How, where and when did you start your career, specifically in HR?
I was already handling procurement and supply chain for Tikona Digital Networks, and around five years back, started looking after the human resource function also.
Why did you choose HR as your professional field?
Sometimes, a thing comes into your life by chance, rather than choice, and proves to be so exciting that it becomes an important part of your life. That happened with me and HR.
As of now, it has been five years that I am working with human resources, and I am enjoying every moment of it.
Could you briefly describe the initial years of your career what were the challenges you faced, the areas you enjoyed the most, the lessons learnt during the initial years?
My initial months in HR were more about understanding the HR function. However, I enjoyed it from day one, be it recruitment or handlinmg the day to day HR operations. There were quite a few challenges.
One of the biggest hurdles was that HR was treated as a support function rather than business function. Another major challenge was that it was a cost sentre rather than a profit centre. However, we did not look at them as challenges, but as opportunities to improve, keeping our focus on excellence. We looked at this as various projects that had to be executed, and very soon, the entire HR team was able to convert HR into a business function. It also became a profit center as it has contributed significantly towards both the top and bottom line in the company’s profit and loss statement.
What would you describe as the highest point of your HR career?
While working with HR, I had to interact with students in various colleges when we went for campus recruitment. That is where I discovered my hidden talent as a public speaker. Since then, every guest lecture that I have given at various colleges becomes my high point.
How did this acievement transform you personally and professionally?
Speaking at various colleges has seriously transformed my personality, and I feel interacting with students is the most amazing thing that could have happened to me. Every session leaves me charged with positivity. Indeed it has helped me to become a better, and much more positive, human being.
What advice would you like to give HR practitioners of the next generation?
I personally believe, to become a great HR professional, one has to be sensitive towards people and always positive in one’s approach to life. Life is all about creating wonderful moments, we all should passionately work towards creating those moments. Finally, we need to understand that if we are merely doing the same ordinary things, we should not expect extraordinary results from them.
