25 Sep Swati Gupta – Women setting new benchmarks | Driving transformation in HR process
According to a study by a leading business school, it is believed that 85 per cent of women choose family over work and that is considered as the number one barrier to their career advancement. On the other hand, it is also imperative that women tend to opt out because of the organisation’s attitude towards her ability to perform in challenging situations. Ironically, during the pandemic, many women were laid off when it came to the point where they chose family over work.
Meet Swati Gupta, Senior HR Manager at Kale Logistics Solutions who comes with rich corporate experience of nearly two decades, but she eventually chose to set her own standards and go the extra mile. Here is a glimpse of her professional journey.
Working for corporate giants
Speaking about her corporate experience, Swati says, “I worked for the market leader in HR analytics and I even worked at the nation’s largest IT private employer for a considerable amount of time. However, I thought my role was so menial and insignificant. There wasn’t a scope for me to look beyond those mundane activities, it was like getting lost in a large sea. I had a lot of learnings but I hardly got to inculcate my learnings in my day-to-day work.”
She further adds, “I was very inclined to do campus placements on my own. But there was already a team and I only got to support them that too in rare occasions.”
Setting benchmarks and seeking job satisfaction
“This thirst brought me to Kale. When I joined, the number of folks working here was between 100 and 150. I got the opportunity to quadruple this number. Apart from identifying working professionals, I devised a strategy to look at campus placements too, “says Swati.
“But my role was not limited to these activities, I was also tasked to set reporting structures, and streamline appraisal process too. So far, it is a satisfying journey where you pull the strings, and the management as well as your colleagues stand by your decisions and push you further to achieve your desired targets, “she adds further.
Surviving through testing times
Speaking about the pandemic and the work-from-home culture, Swati takes a deep breath and says, “Those were tough times. We never anticipated an event of that scale that too for this long. Overnight, we had to change our working structure wherein offline hiring turned out to be online, and team meetings happened online. Beyond all this, we had to ensure the emotional well-being of our existing employees. We spoke with them on regular basis and understood their pain points and addressed them. We had a series of engagement activities to keep them entertained in a stressful scenario. When we look back on all those, it looks like a strenuous journey, but we survived, and we went through. Not even a single person was laid off despite all the struggles we went through and that makes me feel I’m at the right place doing the right thing.”
Work-life Balance
“The common point of discussion in the corporate world today is work-life balance. But very few companies measure it in terms of the well-being of working women. Let us say I work till 7 PM and take an hour to reach home. Do I get to rest post that? Absolutely not. I have to look at the well-being of my family. In between, if my work hours extend a little, I don’t get to look at my family’s wellness. Luckily, Kale as an organisation offers flexibility to women employees and ensure they have enough time to look at their family as well, “Swati says.
Why work for Kale?
Talking about the motivation to work for Kale, Swati says, “When we all get bored of a regular 9 to 5 job, we tend to start our own venture. Some of us succeed and some of us fail. But if there is one place where we get the liberty to set our own benchmarks and explore new avenues for growth, it is definitely Kale. It is ideal for all age groups to thrive and learn something new each time.”
Swati, the Accomplisher
Managing regular chores and setting new benchmarks at work are opposite sides of the pole. Only a few manage both with ease and Swati is one among them. Her contribution to the team and the organisation is commendable. Moreover, she is inspiring all other women to set their own benchmarks and set their own growth trajectory.