Date & Day: 26.08.2023, Saturday
Time: 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Mode: Offline
Venue: Mini Auditorium, XIM University (New Campus), 12(A). Nijigada, Harirajpur, Odisha.
Engagement: Annual HR Conclave
Participants: Students of School of Human Resource Management
Resource Person:
Keynote Speaker – Mr. Dilip Sinha
Moderator – Mr. Prajjal Shah, Dr. Sunil Singh
Panelists – Mr. Amitabh Akhauri, Mr. Biren Anshu, Mr. Dharm Rakshit, Mr. Sanjeev Bhatia, Ms. Mehak M, Mr. Kaushal Parikh,
Faculty Coordinator:
Dr. Andrew Dutta, Dean, School of Human Resource Management
Student PoC: Mr. Dweepayan Mishra (Coordinator)
Objectives:
To teach the concepts of Digital HR to students in the form of panel discussions.
To make students aware of industry trends in the field of digital HR and how they can get ready for the marketplace.
Details:
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Mr. Dilip Sinha
Mr. Dilip Sinha, CHRO, Vedanta Ltd. Mr. Sinha is known for emphasizing “people practices, building a proactive and progressive work culture, and various other HR initiatives emphasizing organization development and digitalization.” Prior to Vedanta Ltd, he was associated with JSW Steel, where he was the SVP & Head-HR and led several transformation projects. He has more than two decades of rich experience in the HR function and has worked across sectors with big conglomerates in India. He has worked with brands like Reliance Retail and Future Group (Now part of Reliance Retail), Astarc Group and Rajan Raheja Group. He holds a graduate degree in history from St Stephens College, University of Delhi, and an MBA in HR from XISS.
MEET OUR MODERATORS
Mr. Prajal Saha
Mr. Prajjal Saha is the Founder & Publisher, HR Katha. Prajjal Saha is the editor and publisher of HR Katha, which he founded in 2015. With nearly 25 years of experience in business journalism, writing, and editing, he is a true industry veteran who possesses a deep understanding of all facets of business, from marketing and distribution to technology and human resources. Along with his work at HR Katha, he is also the author of the Marketing White Book.
Dr. Sunil Singh
Dr. Sunil Singh, CEO, Mindstream Consulting, is a PhD from IIM Bangalore and has 5 years of experience in HR and IR. Mr.Sunil has proven experience in leadership development, managing large-scale transformational change, and managing a large and diversified workforce. As CHRO, Sunil has transformed CADILA PHARMACEUTICAL to a Great Place to Work certified organization. He is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from ICC.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
PANEL-1
- Amitabh Akhauri, CHRO, Synergy Steels Ltd
Mr. Amitabh Akhauri is a seasoned HR/IR professional with 30 years of diverse experience in senior & strategic roles across multiple organizations, like Tata Steel, Jaiprakash Associates Ltd., and Jindal Stainless Ltd. He has extensive hands-on and leadership experience in leading HR transformation projects, implementing talent management and organization development interventions, and driving business change programs.
- Biren Anshu, CHRO, Hi-Tech Robotics Systemz
A new age company aiming to augment human performance through Robotics and Technology. He is an HR Professional with significant international exposure in managing multiple country HR processes, policies, and compliance governance. He has worked closely with CEOs and the leadership team on organization-wide strategic interventions and building operational excellence.
- Dharm Rakshit, Head HR, Hero MotoCorp Ltd.
Mr. Dharm Rakshit is an HR professional with more than 25 years of experience and has expertise in Talent Management and Development, Change & Transformation, HR Policy design, and Agility. Prior to joining Hero, he was associated with L&T as Head of Employee Relations, where he was leading employees for the L&T Construction Division and supporting six SBUs of the Division in terms of shaping the agile ER Framework. He was also associated with Godrej Industries, Mondelez International, Coca-Cola Beverages, Tata Steel, and Essel Mining.
