Ms. Debyani Sinha is the Vice President and Global Head of Human Resources at Nucleus Software, where she is responsible for overseeing people strategy and organization transformation activities. Debyani brings over 22 years’ experience in Human Resources primarily in the Information Technology space. Her key focus areas have been to ensure that line managers are empowered to act as HR managers and to design policies and processes that ensure fairness and transparency in the system. She is also responsible for providing strategic and operational support across all functions worldwide. In this interaction with Deepshikha Singh, Managing Editor, Higher Education Review magazine, Debyani Sinha, Global Head Human Resources (Vice President), Nucleus Software reflects her opinion on hiring in a post Covid scenario based on her years of experience as a human resource professional.

• Tell us about yourself. How did you pave your way into the HR industry? 

I belong to Ranchi, current capital of Jharkhand. Though I come from a conservative background, my mother taught me the value of financial independence. After completing my graduation from Ranchi, I completed my Masters Lucknow in 1998. This is where my journey to the corporate world and it wasn’t easy. There was no campus placement for my batch so I went to Delhi in search of a job. Finally, got a job within a very small Organization at a very low salary. Since then, I have worked with the Onida group, TCS, USHA group, NEC and now in Nucleus Software. It is interesting to be the only female in the Board room but it’s equally difficult to balance your own thoughts at times. They swing from one extreme to other like a pendulum. I have been lucky to have come across some good thought leaders who have influenced me a lot. I learned to understand that being a good human being is the most important thing that matters at the end of the day. That does not discount command over knowledge, confidence to speak your mind and being transparent.

Any person is critical to the point, the value addition they bring in – to the organization, in business or anywhere.

• What is the impact of COVID-19 on your industry in terms of jobs and skill development?

COVID has impacted us in a big way and we yet have to see the full scale of it. It has impacted us both professionally and personally. RBI almost declared recession in India which impacts all industries, across grades. As our industry (IT) is a part of this ecosystem, the entire equation of demand and supply has affected it too. However, we are proud of the fact that we were very agile in managing the situation of COVID and did not lose a single day of productivity. We acknowledge the fact that skills without enhancement will be obsolete. Our journey till date has been smooth due to the steps and measures we took for skill enhancement to work in the new normal.

• In today’s changing scenario, what do you think defines an organization as a top employer?

In my opinion, a top employer is one who takes care of employees in difficult times. Organizations need to take care of their employees professionally, physically & mentally by balancing the productivity factors and human factors. Crisis situations are a test for the organizations as it is during these times that the values of the organization are put to test and it takes a lot of grit and perseverance to sail through.

• While short-listing candidates for employment, what are the top skills that today’s recruiters look for? What would be your advice to job seekers of today?

The topmost skill in today’s environment is agility. How agile one is to adopt a change be it technology, domain or anything which is new to try. Jobseekers should be open for areas, adopt more agility and they should put the thoughts towards application of the theories learnt. This also serves as a reflection of the attitude and openness of the job seeker.

• As the world is changing rapidly and is becoming technology-driven, how is the industry planning to cope with the technological advancements and adoption of automation?

We being in the IT industry, we cannot afford to be left behind in technology. The world scenario has changed and it is technology that has helped us cope and stay connected. Even though it is sometimes difficult to cope up with such rapid change, it is the need of the hour, and we reformed our processes to cope with the situation. The focus on technological R&D and going in-depth for the implementation towards automation is a requirement to survive.

• In the post-pandemic days, there may be jobs that get lost forever. Which jobs do you think are more prone to these risks?

I feel none of the jobs will be absolutely obsolete. However, retail segment may get a huge hit. Any change at a large scale brings a shift in the economic landscape. There will be segments where the demand will go up and there will be segments where the demand may go down drastically.

• The shortage of skills and talent in the tech sector has been a long standing issue now. What do you think are the skills that are going to gain prominence post-pandemic?

Agility towards adoption of technology, design thinking and innovation will gain mileage. Emerging technologies like analytics and IoT (Internet of Things) will gain prominence as connectivity gains more importance. Virtual working will be more prevalent and that will further need more collaboration tools, AR and VR.

• According to you, which are some of the courses that job seekers can pursue to strengthen their resume?

There is no “One size fits all” course that can be recommended. One has to be aware of one’s strengths and pursue to further it into their profession. One thing I would suggest is to work on being innovative in the area as continuous advancement is always in demand, whatever the field. Awareness of the environment and acting as per the situation is the only skill which will stand out in the days to come.

• In terms of people input, what is the one thing that you believe a business cannot do without and how can students use this to their benefit?

People are an integral part of any business and while machines can take over the mundane jobs, one thing that only our human resources can bring in is innovation & creativity. There is no course for it, it needs to be developed along with knowledge and applied.

• What would your advice be for leaders and students as they reset for the new normal?

Leaders or students, each of us need to understand the implementation of the theoretical knowledge and ideas we generate. Moreover, any person is critical to the point, the value addition they bring in – to the organization, in business or anywhere.