At what point in your life did you decide to take up HR as your career? What were the guiding / motivating factors?

During graduation studies, MBA seniors of Amrita Institute of Management Studies provoked me to prepare for MBA. The start was with borrowing of the preparatory materials and books and setting up some weekly schedule to devote time so I could make gradual progress. The positivity I gained while dealing with people and inner satisfaction of being able to resolve people problem issue with happy outcomes and a scaled-up maturity at that time drove my attention towards Human Resources. 

The greatest motivating factor was the confidence and trust my father had in me. That gave me lot of inner responsibility to attempt each task with lot of perfection in ensuring each time I was getting a much better version of self.
 

HR is one practice that touches human lives directly. Do you think employers and specially HR Professional can play role in reducing stress levels of employees through various employee engagement initiatives?

The best part of role is focusing on obtaining firm and fair balance for both organisation and employees. It’s important to understand business is more about people and employee’s welfare comes first. With technology being increasingly prevalent and required it is becoming more evident that for the technology to be more efficient it must identify and support people as individuals. A good level of humanity is preferred in any scenario hence a wise investment that enhance HR effectiveness from both ends of gadget Vs human spectrum is need of the hour. To me HR professionals play employee connectivity and morale building roles with multiple hats. This not only helps in reducing stress levels but drives the complete organisation culture and everyday climate at work. The outcome is brimming positivity which creates a chain reaction of high morale, performance culture, passion, intensity, satisfaction, happiness index, collaboration, sharing, involvement etc. Customised solutions reap the best benefits hence it is important to analyse what best liked and looked forward and plan initiatives suiting each organisation so as to see results and wider acceptance. Moreover, as an HR it also helps you to make sure that everyone is playing by the rule and can see the end zone.

What are some of the most important employee engagement initiatives related to Music, Art, Dance or Sports that you have taken in your career?

Music band formation, Rewards and Recognition award nights, Dance Performances at various events, Digital art and vector painting competitions Fitness Programs (Yoga, Zumba, Walkathon).

Do you think time and cost for employee engagements are an investment for the organisation and can help in multi-fold returns?

Synergy that gets created in the whole ambience is competitive but purely in a healthy way. This enhances the team bonding and is a solution that fosters better interaction and connection in the working world. Employees can experience the personalisation. HR can monitor the energy and work on action packed tips to work along with workforce to bring in real delivery translations that gets created with such collaboration. Monetary investment here as per me isn’t a vital criterion. Its always important to know available budgets so as to be strategically aligned on any spending.

Employee engagement initiatives aren’t conducted only to release stress and have fun at work. The roots are much deeper here and with customised programs HR must show why the issues it addresses matters to the business and should also resonate that it was a sensible way to manage. The result should be concentrated towards HR leading the change being in charge. Transparency on what HR should care and why this will surface up to the leaders at executive level to back this up well in execution. This will help in articulating the HR point of view on every people related topic towards desired outcome. Ability of HR to craft company specific policies which can respond to present and futuristic challenges. In short HR should be able to drive a workforce with discretionary effort by employees who are engaged and willing to give their best.
 

Do you feel there is a need even to reach out to the family of employees so that they get better connected to the company? Have you undertaken any such initiative in your past or current organization?

There are bundle of activities that HR pilots to gain the personalisation advantage. Each person is different and to me it is how well, ultimately, they can be treated. Some may believe in miracles and some simply may not. Its important to value personal privacy of individuals basis their choice. Hence a precheck on employee preference is a prerogative to be checked first.

In my previous organisations we have conducted family day and some rewarding experiences with family involvement too.
 

What is the one change that you would like to bring in HR practice that has potential to boost employees work-life balance?

HR should be defined by what it delivers. Deliverables from HR must be explicitly defined, and HR must be held accountable for the results that enrich the value to investors, customers and employees. HR must be a Partner in strategic execution. HR should work towards increasing employee contribution in way of commitment to organisation and ability to deliver results. Shape process culture and capacity to change of an organisation as transformational leaders. An open and transparent culture with maturity and responsible behaviour helps employees to equally adapt with ease in system. 

What are your personal interests in Music, Art, Dance or Sports and how do you continue to pursue it?

Music - Sanskrit bhajans is something with which my day starts. Luckily my daughter shares the same passion. I love to see people dancing and spent evening 1 hour at the Flames dance school with my daughter.

Any other thoughts you may want to share?

I love helping people in whatever capacity I can. Have mentored and coached too may friends and family to get job, prepared them for interviews, projects and internship, corporate talks, worked on their resumes etc. The most recent is helping a 7-year-old boy with his studies.