Living a life amidst a pandemic was always tough, be it a plague or a deadly virus. But adaptation is the key to survival. Adapting to the changes when faced with challenges, be it on a domestic front or on the work front is extremely crucial, and ‘Hope Infinite’ aims at employee wellness by making the process of adapting easier with an in-depth understanding of the situation we are in.
Thus, to comprehend the corporate world in the new normal we have Mr. Rahul Singh as our guest for episode four of Hope Infinite.
Rahul Singh, our esteemed guest, is the VP – Human Resources | Head -Group Talent Acquisition at SREI Infrastructure Finance Limited.
He has worked with multiple companies like Aditya Birla, HSBC, Citi Bank, and a few others. He is currently heading and planning resource requirements for all group companies (Sr. Management, CXO, CEO, BOD & critical positions) across geographical boundaries (National & International markets) for SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd.
He has also pioneered in Implementing human resources strategies by developing tailored training programs on Leadership Development and Business Excellence for all levels of Managers & Senior Strategic Group Leaders.
With everyone trying to pace up with their new style of work-life, it has become difficult for some sectors like finance to maintain customer interaction virtually. To deal with the predicament, some portion of the employees have been asked to physically attend the office while keeping in mind all the safety protocols.
However, healthy mental states of employees are key to a happier and successful workspace, particularly if an individual is in any leadership role. It is often the deciding factor of the individual’s professional success or failure. Given the various difficulties one faces in his/her personal front that topples their work-life as well, big firms often associate with agencies who keep a check on the emotional doings of the employees anonymously.
According to Singh, maintaining peace of mind is crucial for everyone, be it a leader or an ordinary employee. A sound and strong mental health opens up new doors for a working individual that are beyond comprehension.
While the discussion next shifted to whereas the checks of culture-fit, role fit, etc. will be completely bot-based, Mr. Rahul Singh rightly said that he’s still a firm believer of the idea that artificial intelligence cannot replace the emotional concept.
The senses and emotional intelligence are important to assess different criteria of the same. Artificial intelligence no doubt can provide the arms and ammunition to complete a project but it is only the emotional intelligence of a person that can provide the final output.
AI can definitely be counted as a skill of a potential candidate but the right attitude cannot be replaced by AI. Human touch is still essential even if there is continuous improvement in tech.
Singh also talked about how employee engagement has evolved as a concept in the last few years that required addressing by the whole of the corporate world. However, the pandemic has forced the HR departments to change their outlook altogether towards employee engagement and wellness. Engagement in an office setting and engagement in a WFH setting require two completely different approaches.
With the ‘new normal’ dwelling in, HR departments have gradually started engaging the employees’ families along with the employee himself/herself. This strategy has boosted their performance in professional life. The sole reason for devising this strategy is to maintain positivity in these tough times.
After touching upon a plethora of topics about employee wellness and engagement strategies, our guest for the episode, Mr. Rahul Singh gave his insights into what this industry needs to focus on still when it comes to employee wellness and engagement.
It is setting realistic targets and goals prior that still need proper redressal so as to avoid month-end or year-end hurdles. A streamlined procedure can ease out the workings all around.
Later, he gave his insights on that one thing that needs change in the traditional methods of talent acquisition as well. According to him, it is the notion of acquiring talent on the basis of the geographical spectrum that needs change. Employment postings locally can hamper the process of talent acquisition.Check out our blog on Work-Life Balance and how to Achieve It!
The talk session with Mr. Singh was extremely fun and interactive. His personal experiences and his strategic planning in the fields of leadership, employee wellness, employee engagement, talent acquisition, and various other corporate issues are something to look up to. The discussion was a solution for many individuals and corporations that seek answers to cope and manage their professional lives along with their personal lives in this pandemic.
Check out more such conversations about employee wellness in our series, Hope Infinite.