PANEL – 2
- Sanjeev Bhatia, CEO, Knowbility Ventures
Mr. Sanjeev worked across the globe in the domain of Human Resources & Organization Transformation for 31 countries and 73 nationalities, with a focus on developing leadership pipelines, mergers & acquisitions, and integration. He served in Tata Steel, Reliance ADAG, and Indorama Ventures before becoming the CEO of Knowbility Ventures. He is certified by the ‘Institute of Directors, Thailand & Australia’ on board governance; certified and acknowledged South Asia practitioner for ‘Lumina Spark, UK’; a practicing coach qualified from ‘Coach for Life, USA’, and an accredited ‘Associate Certified Coach’ (ACC) from International Coaching Federation (ICF).
- Mehak M, Head-HR Transformation, Olam
Ms. Mehak M is a transformational HR Professional with expertise in enabling and aligning people interventions to realize bottom-line results and elevate the employee experience. With varied experience in collaboratively devising and effectuating global, country, and location initiatives around Business partnership, Transition management, and Holistic talent development. Being an established partner for change management, career progression, succession planning, leadership bench creation, and employee retention, she won various award titles throughout her journey as an HR practitioner.
- Kaushal Parikh, Head HR, Bajaj Consumer Care
Mr. Kaushal Parikh is an experienced Learning & Development (L&D) professional with experience in creating and delivering effective training programs for a variety of industries. Additionally, he is experienced in employee engagement, talent management, performance management, coaching, facilitation, and assessments. He has an experience of over 19 years with some of the Top brands like Café Coffee Day, Vodafone West Ltd., Mahindra & Mahindra, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, and Adani Wilmar Ltd. He is a Certified Master Facilitator at RIL, Franklin Covey Certified Trainer for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People workshop. MBTI & FIRO-B Certified and Certified Learning & Development Manager from CAMI.
PROCEEDINGS FOR THE DAY
Inauguration and Welcome
The annual flagship event of XIM University – HR Symposium’23 was successfully conducted by the School of Human Resource Management and XIMAHR – The HR Association of XIM University. The theme of the event was “The Digital HR: What Lies Ahead?” It was organized in the Mini-Auditorium, where all the panelists and audience gathered.
The program commenced with a bouquet presentation by Prof. Mousumi Padhi, which was then followed by the lighting of the lamp by the esteemed dignitaries. Post this, Prof. Andrew Dutta, the Dean of the School of Human Resource Management, extended a warm welcome to the panelists and delivered the opening address. In his speech, he covered various points about the current scenario, like
- In the world of business, how big companies have harnessed the Power of current HR trends to make informed decisions.
- How NLP has changed from “Neuro-Linguistic Programming” to “Natural Language Processing,” which reduces bias and accelerates the hiring processes by making HR professionals concentrate on more strategic elements.
- Using various platforms, how organizations are keeping a check on employee engagements.
- Data-driven decision-making, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality.
He then proceeded forward to speak about what, according to him, lies ahead of us in the future and spoke about
- Blockchain in HR.
- AI moving beyond basic tasks like resume screening to more complex functions like identifying the most effective team combination.
- Usage of Machine Learning algorithms for employee well-being and engagement monitoring.
- Evolution of integration of HR tech tools that facilitate effective remote work.
- Continuous performance management will become the norm.
- Employee well-being will become an increasingly vital KPI for the organization.
- Digital platforms will not only offer physical wellness resources but also mental health support, stress management tools, and even financial wellness education.
He said, “The future has already arrived. The present is becoming the past,” and wished everyone a Grand HR Symposium ’23.
Moving forward, the Registrar, Fr. S. Antony Joseph Raj, S.J., was invited to the stage to deliver the welcome address. He began by welcoming the dignitaries. He asked everyone to implement the learning of the event, which can compensate for much of the learning in the classroom. He then went on to introduce the topic of the day and how artificial intelligence has happened and is very much alive and active in professional as well as personal life. He stretched upon how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be integrated into HR practices and whether artificial intelligence will take on human jobs or not. He set the main objective of the day as to how we can integrate interpersonal skills with artificial intelligence and transform people’s personal as well as professional lives.
Lastly, the keynote address was delivered by Mr. Dilip Singh, CHRO, Vedanta Ltd. He started by giving a brief introduction about Vedanta and how they have come up with many unique projects like “Project Panchi”. He spoke about Macro HR deliveries and the quintessentials of future-ready organizations. He spoke about how Digitalization is the WOW of HR and how it includes
- Connected Workforce
- Connected Workplace
- HR deliveries in association with that
He spoke about how AI will transform into generative AI and quoted, “Digital k aage jeet hai!” and how automation will help to achieve productivity, efficiency, and sustainability.
