The year gone by will be a watershed moment after the
three Covid years. What was thought to be a stop-gap
arrangement till Covid got over, crystalised into the
preferred way of working for employees across the
world. As industry called back employees back to office,
some mandatorily and some offering hybrid work options,
there was much debate on the need for work from office vs hybrid
vs remote working options. And employers in some advanced
countries also gave the option of 4-day work week - an experiment
that hit headlines world-over. This tussle over flexibility is bound
continue into 2024.
What will also continue to demand attention from the HR
function is employees’ need for wellbeing measures. While Covid
saw wellbeing measures at their peak, this will continue to be an
emphasis area.

New Year Greetings and Happy Reading.

Growing up, we had heard of the saying “If age
could; if youth knew.” The implication was
that wisdom comes with age and experience,
but sadly, by then, the energy level has ebbed.
Fortunately, that is no more the case. We see
leaders well past retirement age exuding high energy
levels and inspiring all around them. I see them leading
purpose-driven lives, keeping physically fit, running marathons,
coming to meetings on time (in fact before the
younger lot, in some cases) and showing mental agility.
Happily, the reverse is also true. As the 40 Under 40
Awards of BW People demonstrated, we have HR leaders
demonstrating grasp of the field, wisdom to take the
right actions and steer organisational culture in large corporates.
The screening process wherein they were subject
to extensive questioning by the jury, revealed their
grit. Their interviews in this issue of BW People bear testimony
to their depth of understanding of HR.
Similarly, our ‘Most Influential Women’ List, that recognised
the contributions of so many women leaders to the
HR field, celebrated the journey that we as a society have
covered so far. The list of 25 women CHROs was arrived
at by an advisory council with eminent HR experts in it.

This issue also covers the highlights of a report titled
‘Unlocking Success: The Why and What of Employability
Skills’, prepared by BW People in association with the
Wadhwani Foundation. The report dissects the challenges
faced by HR professionals in recruiting fresh and lateral
talent for entry to mid-level skill positions. It identifies
skill mismatches, the employability gap and limited
industry exposure as primary hurdles. To overcome these
challenges, the report recommends implementing skill
development initiatives, internship programmes and
continued learning opportunities.
Happy Reading.

While the corporate landscape in India and
around the world is standing at the intersection
of tech innovation and constant change,
the value and potential of human capital remain
the most consistent catalyst for success.
This edition of BW People Magazine themed ‘Excellence in Human

Here’s to the enduring spirit of human excellence!
Happy Reading

A few initiatives that BW People has launched
in the last few months showcase the triumph
of human spirit in adverse circumstances.
At the Disability Positive Summit & Awards
that we organised, the panellists and specially-
abled award winners were clear that disability is just one
part of them and that it does not define them. These winners
have proven this with their own life example and are
giving direction to Human Resources as part of the organisations
they are working in. Thanks to supportive parents
who did not let the disability come in the way of quality
education, they have made the best of the circumstances in
life. Taking charge of their continuous skilling career progression,
they have inspired their peers too. One winner,

Happy Reading

Well, the BW People 40 Under 40 Awards are an endeavour
in that direction. And we have been successful
in identifying such HR leaders who come with a balance
of those. Especially Covid, followed by ‘Next Normal’, has
brought out the best in HR leadership. Young leaders
have shown phenomenal grit, understanding of people
issues and organisational goals and ability to solve tricky
problems. In this issue, we bring to you our annual 40
Under 40 Awards, and interviews of the awardees.
In this issue of BW People, we also bring to you the
‘Most Influential Women in HR’ and perspectives of
women leadership. An external advisory committee comprising
senior corporate and HR leadership identified
20 women HR leaders who have made a deep impact
in their respective organisations. Also, in sync with the
UN theme of ‘DigitALL: Innovation and technology for
gender equality’, we also understood from them how they
and the organisations they represent are providing the
benefits of technology to women workforce. The responses
we got from the women leadership were heartening –
women are being recruited because they deserve it, and
not as another box to be tick-marked in the DEI agenda.
Like any other recruit, they get the skilling and upskilling
opportunity if they show the potential and feel there is a
skill gap to be filled.
This issue is also rich with interviews of Vikram
Chhachhi, Managing Partner, India, DHR Global; Yvette
Cameron, Senior Vice President of Global HCM Product
Strategy, Oracle; and Chitbhanu Nagri, Senior VP People
Operations, Razorpay, among others.
Happy Reading.

Google’s parent company Alphabet’s plans to lay off
12,000 employees send shivers down one’s spine.
Even as one hopes that year 2023 will see a departure
from the uncertainties of the Covid and lockdown
years, it’s painful to think of the agony of thousands
of employees, not just in Google but those laid off by other giant
organisations in the last few months. Many of the Indian compatriots,
who had moved to foreign shores to take up these jobs, are now
left in the lurch. This could also have a spiralling effect in other
sectors, and the overall job market.
In the midst of this, Paul Dupuis, Chairman and CEO of Randstad
Japan, gives credit to companies that are going against the
flow. In an interview to BW People, he says, “There are some companies
that are not restricting or downsizing. Credit to those companies
that are thinking two and three steps ahead. I would call
that preparing for the day after tomorrow.”
He also adds a note of optimism to the present mood when he
says, “It’s about ebbs and flows. One thing we’ve learned over generations
is that while layoffs may happen, but there will always be
hiring that follows.”
We also have views of HR honchos of corporates, including
from Hewlett Packard, Capgemini, Deloitte and Fujitsu, on the
way organisational work culture will shape up in 2023.
One area that is creating a positive impact on functioning of
organisations is HR Tech. And we have views of doyens of HR,
Dave Ulrich and Wayne Brockbank, both from the University of
Michigan, and several other HR honchos on how best to use technological
tools, and how also to select tools that are best suited to
your organisation.

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BW People provides insightful trends from the ecosystem of human resource (HR) community and celebrates thought leaders and community builders from the domain. BW-People is a community for every stakeholder in the community of human resource managers. The platform connects the community of corporate CHROs, HR Tech providers, executive coaches, government’s labour and skilling organisations, NGOs, employees, management students and top management executives.

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