiveness.

Shaping Company Culture

Susan believes that high-growth companies need to align their work cultures with the needs of the employees. Employees at tech companies are engaged in complex tasks, and therefore the work needs to be integrated with their lives. The workplace policies should provide flexibility, enable employees to take care of their families, and allow enough time off for them to de-stress. The work should be designed to not "burn through" the employees.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Namrata Dhasmana, Human Resources (CoE and Best Practices) at Genpact.

Namrata wears multiple hats to lead a purposeful life. She is the Honorary President WICCI- Telangana CSR Council and is a member of the All Ladies League. She's served the Corporate world for over 15 years and led the HR function for companies like Vedanta and Wells Fargo.

Namrata’s transition from military to corporate is one of the very few success stories which got featured in Corporate Citizen 2021 May edition.

In this episode, we discuss with Namrata:

The common leadership myths
Her ‘GROW’ approach for team building
Feedback vs feedforward approach for employee feedback
Why dysfunctional teams need coaches more than managers
What inclusion is beyond just gender and culture

Common Leadership Myths

Leadership is attached with a position or a title
Experience and Intelligence are Indispensable for Leadership
Leading Everyone in the Same Manner

Leaders should be versatile. They should be intuitive and be able to respond to changes with complementary skills and behavior. A leader should identify their people’s strengths as well as weaknesses and guide them accordingly.

GROW Approach for Team Building

G stands for Goals.

It is of paramount importance to have a clearly defined goal. The team works to achieve that goal.

R stands for Reality.

A good team leader should ensure a smooth ride for the team members.

O stands for Options.

A team leader should explore all the alternatives and the resources that are available to achieve excellence.

W stands for Way forward.

A leader should ask the questions such as what, where, when, and by whom to strategize the road ahead. They should fix the accountability of different team members.

Feedback V/S Feedforward Approach

Organizations should implement a feed-forward approach instead of a feedback approach. The feed-forward system is a positive strategy that values the employees and tells them what they have achieved and how to carry it forward.

In a feed-forward approach, a leader develops a sense of being valued in the employees and empowers them. The leader acknowledges how they have contributed to the organization’s growth and encourages them to perform better in the future.

Team Coaching - Dysfunctional Teams need Coaches more than Managers

A team becomes dysfunctional when it fails to accomplish its goals. Their performance is not satisfactory. Dysfunctional teams and their managers need coaching and mentoring.

Coaches understand the dysfunctionality by analyzing different team members’ strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. They create complementary synergies among teammates.

Cultural Inclusivity in Organizations

People of different backgrounds, cultures, mindsets, etc., work together in an organization. A capable leader should develop a culture of inclusivity in an organization where the differences are respected.

Despite being from diverse backgrounds, there should be a unifying bond among the employees that would help them to enhance their performance. Ms. Namrata believes, “being a leader is a responsibility towards people, business, and yourself”.

Follow Namrata on LinkedIn

Get the highlights of this episode in our blog.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Ambica Chaturvedi, Director of Human Capital & Special Initiatives at Antara Senior Living - Max India Group.

Having been in the HR fraternity for more than 18 years and having worked with giants like Mercer, Essar, Aegis Global, Ambica covers a lot of interesting aspects in this episode.

We discuss with Ambica:

How to lead your team in the right direction
Her thoughts on tracking employee work hours
The concept of ‘Overtime compensation'
Importance of team-building exercises to boost productivity
Het thoughts on the future of work: Remote vs hybrid
The bright side of leveraging technology for hiring vs drawbacks

How to ensure that you are leading people in the right direction?

“The work of the manager is to manage and the work of the leaders to enable.”

And there’s no greater happiness than to see one’s team grow, take larger responsibility and constantly learn in the process. Most importantly, as a leader, giving challenging assignments to your subordinates is the best possible way to test their potential. It is like throwing the baby a bug. Moreover, Ambica feels that the ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work. There are different ways of managing different team members, and understanding and recognizing that what motivates one may not motivate others is of the essence. The success of the team defines the success of a manager and a leader in the professional world.

Does the approach of measuring the working hours of employees help in monitoring their performance?

Ambica says that the concept of measuring the working hours of employees is never really a helpful approach. Once a task is assigned to an employee, its ownership is automatically transferred to the employee. So, measuring the working hours doesn’t translate. Furthermore, it’s essential to trust the team member to whom the job has been assigned to ensure delivery of the work.

As good leaders and managers, one should be able to recognize the right approach to managing that specific individual or the right push for the progress of that individual.

Should remuneration be paid for overtime?

Paying extra just because one wants people to work for long hours is more of a regulatory approach. On the contrary, instant rewards and recognition like equity participation, flexible working hours, enabling work culture are far more productive and meaningful than just paying extra for four or five hours. If an employee has equity participation, it means he is a part-owner of the company. What else can be better than that to drive productivity in the organization?

Should work from home be viewed as a non-pecuniary benefit?

Work from home in ways that benefit both the organization as well as the team members. In the pre-pandemic times, too, organizations used remote working as one of the business models. They can draw enough advantages from the work-from-home model like saving admin costs and rent, the ability to attract talent nationally and globally, etc. Indeed, team members also benefit from saving on viewed higher-end places of the business district, etc. So, it wouldn’t be fair to view this as a non-cash benefit for employees. Both the organization and the employee in this context tend to gain out of this remote working.

Follow Ambica on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in

“My number one job as a leader is to get stuff out of the way so that my great people can do the great jobs that I hired them to do.”

Kim Curley has spent her career focused on the human side of the business, enabling leaders and their organizations to do more, do better, and thrive through change.

As the Vice President - Workforce Readiness Consulting for NTT DATA Services, Kim leads consultants focused on solving clients’ most complex challenges by designing and implementing programs to address the people, process, and technology aspects of the business.

Named an ‘NTT DATA Game Changer’ for her dedication to client and team success, Kim is also one of the founders of NTT DATA’s ‘Women Inspire NTT DATA (WIN)’ employee resource group.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we discuss with Kim:

The meaning of ‘Workforce Readiness’
‘The Great Resignation’ - employee migration and what this means for employers
How the growth of the gig economy signals a tectonic shift in the workforce
How up-skilling your workforce benefits your organization: building the pool
Mistakes leaders might make during the pandemic, in terms of change management

The Great Resignation

People are leaving their current employer and are aggressively on the lookout for something better. A place that has a different culture offers a better salary or has core values that sync with the employee or anything. People are changing jobs like never before.

Such situations compel talent and resource managers to find out a solution. Suppose you look closely at the work culture that everyone fancies. In that case, you will realise that companies are taking severe measures to retain their top talent: from employee engagement activities online to mid-term appraisals, promotions, on-site opportunities, annual bonuses, and whatnot.

Sharing her thoughts on the ongoing trend called “The Great Resignation”, Kim says, “Yes. Reports say that around 40-50% of people are open to a job change right now. In April and May, over seven and a half million people quit their jobs, which is just double of what happened at the same time-frame last year.”

“Whenever somebody leaves an organisation, you lose 50-75% of their annual salary in attempting to replace them both in terms of the learning curve for the person when you get them in, the cost of recruiting, the cost of training etc.,” she adds.

The Great Experiment

While emphasizing on companies focusing on their people, she says, “Two years ago, how many companies did you hear talking about wellness? Or the importance of culture? We never talked about it. So, one of the biggest impacts of this pandemic is this shift in perspective.”

“The great resignation is going to trigger the Great Experiment because none knows what it’s going to look like for a while. And that’s not because the pandemic is continuing but because its impacts are continuing too. And it’ll take us a while to figure out what a workplace means,” she continues.

Because of remote working, everyone has a different set of priorities. Employees are managing office work along with several other things that they were not bothered about earlier.

Follow Kim on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

‘A company’s culture defines how you adopt the tech’

If you care about people analytics, Ranaq is someone you should know. Before his current role as Associate Director - People Tech and Analytics at Mobile Premier League (MPL), Ranaq served as HRMS Implementation Lead - South India at Darwinbox.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we talk with Ranaq about both these roles, in addition to a smorgasbord of other insights:

Starting point of his journey with PeopleTech
At what stage companies should start taking care of the data
First set of PeopleTech recommendation
Preferences- Engagement, recognition, rewards. In that order...
The right time to bring in a robust feedback and performance management system
How much culture defines tech? Does tech also reiterate the culture and values of the company?
Ways to motivate employees to adopt new technology in less possible time
Ideal HR tech stack he would recommend to a high-growth company
The right time to use the gathered employee data for analytics

At what stage should companies start taking care of the data?

The earlier, the better. Suppose there’s a company with 80 people working in it, and there is no documented data in the company as their communication was verbal. Here, starting with documentation from scratch is troublesome. When your company has only a few members, begin to document data. When you’ve reached a higher number later, you will have the past data to refer to. This will help you avoid biases.

The first set of People Tech recommendation

Ranaq advises the company to move away from Excel. When the employee count crosses the threshold of 20, the company should start maintaining data, and when it crosses 100, investment in some lightweight HR tools will help. These HR tools will help in solving the lapses and capturing data on the back end. Start small, slowly move on, and don’t make change too many changes to the database.

The company would always want to know who its best employees are and how they are performing. If they don’t have data, the company may end up recognizing the wrong talent.

The right time to bring in a robust feedback and performance management system
Start at an early stage and with light tools. Then, gradually shift to robust systems.

The negligibility in not maintaining the data will hinder having People Tech on board in the system. If it’s 20-30 employees, it’s possible to collect the data and start working on it. When the number rises to 100+, it is difficult but possible. But once the employee count is beyond 1000+, it is downright impossible. It’s recommended that whenever your company’s team member count crosses 100, start storing data somewhere. Many free tools can be availed, and when your count increases to a threshold of 200 or more, bring a robust system on board.

How do you make people use technology?

Buying from the top and a push from the top—is the secret mantra to get people to use technology and get accustomed to it.
If the founder of a company says they won’t accept anything out of the system, or when they say that they’ll review the performance of employees only based on data in the system, the employees will have no other way left but to become friendly with the system.

Follow Ranaq on LinkedIn, Twitter and his blog

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we talk with Amandeep Midha, Principal IT Consultant at BEC Financial Technologies.

Having been a Founder, CTO, VP of Engineering, project lead and software engineer at various international organizations, Amandeep is currently involved in helping the integration of banking systems and up-skilling the engineering talents towards migrating platforms.

In this episode, we picked his brain on how he thinks about creating a workforce that is ready for the future and how his tech background has shaped the way he views digital transformation and workforce up-skilling today.

We discuss with Amandeep:

Strategies for up-skilling to fight skill gaps effectively
Addressing digital transformation challenges
Functions that define the learning outcomes
5W1H of up-skilling feedback loop
The concept of ‘Social learning’ and ‘e-learning’

Follow Amandeep on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Aniruddh Singh has held numerous strategic roles in various companies across industries, including a stint as Manager, Business-Technology Relationship Group - Risk, AML at Axis Bank. Today, he is the Co-Founder of goDutch - a new-age fintech app that powers group payments, helping them to split bills, track & pay via UPI.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, he shares his journey from doing civil engineering to founding goDutch. In addition, he shares:

The story behind starting up goDutch- India’s #1 expense splitting app
Lessons he learned as a first-time entrepreneur
Hiring tip for first-time founders
Future of work: Remote, hybrid or in-office

How did goDutch start?

goDutch is a ‘born in lockdown’ company. Aniruddh and his friends realized the hassles of doing a group payment. There is a solution for one-to-one payments but group payments are always troubling. In addition to this, the app allows one to keep a track on how much one spends, give alerts for pending payments, and more.

It organizes the entire group payment process and also removes social barriers coming around in asking money from friends.

Hiring in goDutch:

Hiring was a difficult thing for the company as no one made a hire or even knew how to hire before this.

Hence they narrowed the qualities they wanted in their hires.

That has been the easiest thing for them as they created a process where they would try to interact with the person and then give them an assignment.They looked for what the candidate could do to grow the company.

Leading teams effectively:

One thing they realized that all of them should be chasing the same goal. That is where they can assure best results. In addition, the company focuses on good engagement activities, and schedules feedback calls to focus on the well-being of the employees. It is working on building a relationship with them and helping them if they are facing any problem while working.

These are the ways the company pursues to manage their teams.

Hiring tips to other founders:

According to our guest, an early stage startup should:

Hire people who have similar energy and passion, who are ambitious
People who have the required skill set

HR lessons Aniruddh picked up along the way:

There are plenty of lessons Aniruddh picked through this startup. There are many people who do not follow the same core industry that they studied for. But that should not be as important as having work experience and the skill set in the role they are opting for. Additionally, discussing problems with the employees can help the company understand how they interact with it and find a solution.

He also discusses the importance of open communication.

Remote work vs in-office:

Aniruddh feels that as a startup, people have to brainstorm and form strategies together. Hence they want to keep it in-office. Later, a few roles can be made flexible/hybrid accordingly.

Follow Aniruddh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

BONUS: One of the key components of hiring is employee verification. Here is The Complete Guide to Employment Verification [2021] for you to make your verification process smooth and convenient.

Want to learn the ins and outs of global leadership or hear about building high-performance teams?

Krishnan has you covered on both accounts in this far-ranging conversation on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast. As Chief Business Officer - SEA and Head of Performance Marketing at Redbus, Krishnan shares how the pandemic impacted the organization and what helped them stay resilient.

We also discuss with Krishnan:

Challenges of managing a globally dispersed team
Improving team performance through the feedback loop
His view on employer branding and its importance
Aligning human resources with the business strategy

Challenges of managing a globally dispersed team

Since Redbus was the first to start OTA in Indonesia, there was less awareness about this facility in the initial days. According to Krishnan, the interviewing process in Indonesia was not easy because the candidates lacked “relevant” experience. So, Redbus had to look for alternatives, and shortlisting the candidates became a task.

He says that setting up an international operation is a tough process where you have to keep learning and unlearning. You face fundamental differences in handling a remote team. But, when a company has a team in place, it saves countless hours scheduling employees. Being acclimatized to the geography or culture also helps in the management of teams.

However, it is also irrational to expect your employees to change or adapt how your organization functions. It is all about adaptability from both the employer and the employee to ensure that it does not hinder the company objectives.

Improving team performance through the feedback loop

At Redbus, there are programs, at regular intervals, asking employees certain questions like feeling empowered in their team? Do they think their team considers their opinions? Though, these may not be the standard questions asked every time. The questions are pointed towards particular themes like self-respect, contribution to the company, how essential employees feel to the organization, etc.

Redbus believes that apart from monetary benefits, these programs influence employees to stay in the organization. Through these programs, we were able to understand the mindset of our employees with time. Sometimes, employees cannot open up about their issues with their bosses, so these programs help them. Redbus allows its employees to make mistakes but learn from them.

Aligning human resources with the business strategy

According to Krishnan, if you cannot write an inspiring JD, there is probably no requirement for the specific role. Employer branding helps in communicating the company’s mission and vision to the world. For instance, In Latin America and southeast America, Redbus reorganized teams to reflect the new reality and know their requirements and then conducted the recruitment process. It’s better to align the organization before hiring. It is always better to be slow with the procurement process rather than recruits leave the organization midway.

Follow Krishnan on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

Get the best highlights of this episode in our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is an entrepreneur with a difference, Shveta Raina, Founder of Talerang - an education management firm providing career training to students and professionals. Shveta began Talerang as a project at Harvard Business School and has since impacted over two million participants in the last 5 years.

When she left Mumbai at 17 to pursue her undergraduate studies at Brown University, nothing suggested this would be her route. Like most other ambitious people her age, she sought out numerous internships and worked for a while at McKinsey and Co in New York. It was only later, post experiences at Teach For India and Hindustan Unilever that the concept of Talerang emerged.

In this episode, we caught up with Shveta to discuss:

21st-century skills we need to prepare the future workforce for
Anxiousness of employers to hire graduates: why companies should hire more freshers
Hop, skip and jump and how it is making employers furious
The death of the CV: why recruiters need to move beyond the traditional CV cycle
The art of delegation for an effective leadership
How she hires the right set of people at Talerang

What is the Career Perspective of the Younger Workforce?

The Millennial and Gen Z workforce is upskilling and becoming more competent day after day. There is an ignited drive among young graduates and freshers to be a part of the larger corporate structure and contribute their skills to companies to add value to their profiles. This tenacity is the primary reason why most students fall head over heels for internships and apprenticeship opportunities.

In her early years at Brown University and Harvard Business School, Shveta had realised many students in India do not have exposure to global career opportunities when in high school and starting college. Only after they graduate they learn of the skills required to be a highly demanded talent in the market.

How is Talerang Changing the Game?

Talerang provides the young Indian freshers with the necessary skills to be competent in the market for jobs. The basic skills taught through Talerang’s courses range from time management, soft skills, and personal branding to practical skills such as public speaking and interview preparation.

Talerang has expanded its customer base to various segments, including students from 10th-12th, UG students, and PG students. Thanks to active users, Talerang has compiled a unique talent pool of young candidates. With corporate collaborations, the company has ensured that recruitment officers look towards Talerang when they require competent and upskilled individuals to fill out entry-level as well as senior-level jobs openings.

Follow Shveta on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

BONUS: To ensure the best for your startup, here is a guide on How to Successfully Hire Right Talent for a Startup: [2021 Updated Guide].

Ever wondered how many companies still rely on excel sheets for their payroll and compliance management?

According to Rohit Venugopal, Business Manager at RazorpayX Payroll (Opfin), the percentage is close to 65%—and he would know. Having been an HR professional himself before even building HR products, Rohit's professional objective is to connect people & technology with people technology.

Opfin, a 2 member team serving 100+ customers was acquired by Razorpay to be a part of RazorpayX - their business banking platform.

His previous stints include working with organizations like D.E. Shaw, Recruiterbox, Flipkart and ZingHR. In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, he covers lessons from his career in the HR tech industry and also shares the story behind the idea of RazorpayX Payroll (Opfin).

We discuss with Rohit:

How RazorpayX is helping save time for HR professionals
Challenges with payroll, compliance and insurance management at an early-stage startup
Payroll management in the pandemic: challenges
Product feature add-ons due to remote work
Remote payroll trends: breaking the barrier with Crypto
RazorpayX Payroll’s vision: what’s next

Follow Rohit on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

"Employees need to wear the brand, live the brand, if they don’t feel valued, they will not be your brand champs"If you care about employer branding, advocacy and social hiring, Kunjal Kamdar is someone you should know.

Kunjal combines a career in talent acquisition and branding including working with giants like Capgemini, WNS Global Services and Virtusa with a relentlessly curious brain for a perspective that captures both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to build an employer brand.

He currently brings that expertise to TietoEVRY - a leading digital services and software company as the Senior HR Specialist - Global Employer Branding Lead, and in this conversation, we picked his brain on how he thinks about employee branding as a whole.

We discuss with Kunjal:

The importance of employee advocacy to your employer brand strategy
Engagement despite M&A - the impact on employer brand
How to turn your employees into brand advocates
Ways to attract young talent to your company
What’s more to employer branding beyond careers page, and social media
Remote, hybrid or back to the office?
Ways to create a more human workplace

Employer branding when an acquisition takes place:

People need to understand that it is not only the brand that changes when it is acquired. There are a lot of changes within it, from values, culture, to policies.

There comes a point when a company acquires another where they have to sit and discuss how an organization maintains both sides of culture. The modifications need to be made accordingly. It is a challenge specifically for HR professionals.

Employer branding vs employee advocacy:

Kunjal explains how according to studies, an employee advocate is trusted 2x more than a company CEO. The more employees talk about the company, the more impact. The employees are the face of the brand, and both go hand in hand. Employer branding is the employer's reputation, and employee advocacy is the promotion of that reputation.

Ways to identify employee ambassadors:

Most companies are finding the ingredient to employee ambassadors. However, they should be the ones who are happy with their companies and are rated high. They should be able to represent them in external forums, webinars, conferences, etc. The organizations need to focus on how they can work on developing these people and give them a platform.

Social media to attract talent:

Social media has played a vital role in creating awareness in attracting talent. First, it is more organizational based on where they are and what they do for the same. Kunjal explains the significance of different platforms individually.

Social media for employee branding has been a challenge. Companies need to understand that they do not have to stay active everywhere. They have to analyze the platforms which are best for them and simply have a presence in others.

Employer branding through social media:

Employer branding in social media is inside out. It starts with organizations creating enough awareness and campaigns for their employees. While for employees, it starts with creating awareness about their referrals, seeing the staffing, and finding out policies.

Within employer branding, every touchpoint of employees-from joining to leaving the organization- is an interesting space. Companies should focus on enriching this experience.

Follow Kunjal on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

Get the best of this episode in our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Anshuman Das, HR Business Partner at Piramal Capital & Housing Finance.

With over four years of experience working as an HRBP and having worked at companies like Axis Bank and Reliance Jio, Anshuman has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The personalized onboarding process for the new hires
How to avoid a bad hire
His thoughts on Psychometric tests
Practical performance appraisal methods for the modern workforce
Going beyond Quantitative performance reviews
Positives and negatives of the remote workforce and virtual collaboration

Personalizing experience by people managers:

According to Anshuman, personalizing experience is how people managers should focus on giving a good onboarding experience to the employees. Unless they make the entire employee experience enriching, customers will not be satisfied too as it affects their performance. New joiners are confused while entering the company for the first time. Companies need to consider them as their ambassadors and help them.

What impact does a bad hire have on the functioning of the company?

HR professionals are also humans and they cannot totally ensure that a candidate would be a 100% fit for the company. But they need to try their best to avoid bad hires. There are two types of loss a company faces due to a bad hire- qualitative and quantitative.

Qualitative loss includes the environment of disengagement that the other employees would work in. They will have a burden of extra tasks on them.

Quantitative loss includes the monetary expenses and the time wasted.

Anshuman explains ways to avoid making such hires with the new processes and analytics taking place. However, Anshuman does not believe in the need for psychometric tests.

Impact of tech in the recruitment process:

Tech advancements in the recruiting process is a real good addition. It allows easy screening through profiles rather than CVs on paper.

In addition, it really helps see the personality of a candidate and makes it faster and efficient.

Effective performance management:

According to Anshuman, not every performance is measurable. They cannot be added to the rating system. However, performance management can be seen in a learning perspective. Apart from that, the entire process is a tool to help employees and the employers understand what they lack and how to train them. It becomes the process of turning them from an average performer to the best employee. Talent management programs, training, projects, can help develop them into a leadership role.

The impact of remote work:

Remote working has both its pros and cons. Things are setting up in a remote working setup. People get an efficient work-life balance, freedom, and flexibility while working from home.

Even though it is missing 1v1 interactions are still better but they do help by giving more time. Engagement and understanding depends on where people are more comfortable. It also helps companies in saving costs.

Before going back to the normal way of work, companies should follow a slow transition. They should give time to employees and make them understand the difference.

Follow Anshuman on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

BONUS: Performance reviews helps employees to grow and improve themselves. Here is A Manager’s Guide to Giving Proper Employee Performance Reviews for ensuring effective performance reviews

Lavanya Gandi combines a career in sales, account management and human resources—including working with giants like Amazon, Swiggy, Zomato, and IPAC—with a relentlessly curious brain for a perspective that captures both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of what it takes to champion the client and employee relationships and career progression.

She currently brings that expertise to Dextara Digital as the Director of Human Resources, and in this conversation with us, she shares:

How she found her calling to be an HR
Critical Strategies to prepare for the future of HR and work
Ways to support a better work-life balance for your employees
Why she still loves and talks about the culture of her previous employer, Zomato

The work culture of Zomato:

Zomato has always made a point to hire the right talent. The organization ensures the perfect culture fit for all the employees. It prefers hiring people who believe in the values of Zomato before being a part of the team. The compassion and acceptance Zomato shows is cherished by Lavanya. The company even attempted to find jobs for people who had to be laid off due to the pandemic.

Remote work and its impact on the work-life balance:

Lavanya’s current organization is quite flexible and open. They do require employees to be in the office. Lavanya further talks about the work-life balance blurred due to remote work. There are employees desperate to work from the office as they are used to it. However, people are adjusting to this new way of work now. Employees often face the stress of managing multiple things at one go. With remote work, the boundary of not reaching out to people apart from working hours is removed. Here is where the mental health implications come into the picture. Lavanya advises leaders to avoid these conversations.

She further says that employees should “pick up habits that don’t confine to a screen or technology.”

People should not be taken for granted.

The problem also persisted during the beginning of the lockdown. Plenty of people didn’t find a reason to take leaves. They would continue focusing on work every day. But some organizations realized the need to solve this. People need to take time-offs to refresh themselves. Constant work can make them monotonous.

Advice to the founders/ people managers:

Leaders need to learn to be more flexible and adaptable to situations, considering how the pandemic changed everything. Policies had to be reframed due to the changes in the way of work. They need to be empathetic towards their employees and focus on upskilling them. They should organize engagement programs for the employees for something different from what they are working on. Employees of similar interests (books, music, etc.) can also create clubs and interact.

Follow Lavanya on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

Get the highlights of this episode from our blog.

BONUS: Here is The One-place Guide to HR Challenges and Solutions to gain in-depth knowledge about Human Resources and its challenges.

‘The only thing a designation carries is the level of responsibility'

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Dr Upendra Pieris to share about his incredible journey from being a data processing officer to being the CEO of OREL IT, a global corporation that enables machine vision led innovation. It has grown exponentially from a two-person fraternity to a 4500 plus strong company in just over a decade.

With over 15 years of experience in the global IT industry, Upendra has contributed immensely to the IT industry of Sri Lanka and encouraged young professionals to become aspiring and innovative leaders.

In this episode, we discuss with Upendra:

His first 90 days as CEO
His philosophy on leadership in terms of employee well-being and professional development
What did the pandemic mean for OREL IT: from challenges to transformations
Reimagining the role of HR during the pandemic
The importance of Employee recognition
The tech ecosystem in Sri Lanka

First 90 days of being a CEO:

Being a CEO from a Vice-President has been a huge change for Upendra. He explains the challenges of being the last in the line of designation. For the first 90 days, Upendra worked on clearing the basics.

He looked back at what he did as a vice-president. Being the CEO made him realize that there are small things that often get neglected by employees. These are the things he focused on. He made certain plans to put in front of the team and the management.

Upendra feels that switching to a higher position might have created a gap between him and his employees. But he believes that one should put full effort to reduce this gap.

How to view leadership?

Upendra sees leadership in two contexts.

Leadership by example
Suggest employees to treat others the way they want to be treated

How did the pandemic affect their company?

When the pandemic began, the company was not known to the concept of working from home. They have a lot of focus on data processing, and they have their own data centers. Hence, the work-from-home facility was not available. Within five days, the tech companies started distributing computers to the employees. They now have a well-managed system with 60%-70% people working from home while the rest work from the office. They have taken certain restrictions. 95% of customer demand was delivered that year.

They have also arranged medical and doctor support and ensured that employees receive timely deliveries of certain facilities and food at the time of need.

The tech development in Sri Lanka:

According to Upendra, Sri Lanka is not lacking in tech but rather in tech marketing. The world does not know about the tech developments because they have not been marketed efficiently.

However, several organizations have excelled individually, and they are facilitating the giants in the international industry.

Another concerning factor is the skill migration in the companies. He also highlights the improvements needed in the education system of the country. However, Sri Lanka has the ability and is also now backing Indian operations.

Follow Upendra on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Get the highlights of this episode from our blog.

BONUS: Here is your solution to conduct a successful Employee Recognition Program in 2021in your organization.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, the guest joining us is Jeremy Tooley, CEO of Xerris Inc. - a digital transformation solution provider. A startup born in the middle of a pandemic, Xerris is a remote-first company having 95% of its team consisting of software developers from across geographies.

We discuss with Jeremy:

What culture looks like at Xerris
Recruiting funnel: From juniors to senior-level developers
Tech and tool stack at Xerris
Correct ways to retain your developers in a competitive market
Views on increasing demand and salaries of developers as a tech-driven company

How to retain developers?

The demand for developers has seen a peak in the current scenario. Hence, retaining them has become a difficult task for organizations. However, Jeremy feels that it is a matter of culture here. Some developers are only money-driven. Hence, it is not within the bandwidth of the company to stop them from leaving.

But they attempt to bring their employees to a level such that they make an imprint on them. The rates might not match, but Xerris offers plenty of perks that benefit the employees.

According to Jeremy, these little things help in retaining these developers. The rising rates in India and Europe have brought in a change for his company as well.

But there is a balance where the clients they are dealing with know what a developer should be worth, and the profit sets accordingly.

Jeremy feels that it is a complicated game they are in right now. However, he is hopeful that when people go back to offices post-pandemic, the remote-first companies will stay as an attractive option to most people.

Employee engagement in a remote scenario:

It is one of the challenges of remote work. Some people do not wish to go to the office. But they need a meeting space where people can work together at times. While some are willing to engage, others prefer to work in solitary. Hence, companies need to consider all their opinions.

Xerris follows a buddy system where every new joiner is associated with a colleague (buddy) who helps him understand the company. They have regular lunch events and tech Fridays. The company also conducts monthly get-togethers in Zoom or Slack.

