1.What are some of the major challenges and trends that have been impacting the HR Industry lately?

Today, the world seems to be on the cusp of a major evolution. We hear about “transformation” and “re-imagination”, everywhere – across industries, functions and geographies – it is omnipresent. When everything around you is transforming, these are most definitely not easy or usual times. The great resignation, the great reshuffle and the great retention are not only buzzwords but exist for real! Amidst this evolution, are we leading with compassion and empathy? Do we pause and reflect on our purpose, as individuals, and as organizations? Are we working towards creating outcomes that matter most to us— organizations we feel passionate about, relationships, health, and a better world? Are we thriving (in a sustainable way) as organizations? So, in a nutshell, developing empathetic leaders, embracing people-centered transformation approach (change is inevitable), enabling people to re-invent themselves through reflection and continuous learning, and sustainably doing all this are some of the key challenges.

2. What keeps you up at night when it comes to some of the major predicaments in the HR Industry?

Well, I see these as opportunities, and some of these topics where I see a potential to make a difference are— keeping people engaged in new ways of working, which is hybrid (remote + office). This means creating a people-centric culture that can be felt in-person as well as virtual. Related to it are employee health and well-being, creating a culture of continuous learning and up-skilling, and last but definitely not least, is not forgetting the “human” of Human Resources or “people” of “People & Culture”, in this data and AI-driven world!

3. Can you tell us about the latest project that you have been working on, and what are some of the technological and process elements that you leveraged to make the project successful?

Electrolux Professional is one of the leading global providers of food service, beverage and laundry solutions, serving a wide range of customers globally, from restaurants and hotels to healthcare, educational and other service facilities. We are setting the pace of our industry with innovation and energy efficiency, with a focus on specific sustainability goals- reducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent and becoming climate neutral in our industrial operations by 2030. We spun off and got listed in March 2020. Hence, we are at a stage where we have a strong legacy but at the same time, incredible flexibility to carve our identity and ways of working. There are teams that are focusing on improvising our HRIS to enable effective data-driven people decisions and at the same time, there are teams that are working hard, leveraging the existing technology, to enable a culture of continuous learning by building communities within the organization. We are also very committed to building an engaged and thriving organization, and this again involves using technology to get continuous feedback, learn and adapt.

"We are setting the pace of our industry with innovation and energy efficiency, with a focus on specific sustainability goalsreducing CO2 emissions by 50 percent and becoming climate neutral in our industrial operations by 2030"

4. What are some of the technological trends which excite you for the future of the HR Industry?

The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the way we leverage technology. There are a lot of interesting trends and there are new ones emerging at a very fast pace. Some of the trends that I am looking forward to are –

1) Integrating Learning into everyday work and enhancing this learning experience through AR/VR applications,
2) Looking beyond our organizations and extend the concept of Internal Talent Marketplace from an organization to the world – a true GIG economy, where people are not bound by specific contracts, but work on projects that they feel passionate about (with any organization) and then move on to something else.
3) While there are a lot of employees self-serving tools, virtual assistants, etc. I am looking forward to some integration of emotional intelligence with machine intelligence.

Short bio of Hina

I am a computer science engineer and a masters in human resources management. A passionate HR professional, who is curious to learn and driven by the impact/difference I can make in the lives of people. I have worked in various sectors like technology, banking, consulting, pharmaceutical and consumer durables across full spectrum of HR. Someone who strongly believes in growth mindset and following your passion (it is never too late to learn anything and to follow your dreams!). My family is a big part of who I am and I love to spend time with them, be with them.