After a small break, the event proceeded to panel discussions by the esteemed speakers.
Panel – 1
Towards Evidence-based People Practices
The discussion agenda for Panel 1 was ‘Towards evidence-based people practices.’ The tone of the panel was set by the moderator, Mr. Prajjal Saha, Founder and publisher of HR Katha.
The session was initiated by Mr. Amitabh Akhauri, CHRO of Synergy Steels Ltd., who recommended the book “Blink” by Maxwell to the audience. He also highlighted the significance of intuitive decision-making and empathy as core competencies within HR.
During his talk, Mr. Akhauri shared his personal experience of working in a company for four years, enduring an intense work schedule of 6.5 days a week, including Sunday afternoons. This highlighted the dedication and commitment required in the corporate world.
Mr. Akhauri also talked about a brief survey conducted to discern the factors influencing employee retention within organizations. The survey encompassed diverse aspects such as preferred colleges, sought-after educational qualifications, and production practices. Competence mapping emerged as a key consideration in this context.
Ethnography, the study of human behavior in relation to technology, was another point of focus. The discussion unveiled how organizations utilize ethnographic insights. A notable example was provided with Netflix effectively utilizing data to foster growth, while contrasting this success with Nokia’s less successful endeavor.
In essence, he delved into the intersection of human resources, decision-making, and organizational success. It underscored the importance of intuition and empathy in HR practices, emphasizing their role as vital competencies. The personal anecdote shared by Mr. Akhauri served as a practical illustration of the dedication required in the corporate realm. The survey findings shed light on elements influencing employee retention and organizational development, specifically emphasizing the value of competence mapping. The discussion on ethnography highlighted its relevance in technology-driven environments, showcasing real-world examples to emphasize its potential impact.
Mr. Biren Anshu, Chief Human Resource Officer, High Tech Robotic Systems Ltd. Continued the discussion by pointing out the problem that, human resource professionals are attempting to solve. He then referred to the VUCA world and transitioning from VUCA to BANI model after COVID-19 to elaborate on the changing dynamics of the business world.
He talked about the relevance of evidence-based people practices and how these evidences should be created in order to cater to specific business problems. He also gave examples of how organizations can make use of various matrices based on data to effectively increase productivity and customer-centricity. He talked about intuition-based decision-making along with evidence-based people practices to increase flexibility in organizations. He covered the perception and portrayal of data & how the same data can be presented differently to portray different objectives. The cost of transitioning to evidence-based people practices was also bought in with the example of organizational success factor solution.
In conclusion, the speaker agreed that evidence-based people practices or data-driven decisions are very much in trend today and if they fit into the objectives of the company they should be implemented.
Mr. Dharm Rakshit, Head of HR at MotoCorp Ltd., began his speech by talking about the importance of evidence in HR. He cited the example of Chandrayaan, India’s first lunar mission, which was met with skepticism until it successfully landed on the moon. This shows the importance of evidence in any field, including HR.
Mr. Rakshit also discussed the role of AI and humanoids in HR. He acknowledged that both are important, but believes that humans are still essential to the HR function. He explained that humans are responsible for making decisions that cannot be automated, such as those involving judgment and intuition.
For example, humans are still needed to make decisions about employee compensation, benefits, and training. They are also needed to handle sensitive HR issues such as discrimination and harassment. Additionally, humans are able to provide a human touch to HR, which is something that AI cannot do. This includes things like building relationships with employees, providing emotional support, and creating a positive work environment.
Mr. Rakshit stressed the importance of combining data and intuition in HR decision-making. He argued that data can provide support for decisions, but it is not enough on its own. He also said that intuition is essential for making sound decisions, especially in situations where there is no clear data.
For example, data can be used to identify trends in employee turnover or absenteeism. However, it cannot tell us why these trends are happening. This is where intuition comes in. Intuition can help us to understand the underlying causes of these trends and to make better decisions about how to address them.