Jeremy explains that making sure everyone is connected is a challenge.

The future of the ongoing salary hike:

There are very few companies that are giving the same salary to all developers across the world.

You know, we look at their increasing salaries down there. Jeremy talks about the benefits of remote working in terms of the payscale. He thinks that it is going to come down to quality. Ultimately, companies are always going to want the cheapest employee.

Lack of good developers in the market:

Jeremy feels that tech companies worldwide need to partner with universities, schools, and other tech companies. They should provide training courses or incubator labs to train developers. They are going through this massive tech explosion, but everyone is pulling from the same pool of resources.

Follow Jeremy on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.

Lalit Dhingra has held numerous strategic leadership roles in multiple tech companies, including a stint as President and Global Head of Alliances and Partnerships at NIIT Technologies. Today, he is the Founder & CEO of EnSignis Digital where he delivers solutions for complex business problems in the as-a-service model.

With over 30 years of enriching experience in technology leadership and executive-level positions, Lalit is a key tactical innovator renowned for transforming companies’ visions into realities.

His business outlook and expert commentary have been quoted in leading publications, such as CIO magazine, Fortune, Silicon Valley, and The Wall Street Journal.

We discuss with Lalit:

The real test of leadership doesn’t happen when everything is running smoothly: top qualities of a great leader
The significance of Murphy’s law to deal with the crisis as a leader
How leadership influences organizational culture
Effects of remote work on employee productivity
His thoughts on ‘hustle culture’ within organizations

Traits a leader should have:

There are several adverse moments in a workplace in which a leader reacts. Each person acts differently in such situations. Some might not be willing to handle it whereas some might want to take full responsibility for it. Ultimately, leaders need to be honest, collaborative, and transparent. They need to practice direct communication with their team members and manage things as per the schedule.

Changing geographies affecting productivity:

Our guest answers this question from a tech perspective. Before the pandemic, people used to connect to others from different locations as well. With the onset of pandemic, it has changed this into a complete remote work structure. But there has not been any effect in the productivity here.

However, organizations need to figure out whether the productivity shown by people from different locations is ‘effective productivity’ or not. In addition, people need to share their ideas, get regular inputs from colleagues and have open discussions. According to Lalit, these are the few areas remote working lacks in.

A well-defined company culture:

According to Lalit, culture starts from the top. It is the founders/leaders defining the culture. Their core values dictate every other person’s mindset and requirements in the companies. Moreover, a leader can define the belief of the companies as a statement and everyone has to follow the rules. That is how it is connected. Ultimately, it is very important to have a well-defined culture in the organization.

Hustle culture of organizations:

Lalit feels that the pandemic has nothing to do with the hustle culture. It has been invented in different places and with different descriptions. However, he does not believe in this culture. He feels that eventually people get mentally unhealthy without a proper work-life balance. As a result, organizations face lack of productivity among their workforce. They need to work within official hours and balance it making the workplace fun. Leaders are responsible for making a workplace healthy. The employees should be the central point of the organization. Companies can succeed without the hustle culture as well.

Follow Lalit on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Get highlights of this episode from our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Shreedevi Roogi, Head Of Talent Acquisition- India, APAC and EMEA at Epicor Software.

Having worked in talent acquisition roles with giants like Accenture, Dell Services, Sabre Corporation and EY, it is no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground on the topic of hiring.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The importance of networking to look for talent and amplify your culture
Reasons why organizations shouldn’t make a big deal about employee’s career breaks
Diversity and inclusion isn’t just ethnicity: organizations need a holistic approach
Building an employer brand in a world where job seekers look for way more than just a big brand name
A well defined, people-friendly culture: immune to black swan events

Challenges while hiring- Startups vs MNCs:

Shreedevi feels that working for both has its challenges, and it goes with how one wants to deal with it.

Hence, sales and marketing come into the picture, reading into the organization and talent.

Talent is crucial everywhere, be it a startup or an established company. It is a fundamental pillar for every organization to progress. Startups are not process-driven, but that gives them flexibility and adaptability towards talent. However, an established organization has a more structured set of policies with a more rigid hiring process.

Shreedevi feels that a startup gives more edge and preference while an established organization has to work a little extra to sell its brand and tech. It is not an easy process for startups.

Influence of digital media on networking:

Networking has turned into a more sophisticated step with digital media. There are plenty of social media platforms where like-minded people form communities and gather. They discuss common topics and help each other in tasks. Networking is an important practice across leadership roles as well. There are plenty of platforms like Github, Dribble, Stack Overflow, etc.

Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry:

The Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a non-profit organization working with the central/state government to support the women cohort in that particular council. There are 160 councils (HR/entrepreneurship/sexual harassment, and others) building policies to pass through central or local ministries.

Is D&I really aligned to the values of the organization?

Organizations talk about diversity and inclusion as a more strategic approach. However, according to Shreedevi, the effectiveness of D&I is minimalistic with the lack of a business championship. Till business does not champion, it becomes difficult to build this initiative as an integral part of an organization.

A business leader’s sole focus would be to get the work done. The biggest gap Indian organizations have compared to western countries is the lack of designing patterns of policies.

Employer branding in today’s job market:

A recruiter can easily understand whether a candidate’s main goal to join the company is the brand, tech, or money.

Hence, as a brand, the recruiter should analyze where they stand as a company. If the brand is already established, it should go for subtle branding like an employee value proposition. Here employees can mention certain attributes through which an organization can have an edge over the others. These attributes can be used for branding and attracting talent.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work, we have Sayan Bandyopadhyay, AVP-HR (East) at HDFC Life. Having worked in the HR fraternity for more than 16 years, his previous stints include working at giants like Kotak Life Insurance, Asian Paints, and Hewitt Associates.

Working across various HR functions, Sayan has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

We discuss with Sayan:

His journey of transitioning his career from business analysis to an HR role
Why mental health initiatives have become ‘must-haves’ across organizations today
Better meetings make better days: the importance of running effective meetings
What builds the right culture inside HDFC Life’s culture
The importance of culture fit assessment in the hiring strategy

Meetings hold a significant amount of importance in organizations. In the corporate world, people have to work across different functions and hence need collaboration. However, Sayan explains why having meetings for the sake of it is not fruitful. It has to have a well-thought-out schedule and purpose. Teams need to analyze:

(1) the outcomes of the meeting.

(2) who are required in the meeting.

The meeting should have a proper structure, discussion, and proper notes.

Culture as one of the intangibles of a workplace:

Culture decides an employee’s willingness and commitment towards the organization. A good culture drives the employee to go to the office every day whereas a poor culture does the exact opposite. Sayan talks about the role of managers in setting this culture. For employees, it is the manager they communicate their tasks to. If the manager is helpful and positive, the employee will have a positive impression of the culture. Hence, managers need to have the correct conversations and build a culture of teamwork.

HDFC Life takes this element very seriously. Sayan calls it a ‘business of dealing with humans.’

Parameters set by HDFC Life while hiring:

There are two sets of hirings in HDFC Life- frontline sales and managerial positions. The majority of hiring happens in the position of frontline sales. They conduct an elaborate personality cum attitude entrance test. They look at the personality, attitude, and decision-making process of the candidates. Every organization does not have the same value systems/structures. Hence, people coming from different organizations also hold a value system different from the same of HDFC Life.

Top innovations in the field of HR:

At one point in time, HR was only considered an administrator of a business. Today it has developed to become an integral part of the same.

Sayan explains how the field of HR has grown:

HR in a business: The HR of an organization has to understand business as a business person. Only then can he/she be a true business partner.
Learning space: Organizations have become confident with mobile/virtual learning. Moreover, it can be done at one’s own pace. Hence, HR has turned the learning process from a ‘learner-led model’ to an ‘employee-led model’.
HR bots: With the incoming trend of HR bots, the role of an HR professional can be segregated. He/she can perform more important tasks within the organization.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Get highlights of this episode from our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Roxana Dobrescu, Vice President- People and Culture at Labster, a visual learning platform providing virtual science education.

With more than 16 years of working across functions like recruiting, organizational development, people and culture, Roxana believes in humanized companies with core values of openness, trust, generosity and courage.

With a background that extensive, it is no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground:

How to create a culture of transparency and openness at your organization
Benefits of visual learning over traditional learning style
Diversity hiring strategies
Top challenges of diversity in the workplace

The blend between online and offline learning:

Labster’s mission is to not replace teaching or the happening of the classrooms. They consider it important and are willing to improve it through their services. It is impossible to customize learning considering every single student. Hence, they are supporting teachers by ensuring a 360-degree approach to scientific learning. The productivity has increased by three times. Roxana feels that it is just the beginning of the blend between online and offline learning.

People managers create a culture of being open:

Creating a culture of openness revolves around creating a culture of trust. Thus an organization needs to build a trustworthy and open culture.

Labster maintains an open mind and shared accountability. To build trust, leaders need to show it first. Roxana further talks about transparency and how it ensures a clear purpose and decision-making process.

“To build trust in a team, be part of the team.”- that is how Roxana looks at leadership.

Continuous learning culture in an organization:

Building a continuous learning culture is one of Roxana’s missions. She considers it as the only way to grow. There are plenty of extremely talented people who get comfortable with their roles and do not feel the need to learn. Hence, the company must focus on regularly updating these people with skills and trends.

Moreover, Roxana throws light on the need for an efficient feedback process. Humans tend to give positive feedback, but they cannot give constructive feedback. Thus Labster trains its employees for sending and receiving effective feedback. Leaders also must ensure good feedback. They should ensure effective learning, sharing of best practices, creating focus groups, have research meetings, and other such practices. The company needs to make time for its team members.

Maintaining diversity in the hiring process:

Diversity and Inclusion should be ingrained in the company strategy rather than the HR strategy. In Roxana’s company, the hiring process revolves around ‘culture add’ and not ‘culture fit.’ They assess if every candidate is adding value to the company in terms of skills, attitudes, experience, and outlooks. Each team member needs to be learning from the other. In addition, people need to train themselves to avoid bias. Labster holds a diverse interview committee with interviewers from different backgrounds.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Get highlights of this episode from our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Praveen Dalal, Director HR at Nabler - a data analytics consultancy.

Having worked in the HR function for more than ten years, Praveen has traversed many different industries. With a passion for design thinking for HR teams, he discusses with us:

The secrets to successful strategy execution
Tips to create a conducive work environment
Asynchronous Communication: the real reason why remote workers are more productive
Strategies for standing out in a competitive job market apart from just providing fancy salaries and perks

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Creating an environment of transparency and collaboration:

In order to build transparency and collaboration, an effective environment needs to be built. An individual can get really affected by the social environment, that is, the colleagues, peers, and seniors. If the environment of an organization can be influenced, it can have a great place to work. Praveen talks about how it is the CEO of an organization who builds this culture which is then followed by others. Moreover, these leaders need to preach what they say in order to motivate others to do the same. This environment should be created from the beginning of any startup as it can be difficult to integrate later.

Async communication in a remote work environment:

Async communication is of great importance especially in a remote work environment. It allows keeping things transparent. Working remotely, people expect flexibility. They require free time and it can be in between the working hours as well. Async communication can be even better with certain channels like Slack. Documentation of things can help people maintain a repository for communication.

Effective execution of policies:

Praveen feels that the Indians are good planners but not too good at execution. They do not monitor things after the planning stage. In his organization, they define the success criteria/parameters and measure if it is going to be achievable or not. If their analysis does not show fruitful results, they cut down the expenses.

In order to make this entire process a success, they require a strong leader, different people, test out things, and a lot of communication. They gather people from different operations to give them feedback. Hence, the Implementation of policies becomes easier.

Perks and benefits in smaller companies:

Many companies use perks and benefits as a means of branding to create a gesture. However, apart from that, these gestures are really needed in the market. The problem here is the expense that adds to it.

Hence, small companies can focus on the benefits from their culture while the larger companies focus on other options like training and development. Companies should focus on the experience range of people they are hiring and decide perks accordingly.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Tina Mansukhani, Founder & CEO of Pink Lemonade - an integrated marketing agency.

Having been in the marketing industry for more than two decades, Tina is also a TEDx speaker and is passionate about helping women resume their career after a break.

We discuss with Tina:

Insights from her article ‘Founder's Dilemma: Planning for when your baby is an adult'
How chatbots can save brands a lot of time and money
Why employees creating their personal brand on social media channels like LinkedIn is beneficial to the company as a whole
Her internal communication strategy at Pink Lemonade
Social selling as one of the top-most strategies to attract top talent

Startup founders transitioning from one role to another:

As a startup, the founder as well as the employees are always hustling. They need to multitask and spend plenty of sleepless nights to get things done. The things founders do at an early stage of startups are very different from those in the later stage. These are the elements which create the base foundation of a startup and cannot be done when it has grown.

An organization should be set up with systems and processes. They carry the skills and talents of individuals working with them. Thus they need to work on things in a more unique manner as the investment made on it is very important.

“You cannot be thinking what now, you got to be thinking what next.”

The significance of chatbots:

In your article about marketing trends you suggested Chatbots will turn human like and would save brands a lot of time and money by screening the customer’s queries before they’re sent to human staff, Do you think this would also ease the burden of employees handling customer’s queries and what are other ways through which a company can use marketing to reach to customers as well as be beneficial to employees?

Tina explains how people are interfacing with chatbots in plenty of areas- be it banking, food delivery services or online shopping services. So much of work can be done by automation. As a result, it cuts down the workforce, reduces time, and offers better customer service.

Employer branding through personal brand of employees:

Personal branding of employees can strongly drive the employer branding. People need to be able to project themselves in an elevated manner. They should be cognizant of the brand they present.

The first thing to keep in mind is emphasizing on the learning. If a person shares that learning with others, they become a thought leader. Hence, they should keep sharing their views and ideas. People connect through common views. As a result, it has chances to turn out fruitful. It is important to analyze how the persona will look outside. The organization needs to present you well. Around 70%-80% clients look up a profile on LinkedIn before approaching the person/company. Thus marketing and making connections are two very important aspects of creating a personal brand.

Having effective ways of brand communication:

Pink Lemonade follows several ways to ensure efficient brand communication. Some examples are email signatures, calendar invites, and videos. They run contests and polls over Whatsapp.

In addition, they have ambassadors for each of their teams. They carry the responsibility of delivering the informal communication to their teams.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Pranesh Chaudhary, Founder & CEO at Zunpulse (ZunRoof Tech Pvt. Ltd) - a startup solving electricity consumption and supply in Indian homes through IoT and five D2C brands.

Having worked with some of the largest financial services firms in the world across marketing strategies, risk management and leadership roles, Pranesh has plenty of experience and insights to share in this conversation:

How did the pandemic impact the renewable energy industry
People management skills that entrepreneurs should have
Winning steps to create an employee development plan
Challenges faced while scaling up the workforce
Simple ways to improve new hire’s on-boarding

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The challenges the startup faced during the lockdown:

Pranesh talks about two aspects:

Industry aspect- They have to look for consumer needs and changed demands.
Company aspect- How they change as a company.

During the lockdown, as people started working from home, the electricity consumption increased. Thus the demand for solar products and solar rooftop services increased. However, at the same time, they faced challenges regarding the delivery and installation of the same. Plenty of changes were made in the supply process and the policies.

Moreover, plenty of orders placed before the lockdown were stuck.

Hiring in a startup:

Most startups hire people through personal connections at the beginning level. Zunpulse had their first few hires in a similar manner. When they started scaling, they realized the need to hire at a rapid pace. The company picked up freshers such that they could be more open to being trained accordingly. In tech, however, they chose experienced professionals.

Ensuring a good onboarding experience:

Someone working in a company for more than a year knows the company well. However, as a new joiner, one might feel out of place. Hence, it is necessary for companies to provide them with the right onboarding experience.

Pranesh’s company conducts a buddy program for the new joiners. They ensure trackers to see if everything is provided to them on time. In addition, everyone in the leader group interacts with the particular person. The key is to be a bit more patient with them.

People management in a startup:

During the start of Zunpulse, everything was according to Pranesh’s previous experience. Like every other startup, they had to work in a fast-paced environment and make rapid decisions. However, as they have scaled up a little, they have more objective processes in their career. They focus on the ‘right level of unlocking.’

They maintain a transparent work environment with effective performance management. They follow a simple guideline- there will always be people who will feel they are not being promoted. But whoever does, deserves it.

People management skills for entrepreneurs:

Pranesh says that people management skills are required for any field, not just entrepreneurship. One can be good in multiple skills but they need to focus on people skills the most. They should care enough for people. You should have the right empathy for people, identify with people, and be genuine.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

Serial entrepreneur Sarah McKenna knows a thing or two about running successful data and technology companies. She has founded a couple of global data and technology companies. Apart from being the CEO of Sequentum, Sarah is also a Venture Partner at NextGen Venture Partners.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Sarah talks about the strategic lessons she has learned over her many years of experience launching hyper-growth products and building highly efficient product teams.

Sarah discusses with us:

Her approach to hiring the first set of employees
Sink or swim: why do startups fail vs the running themes of startups that do well
Tasks that take up most of her time as a CEO
Focusing on the ‘why’ instead of the ‘how’
When and how she hired her first HR employee
Why startups should not risk their employees’ well being
Her views on tech salaries going astronomical

The work culture of Sequentum:

Sarah talks about her journey to being the CEO of Sequentum. She started all the operations from scratch. Sarah further explains how she was able to bring some team right away. She began with three key employees in New York and India. She credits her team for being the best startup employees- incredibly sharp, hardworking, and adaptable. They have done a lot of recruiting on their own.

Sarah feels that a startup needs to work very intimately and intensely. Hence a startup environment allows knowing people well and developing a community that complements each other’s skills.

The key trends among people in terms of a startup:

In a startup, Sarah feels that people follow a ‘sink or swim’ theory. Startups bring a lot of challenges with themselves. No one can explain how things can work there. Hence, people that succeed in startups are the ones that thrive in a fast-paced environment. They are highly creative. Hence, either people can find something that fits with their aptitude and interests, or it does not.

“How much of what you do is why as opposed to how?”

In Sarah’s opinion, a startup is a continuous improvement of a particular product. It keeps getting better and better. Hence, there is not much difference between the ‘why’ and ‘how’. They are intricately intertwined.

Advice to the leaders in terms of employee well-being:

Sarah talks about the period where her employees in India were willing to resume the office. Productivity concerns were raised. However, Sarah opposed it by saying that those issues can be resolved. However, the solution cannot be calling people in the offices in the middle of a pandemic.

Hiring tech professionals in India:

Sarah gives her general manager credit for greatly managing things. The company hires freshers mostly. Sarah feels that even though a fresher is not as productive as an experienced individual, it is beneficial anyway. As they are hiring and training freshers, they are incubating tech leads. Sarah appreciates how the team of India focuses on culture and celebrates it.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Get highlights of this episode from our blog.

BONUS: Building highly efficient teams is not possible without effective team building activities. Here is A Proven Guide to Team Building Activities [2021] to ensure your teams remain motivated, productive, and together.

It’s not every day you get both a cell biology lesson and a window into the world of Cellular Enterprise all in a single conversation.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Asanka Abeysinghe, Chief Technological Evangelist at WSO2, an open-source technology provider.

With over 20 years of experience in designing and implementing highly scalable distributed systems across industries, Asanka has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation.

We discuss with Asanka:

Transformations at WSO2 post-pandemic
The concept of Cellular Enterprise
The 4Es to a productive team: empower, engage, entrust, equip
Cell membrane as an analogy to understand the structure and lines of communication in an organization
Where your ‘why’ in the company should come from
What does an engagement framework look like
Tech talent retention in a competitive job market

Transformations at WSO2 post-pandemic

People are the main asset of any organization. You can build products or services, but you need people to take the organization ahead. The pandemic changed the way people work because not every organization had the mechanism to handle remote work. People found it difficult to achieve productivity. A lot of usual processes had to be changed because of the pandemic.

While people found a way to do their day-to-day work, it affected their psychology as they missed the routines.

Working from home created many challenges because finding a work pattern was not easy due to various distractions. Asanka says that as a technology person, his team missed whiteboard sessions the most. However, they found alternatives like digital whiteboarding, and they collaborated. Security and meeting the compliance standards in the new environment is another challenge that WSO2 faced during the pandemic, but they found solutions and alternatives to every problem posed by the pandemic to be productive again.

The 4Es to a Productive Team: Empower, Engage, Entrust, Equip

We can achieve a lot by focusing on the four Es – Empower, Engage, Entrust and Equip. This can make the teams productive and creative. The architecture of these cellular teams is responsible for end to end processes. They must plan it, implement it, execute it and get feedback and keep improving.

The project concept, which is a one-time thing, must be changed to a product mindset, which is a never-ending thing. You keep improving by getting feedback and taking it to the next level. You can apply this concept across the organization.

Using Cell Membrane as an Analogy to Understand the Structure and Lines of Communication in an Organization

Every biological cell has a membrane which is the central communication point. Similarly, every cell in the organization needs a team lead, and it varies depending on the function and status of the project. For example, a business architect may lead the team initially. When you move to the architecture level, the architect will lead the team. It can vary at every stage, but typically, there should be a responsible leader.

You must also have different communication channels to connect the team leads and have a holistic view of everything. You must also have different levels of dashboards to monitor the progress so that the higher management can also have a holistic approach. This will help them get the same information in a collated way.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

“Your employees should be your number one audience, especially as you scale.”

On this episode of The Shape of work podcast, we have Pritesh Mittal, Co-founder and COO of Growisto, an E-commerce marketing and technology company that helps brands grow their businesses online.

Having worked as the founder of two ventures, Pritesh shares the significance of organizations treating their employees like their most valuable customers.

He also shares:

How scale changes a manager's responsibilities
Why is it important to define and document your company's core values before promoting them
Steps to improving workplace communication through transparency and accountability
His biggest piece of advice for the first-time startup founders

Challenges in employee retention:

Pritesh responds by saying that consumers and employees are two different things. As a consumer, one will use the same products over and over again. The needs will not change. However, an employee’s needs keep changing. People tend to get bored in the same company, or these companies cannot match their requirements. Hence, people try for new companies. Thus the factors of trust, culture, and accountability are important. Even if the employees leave, the average time increases with the implementation of these factors.

Employees as the face of the company:

Pritesh tells his employees that there are two customers: the actual client paying for the product/service and the team members delivering for them. They become the face of the company.

Often, companies give less importance to the candidates not working in the companies. They need to understand that it is the team that will communicate with these clients. If the employees perform, a company scales up.

Can a culture of ownership help in an organization’s scaling process?

Pritesh partially agrees with the above-mentioned fact. However, he states that the needs of the companies do not change irrespective of their size. The only difference that prevails is transferring the motivation and discipline of work. When the company is small, the employees have a direct reach to their founders. The passion and dedication of the founders can motivate them to work. However, as the company grows, more people are required to transfer that impact (for example, middle managers).

Attracting the right talents for the company with a well-defined culture:

According to Pritesh, culture is not the only factor that should be considered while hiring. There are two aspects to be focused on

Foundation: The company should build the basic principles and fundamentals of the company and then documenting them. Documenting the vision and core values offer people something for reference.
Marketing: Once these values are set, the company needs to market them correctly.

Changes in the hiring pattern:

Hiring patterns revolve around the demand and supply of the talent pool. It does not matter where the employee is working from till they are delivering within their working hours. Another reason why the hiring patterns have changed is the funding. Pritesh says that the demand for developers has increased, but the supply is still the same.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

Get highlights of this episode in our blog.

Having global experience of 20 years, our guest, Ashish Lone, founder of Kheti-badi.com, is on a mission to solve pressing issues related to farming and agriculture by using cutting edge technology like Blockchain.

Ashish shares the learning and development programs to run in a tech-led agricultural company. He also shares the impact of organizational culture on recruitment and employee retention.

Tune into this interesting conversation about subjects of the remote work model, employee productivity, diversity, employee feedback, and a lot more.

An initiative to support farmers:

Since its first day, Kheti-badi.com has maintained a lean model. Their main goal is to give market support to the farmers. They do not have a warehouse or transport. Instead, they approach the already established logistics company for the delivery.

“We have a pull model, not a push model.”

They ensure quick delivery to any city in India. The organization empowers farmers to handle the packaging and shipping while they take responsibility for the orders. They have a very transparent model with a win-win situation for the organization, the buyers, and the farmers.

The organization experiments with specific farmers trying out new products and expanding the opportunities. As they grew, they started including more products and onboarded more farmers.

The major issues in job applications:

The biggest problem, especially among freshers, is irrelevant applications. People start applying for jobs in organizations that hardly relate to their expertise. They spend a lot of time going through the resumes.

Ashish explains that even when they find relevant candidates, a few important details can be missing. Some candidates might lie about their work experience. These things can affect the culture of the organization.

“Having an idea of the technology and having a good experience of technology has a huge difference.”

Impact of culture on employees:

Many organizations have strict guidelines for their employees. They follow a strict hierarchical culture where employees cannot always reach the CEO directly. On the other hand, some organizations are flexible and know what their employees like or not. They try to make particular changes according to the requirements of their employees. Adopting and listening to the employees is necessary. Because, sooner or later, they will look for a change if they do not get what they require.

Challenges that come with diversification:

Our guest feels that the set of challenges associated with diversification is the beauty of it. Language barriers can be one example of these challenges. Moreover, people are working from different regions with different working hours. Holidays might not be overlapping in all locations as well. However, the company can resolve these issues if they focus on the outcome rather than the method. It should not matter how an employee is delivering the work. Ultimately, it is the task that is important.

Importance of employee feedback:

Feedback is an extremely important factor that drives employee motivation. If an idea is rejected, the employee should be told the reason behind it. The organization should help its employees know the areas where they have to improve and where they are doing good. The goal should be to keep the employee convinced and happy. The feedback should be supported with valid justifications. However, employees should have open ears to what the management is trying to say. Kheti-badi.com is very open and attentive to its employees.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Nikunj Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Mercy For Animals India Foundation. He shares his journey from working as a campaign coordinator in an animal welfare NGO to running his own.

With more than 14 years of working in the animal welfare sector, Nikunj knows the ins and outs of animal rights and an NGO’s working functions. With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground:

‘Tight-loose-tight’ leadership model
Performance measurement in NGOs
Functioning of feedback loops with plenty of real-world examples
How to create a culture of fearlessness

‘Tight-loose-tight’ leadership:

Communication is the most important ingredient to being a good leader. Nikunj encourages integrating teams by organizing interdepartmental meetings, check-ins at regular intervals, and making them work together.

They follow the concept of ‘tight-loose-tight’ leadership. It indicates being tight on expectations, loose on the delivery method, and again tight on evaluation of the work. This concept is especially good for remote work. Even the non-profit teams work better if they share ideas. They conduct weekly meetings where employees come together and discuss these ideas, appreciate each other’s work, and suggest other options. This turned out fruitful for their teams and generated new ideas.

This is how they went about inspiring ideas and leadership in the team.

The feedback procedure of MFA:

Nikunj explains the importance of recognizing each other in the workplace. Feedback is taken seriously by everyone. Being a global organization, Mercy for Animals has a centralized system that helps with project management. Anyone who joins the teams is trained on these software. It helps them perform better.

The organization sincerely believes in giving and receiving feedback. Their People Ops team in the US has a 360-degree feedback system where anyone can give feedback to their colleague, supervisor, or anyone else.

It helps in understanding any issues that employees might be facing and building trust in the employees. Moreover, they are a strong proponent of teamwork.

For effective performance management, they have quarterly conversations. They set up goals and evaluate them at the end of each quarter. Here, team members can give their feedback to coworkers or supervisors and vice versa. The strong feedback mechanism has helped develop a good relationship among employees.

Regular vulnerability checks for keeping a check on the mental state of the employees is a regular practice they perform.

Eligibility criteria for working in MFA:

Working for the cause of saving animals has been a relatively new concept. Hence finding people willing to make a difference is a difficult task. Thus the company needs to have good eligibility criteria while hiring. They need people who are compassionate and committed. But, at the same time, they should be well-educated and skilled as well. The candidates need to have some sort of experience within the area of animal rights. MFA has an elaborate recruiting process.

Listen to the full episode for a litany of tactical insights.

Follow Nikunj Sharma on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

BONUS: Giving feedback is directly associated with employee recognition. Here are Employee Rewards and Recognition Ideas [2021 Guide] for ensuring effective response to the employees for their hardwork and dedication.

On this episode of The Shape of work podcast, our guest is Shruthi Bopaiah, Head of Client Engagement and Communications at Bridgeweave Ltd.

With over seventeen years of experience working in the HR fraternity, Shruthi had plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. She discusses with us:

Her journey from doing a Bachelor’s in Tourism to HR, Corporate communications and AI now
Mass hiring: challenges and best practices
Tips for improving communication between managers and remote employees
Proven ways to make your candidates feel comfortable during an interview
Creating a world-class employer branding strategy

Deciding a career path:

Sport is an important part of Shruthi’s life. She has been a part of several sports events, and she connects her career with a quote by an ice hockey coach:

“100% of the shots that you don’t take are 100% of the shots that will never go in.”

If one never tries new paths of careers, they will never understand if they can do it. Shruthi never hesitates to take up a new task. She feels that the reason behind it is her not being afraid to accept failures.

