#519 Gitesh Karnik on Cultivating an Ecosystem of Diversity and Success in Modern Businesses

"Democratizing finance for all, our vision is to seamlessly integrate financial inclusion into everyday life. Through the perfect blend of technology and a dedicated sales force, we strive to reach every corner of Bharat, making banking as simple as buying groceries."
 
In today's episode, we welcome Mr. Gitesh Karnik, the Chief People Officer at Nearby Technologies Private Limited, as our distinguished guest. With a wealth of experience spanning IT/ITes, BFSI, Retail, Real Estate, and Hospitality, Gitesh is a seasoned HR professional passionate about best practices and technology evangelism. His strategic leadership, evident in multinational and Indian corporations, has not only influenced business outcomes but has also elevated the employee experience. Gitesh emerges as a thought leader shaping the future of work through transformative initiatives and change management projects.

In our latest Shape of Work podcast episode, Chief People Officer Gitesh Karnik of Nearby Technologies Private Limited shares the secrets of aligning HR strategy with business success. Karnik unveils the alchemy of co-creating HR initiatives that resonate with employee needs while driving company goals. Get ready to be enlightened on timeless HR fundamentals and revolutionary strides in financial inclusion, where Paneer simplifies banking for the underbanked – a true financial renaissance.

Episode Highlight

• Unveiling the company's approach to simplifying tasks and the go-to mantra for daily thriving
• Understanding how diverse perspectives are actively brought into decision-making processes
• Beyond Financial Services: Additional Product Offerings for Retailers
• Addressing the challenges it tackles in the current job market scenario

Follow Gitesh on Linkedin

Produced by: Priya Bhatt

Podcast Host: Archit Sethi

About Springworks:

Springworks is a fully-distributed HR technology organisation building tools and products to simplify recruitment, onboarding, employee engagement, and retention. The product stack from Springworks includes:

SpringVerify— B2B verification platform

EngageWith— employee recognition and rewards platform that enriches company culture

Trivia — a suite of real-time, fun, and interactive games platforms for remote/hybrid team-building

SpringRole — verified professional-profile platform backed by blockchain, and

SpringRecruit — a forever-free applicant tracking system.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hello and welcome to the Shape of Work, a podcast series by Springworks. My name is Anoop and I am your host. Each week, we'll be talking to top people managers across the world on the future of work and how it's shaping our workplace. So sit back and get ready to find out more from these movers and shakers, as we have a no-holes barred. Anything goes. Conversation with them about their journey, their insights, their thoughts, most importantly, their ideas and vision for the workplace of the future. Join in on the conversation, leave a comment and don't forget to hit that subscribe button.

Speaker 2: 0:31

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Shape of Work podcast, and for this episode, we have with us the Chief People Officer of Paneer, by Mr Gitesh Karnik. Thank you, gitesh, thank you for joining us.

Speaker 3: 0:42

Thank you for inviting me. I'm very happy to be here.

Speaker 2: 0:45

It's a pleasure. So to begin with, could you please take us through your career journey so far?

Speaker 3: 0:50

Well, I am over two decades of HR experience with Meena, having worked with companies like GE, deutsche Trader Capital, magma, fincov, godrish, high Care. So these are some of the brands that I've worked with in the leadership roles, also being in HR for the last two decades. I did my Masters from NMIMUS and since then I've been in HR Whatever little I could contribute, learn, work with my peers, colleagues, teams and deliver on the outcomes that are expected out of the HR function. So that's been my journey after Meena HR guy for almost two decades.

Speaker 2: 1:31

Great to know that. So, as a CPU, what are some of the important learnings that you've had from this journey? I mean somebody who has been into this industry of HR for so long.

Speaker 3: 1:40

So one thing I've learned I was not one, but a couple of important things I've learned One is that being closer to the business, so understanding what is the requirement of the business and creating programs which can help business in terms of growth, in terms of productivity, in terms of revenue, profitability and maintaining a good equilibrium between business outcomes and people happiness, so to say.

Speaker 3: 2:09

Right. So it's not one for another, it's both together and that's been one of the main learnings. The second learning has been in terms of co-creation. If you really want to run effective people programs, they'll ensure that while delivering or while creating, you take inputs, keep your ear across the ground to understand you know what is that people want at this point in time and according to come up with the programs. Just doing programs for the hiccups, because you know that's what the jargons are and that's what is happening it will not be relevant to you. So, seeing what is relevant to you, working with the peers, with the teams, and understanding what's the need of the art and according to the programs that are relevant for the company. So these are two key learnings, if you ask me, in terms of in my journey as a CPU or a CHR.

Speaker 2: 3:03

I'm very accurate in today's time, I must say. I mean that's what we see in most of the organization. That's happening and you know, go on at the time when you know these HR policy policies or procedures were in place just for the heck of it. Today, everybody like we talk about employee engagement. So I think that is also a very essential part of it today.

