Celebrating Diversity & Fostering inclusion the Hexaware way

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Managing Employee Benefits at Hexaware

One of the basics of employee management is keeping an open mind and gathering as much feedback as possible. Happy employees are the foundation of great work culture. And your organization’s work culture plays a massive role in the overall productivity and performance. To make giant strides on the global stage it’s vital to make small tweaks in your employee management mechanisms. At Hexaware, employees are at the absolute centre of decision making and our policies and workflow are always designed by keeping their interests as a primary factor. When it comes to employee welfare practices, very few organizations can compete with Hexaware’s policies and this is one of the key reasons behind our low attrition rates and increasing employee satisfaction levels.

Providing employees with a conducive environment at the workplace is just one-half of effective employee welfare. A well-crafted employee benefit takes care of their overall mental and physical well-being. Hexaware has been championing this holistic approach to employee benefit for several years now. Through our various mentorship and learning programs, we are providing a conducive environment for work along with terrific scope for growth. Similarly, through initiatives like the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), employees are getting benefits such as counselling and guidance on professional as well as personal matters. These additional steps from an organization’s side can pave the way to a fruitful relationship where both employee and organization can thrive and chart new success stories.

At Hexaware, we are quite aware of the changing global employment landscape. The last couple of years, in particular, have been monumental in defining the course of employee benefits management. Gone are the days when employee benefits included medical care and a few rewards and recognition programs. The need of the hour is to be receptive to employee concerns and craft policies accordingly. Our internal human resource management tools are designed for these specific purposes. Feedback and suggestions are a critical part of the way we, at Hexaware work. Our flexible working hours, work-from-home options, and excellent leave policies are all a result of this mechanism.

Great compensation, work-life balance, terrific work culture, and better prospects for growth are some of the key factors that every employee must consider before joining any organization. And Hexaware has consistently placed itself on the top of employee satisfaction levels when it comes to these parameters.

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Recent Trends in Talent Management

The last couple of years brought a massive overhaul in the ways businesses function as well as the way they approach workforce management. Empathy, collaboration, and agility became the buzzwords and the organizations that couldn’t board this ship of change saw massive attritions or worse- a premature closure. Talent management has now become a topmost priority for organizations the world over. From real-world to virtual to hybrid models now, organizations are undergoing rapid change, and organizations need to introspect quickly on the effectiveness of their talent management systems. Many organizations have successfully adapted to the emerging trends in this sphere and resultantly are doing much better than their respective industry standards. While the needs of each sector is dynamic and there’s no one solution to all problems, here are the most commonly followed talent management trends that have emerged as a silver bullet to many.

Dynamic HCM This has been one of the core focus areas for Hexaware and is something that we actively track to analyze and resolve employee concerns. Human Capital Management tools have existed for quite some time but it’s in the last few years that the majority of organizations have started utilizing them to their true potential. These tools are not just a database of employees but their pulse! A successful HCM tool can play a vital role in nurturing and even retaining talent. These tools are now being made to understand the voice of employees and are engaging them more effectively leading to enhanced employee interactions and high satisfaction levels. Dynamic HCM tools have become an increasingly popular method to improve talent experience and a proactive approach in this aspect will take you miles.

Upgradation of L&D Modules It’s about time organizations evolve from the monthly seminars and training sessions in the name of learning and development. These sessions add absolutely no value and do more harm than good. The recent pandemic was one of the glaring examples of the failure of many L&D systems. It was the first time a large number of our talent pool experienced remote work and many organizations quite visibly suffered because of a lack of training on this front. This ended up wasting some crucial business hours in many cases.

The organizations that successfully surfed the wave of change were the ones that were well trained and prepared in advance. Robust and interactive sessions with real-world applications are the way to go and Hexaware’s Maverick programme does exactly this by empowering the employees and fostering their growth. It is designed to keep the young talent on top of the game from day one. The training programmes provided through Hexavarsity run throughout the year and are not a one-time event. These sessions boost employee confidence and add value to their work. Similarly, even for the more seasoned employees, we have programmes that aim to widen their spectrum and give them deeper insight into critical business functions and their global applications. This plays a pivotal role in shaping them into future business leaders.