How to make interviews more conversational?

The recruiters should focus on making the conversation easy for the candidates. They can talk about their own experiences in hiring. Candidates are bound to get nervous during the interview. The recruiters should focus on making them comfortable. They should also be prepared before the interview to avoid unnecessary wastage of their and the candidates’ time.

Shruthi talks about making an interview a ‘conversation of equals.’

The First Follower principle:

Shruthi has worked on some unique projects. She feels it is the power of connections that helped her land on such tasks. She talks about handling the production of “Punyakoti” (2020), an animated Sanskrit movie. The main objective of it was to explain the significance of encouraging a person to pursue their passion. She is a strong proponent of the First Follower principle that explains how the first person to follow the leader is the most powerful. It takes guts to support a new trend.

An idea cannot be pursued if one does not have their first follower. Shruthi believes that she belongs to this role and is always trying to discover such trends.

Creating a successful employer brand:

Shruthi feels that a successful employer brand is equivalent to reputation management. It can be done in 2 ways:

Hiring PR and sending information through the press can make things look good on the outside.
Good reputation management: Creating a reputation from the eyes of the employee. If the organization truly believes in the true satisfaction of employees, they would keep them in the center while making any decisions. An employee’s word can make a great impact on the entire reputation of the company.

The employees should be able to discuss their career paths and policies. They should be able to raise their voice against something they disagree with. It is how the reputation of a company is built automatically.

Follow Shruthi on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

Want to learn the ins and outs of tech-driven hiring and the 'SaaS'iness of the staffing industry?

Anupam Acharya has you covered on both accounts in this wide-ranging conversation with us. As Co-Founder & COO at Workex, a job search & staff management platform, Anupam also shares:

His journey from leading business operations at Delhivery to being the founder of Workex
Myths about tech-driven hiring
Objectification of information and intent capturing as the key levers for the new-age recruitment software
His views on hiring based on skills vs Education
Creative ways to keep remote workers engaged and excited

Significant aspects of tech-driven hiring:

Anupam believes that the Internet has changed the face of the recruitment industry just like e-commerce. Although it is in the transition phase, everything related to hiring and sourcing will eventually be tech-based. In contrast, one section of the industry feels that technology-driven hiring has reduced the quality of overall hiring. Anupam has a contrary opinion; He believes technology has made remote work and online hiring easy. There are two significant aspects of tech-based hiring:

Automated initial screening - In India, people are looking for a job; even those already employed keep looking for better opportunities. The top-end of the application funnel is enormous. Hence initial screening becomes crucial. It helps in the evaluation of candidates by filtering for relevant certification, experience, education and more. This method significantly improves the hiring quality. Irrespective of the candidate’s skill level, tech-based automated pre-screening is necessary to improve your time to hire.
Technology as the final decision maker – The staffing industry is still to reach this stage. Anupam mentions that whenever we get to that stage, the concerns will be around biased online algorithms as these algorithms are not transparent and visible to users.

The transition phase of tech-based hiring:

Anupam talks about India being a trust deficit country and how the e-commerce industry faced challenges in its initial days. Earlier, people used cash on delivery option and now, as the trust is there, they make the payment and rest assured that they will get what they ordered. The staffing industry is going through a similar transition. The Internet and social media are playing a pivotal role in creating behavioral profiles of every individual. Matching is crucial; productivity increases when you get suitable candidates and staff for your company.

New age job boards are capturing the intent in real-time. The candidates prefer chatting over getting a call because the information is objectified. There is a 100x change in the time to hire metric, reducing from five days to five hours. You need to interact with your user daily to capture their intent. Objectification and intent capturing are the two most significant leverage for any new recruitment platform. The market is enormous, and we are still scratching the tip of the iceberg.

Follow Anupam on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

BONUS: One of the major step of hiring is background verification. Here is a The Ultimate Background Check and Screening Guide for 2021 for you to learn the very basics of the process

‘’To grow, evolve and stay relevant, we need to keep changing ourselves to the context, environment, our dreams, and goals. True transformation can happen when it happens from within, which calls for working on purpose, need, intentions, an outcome with and without the change. As long as we are clear with these elements, a process as hard as change can be achieved with ease.’’

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Mythili Sarathy, Managing Business Partner, Polymer & SCM at Reliance Industries Ltd.

Having worked in talent management for over eight years, she explains to us:

The meaning of the statement employees don't leave companies, they leave managers
Two major talent management risks: my star employees abandon me and the empty bench
Her experience leading organizational development and change management initiatives
Ways to identify A players among your candidates
From Polyester to Jio: how Reliance Industries has effortlessly evolved over the years

Why is investing in managers important?

A manager has an extremely important role in influencing the employees both in a good and a bad way. The focus should be on grooming the manager to ensure the right impact. No tech tool or process would be useful if people themselves do not use it efficiently. Mythili says that HR is just an enabler to this entire thing. They cannot change anything but push the manager towards the right direction by grooming them. Both HR and the manager can create two different impacts on the employees. Hence, the manager should be a spokesperson of HR.

Risks that talent management addresses:

There are two risks that talent management has to address.

‘My star employee left me’- In this scenario, an employee is committed to the job but not the organization. He would not hesitate to leave the organization for some other opportunity.
Empty bench- Here the employee is committed to the organization but not the job. He stays in the organization but is not performing his level best.

Both these issues can pose a problem for the organization. In the first scenario, the managers need to groom the employees. The employee needs to build a relationship with the organization. This is possible through engagement, talking about their physiological needs, their values and behaviour. There should be an alignment between the employees’ values with the same of the organization. It is a strategic process which helps in planning healthy attrition. While these are generic solutions, they should be specifically planned according to the context.

Managing change initiatives:

Mythili feels that the toughest initiatives are related to change. People are not always welcome to change. Thus her organization took several change management initiatives. It is important for an organization to capitalize and analyze the requirement behind the change. It should be clear about what they want to achieve and plan it accordingly.

All employees do not accept change in a similar manner. An organization needs to understand how they will embrace it and create strategies accordingly. The HR might plan the change but it should be expressed by someone from within the team. This helps in achieving better acceptance. In addition, they should be informed about what is in it for them.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Shuchi Nijhawan, Sr Vice President - Global Human Resources & New Verticals at Eka Software Solutions.

With more than two decades of experience working in the HR fraternity, Shuchi has plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. She discusses with us:

Why she considers 70% of her team including herself as ‘PlusHR’
Emotional quotient and its role in Human Resources
Reasons why remote work is not for everyone
Degree vs Experience: which one do employers prefer
Her thoughts on transforming HR through technology

The concept of ‘PlusHR’:

“If you want to be constantly relevant as a business partner, you have to understand the business.”

What is a better way to understand a business than by owning it? That is what ‘PlusHR’ is about. To do this, HR needs to expand its role to multiple tasks across different fields. Shuchi talks about the various roles she performs to understand people better at her workplace. Watching them work live gives her tremendous help to take their career to the next level.

It requires a thought leadership process to make HR more relevant to the business process.

Why do people managers need EQ more than IQ?

Shuchi considers the emotional quotient (EQ) much more valuable in the HR domain than the intelligence quotient (IQ). EQ helps people managers grow in the field. The pandemic is a great example of this concept. The people managers who succeeded in keeping their workplaces stable and going are the ones not defeated by external or internal stress. It has been possible because of the excellent level of EQ they possess or have procured.

Tips for remote work to people managers:

According to her personal experience, Shuchi talks about five practices that can help people managers work better in the remote work scenario:

Exercising empathy.
Practicing overcommunication (as communication has reduced due to remote work).
Building better connectivity (connections tend to be transactional in the current scenario. They should be humane.)
Equip employees with the right set of productivity tools.
Daily check-ins.

Is blockchain going to be the future of technology:

Blockchain is a booming technology and will be beneficial. However, Shuchi believes that the surrounding process needs to change with the change in tech. A lot of alterations are required at the ground level. There might be a little trouble accepting it. However, the world will come around to it eventually. If they can accept the openness of social media, this will be accepted too.

Blockchain has the potential to make immutable changes. People are suspicious only because they have not seen its benefits yet.

Degrees VS Experience: what to consider while hiring?

Shuchi feels that degrees should not be a major requirement for hiring. It should also focus on the candidate’s practical experiences and knowledge. Shuchi has a combination of subject matter experts as well as people with diverse backgrounds. It can help in bringing new ideas to the table. To sum up, Shuchi explains that extraordinary people doing extraordinary tasks is natural. The goal should be to make ordinary people accomplish them.

Follow Shuchi on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Tabrez Khan, Head HR & HRSS at MB Informatics India Pvt. Ltd. (MB Holding LLC).

With nearly 2 decades of experience in working with organizations such as Wipro, Airtel, and Bharti Realty, Tabrez had plenty of expertise to share in this conversation. He throws light on:

Employee engagement barriers and ways to overcome them
Things every HR professional should do to succeed
The importance of employer branding for your company’s hiring success

Engagement Challenges in Remote Working During Pandemic

With employees spread across different locations due to remote working, organizations faced new engagement challenges. Tabrez says that engagement is not a one-word by itself. It is a combination of several HR dimensions such as work environment, creativity, innovation, learning and development, performance management and engagement itself.

In his organization, HR engaged its employees in different ways. HR ensured all employees had uninterrupted access to technology and tools. They even subsidized the internet expenses for employees. They increased outreach consciously by conducting KYC of employee interaction. Each employee and new joiners had to interact with teams and HR. HR reduced working hours to help employees maintain work-life balance. They ran several health campaigns with a focus on the physical and mental well-being of employees. They also held fun events like Tamboli. Furthermore, they refrained from salary cuts and provided increments to ease out job insecurity of employees.

Advice to Aspiring HR Professionals in the New Normal

HR professionals should take a close look at what's happening around and how to go about it. It is irrespective of COVID-19 or any other situation. The first piece of advice is that HR professionals should be people's person. They should be bold enough to clash with the management to support people. As long as they have data and logic to back their perspective, it is easy to convince the management. HR should not lose the human touch. Let employees vent out. That's all needed 99% of the time from HR. Listen and empathize with them. Don't chuck them out. If you have to say no, be gentle.

The second piece of advice is that HR should not replace the human factor with technology. HR still has to keep an open contact with employees, or else there will be no face representing HR.

The third piece of advice is that HR professionals should know the business at the back of their hands. Every organization has a unique business, culture, situation, and people. Hence, HR professionals should observe people and their roles before adding any value from previous experience. These values should make the business and people better.

Uniform Onboarding Experiences Across All Verticals

Onboarding starts when you shortlist the candidates for interviews. HR should have a uniform statement about the value proposition that an employer can offer. It is essential to make candidates aware of the organization's open environment, competitive pay, learning opportunities, and work exposure. It is not necessary to have only high-potential employees in the organization. HR should hire even low-potential people so that they can grow and stay longer in the organization. There should be a balance between thinkers and executors.

Find Tabrez on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Tavamani Gracy, Senior Vice President HR, Learning and Administration at Kinara Capital - a socially responsible fintech providing flexible, collateral-free loans to small businesses.

In this episode, we discuss with Gracy:

How she found her calling to be an HR professional
Framework to get clear on your remote or hybrid work policy
Why data is HR's most important asset
Proven ways to leverage diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Follow Tavamani on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Get highlights of this episode in our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Shishupal Rathore, Senior Vice President of Technology at Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

With two decades of experience working as an IT leader across industries, Shishupal discusses with us:

Secrets to managing technical teams
Flexibility, adaptability, and agility as the professional growth drivers during remote work
Ways to effectively measure the performance of remote workers
How feedback to and from the candidates will improve your hiring process
Building mutual respect in your workplace environment

Challenges faced while leading a team of engineers:

Shishupal says that engineers are really dynamic people. In particular, IT engineers are enthusiastic and sharp. He feels it is both an honour as well as a challenge to lead a group like this. He further describes engineers as very humble, who love to take ownership, and are extremely vocal.

As a leader, being dynamic and updated with new technology is necessary. It is challenging for a leader to understand the new trends and drive them in their own organization. People look for guidance from them. Thus leaders need to ensure a clear vision, flexible communication, patience, and listening skills. These qualities can help in keeping the team motivated.

Challenges his organization faced due to the pandemic:

The pandemic has brought a big disruptive change. No one knew how to tackle this situation. However, Shishupal mentions the flexibility, agility, and adaptability shown by the team members in coping with the situation and delivering projects.

When everyone started working from home, plenty of issues came up in their organization. Non-availability of hardware, internet bandwidth issues, power issues were a few of them that he mentioned. However, new solutions came up, and a new way of working was introduced. There was a lot of flexibility, and most people stood up to the moment.

One big issue that Shishupal observed was the expectation with the expansion of working hours. Among the blurred boundaries between work and home, the availability of the team was expected at all hours.

Managing performance of employees:

Shishupals’s company set its goals before the beginning of the pandemic. Hence, the parameters of these goals were not according to the ongoing situation. However, he feels that there has not been any major change in the basic parameters. However, one change our guest observed was the attitude of the people. They rose above the situation and demonstrated flexibility, adaptability, and commitment to work. The company found its most hardworking people during the pandemic.

Feedback system to make the hiring process better:

Candidates and hiring teams need to ensure open communication. Every level of the hiring process needs to be updated to the candidate. However, hiring has become a tricky process. Plenty of times, candidates do not turn up or go looking for better opportunities. Shishupal feels that ethics are getting compromised. The focus has shifted from a career to a job. People are focussing on job-hopping rather than building credibility. However, this should not stop the hiring manager from being transparent to the candidates. They should maintain professionalism and be open to sharing feedback. It can increase the chances of the candidate joining an organization. Understanding the candidates makes it easier to figure out whether they are interested or not.

Follow Shishupal on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Vamsi Udayagiri, Founder & CEO of Hesa Technologies Pvt. Ltd, an integrated B2B rural marketplace.

Vamsi is on a mission to connect brands to their rural consumers. He has visited more than four thousand villages in five different states to understand the nuances.

In this episode, we discuss with Vamsi:

The challenges of bringing disruption in rural areas
The secret to the future growth of social commerce
The huge benefits a diverse team can bring
The idea of Hesa Technologies: “India lives in its villages. Rural India is where the new and upcoming middle class is growing”
How different people-management skills are in the rural sector
The overall outlook to the rural sector’s goals and approach

The level of tech acceptance in villages:

Over his years of experience, Vamsi observes that very few people understand technology in rural areas. That was the reason why this idea behind their startup was delayed till 2019. It was the year the penetration of the internet and other technologies reached these areas. After the onset of the pandemic, many people reverse migrated from urban to rural areas. Here is where Hesa gave these people the option to be micro-entrepreneurs. Vamsi says that the situation has been relatively easy now. Moreover, he feels that people in rural areas have an entrepreneurial mindset. Simple and accessible platforms like Hesa can offer them an opportunity to widen their reach. They offer continuous training facilities from their on-ground and backend teams.

New startups that are appropriate for the Indian market:

There are enormous opportunities available in rural areas. Vamsi feels that the rural areas consist of a huge customer base. Talking about any business vertical in rural areas turns into a billion-dollar opportunity. The entire challenge is to figure out a way to address this.
Vamsi says that there are plenty of fintech and agri-tech startups trying to change things at the grassroots level. He feels that the biggest challenge is that the end customer is not the user of the platform. Less than 7%-8% of rural consumers perform business transactions using smartphones.

It is the reason why this model is created. Influencers know how to use smartphones, and they can reach out to plenty of people to widen the scope of the businesses. Many agri-tech startups are paving their way into the industry. Vamsi talks about one of their innovation programs focusing on innovators in every household. A lot of innovations are happening at the grass-root level. Giving them market access is the right way to go about it.

Is increased migration acting as a barrier?

It is definitely a challenge, as Vamsi mentions. However, there are plenty of people who are going back to farming. He feels that we should find ways to get back to our roots and help the farming community to grow. It is a huge problem to solve and can be done at a government level. Marginal farmers having small acres of land are facing the major issue here. Due to financial constraints, they are bound to leave and work in industries. However, Vamsi is hopeful, saying that there are plenty of interventions already happening. There will definitely be a positive impact.

Follow Vamsi on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Ashish combines a career in marketing (working with giants like Droom Technology, Fareportal, and Everest Industries) along with a relentlessly curious ‘mesh network’ brain for a perspective that analyses what it takes to build a team. It focuses on both the big picture and the nitty-gritty details of the area.

He currently brings that expertise to OYO as the Director of Performance Marketing & SEO - OYO Vacation Homes Europe. In this conversation with us, he shares:

How having empathy and a problem-solving approach as a manager helps your team, brand, and your bottom line
His thoughts on the 'danger of hiring for cultural fit'
What big brands do better than the small ones—and what they don’t
Why employer branding is as important as branding your products and services

Skills a manager requires to lead a team:

Ashish started his career as an individual contributor. His first task was learning how to execute and getting skilled. Ashish has been managing teams for the past four and a half years. He feels that any career journey starts from learning to managing teams and training people to move forward. A manager should lead his team through inspiration.

With the onset of the pandemic, companies have switched to the digitization of their everyday work. Thus Ashish explains that managers/people managers need to adapt to an attitude of constant learning. Plenty of organizations expect team managers to know multiple skills. For example, a marketing manager should know how to manage digital platforms and run advertising campaigns.

A good people manager goes through four steps while working on a task: (1) does the task, (2) teaches it to everyone, (3) assists them in doing it, (4) yet makes them independent.

Building successful and high-performing teams:
To develop successful teams, managers need to ensure that they train their team members to:

Be more cognizant.
Be self-motivated.
Be analytical.
Have a personal connect.

That is how managers can motivate and push their employees to perform better. Ashish further adds that knowing your team personally is necessary.

Is the term “cultural fit” misinterpreted?

Culture is defined by people, not by organizations. Thus Ashish concludes that the term “cultural fit” is misinterpreted. A startup looks for hustlers in the beginning. They expect one person to have multiple skills and multitask. However, once the organization grows, they start looking for subject matter experts. They want to execute things strategically. Therefore, cultural fit indicates a culture change. Culture is not black or white. It has to constantly evolve with the organization. This change is brought by the people of the organization themselves.

A better description for culture would be “evolving with the needs of the organization.”

Is employer branding as important as product branding?

A candidate needs to know the background of the company before joining it. Thus the purpose of employer branding is to attract the right set of people for the company. It is as necessary as branding products and services to attract customers. There is a huge supply of talent, and choosing the right talent has become even more difficult. The right trajectory, nurturing leaders, and hiring the right set of talent to augment this trajectory- all of this is achieved through employer branding. It can be executed via various channels.

Follow Ashish on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Get the highlights of this episode in our

If there is anyone who has worked across almost every HR function, it is Jahangir Shaikh. With over 16 years of experience in the HR fraternity, Jahangir is currently the Associate Director of Human Resources at CMS Info Systems.

In this episode, Jahangir talks about:

How HR has gone beyond Excel sheets and PPTs using today's technologies
Top 4 Human Resources job skills employers are seeking
How he collaborates effectively with his remote team of 20 people at CMS
Spotting a dishonest candidate and avoiding a faulty hire in the shady new world of fake resumes

What are the skills that emerging HR professionals should possess to adapt to technological changes?

Back in 2005, proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint presentation skills were expected out of HR professionals. In the last decade, there have been drastic changes in technology adopted by the organization and used by HRs in their daily functions. Mr. Shaikh talked about a few essential qualities that every HR professional should possess today for a successful career.

Firstly, it is an HR analytics skill that needs to be acquired by HR professionals. It is about data analytics and processing data available within an organization and outside an organization in the best possible manner. In today’s world, where every function is based on data, HR analytics skills have become crucial for HR professionals.

Secondly, business acumen is another skill that HR professionals are required to acquire. Be it any role in an organization, business acumen is a basic skill that every business professional should possess. This skill is crucial for the overall development of an organization as a whole to achieve greater heights.

Thirdly, digital literacy is the need of the hour. Presently, every organization is transforming and becoming more digitized. As nowadays digital literacy performs a critical function in rapidly transforming business organizations. Digital literacy means the ability to discover and evaluate information through digital platforms.

How to handle misrepresented and fake Resumes?

Mr. Shaikh shared his experience handling such resumes and vocalised that one study claims that more than 70% of fresh graduates misrepresent and lie in their resumes to get a job. The prominent industries suffering from this problem are the financial service, leisure & hospitality industry, and IT that are blue-collar jobs. People generally misrepresent their degrees, date of employment, and job description. An HR professional gets an expert in handling these problems with experience, and background verification of candidates has to be done through professional agencies. Another tool for tackling this problem could be a social media check, checking references, and a behavioral check of candidates during the interview.

Is technology in HR function boon or bane?

Mr. Shaikh personally has mixed feelings about the role of technology in HR functions. Technology is playing a crucial role in HR sub-functions like recruitment, training, engagement, payroll, compliances, operations, etc. Mr. Shaikh said earlier he used to maintain excel sheets for a payroll of all employees. While he accepts that the technology has taken over mundane tasks of HR and makes tasks error-free, the core of HR function is human and emotional touch which is currently missing. Human touch and emotional touch are something that HR professionals cannot compromise on. Just like every coin has two sides, the same goes for technology in HR functions.

Follow Jahangir on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Angad Singh Manchanda, Chief Executive Officer of Chimp&z Inc, a digital marketing agency.

Having worked as an entrepreneur for the last eight years, he shares his journey from working at a digital marketing agency to running his own.

In addition to some actionable employer branding tips for HR professionals, he also covers:

How digitalisation has one-upped the HR
Chimp&z’s #PrideOfAdvertising campaign
Why entertaining content needs to be a part of any marketing strategy
The little things that make remote employees feel appreciated

Digitalization transforming the recruiting process:

In the past one and a half years, no company interviewed candidates face to face. They are paying less attention to their appearance or behavior. It was only possible due to the tech tools which are now used in every organization. Angad feels that this change was needed. This change was supposed to happen five years ago. Digitalization has helped improve the hiring process, review systems, and a lot more. It enabled people to conveniently work in the comfort of their homes without the hassle of traveling.

The significance of Diversity and Inclusion:

According to Angad, inclusion and diversity should come to an organization naturally. It should not be created through external means. The significance this concept is achieving was long pending too. People from all communities deserve acceptance at their workplace. Organizations need to let their people know that there are equal opportunities available for everyone. Angad feels that inclusion is beneficial not only from a cultural perspective but also from a business perspective. More diversity offers more profits and productivity as well. There are plenty of companies taking the initiative towards better diversity and inclusion.

A creative take on employer branding:

Angad feels that employer branding can be a more entertaining process. Employer branding has always been a serious conversation. Thus companies should try and adapt some fun and quirky ideas for the same purpose. Communicating easily and bringing a smile to the audience’s face is definitely a better option for the companies. Employees and companies have a complex relationship similar to B2C communication. A company needs to put itself in an employee’s position and then communicate. It allows for better understanding from both sides.

The progress that remote work has made in India:

According to Angad, working from home in India is too far to make a positive impact. However, the companies are achieving good progress. Companies need to be empathetic towards their employees. They are having a lot of trouble working from home too. Companies should focus on encouraging work-life balance. Thus work from home is a great idea, but India is still a few years behind to make it flawless. Apart from these minor issues, companies are evolving to adapt to these changes. Certain steps like 1v1 conversations with the employees, sessions with psychologists and doctors can be helpful. Work from home has given India the alignment that it needed.

Follow Angad on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Oleksandr Danylenko is perhaps the biggest expert in the automobile components industry today. Before his current role as Co-founder & Managing Director at Boodmo - India's largest online marketplace for car spare parts, he served as Finance Manager at Inter Cars Ukraine & Engineering Manager at Ukrainian-Mediterranean Airlines.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, he talks about these roles, in addition to a smorgasbord of other insights:

What does it mean to be certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’
Why should degree not be a hiring roadblock
Boodmo’s strategy for better communication within remote teams
Changes in hiring post-pandemic

Follow Oleksandr on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Get the highlights of this episode in our blog.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Brinda Krishnan, Global Head- Employer brand & Tech community, Agoda

Having worked in advertising and marketing for over 15 years, Brinda frequently shares her perspectives on talent and brand through her articles on LinkedIn.

In this episode, we discuss:

What should companies do to normalize career breaks
The ‘art of storytelling’ in employer branding
Why rejecting candidates is actually good for your employer brand
How to use social media for a successful employer brand
Why candidate experience during the hiring process is super-critical

Making your career break count:

Humans are designed to work and network. Articles written by Brinda mostly revolve around women and their career journeys. In this discussion, she emphasizes women choosing career breaks. If a woman picks this option, it does not mean she is not willing to work. She has to prioritize something else that she feels is more important. It is not a problem at an organizational level but a regional level. Hiring women offer more diversity in the workplace. Thus, currently, organizations provide plenty of networking options for people who might have taken career breaks. However, individuals have equal responsibility for understanding their priorities. They need to figure out the what, why, and how of restarting their careers. They need to stay sharp and updated with the industrial happenings. Moreover, they need to display confidence while interviewing and networking.

Power of storytelling in employer branding:

Brinda mentions how people enjoy storytelling. People like to experience a journey with people they can connect with. An organization can beat its storm. However, if a candidate is not connecting with them as a person, the effort made in employer branding gets totally wasted. Organizations need to focus on humanizing their brands through factors like sentiments, props, people, and modules.
Storytelling allows space for humor and sentiments that brands want the audience to carry back. And every organization needs a marketer to perform this effectively.

New ways of better employee recognition:

Employees appreciate a little recognition now and then. It motivates them to perform better. Since the majority of people are working from home, the simple modes of appreciation have changed. According to Brinda, organizations should put a great emphasis on driving peer-to-peer recognition. They can create simple online ‘thank you’ templates. In addition, colleague appreciation sessions, team shoutouts, and other virtual team-building activities. All these ideas turn out to be effective gestures to bridge the gap between homes and offices.

Offering a better candidate experience:

Candidates are the customers that should never be disappointed. Organizations should build an effective employer branding strategy backed with a strong employee value proposition (EVP).

Organizations should ensure that the EVP remains the same throughout the candidate journey.
The success of an entire candidate process heavily relies on the recruiters and interviewers. Thus recruiters should be made a part of the business discussions. Moreover, the hiring managers should be trained to reflect the organizational culture and EVP. They need to do their homework before interviewing a candidate.

The following key move to enhance this procedure is the simplification of the application process. Brinda talks about a survey that says 60% of candidates stop filling applications because of their length.

Follow Brinda on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Ranjith Menon, Sr Vice President Global Human Resources at Hinduja Global Solutions.

In his two decades of experience in the HR function, Ranjith has lived and worked across five different countries helping several businesses with some notable HR initiatives. In this episode, he shares the differences in HR practices across countries.

In addition to sharing his thoughts on the future of work, he talks about employee engagement strategies for remote and hybrid teams and the top challenges of diversity in the workplace, with some real-world examples.

Differences in legal landscape from country to country

The labor-landscape in developed and developing countries are very different. Communication structure is different from country to country. For example, In Indonesia where national labor law mandates positions that require certain skills such as quality management, HR, cannot be held by people from outside the country. For an HR professional who wants quality management skills, you will have to look at the local market. You cannot hire from outside as you will not get a work permit. The solution was to bring an expert in-house and train the employees.

The difference in termination policies from country to country

When you terminate people in India, you will have to serve a notice period and provide severance packages to the employees. In Europe, you will have to start communicating with the labor union to downsize. You will have to go through the whole process before you can approach employees. In certain countries, if someone is the only breadwinner/physical disabilities, only parent/etc., they cannot be the person to go in case of redundancies. In developed countries, there are other policies such as last in/first out where people that have joined the organization recently will be the first ones to go.

Maintaining diversity in companies

Companies need to be diverse to move forward. Diversity helps the company get fresh ideas and perspectives. However, maintaining diversity in certain sectors is difficult. For example, in engineering (mechanical, electricity), it is tough to have gender diversity. In finance, marketing, HR, it is relatively easy to maintain gender diversity.
Diversity should not be there just for the sake of it. You have to make a plethora of changes to have diversity. If you looked at the top 500 companies in the world, less than 5% have female CEOs. Companies single out stories of some successful women to show that they have maintained diversity. However, diversity is more than that. You cannot just have one woman on the board of directors and say that we have diversity in the company.

Work from home challenges in India

Implementing WFH policies comes with a certain set of problems in India. Our country has a lot of interstate migration. Due to that reason, it is a very different challenge to get people to WFH. For example, employees provide the city address that they work at instead of their home address. When HR wants to ship the necessary equipment to them, it gets sent to the wrong addresses. Power outages are another problem. Companies have to ship UPS as well as with internet dongles. Problems such as internet bandwidth are also there. That’s not a problem you find in the USA, UK, etc. It is another learning curve to figure out how to do things virtually such as work-related business practices, employee management, etc.

Follow Ranjith Menon on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Clint Misquitta.

Besides leading learning and talent at Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance, Clint is an author, traveller, and L&D leader. He has vast experience ranging from working in pharmaceutical behemoth Glenmark to Edelweiss, an insurance company.

