Could you tell us about the current best practices in induction policies? Earlier, with the objective to familiarise new entrants with the organisation’s operational processes, systems, practices and other crucial aspects, a detailed and structured induction programme used to be organised once in a month in a classroom. The top management would talk the new entrants through the induction manual and explain the vision, mission and brief history of the company; list of top executives and department heads, organisational structure and reporting pattern; leave policy; insurance coverage; housing policy; dress code, quality, safety or health and environment policy, etc. Once the formalities in HR were completed, employees would be directed to their respective functional heads. Nowadays, induction policies that mostly revolve around vision or mission or strategies are in vogue and business setups are operating on ‘virtual induction mode’. The key takeaways are: Vision statement: What we want to become and what the organisation desires to achieve in the long term Mission statement: Who we are; what are our values and the briefs, philosophies and principles that drive an organisation Strategy: How we will achieve our vision; being responsive to the customer’s needs and delivering solutions with value-added services in a diligent manner Goals and objectives: How we gauge our degree of success; remaining flexible and continually adapting to the changing business environmentSocial responsibility: Peer-to-peer recognition and employee engagement with the company’s values remain the topmost concern. Customer relationship management (CRM): How to establish and nourish the customer relationship and develop it further. Please tell us about upskilling initiatives that have been undertaken by the company. Multipronged initiatives have been deployed to address the barriers for upskilling: Identifying specific gaps in skills Inculcating the culture of continuous learning Attributing the senior management’s focus Introducing the process on the hiring front Bringing a value proposition for employees to upskill Assessing and updating skill development programmes. How important is skilled talent? Transformation takes place through skilled talent. The HR team should acquire this skill and deepen the practice towards a journey of excellence. The business strategy should converge with people’s talent and align with the organisation’s objectives. It is all about talent across the industry. Having capable leadership and teams means enduring success. Capability building is undertaken by upgrading skills and aimed at improvement of knowledge and behavioural science, which demands constant efforts. A fully integrated ‘talent designer’ needs to be put in place to execute strategies diligently. Employee well-being invites a deep focus. Putting life ahead of work demonstrates empathy and a deep sense of commitment and belief in ‘family culture’. How can HR policies be leveraged to expand upon India's growth potential? The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) policy is a good initiative but it needs to be implemented carefully. Repeat business needs to have a relationship policy in the workplace. The strategy is warranted, ensuring an insurance against the potential harm to overall productivity and work culture. The policy needs to percolate deep down to the lowest level. HR should be available to address any queries raised by employees. An intimate relationship between employees that could lead to a conflict of interest and favouritism is not to be entertained. The fine line between a professional and personal relationship needs to be defined. This includes interactions between managers and the people who are responsible for results. What current trends are reshaping the HR sector? Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of the HR domain, creating a future that promises increased efficiency, improved decision-making and enhanced employee experience. As AI continues to evolve, its integration into HR processes holds transformative potential for the business and workforce. AI adoption in the HR sector will play an intrinsic part in: Recruitment and talent acquisition Employee onboarding and engagement Performance management, learning and development Workforce analytics and predictive insights Employee well-being and work-life balance Conflict resolution Inspiration and motivation to articulate HR qualities Enhancement of productivity The growing significance of AI in the HR domain, particularly in talent acquisition, matters the most. Moreover, employers also believe that AI could offer job security and opportunities for career development for employees. No doubt, AI solutions will govern the processes behind decision-making. AI will ease these processes to help achieve transformation and hire and induct new employees effectively. It will also create strong relationships and a cohesive environment for a feedback mechanism. These processes include assessment of current capabilities and enhancing them; adopting various means and techniques and constant monitoring and feedback. What measures has your company implemented for talent retention? The measures implemented include: Nourishing the cultural inheritance, blended with empathy Promoting a competitive environment Practising and recognising out-of-the-box thinking Consolidating the roadmap for next-generation leadership Motivating and inspiring employees to deliver on their commitments Nourishing the work-life balance to make the organisation the most preferred ‘first choice’ of employees Inculcating a sense of pride in the company among employees.