In HR, managing people is key and as HR professionals we act as a bridge between management and employees. Since I am passionate about relating with people, I manage to thrive in the HR sphere. Even during my school days, I enjoyed meeting and befriending people and not just sticking to one group. This habit continued through my graduation, where I pursued a course in HR, which provided me with valuable insights into HR practices. My career began with the textile industry followed by hospitality and IT before moving to the real-estate industry. While the skill sets required differ, the core of managing people remains the same. What are the current best practices in induction policies? The Indian real-estate industry is becoming a magnet for talent considering the rapid growth of the industry, emergence of new segments such as managed workspaces, sustainable buildings, etc. This, however, requires a differentiated approach to attract the best talent to complement the company’s growth. As an employee-centric organisation, the Vaishnavi Group is at the forefront of establishing people-friendly policies to ensure culture match and bringing the necessary talent while offering a clear growth path at the company. These principles span the gamut – from pitching to prospective employees to onboarding and retaining. Our induction process and policies have become more robust and structured compared to earlier. Candidates receive more clarity on their role during the induction process and are well informed about the expectations, process and culture of the organisation. There is transparency on the role and expectations of candidates during the induction process. Please tell us about the upskilling initiatives undertaken by the company. The evolution of Indian real estate over the past decade with greater inclusion of technology, sustainable elements and evolving consumer needs has necessitated the need for upskilling of employees. According to JLL, the real-estate sector is expected to generate employment for more than 17 million individuals in the country by 2025 and will require significant upskilling initiatives across the board. From site engineers and supervisors to project managers, workers and contractors, risk management, analytical, communication, technical and leadership skills, among many others, are required to be levelled up. We are building real estate for the future of India with technology and sustainability at the core. To achieve this, we believe in on-the-job skill training, which is robust, process-driven and encompasses new-age design and construction training. Relevant skill training is provided to all new joiners as well. What current trends are reshaping the HR sector? The HR landscape in real estate has undergone a tectonic shift over the past few years with extensive use of social media for hiring and employer branding and gamified hiring process for Gen Z. Virtual hiring has taken centre stage while bringing innovations in pitching to prospective employees. Each of these trends are enabling hiring managers to reach out to a larger pool of job applicants via social media, build brand attractiveness, and gamify the onboarding process to better suit the needs of a new generation of workforce. Similarly, employer branding via social media becomes supremely important to highlight an organisation’s attractiveness over others and showcasing its people-first culture and policies. How can HR policies be leveraged to expand upon India's growth potential? The growth of any nation depends on its citizens who form part of the workforce and drive industries. Therefore, ensuring the well-being and growth of these citizens or employees becomes pertinent and HR policies play a crucial role in this. By understanding the nuanced needs of employees and supporting them at important junctures of their lifecycle, such as bereavement, for wellness leaves etc, organisations can enhance the employee satisfaction score and thereby increase retention. These initiatives will help accelerate organisational growth and thereby contribute to nation building. How is AI being used in HR processes? It’s still early days for the use of AI in HR processes for real estate but the industry can greatly benefit from AI in hiring and other processes. Given the challenges in hiring in real estate to find the best talent, technology could be leveraged to build a database of applicants with finer details around skills, location, salary, etc. Based on insights gathered from thousands of profiles, organisations can start predicting the candidates most likely to suit the role and add value. This would help cut down on hiring time while improving efficiencies. Similarly, based on constant feedback from employees, AI can help derive insights to steer policies towards a direction that benefits all stakeholders. What measures has your company implemented for talent retention? We believe in an open-door policy and collaborative approach to work, which helps in talent retention. We provide a challenging work environment to motivate employees to push the envelope, enhance their performance and feel driven. This also entails rewarding and recognising employees on their achievements. We also actively create succession plans to ensure business continuity while ensuring the right candidates are identified to be elevated to add value to their career path. Further, we offer role shuffling if employees express an interest in other roles and responsibilities to help them expand their skill sets, eventually benefitting the organisation.