First job ever?
I was working with ORG Systems, India for five and a half years as project manager
First HR job?
My current position as HR director.
What are your key responsibilities in your current job?
My HR responsibilities include academic interface, recruitment, performance management, compensation and benefits and learning and development. I am responsible for HR for the Asia Pacific region. In Asia Pacific, TCS has associates working in 11 countries, and each country has its own challenges such as language barriers and cultural differences. I have to look into country-specific issues and create solutions that fit within the global policies of TCS.
What attracted you to a career in TCS?
Back in 1991, TCS was already renowned as the pioneer of India's IT industry. But more importantly, TCS was starting to set up offshore development centres. I have witnessed first-hand how the company has grown into one of the largest IT companies in the world.
What is the most important contribution HR can make to a business?
One way to grow an organisation is to refine or change processes to become more effective. HR can help to initiate and implement organisational changes that impact the bottom line.
HR is all about the people. And in the IT business, associates are key assets of the company. We have many initiatives in place to keep our employees motivated and satisfied in the workplace. TCS ensures that our staff competencies are constantly upgraded in line with industry trends as well as ensuring career progression for top performers.
Learning and development is a key HR function in TCS, and it is delivered through multiple channels like classroom sessions, e-learning and external training. With these initiatives, even in the wake of increasing competition for talent, TCS' attrition rate is only 8%, significantly lower than the industry average.
What key skills do you need to be successful in your current role?
You need to speak the language of business - dollars and cents - to be credible and to be linked more strategically with line operations. You also need to balance this with soft skills such as empathy. The two qualities may seem like the opposite ends of a spectrum, but a successful HR practitioner needs both.
Why a career in HR?
HR has moved from being administrative to strategic in function, so it is really an exciting time to build a HR career. Having worked in the delivery and sales side of the organisation, the non-HR line experience has been valuable. I've been with TCS for over 14 years, and have seen different perspectives of how HR works.
If you weren't in HR, what would you be doing?
I can't imagine not being in HR. As mentioned earlier, in my previous functions in delivery and sales, I was constantly engaged with staff and have been dealing with issues related to their performance, motivation, development and career progression. This was something that motivated me.
How do you unwind?
I am very much into sports. I love watching cricket, football and NBA matches. Cricket is definitely my passion and I used to play competitive cricket. During my assignment in UK, I played in a cricket league and won best performance award! In Singapore, I captained the TCS six-a-side cricket team. These days I play tennis to keep myself fit. I also love watching movies, mostly action, both in my mother tongue (Tamil) and English.
