Shivangi: Hey, everyone. Welcome to the People-led show. I'm your host Shivangi, and our guest for today is Satyajit Dutta. Satyajit is the associate director of HR at Sutherland Global Services, where he's leveraging nineteen years of his diverse HR experience to drive transformative change. Over the years, Satyajit has led various HR digital transformation projects, championed process automation, transformed HR strategies through various innovative design thinking, and even got recognized for his exceptional event planning skills.

Shivangi: One thing is for sure, Satyajit passion for driving organizational success through cutting edge tech is remarkable. Welcome, Jit. Thank you so much for joining us today. Can't wait to speak with you. 

Satyajit: Thanks, Shivangi.

Shivangi: And it was a very crisp and to-the-point introduction. Thanks a lot. Okay, so I've read all about your experiences I've read about your previous experiences. You have a you know, like, such a vast journey of twenty years.

Shivangi: But what I'm curious about is to know the human behind the human resource. What do you like to do outside of work? 

Satyajit: I'm a bit of a creative person. I love Nature. I love art.

Satyajit: I'm passionate about animals. I'm a pet parent also. I I have two Persian cat. So definitely, there's other thing that inspires me. I go like to go out meet people, cultural diversity helps me out to know more people around.

Satyajit: This definitely helps me in my work also. So understanding people helps me more bringing the human factor into the world. So traveling and driving Is one of my thing which I look into. Yeah. Beyond the work, these are the thing which I do.

Shivangi: Traveling and driving? Yes. Oh, do you like, you love driving long distances? 

Satyajit: Obviously, yes. If at will, given an opportunity, I can drive one thousand kilometers in a day stretch.

Shivangi: So I forgot to ask you, Jit, where are you based out of? 

Satyajit: I'm currently based out of Hyderabad. 

Shivangi: So I picked up on something that you said in the last question where you said that your experiences outside of work, like traveling and, cultural touch points help you understand the people aspect of your work. So from that perspective and from that lens what are the two to three top employee experiences challenges that you as a people leader, want answers to or want to fix in two thousand twenty four. 

Satyajit: One dilemma or challenges what I definitely often encounter is measuring the impact of the experience, the initiative which is brought in.

Satyajit: Right? It's obviously a critical business outcome. And while we are speaking on the positive shift of employee engagement and satisfactionto demonstrate a direct link to revenue and productivity can be a challenge. Another question it, comes into mind as constant pondering how to personalize the employee experience effectively because see, again, Employee experience is an experience as a whole. Right?

Satyajit: It has different touch points Right. In itself. When we are talking about an employee, it starts from the hiring factor, from hiring to the retire factor. Right. So between this hire to retire, there are different touchpoint, different aspects of the pyramid of employee journey.

Satyajit: The continuous interaction with the employees has to be there, which will give us a more of hand what they actually require because experience is something which They need to speak more about and as a personal touch. Right. Finally, I'm a bit curious about future of work and how technology will impact the experience.

Satyajit: Because right Right now, as we know that it is the AI era rather. 

Satyajit: And automation, definitely, along with the AI, is transforming the whole world. Question still arise. How can we ensure technology enhances And not replace the human connection at work? Yep.

Satyajit: Hope this answers the question? 

Shivangi: Yes. Yes. Beautifully. And I think it sets a beautiful theme also to you know, our podcast because I noticed some things you said.

Shivangi: One is the direct impact of productivity on business, identifying those say, key metrics then, you know, driving personalized EX Right from the time an employee joins the organization till the time they retire, and, you know and I think I want to dive in a little bit more on that Because employee experience of and their through their tenure of thirty to forty years, their expectations change drastically. Right? What what are the expectations of employees of today? You know, that and we have a new workforce entering the workforce, what are what is the what is the expectation that they are coming with, and what are they expecting out of their HR VPs and HR leaders?

Satyajit:  Brilliant question again.

Satyajit: See, now with the diverse work force coming in and gen z, gen x, Our baby boomers are still continuing. So different people have different mindset. Right? Different work culture, work I bet sometimes people have that urge to have a control on certain thing. We we see that.

Satyajit: When we are talking about certain thing where experience will play a pivotal role, we should start job crafting rather. How building the role individual strength and interest toward the provided Opportunity within the organization, how that can bring autonomy and ownership within the employee. Right. That will give more,impetus to the people how they are able to do well in their work.

Satyajit: They will feel more engaged. Mhmm. And they know what they are required to do in their job. So when when people know their, Objective of being there and how they are going to get the work done, and they they know their role, individual strength, and interest that are aligned to that company's goal. Definitely, they know they are engaged, and they are going to perform well.

