Education has its benefits in shaping an individual – while learning certain subjects and theories are one part of formal education, there are other critical behaviors and skills that come with it, like social skills, interacting & working with people from different cultures & backgrounds, values, ethics are strongly rooted in and stem from the kind of education we receive.
I come from a humble background. In a middle-class family, my father worked with the defense, and my mother, a homemaker who also took tuitions. I have a sister who is a teacher. I had a fairly stringent upbringing. I grew up seeing my father and mother work very hard.
During my childhood, I had often heard people tell my dad ‘why are you educating
your daughters, they are anyway to be married off, why do have to educate them’. My father believes his 2 daughters are his two eyes and he will offer them the best education.
your daughters, they are anyway to be married off, why do have to educate them’. My father believes his 2 daughters are his two eyes and he will offer them the best education.
He would always tell us good education and healthy food are the biggest wealth he will give us. He wanted us to stand on our own feet and have a career. Much
to the resentment of several people, he did not deter from his path. He spent almost 50 to 60% of his monthly salary on our education.
to the resentment of several people, he did not deter from his path. He spent almost 50 to 60% of his monthly salary on our education.
It wasn’t easy for us, we faced a fair share of difficulties growing up, but I would like to believe that it shaped me into becoming the person I am today. At a very early stage in life I was taught the value of integrity, hard work, empathy, perseverance, frugal thinking and being resourceful.
I did my schooling in Air Force School and did my BA in Economics from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. I did my executive MBA from IIMB and was fortunate to be nominated for Global Leadership Programme at Harvard University, a flagship Programme of Mahindra Group.
I started working right after my college with the Taj Group of Hotels as a Sales Trainee. These were the formative years of my career. In my experience, the hotel industry is probably one of the best to build a strong foundation for one’s career.
I did my schooling in Air Force School and did my BA in Economics from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. I did my executive MBA from IIMB and was fortunate to be nominated for Global Leadership Programme at Harvard University, a flagship Programme of Mahindra Group.
I started working right after my college with the Taj Group of Hotels as a Sales Trainee. These were the formative years of my career. In my experience, the hotel industry is probably one of the best to build a strong foundation for one’s career.
The rigor is unparalleled. Customer Obsession & Execution Excellence – these are two skills or rather behaviors that Taj instilled in me at a very early stage. Fresh out of college and in my first job, Taj was my first-hand experience of empowerment.
They perhaps had more confidence in me than I had in myself, as a fresher they did not hesitate to give me some of the key accounts like Ashok Leyland, Bosch, Microland. And this experience of immense responsibility & empowerment has stuck with me since. I am proud to say I learned from the best in the industry.
In my career graph of 25 years, I have experience in various business roles across Companies like Unilever, Aviva, Oriflame, and Mahindra & Mahindra. My movement from business roles to Human Resources helped me successfully move the function from being a service or support function to a Strategic
Business Partner through various people-centric initiatives.
Business Partner through various people-centric initiatives.
How did you narrow down on this profession?
‘Experience is important, but it’s the type of experience that counts’ is what I
believe in, with over 25 years of diverse experiences with many global brands. I played many parts on the corporate stage but it's the people angle that has always intrigued and interested me.
While I started my career with the Taj Group of Hotels, I gained exposure across industries with organizations like Oriflame, Hindustan Unilever, Aviva Life Insurance, and Modi Revlon. In my earlier years, I worked in sales and business
operations which played an integral role in shaping my career today.
operations which played an integral role in shaping my career today.
The exposure received in these roles makes me quite the unconventional human resources professional. My first role in HR function as the head of training and development at Titan in 2005 was a turning point, this experience provided me the platform, confidence, and desire to pursue the Human Resources function.
During this stint, I was awarded the recipient of the prestigious ‘Outstanding Titanian 07-08’ award. I was a proud recipient of it. After 3 successful years at Titan, I joined Mahindra Retail as General Manager – HR in September 2008.
This was a start-up in the mother & child space and had a chain of specialty retail stores called ‘Mom & Me’. The thrill of being part of a start-up was very enticing. Creating an Organisation, its values & culture, and building a business from scratch is what attracted me to it.
