Deepa currently serves as SVP-Human Resources (CHRO), & Corporate Affairs at Vistara, a joint venture of Tata Sons Private Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA) wherein Tata Sons holds 51% stake in partnership and Singapore Airlines owns 49% stake. The company is registered as TATA SIA Airlines Limited.
Chadha brings with her 20 years of leadership experience. She has been with the Bharti group in various roles since 2009. Before joining the Bharti’s she served as VP Global-HR, shared services at Genpact.
Deepa has also handled critical business roles with Oracle for nearly six years along with managing presales and Business Development functions. She was instrumental in launching and establishing the Oracle Human Capital Management brand in India.
She holds a master’s degree in human resources from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Q- As an HR leader, what are the challenges you are facing when it comes to hybrid work culture and working with fewer employees in the office?
We operate in an industry where most of our workforce is made up of frontline staff in operational roles such as cabin crew, pilots, ground services professionals, engineers, technicians, etc. Hence, it is challenging to maintain different working modes for them and for the relatively fewer employees who have desk jobs. However, I feel we have been able to manage things well, despite the challenges.
Like any other organization that was shifting to a virtual medium, our initial apprehension was around lack of communication and coordination between teams. But we were able to tackle that with effective use of technology and with the unwavering support of our team members.
Our teams were quick to understand that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot work. They collectively came together to adjust in the rapidly changing dynamics of the work mode, and we were able to operate seamlessly, as an organisation.
Q- Attrition is sky-touching, how do you manage attrition levels in current working models at Vistara?
Our teams are passionate about the work they do and understand the nature of the industry well. We’ve worked hard to build a sense of community through transparent, empathetic, and engaging communication between the employees and the management. Our people are mature individuals who understand the dynamic environment we operate in and act with great responsibility.
Additionally, we try and stay abreast with the entire workforce, understand their requirements, and have constant dialogues about their growth. To this end, digitalization and automation of key processes like regular monthly HR connects, a digital L&D calendar, digital engagement events, quarterly R&R events, etc. has played a very important role. We believe that the key to the organization’s growth lies in having a happy and motivated workforce.
Q- Covid has forced employees to gain new skills in a short span, how did Vistara help in upskilling its employees?
At Vistara, employee wellbeing is a top priority and we consistently try to provide them with relevant opportunities for upskilling and reskilling themselves, thereby enabling growth for the individual and the organization.
To enable this, we rolled out a Digital HR L&D calendar for the entire financial year where experts designed and facilitated trainings on leadership, soft skills, and functional skills over the digital medium. The digital platform also enabled us to also reach out to our operations staff with these L&D opportunities, which is relatively difficult otherwise.
We were also supported by the ecosystem of our parent organisations, especially from the Tata Management Training Center (TMTC) and Tata Business Excellence Group (TBExG), which helped us in our endeavour of bringing the best learning opportunities to our colleagues.
We continue to expand our learning and development calendar by engaging with leaders, taking recommendations from experts, and in line with the changing requirement of the industry. In the new normal, skills such as resilience, agility, learnability, and digital acumen will go a long way, which is also our focus for the future of L&D at Vistara.
Q- How has technology reformed HR management post-Covid?
As we shifted to a remote working arrangement during the pandemic, Technology played a key role in creating an effective and collaborative virtual workplace at Vistara. Numerous functions of HR management, for example, payroll, time and attendance, benefits, talent acquisition, talent management, etc. have had to be shifted to a digital medium.
The hiring and recruiting process is being assisted by AI like never before, speeding up the process to a great extent. Widespread digital programs centered around employee wellness are proving to be highly effective. With efficient HR analytics that helps with quick and accurate data collection, critical decisions around staffing, compensation, scheduling, etc. have become easier.
Q- Any additional comments?
A People-First approach by organisations, especially in times of crisis, goes a long way. For HR professionals, this means developing a stronger focus and a more holistic view of employee wellbeing. There needs to be constant research and development within the people management space as the work culture goes through a transformational phase.
Technology and automation will increasingly gain more prominence while effective communication will continue to be the backbone of efficient work cultures in the future.
Thank You, Deepa!
