Leaders

HR leaders are moving away from one-size-fits-all benefit solutions to a personalized approach to well-being benefits, where the goal is to create a caring culture that meets all workers' needs. They can start to act on the employee expectation gap by engaging in continuous listening programs with them and committing to more humane working conditions regardless of where they work. Demonstrating one's competency in the new skills has become the currency for talent mobility. More companies are piloting skill-based hiring, or the practice of setting specific skills and competency requirements for a job, rather than only looking at a candidate's credentials. An inspiring and determined leader, Raeesa Naim is a Director - People & Culture at Grant Thornton Bharat LLP.

With a history of around 13 years of work experience and a knowledge pool in conceptualizing, designing, and implementing frameworks and interventions to create the best employee experience, Raeesa is passionately working towards leading the company towards progress. Here’s the highlight from our interaction with Raeesa Naim.

Take us through your early educational journey.

After completing my Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering,  Bengaluru, I worked as a Project Engineer with Wipro Technologies. I pursued my post-graduation in MBA - Human Resources from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. Owing to my father's job, I got the opportunity to live and explore different states and cities within India during my growing years. It helped make me more aware, shaping my outlook towards various things and adaptability to people from diverse regions and backgrounds.

Tell us about the various roles and responsibilities that you have shouldered.

I have worked in different types of industries like Accounting, Banking, Telecommunications, and Information Technology and possess a wide pool of expertise in areas like - Organization Development, HR Strategy, Talent Engagement, Leadership Assessment, HR Operations, Reward & Recognition, Health & Wellness, Onboarding, Diversity & Inclusion, Talent Development, Talent Acquisition, Automation, and Employer Branding, and more. I have handled and led diverse portfolios during my career and worked closely with key stakeholders to strategize and execute the firm's people initiatives. In my current role, I am heading Talent Engagement for India. My responsibility includes designing and implementing interventions to align the workforce with key business strategies and improve Employee Net Promoter Score, employee engagement and experience, policies, and processes.

What are some of the most critical challenges you have faced as an HR professional?

Engaging with the workforce and meeting the needs of a diverse workforce can get challenging as one size will not fit all. Hence, you need to devise a strategy and approach meticulously. Hiring the right talent for a role and, at the same time, ensuring they align with the culture of the organization makes the task challenging. Culture and engagement are imperative for every leader and executive in an organization and are no longer only owned by Human Resources. Driving them from the top is critical.

What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?

Every person has a unique journey, and mine is with a lot of hard work, learning, opportunities, and challenges. Passion, perseverance, consistency, and relentless efforts over the years have helped me in my growth. Working in diverse industries with diverse leaders and people has contributed to my learning journey as it helps to gain different perspectives. I have treated any setback with a positive attitude as they enable me to become a better version of myself. I have a creative and analytical bent of mind and have always been very self-driven with introducing new initiatives, taking on new challenges, and exploring unchartered territories. My aim has always been to make a visual impact through the work for which I am responsible. Having a strong zeal to learn, pushes me to work out of my comfort zone, developing the ability to work with ambiguity. Lastly, family support is important to keep you going through highs and lows.

How do you foresee the Indian HR industry evolving going forward?

HR has become more critical than ever and will continue to play a key role in organizational strategies. Leaders must re-imagine how the post-pandemic business landscape will operate for their organization and communicate this to every worker. The focus on employee well-being has shifted from improving organizational benefits to enhancing workers' individual and family life experiences. The future of work will focus on hiring the right talent, employee experience, engagement, holistic well-being, diversity & inclusion, and automation.

Drawing from your experience as a leader, what would your advice be to youngsters?

Believe in yourself, stay humble, curious, and resilient. No work is small, respect everything you do and be grateful for every opportunity you get. Work with sincerity and for your self-learning as everything will eventually help you in your overall growth.

Raeesa Naim, Director - People & Culture, Grant Thornton Bharat Llp

With an academic background from top ranked institutes in India and rich expertise in various areas of Human Resources, Raeesa Naim believes in passion and perseverance for creating an unforgettable impact on society.

“Work with sincerity and For your self-learning as Everything will eventually Help you in your overall Growth”