Radhika Arora on DEI Practices at ISGEC Heavy Engineering

Radhika Arora, Chief Human Resources Officer, ISGEC Heavy Engineering Ltd. She is a dynamic change leader, problem solver, and personal and professional excellence enabler.

She has over 20 years of experience and a proven track record of driving business growth through strategic HR initiatives. She has successfully led technological and cultural transformations, built high-performing teams from the ground up, and established scalable, sustainable systems.

Before ISGEC, she held key HR leadership roles at Jakson Group, Sony, and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. She holds a degree in HR & Marketing from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Management and is a certified MBTI Practitioner.

Her credentials also include Jombay 40 Under 40, OPQ certification, and coaching skills. An active contributor to the HR community, she is associated with professional bodies like SHRM, NHRDN, and CII.

Q1- How is ISGEC Engineering integrating DEI into its workplace culture, especially in a traditionally male-dominated industry?

We understand the critical importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in driving innovation and excellence, particularly within our traditionally male-dominated industry.

The national statistics, such as the All-India Survey on Higher Education, indicate a 29% female enrolment in engineering programs, however, eventual workforce participation, especially in core manufacturing roles can be as low as 3%.

To bridge this gap, ISGEC is actively building an inclusive environment by integrating DEI into all aspects of our employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and career development.

Our approach is two-fold. On one hand, we are challenging norms and rethinking recruitment, developing and implementing policies and programs that create opportunities for women, foster career growth, and foster leadership potential.

On the other hand, we are conducting training programs to educate our existing workforce on the benefits of inclusion and to address unconscious biases. All this is reinforced through a diverse leadership at the helm ensuring various perspectives are represented at all levels.

From our shop floors to our boardrooms, ISGEC is fostering a culture of inclusion and collaboration. Because we understand that embracing diversity is not just a social responsibility; it is a strategic advantage that enables us to thrive in today’s globalized and interconnected world.

Q2- What initiatives has ISGEC undertaken to promote gender diversity and equal opportunities across roles?

We are implementing a two-fold approach to enhance female representation. Key efforts include:

• Focused Female Hiring: Prioritizing qualified women in technical, operational, and leadership roles, with a campus hiring strategy emphasizing gender balance.
• Enhanced Referral Policy: Offering higher payouts for successful female candidate referrals.
• Gender Neutral JDs – Ensuring JDs use gender neutral language, avoiding gendered pronouns, job titles or words associated with gender stereotypes.
• Inclusive Engagement: Encouraging female participation in various important events and assignments/projects to ensure diverse views and innovation.
• DEI Workshops : Conducting workshops especially in the field and shop floors to raise awareness and promote understanding of diverse perspectives, encouraging colleagues to practise inclusive behaviours within the organisation.
• Strengthened POSH Policy: Revising and promoting our Prevention of Sexual Harassment policy through awareness campaigns and sensitization sessions.
• ‘Guftugu’ with CHRO: Creating a platform for direct communication with leadership, enhancing comfort and connectivity.
• Flexi Timings: Providing Flexible working hours to empower employees, especially women, to have better work life balance.

Q3- How does leadership at ISGEC drive DEI, ensuring inclusivity in hiring, promotions, and workplace policies?

At ISGEC, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is fundamentally a leadership-led agenda. The management is deeply invested in building a workplace that truly reflects our commitment to diversity and equity as a core value woven into the fabric of our organization.

DEI metrics are constantly reviewed, ensuring progress and course correction as needed, helping us allocate sufficient resources and accountability for achieving goals.

We ensure that DEI principles exist in all aspects of the employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management and career development.

Forums like ‘Guftugu,’ site visits, and awareness sessions ensure that the leadership teams remain approachable, reinforcing a culture of openness and inclusivity.

We model inclusive behaviour in our interactions, actively listen to diverse perspectives, and promote respect. We invest in training and education programs to raise awareness about unconscious bias and promote cultural competency.

Q4- What challenges do you face in implementing DEI in manufacturing & EPC, and how are they addressed?

Implementing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in manufacturing and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) sectors presents unique challenges, often rooted in the industries’ historical and cultural contexts.

Challenges

• Historically Male-Dominated sectors have ingrained biases due to a lack of diverse representation, particularly in leadership roles.  This can at times, create disagreeable environments for women and other underrepresented groups.
• Less female talent supply in Core Engineering fields like Mechanical, Electrical & Civil.
• Attracting diverse talent can be challenging due to perceptions of manufacturing and EPC as physically demanding or unsuitable for certain groups.  
• Manufacturing plants & EPC projects are many times in remote locations away from urban centers and may pose a safety risk. 
• Unconscious biases in male-dominated cultures can influence decision-making, leading to limited opportunities for underrepresented employees

How we address them

• We ensure a strong leadership commitment that is crucial for driving DEI initiatives.

• We conduct ongoing sensitization programs for teams, especially in field and shop floor settings, to shift mindsets and promote respect for diverse colleagues.
• We collaborate with academic institutions to encourage women to pursue technical careers and offer them early opportunities through internships and placements.
• Last but not the least, the challenge is not just hiring but retaining women employees in long-term careers. We are continuously enhancing our support systems, such as flexible working options and feasible career pathing programs, to ensure women see ISGEC as a place for sustained growth.

Q5- What are ISGEC’s key DEI priorities for the future, and how do you measure progress?

Our DEI strategy is built upon three strategic Rs – Representation, Retention, and Respect. We are committed to significantly increasing female participation across all levels, with a specific focus on leadership.

To ensure long-term career growth, we are investing in robust retention strategies, including mentorship, targeted training, and flexible work policies. We are fostering a workplace culture where inclusion is not just a policy, but a lived experience, characterized by daily respect, safety, and genuine belonging.

We track our progress using key performance indicators, including:

• Year-over-year growth in female hires, demonstrating our commitment to building a diverse talent pipeline.
• Female employee retention rates, reflecting the effectiveness of our support and growth initiatives.
• Participation metrics in leadership development and learning programs, gauging the advancement of women within the organization.
• Direct employee feedback from engagement surveys and platforms like ‘Guftugu,’ providing real-time insights into the lived experience of inclusion.”

Q6- Any final comments?

At Isgec, we recognize that diversity and inclusion are not static achievements, but a continuous journey of growth and evolution.

We understand that true inclusivity is a dynamic process and our understanding of what it means to be inclusive expands over time as societal norms shift, and the needs of our workforce evolve.

What may be effective today may not meet the challenges of tomorrow. Therefore, consistent, dedicated effort is vital. We embrace this dynamism, viewing it not as a challenge, but as an opportunity for constant refinement and growth.

We constantly challenge our biases, adapt our policies to reflect evolving best practices, and cultivate a culture of ongoing learning.  

We aspire to be a place where differences are respected, celebrated, and leveraged as a source of strength. We are committed to nurturing these differences, creating an environment where every individual can thrive, feel valued, empowered, and truly belong.

Thank You, Radhika!

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