Satyajit: Right. So when they are performing well, obviously, they know they are not their job security remains well. Right? Right. Psychological safety, definitely where fostering an environment where employee feels safe to voice out their opinion, concerns without fear judgment of or retribution.

Satyajit: sometimes negative feedback also helps the organization to build up well. So if at all there is a hope where an employee feels safe enough, that if they why is there a certain thing negative about the company, and no action is being taken against them? they know they are in a Proper environment who are ready to accept the change and would like to work for the people. Right? So that Itself give us give us as an employee, a strength, a psychological safety net around.

Satyajit: And final one I would like to bring it to the continuous learning and development. So most important, so For any employee as a whole or as a leader also, we know today's technology is dynamic. What is staying today might not be there six months later down the line? It is so fast A rapid change which is happening around.

Satyajit: We might not see certain technologies continuing after a period of time. As if AI is taking the world as an area of what I mentioned, definitely, you see that things will evolve in future. 

Satyajit: But if We are able to adapt and learn on those skills. We can utilize for a longer development. The continuous learning and develop will offer a personalized learning path. And, definitely, this opportunity for skill development and and career good for people. Yeah.

Shivangi: So that's a that's a brilliant you know, encapsulation of how and what the employees of today are expecting you know, on especially on the skill development part and continuous learning and development. I think, you know, the the more skills and the more the the way you upscale your employees is going to shape up How long they're going to stay in the organization? How productive they will be in an organization? But your answer also gives me a very interesting, Insight into how EX at Sutherland looks like. So I want to understand what is your top two to three focus areas at Sutherland when it comes to employee experience. 

Satyajit: so majority time is transparency and communication, what we look into. So it is it has to be an open and honest communication, and from the leadership it's very crucial and for trust and engagement level because we know our leaders are always trustworthy. We Lead by example in that Right?

Satyajit: Flexibility and work life balance, it's a Major point which we look into. So there's a complete flexibility working arrangement is given to people. And definitely, this definite has started during the peak COVID time, and we know how COVID had completely changed the demographic of work environment altogether.

Satyajit: It wasA period where nobody knows what to what to do. Right? And all of a sudden, HR and the leadership came together to bring That definitive change and how people without impacting the work, with the Flexibility, managing the work and the the crisis which was there, that gave a completely a different perspective to people, How flexibility and work life can be balanced together. So that is one of the key element which we look into. Okay.

Satyajit: Diversity and. Another thing which we ensure that work with is that has value and definitely celebrate the difference, It fosters a sense of belongingness, the psychological safety, which I had already mentioned earlier. Yeah. These all elements are something which we Practice and follow within our organization. 

Shivangi: Thank you for that perspective, Jit.

Shivangi: I heard that you said leaders lead by example at Sutherland. And that is such a reassuring as an employee of an organization, it's just a very reassuring thing to know. And you know, the fact that you focus on work life balance because, you know, today, I I know that HR leaders know that, that employees are choosing more than just salary It is they're they're choosing a life beyond their work and, you know, how their work life can seamlessly integrate into their personal life without hampering it. Right? Can you can you give me an example of certain well-being initiatives that you take at Sutherland? 

Shivangi: There are different web programs which which are the health and wellness program.

Satyajit: Mental wellness program. So we ensure that the burnout or the digital burnout, what we have are not much. We know Friday fun, which is a a priority, we definitely ensure that employees are engaged. We are brought out from that Loop of continuity of work or development, whatever they are engaged in, sometime that fifteen minute break or twenty minute or thirty minute Time off from the work will definitely give employee that period of Relief. Right.

Satyajit: So mental wellness, we definitely look into how the work impact happened. The Talks are there from the great doctors who are leaders in in the field. We attend the talk between them and our employee, those kind of intervention, we there there are multiple questions coming up that time during the session. They speak up a lot of actual challenge that they're facing. 

Satyajit: Sometimes single parenthood are the challenge. We don't know while working, how they are managing the work, and that Children upbringing. Some which we definitely take care while we cater to the well-being of employee. 

Shivangi: Okay. Thank you for that answer. shifting gears a little bit I wanted to know if in your experience of nineteen years and more where have you seen employee experience break the most? when does an HR leader know that, okay, this is Not working out.

Shivangi: The strategy is not working out. 

Satyajit: So, experience would break with the disconnect between the leadership.