Speaker 3: 3:21

Yeah, but one thing also I tell people is that you know, always remember, that few things are hygiene which you should do, whether you know it's in over, it's not in go, that's the right thing to do and those should be done regardless. Yeah, there is an engagement, you know. I mean doesn't matter pandemic, no pandemic, but you have to continue with those hygiene of connecting with your colleagues, the team members, the people, so that the connection remains right. When it's work from home, how do you maintain the connection with people? So these are right things to do. That's the hygiene. So certain hygiene should not be compromised and the stuff can be done in relation to what the business needs are Exactly so, talking about paying nearby.

Speaker 2: 4:05

So it has established itself as the largest distribution as a service network in the country. Can you provide some overview of the company's mission and how it aims to address the financial and digital needs of the underbank and unbanked segments?

Speaker 3: 4:20

So I mean, the vision has been to take the financial services to occur everywhere. That's been our, so to say, vision of the company. How do we really democratize our offerings of financial inclusion to everyone, everywhere? It might sound vicious, but that's the need of the art, because we believe that this country is underbanked, underserved. We need to ensure that. You know, being in this, being such an important part of the ecosystem of creating financial inclusion, we should really participate in that and try to create a detailed distribution where people can access, you know, financial inclusion at any point. They don't have to go to a bank or to an ATM or to a financial advisor to get you know the basics of banking. They can go to the nearest retailer, distributor and they can bank on our platform.

Speaker 3: 5:15

So that's how we really create.

Speaker 3: 5:17

You know, like our CEO says, secetize you know the financial offering in such a way that it seemed like it's just like you know. Our CEO says that you know 1 kilo onions, 1 kilo aloo or saak mein insurance bhi dil do ya. You know, I mean, that's how I really want to, you know, create financial inclusion as they're just a part of you know, your life, everyday life, and make it so simplified, make it so easy, make it so accessible that people are able to really participate in the financial inclusion program. So that's always been our vision and to do that we have tried to ensure that we have a good balance of technology and a frontline sales force, because our technology is to reach the right people in the chain and our sales team takes the technology to right people and tries to include them in the larger vision of reaching to Bharat Now everything is Bharat, now a little India and Bharat Now everything is Bharat right. So we want to ensure that you know we really take financial inclusion to look and comment on this country.

Speaker 2: 6:19

Amazing. So there was just another thing that I got to know while I was going through the company's profile, that is, the launch of jobs nearby, which seemed a very interesting initiative. So how does this assistant job registry contribute to supporting migrant workers affected by the pandemic and what challenges does it address when we talk about the current job market situation?

Speaker 3: 6:42

So when we started this job nearby, the whole intent was that when people are going back to their respective homes, can there be a repository of those people they can go and register and, whenever the job availability in that particular location. So one of the issues about migrants is that why migrants? Because there are no opportunities available in their home locations, perhaps, and that's why they want to go out for, look and seek jobs outside their home locations. So we thought why can't we create a repository of those returning and then perhaps given the first choice in terms of looking at jobs where they are from, instead of going to the migration that they have to go through? And that was all intent of creating this repository.

Speaker 3: 7:21

And this repository was created for very, I would say, jobs which are perhaps a carpentry job, perhaps a job for plumber job, of those kind of very basics where people require them to migrate and do those jobs. So why can't we create those opportunities in the areas where they are? And that's where the repository was created for retail partners and we saw a lot of traction in terms of people coming and registering and that's how the entire again, as I said, it's all nation building. So we thought that why do we not use our platform instead of just doing what we do? Why can't we explore one more avenue where people can leverage on our platform to seek jobs which will help them to stay where their roots are from? So that's basically what we're doing.

Speaker 2: 8:10

I must say that's an amazing initiative and also it could be taken as a way of giving back to the society. I mean it's anyway helping the needy, which is also the need of the R. I mean the kind of situation that we saw, especially during COVID, and after that people have been a little bit apprehensive. I mean they don't know what's going to happen next. So it's a great initiative, I must say.

Speaker 3: 8:33

Because my end user of my product if you ask me who is the end customer is very similar to the profile we're trying to help find jobs. Yeah, and that's where he saw the sweet spot. I mean, doing this for someone like you and I might not really work because you go to banks. We have apps where you can transact on right, so people require assisted support in banking, are people who would perhaps need these kind of avenues to explore. So we were very mindful of whom we are doing this for, because we knew what our segment is and we created a product which will appeal to a segment.

Speaker 2: 9:06

Definitely so. Apart from financial services, what are the additional product offerings that the retailers can provide to the citizen?

Speaker 3: 9:15

So there are avenues of travel where you can book an air ticket or a railway ticket. You can collect I don't know AMIs. That also it's financial, but in a way it also allows you to collect AMIs. You also have an e-com where people can buy a refrigerator or television through our network. So there are additional avenues available on our platform other than just doing banking transactions. So collection of AMIs is another one which we do.