After 7 years of a very fruitful journey with Mahindra Retail, I joined Titan in 2015 as Head Hr- Retail and Corporate. In the last 15 years, I have enjoyed my journey as an HR professional.
It seems onboarding, even in 2021 is a long-drawn-out process behind the scenes. How do you envision this changing in the future?
In my view, the onboarding process is one of the most important experiences in defining the strength & longevity of the relationship between employees & the organization. Its importance in sustaining & enriching the organization’s culture, strengthening the employer brand, reducing infant attrition & building loyalty is unparalleled.
In my view, the onboarding process is one of the most important experiences in defining the strength & longevity of the relationship between employees & the organization. Its importance in sustaining & enriching the organization’s culture, strengthening the employer brand, reducing infant attrition & building loyalty is unparalleled.
No wonder it is a long drawn process behind the scenes; there are a lot of elements that need to be brought together in a coherent & seamless manner to the experience an enriching one.
Right from the wait time candidates experience for a response to their application, to the interview process, to the pre-joining conversations & engagement are conducted to the first day after having joined the organization, every single step makes or breaks their impression.
Right from the wait time candidates experience for a response to their application, to the interview process, to the pre-joining conversations & engagement are conducted to the first day after having joined the organization, every single step makes or breaks their impression.
Small experiences like whether the person receiving the right kind of welcome by the team, were they given the tools to do their job well, were they provided with support to navigate the first few days in the organization actually require
effective technology with the right people using it, rigorous processes, seamless working between multiple teams, constant eye for improvement, and most importantly, empathy – being able to put yourself in the shoes of a newcomer.
effective technology with the right people using it, rigorous processes, seamless working between multiple teams, constant eye for improvement, and most importantly, empathy – being able to put yourself in the shoes of a newcomer.
And for these reasons, I strongly believe that by nature onboarding needs to be a long-drawn and rigorous process behind the scenes. In the future, the rules of engagement may change be it Flexi-working, remote-working or gigs, but this will all the more increase the need for a solid onboarding experience & in turn a sustainable process.
Studies today show that an organization can lose INR 10 lakh (~ $17,000) on average on a wrong hire or for hiring someone with a false degree. The only tried and tested way to prevent frauds is via a thorough background verification process. Download SpringVerify's e-book for a comprehensive guide to Employee Background Verification in India.
What’s one thing you would like to change in how Background Verification is done in India?
Background verification (BGV) should not just be to validate the hard factors like
education, career history, etc but adequate investments should also be made on verifying the softer aspects like values of the candidate and behavioral & functional competencies critical to being successful in the role.
How has the candidate demonstrated this in the previous Organisations? While for the former (hard factors) we can engage external partners, the latter part I recommend is done by the hiring manager. It gives the hiring manager a deeper understanding of the candidate.
Another ask can be Customization of services offered – an a la carte menu of bgv so to say. To give an example: the time & investment will be differentiated for somebody joining a company with experience with one other organization and someone with more than 3 organizations.
Another ask can be Customization of services offered – an a la carte menu of bgv so to say. To give an example: the time & investment will be differentiated for somebody joining a company with experience with one other organization and someone with more than 3 organizations.
The charge to the company can be differentiated too. Flexibility to be able to "cancel" or "close" the check at any point of time in the interim period after
making a request is another example.
BGV platform integrations with the employer"s HRMS would be the third ask. Integration with HRM systems for onboarding, requesting of checks, call-backs on completion & access to reports through the HRMS will help organizations with one-stop access for all pre-employment checks.
making a request is another example.
BGV platform integrations with the employer"s HRMS would be the third ask. Integration with HRM systems for onboarding, requesting of checks, call-backs on completion & access to reports through the HRMS will help organizations with one-stop access for all pre-employment checks.
How do you handle someone who has lied on their resume?
A lie on the resume is the sure-shot way to the exit door, there is no ambiguity on this at Titan. Titan prides itself on integrity and holds it as one of the core values. The expectation from anyone who chooses to be part of the Titan ecosystem is clear – Integrity above all else.
We have a clear policy of NOT onboarding, anyone whose background verification is negative, this is stated in the offer contract. Before commencing the background verification process, candidates submit a signed copy of the offer contract to us legally agreeing to the background check which in itself is an extremely rigorous process involving identity checks, validating education & work
qualifications, past criminal records, permanent & current address among other things.
