SHRM India wraps up its annual conference and expo on a successful note

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) has successfully concluded its annual India conference on the theme “Cause and Effect” at the Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi. The two-day conference witnessed over 5,000+ HR professionals, 300+ CXOs and 150+ global speakers and offered more than 60 knowledge sessions. The conference was aimed at developing and innovating diverse aspects of human resources, including talent and leadership, by catalysing a positive change in the workplace through individual actions.

The conference was kick started by Dr. Ram Charan, Business Consultant, Author, CEO Advisor, who in his special keynote session highlighted how re-imagining the role of leaders is an important aspect of leadership success and organizational growth. He mentioned that every day, leaders actively look for ways to use their employees’ capabilities; but in the process, a bulk of organizational talent goes untapped, and in order to avoid such adversity, leaders should focus on clear-effective communication within the workplace and focus more on learning new skills and innovations. While talking about the importance of communication, Dr. Ram Charan said, “Communication should be credible, not sugar-coated. Share good and bad, both news.”

“It is a matter of joy and celebration as we have successfully concluded our annual conference and expo. The two-day event witnessed some of the greatest expert talks, discussions, mega sessions, and master classes. None of this could have even been a possibility without our team, experts, and attendees. I extend my gratitude to everyone who spared their valuable time and led this conference towards a triumphant closure,” said Ms. Achal Khanna, CEO- SHRM India, APAC & MENA.

Also read: Only one in three employees around the world are happy with their salary: Survey

During the conference, SHRM India, in partnership with Veranda Learning Solutions Ltd. and IIM Raipur, unveiled an executive MBA course for corporate employees, a course designed to upskill the workforce with technology. The HR programme will be a two-year course that will be offered in a blended mode via a combination of live synchronous sessions delivered on devices and face-to-face classes.

In a big debate around the morality and legality of moonlighting, Sanjay Dutt, senior VP & global head of HR Centers of Excellence at EXL Service, Dr. C. Jayakumar, Executive VP & Head – CHRO Larsen & Toubro, Ajay Trehan, CEO and founder of Authbridge, and Sandeep Girotra, president & CHRO DCM Shriram, brought forth various pros and cons of the trend. The panel discussed whether moonlighting is legal, if it hampers the productivity of an employee, and ultimately the morality of it.

During a spotlight session, where Independent Journalist Faye D’souza and Anisha Dossa Aibara, Co-Founder & CEO, Jify discussed how Earned Wage Access (EWA) is soon becoming a boon in the ever-changing workplace, Achal Khanna CEO SHRM India, APAC & MENA launched a report on financial wellbeing that talks about the feasibility of implementing better financial practises to improve the overall well-being of employees.

The event witnessed a gala award ceremony to recognize organizations that put their workforce first, deliver future focused excellence in the field of people management, and understand the importance of human capital as a key contributor to business outcomes.

The final day of the conference was commenced with a keynote address, ‘Climb every mountain: what it takes to scale Mt Everest’ by the Indian Mountaineer Poorna Malavath who through her real life story of climbing the enormous Mount Everest discussed what it takes to chase one’s dreams, and how sheer dedication and commitment towards the goals will help in achieving victory.

Later, in a Fireside candid chat, ‘After prison, what?! Rehabilitation or ostracism?’ Ranjan Kumar Mohapatra, Director (HR) Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Ajay Trehan, CEO & Founder Authbridge discussed how IOCL is transforming the lives of inmates and creating a social impact.

In one of the many mega sessions, ‘Financial inclusion & mental well being: Two sides of the same coin?’ Dr. Geeta Kumar, Founder & Principal Consultant Pragati: Partners in Progress, talked about the current inflation and uncertainty continuing to add pressure to meet daily financial needs, and the concept of Salary On-Demand soon becoming a must-have in the ever-changing workplace. The session discussed the need of considering such benefits to help employees counter financial stress and improve the overall well-being of employees.

The conference was brought to an end by Ajinkya Rahane, cricketer and former captain of the Indian Cricket Team who highlighted the importance of hard work and ‘Never Say Die” attitude’ in life.

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