Reetu Raina is the Vice President and Global Head of Talent Management at Amdocs. Raina comes with over 22 years of experience working across sectors and this is her second stint at Amdocs. Before her recent appointment, she was Chief Human Resource Officer of Quick Heal. In the past, she has worked with Sterlite Technologies, HDFC Bank, Godrej Hicare (GHCL), Tata AIA Life Insurance, ING Vysya Life Insurance, and Reliance Infocomm. An alumnus of Savitribai Phule Pune University, Raina’s expertise lies in HR Transformation, Workforce Planning, Employee Experience, Design Thinking, Performance Management, and Change Management, among others. 

In an exclusive conversation with People Matters, she shares her thoughts on the dominant talent trends, building the right work culture, leading a digitally driven DEI framework and more. Here are some excerpts. 

When we talk about the future of work, what are some emerging business trends that will redefine how we recruit and retain talent? What will be the role played by the new-age workforce and the gig economy?

The new age workforce and the gig economy have now effectively resulted in creating a heterogeneous workforce. Employee priorities have shifted, creating a sense of urgency among employers to develop policies and programmes to improve employee engagement and retention. As India approaches a $5 trillion economy over the next decade, the emphasis on the digital economy is dictating the rate of growth. It can be accelerated when businesses find ways to capitalise on a workforce that has reset its expectations and needs. Return-to-work frameworks must be designed to meet the specific needs of various demographics, industry segments, and job roles in terms of process, technology, and policy.

Remote hiring: The hybrid model has impacted the traditional talent acquisition strategies that have been implemented by organisations in the past. This has resulted in organisations opting for remote hiring, which allows organisations to tap into a vast talent pool with geographical limitations. It will allow organisations to onboard diverse talent alongside diverse skillsets as well.

Data centre requirement/ Technology adaptation: With the accelerating adoption of technology, talent interaction has been redefined in the present time. Technological innovations are going to enable organisations to make strategies that are data driven, accurate, cost & time effective in nature. Organisations pursuing advanced screening, flexible workplaces, diversity and inclusion, and data-centric recruiting are working hard to hire and retain a competent workforce in the face of a global talent shortage 

Improved EVP: Any candidate choosing an employer must have a strong employee value proposition (EVP). It is the one-of-a-kind package of benefits that an employee receives in exchange for the skills, abilities, and experience they bring to a company. These advantages will not be limited to monetary compensation, such as increased pay. A shorter workweek, better leave policies, more flexibility in working hours, and better medical insurance benefits, to name a few, are expected to improve the overall value proposition for employees. Having a good EVP could be a game changer for organisations, allowing them to attract the best talent more effectively.

As organisations embrace hybrid working models and operate with a diversified workforce, how can leaders strengthen a collaborative environment and the right work culture today?

With hybrid likely changing the work dynamics forever, it has heightened interest in why people work at a specific company. Leaders have a unique opportunity to shape organisational culture and thus influence this "why." A hybrid workplace culture, like a company's strategic direction, necessitates vision, planning, experimentation, measurement with feedback, and iterative improvement. It all begins with intent. HR leaders must be open about the type of culture they want to foster. Discuss how remote team members will collaborate with those on-site, as well as how the rhythm and method of communication may change. Organisations must find ways to create equity in job opportunities for different populations while resisting the temptation to favour those who are visible. 

What is the role of technology in accelerating the DEI agenda? How do you see digital interventions impacting DEI at Amdocs? 

As the digital revolution engulfs all aspect of a business, it has undeniably worked as an agent to accelerate the DEI agendas. Technology can be considered one of the most important & powerful business tools that HR leaders can leverage in creating and implementing diversity & inclusion in the workplace. 

Addressing unconscious bias: Technology is helping us remove the biases through the algorithm-based selection which would still need to be validated by the talent acquisition team. 

Insight acquisition from data analysis: For the successful incorporation of the DEI agenda in a workplace, it is required for the HR leaders to adopt a very structured approach, inculcating regular monitoring, analysis & revision. With the help of technology, it has become very convenient for leaders to gather data & analyse it, which would have been very difficult otherwise. As data analytics is moving to data intelligence that would help leaders in talking decisions to make the workplace more inclusive and equal. This will help in aligning the organisations culture to the employees, creating a great place to work.

Access to talent pool: In the current times, technology provides a true picture of talent, and the use of HR analytics allows leaders to tap into the right talent sources, allowing them to identify the correct talent for the job. This results in the proper allocation of skills to the job, resulting in optimum output. 

Technology works in two ways: one is information gathering and second is information utilisation. When we talk about information gathering social media platforms like LinkedIn gives us access to this information. This makes it possible for organisations to reach to the talent pool irrespective of geographies. Once you have the information, there are analytical tools that can assist you in filtering it and making it relevant to the organisation.

In a hypergrowth economy and a highly connected marketplace, the talent you hire is critical to any organisation’s business success. So, for Amdocs, what is the hiring outlook? 

Over the last few years, organisations are increasingly beginning to recognize the distinction between recruiting and acquiring talent, as well as the importance of effective talent acquisition for any business. A successful business consists of many key defining pillars, and its people are one of them. Employees are the driving force behind the operations of a business. Finding and retaining the right people is thus critical for business success. 

With our people-centric approach, Amdocs has adapted and evolved its talent acquisition strategies & practices taking into consideration the need of the current talent pool, which is dynamic in nature. We believe that every individual has limitless potential and in order to achieve that - we curate practices to tap into that potential. We will continue our growth plans to meet the demands of our customers and build the future product evolution.

As the world of business prepares for the future of work, what are some words of advice you would like to share with our community?

Work is changing as a result of technological disruption, and the post-pandemic workplace is changing as well.

With a new generation entering the workforce, the workforce's expectations are evolving. When key drivers such as Work, Workplaces, and Workforce are transforming, it is critical for businesses to develop plans that are adaptable and will aid in progress with each step.

Gone are the days when we had long term plans. Humanity and business have undergone drastic disruption in the past few years. Hence, we need to understand that leaders have to move from controlling to building the future through the collective intelligence of their teams.