With a background that extensive, it’s no surprise this episode covers a lot of ground. We discuss:

The story behind his book, Ruthless Dictators
Learning styles you should know before creating an L&D strategy
Why developing your employees professionally is the key to retention
Talent acquisition and recruitment trends in 2021

Ruthless dictators: inspiration and the central idea behind this book:

Clint tells us about the story behind writing his book. According to him, this book was an accident, not a choice. He tells us about the woman from Magna publications that he came across while working on a project. That is when they discussed his love for writing.

Clint further talks about the title of the book. He finalized “Ruthless Dictators” because of his love for history. He has a keen interest in learning about these dictators and their situation.

Segregating the framework of Learning and Development:

Clint starts on a very simple yet insightful note- the difference between being taught and learning.

Is tech a major factor in the success of L&D programs:

“Learning is the process, and the tech is the tool to aid the process.”

According to Clint, tech will not help if the process is not correct. People who have to prioritize other tasks over learning have to understand where the issue lies. The answer is simple- there is no clarity and alignment in the process.

The edge is to try and create a strong strategy to manage this process-

Clarity- The learner should know why the learning is necessary and how it relates to his aspirations.
Alignment- They should ensure that their manager is on board with his learning process. Most managers encourage this and facilitate the employee to upskill him.

It is the entire process of learning above which the tech providers stand. The organizations have to work with the managers to create a mature framework. Without this framework, tech tools cannot help. Moreover, it is necessary to understand that learning is a social endeavor. The process is more important than the tools used. Tech organizations need to understand this strategy and provide solutions to different companies accordingly. They need to collaborate with them effectively. Clint feels that the company should pay for maturing their learning process, not the content or platform.

BONUS: Willing to figure out ways to save your employee turnover cost? Read our latest blog post.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

Dr Ravi Sekhar Kasibhatta has held numerous clinical research and development roles in some leading pharmaceutical companies. He has also worked as a Sr. Scientist at Aurobindo Pharma.

Today, he’s the Senior Vice President at Lupin Limited, where he conducts BA/BE studies for the most regulated markets in support of generic product development.

In this episode, he talks about the challenges he faced while transitioning from medical research to outsourcing businesses and ultimately product development.

Dr Ravi also covers:

Qualities required to be a successful researcher and leader
Proven tips for successful change management
Remote work in the medical research sector
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical research

Paving the way towards being a good leader:

People automatically connect leadership to excellence. However, as Dr. Ravi mentions, it is an inclination to learn. For our guest, leadership is the motivation to learn how research is helping everyone.

He further mentions that every leader should have the desire to learn more and have an in-depth understanding of the dynamics of a basic individual. In his field, one learns through analyzing a person's biochemical parameters, patient demographics, treatment, and data. All this is possible through the data and the numbers available. One has to put a lot of effort into understanding these numbers, their outcomes, and ways to make them more effective for managing patients.
To sum up, Dr. Ravi feels leaders must have a zeal for learning.

Challenges while transitioning career paths:

The main challenge that Dr. Ravi faced while transitioning his career was the different ways of working between the two fields. Academics do not have hard and fast rules to be followed. However, in chemical research, there are plenty of regulations. Every act by a researcher needs to be recorded well. Every action is taken as an evidential basis for the research outcomes.
In addition, chemical research involves a lot of work to pick the right product for the market. This research is a very challenging domain, and Dr. Ravi decided to take it up because of his motivation to learn and contribute to the community.

Challenges prevailing due to the hybrid work model in the medical research domain:

Dr. Ravi feels that Indian culture has been dependent on in-office work. Here, virtual communication can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings. Hence, comprehension is required to make the hybrid work model a success. However, the kind of knowledge, tools, and modernization coming into the picture has made it very convenient. He further mentions that there has not been much difference in the field of medical research. Plenty of startups and big companies have worked on tools to make it easier for them. However, it might have been difficult for rural India. But these places are showing progress as well. The virtual platforms have created a different world of communication hence improving comprehension. The hybrid work model has been helpful to increase productivity and provide work-life balance.

However, our guest and his team do need to go to certain locations for different reasons. Getting permissions has been challenging for them at times.

But, overall, human connectivity has improved. It proves as a benefit for businesses as one needs to understand the end consumer’s requirements. The hybrid work model can work with the correct training, recruitment, and learning.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Having more than 25 years of experience in a diverse set of fields, Seema Singh Bhadoria is the Chief Executive Officer of Gyan Batao. She mentors people to achieve success in their areas of expertise.

In this episode, she highlights important points to be kept in mind in order to build a high performing team. She feels that HR professionals have the role of building a business from the ground level. She explains various ways in which HR professionals can balance their roles of being a mentor, a coach, and also someone to whom an employee can approach.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Different ways of functioning across industries:

The fundamentals of the business have mostly remained the same. The difference prevails in the business models of different industries. In the last ten years, the way of marketing has changed because of digitization. Similarly, retail is going through a modification too. Retail business owners need to have a good hybrid model with an e-commerce setup or an online means to connect to more customers. The market is constantly evolving and, whether it is a consumer or the owner, each of them needs to have a good knowledge of the product and the right platform to promote it. However, the primary business principles remain the same mostly.

Building high-performance teams:

A company needs to create a culture that integrates both the company goals and its employees’ goals. It lays the first foundation in terms of building an alignment between the company and its people. The process enhances productivity and reduces confusion. It also creates a culture of accountability where people understand how to adapt to different functions in that particular environment. Secondly, companies should focus on good communication. Clarity in communication is required to reduce the possibility of any misunderstandings.
Seema further mentions that one of the most significant factors that companies should keep in mind is engagement. Good engagement can offer better communication and transparency. When leaders do not review and engage with their employees, they will tend to lose their motivation. The next thing to work on is conflict management.

Organizations are mainly about people. So if a company creates the right team and knows its employees, it will definitely achieve success. It needs to set the right expectations with these employees. Ways to procure an alignment between the personal and the company goals are required. The company should create the correct agenda with this alignment and constant engagement.

Advice to people managers in the current scenario:

With the onset of the pandemic, the circumstances and the place where the employees are operating are very different. The financial market has also been affected. Seema explains that when organizations are growing, the morale of the employees is also higher. In this situation, the HR manager needs to keep certain things in mind.

Firstly- empathizing with the employees. They need to understand the particular situation and be supportive.
Secondly, they need to be engaging. They should ask them if they need any support in their work. They should ensure that the employees are equipped with all the necessities.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

BONUS: Team building is the key ingredient to any organization's growth. Thus to make things easier for you, we offer The Ultimate Team Building Guide for 2021 which will clear all your confusions in one go.

When is the perfect time for a startup to make its first HR hire?

If there is anyone who knows the answer to the question, it’s Saurabh Nigam, Vice President- Human Capital at Omidyar Network India.

Having worked with several startup founders, Saurabh truly understands the entrepreneurial DNA and knows what goes inside the mind of an entrepreneur.

In the episode, we discuss with Saurabh:

Why is hiring correctly always a top priority at a startup
When should a small business or startup make their first HR hire
The Founder’s Hiring Dilemmas: restricting first set of hires to their close networks vs getting out of that 'inner circle' bubble while scaling
How to set up powerful employee career paths to help retain high-performers
His thoughts on people switching paths to establish their career in HR

Why is hiring right always a top priority at a startup?

Every business, whether a startup or established business entity, needs people. According to Mr Saurabh Nigam, hiring is an integral part of operations and function. Hiring correctly is always the topmost priority.
The right candidate brings value to the organisation. It is vital to consider how new hires fit into the company’s goals, aspirations. Several founders manage several roles themselves and hire people from networks and relatives.
This is basic human behaviour to test new ideas with people in contact. Startups get their internal team or first couple of recruits from relatives and networks.

How to set up powerful employee career paths to help retain high-performers?

Early-stage startups should consider the following points for a powerful career path to retain high-performers:
• There should be a balanced approach between the employee’s expectation from the job company and the company’s expectation from the employee.
• Company’s communication should be clear about job, salary, and perks.
• There should be ample opportunities to grow and share ideas in the workplace.
• Consistency of behaviour with new and old employees

Mr Saurabh Nigam’s thoughts on people switching paths to establish their career in HR

Mr Saurabh Nigam said about people switching jobs from other fields to HR that it is never late to explore different career options if the person is confident about it. The person should be well aware of the nuance, job responsibilities, operations, hiring, etc. The person should do justice with the job and be honest with the organization.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

BONUS: We understand that, as a startup, choosing the perfect HR software might be a little confusing. Hence, we offerA Buyer’s Guide to HR Software [2021] which will help you choose the best HR software you need for your organization.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we interacted with Srishti Jain Kawatra, Co-founder and Director of Feeding India (Zomato) - the largest non-profit working on a mission to ensure zero hunger. They have served over 126 million meals across 188 cities to date.

This organization is a direct result of Srishti’s desire to do something that touches people’s lives.

In the episode, she talks about her journey as a hunger hero as well as other aspects that helped her choose this path.

She also covers:

The important steps to a successful global Human resources strategy
Challenges and opportunities for startups in 2021
The need to shift from 'human capital' to 'social capital'
Covid-19 workforce challenges and tips

The biggest challenge companies are facing in the new normal:

There is no handbook to figure out how organizations can face the challenges that the pandemic has brought along. The biggest challenge that the people in an organization are facing is to balance their mental health and discontinue learning. The news around covid destroyed work-life balance to a certain extent. Moreover, a lack of social connection has the possibility of reducing productivity in work. Srishti feels that working online, taking care of employee well-being, and ensuring that employees are learning are still some challenges prevailing in the organizations.

At an organizational level, hobby groups should be created. Learning sessions, mental health sessions, yoga sessions, and other such ideas can be conducted for ensuring productivity and wellness. These steps can support the organizations as well as the employees.

Communication is the key to it. Organizations should try to virtually recreate the otherwise casual interactions.

How does it feel to be an achiever?

Srishti humbly responds by saying that she still wants to create more impact than she already has. She adds that the recognition she has received motivates her to work harder. It gives her the courage to tackle all the difficulties coming in her mission’s way.

The biggest challenge for the startups to sustain during the pandemic:

Plenty of organizations have seen drastic changes due to the pandemic. But organizations that can make it through and have a strong system design can grow in the long run. She talks about the importance of a self-driven system design. According to Srishti, adding too many complexities within an organization in very little time is not always beneficial. After the onset of the pandemic, her organization could not conduct any on-ground activities and had little control over the food supply. Srishti feels the organizations need to use their strengths to pivot at times of challenges and uncertainty. It is only possible when the overall system design is very agile and flexible.

Aiming towards more social initiatives:

Srishti says that the pandemic has changed the perspective of a lot of people. They have become more empathetic. The hunger prevailing in the country was always talked about but never experienced before. It has awakened people and made them more kind and helpful. An organization’s main aim should not only be profit but also contribute to the social good. If all organizations start viewing it from this perspective, they would inherently have an angle to make a social impact. Issues of income disparity, gender inequality, illiteracy, etc., will automatically be less severe.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we have Shweta Chandrashekar, Global People Enablement Lead at HERE Technologies.

Passionate about diversity and inclusion, Shweta throws light on the DEI policies that organizations should consider adopting in 2021. Shweta leads a Lean In circle at HERE India and has been part of several Employer Branding initiatives as well.

In addition to explaining the importance of aligning policies and procedures with modern business requirements, she also talks about the role of rewards and recognition in setting up high-performance organizational culture. She further gives some valuable insights into preparing for employee turnover, and cultural sensitization in the corporate world.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
How to make people aware about topics related to D&I?

There are multiple factors that could contribute to the introduction of these topics in a workplace. Shweta tells us the story behind starting a Pride week in her organization. This really helped create awareness about the LGBTQ community in her workplace. This paved the way to more formal campaigns where employees would come up with ideas and the leaders would put them to practice. Leaders also play an important role here. If they are part of these communities externally or internally, they play a huge role in introducing new initiatives. Diversity should not be seen as a number game. It is more about creating an environment where everyone feels included and can be their true selves.

Dealing with different mindsets when practicing D&I:

Making everyone understand the depth of these topics revolves around awareness. One of the challenges would be to convince people about the unconscious bias they might have. However, when an organization talks about these sensitive topics, it also results in an enthusiasm and excitement among these employees. It gives them a sense of pride for doing something for the under-represented. Thus changing the conversation in a positive way can prove to be fruitful.

Hybrid work and the challenges companies faced while transitioning to it:

Shweta thinks that the future of work is going to be hybrid. Productivity has increased while working from home but employees are still missing those connections. And that's where the hybrid workforce model would be the best option. They can still get the flexibility of working from home while also being able to come to the office and collaborate with their colleagues.

Shweta talks about the challenges her company faced after the onset of the pandemic. Majority of her employees were desktop users. A lot of employees were not enabled to work from home. Only the ones with the laptop were working fine. However, they managed to come up with innovative ways to keep them engaged. They focused on learning goals which motivated employees to upskill themselves. At the same time, they offered fully paid leaves so that the employees could sense that the company’s care for them. The other aspect around enabling work from home was also to make sure that the managers are prepared for it.

Increased attrition rates in organizations:

Organizations are seeing a huge job switch trend. The question lies in how an organization differentiates itself from others. This can depend on the culture of the organization. How they treat an employee is an extremely important factor. It is the role of HR to find ways to retain them. They need to come up with ways to engage employees and make them feel connected to it.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Gagan Arora, the CEO & Strategic Growth Leader at Vertex Global Services. He is the Chairman of Foreign Investors Council, India and the recipient of Forbes India List of Top 100 Great People Managers and Leaders 2020.

Having more than 18 years of experience in enhancing organizational productivity, Gagan started Vertex Global Services, a growing business optimization solutions Provider in 2016. It has today expanded to three different continents and ranked 19th out of 50 most innovative companies all over the world.

In this episode, Gagan talks about the significance of employee feedback in business growth, employee engagement strategies for remote teams, and ways to overcome information overload in the workplace. He also shares his insight into the future of hiring in the BPO industry and the core skills of remote leaders.

Significance of employee feedback in an organization:

Happy employees turn into happy customers. In Gagan’s organization, all employees are treated as brand ambassadors. In this scenario, they have 700 brand ambassadors globally, and thus the impact has become huge. The organization has been certified as the best place to work in India in 2020, and they received an employee satisfaction survey score of 94%. It showcases the care and importance given to the employees. Gagan feels that feedback is one of the best ways to know if they are doing something right or not.
They have rewired the HR function into an Employee Care department. This department specifically caters to the requirements of the employees.

Effective employee engagement strategies:

Communication is the basis of any healthy relationship, personally and professionally. There are few strategies that Gagan’s organization follows:

The more the team asks questions and gives their opinions, the more they feel empowered and trusted.
The organization should show that they are listening. There is nothing better than seeing ideas and work practices being praised and followed.
Hearing the employee voice through an employee satisfaction survey. Having this survey monthly is a much better option than on an annual basis.

How do people manage to ensure that there is no information overload?

Gagan talks about improving just 1% every day. It leads to being 365 times better in a year. He talks about improvement by subtraction by doing less of what does not work, eliminating mistakes, reducing complexity, and completing the essential. The first rule to be followed is the two-minute rule. Tasks that can be completed in less than two minutes should be gathered and completed at once. It will eliminate distractions and improve efficiency. The second rule is named “eat the frog”. It is a productivity hack where tackling the most dreaded task is a priority.

Changes in the BPO industry:

Work from home was not considered an effective way of work before the pandemic. Now, the viewpoints have changed. It has helped a lot of clients to reduce their costs. There will be more employment in India. Many people are physically challenged and cannot travel to the office even though they are wonderfully talented. Similarly, remote work has opened up opportunities for housewives and women in their maternity phase. Hence they are coming up with a model where everyone, having a decent internet connection and technology, can join their gig model. So this will help a lot of people who are currently not working or trying to resume office.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

Wonder what tech hiring looks like in 2021?

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we welcome Nitin Agrawal, Associate Director at Housing.com to talk about the rise in demand for tech roles and the difference between tech hiring before vs after the pandemic.

Having increased his frontend team size at Housing by 30% during the pandemic, Nitin shares the cultural tenets to set before interviewing for the culture fitment.

Bottom of the hiring funnel, active tech recruiters—this episode is also for you. Nitin discusses:

The right approach to hiring tech talent
Traits of employees with an ownership mentality
The role of effective communication as a tech leader
How to align Individual, team, and organizational goals for success

Skills to look for while hiring people:

Nitin’s company recently ramped up their teams and increased their team strength by 30%. Apart from finding how skilled the candidate is, the major thing they look for is whether the person is culturally fit or not. A passion to learn new things and add more values to the system is required.They look for minimal technical skills.

Workplace culture at Housing.com:

Engagement is a top priority for Housing.com. People need to engage with each other. They should be interested in what their peers talk about. It is not only the manager’s responsibility to listen to him/her. This sense of ownership is very significant. Moreover, the employees should know the impact that they are making through their work. They should know the importance each task holds. These are the two values that the company tends to create and maintain within their engineering team. Nitin adds that these values are not limited to Housing.com. They should be inculcated in every company and team.

Nitin explains how people having the right sense of ownership will ask questions and try to understand the value their work holds. They would have a long term approach towards it and see how it will or will not benefit the company. Nitin has three people who have this sense of ownership and are ready to contribute.

Good communication in an engineering team:

The pandemic has made people rely on tools. Earlier, the absence of tools led to more informal communication and unawareness. They have a common channel where any employee can come and drop their queries. It will allow other people to be ready with the solution as well. In multiple departments, roles of leaders come into the picture.

What are some of the other roles you play while leading other people?

Nitin feels that leaders now need to be all-rounders. They need to have technical knowledge, a good core understanding of the industry, and be partially hands on as well. The role demands good communication to make it a more democratic process. Communication plays a big role in creating synergy within teams. The biggest part of a leader’s role is trying to groom the next leader.

Tech tools used in Housing.com:

Housing.com possesses an in-house performance management tool. In order to focus on community collaborations, they use JIRA and Confluence. For communication, Nitin feels that Slack has been the best possible tool to use. They use other tools like Google and 10x for video calls and tracking purposes respectively. They are looking to align things with these software such that everyone has access to common updates and views.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Srividya Nagaraju, an internationally acclaimed Learning Facilitator and a TEDx speaker.

Having three decades of experience, Srividya has formulated training modules on leadership, team building, diversity, and more. She shares ways to develop a motivating and continuous-learning culture at the workplace.

In addition to sharing the significance of mental health at work, she talks about inculcating leadership skills, and the impact of ‘workcations’ on employee productivity.

Learning as a continuous process:

‘Learning is not a checklist syndrome. It is a continuous process.’

Srividya is grateful to her mentor for teaching her this. She adds learning as a goal, not a task. Learning something totally different from one’s skill set is beneficial as well. In organizations, people managers need to arrange sessions where each employee can analyze their learnings everyday. They need to keep an eye on the effective and ineffective factors executed in the tasks. It will help them upskill themselves constantly.

Role of people managers in maintaining employee wellness:

People managers play a parental role in an organization. They have the responsibility of ensuring the wellness of each employee. Thus they need to keep an eye for any drastic change in their employees’ behavior. People behaving unusually or in a dull manner should be looked out for and guided. Personal interactions might be fruitful as well. The goal is to identify the problem first. Hence they can be guided towards professional help further.

The future of work:

According to our guest, the future of work is going to be extremely dynamic. The best option for businesses is to build flexibility. This pandemic brought an unexpected change in the way of work. However, people have been able to adapt to it effectively. It has also offered increased opportunities for everyone.

Significance of networking in the right way:

Srividya talks about the significance of networking with the right people. Deciding the right people for networking is based on the goals, in other words, the reason behind it. One should analyze the value individuals will add to the work. There are several network forums in an organization where people can join in. Good networking helps in faster and better growth.

She conducts her own program, Network=Network, based on measuring the quality of the network as an individual and as an organization.

How to ensure interaction in remote workspaces?

Srividya talks about bringing the pre-pandemic experiences virtually. In her organization, they conduct games, carnivals, and other informal meets. It helps in building bonds and networks better. There are plenty of options available to keep employees motivated and connected during remote work.

Increasing productivity in workspaces:

Productivity depends on how we leverage perks like these. Sriidya feels that it has been rising upwards. The only concern has been the lack of face-to-face interaction. Additionally, she talks about her workshops and how she brings in changes to give a different feel to the audience. If someone is passionate, they will bring in creativity automatically.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we interacted with Pratik Raj, the Senior HR Business Partner at Flipkart.

Pratik talks about finding his way to being a Human Resources professional, structuring a successful internship programme at Flipkart, and managing teams.

In addition to some actionable tips for best on-boarding experience, he talks about building a successful recognition framework and establishing a culture of employee engagement.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Significance of internships for better exposure:

An internship is a pedagogy of the practical exposure every individual requires. Pratik feels that the major problem lies in the fact that our education system relies on theory. To solve the complex issues of the industry, one needs to have holistic experiences. Theoretical learnings do not offer this exposure.

There are multiple opportunities for organizations and academies to collaborate and offer students to work in the corporate world. These are the same set of individuals who are going to join these organizations in a few years. Thus the organizations are investing in them a little prior to enhancing the larger talent ecosystem.

Factors to be considered in the onboarding process:

The virtual world has brought in many challenges in the workspace. Pratik talks about the onboarding process in his company. In the first three to six months of a new employee, whatever they bring to the table irrespective of their skillset is considered very important. They should feel psychological safety within themselves. It brings in the belongingness and their interest in the organization’s growth. He further mentions that the onboarding starts as soon as the paper is signed.

Pratik talks about the mix of centralized and decentralized measures in the process. One cannot have a specific checklist regarding the things to be done. From a central onboarding perspective, there are things that companies can help the employees assimilate, for example, some systems, structures, etc. These are some of the processes his organization focuses on that will help ensure that everything is pleasing for the employee. All these things should be completed before joining or within the first week of joining.

One of the problems which Pratik personally picked up was the feedback they received from the employees after attempting everything. The employees do not feel that they know their peers even after months of working. That is where the role of a people manager comes into the picture. They need to ensure that the employees receive a platform where everyone is connected.

How can employee engagement increase productivity?

Pratik shares his personal learnings for this topic. Employee engagement is extremely important for the performance of a business. It is a function of the overall culture of the company. Pratik feels it is totally based on the way the company treats its employees. Several initiatives are being run in different organizations, and they are working out well. Concepts of employee wellness and no meeting hours can be included here.
Thus the leaders in the organization must have empathy for these employees. Pratik feels that these factors have been considered effectively in the organization. One of the most important things is making work meaningful and not just an input-output matrix.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

BONUS: Here is A Comprehensive Guide to Employee Recognition for understanding the detailed benefits of employee recognition and ways to practice it.

With more than 21 years of experience in HR and Operations across various industries, our guest on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast is Vishal Shah, Head of HR & Operations at Toshal Infotech.

Vishal calls himself a ‘Techno HR’, as working in the IT industry has helped him deal with today’s HR nuances.

In this episode, Vishal talks about the major HR challenges and adapting to transformation caused due to the pandemic.

He also provides a variety of insightful knowledge bytes on the subjects of employee engagement, employee well-being, and ‘behavioural management.'

What are some significant HR challenges?

Vishal believes that a human resource manager is a facilitator in any organization. The pandemic significantly disrupted businesses and processes. One of the most significant challenges that human resource managers faced was the performance tracking of employees. Procedures set earlier were according to an in-office workspace. However, with businesses suddenly beginning to work from home, human resource managers quickly adapted and changed their performance tracking systems.

How to be a leader in the new normal?

A leader can influence organizational behaviour and drive growth. The pandemic has truly tested a leader's true abilities to manage business and employees. Vishal suggests a few qualities that every leader in the new normal will require:
A leader needs to be a visionary. They also need to be able to strategise, inspire, influence and impact others.

They need to grow and upskill along with facilitating the growth of others. A leader who fails to grow and adapt to the changing times will deem insignificant.

With the culture of in-office, remote and hybrid workspaces being gradually adapted, they should be flexible in their methods to get work done.
They need to develop the ability to handle situations with ease.

Follow Vishal Shah on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

BONUS: 1v1 conversations are very important in order to ensure employee engagement and well-being. Hence, we are offering The Big Guide of 160 One-on-One Meeting Questions [2021 Updated] to get you great ideas for your employees.

With over 15 years of experience in Digital Marketing, our guest, Mansi Rana, Managing Director at EZ Ranking IT Services, shares her career journey in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast. From working at multiple marketing and consulting firms to running her own, Mansi provides a variety of insights on understanding organizational goals, and best practices to review candidate applications.

She highlights the importance of emotional intelligence and its role in building her own business. A strong believer of treating employees like customers, Mansi shares that she never misses a chance to celebrate every accomplishment at the workplace, be it big or small.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Ensuring clarity in organizational goals:

People managers, investors, owners, and every employee of a company should be on the same page. They should question themselves about the reason behind being there and the factors that make them different. This will help them identify the purpose/ goal of the organization.

However, Mansi also mentions that company goals keep changing regularly. It is important to reiterate those goals and equally celebrate the path to achieve those goals. This ensures a 360-degree learning curve for everyone in the organization, from the executive to the CEO. This process will inspire the entire organization to do even better.

What to look for in candidates while hiring?

Before reaching out to candidates, it is important to understand and be on the same page as the organization in terms of its value.

Once the people managers understand what the organization is striving for, they can set the predefined filters. It makes it easy for both the candidates and the company to relate to each other and work together.

Treating employees as customers:

According to Mansi, companies are already late in understanding this. Employees are equally crucial for a company as their clients are.

Mansi explains that the reason behind the success of her company is her employees. The company makes sure that they take clients and employees hand in hand. They need to be well-connected. She says that her people should always feel motivated and appreciated. A company cannot expect 100% inputs if the employees do not feel productive in their workplace.

That is where they emphasize the fact that EQ is important along with IQ.

The importance of active social media for companies:

Mansi talks about a study that says that ¾ of employees are hired through social media. Moreover, 84% of companies are actively using platforms like LinkedIn to identify the correct candidates. The active social media of the company acts as two-way communication.

The employees/clients can witness the culture of the organization. Social media is transparent and allows employees to analyze if their values match with that of the organization. Every organization needs to work on the social media handles to showcase who they are rather than being described by someone.

Follow Mansi on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work Podcast, we talk to Dr Kishore Kumar, Founder Chairman and Consultant Neonatologist at Cloudnine Hospital.

After spending nearly 18 years overseas, Dr Kishore established the Cloudnine Group of Hospitals in 2006 to raise quality and service standards in maternal and neonatal care in India.

In this episode, he shares his journey from being a neonatologist to establishing his own hospital for maternity and neonatal care.

Tune into this conversation to get insights to understand the management of healthcare delivery, leadership styles in healthcare, challenges and the future of the healthcare industry.

Episodes Highlights:

What makes neonatal speciality different?

Children's medical issues are different from what adults face. Their life is full of future, unlike adults medical issues like lifestyle diseases and many incurable diseases. This is what makes the Neonatal speciality filled with chances. Simple interventions can save the lives of many children.

How does one take the most practical decision when it comes to being a doctor?

Research has shown that most doctors are empathic, and most CEOs are great leaders but not that empathetic. Deciding for the best outcome without cutting corners, you have to be a leader, but healthcare is an exception. Here a perfect blend of leadership qualities and empathy is required. In other words, neither all cases are the same nor are their requirements and response to healthcare the same. This is where empathy plays an important role. There is an increased focus on doctor-led hospitals rather than purely MBA-led hospitals for this reason only. Doctors who are better administrators are a good option for running hospitals.

The thick line between the healthcare industry and hospitality industry:

Healthcare provides hospitality along with healthcare 247. The requirements of the healthcare industry are manifold than that of the hospitality industry. In hotels, the customer sleeps, whereas in hospitals, the disease is not going to sleep. Healthcare professionals have to be alert 247. Even one minute of negligence can cost lives. The Healthcare Industry needs to make sure that both hospitality and healthcare are delivered all the time, which is a major challenge.

Challenges faced as a leader in the healthcare industry and how to tackle them

The list is long. The healthcare industry is not as organized as the software industry. For example, starting a small hospital requires a license for each department. Then comes procuring quality healthcare workers. Many of the nurses who qualify for nursing colleges in India are not competent enough. The doctors here have very little practical exposure, which decreases their competency. Challenges with infrastructure are another hurdle. Making sure our vision gets manifested when it comes to the requirements of the building is not an easy task.

Changes in the healthcare industry in 5 to 10 years

The healthcare industry will become data-heavy as maintaining data will become electronic. Electronic data and patient records not only need to be maintained but also protected against any ill-usage. Pandemic has created awareness about how much improvement we still need to see in healthcare. Public healthcare needs to be improved, and also work in conjunction with the private healthcare system to make India a better healthcare destination. We have very good doctors in India unless they are provided with proper infrastructure and facilities, the population is not going to be benefiting.

Follow Dr Kishore on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, we hosted Aadil Bandukwala, ranked among ‘India’s Top 20 Most Influential People in Human Resources’. In addition to being the Senior Director of Marketing at HackerRank, Aadil is the author of 'Outbound Hiring: How Innovative Companies are Winning the Global War for Talent.'Aadil goes beyond traditional recruiting concepts to craft narratives that reshape the candidate’s journey. Having worked as a Talent Acquisition Advisor for years, he talks about evangelizing talent by bringing stories from his experiences.