Mr. Rakshit concluded by saying that HR professionals need to be equipped with both empirical data and intuitive data. He also said that they need to have exposure to a variety of experiences in order to become wise professionals.
Wise professionals are able to make sound decisions based on both data and intuition. They are also able to learn from their experiences and to adapt to new situations. Mr. Rakshit believes that these are the qualities that will make HR professionals successful in the digital age.
Panel – 2
The AI-Enabled Workforce of Tomorrow
The discussion agenda for panel 2 was “The Al-Enabled Work Force of Tomorrow“. The tone for the panel was set by Dr. Arup Roy Chowdhury, Assistant Professor, School of Human Resource Management, XIM University. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Sunil Singh, CEO of Mindstream Consulting. The discussion revolved around the need for amalgamation of Al strengths in the form of its unbiases and quantitative ability with the upskilling of the workforce to prevent redundancy in performance.
Ms. Mehak M (Head HR-Transformation, Olam) emphasized the importance of evolution in Human Resources (HR). She argued that HR departments need to change and adapt to technological advances in order to remain competitive. One of the strengths of artificial intelligence (AI) is its ability to manage speed, skill, and quantitative ability. AI can be used to automate many HR tasks, freeing up HR professionals to focus on more strategic work. She also said that there needs to be an amalgamation of AI and human skills in HR. AI cannot replace human judgment and empathy, but it can be a powerful tool when used in conjunction with human expertise. She also stressed the importance of upskilling and research in HR. She said that organizations need to invest in training their employees so that they don’t become redundant in the face of technological change, along with mentioning that organizations need to be constantly researching new HR practices and technologies. Finally, she mentioned the AI tool “Skillit,” elucidating that it is a valuable tool because it can remove, detect, and mitigate bias in the hiring process. This is important because bias can lead to unfair hiring decisions.
Mr. Sanjeev Bhatia, CEO Knowbility Ventures Pvt Ltd, centred his arguments on agile thinking and the significance of embracing failure for success within an AI-driven workforce. He stressed the prompt identification of solutions, even though failures, as vital for acquiring invaluable lessons. He highlighted the gap between theoretical academia and industry demands, advocating for integrating vocational training and practical skills into educational frameworks. He also highlighted the urgency of cultivating awareness about technological advancements, proposing a balanced blend of theoretical knowledge and hands-on training. Regarding bias in AI-based processes like CV shortlisting, Mr. Bhatia advocated for organizations to educate individuals on aligning CVs with selection criteria, circumventing biases, and maintaining updated skills. Job displacement due to AI was acknowledged as a short-term challenge, prompting Mr. Bhatia to suggest that educational institutions modify curricula to encompass comprehensive skill development, spanning technical expertise and soft skills.
The articulations of Mr. Kaushal Parekh (Head of Talent Management, Bajaj Consumer Care) predominantly centered around Training and Development, primarily based on his expertise in the domain. He talked mostly about implementing AI tools and algorithms in the training processes- nullifying or at least ameliorating the redundancy of waste. He spoke about the possible and up-and-coming integration of AI and the necessity of the importance of using this feature in people management. Mentioning the facet of AI complementing Human expertise in management, this feature acted as the precursor to the nullification of waste in training. Amidst this, he cited examples of organizations and deliberated upon the facet of Talent Management. Mahindra and Mahindra was one such organization that was included in the example; the integration of AI processes and how it helped in the organization’s growth were the main themes of this part. He mentioned that AI can be used to reduce the gaps between organizational goals and employee components, as both of them can complement and work in tandem with each other, enabling a fast-growing and more productive work environment. Another example cited by him was the adoption of robotic means driven by AI by Hyundai- namely Cobots. This is the perfect example of man integrated with machine, where the user gets into a robotic suit and performs tasks primarily with the help of AI-driven modulations and techniques. The augmentation of workforce and employee productivity driven by AI that leads to the growth of businesses was the crux of his engagement.
The event concluded by felicitating the guests and a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Mousumi Padhi, Associate Dean, School of Human Resource Management, XIM University.
Outcomes/Takeaways:
The students witnessed two interesting and learning panel discussions. These discussions helped students understand the current corporate and industry scenario and how digitalisation has been a step forward in the field of human resource management.