Satyajit: As I was mentioning about leaders communicate well, transparency and communication. So, definitely, that is a very Important point, which should be focused on. When employee feel uninformed or unheard it definitely leads to a distrust and disengagement. Definitely unsupportive culture, a culture that prioritize hierarchy over the collaboration and discourage is open feedback, and can definitely be detrimental to the employee experience. Right?

Satyajit: Still many companies in India follow that hierarchical structure. You know? Bureaucratic, But definitely, those things has to be let go of. Because to bring a proper experience, we have to let go of that, which was Good at past can't be brought forward.

Satyajit: Unrealistic workload or expectation from the people.

Satyajit: Right? Person working In delivery who is performing well might not be good at people management. He might be a very good performer in his work, what he's currently doing. And just quoting that that he's doing well In his current work might not lead that, okay, he will be able to do certain thing as a manager or lead people.

Satyajit: That thought itself is wrong. Right? The expectation that is a wrong expectation. So we are not able to do that analysis while we are adapting them into that role. The mapping is not right.

Satyajit: So how do you practice listening strategy, or what is your listening strategy at Sutherland? how do you keep in touch with the pulse of your employees? 

Satyajit: As you correctly mentioned - the pulse. Right? So that Term itself brings out regular pulse survey.

Satyajit: It's a common term, definitely, the survey of people to share a short and tweak and touch base with the surveys to gauge the sentiment, identify the areas of improvement, where we are going wrong just not only doing the survey and keeping in the silo and working behind. No? Rather bringing it to the the dashboard, In front of the people, whatever the consent has been raised with a graph manner, we present into People how we are working on those. And this shows that how their input actually is valued. We bring in people To answer certain questions, like, what they want to bring into changes so that we can adapt those changes, See whether it is visible as a business aspect or not.

Satyajit: It is mapping to the business a goal or not, ultimately. One on one meetings is a continuous thing which we have employee connect copy with leaders HR connects. We also have something called women connect within the organization. So specifically focused on the women folks we women employees of the organization. Sometime this gives us a different angle, a different tangent of as a woman, what challenges they are facing while working.

Satyajit: That that kind of a challenge is or what their aspirations are to grow within the organization or their dream to within the organization or Outside, how do you want to excel? Those aspects are also covered during those sessions. Not something what we follow, but something we should actually as an organization and to all, we should say that anonymous feedback channels. Right.

Satyajit: Should this actually gives us a option where people, sometimes they feel inhibited or care to come up and speak something which is not right. You know, we as an employee, also, we have seen that earlier. Might be get might be getting reprimanded or they come into spotlight. Right? So to avoid that anonymous feedback channels can be encouraged where they can actually come up with the honest opinion certain practices which we have laid they give us a that that will give us a more clear picture how people are connected to it, Oh, whether that practice should continue or not.

Satyajit: I took a note of something that you said about you know, like, just communicating company vision to employees. when when you talk about listing strategy an equal amount of importance should be given to action feedback as it is given to just listening. Right? So I think that is what makes an employee trust the HR or their manager or the organization to be able to give whether anonymous or non anonymous feedback. Right? 

Satyajit: True. So psychological safety, as I mentioned, if they are heard well, and, Obviously, those kind of safety net they find around that this input or changes or request Has been brought into action, and the progress of all those changes we are able to bring it to the people. Definitely, that gives a clarity in front of them. They become more engaged when we bring them on board.

Satyajit: And they know they are being a part of the company's culture development because culture is a not a single word. It over over the period, it Evolves. Right? Right. Small small changes or feedback from the people directly from the employee brings in the cultural shift.

Shivangi: So has has that ever happened with you, not just at Sutherland, but even previously, That an employee giving feedback drastically changed things you know, like, or their A feedback was taken into account and implemented, and that led to setting an example for the entire organization. 

Satyajit: I would say just not from employee, rather potential employees also feedback. Right?

Satyajit: So we always used to follow those channels. See, pre hiring itself is a Brand creation. So from the evolution of the brand creation to the retirement or exit of a employee, There are different channels should be there where we can actually start listening to people.

Satyajit: Right? We definitely have taken the heed from the potential employees or candidate rather. The whole journey of hiring was restructured. Right now, If at all, we are hiring in for any position that gets over within a week's time, I think you might not have heard about it within the industry also sometime. We we we tend to ensure that if a candidate is selected in certain we know the profile is good.

Satyajit: Right. That's an experience, what we're talking about. Candidate experience right now, let's say. When the profile has been screened, we know that This is a potential candidate. From that point, bringing up to the screening to the leaders, Two different level of interview.

Satyajit: We ensure this all whole process is completed with the minimal time possible. 