We picked his brain to know about the role of analytics in recruitment, and other significant concepts in hiring such as inbound and outbound hiring, zero waste recruitment, building candidate journey maps, and the power of empathy.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

How to ensure the success of a hiring process?

Aadil takes us through methods of hiring- inbound and outbound. Inbound hiring is the process of posting jobs and then waiting for people to apply. According to him, this process turns out to be a failure. A company might receive plenty of leads, but they will churn out eventually. Instead, as Aadil mentions, companies should go for an outbound hiring process. They should find out the leads and approach them. It is a targeted approach where personalized talent acquisition and business efforts merge to hire people who will succeed in a company.

This process is similar to the method of outbound sales. In order to achieve good results:
Companies need to treat candidates like customers. They need to ensure a good candidate experience for them.
Recruiting should be aligned with the nuances of the business. More often, the HR team does not align with the views of the business team. Their version of the candidate and feedback is very different from each other.

Building a candidate journey map for a better candidate experience:

Aadil explains how the Sales and Marketing team of a company curates the ideal experience for a customer. New product managers build a user journey when they startup. It helps them understand problems the customers might face with the products with the customers and its solution. However, one cannot find such an attempt made for the candidates.
It is necessary to help recruiters help go through the candidate journey. They need to understand the entire emotional journey of the candidates.

Tips on employer branding and employee experience to startups:

Candidate experience is not a one-time activity. It needs to be effective in every step of the hiring and the post-hiring process. The problem arises when the candidates switch jobs within a few months. Thus the company must figure out ways to retain them. They need to be delighted in every step of their career journey. It is also about relaying the brand story, the technical statistics, stories of your employees, etc., to the customers. The candidate needs to know the benefits and growth they can receive by applying to this company. Lack of this clarity leads to an increase in job switching.

Follow Aadil on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

Outbound Hiring

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Sriram Manoharan, founder and Managing Director of CONTUS.

Sriram shares the lessons he’s learned through a failed startup in 2008 and how he made the best out of those lessons to make CONTUS successful & profitable while bootstrapping.

Having interviewed hundreds of candidates over the past 17 years, he explains the difference between hiring people when you are an executive at a company working for someone else versus hiring as a founder of your own company. Sriram also highlights the best practices to build a good work culture and values at a bootstrapped company.

How did you face the difficulties of a startup?

Sriram started an online technical support platform known as Support1000.com. However, they were unsure about how they would market it within four months without funds. He was looking for solutions along with his team. They had to go without salaries and revenues for a few years. Their sole aim was to keep the business going. They somehow managed to find a way to work in software development. He started designing websites for several companies. This is where he learnt about digital marketing. They prepared a few software services models and started marketing them.
He adds that making a startup requires a lot of consistency. The first step or idea always tends to fail. New startups should just continue to keep their place in the market space. If they have a good product, they will definitely find a market for their products.
The funding opportunities were extremely less in 2008. Thus, they had to run the startup with their own funds. However, Sriram says that they are self-sufficient. He does not believe in non- profitable companies having billion dollar valuations. They keep investing in their own business in order to grow it. Moreover, they were a services company which made it even more difficult to raise funds.

Implementing digital transformation in organizations:

Sriram finds the idea of implementing technology extremely useful. The hiring in the company is huge thus making it difficult to implement this. However, he feels it can bring a great change within the organizations.

Choosing between remote work and hybrid work:

Sriram feels that along with working remotely, employees should come to the office and meet each other once or twice a week. Meeting people and learning from seniors helps the new hires in order to get into the culture of the organization. He finds it hard to meet people over laptop screens. Giving a personal touch will always help build a culture.
However, he is a strong proponent of the hybrid model and feels it is successful. It has ramped up the way of work making everything very easy. He adds that the hybrid model is the most convenient option as forcing employees into the office is not acceptable as well.

Advice to other entrepreneurs and people managers:

Our guest provides valuable advice to other entrepreneurs and people managers: We all have to add a human touch to everything. We have to be helpful and supportive towards the organization, the employees and even candidates who lost their jobs. The IT industry is a less-affected industry. Thus it should take the responsibility of helping others as well.

Follow Sriram Manoharan on LinkedIn

Podcast host: Junius Dsilva
Produced by: Priya Bhatt

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Mike 'Batman' Cohen, the Founder of Wayne Technologies, explains his clear approach to sourcing, which focuses on deliverables, transparent data, and multiple platforms to procure diversity and quality of candidates.

He talks about the state of recruiting in 2021 and delves deeper into the data-driven approach to perform talent acquisition. He works towards increasing the efficacy and altruism of the Sourcing & Recruiting industry.

Mike has worked with a diverse group of clients and writes for SourceCon and RecruitingDaily. He is also involved with SourceHouston and is an Executive Board Member of ATAP (Association for Talent Acquisition Professionals).

Tell us something about sourcing that most people don’t know:

Most people are unaware of the fact that there is way more data involved than they are collecting. However, there is no tool to collect more data unless it is done manually. The first thing to figure out is what data is and isn’t.

Mike has done a couple of sessions on the difference between metrics and KPI. He explains how these two are very different things. KPI tells you what and where the data is. While metric tells you what exactly is happening through the data. Metrics offer the efficiency of that data. It provides a complete analysis of the input VS output.

“KPIs are numbers, metrics are percentage”

Once you understand the data, you delve deeper into the topic.

Furthermore, Mike mentions how he always looks at response rates instead of numbers. It is important to know how effective these responses are and how many will convert into phone calls.

Mike feels that recruitment is an interesting blend of art and science behind marketing and sales. The art of marketing is based on the displaying of things to interact with people. The art piece of sales functions around how to interact with humans to elicit a response. When combined, they offer the foundation for a good recruiting structure.

Do you think there is a fundamental gap in terms of how the recruiters are judged?

There is a fundamental gap in the understanding of what a recruiter does by the recruiters themselves. Mike asks plenty of people regarding the job of a recruiter in his podcast. According to him, these recruiters put themselves into a box and think they should fit in instead of performing their actual role.

Now the question is, what exactly is the role of a recruiter? It is a two-directional pipeline of data. They take data from the company and bring it to the market, and vice versa. That can be recruitment, brand marketing, or simply messaging candidates to see if they are interested. This further becomes talent mapping the market, candidate responses, and more. The only goal of the recruiter should be to help people assess their data and assist them in any other possible areas. Their job is not to weigh their opinions on another person’s decisions.

How often should recruiters be looking into AV tests:

Mike says that they look into their AV tests everyday. He encourages other companies to follow the same process as well. People are more often worried about how the product is going to position on the shelf. However, Mike feels that there is no point worrying about it if they don't have the raw materials to make the product. Furthermore, Mike gives a picture of how the stack for a recruiter looks like when they try to solve similar problems.

Follow Mike on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Is there a formula to being successful in your career and life?

How should the professionals make their career shifts? How to inculcate a better culture in an organization?

All of these questions are answered on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast with Dr Frederick Correa.

Dr Frederick is an experienced HR professional who leads the function at a prominent Investment Banking Firm. At the age of 16, he represented India as a Youth Ambassador to the United Nations. His keen interest in Academics led him to pursue a Masters in Labour Law from Mumbai University and also a PhD. focusing on ‘The Employability Studies of Business School graduates’.

Dr Frederick has extensive campus recruitment experience and is on the board of studies in a number of business schools helping them shape their curriculum and keeping employability as a prime focus.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Inspiration behind the book: “Enhance your employability with Ikigai: A simple 7 step Program to win at work and in life.”

Frederick takes us through the story behind his career shift from Ph.D. to MBA. Many people tried to convince him to stay in the field he had studied. However, he was determined to pursue Human Resources. He felt that a Ph.D. would not be as helpful as HR. This persistence is what Frederick wanted to share with the world. He aimed to offer the clarity of career to those who were confused. This is the reason why Frederick and his father decided to write the book. Their main goal was to share their years of corporate experience in a scientific yet practical manner. It had to be easy for people to understand.

Feedback to young professionals and startups:

Frederick offers a simple yet unique solution for startups or young professionals. It is necessary to start with an end in mind, that is, a goal. It can be achieved through career clarity. When a startup knows the problem it is supposed to solve, it will perform effectively. Thus they need to start identifying goals at different levels. Identifying and developing those skills will initiate better growth of the startup/career.

Reflection as a tool in career development:

Reflection is one of the most significant tools in terms of career growth. You need to have a target and review how you are moving towards it. However, you might not succeed even after that. This is where reflection comes into the picture. You have to analyze what helped you and what went wrong.
Frederick explains how simply practicing will not make a task perfect. Correct practicing with reflection will make it perfect.

Frederick’s thoughts on job switching:

Cultural fitment: When the organizational culture does not meet the requirements of an individual, leaving the job can be a reasonable decision.
When the learning cycle sends: This is an important factor to consider a job switch. Frederick mentions an example stating how staying and learning in one company is more fruitful than learning from two different companies. He also highlights the importance of implementing the things learned.

To sum up, you need to target winning in the second half of your career. Utilize the first half to build a foundation. Frederick explains how joining another job and quitting a job are two separate decisions. Before making a switch, you should analyze what makes you unhappy and how you will achieve it in your next workplace. Moreover, focus on how your next job will offer you a closer step towards your goal.

Follow Fredrick on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Lokesh Gautam

In this episode, we welcome Kristian Kalle, CEO and Founder of VideoCV, a screening and assessment tool for recruitment.

Kristian provides the know-how to run an online recruitment process, post-hire challenges, and culture. He also gives us insights into the changes that occurred in the recruitment process because of the pandemic.

Kristian also shares what led him to create VideoCV and how they are trying to make the online recruitment process efficient and cost-effective with the help of great insights.

What is VideoCV and how does it help in improving recruitment?

In one line, VideoCV is a talent screening automation tool.
It's a recruitment tool to understand your candidates better and more before you call them for an interview. And before you invest your time into them, you receive the extra benefit of understanding them through their personalities, and not through papers. This is what they offer to their clients and they foresee a big change in the recruitment industry through this tool.

What changes have you noticed when it comes to recruitment during the pandemic?

Kristian explains that one of the biggest changes the pandemic brought in the industry was remote work. While opening up a huge potential for employers, it is changing the work culture. Many organizations are struggling to imbibe a clearly defined culture. For example, In Estonia, bigger companies are reducing their office space.
The pandemic has made companies adapt to remote work. Leaders and managers can measure if the employees performed on the same level working remotely as they would while working in the office. Although earlier employers were skeptical to examine this before the pandemic, they are doing it now.

Personality-based recruitment:

Kristian shares that the average period an employee is likely to stay in the company is not more than two or three years.

Currently, the recruitment process has been shaped towards being more personality-based rather than data-based. People spend 8 to 9 hours at the workplace. They communicate with co-workers, managers and even co-founders. They need to have a culture or an environment where they can put their opinions forward and be heard.

This concludes that organizations should not screen candidates based on their CVs. There’s more to a candidate than education, hard skills and experience. Today, the key is to be able to predict hiring success to make the right hiring decisions.

A personality assessment beats the traditional methods of gathering information and provides recruiters with objective insights that significantly improve candidate selection.

| Skills can be taught. But, personality is something that stays the same.

Follow Kristian on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Junius Dsilva

BONUS: Interested to know more about advanced recruitment? Get the answers to all your questions in our recent article: The role of data and tech advancements in ensuring hiring success.

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast our guest is Anita Bhatia, HR Head at ETMONEY.

Having held numerous Human Resources roles in MNCs such as MasterCard, American Express and Amdocs, her expertise lies in Organization Development, Business Partnering, Performance Management, and other critical areas of the HR functions.

In this episode, she covers:

Tools to leverage during remote work
How to get started with Diversity and Inclusion at the workplace
Things remote work taught to professionals
Best practices for Performance management at startups

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Managing remote work

Communication has become an essential ingredient to effectively manage remote work. In Anita’s organization, Slack software was adapted to manage team communication and collaboration. The software’s superior technology and the brilliant team allowed smoothly transitioning communication over to Slack without any human intervention. Moreover, the platform easily integrated with other apps and services that the team was already using on a daily basis such as Google calendar, Jira, and more tools. Likewise, the organization adapted Mettl software to ease the hiring process of the organization. The software helped the organization with initial sourcing and shortlisting of the candidates through online skill assessment tests and tools which ultimately saved a lot of bandwidth for the organisation’s interviewers. Anita feels that adopting a good digital communication channel or tool is fundamental to help a business survive in the new reality of remote work.

Things remote work taught to professionals

Anita talks about how the concept of work-life integration has truly come into play due to remote working. The transition to remote work has blurred out work-life boundaries. Now, professionals can flexibly work around their personal life. For instance, they can take short breaks at any moment to spend time with their loved ones. Additionally, working from home has also made it easier for a professional’s family to understand its job better. Likewise, remote working has also accelerated technological advancements. For professionals, it has become crucial to embrace new technology to work efficiently and stay relevant in the constantly evolving and changing world of technology. Overall remote work has taught us to be more humble and grateful.

Biggest challenges for the HR

Finding the best talent has been the biggest HR challenge. Anita discusses how accessing the right tech talent for her organization has been the toughest HR challenge she ever faced in her 16 years career. Businesses are facing a talent crisis and a global war of talent in the marketplace due to the COVID-caused delays.
Anita feels that a long-term talent management strategy is required to effectively address this HR challenge. Although a robust campus to cooperate with national-level efforts is helpful to deal with this issue, it requires a mindset, readiness, and investment in the skill development program to train college talent to make them viable candidates.

Follow Anita on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast Host: Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Jimit Dattani, Chief Technology Officer at MIT World Peace University.

An active professional in the technology industry for over 20 years, Dattani has witnessed significant evolution of tech.

He talks about the intangible skills that organizations should look for in tech hiring, instead of just qualifications and technical skillset.

He also talks about the digital transformation in the current hiring process and gives a variety of insights into the subjects of employee experience, team management and remote team challenges.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Qualities to look for while hiring:

The first step an organization needs to take is to ensure a vibrant community that encourages a productive mindset. They need to look for ways to train them.
In terms of the candidate, Jimmit’s chief criteria is empathy. The next thing to look for is whether the candidate has the basic requirements for the job. It gives an idea on the efforts the organization has to put in to train the candidate. Additionally, he/she should have the desire to learn. Skills can be taught only when the candidate has a hunger for learning.
Other important characteristics can be curiosity and creativity. The candidate should be taking initiatives and possesses a multi-disciplinary thinking.

Significance of digital transformation and its benefits in hiring:

Digital transformation is playing a catalyst role in shaping the future of work. It can also be harnessed to hire the right set of people in an organization. Jimmit explains what digital transformation actually is. He feels it is more about people than technology. It is the people who are utilizing these tools. Thus it requires an organizational change that needs to be backed by leadership.
After the onset of the pandemic, the hiring process has undergone plenty of challenges. The process has changed with an increased volume of candidates and without any meetings/interviews. Digital transformation plays an important role here if implemented correctly. This helps in increasing productivity and getting people on board faster. Digital tools also provide a lot of metrics in different segments like attendance, leaves management, performance management. Jimmit says that this entire process does not end the moment someone is hired. Rather it continues in the form of tiny feedback, employee satisfaction, nurturing growth, and in projects.

“If you expect an outcome, empower them with tools.”

In terms of ensuring best efforts from the employees, trust plays a big role. A manager should not start a project with team members when he is unsure of their work. An organization can have control to an extent, but they should not micromanage. To ensure full potential from the employees, they can have daily check ins, and quality audits. Usage of metrics in order to measure efficiency can also be fruitful.

Thoughts on increased job-switching:

Jimmit feels that both the organization and the employees should understand that job switching is a big problem. Candidates need to know the importance of delivering a commitment. Money has become the main factor in jobs and people are vocal about it. Loyalty towards the organization has become a secondary factor here. The organizations need to figure out the reason and attempt to solve it. They need to nurture an environment where the employees go for an experience.
The candidates want faster career growth. According to Jimmit, neither staying in one company for years is beneficial, nor is switching companies every few months. There is no quick fix to this situation.

Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam
Produced by: Priya Bhatt

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Springworks' Product Manager, Nisarg Shah talks to Ryan Gormley, Head of People at Nylas - a productivity infrastructure for modern software. Ryan strongly believes in diversity and loves to innovate. His previous stints include working for organizations like Slack, Symantec and Earnin.

Ryan shares a few of his experiences and ideas on keeping up with the forced transformation in training and managing remote teams, implementing work-life balance within the workspace, and rethinking HR policies. He also highlights some effective ways that he used to engage the team at Nylas in the remote work environment.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Impact of the pandemic on the way of work:

Ryan is a strong proponent of employee freedom and autonomy . When people are more comfortable working from home, forcefully calling them in the office is micromanaging. Before having a workspace, an organization needs to know about the intent behind it.

He feels that a hybrid workplace will provide better performance by offering better talent from every corner of the world. For high performing teams, hybrid work is necessary. As long as the work is getting done, people should have the freedom to arrange their day’s schedule. This calls for a more output-focused mindset. He explains that there is a difference between work and office.You can have a smaller workspace for the office people to interact.

Giving the employees the freedom and responsibility of structuring their routine is going to retain them. For this purpose, an organization needs to have the value of trust.

Shift in the compensation policies:

There is going to be a real shift in the compensation policies of different companies. Ryan talks about companies like Microsoft, Twitter, and his company where they choose to give their people the option and the choice. This will pave the way towards better employee retention. According to him, people are craving for more flexibility. Many talents might leave their organizations if the hybrid model is changed. Compensation takes time to shift. It is important to understand that compensation is not the cost of living, but the cost of labour. It is the market rate for the job you do and the location you do it in. There might be a shortage of jobs in a location. But if there is a high demand for the skill set, the pay will increase based on that supply and demand curve. Ryan personally takes the time to explain compensation to the employees. They attempt to bring equality in terms of compensation. Organizations should inform the employees in higher pay scales when they will not be receiving a raise for a specific time period. Transparency makes these tasks seamless.

Advice to young HR professionals:

Ryan gives a valuable piece of advice to the young HR professionals. It does not matter where you come from or which school you went to, if you work hard, you will definitely achieve success. Moreover, be hungry to learn and grow. If you are working in a startup, make yourself comfortable with the ambiguities that will accompany it. You have to be motivated and passionate about working in a startup.

Ryan mentions that he is a lover of travelling. He is grateful to have travelled different parts of the world, tried different cuisines, and learned different cultures and languages.

Follow Ryan Gormley on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Nisarg Shah

BONUS: Managing remote teams is not an easy task. Here is A Guide to Hiring and Managing Remote Teams for you to better manage and engage your team.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest Cyrille Kozyreff shares valuable inputs regarding leadership development which most organizations are unaware of. He also shares a variety of insightful tidbits on energy vs time management and the effective ways to handle a remote team.

Cyrille Kozyreff is a leader in the space of mindful leadership. During his 8 years at McKinsey, which included serving as the global managing partner's chief of staff, he used to look for every opportunity to practice mindfulness meditation, be it for 10 minutes before a progress review, for 5 minutes after a 4-hour night, or for 10 days between two client projects. But it is only 5 years into his stint in India, which started in 2011, that Cyrille found the inflexion point that allowed him to integrate mindfulness and leadership more closely: When Harvard University's Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar asked him to start Potentialife's India office, he started practicing the art of small victories - wherein every day is an opportunity to connect with one's deeper self and to do one small action differently in a way that reflects the deeper self's aspirations. He and his Mumbai-based team leverage this 'inner compounding' way of life as an entry point for cohorts of 10 to 100 leaders to start enjoying inner change, thereby realising that they can easily be leaders of change within their organizations.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Setting foot into the world of mindful leadership:

Cyrille Kozyreff is a leader in the space of mindful leadership. During his 8 years at McKinsey, which included serving as the global managing partner's chief of staff, he used to look for every opportunity to practice mindfulness meditation, be it for ten minutes before a progress review, for five minutes after a four hour night, or for ten days between two client projects. But it was only five years into his stint in India, which started in 2011, that Cyrille found the inflexion point which allowed him to integrate mindfulness and leadership more closely. When Harvard University's Dr Tal Ben-Shahar asked him to start Potentialife's India office, he started practising the art of small victories - wherein every day is an opportunity to connect with one's deeper self and to do one small action differently in a way that reflects the deeper self's aspirations. Cyrille and his Mumbai-based team leveraged this 'inner compounding' way of life as an entry point for cohorts of 10 to 100 leaders to start enjoying the inner change.

The thing we need to know about leadership development:

Habit formation matters the most in leadership development. Leaders can not grow without forming habits just because of their great thoughts. To be able to stay consistent with your habits, not only do you need a process and a group, but more importantly, you need an agenda that comes completely from within. Hence, forming self-concordant goals. Nurturing the connection with self is an extremely important, yet intuitive process.

Aligning individual and organizational goals

Just like the 100 streams that start from different places in the mountain and progressively converge into a very powerful river, change movement grows organically. When you have that, it's very easy to divert part of the water and irrigate whichever fields you want. The river will be very happy to give that much water.

Likewise, when a group of colleagues accomplish that change momentum, they create new connections at the heart level. They start viewing the growth of empathy and risk-taking as part of their personal journey.

Follow Cyrille Kozyreff on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

Our guest on this episode of The Shape of Work podcast is Jane Ferre. Jane is an Executive Career Coach for frustrated professionals.

She provides private career coaching for professionals who, despite loving the organisation that they work for and the people who they work with, know that they’ve outgrown their role and need a new challenge - but they just don't know where to start. Prior to working as a career coach, Jane worked at British Airways for almost twenty years.

In the episode, our conversation with Jane revolves around job redundancies and tips to cope with them. She also discusses facts about a good candidate experience and ways to improve it through the recruitment process. She provides a variety of insightful tidbits into mentorship, coaching, training and development, and the concept of “self-learning”.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

What Companies Must Do To Have a Good Candidate Experience

Hiring managers must know quickly if a candidate is good for the role or not. It's important to make decisions quickly and tell the candidate. When you are slow to make decisions, you can lose the person to competitors. If you want to bring back people, make that decision quickly. Keep the processes to a minimum. It's important to provide candidates feedback and a positive experience, regardless of the outcome of the interview.

How Do Companies Identify the Training and Development Needs of Employees During the Pandemic?

Development is a two-way street. It is not just about the organizations giving training to individuals but also about the individuals taking ownership of development. Development is also about developing one's skillset. It is not just about developing something specifically for the organization. The individual has a responsibility as well. They must focus on developing specific skills within a time frame. The organization must focus on getting the right people with the right talent and the right skills for the right roles at the right time. Individuals can develop in many ways – Watch YouTube videos, be part of someone's Facebook, read a book, follow a blogger, or even start their own blog, engage the content of a reputed personality on LinkedIn, and more.

How Virtual Meetings Affect the Working Pattern of Employees?

More meetings are happening in organizations since the pandemic forced the work from home norm. This string of meetings can affect the working hours of employees. Online meetings are eating into work time. But one reason why these meetings are increasing is that virtual meetings do not provide the visual elements to understand employees' frame of mind and their body language. Employees must take a stand to decide if their presence is really needed in a meeting. Do they need to be there? What is the contribution they are making? What's the impact if they are not there?

How Effective is the Survey Method to Judge the Overall Health of an Organization?

Most organizations probably don't need a survey because they already know what they are doing. If they are engaging with the employees regularly, they know what the answers will be to the survey questions. Surveys can create overwhelming data, and companies don't know what to do with it. Organizations must not go on a strategy changing spree just because of the data given out by a particular survey. Just change one or two things that are most important and implement that. Choose to change things that are easy to implement and can give quicker results.

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Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Jayant Rastogi, Global CEO of Magic Bus India Foundation, an NGO founded 20 years ago which has made a difference by working in the poorest communities to help 1 million children and young people transform their lives.

Jayant is an industry veteran with over 28 years of experience in setting up and driving successful and scalable businesses. An entrepreneur for the last three years, Jayant has diverse experience of working in the technology, distribution & enterprise segment.

In this episode, he talks about his journey from being part of several tech-based enterprises to now working in the Social Sector.

We picked his brain to know about the importance of strong communication, maintaining a culture that motivates the team members, and implementation of technology and automation in the Social Sector.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The transformation of the Magic Bus Foundation:

Jayant explains that the industry is more complex than it looks. He mentions the difference between the corporate sector and the nonprofit sector. When Jayant’s journey in Magic Bus started, he felt overwhelmed for the first few days. It was an organization without systems and processes. His first step was to conduct parallel processing and get people to rely on it.
They went for all the automation processes together. It is generally not possible in all companies.

They went through a massive transformation which eventually turned out to be great for the organization. Currently, their financial systems, technology, and all other processes are in place. They turned their employer promoter score from -35 to 56.

Effectiveness of Automation:

They faced a lot of challenges while automating the organization. When they implemented new technology, the employees started having trust issues against Jayant. They felt that he did not believe in their work. To solve this, Jayant tried to assure them that the organization is here to look out for them. Moreover, they started seeing the benefits of this technology too.

Taking care of employee well-being:

Many small organizations had to downsize themselves. Before the lockdown got announced, Magic Bus was busy carrying out work and conducting fundraising. They started by carrying out a business continuity plan. 35%-40% of their funds were donated to the PM cares fund. They decided not to cut the salaries of the lower-level employees. They performed intelligent cost savings by moving their programs virtual. Technology helped them a lot. Jayant says that this adaptation of technology could have taken years otherwise.

Strategies to make an organization a great place to work in:

The first and foremost factor to make an NGO a great place to work is trust. Leadership should walk the talk. Building trust requires transparent communication and honesty. In addition, the organization should reward people who do well. In addition, it should also focus on talent development through internal and external workshops. Getting people involved and taking care of them is extremely important. Magic Bus arranged O2 concentrators for their employees.

Employee well-being in an NGO?

Magic Bus tied up for several mental health and counseling sessions. These sessions have been anonymous. Jayant says that it is a necessary step towards watching out for the employees.

Follow Jayant on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Apeksha Atal, a Biology student turned Strategic Advisor at Niyo Solutions Inc.

Having a desire to build strong organizations and bring a cultural change in them, Apeksha talks about the necessity to redefine inclusion in the ‘new normal.’ She also explains the challenges that HRs face in the remote work environment and ways to make remote work more effective.

She started working at Niyo for their marketing function where she was creating content and ideas. She left to pursue Fulbright Thailand and after coming back, she got the chance to work directly in the founder's office at Niyo.

Apart from her professional life, she likes to run, is a foodie, painter, reader and writer.

Listen to the full episode for a litany of tactical insights:

The Big “I” – Redefining Inclusion In The “New Normal”
The most challenging job for HR in the remote work environment
Prospects for human capital in India vs Thailand
Things that make remote-work effective

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Apeksha comes from a diverse background. From Science to Journalism to Human Resources, she surely has covered a wide range of subjects.
Apeksha explains how she had a keen interest in making an impact in the real world through the knowledge she received in the classroom. She made the best use of her school and college days exploring different areas, working in clubs, and enhancing her creativity.

The biggest challenge HR had to face in the new normal:

More than designing strategies, employee engagement has turned out to be a much bigger challenge during the pandemic. Engagement is an essential to create a connection between the company and its employees. It is a much easier process when done in person. Currently, we are reliant on email, chats, and other online platforms. Many companies are trying regular surveys, team building competitions, guest speaking, and other ways to reach this target. However, most HR professionals are experimenting constantly.

Prospects India has over other countries and vice versa:

Apeksha described working in Thailand as working with a family. Her peers were extremely warm and supportive. They possess a good work-life balance.

In India, with the growing industries, there is an evolving work life. Thus there is a need to put special attention to employee burnout. Companies should look out for stress and mental health of their employees.

In terms of human capital, HR has immense potential in all countries. HR is paving its way to be a dynamic business driver from a simple support function. It is possible through creativity and innovation. HR is helping employees grow as people, peers, and as professionals.

Ways to make hybrid work models work effectively:

Apeksha is a big fan of flexibility. It opens up opportunities for people who aren’t able to work in offices. It also offers a wider range of talent pool for companies. However, in order to maintain productivity, people need to be structured and organized. Companies should communicate effectively and frequently. It requires a lot more attention and creativity.
When the situation improves, a meaningful hybrid model would be a great way to achieve progress in the new normal.

Follow Apeksha Atal on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Dr Surendra Takawale, CEO of Vishvaraj Environment Pvt Ltd, a water and waste management solutions company.

A strong advocate of open communication, Dr Surendra talks about its importance in an organization. Having expertise in leadership and business strategies, he shares his perspectives on what makes a good leader & how to train them.

In addition, he throws light on the effectiveness of good relationship management, the mental well-being of employees and good employer branding as well.

Listen to this podcast to know more about leadership management and take a step towards growing the leader within you.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Factors to be considered while building a team:
When a company is bringing in people to work for, they should focus on team building. Communication should be two-way and open. The company should provide a clear and accurate job description. All the employees should focus on the company’s goal. They have to be cooperative and contribute towards it. He mentions how he supports risk taking while building a team. He does not believe in working in compartments and encourages different opinions.

