Reshmi is a dynamic HR leader with over 13 years of experience, specializing in aligning HR strategies with evolving business goals. She leverages people analytics and strategic insights to enhance culture, drive performance, and improve employee experience for sustained organizational success.
In an insightful interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Reshmi shares her insights on how organizations are reshaping employee engagement to maintain emotional connection in diverse, high-growth markets like Bangalore, with a focus on retaining top women talent during critical transformations.
Reshmi also sheds light on the strategies adopted by NoBroker.com is support and retain high-potential women talent.
To know more about Reshmi’s thoughts on supporting talent in today’s high-pressure and agile business landscape, read the interview below.
Post-COVID, employees encountered significant challenges in transitioning back to office life after prolonged periods of remote work. The shift was not easy—many struggled to adapt, found daily tasks monotonous, and experienced fatigue from long hours of sedentary work. This led to a noticeable dip in motivation and overall engagement.
To reinvigorate the workplace experience, we introduced a series of impactful initiatives: fun on-floor engagement activities, structured reward and recognition programs to celebrate achievements, wellness programs promoting both physical and mental health, and cultural diversity events that foster inclusion and connection. These efforts have played a crucial role in uplifting employee morale and cultivating a more dynamic, inclusive, and supportive work environment.
As a result, we’ve seen a marked improvement in team spirit, collaboration, and overall workplace satisfaction.
As the market shifts towards agile talent ecosystems, what engagement levers are being used to retain top-performing women professionals during business-critical transformation phases?
As organizations move on to agile talent ecosystems, the retention of better-performing women during the critical transformation phases requires a strategic and inclusive approach. Companies are leveraging differentiated engagement levers, such as flexible work agreements, directed leadership development programs, and transparent communication channels.
In addition, they are implementing inclusive performance metrics, sponsorship initiatives, and clear career progression structures to promote a sense of belonging and purpose. These measures ensure that professional women remain engaged, valued, and aligned with organizational goals over periods of significant change and business transformation.
At NoBroker, we’ve implemented a range of nuanced engagement levers to support and retain high-potential women talent:
Inclusive Policies: We have rolled out comprehensive anti-discrimination and equal pay policies, along with flexible working arrangements and gender-neutral parental leave, which enable women professionals to thrive through different life and career stages.
Structured Processes: Our engagement strategy includes regular diversity and inclusion training, mentorship programs, and employee resource groups (ERGs) that foster a sense of community and continuous support among women professionals.
Bias-Free Recruitment: We are committed to building diverse teams by designing recruitment practices that reduce bias—such as blind resume screening and targeted outreach to underrepresented talent pools.
Equitable Career Advancement: Through clear internal mobility frameworks and promotion policies, we ensure equal representation of women in decision-making roles, especially during organizational transformation when strategic leadership is crucial.
Targeted Leadership Initiatives: We’ve launched women-focused leadership development programs and formed partnerships with external organizations that advocate for gender equity in the workplace, giving top-performing women access to influential networks and growth opportunities.
These levers not only strengthen retention but also build a diverse, future-ready leadership pipeline aligned with evolving business needs.
How are you seeing businesses reinvent engagement rituals to balance psychological safety with performance expectations, particularly in high-pressure environments?
We’ve implemented a holistic employee engagement framework across the entire lifecycle:
We ensure a consistent and fair hiring experience through standardized assessments, role clarity, and structured onboarding. Employees are supported with tailored training plans, mentorship, and continuous on-the-job learning.
To foster well-being, we focus on multiple dimensions—physical (health check-ups, yoga, nutritious meals), psychological (stress management workshops, open feedback culture), financial (competitive pay, quarterly appraisals, insurance), social (tea outings, volunteering, celebrations), and spiritual (respect for beliefs, flexible holidays).
Engagement is driven through interactive activities, creative workshops, sports events, and community initiatives. Performance and growth are supported via monthly goals, regular reviews, and recognition through public appreciation, personalized rewards, and experiential incentives. Even during exit, we ensure smooth transitions and maintain post-exit connections. This ecosystem builds trust, drives high performance, and sustains innovation without compromising employee well-being.
Is there a shift in engagement metrics where “impact” matters more than “presence”? How is this changing expectations for women professionals returning from career pauses?
We are witnessing a shift where “impact” outweighs “presence,” especially in redefining engagement for women professionals returning from career breaks.
To support this, we’ve redesigned our work models to focus on outcomes and flexibility rather than physical presence. Based on employee feedback, we introduced systems to monitor leave usage and punctuality, ensuring manageable workloads and a healthier work-life balance.
We also enhanced work flexibility by offering hybrid models, including options to work entirely from home or remotely 1–2 days a week—based on performance and role requirements. This empowers employees, particularly returning women professionals, to balance personal and professional responsibilities without compromising performance.
Our maternity leave policy extends beyond statutory norms. Expectant mothers can request additional work-from-home options or extended leave—up to three months—before or after childbirth, creating a smoother transition back to work.
These shifts promote retention, engagement, and impact-driven performance—especially for women navigating critical life stages.
LAST WORD: Message for HR Leaders Driving Engagement Strategy
As an HR leader, the journey to build a truly engaging and inclusive culture hasn’t been without its challenges.
In the beginning, one of our biggest hurdles was shifting mindsets. Many employees saw engagement initiatives as obligations rather than opportunities for connection or growth. Participation felt forced, and we had to work hard to reframe these activities as valuable, not performative.
We also noticed limited managerial involvement. Operational priorities often took precedence, and engagement was not always championed at the leadership level. Without consistent buy-in from managers, it was tough to build momentum across teams. Even in our Rewards & Recognition programs, we encountered subjectivity and bias—despite having structured frameworks.
Recognition didn’t always feel fair or inclusive, especially in certain pockets of the organization.
These experiences taught us that engagement is not just about launching programs—it’s about aligning hearts, habits, and leadership behavior. And we continue to evolve, learn, and build trust every step of the way.
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