Leaders

Right from hiring the right candidate for the company till providing the best of the environment for the employees to grow, there are so many things that an HR actually does. It is hence a mandate, to have an HR that can grow your company. Swagata, Director of People for India at Surfboard India is an example of one. Her objective is to ensure sustainable Human Resources. Women Entrepreneur got in touch with her to understand the facets of her work and the industry.

Please Give Us An Overview About Your Company And Your Roles And Responsibilities.

I work for the HR talent management. Our company is a conglomerate of three entities and I represent as a Director HR for India for all three entities. The three entities are named as Contentstack, Raw Engineering and Surfboard.

Our key strength lies in Technology and we have been building and innovating since more than a decade. Our founders are Neha Sampat and Nishant Patel and office is headquartered in USw.

Shed Some Light On Your Education Background And Why You Decided To Pursue HR As A Profession.

I did my graduation in English Honours from Calcutta University. As an English student, I studied stories of people, poems and so on and that always had me intrigued. I knew that I wanted to work in a field that involves people. At some point, I thought of psychology too, but chemistry or mathematics were not my strong suit. I was confident that Human Resource somehow is where I am aiming at so did my Masters in Public Relations and also MBA HR.

Soon after graduation, I took up a job as a customer service agent. Once I was done with the course, I started as a recruiter and then there was no looking back. Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Learning and Development, Organization Development, so much of learning and it still continues. I believe HR department has a direct impact on the business and growth of a company and its employees. This, pushes me to put my best step forward everyday at work.

Tell Us About The Milestones That You Have Achieved Over The Years.

In terms of awards and recognition, I definitely have won some. To name a few, Employee of the year at Simplilearn, Manager of the year at smartShift, and so on. However, these are not what I consider ‘milestones’. I’ll tell you why. When I started my job as an HR, my number one driver was to become a people’s person and being able to bridge the gap between employer and employee. I pride myself because, I think, I have made some meaningful relationships.

"I have been strongly influenced by the quote “train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to”, by richard branson. I also strongly believe “if i am true to myself and passionate towards my work, only then can i truly make a difference”

Gaining trust and ensuring to always deliver to my commitments, keeping my integrity is what drives me. When employees come to me for difficult discussions proactively, when my employer believes that I can make a company a great place to work, that is what I consider my milestones. Till date, when people I have hired 15 years back, reaches out to me, well, that means I have contributed to someone’s success. Even if one life has evolved through my contribution, one employer says it was good to have her, then it counts.

Amidst The Changing Dynamics In The Market, How Do You Keep Yourself Aligned?

I only wish that with these changes, companies start focusing on finding partners when they hire and not employees alone. It is of utmost importance for both an employee and an employer to have similar wavelength. Both need to agree on the values and believe in the company for the partnership to work. We as HRs also need to hire keeping ‘a partner’ in mind.

As far as how I keep myself aligned? Hmmm, I am always taking courses and extra lessons. Learning to embody all fathoms of HR processes. I also interact at a global level with HRs from different companies to give and receive knowledge. Till the time I am learning and constantly evaluating myself, I am growing. I have worked with different industries, diverse people and that is what helps me to acknowledge the diverse thoughts.

Lastly, What Would Be Your Advice Be To Those That Are Hoping To Someday Be A Successful HR?

It’s ok to say “No”. I have heard a lot of people tell me how their HR is unapprochable and how they don’t get clarity from them. This, usually happens because HRs are hesitant to say no. You need to understand that you cannot make everyone happy, so stop pushing for the same. Saying “No” is not the concern, not clarifying the bigger picture is what creates confusion and assumption. Second, only join a company, if you can connect with its values.

As, an HR, you will be the face, hiring and onboarding. If you do not believe what the company does, how will you convince others too? If you do not value the beliefs or culture of a company, how will you contribute towards it’s success, how will showcase the same in your actions and motivate others.

Swagata Ghosh, Director Hr, Surfboard

Swagata has years of experience in multiple aspects of HR, talent acquisition and talent management. She keeps abreast with the latest and ensures that the values of a company and employee are met. Believing that HR department is an integral part in the growth of a business, she hires partners and not just employees. She takes end-to-end ownership of HR processes and is always striving for the most effective and customized processes as needed. Further, as an HR, she understands that it is not just about welcoming people but also about celebrating the success and contribution, when an employee leaves.