People challenges that companies are facing in remote working:

Surendra talks about the slack of social connect employees are having. In his company, they are coming up with new strategies to keep them motivated. They are connected through whatsapp, zoom, and other platforms. They attempt to keep them busy and give them motivation.

All the decisions made in the COMPANY NAME are made considering the employees. They attempt to understand their requirements and make policies according to that.

The process of resolving issues in an organization:

We feel there should be a clear direction and approach from each team. An organization should prioritize personalities of different teams and figure out how they can work with each other. He also highlights the importance of basic communication and feedback in senior leadership. Feedback can help in making relevant corrections to it. The leaders should also be aware of the authority they are in and the role they have to play. According to him, lack of communication is the major reason behind problems persisting in any organization.

Factors that determine a good leader:

He talks about four factors that make a good leader:
Communication- The leader should know how to communicate the right message at the right place and time.
Vision- The leader should know where the company is and its potential.
Accountability- Everyone is accountable in an organization for the roles they play. Each of the employees, including the leader, are responsible for every outcome of it organization.
Gratitude- One of the most important factors that a good leader should have is the ability to be thankful for what he gets.

Maintaining employee well-being and employer branding:

‘Sorry’ and ‘thanks’- Surendra says that these two words are small but very important. It is important to notice the happenings in the teams. Try to avoid gossips in the team
Might give gossips
Surendra’s organization maintains an open door policy in the company where everyone is allowed to come and offer solutions. They try to create a team environment that promotes growth.All the employees consider each other as family and they help them build as a team.

Follow Dr Surendra Takawale on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Yashwanth Jembige

What are the skills that a talent acquisition professional should have?
What are the facts about hiring which most companies are unaware of?

To find answers to these questions, we interacted with Katrina Collier, facilitator in Recruitment & Candidate Experience at the Searchologist.

The author of “The Robot-Proof Recruiter”, a well-loved global keynote speaker, and the host of “The Hiring Partner Perspective (Unedited)” podcast. Katrina talks about her mission to energise the human connection between HR, recruiters & hiring managers to improve the recruitment process and candidate experience.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tell us something that most Hiring Managers don’t know:

Katrina explains that most hiring managers do not consider CV hunting as a worthy task. They think recruiting managers simply have to advertise. In reality, recruiting is quite a complicated task.
Moreover, the biggest change occurred with the explosion of the internet. All the papers started appearing online and companies started getting direct access. However, these hiring managers don’t know that they are being looked up as well. Thus they need to be more aware regarding what they write. Their posts need to be empathetic.

Managing relationships between Hiring Managers, Talent Acquisition professionals, and HR:

According to Katrina, a few communication issues are prevailing between the Talent Acquisition professionals, Human Resources, and Hiring Managers. It arises problems of politics and misunderstandings between them. However, it is the responsibility of all three to ensure good relations with each other. There is always a debate regarding where talent acquisition should be in an organization.

Katrina answers that it should be outside Human Resources, plugging in the Hiring, Marketing, or the Sales department, and being proactive rather than reactive.
With the onset of the internet, it has become mandatory for them to be truthful online. All three departments identify the problems and find the solutions to them. Most importantly, they need to understand that it is the employees that make a company succeed. Finance is a secondary factor here.

Skills one should have to partner with the hiring candidates:

The HR or Talent Acquisition professional needs to know what the Hiring managers want. The candidates need to learn how to trust, be curious, and be empathetic. If they don’t create this clarity and certainty for the candidate, they can’t build a good relationship with them.
Katrina is a big supporter of feedback and discards the idea of leaving interview candidates confused without feedback. They should show compassion towards the candidate.

Factors comprising candidate experience:

Katrina again highlights the importance of feedback here. The candidates are extremely energetic while applying for different roles. The recruiters can simply match that level of excitement by sending them tips of job search, behind the scenes, adding value, and letting people know where they are. The candidates might be telling their experiences to others. Bad reviews can lead to a loss in the business. She adds that Human Resources, Hiring Managers, and Talent Acquisition professionals should partner together and have open conversations. Basic courtesy such as keeping the camera on can make the candidate feel relaxed.

Follow her on LinkedIn & Twitter

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

The Robot-Proof Recruiter: A Survival Guide for Recruitment and Sourcing Professionals

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Tom Thomas, CEO of Praxis- Institute of Participatory Practices.

With three decades of experience in international social development research and expertise across various thematic areas, Tom is also the Convener of Corporate Responsibility Watch, a civil society coalition that acts as a watchdog in the human rights space.

In this episode, he reflects on the grand challenges of working in a Social Service sector, Artificial Intelligence both as a threat and boon, and discusses the most important insights on the topic of ‘exploitation of the workforce and how to prevent it.'

Additionally, he provides some insightful tidbits on the difference between recruitment processes in a Non-profit organization vs a Corporate.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Tom feels that Artificial Intelligence is rapidly taking over the industry. However, there are several aspects to it. It is equally a threat as well as a benefit. He mentions that technology is the benefit, but the breed driving the technology is a threat. It has the potential to drastically change the way human labour is used. While it saves a lot of human power, the problem that might arise is the conflict between capital and labour. Most third-world countries have a labour surplus market. While technology advances, it can lead to further joblessness. It needs to be adjusted through free education and covering of living expenses for this segment of people.

How is the recruitment process of Praxis different from the same in corporate?

Praxis has a very different recruitment process. As opposed to the general practice of focusing on academic achievements, they analyze a candidate’s willingness to do social work. They attempt to figure out whether the candidate wants to push boundaries for this work.

Praxis looks out for three major areas in their candidates:
A- Attitude
B- Behaviour
C- Change

These factors are extremely significant as they expect constant communication within the organization. This concept is not easy to figure out from their CV. Hence they clarify it through conversations.

What are the perks of working in the development sector?

The main perk of working in Praxis is receiving the joy of social contribution. Working for underprivileged people and improving their conditions is a selfless contribution. Another benefit of working in this organization is the culture of the development sector- casual dressing, flexible work hours, collaborative and creative thinking, diversity, and lower levels of bureaucracy. But, most importantly, it is the space for dialogue that this sector provides.

How can we avoid the exploitation of workspaces?

According to Tom, businesses can be well equipped to change the quality of life of the workforce. He feels that the compulsory 2% contribution towards CSR is not the answer.
It is about how you make the money, not how you spend it. However, this requires a paradigm shift. Tom specifically mentions that the stakeholders of a business aren’t only the shareholders. They are the workers, supply chain, community, and the environment. You could have visionary corp leaders who might do it.

“I think it is important to know that everyone works for the betterment of the society in one way or another. You don’t have to be in this sector to be a contributor to society.”

Follow Tom Thomas on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Springworks’ Product Specialist, Junius Dsilva talks to Shilpi Singh, a Leadership Coach and Co-founder of The Unhotel Company (a travel experience company) and Studio4 (a digital storytelling firm).

In addition to being the Co-founder of two companies, Shilpi has coached and mentored more than 500 women across industries and helped them build their careers. Being a flag-bearer of women's empowerment, she believes that every woman should be financially independent.

In our conversation, Shilpi explains how managers and leaders from all walks of life can use the principles of energy-specific Leadership to inspire and achieve extraordinary results.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Gender Stereotypes: India Specific or Global

Shilpi says that gender stereotypes exist across the globe. However, what she perceives from her seat of privilege might differ from the viewpoint of women in an underprivileged seat. On the positive side, women and leaders are speaking about gender stereotypes and narratives.

“Women should take small steps if not big to claim their lives and overcome the stereotypes.”

Key Drivers of Financial Literacy and Independence in Women

Due to digital and social media, there is a growing awareness, realization, and conversation around women’s financial literacy. The Internet eliminates barriers of resources and location and raises awareness even in women from small towns.

While it is good that such stories are being told, they are still less in number.

Attributes of Successful Leaders

Leaders should be authentic and believe in themselves. They should also possess qualities like compassion, discipline, focus, creativity, and active and deep listening.

In Shilpi’s opinion, the COVID-19 pandemic is also a good time to define the leadership metric. A successful leader should strike a balance between people, profit, and the planet.

Resources to Become an Ideal Leader

Shilpi’s learning has come from her experiences, observations, conversations, travel, and interaction. She calls herself a “coach by experience, not by the book.”

However, she recommends listening to podcasts of mentors and renowned leaders like John Maxwell and Simon Sinek.

Tips for Leaders and People to Brave the Pandemic

Leaders often feel burnout and loneliness. They can connect to a leadership coach who can help them become observant about themselves and their surroundings. It would help to ask reflective questions to self.

As a leadership coach, Shilpi often conducts round-table kind of events with 6-8 leaders in a group. They all meet and connect with no specific agenda. They share their challenges and high points with each other, forming a symbiotic relationship.

Leaders and people should make efforts to put themselves at the centre. They should spend time in self-love, meditation, deep breathing, grounding, and helping others. They should express gratitude for everything and try to slow down their life. It would also be a good idea to stop over analyzing or overthinking any situation. People should do whatever helps them transcend the moment of fear and despair around them.

Lastly, people should stay in the house if they have the privilege. If they step out, they should follow mask and sanitization protocols. Everyone should focus on their physical and emotional well-being.

Follow Shilpi Singh on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

What does it mean to hire the best for your team? How to identify, interview, and hire sales talent who can become top performers for your organization?

Find the answers in this episode of The Shape of Work podcast where we talk to Kristen Halliday, Recruiter at internal communications platform, ContactMonkey.

Kristen shares a few top strategies she follows to hire the best fit for her company and throws light on ways to test and verify the qualifications & cultural fit of various sales candidates.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Recruitment Parameters in a Growing Company

A growing company or a startup needs to consistently get its recruitment right. Kristen says that recruiters must be mindful of skilled growth in the growing companies.

“They should set priorities and decide whether they want a volume-based or specific recruitment approach.”

Volume-driven recruitment is risky because it is challenging to get the right fit, and candidates have a slow learning curve. Despite the volume, a recruiter may end up hiring only one or two candidates. Specific recruitment helps in hiring sales people with a personality fit that is in alignment with the needs of the company.

Recruitment Strategy for a Company Lesser Known in Talent Market

Organizations should not rely solely on their website for digital footprint. They should also have a strong social presence to build an employer brand and make it easier for talent to find them. Headhunting through LinkedIn is an excellent recruitment strategy. Most salespeople have a profile on LinkedIn. Word of mouth is another way to reach out to the talent.

“Organizations and recruiters should be able to meet the talent where they are.”

It is crucial to build a talent pipeline and consistently have people on the bench. This is recommended because nothing is guaranteed, and recruiters can run out of candidates quickly.

Alignment with Hiring Managers

It is essential for recruiters to connect with hiring managers at least once a week as an organization’s hiring needs change continuously. It enables recruiters to tailor the talent search accordingly. It also gives an opportunity for recruiters to learn about the status of onboarding of new candidates and understand team dynamics in terms of age, gender, professional development, etc.

Recruiters need to define standards with hiring managers on ‘what they must have’ vs ‘what they would like to have’ as every new hire impacts the culture of the company.

Cultural Fit of the Talent

Kristen says that if hiring is optimized for culture, organizations will have many people of the same kind. Culture fit can be a discriminatory approach at times.

Hence, it is necessary to keep an open mind regarding cultural fit for workplace diversity. Recruiters should dig deeper into the sales background of the talent to ensure that their personality is the right fit for the team.

Elimination of Hiring Bias

Hiring managers do not have the luxury of time to go through every resume. They tend to evaluate the new talent with a biased eye at times. Hence, recruiters should have standard practices in place to eliminate hiring bias.

Every time they reject a candidate, they should ask themselves these questions – “why am I saying no to this candidate?” and “what assumption am I making for this candidate?”
Recruiters should hold themselves accountable for every candidate and look at every talent profile with level-headedness.

Follow Kristen on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest, Kaustubh Sonalkar throws light on the significance of employee engagement and employee well-being in a remote workspace.

Having abundant knowledge about Organization Development, Leadership, Change Management, and other areas, Kaustubh talks about doors open to growth and investments during the pandemic.

Kaustubh is the Director of HCM, Communications, CSR, and General Affairs at Welspun Group. He has also authored Fetch Your Own Coffee, a national best-seller.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The significance of books in personal development:

Kaustabh’s book, “Fetch your Own Coffee,” was recently identified as the National Best Seller. However, Kaustabh, himself, is a more practical-oriented person. He feels that books do not really teach you much.

He elaborates on the fact that you can learn more from a practitioner rather than an educationalist. Management doesn’t always come from books. He credits his own learning to Bollywood, transgender people, advertisements, and cricket.
He calls his book an ‘accident.’ He is currently working on a few more books as well.

Organizational reinventions during the pandemic:

According to Kaustabh, last year was a period of challenge only from the pandemic perspective. From an organizational perspective, it has given a few companies an opportunity to reinvent themselves. The pandemic led to the organizations increasing their adaptability. They adapted to modern technology, which is being managed seamlessly now. Moreover, no organization would have thought about remote work before the pandemic.

Kaustabh worked in two different organizations in the past one year. Both the organizations were young but had their processes structured. He talks about excessive discipline that came in through online meetings. Unnecessary communication is avoided.
Focus on topics like productivity, engagement, the mental health of the employees, and Corporate Social Responsibility gained significant attention. The number of people coming in to help everyone was unexpected. He further talks about the ‘work from anywhere’ policy and the new engagement patterns his company follows. He also throws significant light on their attempts to bring in the value of diversity.

Ways to ensure the mental well-being of employees:

Their company involved several ways to ensure the mental well-being of their employees. They conducted Yoga and Zumba sessions and got their families involved as well. Entertainment programs like circus, theatre, photography, and singing sessions were organized.
Online doctors and counselors consultations were also offered to their employees. Their main purpose was to tell the employees that their organization is here to support them.

Importance of good communication:

To ensure zero risks for the blue-collar workforce, they arranged colonies where they could stay.
“Communication is the key. Make it exciting.”
They conducted awareness and educational sessions regarding the pandemic through innovative ways like theatre, street plays, and radio.

New opportunities for India with the shift in manufacturing industries:

With the shift of manufacturing industries from China to India, we have a great opportunity lying in front of us. The MSME sector has received a push and more people are encouraged to work on new ideas.
Kaustabh talks about the digital advancements in rural India. The usage of the internet in these areas rose to 33% from 7%. Educational opportunities have increased.

Follow Kaustubh Sonalkar on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

On this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Springworks' Lokesh Gautam talks to Vikas Dua, Head of HR at IPG DXTRA. Vikas has also authored the 'HR IN MY HEART' book, which is a compilation of ‘Leadership Lessons’ presented in a unique manner by combining both prose and poetry.

In the episode, Vikas brings his perspectives from more than 15 years of experience, and highlights the importance of employee engagement and tells us about a few programs he's initiated.

Vikas believes no textbook can replace the on-ground experience and real-life learning for professional development. Covering these areas, he jumps to the importance of employee well-being and how it helps in employee retention. Last but not the least, you will learn about the importance of a good workplace culture and ensuring diversity in your workplace.

Digital transformation and employee engagement in the HR function:

Vikas talks about the importance of Digital transformation that occurred over the years. He has been a fan of digital elements since he was a student. And seeing this technology merging with the once distant field, HR, brought him immense happiness. The HR field has gone through a massive transformation both in terms of tech and tasks. Vikas has made a significant contribution towards the digital transformation of the HR field by encouraging employee engagement.

Vikas is a strong supporter of employee engagement. He talks about the employee satisfaction survey happening in the organization. Many companies create a three-month plan to create growth areas according to these surveys. However, Vikas says that a three-month plan is actually very less. He explains the method a company he mentors uses. They keep a check on employee sentiment through chatbots daily.

Thoughts about people organization and remote working:

The first and foremost change that Vikas talks about is the kindness of the organizations. In the past 14 months, these organizations have been extremely supportive and helpful towards the employees. They organized task forces, offered financial assistance, and kept a check on their employees. He is a strong proponent of mental wellness and calls it the “key pillars of the organization.” In addition, he also talks about how companies organized the entire remote work setting within 24 hours of announcing the lockdown. Thus remote work is totally possible and here to stay.

How to build diversity in an organization?

As Vikas says, inclusion and diversity go hand in hand. It is a significant factor for the growth of the company and India has been encouraging and welcoming this concept currently. In order to ensure diversity, companies need to be transparent and collaborative. They should be included in events such that they can interact with others from different backgrounds. Most importantly, all of them should be treated fairly.

Should a startup invest in HR:

Vikas says every startup should invest in Human Resources by the time they are a 50-75 people organization. The HR person might not be the HR head but at least someone who's at a mid-level position. He should be able to understand the nuances of the different dimensions of HR, recruitment and onboarding, talent management, engagement, or so on. Thus a basic framework of the entire startup is created.

Follow Vikas Dua on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

HR in my HeaRt: Leadership Lessons Like Never Before

In this episode, Springworks’ Head of Partnerships, Moshe talks to Igor Fedenkoff, co-founder of Brybe Inc. Fedenkoff is a serial entrepreneur with a decade-long history of successful startups in healthcare and hospitality verticals, improving brand image and revenue by 10x.

He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration (MBA) and Applied Linguistics (MA). He is a business instructor/trainer, a marketing specialist, a public speaker, and an investor as well.

Igor talks about what he has done in terms of managing his team remotely and keeping them engaged at Brybe. He also points out the common mistakes that many companies make in the name of employee engagement.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

1- What mistakes companies are making to manage employees in a remote work system?

According to Igor F, a remote environment is no longer just an option but has become a necessity. So companies should learn to manage employees in a remote system. He adds that companies are struggling to cope with the new system because they are not used to that dynamic.

To make things work trust is the most important factor, he says. Companies that don't trust their employees are not stepping forward to adapt to the remote environment.

Some common mistakes that they are making:
Trying to track their employees' activities every minute.
And micromanaging the team.
According to him, this kills human value. That's when "team members" become employees.

2- How to keep a remote team managed and engaged in a company?

Trust is the core value of engagement. He says a small team dedicated to the work has made his managerial role easy. Igor adds that allowing team members to work their way is the best way to keep them interested. Trusting their opinions and making them feel a valuable resource also adds up.

Another factor is entertainment. Igor always makes sure that his team is not stressed about work. They add humor, happiness, and fun to build a healthy environment which leads to great work culture.

Also, to manage a team he suggests making use of daily reports and zoom meetings. It allows you to keep track of the work and to have regular conversations with the team members.

3- Challenges that companies face in a remote environment:

Working in a remote environment is challenging too. Igor says that the two biggest challenges every company faces are:
Time Zone difference - Due to the difference in location, it provides them with a small amount of time to get together in Zoom meetings.
Employee's lifestyle - Everyone has a life that includes kids, family, and other important stuff.

4- How to hire the right person for a role?

Hiring the right person for the role is hit and trial. It is like if you don't do it, you don't know it. If you don't hire someone how will you know how he performs?

But some of the valuable tips that can become handy are:
Analyzing the CV to find if the information is legit or another cookie cutter.
Reading the person's behavior during the interview.
Understanding his attitude towards learning and working.
And asking for the team's opinion.

Igor thinks that there is still a lot to know about the person. So he suggests that as soon as a candidate is hired, give him a chance to prove himself. That is, give him a challenging task to see how he performs in critical situations.

He adds that "trust always has some risk involved."

Follow Igor F. on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Moshe Vhanunu

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Yvonne Wolf, Founder and Chief Collaborator, TalentMatters LLC.

Yvonne has 25+ years of broad industry experience, partnering with boards and executive teams, influencing strategy, governance, talent, and culture decisions.

She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and holds a degree of Bachelor of Science in Advertising from the School of Business and Journalism.

Yvonne crafted the board-approved HR strategy at Bill & Melinda Gates, Medical Research Institute for the 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. This strengthened the HR practices and team of this growing non-profit, biotech start-up.

In the episode, she talks about how organizations made changes in their management strategies due to the pandemic. She also throws light on the topics of diversity and inclusion, and how organizations should go about taking democratic decisions while drawing the line.

Organizational change management principles

Yvonne shares the three important principles she learned about change management while working at Partners in Health.

Democratic decision-making vs drawing the line

Yvonne has worked in organizations varying from 100 employees to 100,000 employees. She suggests that the practice of asking people what they need should happen in all organizations. It does not take away the leaders’ responsibility to make decisions. However, decision-making should be done differently in a small organization versus a large organization. For example, an organization with 180 people might have 6 to 7 middle managers who can influence the team. Here the decision-making process is short. However, with a large company with 1,000,000 employees, the number of middle managers has to be more.

A curious and open-minded listening leader is the core of a successful decision-making process irrespective of the size of the organization. Hence, a leader’s responsibility is to decide after getting opinions and ideas from multiple people.

People manager’s role in influencing leaders for the transformation

“It is incumbent upon leadership to create an environment that says. All lives matter, all opinions matter, all talent matters. And I think it's incumbent upon HR to create systems and processes that produce that outcome.”

Back in the day, people were a little more mindful of hierarchy. If someone in the team was 12 layers below, they wouldn't dare approach the CEO. Yvonne loves today's social media culture and how people feel they have every right to send a note right to the CEO about things that bother them. CEOs and leaders need to ensure that kind of openness everywhere in order to avoid affecting the employer brand.

Thoughts on banning employees’ political thoughts at work

The highest place for trust is in the workplace. Thus to ban conversations would be to ask people to leave a part of themselves. And it is also a missed opportunity to have some necessary and insightful conversations. According to Yvonne, the actual challenge is to promote civility in the conversation.

Yvonne suggests teaching employees how to have conversations. They need to build that curiosity for the conversation while having some ground rules at the same time.

Traits of a good leader

Inclusion, curiosity, empathy, and compassion- are the qualities of a good leader. Regardless of what's happening in the world, Yvonne believes that these qualities are the factors that are going to be the difference between organizations that can both predict or navigate.

Follow Yvonne on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Ash Mishra, Head of Talent Management and Learning & Development at Ericsson.

An alumni of Delhi university and XLRI Jamshedpur, Ash has over 20 years of experience in the HR space. He is a Human Resources professional with a strong blend of generalist as well as specialist experience.

With a diverse industry exposure spanning across Banking/Financial Services, FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing, and Business Process Outsourcing sectors, he has worked across geographies like the UK, Hong Kong, and India.

In the episode, he gives us the lowdown on the transformation in Learning & Development in the remote/hybrid era of work. He also explains how a leader should go about managing different employees based on their different goals.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Things about Leadership Development and Talent Management that most organizations get wrong:

Most organizations focus on training programs when it comes to Leadership Development and Talent Management. However, these training sessions are not always effective. As he mentioned, “Leadership is an ecosystem of your approach.” Leaders get inspired by other leaders. Many organizations don’t realize that and focus on these programs. Leaders might receive valuable inputs from there, but ultimately, they are going back to the same ecosystem, the same company. Managers and Senior Leaders need to be self-aware about the impact they have on others.
To achieve this, they can make use of self-awareness tools. Another significant way to achieve this is by working in teams.

What training methods in L&D do you see working? In the past 14 months, what has changed in L&D?

There are a couple of trends prevailing in the Learning and Development area. The significance given to this entire subject has increased. Companies have started investing in this segment. This change occurred when some industries faced an adverse impact after the pandemic began. Companies realized the requirement of reskilling themselves in new fields to get back on track.
Companies have started asking their employees about the sort of training investments they would like. Their focus on employee well-being, mental health, and resources has also increased. Ash highlights the fact that user-driven learning allows employees to reskill themselves, gives better outcomes, and creates solutions.

Thoughts about hybrid model of work:

He feels that the hybrid model of work is definitely going to stay. What is not known is how this model will be inducted. Companies need to analyze how hybrid their workplace can be.

He further says that going hybrid will impact a range of things in an organization, for example, performance management. This problem is slowly being recognized by the companies and attempts to solve it are being made.

All the policies written are earlier need to be formatted and updated based on the new way of work. The benefits required while working from home are totally different from the same while working in an office. Moreover, he talks about the flexibility of a hybrid workplace and how it allows hiring people irrespective of geographical boundaries.

How do people invested in exchanging ideas with people work in a hybrid model?

In order to ensure a better exchange of ideas, teams need to start looking at job roles more precisely. They need to come up with ideas to keep the essence of creativity, interaction, and teamwork.

Follow Ash Mishra on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks’ Sales Specialist, Lokesh Gautam talks to Neena Bhaskar, a talent professional currently working with a leading medical devices firm leading their Talent Acquisition for the region.

Neena holds a Master's degree in Human Resource Management from Temple University. She has worked across various customer-focused functions and HR spaces in different industries for more than 15 years now.

Neena is driven towards creating, implementing result-driven talent and people strategies focusing on business, technology, and long-term value creation.

She explains how an organization should communicate their employer brand, along with insights on hiring, employee engagement, culture, and, diversity and inclusion. Neena also shares a series of assessment tools to help managers hire the best people.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

Know the guest:

She completed her education at Fox School of Business at Temple University specializing in Human Resources Management. She began her career with HeroITES as an Assistant Manager. Today, she is leading Talent Acquisition for the entire Asia-Pacific region for BD, Singapore. Neena’s remarkable growth in her career is a direct result of her passion for building and engaging teams. She loves making connections and understanding them.

‘How do I attract and retain the best talent? How do people see us as an authentic company?’

A good interview defines a person’s character. The recruiters should be creative regarding the questions they ask.

These are the puzzles that HR professionals need to solve to ensure better recruitments. They should challenge the potential employees by giving them situations to solve. It can help in revealing the true character of these candidates
The HR professionals need to keep an eye on their critical thinking, soft skills, body language, and problem-solving skills.
Peer-to-peer meetings can be organized to understand how their organization and the teams operate. Most importantly, they need to make the organization’s culture a significant part of the hiring process. They need to see which candidates best align with their values.

Challenges that prevail in a diverse work environment? How should a company deal with them?

A diverse and hybrid work environment helps employees think beyond their creativity. However, issues regarding communication, trust, different cultures, ethnicities, language barriers might start prevailing too.

To deal with these issues, the first step is to identify them. However, stopping at identifying these problems is not enough. Companies should articulate to them and analyze them to come up with solutions. Investing in certain training programs and resources which the employees require can help out in this process.
Additionally, companies can consider having a representative committee consisting of members from all groups to ensure all voices are heard.

What are some long-term values companies should focus on?

A few long-term values that a company should focus on for smooth growth and employee retention are:

having a clear purpose
being inclusive before going diverse
being connected with the employees
Holding a high level of integrity
having transparency and clarity

In the remote work environment, Neena observed that most of the employees wish for flexible work arrangements. Additionally, offering team collaborations, employee well-being programs, and other perks can help bring these values into the company.

Follow Neena Bhaskar on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

On this episode, Springworks' Product Specialist, Junius Dsilva talks to Eric Torigian, Global CHRO at SitusAMC. An accomplished, driven, strategic, global HR Executive recognized as a highly effective business leader, Eric has more than 20 years of experience driving organizational performance through strategic HR leadership and counsel.

His driving passion as a coach is to help individuals leverage their strengths and empower them to live their best possible life. He loves challenges and is always willing to roll up his sleeves to get the job done.

In the episode, Eric weighs in on current HR Challenges and talks to us about the learnings of organizations across the world from the year of the pandemic, what HR professionals should be doing right now and how this situation will change the future of work.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

How did you get into Human Resources?

Eric grew up having an interest in hacking. When he graduated from college, he did database and computer programming for a few companies. He was then hired by Ford as a Data Analyst to start automating the labour relations information flow. His boss expressed that Eric was quite a trustworthy name within the organization. He then challenged him to get a Master’s Degree in HR and put him in the Ford College Graduate rotation program. That’s how his journey in Human Resources began.

What’s next for remote work?

The future of work lies somewhere along a continuum. It's going to be completely remote on one side, and completely in-office on the other. We will have some bell-shaped distribution of how people fit across this. For most workers, some activities during a typical day will lend themselves to remote work, while the rest of their tasks might require their on-site presence.

Work and life must integrate:

The concept of work-life balance has changed. We used to find ways to get people away from the office and re-engage in their personal lives. Nowadays, people demand that work integrates into their life as opposed to putting one or the other on hold. They will look for roles where they can add value to an organization while remaining present in the natural rhythm of their lives. By recognizing this and cultivating it, Eric believes that we can create more dedicated teams driving stronger to our collective goals.

Social media as a means to diversity:

There have always been conversations about diversity. Social media assists in showcasing these conversations.

Diversity and inclusion initiatives support the fact that everyone is different. Social media reinforces this fact, demonstrating that we’re more connected and have more in common with each other as we communicate using these platforms. It is an opportunity for individuals to connect with people from different backgrounds- to find commonalities, to share experiences, and to solve problems in new and innovative ways.

Follow Eric Torigian on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

In this episode, Springworks Product Manager, Nisarg Shah talks to Sameer Nagarajan, Global President of Human Resources at Cadila Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Sameer has experience working with major brands such as Dabur International, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Microland & Novartis all over the world.

