Shailesh is Human Resources and General Management professional has shaped high performing cultures at some of the brand MNCs, growing outfits and start-up environments by assimilating people strategies with business goals through innovative talent management practices. He is also a Leadership Coach and Armed Forces Veteran.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
Always been interested in dealing with human resources in various environments and challenges, my career started serving with elite Indian Army and later landed on civvy street joining Aditya Birla Group then moved towards acquiring formal management degree from XLRI, Jamshedpur.
Had a chance to work with one of the ITC companies and then joined an interesting project of improving organisation performance of IGRUA (Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Academy, MoCA) through Canadian aviation major Canadian Aviation Electronics.
Before joining Mirafra Technologies, I was lucky enough to work with a Finnish IT services giant Tieto. My experience has been of various set-ups throughout this journey which encompasses from Information Technology, Civil Aviation, Manufacturing to Government Organisations and from MNCs, conglomerates to midsize to start ups.
Now, I am enjoying my work at Mirafra for last 8 years as it has helped me evolved in to an entrepreneur, a leadership coach and a leader driven by Values. So far, with few twists and turns my 20+ years of journey has been much enriching, rewarding and fulfilling.
Now, I am enjoying my work at Mirafra for last 8 years as it has helped me evolved in to an entrepreneur, a leadership coach and a leader driven by Values. So far, with few twists and turns my 20+ years of journey has been much enriching, rewarding and fulfilling.
2. What is your opinion about remote working?
Remote working or work from home (WFH) is not a new phenomenon, majority IT companies have always walked on this path and I have witnessed it in last two decades. Now the situation is such (COVID pandemic) that other industries have started offering this option for obvious reasons but this arrangement is not meant for all.
There are various industries where physical presence on the job/work is must like manufacturing, hospitals, retail outlets, tangible services etc. At such places having an idea of WFH/remote working may not work or they may have to work around with some method of providing WFH/remote working to certain set of resources not required to attend work place.
Over all this trend is going to continue as companies have already developed the ways, methods and process to deal with requirements and challenges of providing remote working. Moreover, it has proved to be most cost effective to business houses due to reduced infrastructure and overhead costs.
Over all this trend is going to continue as companies have already developed the ways, methods and process to deal with requirements and challenges of providing remote working. Moreover, it has proved to be most cost effective to business houses due to reduced infrastructure and overhead costs.
This has also received good response from employees as it has reduced commutation time and the key work hours have become productive work hours. This option has flip side too. Employees get overwhelmed and go on extended working hours in absence of literal work timings.
Mental and health issue is another area that needs immediate attention. Humans always wants to mingle with people due basic nature of socialising and that is missing due to remote working/wfh.
According to a recent study, nearly half of all employees will work remotely after the pandemic, compared to only 30% pre-pandemic. That means a shift in the way we operate and work from home is the next normal.
According to a recent study, nearly half of all employees will work remotely after the pandemic, compared to only 30% pre-pandemic. That means a shift in the way we operate and work from home is the next normal.
3. How do you keep your employees and team engaged? What are some of the shifts in engagement strategies?
Apart from the basics of providing growth opportunities, adequate training, best of benefits and quality work, Mirafra has developed a culture and an atmosphere of collaboration and partnership with employees. This has helped in engaging employees by recognising them as a key stake holder in company’s growth.
Creating value-based Leadership which is responsible to drive the culture of Mirafra and engage respective teams in the right direction is another factor that adds up to high level of employee engagement.
As newer generations are entering the workforce across the world and they look for innovations, independence and creativity than sacrosanct style of functioning, every organisation and leadership team will have to align to this workforce and innovate the ways to engage this talent pool. One of the critical factors to drive engagement will be Employee Experience and Technology.
4. How important is skill development for employees and how do you do that?
Learning and Development is a continues process for any Human being and employees being the critical part of organisation must be put through continues L&D. We look it at as an investment that helps in many ways - employee gets skilled/reskilled thru L&D which improves efficiency and productivity and in turns it boost the motivation and engagement.
This directly and positively impacts organisation’s overall performance and ultimately the bottom line of the business and interest of our stake holders. Moreover, organisation creates a brigade of aptly trained resources for the future needs.
We work on employee development areas in many ways introducing various programs involving internal and external expertise but majority part is done internally through on job training, skill development courses, self-learning options. Analysing future market, skill gap analysis and competency mapping remains the critical part of L&D initiatives.
We work on employee development areas in many ways introducing various programs involving internal and external expertise but majority part is done internally through on job training, skill development courses, self-learning options. Analysing future market, skill gap analysis and competency mapping remains the critical part of L&D initiatives.
5. How according to you has HR as a profession evolved over the years?
Human Resources as the name suggest is dealing with Humans which altogether is a very challenging yet interesting task in an organisation. The present Business HR/Strategic HR/HR Specialist/HR Operations/Shared services/Centre of Excellence/Employee Relations and so on, all these roles of HR have evolved after a long journey of many decades.
There were days when it used to be the basic function of Personnel and Administration and then evolved in to Human Resource Development and then to Human Resource Management by proving its worth through creating value proposition for Human Resources and business. Today HR has carved out its own position in decision making and has panned out as a professional role securing its chair in the Board.
“Stay relevant, business aligned, people oriented and tech savvy” that is today’s mantra for an HR professional.
6. What are some of the qualities you look for in a person when hiring for leadership?
Evaluating technical/functional side is must but the crucial part of leadership hiring is about understanding human behaviour and values in a candidate. This includes attitude, emotional quotient, decision making abilities, risk apatite, fungibility, adaptability, high level of discipline, leading from the front and setting own example.
Above all, I look for two most critical aspects that is “Culture Fit” and ability to deal with “VUCA”. Leadership hiring is more about finding the right culture fit ‘coz a leader with all qualities may not be able to showcase the talent if he/she can’t understand the culture of the organisation and sooner becomes a misfit.
Same way “VUCA - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity” have always been in existence at leadership level and one who smoothly dribbles with taste the success.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
There are several but few are more interesting. I’ve two such books topping the list.
1. “The Goal, Theory of Constraints” which talks about bottlenecks, constraints, Goal and much more but not in business language rather it is a Novel and success story of factory manager struggling to save the factory.
2. “Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta”, holy book of Hindu Religion. The ultimate guide to any and all problems, best teacher of the world and what not. In short, it is above all the books of every genre in this world.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
There are several but few are more interesting. I’ve two such books topping the list.
1. “The Goal, Theory of Constraints” which talks about bottlenecks, constraints, Goal and much more but not in business language rather it is a Novel and success story of factory manager struggling to save the factory.
2. “Shreemad Bhagwat Geeta”, holy book of Hindu Religion. The ultimate guide to any and all problems, best teacher of the world and what not. In short, it is above all the books of every genre in this world.
- Interviewed by - Sanjana Jain
Social