Exclusive Interview with Nikhil Raj, Head, Human Resources, Equiniti India

 

Nikhil Raj heads the Human Resources department at Equiniti India. With over 20 years of quality experience helming the HR function in leading companies, Nikhil has always managed to blend the best qualities of a keen motivator. In his current role, he is responsible for developing and driving the entire spectrum of the HR function, ranging from people process, HR automation, policy and culture, compensation and benefits strategy, to employee engagement and change management, HRBP, talent development and succession planning strategy, as well as the overall HR operations for Equiniti India.

In an exclusive interview with HR.com, Nikhil shares his HR journey with the readers, his learnings over the years and also touches upon how HR will undergo changes in the future.

Excerpts from the interview

Q: What has your HR journey been like and what influenced you the most to have a positive impact on your career?

Nikhil: Well, looking back, I would say my HR journey has been an adventurous roller-coaster ride, with the first few years being given to understanding the practical aspect of the department and then moving around various areas of HR to specialize in the SME sector, to finally becoming an advisor and partner to the leadership on critical employee facets. Though I would add that the journey is far from over!     

Q: What were your challenges during the early days of your career? What are those today?

Nikhil: The challenge initially was that there were limited opportunities as there were fewer companies. The situation was further compounded by the job market at the turn of the 21st century when there was a recession. The struggle then was to learn the skills and enhance competency while simultaneously creating differentiators between colleagues in the office and as a candidate in the market. 
Over the years, the field of HR itself has undergone a huge change and one has to keep abreast of the latest developments. HR is not just a hiring department for a company, it acts as a business partner that is equally invested in the success of an organization as any other department. Even within HR, there are specializations aplenty – one can be an HR operations person, HR technocrat, consultant, SME, or lead center of excellence, to name a few.   

Q: How do you see workplace culture evolving over the years?

Nikhil: There has been a sea-change in the workplace culture, which has become more informal and less hierarchical owing to a redesign of the office space itself -- from being a modest “table & chair” physical work environment to plush infrastructure, with ergonomic workspaces to cater to formal and informal meeting places, from a manual process to digital/ERP HR software, from competence-based training to culture building exercise, from manager development programs to leadership development program, tenure-based promotion to competence/skill-based role enhancements, to name a few. 

Above all, I see a well-informed workforce, having an overall understanding of the process, business, company and Industry of which they are part. 

Q: Can you share the top three learnings from the challenges you faced?

Nikhil: Adverse situations have always helped me to see possibilities beyond the “usual options” and develop what we have started calling out-of-the-box thinking. 

Whenever I am confronted with a seemingly insurmountable task, I take a pause and ask myself; how we can do this faster, better, with the highest quality and within the given timeline.

For instance, during the Covid-19 induced lockdown, we found various means to reach out to our employees and help them with the basics, such as food, medications, doctor, insurance and hospital, leaves, financial help, etc. This situation has clearly helped us to differentiate between a manager and “a true leader”. It helped me understand the real character of humans, such as commitment, trust, empathy and above all, care. 

Q: Where do you draw inspiration from? What do you have to say to those who are still struggling to find a place in the boardroom?

Nikhil: I draw my inspiration from my parents, who are independent in all aspects of life and keep motivating me to do better. In addition, I have been fortunate to work with senior leaders who have always encouraged me to explore different perspectives of life, and not just work.     

Q: Where do you draw the line when it comes to work-life balance?

Nikhil: To be frank, I am still learning to draw a line between personal and professional life. I guess there is still a long way to go. However, I spend quality time with family, especially during festivals, as it creates memories for life.  

Q: What fundamental change(s) (in terms of culture) have you brought into your company?

Nikhil: Fundamentally, we worked towards employee empowerment and open communication. Having this theme, we initiated virtual town hall meetings with our local and global leadership teams. This helped employees to voice their opinions on multiple platforms. Further, the HR team reached out to delivery teams on a periodic basis to understand their views and addressed concerns quite transparently.  

The second agenda is around Diversity & Inclusion. We developed a workforce that comprised of 40% women. This initiative was applauded across the geography of the EQ group. 
 
Thirdly, we have built theme-based, cross-functional teams that drive our CSR, sports and cultural events across the organization. This helped us to empower teams across the organization and create bonding and a sense of belonging, especially post Covid. 

As we have a culture of a consultative approach, across the mid and senior leadership team, it encourages alternative opinions in order to build a strong and inclusive organization.    

Q: What are some major changes you see affecting HR within the next few years?

Nikhil: The number one challenge for any organization these days is employee retention and minimizing attrition. There’s a war for talent out there and until an organization focuses on high-performing employees, matches their career and personal aspirations, and provides growth within and outside the role, it is going to be a losing battle. In addition, in an age where social media is king, social engagement becomes imperative as employees, their friends and acquaintances have increasingly aligned themselves to social media and social gratification has become the norm. 

Given the hectic work schedules, physical and mental well-being, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic, has assumed greater importance. It is imperative that the HR team provides various opportunities, such as games, sports and social events on a periodic basis and have counselors to attend to the employees’ mental needs.      
 

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