He is also known to write religiously about Leadership and HR on Linkedin and has had his articles published in several magazines and newspapers.

He talks to us about how the role of HR has changed across organisations with the pandemic and how managers and leaders should think about work-life balance in the remote work environment.

Will the companies revert back to their previous working style?

After giving some important highlights of his personal and professional life, he throws light on the pandemic and how massively it changed the working style of organizations. The role of HR in changing the entire work setting has been extremely significant. When asked whether the organizations would want to look back to their previous style of working after the pandemic, Sameer disagrees. He explains that one of the main reasons behind this is the mutation of virus. Multiple variants have been formed and this is making the pandemic lengthier.

Moreover, he explains that with the shift in the way of work, the mindsets of people have changed as well. The way they plan the work for the day, the way they balance it, and so on- all of this has taken a huge shift. This might require a lot of adjustment if they go back to their previous method of work. The ‘work from home’ strategy has allowed companies to hire people irrespective of their locations. Additionally, it is resulting in reduced costs as most of the office expenses borne by the company are not needed anymore.

Can we ensure productivity with Employee Engagement tools?

Discussing employee engagement, Sameer says that employee engagement is only effective when the entire purpose behind it is clarified. Employee engagement tools do not necessarily ensure productivity, just by being fun and exciting. These tools and the goals to be achieved out of them should have a clear linkage between them. In order to do this, proper efforts and thought process needs to be undertaken while designing the tool. Proper analysis needs to be done in order to actually yield the desired productivity out of it.

The importance of humility in leadership:

“Humility is the essence of leadership. They should be able to take accountability for the results but especially, when the results are bad, they should be able to stand up and say sorry. And if the results are good, very often, they allow the team to go in front and say, ‘Yeah! We did it.’”

Some valuable advice for the passionate future HRs:

Before ending the podcast, Sameer gives an advice for the budding HR professionals:
“I've always personally believed in pursuing your passion in life, however it is. I also do believe it takes some time to discover your passion. It's very tempting and easy to say that this is what you are very passionate about right now. And you might be right, if that's the case. But I always suggest the first five to 10 years of you career to experiment. See what drives, what fuels your passion, and then chase it”

Follow Sameer Nagarajan on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Nisarg Shah

BONUS: We understand that the sudden shift to remote working is not an easy job. Hence, we are offering The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work In 2021 for making this new way of working less challenging for you.

On this episode, Anuja Ghosh, Head Human Resources at SBICAP Ventures Limited talks to Anoop Suresh, VP-BD & Ops at Springworks.

With more than 14 years of experience ranging from Talent Acquisition to designing and managing the entire Talent Management and Development landscape, Anuja has been part of the management & executive teams at different companies and has helped these companies take a leap to the next level of growth and maturity.

On the episode, she talks about how important it is for the Human Resources function to understand the business, industry and organization to align with their goals. She also discusses how companies can go about adopting change management in a better way.

She was recently awarded the 'T A Pai Young HR Leader Awards 2020'.The HR function has evolved over the last decade:

The significance HR is having today used to be a challenge for them a decade back. In other words, the perception of HR as a field grew and the mindset towards it changed. Anuja explains how, as a newcomer, one should not rush into proving a point. Instead, they should focus on understanding the business and the industry.
The world of networking is expanding. The older perception of networking was to organize meetings and pass out information. However, this concept has changed. She also talks about the importance of influencers within a company- someone people go to for advice or getting a job done. This makes the job more convenient.
Anuja explains two ways to find these influencers within the company. They can reach out to ODA to find and approach influencers through data and software. The second way is to observe the employees and analyse their strengths. That's how they can find a go-to person of the company.

Important takeaways from Organization Development for expanding organizations:

After a big break, a new start-up undergoes a lot of changes, most commonly, new hires from different backgrounds. To ensure good outcomes, the founders need to decide on the structure, hierarchy, and talent. They need to develop policies and roll them out. However, founders can't manage all of this themselves. Therefore, HR professionals come to the role and gives a strong finish to this rough framework. But they need to be aware of what is expected from and by the company. Analyzing the business strategies and the competition, the need to bring people from different teams together and create organizational practices.

Is constant change within the organization a concern for HR?

Anuja talks about technology specifically here. Technology is important for the growth and development of a company. It can keep the company at par with the industrial standards. Strong communication for explaining the significance of technology can make people understand its relevance. Technology pushes people to do better and keep reskilling themselves.

Designing L&D programs according to the world/industry changes:

Anuja says that organizations need to design learning programs according to the situation they are in. She shares her own experience of conducting insightful sessions on managing bias, improving self-awareness, and engagement. New technologies can help make such sessions happen easily. However, the only challenge that can persist is the lack of human dynamics because of the remote working space. Technology can't replace human elements.
Follow Anuja Ghosh on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Anoop Suresh

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Joey Price, CEO of Jumpstart: HR, LLC - a managed HR Services company that was recently highlighted by Inc.com as one of “7 Startups Making Life Easier for Small Business Owners. As the CEO, Joey innovates by creating HR solutions for small business owners and start-up founders who want to build better, more competitive businesses.

Joey is an award-winning Human resources executive, business coach, thought leader, and professor.

He also hosts Business, Life, and Coffee a podcast focused on personal development for busy professionals where he shares carefully curated conversations on personal finance, psychology, professional development, and business for emerging professionals and business owners alike.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The inspiration behind Jumpstart:HR:

Jumpstart:HR offers HR Project Management Leadership to small businesses, startups, and the Federal Government. They shape the company’s HR, work culture, integrate technology, and more. The main aim of the company is to create a positive environment in a workspace. People should be happy at work. It is a matter of leading people towards positive success.

The company focuses on providing HR solutions to small businesses that want to build better and sustainable solutions for the company. When the US was in the middle of a recession, Joey realized that companies wanted more results with fewer investments. That’s when he realized that these companies needed expertise from outside sources. Joey explains how all companies should consider outsourcing HR like they do in marketing or any other field. Another observation Joey made then was the advancement of technology. Nobody was required to be in the same place to work. An employee can address their boss while living in a different city. This is how the idea of Jumpstart:HR grew and came to action.

Similarities between HR and Marketing:

Joey talks about the common practices that can be observed in every organization. First, they highly focus on their brand culture. The brand culture is highly consistent for all the employees from every department. And the reason behind it being so successful is that these companies invest in their employees. And it should be ensured that HR understands what kind of investments do people want. That is the same question that marketing people ask. They ask and search for the features and benefits of the products, and what will people respond to the most. They ensure that these products will drive an emotional attachment among people. Brands like Uber, Google, Lyft, Apple have become household names now. They have managed to create emotional attachment. The way to achieve it is not by manipulation, but out of inspiration, by creating an emotional attachment.

Recurring challenges Joey’s guests have talked about in his podcast:

One of them is to figure out how to navigate work in the likes of social justice. Worldly issues do have an impact on the employees’ emotional response. They are triggered and, as a leader, one to manage it constructively. They need to observe what is happening outside and to your business.

Thoughts about companies going permanently remote:

Talking about going permanently remote presents its own unique challenge to People Leaders. They have to be thoughtful about the entire process before and after it is executed. They need to figure out its trial period, a way to convey the message behind it to the employees, making it successful, the work strategy, and others.

Follow Joey Price on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Chandrakumar Sivasubramaniam, CEO of Flowtrack talks to Lokesh Gautam, Sales Evangelist at Springworks.

With more than two decades of experience, Chandrakumar is a technology leader and an entrepreneur well versed in working across government departments and also helped build a few multi-million dollar businesses from scratch. He has worked at companies like IBM, Novell, Oakton, MatrixThread & Caprice Technologies.

In the episode, Chandrakumar talks about how he started Flowtrack, an employee productivity monitoring software out of their customers’ pain points. He also discusses how to ensure undistracted productive time for employees, and the importance of creating a culture that is driven by good behavior.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

The idea behind FlowTrack:

The inspiration behind FlowTrack was noticing the pain point of workspaces.

They discussed this idea with their potential investors and people internally from the team. They got 6-8 weeks within which they launched their beta version.

This idea was generated after the pandemic hit the world. They discussed their customers’ problems and came up with this solution quickly. Soon a lot of investors were interested as they realized the potential growth of this startup. This growth soon became a reality as the demand for the product increased in the market.

Will companies start working in a remote framework permanently?

Our guest explains that everything depends on the culture of the workplace. It depends on the trust employers have in their teams. Western countries have complete trust in their employees. He feels Eastern countries still lack this ability.
He explains how western countries might feel different about monitoring their teams and not completely encourage it.
Thus they have stealth mode monitoring as well where the employees are unaware of the monitoring.

Differentiating factors between Western and Eastern companies:

Here, Chandrakumar explains that in Western economies, people have more ownership. He has worked in multiple countries like India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. He has observed that the manager-to-employee ratio is very high in these countries. Thus it becomes extremely difficult to create a rapport between them.
Less number of employees increases understanding among the employees. They start admiring their leaders and the company.
In Eastern countries, this pattern is missing. Hence monitoring tools are required. Chandrakumar explains that monitoring employee performance is actually beneficial. Team leaders can analyze the areas in which they lack performance and help them train and improve themselves.

How important do you think is employee engagement and onboarding at work in a remote workspace?

According to Chandrakumar, It is challenging to make the new hires bond with the team through a remote workspace. He feels that understanding the project and team members is more effective when done face to face. While the company might attempt to build it at the beginning, they might not be able to manage it. If they lose this engagement level, it becomes difficult to bring it back. Chandrakumar says that there are people who jump from one company to another within one or two months. This occurs due to a lack of interaction. It has grown to be a global problem now. Ideally, now every business can go for good engagement practices to maintain a good bond with their teammates while working.

Follow Chandrakumar Sivasubramaniam on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Sarang Brahme, Program Manager – Employee Engagement, Experience & Employer Branding at Capgemini.

Sarang is someone who accidentally started the role in Digital Marketing and later in recruitment, and it’s no surprise to see him beautifully carrying out the amalgamation of marketing and recruitment.

In the episode, Sarang tells us how internal employee experience makes an impact in building an authentic employer brand by sharing some of his experiments from the past that helped the cause. An interesting conversation on subjects of the evolution of the HR ecosystem, people management, and a lot more.

Has the HR academia been updated over the years?

In terms of academia, the HR industry is far away from where we should be. There is a lot going on regarding the kind of talent that should be hired. The role of HR has changed with the change in employee expectation. However, the HR industry did not start updating its strategies before the last ten years. The role of HR has changed with the change in employee expectations. Hybrid style of work, employee well-being becoming an integral part of organizations, revamped way of work- these elements need to be embedded in the academia, and also in the industry. The role of HR has expanded itself, covering a vast segment of any organization, from business to culture.

Things to maintain in a hybrid work environment:

Sarang throws light on the necessary guidelines in the hybrid way of work. People in senior positions shouldn’t get to come solely because of their designation. Management style middle managers
Additionally, he talks about middle managers who are particularly responsible to meet both the seniors’ and their employees’ expectations. Their actions build the on-ground culture of their organizations. The employees need to be made comfortable in the new way of work. The middle managers should maintain the same kind of engagement even in a hybrid environment. They need to constantly come up with new ideas of engagement and help them grow.

Conducting Learning and Development specifically in startups:

Most startups don't have much of a hierarchical culture. Thus they can undergo this change pretty easily and quickly.
They can conduct small training sessions for their employees or provide them with infrastructure that can help them perform their duties better. They can build role models, that is, to whom people look up to for more knowledge. These role models can be change agents within the company by providing valuable advice and tips.

Having interactive sessions in between working hours or conducting meetings differently can be fruitful in this process. Including brainstorming sessions or workshops has also become much more exciting and convenient through a few softwares. Role models might initiate this change, but it is up to the individuals to adapt to them. Additionally, including sessions focusing on the mental health of the employees can be a helpful step. It has the potential to benefit the companies in the long run.

Organizations need to keep experimenting. These experiments will mature over the years and they can find a specific way to build a proper training framework.

Think in a way a marketing manager would:

One of the biggest areas of interest for Sarang is the link between HR and Marketing. He strongly feels that HR should adopt a marketer's way of thinking while recruiting talent.

Follow Sarang Brahme on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks' Sales Evangelist, Lokesh Gautam talks to Rahul Jain, who is heading HR at the UFLEX group. An ICF-Associate Certified Coach (ACC), mentor, Social Media enthusiast, Rahul has been ranked among #Top50HRsonTwitter HR Professional in India. With twenty years of post-qualification experience, Rahul has had the privilege of working with reputed organizations in the APAC region in diverse industry segments across rungs handling corporate, plant HR, C&B, and in-house trainer roles among others.

His previous stints have included working for renowned companies like Dainik Bhaskar, Coca-cola, and Philips.

In the episode, he talks to us about how HR functions are different across industries and the qualities one should possess to be successful as an HR professional.

How can you be a successful HR?

Rahul enlightens us with some valuable tips in order to be a successful HR manager. To start with, anyone in the HR function has to be very sensitive towards people. They should create positive and long-lasting experiences and treat the challenges of their employees as their own.
He further adds that gaining the trust of the employees, having the ability to know people, and showing empathy towards them, are some of the most significant qualities of a successful HR professional. They should ensure good business acumen, functional skills, and, most importantly, keep learning and upskilling themselves.

Rahuls’ highs and lows of the HR industry:

Talking about his ‘highs,’ Rahul mentions that he ranked among the “Top 50 HR on Twitter.” (Twitter Handle- @BeingHR). He has also been a speaker at World HRD Congress’ 17, Mumbai, and received “The Great Managers Award 2018” by People Business and ET Now. Rahul humbly admits a few of his career choices he was not happy with. He advises all HR professionals to be humble, adaptive, and always keep networking.

Use of storytelling for effective communication:

Rahul is a high believer in storytelling. He feels it is one of the most powerful solutions to ensure the smooth functioning of an organization. Older employees narrating their success stories to the newer ones can help them settle down more conveniently. He further adds that storytelling can be used in representing the company. It can also be considered a significant practice in industry forums, campuses, and social media platforms.

What Rahul achieved through coaching?

Rahul became an Associated Certified Coach by the International Coaching Federation in 2018. While already developed in the Western countries, this field was still developing in India back then. Having coached more than 20 people, he gained a lot of insights into people and their abilities. He wishes to shape more and more future leaders through coaching and make them capable.

Personal interests of Rahul Jain:

Among his personal interests, cartooning holds an extremely important part here. Cartooning gives him the power of expressing ideas creatively. Many of his creations got featured on different platforms, including Business Today. He has also tried his hands on political and digital cartoons. Apart from that, he is involved in social media where he shares his views on certain topics, photographs, reviews movies, etc. He also enjoys playing instruments, listening to music, and watching movies.

Follow Rahul Jain on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Lokesh Gautam

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Ruhie Pande, Chief Human Resource Officer at Godrej Housing Finance. Ruhie is a seasoned HR professional passionate about coaching, leading HR transformation strategy, and diversity.

She holds an MSc in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Birkbeck College, London. Ruhie brings with her two decades of exceptional experience in building and enabling engaged and capable people power across a diverse set of industries.

In her career in Human Resources, she has worked with some of the best companies in India across sectors like financial services, real estate, fashion retail, information technology, and FMCG.

In the episode, Ruhie tells us how HR functions should go about enabling younger managers to become leaders, given the resource constraints at growing companies. She also discusses the role of psychology in the HR function and how HR professionals can leverage it.

Building a startup culture:

In order to build all these strategies, organizations also have to work on their culture. Most organizations focus on building strategies for solving multiple problems. However, sometimes, they don’t give the same importance to their work culture. Thus a startup is the best time to lay the foundations of what the culture should look like. In a startup, the balance which HR has to create is done by understanding the company and its business strategies. They often focus on high engagement within itself and maintain an environment where everyone feels a part of the entire culture. These frameworks need to be created at the earliest to ensure the stable success of the startup.

When it comes to the role of the HR personnel in creating this culture, the first and very basic requirement is to understand where the organization is headed- in terms of technology and strategy. In addition, they should be aware of the competitive advantages, the core differentiators, and the requirements of the consumers.
HR personnel need to know the business language to convince the business folks. Consequently, this gives them the credibility for what they are trying to convey.

Significance of Psychology in HR:

Having specialized in Organizational and Industrial Psychology, she advises everyone in the HR function to have a good knowledge of psychology. They can either take courses or study through online platforms. However, one of the most effective methods is to implement your learning and analyze it. Psychology helps in enhancing research skills and makes it easier to understand if a launched project is beneficial or not.

Ensuring diversity in an organization:

Ruhie then takes us through the hiring process in her company. They prefer diversity of gender and experiences. 50% of her company’s top team consists of women. Diversity of backgrounds involves people coming from different industries. This helps the company adapt to more innovative solutions. Gender diversity and inclusion are subjects of passion to Ruhie.
Performance feedback is a significant requirement to bring a company’s and its employees’ values at par. Feedback shows an individual's personality and leadership skills. The main purpose of feedback is to change a person’s behavior. The way an employee accepts feedback also highlights his values and teamwork skills.

Follow Ruhie Pande on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode of The Shape of Work, Springworks’ HR intern, Rohan Mankad talks to Debjit Basu, Senior Lead HR at Infosys.

Debjit is an eternal optimist and likes understanding the WHYs . Curious about life, business and passionate about football, and quizzing!

Prior to working in Infosys, he has worked with Cognizant Technologies Solutions. Debjit has a degree in Human Resources from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management.

A certified Lead Auditor from DNV, he also has a certificate in Positive Psychology and has gone on to become one of the ET Young HR leaders in the recent past.

He introduces us to the concept of positive psychology. He talks about how important is its application in an organisational ecosystem and sheds some light on the implications of positive psychology in the HR field.

What exactly is Positive Psychology?

Apart from having ten years of experience in this field, he is also a Positive Psychology Practitioner certified by the CPD Accreditation Group.
Debjit passionately talks about Positive Psychology describing it as ‘the science of mind.’ It covers a significant part of the vast field of Psychology and focuses on the equation of happiness in an individual’s life. Unlike the other segments of psychology that revolve around depression, anxiety, frustration, etc., this field researches what makes an individual happy. It is the scientific study of strengths to enable humans and organizations to progress.

Implementation of Positive Psychology by HR professionals:

Debjit explains HR as one of the most strategic departments of any organization. He mentions how employee mental well-being is an integral part of all these organizations. Thus HRs should ensure effective implementation of Positive Psychology within their workspace. Debjit goes on to describe the mental state of people in this current situation. He says, “Everyone wants to care and mutually be taken care of”. And in a workspace, the HR manager is the one to whom employees approach in order to talk and discuss. Thus they should be observant about the areas of their interests. They need to come up with creative ideas and be fluent while applying them.
Debjit identifies Positive Psychology as the ‘backbone’ of an organization's well-being. He further throws light on the fact that HR professionals need to understand where their employees are coming from. They should understand their concerns and cater to them in a way that the employees feel welcomed to speak about them.

“How to make yourself happy?”

To keep oneself happy/happier, our guest introduces us to some beautiful ways. He talks about appreciating the benefits that we receive. One of the most significant aspects of this area is the combination of gratitude and mindfulness. These two are evolving words and one of the best ways to raise happiness from within. You need to linger them in the present and you will realize it transforming into a mood-booster later. However, it is important to know that these ways generally vary from person to person. A few ideas effective for one individual might not work for another.

Finding meaning in life:

For this subject, Debjit gives solutions from his own experiences. He simply asks people to develop a purpose and follow it till they achieve it. He talks about the significance of appreciating one’s own strengths as well. People should align things that match with their values and matter to them. If they find themselves being able to do those things, they should be grateful and appreciate it.

Follow Debjit Basu on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Rohan Mankad

In this episode, Nimisha Das, Director Human Resources, Kellog South Asia talks to Springworks' Product Specialist, Junius Dsilva. Nimisha has 18 years of experience in multiple Human Resources functions such as Leadership and Strategy, and has worked at organizations such as Redbull, Mondelez and Marico.

She talks about how the FMCG industry has been impacted by the pandemic and how leaders need to wear the organisational hat and need to understand about the business changes in these times.

Get to know about the guest:

Completing her MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur, she possesses a versatile career in Human Resources. Nimisha’s career in HR began at Marico, where she worked as an HR manager for more than six years. Following Marico, she landed in huge companies like RedBull and Mondelez.
She explains how she enjoyed working in these companies because of their culture. She describes their work culture as extremely fun and energetic.

“What are your thoughts about the future of remote working?”

Nimisha explains how this period demonstrated the necessity of remote work. The future of work is hybrid. She explains the three pillars of FMCG- Backend, Sales, Manufacturing. In her company, the backend could work from home. However, people in the manufacturing section had to be present. The company ensured all the safety standards in the production sites.
Conveyance, necessary equipment, etc., were arranged in order to have a panic-free environment for everyone.

Manufacturing field changes with regards to HR:

After the pandemic began, HR has performed a great role in Kellogg India to ensure their people are safe. It has been their priority to bring in the necessary equipment and communicate effectively with their workmen in order to remove panic. They also ensured basic hygiene, focused timetable, and medical help when required.
Nimisha talks about her experience of communicating 1-on-1 with the company’s staff. She realized that speaking with everyone individually gives a better response than talking to them in groups. The conversations are more rational and understanding.

Employee engagement in the FMCG industry:

In order to practice employee engagement, they have provided their employees access to LinkedIn Learning. Through this feature, they offer courses that the employees can enroll for and upskill themselves. The digital tools have also helped in better engagement. Tools like Zoom, MS Teams, etc., make connecting more convenient.

They have also been working to ensure better mental health by being more connected with their employees. They arranged for several employee communication ways and policies. From having monthly town hall meetings to small meetings with less people at once for more personalized conversations- they have made some great efforts. They arranged work from home accessories and care packages during the second wave of covid-19. At the same time, they had tie-ups with hospitals, ambulances, and the “Practo” app for online medical consultation. Employees also had access to counselors and meditation sessions.

Restructuring in the system in Covid-19 second wave:

Nimisha mentions that the second wave brought in a lot of changes in the structure of the company. They had to make decisions like prioritization of work. They had to prepare for emergency responses when it came to work and employee well-being.

Follow Nimisha Das on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, our guest is Abhijit Bhaduri, Founder & CEO of Abhijit Bhaduri & Associates. Abhijit is a recognized learning and human resources thought leader and a LinkedIn ‘must know’ author and consultant. Forbes called him 'one of India’s most interesting globalists' and he was voted No. 1 HR Influencer on Social Media by SHRM in 2018.

Abhijit believes in creating human connections and experimenting with different facets of the mind. His passion for connecting with people and helping them succeed is evident. He talks about how leaders and organisations should reinvent themselves given the digital wave in the boundary-less world that is sweeping everything around us. Abhijit Bhaduri was the Chief Learning Officer for the Wipro group. Prior to this, he held HR leadership roles at Microsoft, Pepsi, Colgate, and Tata Steel and worked in India, South East Asia and the US.

Abhijit is passionate about Theatre and has acted in plays and in a movie Apna Asmaan. He is an amateur cartoonist and uses sketches to capture key learnings across various fields. He has been blogging for about 10+ years. For a deeper insight into various other facets of Abhijit Bhaduri, please visit his website - www.abhijitbhaduri.com

You can follow Abhijit Bhaduri on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Anoop Suresh

Have a look at our blog for this podcast.

In this episode, Sandeep Vaswani, Global Director - People & Organisation with PKC Advisory and ex-PwC, talks to our Product Specialist, Junius Dsilva about his views on remote and hybrid work models.

Rated amongst the Top 25 HR Influencers in India on Twitter, Sandeep is a highly accomplished Organizational Development Expert and a Certified Executive Coach with 12 years of experience in delivering multiple complex engagements in the areas of OD, Talent Management, Leadership Development and Process design.

Sandeep also finds great interest in wellness and is a highly acclaimed and renowned wellness coach and mental health expert, helping people destress and take control of their lives. He shares what he has learned throughout his journey dealing with stress and anxiety.

Follow Sandeep Vaswani on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

BONUS: This episode covers a lot of ground on employee wellness. As a bonus, here is The Ultimate Guide to Employee Wellness Program.

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar talks to Umesh Hota, President of HR at Ultratech Cement. An expert in restructuring business focussed organisations in multi-locational, and multi-cultural environments, Umesh has handled six mergers and acquisitions. He is passionate about measurement, development of performance and establishing competency-based human resources management practices.

He takes us through his journey from doing MSc in Chemistry to doing an MBA in HR and now being in the HR ecosystem for almost two decades. He also shared his experience and ideas on how newly minted managers can be trained with limited resources.

Human Resources: Corporate vs Manufacturing

Starting his career working in the manufacturing industry, Umesh shares that you get more hands-on experience working in a factory as you see all kinds of activities happening around. Things are more in control and you can impact the events more intensely and directly than in the corporate office.

To be successful in a corporate role, you need to have experience and ability that you demonstrate while in a factory.

He shares that it is because of his factory experience that he is able to handle issues such as people development and connecting with the community.

Assimilating Mergers and acquisitions

Umesh has handled six mergers and acquisitions in his career. His first hands-on experience comes from an organization he joined in the year 2000. He joined as part of the acquired unit which was padlocked for the last 18 months because of the Industry relations issues. He worked with the acquired unit to build a unified team in the mergers and acquisitions.
“When you look at the data at a macro level, you see that 50% of the mergers or acquisitions fail, and then only 50% of them succeed. I have been lucky to see success in all six of the acquisitions that I have been part of”.

Cultural changes in Merger & Acquisitions- Multinational corporations

A multinational company generally has offices and/or factories in different countries. An employee might get chances to go to different countries to work.

Umesh shares his first experience of going on a business trip to Thailand. While entering the meeting room, he saw a single man out of all the other twenty women. Thus he concluded that it was a women-led organization. This is one of the very significant aspects that define a company’s culture.

It is the HR’s responsibility to be sensitive and mindful of this culture and create the policies and strategies for the same.

Umesh justifies it with an example. He says, “For example, if I’m hosting a meeting for a women-led organization, I need to be mindful of things like hosting a lunch, instead of approaching a dinner meeting. Thus, the organization’s systems and policies must align with the organizational culture.”

How AI is going to benefit Human Resources?

Umesh shares an interesting perspective on the benefits of AI in the Human Resources function. He believes that AI might help organizations in responding to employees effectively.

If an employee lands in Visakhapatnam at 10 pm. To book a hotel, an employee needs to know the claim that he is entitled to. One way to know it is by having a call with the HR which can be time consuming. The other way is to do it through a Chatbot which can do the quick backend job in seconds. It can show your grade, entitlement, policies and might also refer the candidate to the hotels available in that city.

Follow Umesh Hota on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks' Head of Business Operations, Anoop Suresh talks to Kristina Vaneva, Director of Employee Engagement & Internal Communications at Atlantis Resorts in Dubai, a multi-industry award winner of several accolades related to human resources.

With over 14 years of experience, Kristina talks about her own personal mission to create hope and positivity while encouraging happiness at the workplace.

She shares her learnings from a career journey traversing all the way from Malta, a small but progressive island in the Mediterranean Sea, to Dubai where she currently serves as the Director of Employee Engagement at the wondrous Atlantis resorts. At Atlantis, she and her team have made great strides in reducing employee turnover and significantly improving employee work-life balance.

Employee engagement in the hospitality industry

We welcomed Kristina Vaneva, the Director of Employee Engagement & Internal Communications at Atlantis Resorts, Dubai on ‘The Shape of Work’ podcast. Kristina is on a mission to create hope and positivity in people’s workplaces and personal lives. In the span of twelve years at Atlantis Dubai, Kristina has successfully managed the Employee Engagement Department, part of the HR Division and has received several personal as well as team industry awards.

Creating positive, thriving workplaces

Interestingly Kristina runs her own YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/c/KristinaVaneva) where she shares her experiences in employee engagement. This could be helpful for those looking to create an Employee Engagement/ Internal Communications department, or to revamp strategies for something already in existence in order to help create positive, thriving workplaces all over the world.

She believes that if the place you work has great camaraderie and a sense of belonging, then the 8-10 hours a day will fly by and you will consider it less as work.
The challenges of diversity and employee engagement in the hospitality industry
Kristina replies that it’s actually the challenges that keep her engaged. She enjoys ensuring every day at work is different and that every project, campaign and engagement strategy, involves a diverse set of expectations. Some people have worked in the organisation for over 10 years and don’t want to see old information which has just been regurgitated. They want to be surprised.

Follow Kristina Vaneva on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Anoop Suresh

BONUS: This episode covers plenty of employee engagement tips to make your workplace happier and more productive. To make things better, here is an Ultimate Employee Engagement Guide for 2021.

In this episode of The Shape of Work podcast, Nidhi Sharma, Director - HR Business Partner at Affinity Global Inc talks to Abhash Kumar, Head of Marketing at Springworks about the challenges that remote managers face and how to overcome them. She also talks about methods to improve employee experience in a virtual work setting.

Being in the industry for more than a decade, Nidhi has been part of a whole gamut of HR functions such as Business Partnering, Talent acquisition, Talent management, Employee engagement and development. Prior to Affinity Global, she has worked with top brands such as PwC, Accelya Group, Bennett Coleman & Co, ACG Worldwide and TCS.

