CHRO at PepsiCo India, Pavitra Singh, believes that in the post-Covid-19 world, new ways of working and engagement, policies, and enablers, how and what companies evaluate, will change.
New Delhi: Covid-19 has changed people’s priorities. Mental Health, work-life balance and flexibility rank higher in the minds of people now. According to a report published by McKinsey & Company in May 2021, 51 per cent of people want a better work-life balance post-Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of people want more hybrid models and better work from home opportunities. The fact is especially important for India which has one of the biggest workforces in the world.
Pavitra Singh, Chief Human Resource Officer at PepsiCo India said, “While Covid-19 pandemic has kept everyone on their toes, it has equally thrown huge opportunities to transform and contribute in many meaningful ways.” Companies worldwide are looking for ways to incorporate more flexible ways to work for their employees.
‘Soft Skills Will Be Tested In Digital Environment’
Most of the companies, including Pepsico, have been following a hybrid model for the employees. This has led to a renewed focus on the digital ecosystem. According to Singh, soft skills like empathy and trust will be tested in the new digital environment. She said, “One big change has been the way we work. New ways of working and engagement, policies, and enablers, how and what we evaluate – measures of performance, soft skills like empathy and trust will all be tested differently in this new digital environment.”
Mckinsey’s report added that more than 50 per cent of the employees now want to work from home for three days a week. The majority of them feel that it is important to instil trust and clarity in the online communication process. Interestingly, nearly 25 per cent of the employees said that they are ready to switch employers if the current employers ask for full-fledged on-site work.
Experts Optimistic About 2022
The report further said that more than 75 per cent of the respondents now place top priority on mental health. Interpersonal relationships play a major role in increasing job satisfaction and improving work performance, the report added.
2022 brings a new hope along with it. Singh further said, “It will be an interesting journey in 2022 with a lot of learnings along the way.” With the emerging hybrid working models and flexible timings, this year is set to bring a new change in the job ecosystem of the country.
