In an intriguing episode of “DiversiTea” a podcast by Avtar and CII, Dr. Saundarya Rajesh engages in a candid conversation with Pratik Mehta, CHRO at Mahindra Susten and Mahindra Teqo on fostering a culture of belongingness, driving business impact through social good, and embracing challenges as opportunities for growth.
From Personal Hurdles to Purpose-Driven Leadership
Pratik’s journey began with an engineering degree before pivoting to HR at the London School of Economics. He reveals a deeply personal revelation: being diagnosed with dyslexia and a speech disability early in life. This impacted his early schooling. The turning point came in ninth grade when a teacher taught him how to learn, fundamentally altering his trajectory and enabling him to absorb information rapidly.
This personal experience with exclusion, particularly during his early career in London as an Indian with a speech disability, profoundly shaped his approach to inclusion. Pratik emphasizes that true inclusion is about cultivating a sense of belonging, asking a simple yet powerful question: “Would I like to be treated this way?” He believes, inclusion is less about frameworks and more about real-life empathy and humane action.
Culture as a Competitive Advantage: The Mahindra Way
Pratik asserts that workplace culture is a game-changer and a significant competitive advantage. He shares anecdotes from his past roles at HR consulting firms where talent retention was remarkably high, not always due to being the best paymasters, but due to a strong culture. At Mahindra Susten and Teqo, culture is credited with attracting talent, maintaining low attrition rates and successfully bringing back “rehires” – individuals who left but returned seeking the unique Mahindra culture.
With passion in his tone, he describes the Surya Shakti program, a flagship initiative that trains 25-30 women from diverse backgrounds, including those from Tier 2/3/4 cities and villages, in various technical aspects of the renewable energy sector. These women, many of whom have faced difficult life stages, are then absorbed into Mahindra Susten and Teqo or even competitor organizations. This program not only addresses the talent crunch in the sector but, more importantly, provides meaningful, dignified employment to women across the nation.
Shaping Employee Experience: Beyond Policies and Frameworks
Pratik believes that true inclusion is demonstrated through action, not just words. He challenges conventional practices by asking “why” at every step of the employee experience lifecycle. He cites a simple example: why don’t employees have immediate access to their medical reports after a pre-employment health check-up? He argues that while past decisions were made with good intent, organizations must constantly ask if there’s a better, more humane, and more inclusive way forward. This involves reshaping experience points to ensure employees feel valued and respected, believing that “people will never fully understand your intent, but people will understand how you made them feel.”
Pratik Mehta’s insights serve as a powerful reminder that inclusive leadership, driven by genuine empathy and a commitment to action, is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage that fosters belongingness and ultimately contributes to the larger vision of societal progress.
What does it take to redesign the workplace from within? Pratik Mehta explains. Click Here