Embracing Age diversity in the workplace

A lot of talk goes around different age groups of employees behaving in different manners. An individual's motivations might change slightly throughout their age in an organisation. But if you, as an organization, have policies and processes in place, irrespective of your employees’ age, they feel more welcome and involved.

For example, some companies prefer professionals with a great deal of experience, while others prefer to recruit younger workers that they can develop. But, for a business to be successful, it needs to embrace age diversity in the workplace.

Productivity in both older and younger employees is higher in companies that hire both. Moreover, age diversity within work teams is positively aligned with performance when teams are involved in complex decision-making tasks.

Many people, even in senior positions, might be very less experienced. They earn this position through the potential they have. This creates a lot of inclusivity at the workplace as people of different age groups start connecting to each other.

Struggles of a people manager

Managing people is not just a struggle for young people managers without any prior training. It's a struggle with experienced managers as well, especially when plenty of newcomers keep joining in. However, these young managers are willing to learn in order to prove themselves and be better. People managers need to understand that people come from different backgrounds. The more personalized the environment, the more they get committed. They feel understood and respected in the company.

Nidhi specifically mentions that the employees, themselves, should be able to communicate their problems and requirements. They will have to take the initiative to speak to the manager when they find something wrong. Employees often crib about not being understood and being overloaded with work. However, they do not feel the need to discuss these problems in their workspace. If they want to stay in one job comfortably, they need to communicate their problems to their manager.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen in a remote work environment?

The biggest change, as Nidhi stated, is virtual onboarding. It is not having a useful impact when it comes to building a connection with the new joiners.

“As much as we have tried different ways to talk to talk and engage with the new joiners through video chats, it doesn’t give as similar experience as having a face-to-face interaction. So I think that's a very big struggle right now. Every HR person is trying to see what would be the best way to make onboarding impactful for the new joiners. But there is much more to do with the human connection that is not happening. Thus, the engagement factor, which probably could have been a 90-90+ is falling short to 60-65.”

You can connect with Nidhi Sharma on LinkedIn.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks’ Head of Marketing - Abhash Kumar talks to Atma Godara, Production HR Generalist- APAC at Netflix about the challenges of working with people across geographies, and how it is important to deal with the nuances. Atma talks about the importance of communication within the team and shares some hacks to motivate employees.

At Netflix, Atma oversees the APAC region in creating respectful and safe environments for production of Netflix originals with a special emphasis on mental wellness and well-being, anti harassment and end-to-end support for key people issues for studios across APAC.

Prior to this, Atma was associated with OYO as Lead Digital Transformation and Change Management. He had led the end-to-end creation and execution of HR technology for APAC and Middle East regions, and had also been responsible for Europe, LATAM, and North America geographies with respect to Performance and Talent roll-out.

An alumnus of Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, previously, Atma has led compensation and HR business partnering at GreyOrange, before working with RIL and BHEL.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

One format doesn’t fit all

The challenging part of working across different geographies is different cultures. While working at GreyOrange, Atma worked with people from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. His role was the implementation of core HR along with talent and performance.

People from different countries have different temperaments and influences. It becomes a challenge when you try to use the same communication format across all the geographies.

Atma supports his statement with an example-
“If I’m talking to someone from the Japan team, and then in the next video call, if I'm interacting with someone from the Vietnam or North American team, communicating things in the same way to everyone always becomes trickier. “

He gives a very specific example this time-

“When I was in Oyo, I was implementing a talent performance technology platform across different countries. One of our team members from the Middle East team was quick in providing the information to me because he had already implemented the platform before. Since the team in the Philippines and Vietnam were new to the entire HR technology, I had to reduce my pace by 10 times.

If I go at the same pace across geographies, it will be said that the platform was successfully implemented in the Middle East, but in Vietnam, Thailand, or the Philippines."

Therefore, it is the HR Leader’s role to explain the importance of going at different paces in different countries to the concerned. If this is not ensured, digital transformation initiatives can turn out to be a failure.

Connect with Atma Godara on LinkedIn and Twitter

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Springworks' Sales Ninja - Junius Dsilva - talks to Priya Wadhwa, Head of People and Culture at Zipgrid. She explains how an organization’s culture depends on a diverse set of factors and why cultural fitment is as important as skills fitment in hiring.

From working with MNCs to landing at ZipGrid, Priya shares her perspective on cultural shifts across industries and organizations.

ZipGrid is a community ecosystem platform that provides technology-led services to societies and other forms of housing and commercial communities.

Priya's previous stints include working for Creativeland Asia, Madison, and Edelman. She oversees many facets of HR such as talent acquisition, training, performance management, compensation and benefits.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Culture changes with the industry

Working for MNCs such as Creativeland Asia, Madison, and Edelman, Priya decided to shift her journey working for a startup.

When Priya joined Zipgrid in 2016, there were only 35 people in the team and she knew it was difficult to attract talent at that point of time. However,her role of making a 35 person team to 100 plus felt like an exciting challenge to her.

“That’s exactly the challenge we put forward to any person that we want to hire”, she says.

Priya has been managing the entire gamut of HR. She wanted to explore a corporate housing industry like Zipgrid, and not repeat her journey in the media or advertising company.

A lot of her knowledge and understanding of industries came through her own research. Before she got interviewed at Zipgrid, she never interfered in her own society matters. Now she is a member of her society’s committee and has an internal committee. This change is something that she had to bring in herself because she wanted to get into this kind of industry professionally.

Every industry needs to approach HR differently because every sector or industry is different from each other. Somebody who's really good in the media industry may not always perform HR the same way for the other industry. It is necessary to understand the industry and business thoroughly.

Don’t forget your gig workers:.

Engaging gig workers demand a deep-dive into the behavioral psychology of these one-of-a-kind people, because one very significant thing is their availability.

The value system that gig workers live by differs significantly from the value system of regular employees. To develop and maintain a happy, productive gig employee-base, HR must understand the psychology that inspires gig-workers.

HR must invest in resources to integrate freelance workers into the team, whether it means scheduling periodic team connections (even virtual), or using collaboration apps to enhance professional communication.

Priya shares that they do a separate event for their gig workers where they engage them in fun activities and reward them with small cash benefits, but it's advertised well across the organisation to balance the engagement across the organization.

Priya’s LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/priya-wadhwa-rego-9448a04/

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

In this episode, we chat with Ashu Khanna, Founder and CEO at ARKA Leadership, about the importance of creating an environment of shared leadership where you are harnessing those complementing skills for which you've hired the rest of the team.

ARKA Leadership is a movement to promote authentic leadership. Their sole purpose is to fulfil their vision of #JoyForAll by inspiring people to align their relationship with the inner self and the world. The philosophy of Arka Leadership is a confluence of the science of Vedic scriptures and the science of coaching.

Ashu has successfully partnered with many CXOs to reimagine possibilities and be empowered to design a life of success and happiness. She has been ranked # 29 by YourStory on the list of 100 Emerging Voices in India and received an award as the 101 Fabulous Coaches in India by World Coaching Congress.

Great Leaders are made not born

Ashu believes that there is a leader in all of us. Everyone has the capacity to nurture and develop that leader. However, it is important to understand what it means to be a leader. It should not resonate with the “I lead and you follow” ideology. It is more about creating a space for harnessing skills of your team and holding them accountable at the same time. This is what can be understood as shared leadership.This can be done by recognizing them for doing a good job. Leadership requires getting out of the way, being vulnerable, and doing everything that is required for the betterment of the team. These traits are not necessarily taught, but learnt on the ground.

For this reason, every organization goes for restructuring every few years.

Any matrix will create complexity where people have a dual reporting line. However, bigger organizations like Ernst and Young and Citi Bank which have thousands of people in multiple locations have no option but to own a matrix structure. Organizational restructure should not occur without the why being explained. Every organization requires a different structure which best suits their pattern of work.

“Even after having an organizational design in place, any startup takes a year to three years for it to fall into its truer space. And even after that, it evolves and morphs into a more mature form. It is all about being open to those evolutionary phases.”

Self awareness in Leadership

Self awareness is the key to a successful leader. Gone are the days when it was just about technical expertise, because today we are also managing people. It's the people that are managed while technology acts as a facilitator.

We need to understand the rules to know how to operate a computer. Similarly, managing people requires self awareness. The more you understand yourself, and your triggers with people, the more you'll be able to understand other people's triggers and create a culture of inclusion and shared leadership.

Coaching leaders

It is impossible for everybody to be authentic in your team at the same time. Individuals have different journeys, progress, and perspectives. Considering all these filters, leaders need to cater to diversity. By understanding diversity, we can create developmental programmes efficiently. For some, coaching may be a great deal, while for others, more group-based learning may work. Organizations need to understand that learning has to be a combination of both, classroom and group based.

Ashu Khanna’s LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachashukhanna/

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Kartik Mandaville

In this episode of The Shape of Work we are talking to Amit Sharma about the important aspects of work culture and all the misconceptions about it. Amit is the Head of Human Resources and Business Partner at Tenshi Life sciences. He has worked across industries such as Oil & Gas and Pharma.

Amit was named in the prestigious Top 50 HR influencers by SHRM in 2019. Interestingly, Amit wanted to be a professional cricketer and played at the age level. But, with his parents’ dream of making him an Engineer, he started his career journey working as a Data scientist, but soon realized it was not his cup of tea. He then made the transition from data science to HR.

He speaks about culture and shares his experience across various industries and explains how human nature at work differs across industries.

What drives a company culture?

According to Amit, a lot of things that happen within an organization are shaped by industry realities. The only truth in a corporate setup is that resources are limited and an organization has to make the most out of these resources available. Whenever you change industries, the first thing that comes to your notice is the availability of resources and the budget.

With reference to an oil and gas industry, Amit shares that in this sector, the manpower cost can be as low as 2-3% to as high as 20-25%, of the total revenue. If you're working in an industry with a high profit margin, sales are considered the most important there. It revolves around the idea of planning and selling at the right time and building a sales-driven culture.

Culture is a part of every industry. If you quantify between tech versus distinct, the question that you have to ask is,

What is it that you value the most?
What is it that we believe is driving our business?

Truths about culture

Amit believes that culture has everything to do with care.

There are three truths about any organization's culture:

There is no right or wrong. Netflix does not have the best culture in the world but a culture which suits them. Culture fits according to its purpose.

Culture is never static. No organisation can work within the same culture through a long period of time. They have to keep finding improvements every few years.

Every organization’s culture will always have a historical element within itself. There are many change agents/factors which dive in to change the culture that prevails within an organization. However, it is important to appreciate the historical element of your culture.

It is important to understand that it is the leader who defines the company culture to a large extent. HR and people managers will act as guides. That's why the islands of culture are simply a reflection of the latest personality of the leaders being followed by their employees.

Input vs outcome based management

Amit shares a quote by Peter Drucker terming it as his favourite pandemic code:
“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not turbulence itself, but to act with yesterday’s logic.”

It is important to understand that working from home is nowhere near to working from the office. Everything, right from something as basic as writing emails, has to change completely because of the changed work setting. Organizations need to reassess their technological and people capability. In addition, leadership and managerial capability are also important.

Amit’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amit-sharma-79888349/
Amit's Twitter - https://twitter.com/HRguyAmit

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode of The Shape of Work, our interviewee, Rishwa Shah, who is a Talent Acquisition Specialist at System Soft Technologies based out of Tampa, Florida talks about how she found her calling to be an HR professional coming from a family of Chartered Accountants.

Rishwa takes care of her organization’s talent acquisition strategy from sourcing to attracting, selecting and hiring top talent. She is also building the campus recruiting programme at her organization and is enthusiastic about diversity and inclusion.

Rishwa describes virtual work as a positive move as it has increased the radius for talent acquisition. At the same time, she also recognizes some of the disadvantages like increased ghosting by candidates.

She discusses how Employer Branding is done in the US and shares her experience aligning their hiring strategy with the organization's business goals.

Remote work is increasing the talent pool and benefiting employers

Rishwa expresses that she loves working remotely. Remote work has broadened the talent pool for the organization, she says. When it comes to attracting talent, remote positions remove the geographic boundaries from the available talent pool. As a result, companies can connect and engage with potential new hires based on their qualifications and suitability for roles regardless of where they live. On the other hand, she also agrees that remote work has its fair share of disadvantages such as candidates' ghosting and no-shows have definitely increased with instances of candidates agreeing for an interview, but then not showing up later.

The art of aligning recruitment strategy with the business strategy

Rishwa shares her thumb rule which is to always try and plan recruitment according to business needs and strategy.

She rephrases one of her professors here,
“HR can only sustain or HR can only be as effective if their strategies align with business, because ultimately, everything is directed towards the business.”

To prioritise hiring based on the business’ needs is something that HR should strategically plan for. Secondly, they need to know and understand the hiring manager’s requirements. They need to know what the position is about, what is the urgency of that position, and try to connect the answers with the business strategy.

Mitigate ghosting or no- shows through employer branding

Rishwa explains how the best way to prevent cancellations and no-shows is to truly invest time in building a good rapport with a candidate, selling the job opportunity to the candidate, and gaining a firm buy-in from them regarding their interest in working at the company.

She shares that an organization’s employer brand is a necessity for any company and affects a lot of no-shows. But with everything being online, interview are being ptaken lightly by the candidates.

She shares:
“I've worked at Deloitte, which I feel has a stronger employer brand. But I've also had a lot of candidates not showing up, even when we weren’t remote. But right now, I think that's just happening a lot more.

Find Rishwa Shah on LinkedIn

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host:Junius Dsilva

In this episode, Gauri Das, Head of Human Resources at India Factoring and Finance Solutions Private Limited talks to our Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar on the importance of communities and how it helps in bringing people together to advocate and support each other. She also touches upon the topic of employee mental well-being awareness and shares that 'the normal philosophy should be minimum business disruption in most human ways'.

Gauri Das is a strategic HR Leader with 15+ years of experience in crafting and aligning HR strategy with business goals. She supports business leaders and individuals in driving performance and improving capabilities.

She focusses on elevating employee experience by enriching careers, ensuring effective communication and thus creating an employer brand. She drives the right culture in alignment with organizational values.

Some of her achievements are
• HR 100 under 40
• Top HR Mind (India)
• TAPAI and Economic Times Young HR Leader – top 70
• WICA Luminary - Growth
• LinkedIn person the year 2020
• CEO recognition – EOQ
• Standing ovation from 300+ colleagues on day of exit in previous assignment

She is a passionate speaker and has spoken in multiple national and international forums. She loves sharing knowledge bytes and experiences on resilience, growth mindset, self-compassion and motivation. She is Lead Membership for Professional Speakers Associations of India, Mumbai chapter (PSAI).

She mentors students and professionals and supports them through her motivational talks and guides them on being future ready.

She is passionate about women empowerment and is leading a Leanin Circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders.

She loves networking and knowing people beyond their profiles brings her happiness and therefore she is a core committee member of Navi Mumbai LinkedIn Local.

Passion with Compassion is her mantra.

HRs should learn to market themselves

Gauri says that the problem used to lie in the fact that HRs were not marketing themselves. After understanding the power of marketing, they have started practicing it, and the employer brand has become kind of a prerequisite for the HR to have met the organization's goal. Business acumen is something which is critical when you would want to do HR. And that's why a proper balance of the two functions is very important.
Communities help bringing people together

Gauri leads a lean-in circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders, a women-centric place where these women come together in regular intervals and share their thoughts and ideas, without any fear of judgement. The whole idea of her community is to make people come up with all the challenges that they are facing.

Gauri shared that networking is one area where women need help, followed by negotiation . People in her community help each other with their own experiences. So, the objective that they are working on is self branding. This is an important role to play as women find it more of boasting, rather than branding.

Women-centric communities need men to be a part of them

Gauri believes that it's not only women who should be able to run a women-centric community. Men also need to be an equal part of it. Gauri shared that they also have men taking webinar sessions they conduct. For example, in their recent International Women's Day celebration, they organized a panel discussion between two women and one man.

She thinks that without men, it would not provide the desired results. So, teaching skills is one part that they are focusing on. However, their community is also about changing the mindset, both for men and women.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Vikram Sharma, Director of Human Resources at Marriott International talks to Springworks' Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar. They discuss major challenges that the hospitality industry, one of the worst hit by the pandemic, had to tackle and how the industry revamped its strategies to bounce back.

Vikram is a self-motivated and vibrant leader who started his expedition in hospitality career after graduating from The Institute of Hotel Management Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition and lucratively completing a prestigious degree of Masters in Leadership from XLRI, Jamshedpur. He started his career with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and later got associated with Marriott International.

Hospitality industry is driven more by emotions.

Vikram shares that the simplest way to distinguish the hospitality industry from the tech industry is that tech is driven by data and hospitality by emotions. People in this industry need to work with a lot of guidelines. There are processes in place, but ultimately, the goal is to satisfy guests. and organizations in this industry consider their employees to be equivalent to their guests, and they call them the internal guests.

Seeing his friends working in different industries( FMCG, technology, banking and more), he realizes that every industry has its own norms. However, he explains how the hospitality industry demands a lot of collaboration between the teams. He does not negate the fact that it's not relevant in other industries. But, in hospitality, it is certainly a notch up.

Patience is one skill that is required at the workplace post-pandemic

Vikram shares that through an HR leader’s perspective, he has learned the significance of being patient over the years. With tech grabbing its place in almost all the industries, workspaces have started moving faster. Patience is one competency that will be required to deal with the younger generation.

He also added that the industries are constantly changing. There is a remarkable change in the way things were operating a decade back and the way we operate now. While the basics have still managed to remain intact, the way we do things have certainly changed. Hence, industries should be open to that change, and probably, that is the reason they are now open to do things digitally.

Virtual training is the new way

Vikram mentions that the whole idea is that all training, which was done in person, has been shifted to virtual platforms. This has increased participation as it requires no travel and is extremely convenient for people. for the person. So the core training programmes have moved on to a virtual platform. That's a very significant change that he observed in the training field.

To cover his second point, he highlighted a comparison between the virtual training calls that took place in April 2020 with the ones that take place now.. Previously they had to repeatedly request people to switch on the cameras and interact. Nowadays, people are much more comfortable switching their cameras on and being a part of it.

Virtual platforms for hospitality have changed from a process perspective. However, their workflow still cannot work from home because guests still need to be checked in to the hotel, food is still required to be cooked and served to them, etc.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Niyati Goel, Sr. Manager Global Compensation at The Hershey Company talks to our CEO, Kartik Mandaville and Project intern, Naman Chaturvedi about the importance of organization design and how it comes out of two things - Business strategy and Organization culture. They also discuss how inclusivity at the workplace is more about finding similarities in the people you work with, irrespective of different countries, cultures, education, backgrounds, differences and companies.

Niyati has managed the HR functions across all verticals and has worked in Singapore, Malaysia, Middle east and the United States in FMCG, Travel and Tech domains. She is a certified SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) professional with an engineering background and an MBA in HR from XLRI.

Organization design comes out of your business strategy and organization culture

Niyati suggests that before we go into how organization design is important for culture, we need to understand what organization design really is. In a simple way, organization design and culture is how things get done in an organization.

The organization design comes out of two things:

What is your business strategy: What do you want to produce, deliver and solve? Who are your consumers?

The organization culture: To an extent, it is a derivative of the culture based on how you get things done, which kind of market you operate in.

Let’s say you operate in a very dynamic market, your structure needs to ensure that delivery. Thus you need to probably have a very simple or non-hierarchical structure where the information flow and employee duties are performed quickly to deliver their goals.

But if you work in a highly structured environment, say in the legal field, your structure needs to match the delivery you're trying to achieve as an organization. So to a certain extent it is a derivative. Therefore, your organization design comes from your updated business strategy.

Keep the communication chain as short as possible:

Niyati derived an analogy from a game called Chinese Whisper which focuses on the importance of the right kind of communication.

So, one learning from this particular game is that the more you de-layer the communication, the easier it is. We can simplify communications and avoid misunderstandings by keeping the chain as short as possible. And this is one of the ideas from an organization design point of view. There are indeed multiple other ideas on how you can avoid misunderstandings in virtual communications. A call is better than a text, a video is better than a call. Hence, face to face interaction is still better than all of the three. And these opportunities and forums need to be created among team members.

Understanding the real meaning of inclusivity at the workplace

Niyati shares that we must know that the world is more similar than different. The more we consider it different, the more we step away from reaching the language of inclusivity. However, of course, there are few differences,some very tangible ones. For example, time zones or language. Some intangible differences could be ways of working which are not immediately identifiable in an online working model.In the same way, there are some tangible and intangible similarities as well. So, if you recognize these two and start with the similarities first, you will be able to achieve your goal.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Kartik Mandaville, Naman Chaturvedi

In this episode, Suzanne Lucas, a freelance writer, who is famously known for her blogs on her EvilHRLady blog page, talks to our Head of Marketing, Abhash Kumar on how pandemic made people finally realize the importance of the role of an HR in the setup of things in the organization.

She also touched upon points such as inducing changes in HR policies to reflect the workplace reality during remote work.

Suzanne is very famous for her incredible original ideas on the HR space and is recognized for putting people first in all her ideas. Her blogs get 300,000 to 500,000 hits per month and are considered one of the best sources to understand the HR world.

HR as an important part of business changes during pandemic

Apart from a few businesses that were affected positively, most of them have been affected negatively. Every business was bound to make changes. The Essentials stores had to revamp their way of functioning in order to keep their employees safe and the HR turned out to be a critical part of that. Moreover, every country had new laws on how to do things and it was the responsibility of HR t to implement those changes, which was not very easy.

HR showed massive care for their employees during pandemic

Suzanne runs a Facebook group, called Evil HR lady which has more than 6,000 people from the field of HR. She shares that she saw plenty ofHRs from all over the world trying to help each other out in order to get through this pandemic. They would share materials as references to make others’ jobs easy. She was overwhelmed when she found how much they cared about each other and their own employees’ job, health and safety.
Remote work makes it difficult for new hires to build a relationship with co-workers

Even though Suzanne has worked remotely exclusively for 12 years, she believes that remote work is not for everyone. She shares that working from the office made all of us build relationships with our coworkers. They might still be able to maintain those relationships. But when you hire new people who have never met you, it will be difficult for them to build such relationships. Physically meeting is how humans build relationships and are able to feel free to share a little about themselves and their personal lives. However, it has become more difficult now to have spontaneous conversations.

Zoom fatigue is real

Zoom fatigue is an equally important problem because of the lockdown. Hopefully, this problem will be resolved as the Covid-19 is sorted. Our feelings and attitudes are largely conveyed by non-verbal signals such as facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, gestures, posture and the distance between the communicators. In a face-to-face meeting, we process these cues largely automatically while listening to the speaker at the same time. But on a video chat, we need to work harder to process non-verbal cues. Paying more attention to these consumes a lot of energy.

Also, in face-to-face meetings we rely heavily on non-verbal cues to make emotional judgements, such as assessing whether a statement is credible. We automatically take in information such as: Is the person fidgeting? Relying predominantly on non-verbal information to infer other people’s emotions is tiring.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Abhash Kumar

In this episode, Sujata Deshmukh, Founder of Tutul Consulting talks to Kartik Mandaville, CEO of Springworks and Prerona Das, marketing intern at Springworks on how organizations across industries have dealt with the new normal way of work and maintained their effectiveness at the same time.

They also discussed how advanced technologies such as virtual reality, and artificial intelligence are disrupting the workplaces and how various organizations are trying to adopt it in some interesting ways.

Sujata has about 23 years of experience as an HR Practitioner & Consultant. She advises, coaches and co-creates powerful transformation strategies at individual, team and organizational level. Her areas of expertise include Top Team Effectiveness, Leadership Development & shaping Culture.

She is a TedX speaker and has worked with more than 1000s of leaders worldwide and possesses a powerhouse of knowledge when it comes to building an organization effectively. She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations at XLRI Jamshedpur.

Organizations have dealt with the new normal by maintaining their effectiveness

Sujata throws light on two very interesting but opposite trends that she observed. On one hand, a few organizations have made a lot of efforts to become more sensitive and inclusive towards their employees. They try to connect and converse with them. Many organizations have modified their policies to include wellness factors as well. These are the organizations which have gone out of their way for their employees.
On the other hand, some organizations are facing major issues of rude behavior by the managers and non inclusive behavior. This results in employees struggling in the creative and intuitive aspects of working. In these cases, managing work and getting space, especially in cities where we don’t have dedicated workspaces, has become difficult.
The whole situation forced people to look at what is important. It has forced leaders to be far more inclusive, caring and sensitive, allowing for flexibility. It’s got leaders to change the way they have done business.
By and large, the overall outcome has been positive. But there have also been cases where employees have been struggling with lack of personal time, or just attending meetings and working for 12 hours a day.

Different organizations dealing differently with the new normal

The smart organizations have had crisper meetings, shorter meetings times where there will be no calls and meetings and making sure the outputs are far more structured. So for those managers who are very structured and used to being very top down, they are able to control it well.

But for those who need to talk and discuss physically, they’ve struggled a bit. So by and large, most of us have adapted to this new way of working. But a few blind spots still exist. And employees just deal with it passively by saying “well, I’ll just go off video and take a break”.
White collar people are leveraging flexible timings, whereas life hasn’t changed for factory people

People who work in a corporate culture have one or two days of flexibility in terms of staying at home or coming to the office. Maybe some flexible timings as well.
But that is only limited to white collar people. The pandemic did not change the work pattern of factory workers or people who work in hospitality, hotels or healthcare industries.
People have the flexibility to continue working from their hometowns.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Kartik Mandaville

In this episode, Gordon Tredgold, CEO of Leadership Principles limited talks to Anoop Suresh, VP of Sales and Naman Chaturvedi, a marketing intern about how success is about having the right motivation, the right plan, and the right leadership. We discussed the culture that workplaces should maintain to help their employees thrive, especially during remote work settings.

His first passion was rugby and he started playing when he was 9 years old. He continued to play until he was 43. As he moved into his professional career, he discovered his real passion was actually for building winning teams, coaching and developing people. He Successfully led high profile Data Center Migration Programs at fujitsu and contributed to a few online media such as Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur media.

Now with that mix of passion and ability, he has been ranked by Global Gurus as one of the Top 10 Leadership Experts, Speakers, and Trainers in the world.

Culture contributes to building high-performance teams

Culture creates the environment of a workspace. It sets the expectations and holds people accountable for the performance that they deliver.
Gordon expressed his views on this with a Cricket analogy. He mentioned that when cricket teams such as England lose the match, they are told, “You did your best” or, “you were valiant in defeat”. However, when teams like New Zealand and Australia lose the Test series, they are not keen on the plan to set back because they know the expectations from there.
And this is where culture drives excellence. It may sound negative, but actually it is a positive reinforcing way. Massive man culture is what people do when we’re not looking. So for New Zealand, it’s probably about them doing extra training, to get fitter and perform better. They’re not told, \ but inspired to do so by the culture they have been in.

2020 was a year of addressing organizational concerns

Gordon probably booked more speaking gigs in 2020 than any other year because all of the conferences closed down. He ended up leading a program for Fujitsu and doing a few webinars as well.
And the interesting thing is that all of them were 100% remote. Gordon has generally led hybrid teams, but this was the first time when he never met anybody from the team.

Leaders should start adapting to the new normal

Gordon has observed the evolution of leadership over the years. He explained how earlier, it was 90% command and control, and 10% leadership. However, over the years, he has seen that percentage coming down. But there are still 30-40% of people who are in command and control, and it doesn’t really work.

With the pandemic and remote working, command and control is dead in the water. Many leaders are having to transition from command and control.

People are not working in the same office, same building, same consciousness, and possibly the same time zones as well. So we need to be much more inspiring and engaging leaders.

It is important to add collaborative style of approach to your leadership

Gordon explained this well with a simple yet good example, considering the situation of a a guy who wants to lose 20 pounds. One way can be coaching him and keeping a regular check on his weight. This is a good way to get some detailed monitoring of his performance. However, if the only way to coach him would be to accuse him and ask him to stop eating much, then you are just going to create disengagement.
Doing that in a supportive way is going to help him to become better.

Thus, leaders should never have a problem with performance measurement. If they do, it’s difficult for them to do the measurement, that is, to make the employees perform better.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: An

In this episode, Sinjini Sengupta, Founder of lighthouse talks to Anoop Suresh, VP of Sales and Prerona Das, Marketing Intern at Springworks about the most powerful way to put across ideas at workplaces, which is storytelling. She gives us highlights of her journey from being an actuary for 12 years to getting her short film (Elixir) shortlisted to be screened at Cannes. We talk about issues such as social conditioning and using the power of storytelling in the HR vertical and how that experience will change in the years ahead.

Sinjini is an alumna of Indian Statistical Institute and an erstwhile actuary turned into an award-winning storyteller, author, speaker & columnist. She has been a TEDx speaker multiple times. As an author, she has won a number of awards and her first book ELIXIR was shortlisted among the 5 best fictions of 2017 at Gurgaon Library Festival 2018.

Produced by: Priya Bhatt
Podcast host: Anoop Suresh

Check out the blog for this podcast.