HELLO GLASS TUNNELS. BYE-BYE GLASS CEILINGS
DataQuest|October 2023
As HR leaders grapple with 'Great' everything - from resignations to quitters to lay-offs and AI's footprints; there is a new way emerging to look at what HR does, expects, fixes-and how. Avadhesh Dixit, CHRO, Acuity Knowledge Partners gives an honest look at his new dashboard. And also gives some 'more than brochure' insights on DEI, and a candid take on India's Demographic Dividend.
Pratima H
HELLO GLASS TUNNELS. BYE-BYE GLASS CEILINGS

The pendulum could not have swung any more suddenly than how we saw it moving from the 'Great Resignation' to the 'Big layoffs'. How much has all this changed life for HR?

Yes, you are right. I have never seen a shift as rapid as this in the last 25 years of my life. We have abruptly moved from one extreme to another. The industry was just trying to figure out what to do with the volume of offer drops. And now we are looking at surplus manpower. The tech meltdown in Europe and the West cannot be ignored. Managing this shift is definitely challenging for HR. The second challenge is to deal with new models of distributed workforce and hybrid workplace. It's not a reversible trend. It's a structural shift. We have to embrace and facilitate flexibility in a completely new way now.

You had announced significant hiring plans in early 2022 along with a global expansion spree and India headcount targets for next three years. Would that change?

No. We have been lucky. And the credit goes to our sales and delivery teams too. We are still on track with these plans. We have never come to layoffs and hopefully, never will. The plans are still intact, we have not revised them - we can't put a number to it though due to changing circumstances.

What has changed - if anything - for your L&D strategy - like at Acuity Training Academy? 

We are training campus hires to bridge the 'campus to corporate' gap. We try to fill in the requirements that customers have through specific trainings in 6 to 10 weeks. Especially in areas like financial modeling and analytics.

Is AI going to help or shake up the ‘skills’ game’? will AI change hR’s focus on human skills – in terms of software and hardware?

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2023 من DataQuest.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة October 2023 من DataQuest.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من DATAQUEST مشاهدة الكل
Data center trends 2025: Innovation in powering and cooling AI racks, managing energy consumption
DataQuest

Data center trends 2025: Innovation in powering and cooling AI racks, managing energy consumption

Vertiv anticipates increased innovation and integration for high-density computing, regulatory scrutiny around AI, focus on sustainability and cyber security efforts.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024
The Switzerland of Data and AI a weather-check
DataQuest

The Switzerland of Data and AI a weather-check

It is both remarkable and challenging when crucial R&D work - with global connotations- starts happening in Indian labs. An example- from a Cloud and AI player.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024
Prioritizing the Impossible: How Genpact's SOC Tackles Cyber Threats
DataQuest

Prioritizing the Impossible: How Genpact's SOC Tackles Cyber Threats

Genpact's Vice President of Global Information Security, Faizul Mufti, discusses the company's multi-layered approach to cybersecurity. By prioritizing incident response, leveraging threat intelligence, and fostering a culture of security, Genpact aims to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats and protect its sensitive data.

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2024
Connected, Protected and Sustainable: Cisco's Vision for the Network of Tomorrow
DataQuest

Connected, Protected and Sustainable: Cisco's Vision for the Network of Tomorrow

As organizations face the demands of hybrid work, multi-cloud environments, and sustainable IT, networking is no longer just an infrastructure component― it's the backbone of digital transformation. In this exclusive conversation, Brink Sanders, Vice President of Global Networking Sales at Cisco, discusses how Cisco is helping enterprises navigate these challenges with forwardthinking solutions that blend innovation, security, and adaptability.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Multi-Cloud Mastery: Lessons from a CIO on Choosing the Right Cloud for the Job
DataQuest

Multi-Cloud Mastery: Lessons from a CIO on Choosing the Right Cloud for the Job

In an exclusive interview, Prosenjit Sengupta, Group Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO), shares insights on ITC's cloud journey, discussing the challenges, benefits, and best practices of leveraging Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
Secure and Simplify SD-Branch Networks
DataQuest

Secure and Simplify SD-Branch Networks

Secure and seamless branch network management is critical in today's IoT-driven, cloud-centric world. A unified SD-Branch solution offers the much-needed convergence of networking and security to tackle modern-day challenges.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Is Your Multi-Cloud Environment Zero-Trust Ready?
DataQuest

Is Your Multi-Cloud Environment Zero-Trust Ready?

Tony Velleca, CEO of CyberProof, a UST company, shared his insights on the challenges of implementing zero-trust security in multi-cloud environments. As organizations navigate the complexities of managing multiple cloud providers, Velleca emphasized the importance of achieving unified visibility, policy enforcement, and continuous monitoring to protect sensitive data and prevent cyber threats.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
The Toxic Cloud Trilogy
DataQuest

The Toxic Cloud Trilogy

As Indian organisations increasingly migrate to the cloud, they face a complex and evolving security landscape. Ari Eitan, Director of Research at Tenable, highlights the \"Toxic Cloud Trilogy\" - a convergence of publicly exposed workloads, critical vulnerabilities, and over-privileged identities - as a critical threat to Indian organisations. In this interview, Eitan discusses the unique vulnerabilities of cloud environments, systemic issues preventing organisations from fully addressing weaknesses and practical steps Indian organisations can take to mitigate these risks.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
Networking Redefined: The Cisco Vision for a Connected Future
DataQuest

Networking Redefined: The Cisco Vision for a Connected Future

At the sidelines of Cisco Live 2024 in Melbourne, Raymond Janse van Rensburg, Vice President of Networking and Solutions Engineering for APJC at Cisco, engaged in an insightful conversation with Minu Sirsalewala, Executive Editor of Dataquest. During the interaction, he shared about the transformative trends shaping the networking and communication landscape. From AI-driven automation to the evolving dynamics of IoT, Cisco's strategies aim to redefine enterprise connectivity, security, and operational resilience.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 2024
HPCL's AI Evolution: From Generative Models to Secure Cloud Integration
DataQuest

HPCL's AI Evolution: From Generative Models to Secure Cloud Integration

Jayant Gupta, Executive Director of Information Systems at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), shares insights on the company's strategic approach to leveraging generative AI, managing hybrid cloud environments, and staying ahead of advancements in emerging technologies.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 2024