In case of a negative verification report, the offer can be rescinded and we have taken this step in the past.
qualifications, past criminal records, permanent & current address among other things.
In case of a negative verification report, the offer can be rescinded and we have taken this step in the past.
Several global companies have come out and thrown their support behind not needing a formal education. What is your opinion about this?
While I think it is a fairly progressive stand that some companies are taking, there are well-founded benefits of a formal education that cannot be overlooked and that go much beyond landing a job.
Having said that in Titan we have roles where the skill is valued over the educational qualifications example Karigars in our Jewellery business, Service
Technicians. Here the skills they bring to the table are niche and critical.
Education has its benefits in shaping an individual – while learning certain subjects and theories are one part of formal education, there are other critical behaviors and skills that come with it, like social skills, interacting & working with people from different cultures & backgrounds, values, ethics are strongly rooted in and stem from the kind of education we receive.
Technicians. Here the skills they bring to the table are niche and critical.
Education has its benefits in shaping an individual – while learning certain subjects and theories are one part of formal education, there are other critical behaviors and skills that come with it, like social skills, interacting & working with people from different cultures & backgrounds, values, ethics are strongly rooted in and stem from the kind of education we receive.
And these form a part of our personalities that defines what we value in life, how we react to diverse people, how we align to certain cultures and don’t fit in with others.
What advice do you have for aspiring HR professionals?
There is an acceleration in the endeavors by organizations to re-craft & digitize their talent management & engagement processes. The budding HR professionals need to seize the opportunities that are presented in this process of digital transformation.
There is an acceleration in the endeavors by organizations to re-craft & digitize their talent management & engagement processes. The budding HR professionals need to seize the opportunities that are presented in this process of digital transformation.
At the same time, in HR; what differentiates the great from the good is their deep
understanding of the business, being connected with what is happening outside in the world of business and human resources, ability to connect with, engage and understand people at a deep level. With remote working, part-time work contracts, etc.
understanding of the business, being connected with what is happening outside in the world of business and human resources, ability to connect with, engage and understand people at a deep level. With remote working, part-time work contracts, etc.
This capability will become more critical going forward. Another crucial skill one should focus on is learning agility – HR is one function that is changing at a rapid pace. The ability to learn and adapt to change will differentiate pacers from laggards.
As HR we play several roles but most important of those are that of a – trusted advisor, Employee Champion, Value Creator, and Architect of culture. In the current time's role of HR has dialed up. We are the first point of contact for employees and their loved ones impacted by Covid, partnering with businesses to navigate through these difficult ambiguous times.
As HR we play several roles but most important of those are that of a – trusted advisor, Employee Champion, Value Creator, and Architect of culture. In the current time's role of HR has dialed up. We are the first point of contact for employees and their loved ones impacted by Covid, partnering with businesses to navigate through these difficult ambiguous times.
Which is your favourite book and why?
Teaming by Amy Edmondson, I read this book a few years back but the impact has remained. In this complex, ambiguous and dynamic environment this book throws light on why ‘Teaming’ is essential to an organization's ability to respond to opportunities and to improve internal processes.
Teaming by Amy Edmondson, I read this book a few years back but the impact has remained. In this complex, ambiguous and dynamic environment this book throws light on why ‘Teaming’ is essential to an organization's ability to respond to opportunities and to improve internal processes.
It gives new perspectives and opens our understanding of why teaming and the behaviors it requires are so crucial for organizational success in today's environment.
Bio -
Priya M Pillai. Head HR – Corporate & Retail for Titan Company Limited, has over 25 years of varied experience with many global brands. She has played many parts on the corporate stage, from scaling FMCG businesses to creating brands to now crafting human capital strategy.
She has spent a large part of her career in the retail & service industry like Titan, Unilever, Mahindra & Mahindra and managed varied portfolios from
sales, operations, e-commerce to heading HR.
In her earlier years, Priya worked in business operations which played an integral role in shaping her to become the person she is today. The exposure received in these roles makes her quite the unconventional human resources professional.
In her current role at Titan Company, besides heading HR for Corporate & Retail, she is also the Chairperson for POSH.
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