Technology or digitization has expanded our horizons in terms of availability of talent, and it can help drive Diversity and Inclusion exponentially, said Rajesh Srivastava, President, and Chief Human Resources Officer, Welspun India Ltd.
He was speaking at the 4th successive edition of The Power of I in the session, ‘The Intersection of DEI and Digital Transformation’. Karthik Ekambaram, Executive Vice President & Director – DEI Solutions, moderated the panel discussion that also comprised Prachi Rastogi, DEI Lead, IBM APAC, and Rashmi Nair, Director and Head of HR, Lumen India.
Addressing barriers, Prachi pointed out that leaders needed to take a 180-degree look and view people differently and expand their mindsets. “The thought process is the hindrance as we believe collaboration is possible only when you have physical interactions. It is important to use AI and human intelligence and arrive at collaborative intelligence to take decisions,” she said.
Rashmi pointed out the opportunities due to the transformations, resulting in hybrid work. She noted that it enabled the retention of women’s talent, apart from offering opportunities to those with disabilities. “With hybrid work, we have 100% of women on maternity breaks returning, when compared to 60%. Those with disabilities can work from anywhere due to the flexibility available,” she added. Rashmi also observed that the pandemic has made it clear DEI, culture, and engagement is a collective responsibility. “Data, looking for cues and intentional actions will help set the culture,” she said.
From the inclusion point of view, leaders must encourage and nudge people, observed Rajesh. He said, “Mandates will not be effective but nudges to change the approach will strengthen the inclusion. Gender diversity is 30% across all levels and we are hoping to increase it. Diversity is seen in different categories—region, differently abled, etc.— in a manufacturing setup, bringing gender diversity of this kind is possible through the culture.”
