Kwench-n:gage Leader Speak Series Issue 1 Volume 5 (August 2017) | Page 3

(n:gage): You have one of the most dynamic careers, spanning over 27 years, and four completely diverse industries - you have had the opportunity to work with different business models. What were some of the programs specifically focused on employee engagement? How different are the programs across industries? Archana: People in my age band were lucky to have been born when they did! As a result, when we entered the workforce, liberalization and globalization were setting firm roots. Industries, which for a long time had operated in controlled environment by Public Sector undertakings were getting privatized. As a result, my generation actually witnessed the coming of age of the Indian Business Houses and reemergence of multinationals. It was a period of great employment generation and thus created demand for all types of skills. New sectors like Telecom and IT created new jobs for the young which were almost unheard of. Thus scarcity of skilled resource and the fight for talent started governing employee engagement. Retention of employees was the driving force behind Employee Engagement. And it was not focused on just the high potential. Every employee had to be retained as long as s/he was positively contributing. n:gage | August 2017