Empathetic Approach Businesses that have championed empathy in their approach have historically been more successful than the ones that were numbers-focused. This is primarily because employees value an organization and show more loyalty if it has ears for them. Affable top management and a crystal clear communication channel are the need of the hour. At Hexaware, employee welfare activities have been an integral part of our functioning for decades. It’s absolutely essential that employees are in the best state of mind and are bereft of any distress. Our initiatives like Amelio Assist Programme where we provide nanny care and home learning for employees with children between 6 months to 6 years is one such endeavour. In addition to this, our Pay it forward initiative, mental and physical well-being sessions and flexible working hours have done wonders in employee satisfaction growth leading to effective talent management.

Diversifying Talent Pool Conscious hiring decisions that revolve around bringing demographic and cultural variety to your talent pool are on the rise. A diverse talent pool brings a wider perspective to business along with fresh ideas that foster growth. The evolving global business landscape has made it pertinent to have a diverse talent pool that understands and connects to different contexts. This makes every employee feel valued and helps immensely in talent retention and management

Remote Management and Collaborations Remote work has become an integral part of our workspace. This implies a change in not just work locations but also in management style. Managers need to be more collaborative and inclusive in their approach to their teams. Organizations world over are investing heavily in infusing empathy and enhancing collaborative culture in their leadership teams. These attributes are playing a critical role in employee engagement and many business leaders are now warming up to this reality.

Workforce management trends will continue to evolve at a rapid pace in the coming days. This is why Hexaware has been making conscious decisions to adopt an agile approach that enhances employee satisfaction. And it’s time business leaders across the globe invest in a robust talent management system and ensure the employees are heard.

[hexawaretech]

Conflict Resolution at the Workplace

Conflict is a natural occurrence in any workplace. It can be defined as a disagreement or dispute between two or more people. Conflict arises when different people have different opinions, ideas and goals which result in disagreements and disputes.

Conflicts can be categorized into four types:

Personality conflicts: These are based on individuals’ personality traits, such as their attitudes, beliefs, values or emotions that trigger conflicts with other people.

Workplace conflicts: These are based on differences in working styles and cultures which result in conflicts between employees.

Structural conflicts: These arise due to problems related to the structure of the organisation such as lack of communication channels, unclear policies etc.

Processing style conflicts: These are caused by how people process information and make decisions which leads to poor results

Conflict resolution is a process of managing disagreements, disputes and other types of interpersonal conflicts. It involves finding mutually acceptable solutions to problems between two or more parties.

There are several strategies and techniques that can be employed in resolving workplace conflicts. They include:

Active Listening — To resolve conflicts effectively, it is important for you to listen attentively to what the other person has to say. You should try to understand their point of view and feelings before expressing your own position on the matter.

Reframing — Reframing is another useful technique for resolving workplace conflicts which involves altering one’s perspective on a situation. For example, instead of focusing on negative aspects of a problem, reframing helps one look at positive aspects as well.

Problem Solving — The main objective behind problem-solving is to find solutions that meet both parties’ interests and needs. Problem-solving is an effective means of conflict resolution since it allows both parties involved in an argument to suggest ways in which they could settle their differences without having to compromise on their respective positions or views on the issue at hand.

Take responsibility for your part in the conflict. It takes two parties to argue, but it only takes one person to end the argument by apologizing or admitting that they were wrong. The first step toward reconciliation is accepting responsibility for your part in any dispute.

Listen to the other person’s side of the story without interrupting them or judging them when they’re upset or angry. Listen attentively while they talk about why they feel upset and try not to interrupt or offer advice until they’ve finished talking about their feelings. Avoid making judgments about what they say until you have all the information, instead of jumping to conclusions based on limited knowledge or assumptions. Ask questions if necessary — but don’t ask leading questions that make it obvious that you think something negative about them or their actions (e.g., “So are you telling me that my method is wrong and yours is right?)

Conflict is often seen as a negative thing. However, conflict is an important part of every relationship — at home with family or friends; at work with colleagues; in schools; in communities; even between nations. Conflict allows us to discover new ideas and ways of doing things that might otherwise not have been discovered or considered before.

