How did your career path start off in the hospitality world?
A. It was in my hometown Shimla, where I was introduced to what Human Resources is. Till then all I knew about the function was that it involved a bunch of people giving out salaries to the employees and demanding different documents as and when. The Oberoi Wildflower Hall was my stepping stone in this enthralling and vast world of not only documenting employees work life but also understanding their motivations and aspirations and channelizing their energies to work together towards the attainment of common goals.
Q. Why did you choose human resources as the call of your profession?
A. The first ever interview I faced, I was nervous but the interview panel not only made me feel comfortable but left a lasting impression on my mind. I wanted to be an interviewer, someone smart, sharp and accessible. It was my week-long internship into the HR department that made me understand that it was not only the desk job but knowing the pulse of the people which drove excellence. I was fascinated by the ease with which seemingly difficult situations could be managed and resolved by handling employee relations effectively.
One has to remember that no one can get a “custom made” employee. An employee’s strengths have to be honed and chiseled continuously and his areas of improvement upgraded to help him/her unlock their hidden potential. What I’ve learnt over the years is that one can definitely be taught skills, but what is required is the right attitude; hence, HR Leaders of the years to come should focus on grooming and skilling employees with the right attitude…
Q. Describe the initial years of your career – what were the challenges you faced; what were the areas you enjoyed the most, the lessons learnt during the initial years?
A. They were long and full of learning. Initially understanding the soft people concepts required tireless nights. But with time, a sharp focus on integrating people skills with the basic business acumen was what I learnt and applied. Keeping an eye for detail and absorbing the bigger picture simultaneously and applying the same in whatever way possible was always on my mind. My mentors were always open to listening to ideas which I came up with on a regular basis and never discouraged me from taking any risks.
Q. What might be described as the best moment of your HR career?
A. It has been eight years with Lemon Tree Hotels for me now. I joined when the company had five hotels and big dreams. Today, we stand at 30 hotels in 19 cities with about 5-6 hotels ready to be opened this year. From a mere 500+ employee base to 3800 employees, we have come a long way. I proudly say that here I was again given valuable guidance and encouragement to introduce employee-centric policies. Many people initiatives have been taken in the last eight years that I’ve spent at Lemon Tree, where I’ve grown both personally and professionally. Efforts especially made in the space of workplace inclusion, employing people with disabilities and empowering them to earn their livelihood with dignity. Our continuous
efforts to upgrade them to be fully skilled and to be able to perform on equal footing with others have made me realize that whether in a small way or not, I too am contributing to changing their lives. Over the last two years, this fact has been reemphasized by the continuous employee feedback that we, Lemon Tree Hotels, have received, by being featured in the Top 50 Great Places to Work list and also in the Economic Times Survey. The feather on the cap is this year’s ranking! In this year’s GPTW study, we proudly rank No.9 in the Best Employers to Work For In India category and No.1 in the Workplace Transformation Case Study,recognizing our inclusivity efforts.
Q. How has the above transformed you personally and professionally?
A. Lemon Tree is known for hiring employees with disabilities (EWDs) and have been recognized by many bodies including being felicitated by the Government of India’s national award. When we started hiring people with disabilities, there were not many organizations who were employing such people. This wasn’t an easy task and required extra efforts but we now stand strong with 15% of our employee strength being EWDs. Being a path leader, our efforts to mainstream these employees and provide them a respectable means to earn their livelihood and in turn giving back to the society we come from, has personally evolved me into a better human being.
Q. Some key guidance and advice you would like to suggest to HR practitioners…
A. What I’ve learnt over the years is that one can definitely be taught skills, but what is required is the right attitude. Hence HR Leaders of the years to come should focus on attracting, grooming and skilling employees who have the right attitude towards their job. Apart from this, for executional excellence, I’ve been groomed to take risks and make decisions independently. This goes a long way in making a leader valiant. One has to remember that no one can get a “custom made” employee. An employee’s strengths have to be honed and chiselled continuously and his areas of improvement upgraded to help him/her unlock their hidden potential.