Speaker 3: 9:47

We also do insurance on our platform in terms of people who can come and buy insurance products on our platform. Two-wheelers is one of the biggest ones that people want to come and renew their two-wheeler insurances, hospice cash which is put into medical aid. So various products we sell, and an e-com is another big one. We're trying to see how we can really leverage our e-com platform for buying this kind of television, the refrigerator appliances kind of stuff. So these are some of the things you do on our platform other than just doing banking transactions.

Speaker 2: 10:20

Amazing. So the next topic that I would want to discuss with you is something which I tend to happen or discuss with everybody that I interact with and I find it extremely exciting and very relevant as well is diversity and inclusion. So can you please elaborate on the company's commitment towards diversity and inclusion? How will you bring diverse perspective to the table during decision making?

Speaker 3: 10:44

So we have in our leadership team couple of women leaders you know a part of the management team who come and contribute and bring that diversity aspect Also teams. You know N-minus, n-minus too, a lot of female. You know penetration in the organization, if you see that close to about 34% of our staff would be women colleagues you know in the organization. So we really focus on diversity. We also have launched a program called Lean In, which is a women's network in the organization. So we run programs, you know, for them specifically. I mean well, Women's Day and All that Happens is part of every organization. But you create a women network where the women leaders come and meet every quarter and give their insights on how to manage your career. You know women who have really succeeded in their careers. They come and talk to people. Recently we ran a program with a, with a, with a Jombe, which is a, you know a firm with a training program for women and they were participating, they participated in and give them an insight into how to manage career, how to manage family, how to balance everything. So that's been on our major focus right now.

Speaker 3: 11:52

How can we, you know, include women or diversity in our gender diversity? I'm talking about gender diversity right now, but you also focus on diversity in terms of, you know, having people with different, diverse backgrounds. You know. So, for example, we hired some you know people. How do you call them? Physically challenged? I mean, you know, how do you I don't know what's the term that we use for them in our finance team? You know when people are there and working with us. So we also look at that as a diversity than just women as a diversity. So these are some of the things that we have done as an organization in terms of driving the diversity agenda in the company.

Speaker 2: 12:31

Amazing. So I've somebody who has been working for a couple of years now. So what techniques do you use in your day-to-day duties? Do you simplify the task? Is there like any, or go-to mantra or one of the techniques that basically help you thrive daily?

Speaker 3: 12:48

Why is try to understand the purpose and the why of the job. If you really get that rest all just follows through right. So always, when starting something, understand why you're doing it. Otherwise, just doing you're going through motion without knowing the objective. Then your heart is not into it. So please understand you know what you're doing, why you're doing, why this is asked for, where this will be used, so you can, according to an, apply yourself and bring about some valuable contribution to the work that you're doing. Otherwise, you're just doing a task and going through motion. So I always tell people that understand. You know if something has been asked, what is a purpose that the information will be used for. Accordingly, you can then create a more valuable, informative you know, I would say database for people to look at and make decisions. So obviously people understand the why. Where is it coming from?

Speaker 1: 13:42

If somebody asks you what's the diversity?

Speaker 3: 13:44

What's the intent of asking this question? I mean, you know where are they coming from and then you can, according to them, say diversity is just not women. It is, you know, physically challenging people as well, diverse levels of education that we hire. We don't hire only engineers, we also hire graduates you know. So we have to really understand where the person is coming from. Otherwise, you just give one data of gender and diversity is gender, but that's not what somebody was looking for, so always understand what is being asked.

Speaker 3: 14:10

Once you get that, everything follows you thereafter.

Speaker 2: 14:13

Amazing. So, as we move towards the end of this podcast, another very important topic that I want to touch before we leave is the culture of an organization, which I think is extremely essential. So how would you describe the culture of Payneer by?

Speaker 3: 14:29

I always say it's a high energy, you know, very positive, full of life kind of a culture in this company and it flows from the top. Now, if you meet them, you can. If you come to an office, you realize what I'm talking about. Anybody who's come into my office they always see that. You know, to our Payneer by office, they always say that you know there's some different level of energy which is now, which is past this sort of corridors and passage of this company.

Speaker 3: 14:53

So a lot of positivity with high one. You know, I think our culture is all about being positive and that comes from being transparent. You know, because people trust us that you know we have a very transparent organization. I don't know how many companies might be doing monthly town halls where we come in very transparent to the entire organization how the company is doing, you know. So I think we are extremely transparent organization. That's one culture. The second lot of positivity in the organization because of that that people know that they can trust us because we come every month and tell them how we are doing. So I would say the culture of transparency, culture of respect. So people think that they're respected because we are so open to them and honest with them. They feel that we trust them and, in return, they trust us. So that's how I see this entire culture, you know, transforming this company.

Speaker 2: 15:44

Amazing. So thank you for taking time out to be a schedule and joining us for this podcast and sharing your very valuable insights with us. It was an honor to have you, thank you so much.

Speaker 3: 15:55

It was a pleasure to share my thoughts with you guys and wish you all the very best.

Speaker 2: 15:58

Thank you and thanks to our listeners for tuning into this episode.