[hexawaretech]

Hexaware’s Inclusive Culture

Contributed by Gwen Kolader on 23 March 2022

Being a global company comes with employing people from all over the world. All individuals in the workforce come with their own unique life stories, backgrounds, beliefs and heritage. “Creating a culture where all Hexawarians feel that they belong and can thrive because of who they are, not despite who they are, is powered by our constant focus on inclusion”, says Gwen Kolader, Global Head DEI. “Building an Inclusive Culture is the top priority at Hexaware, a continuous journey of listening, learning, changing and growing — as individuals, employees, leaders and a company”.

An Inclusive Culture also creates the opportunity to boost diversity in our workforce. A diverse group of people will logically come with multiple, varied ways of thinking, problem-solving and execution, stimulating creativity, innovation and engagement. Building an Inclusive Culture is a necessity for social development and will favorably influence enhancing diverse opportunities. It will also strengthen the potential to tackle unforeseen challenges in the business landscape.

One of the challenges is the War on Talent; worldwide, there is a significant lack of (technical) talent next to the fact that the global workforce is aging. Finding talent outside the standard search profile could potentially tap overlooked talent. Another challenge with regards to the workforce is Retention. Why do people leave your company? This could be for various reasons, but organizations must ensure that the reason is not the lack of acceptance wherein they have been excluded from certain internal processes, overlooked or passed because of bias or prejudices. If you are a human-centric company, a true Inclusive Culture is what should you should strive for. Customer focus is another top priority for Hexaware; supporting and serving our customers, clients, partners and suppliers comes with inclusive ways of working, communicating and connecting. Together with all our important stakeholders, we build strong relationships to create a deeper understanding of the best ways of collaboration.

Over the past years, we have implemented several Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives to support and grow our Inclusive Culture and Diverse workforce. At some events, clients have also joined us for celebrations. Examples of our DEI initiatives:

Global celebrations We globally celebrate different cultural traditions, religions, national remembrance days, spiritual moments and days of importance by sharing and enjoying stories about these festivities. This will support a more unified understanding of each other’s heritage and culture.

Awareness initiatives Every year Hexaware raises awareness about Diversity. By doing this, we are trying to create a culture where people feel accepted and seen. We, for instance, raise more awareness of gender equality by celebrating our women (not only on) International Women’s Day.

Humans of Hexaware This is a treasure trove of beautiful and inspiring stories that celebrate Diversity in Hexaware. We invite employees from different global offices of Hexaware to share their inspiring stories about overcoming challenges, striking a work-life balance, achieving milestones, and experiencing life-changing events. This initiative focuses on increasing awareness and enables connecting at an augmented and informed level.

Women empowerment Last year we started a very powerful program in Hexaware called Rising W@H (Rising Women at Hexaware), a leadership development program designed to create a pool of talented women leaders who can make a significant impact not only within the organization but across the industry, at large. The program contains 6 months of academic learning, 6 months of mentoring by senior leaders and 6 months of special assignments. This program is exposed throughout the company and is sponsored by our CEO.

We hire different The hiring policies are being reviewed to ensure that we hire Inclusive and can tackle potential biases in our hiring processes amongst recruiters and hiring managers.

This year also, we continue to listen to our employees, customers and stakeholders to understand their requirements, wishes and needs to upgrade our internal processes and ways of working. We will continue to maintain our streak of hiring diverse talent by constantly improving our awareness and focusing on unconscious biases, cultural differences and demographic variations. Hexaware’s leadership is committed to leading this Inclusive journey and sponsoring our DEI plan and initiatives, helping build and maintain that Inclusive Culture that ensures everyone thrives at Hexaware.

[hexawaretech]

Why is Humour in the Workplace Good for Us?

Humour is a very important aspect of one’s life. For many people, it is even a coping mechanism from stress and sadness. But cracking jokes at inappropriate times or around unfamiliar people can be a gamble. Humour at the workplace is something like this too. If you crack an inappropriate joke at your workplace, you may land in trouble. But the right kind of humour at the workplace can do wonders in maintaining good relationships with your co-workers.

