“The most pitched product to me is an HR tech product right now, which is fantastic”

A nostalgic take on career-defining moments

Nirav reminisces about his professional endeavours and shares that his shortcomings were probably the most impactful in terms of their learnings. In his career, he has worked on several projects, big and small, which helped him gain perspective on vital business functions. There were instances in his professional life that questioned his capabilities. When asked about a particular moment that defined his career, Nirav says, “It’s important to take a deep look within yourself and ask if you can overcome this challenge and accomplish what is necessary. I learned that it’s essential to know when to seek help and there’s no harm in doing so.” This, he believes, is a sentiment that has stuck with him over the years.

Engaging with talent calls for a change

According to Nirav, the nature of the workplace is changing at a heightened pace. After the pandemic, people leaders are tasked with building a hybrid engagement model while engaging with Gen Zs and millennials. What are the strategies for effectively communicating with a remote workforce? How do you train managers to manage employees working remotely? These are all crucial factors to address when implementing a hybrid work model. As young professionals are starting to manage large teams, it’s become important for CHROs to lend a good ear when the situation calls for it. Leveraging technology and adopting measures to enhance employee experience is the need of the hour.

HR Tech is an enabler of constructive communication

Nirav firmly believes that developing or adopting a cutting-edge HR tech product can be pathbreaking for people leaders today. The HR team at SUGAR Cosmetics is constantly working on leveraging data to enable communication and add value to it. They use data analytics and predictive analysis to understand the needs of the workforce better. With the help of SDK and API integrations, Nirav and his team focus on eliminating the use of multiple apps to reduce human intervention and enhance employee experience. They use a communication platform that allows people to easily create and manage multiple groups for seamless sharing of ideas among the team.

Additionally, they have set up a project management platform where team members can share timelines and resources. Through this platform, individuals can request projects and teams can accept them, and then mutually agree on a timeline. That’s not all! They are currently revamping their HRMS, also known as Talent Information System.

Jagad’s thoughts on employee wellness

Nirav shares an interesting take on employee well-being. He believes that there was never a better time than today to be an employee. Organisations are bending backward to care for their workforce. At SUGAR Cosmetics, Nirav and his team do all they can to make employees feel comfortable. They aim to launch a program that addresses a 360-degree approach to an individual’s overall well-being. This includes not just emotional well-being, but also other aspects of a person’s health that may be overlooked.

Nirav adds that today’s people leaders need to time travel into the past and the future to cater to employees holistically. While CHROs must always show empathy and a knack for problem-solving, they must also prepare for a future wherein HR tech solutions will lead the way forward.

With over 19 years of experience as a People and Culture leader, Nirav is a part of our ‘Most Influential CHRO of 2023’ list. He is a strong communicator and relationship manager at all levels. He flaunts an excellent track record of developing, delivering, and leading transformational solutions and operations.