Satyajit: big congratulations to you for taking that step, They're taking that action of implementing feedback for an employee even before they join an organization. So that's kind of building into their employee experience while they join until they retire. 

Satyajit: Because that is a painpoint which every employee has gone through. They might have faced this in previous work also or previous interviews. Those pain points have been addressed over here because we know if it'll be pain point point, that change into our experience.

Shivangi: Right. Hundred percent. And I read something, and I've been meaning to ask you. I just actually read it this morning on the company page. that Sutherland's motto is # make digital human.

Satyajit: I'm not sure if that is the theme of the coming year as well, but I'm very curious to know more About that, especially in context to employee experience. and I know that you and I both agree on the fact that HR tech And automation plays a major, major role in building an employee experience. But what are top two two to three categories of digital solutions HR leaders should dive into, like, immediately for employee experience. Right now, as AI has taken over chatbots to be integrated along with the AI.

Satyajit: Right? If that possibly brings in more scope to candidate or the employees who are there to interact And know more about the company and culture. Some there are standard questions which keeps on arising from the employees also. If that is addressed as it is already fed to the generative AI. But when we train the AI on those lines, those can be taken care of with the with those line.

Satyajit: Similar question which comes up as a ticket questions. We can feed those on a generative AI and train them. That definitely takes maximum bandwidth of HR also while answering certain questions. Right? Technology But what we are talking about social platforms, listening to social platforms, collaboration, what we call collaboration tool.

Satyajit: People tend to burn out while working digitally. Right? Today's date, everything is virtual. We we hardly get time to collaborate. we should start bringing in more factors where we can the collaboration can happen.

Satyajit: Not only virtual. Sometime, we should actually look into a virtual collaboration along with that. Human touch also should come in sometime soon. At least virtual connect as well as human that's coming at which will give a better scope of technology and human congregation. 

Satyajit: I completely agree with you.

Shivangi: to that effect, are there you know, metrics, employee experience metrics that you can definitely track to see whether it's, you know, employees are being productive, it's actually helping the businesses. Are there two to three key metrics that you personally recommend? 

Satyajit: Yes. Definitely.

Satyajit: See while quantitative metrics are always valuable Yes. Qualitative data is equally important. Right?. Our key employee experience indicators, which definitely goes with employee engagement surveys Or retention rate assessment. Definitely, absenteeism and presentism rate also should be a factor which Which gives us the how engaged the person is.

Satyajit: Okay. How what is the impact of those to the well-being because sometime, absenteeism also, we should consider why the person is taking so much of absent Absentee zone. What the reason behind absentee zone. The well-being also comes into question because that gives us So element which we can look into from that data. Definitely, exit interview is mandatory.

Satyajit: Right. Because as I said while employees quitting, the reason behind the main reason behind his Exit. What not only the competitor or somebody with a better pay is not only the factor. There has to be something different which which triggered him to quit. Right.

Shivangi: Brilliant points there. Jit, I just have one last question for you Like, what is, One piece of advice that you wanna give to budding people leaders in the industry to make it big. 

Satyajit: First is invest in your people, are the greatest asset. And, Experience itself is the foundation to the success. So once we are Making them as an advocate or the ambassador of the company with our experience.

Satyajit: Definitely, you know, When you when you serve employees well, they will serve the organization well. So it doesn't mean that just an organization when you're talking about organization, it means the clients and customers around. Right. So they increase the brand value Hello. So listen to them, understand their need, empower them to thrive invest in employees.

Satyajit: And when you're when I'm talking about invest in employee means definitely bring in the experience of mentorship, Job crafting workshops or how I mentioned earlier integrating the role and the Oh, interest towards the goal of national goal the psychological safety factors, All those parameters, what I spoke earlier, we can bring into one frame. I think technology is one of the major input which should be brought into collaboration and continuous connect with templates. We shouldn't forget that. That will bring this and everybody should start adapting this. 

Shivangi: That is such an amazing point, and it kinda made my heart want to listen And to when you said that invest in your people, everything that we speak about, whether it's employee experience, whether it's about getting new tech, gen AI listening Training.

Shivangi: Surveys, trainings. Yes. It all comes under one big survey, which is invest in your people. And I think Going forward, two thousand twenty four that's gonna be the HR motto. I hope that is. And thank you for that wisdom. 

Satyajit: Sure. Welcome. 

Shivangi: Thank you. Thank you Jit. This is an amazing, brilliant podcast full of learnings with you. 

Satyajit: Thanks, Shivangi.