Humour at the workplace can lighten the mood of the whole office. The whole environment in the office can be made more comfortable. People can then communicate freely with each other, dissolving the tension in the atmosphere. A humorous workplace and the employees who live up such cultures are proven to have better productivity. There is higher job satisfaction and it eventually leads to better employee retention too. Humour has been a tool to develop relationships for a very long time. Employees who laugh with each other make a good bond between themselves and feel safer and more open with each other.

As humour makes an office environment comfortable, employees can be more creative. The employees then would have more bandwidth and they might be willing to take on more tasks. Being more comfortable and willing to take more risks will lead to finding creative and effective solutions to problems. When senior employees use humour to communicate with their juniors, they create a sense of belonging and a sense of trust between one another. This makes them more likeable and approachable.

We, at Hexaware, like to keep the mood relaxed and easygoing in the office. Hence, we encourage our employees to be open and make friends with one another. We firmly believe that humour and lightheartedness in the workplace can improve their performance, provide stress relief and give certain job satisfaction to our employees. For the same, we also have an amphitheatre and a gaming parlour where you can hang out with your co-workers and have a good laugh. To know more about Hexaware Life, click here.

[hexawaretech]

How can companies invest in employee well-being?

When it comes to employee well-being, the first question that pops up is why is it necessary.

Well, to answer that, here's a small quoted text from JLL’s research that states, "Employees now prioritize work-life balance over a comfortable salary, and three out of four expect their employer to support their health, well-being, and nutrition." It now becomes a requirement for organizations to cater to employee needs and ensure they feel justified and privileged at their workplaces.

The evolving employee expectations have made companies initiate a lot of well-being programs on campus. Activities involving on-site gyms to lunchtime yoga sessions are popular to maintain mental and physical fitness. Moreover, employees expect medical assistance for themselves and their families from their employers. Talking about this domain, Hexaware pleases its employees well with the FIT project and Mediclaims they offer. It makes sure it has invested enough to satisfy its employees with mental and physical peace.

Hexaware has also set an example for other companies with its crucial investment in employee development. It's well-known that employees who keep learning while executing tend to do much better than those who only work. Keeping this in mind, Hexaware has invested generously in programs like Ignite, Evolve, Mavericks, etc., to ensure their employees develop as they progress with work. They've also offered employee assistance programs and extended these to the employees' families too. While these factors might seem irrelevant, they hold great significance to the employees and promote their well-being.

Last but not least, Hexaware leaves no stone unturned in building a positive and friendly work culture. It makes sure it invests in its employees enough to have fun days, employee engagement activities, excursions, etc., for them. It is an important aspect when it comes to maintaining a work-life balance and managing employee well-being.

While 'how to invest in employee well-being' remains a question for many, companies like Hexaware have cracked the code and executed it well. They've set forth examples through their employees working with a delightful work-life balance they offer with their programs.

[hexawaretech]

5 Indicators for a Good Company Culture

Company culture reflects the core collective values, principles and ethics of the employees within an organisation. Company culture affects the organisation on so many levels. How the employees are treated, the financial aspects, the physical and mental health of employees. Believe it or not, it also affects the creativity of the employees.

Company culture has evolved throughout the years. With the millennial generation we have seen the biggest shifts in how a company should operate internally. Many of the executives and senior employees have an open and friendly approach towards the workforce in play. A company strives for a positive company culture but it is not always so easy to attain or maintain. A steady push is needed by the senior management to maintain smooth communication and workflow in the company.

Let us look at 5 indicators that make Hexaware’s company culture stand out-

Trust Trust and be trusted. This is the thumb rule every employee follows at Hexaware. In an environment where you need to work with your co-workers, you need to trust in them and be trusted. A company where people feel trusted is one where phenomenal company cultures thrive. In fact, we can say that trust is the foundation of the good company culture at Hexaware.

Leaders are transparent and reachable Employees show support to the leaders who are accessible, transparent, authentic, honest and make them feel valid. The leaders here at Hexaware are supportive and accessible to everyone which enables the employees to feel less pressured and a sense of “we’re in this together and we will pull through”.

Leaders being transparent and honest with everyone doesn’t mean it’s only one way. Transparency should be both ways, only then trust can be established and a smooth and stress-free work environment can be achieved.

Feedback and Criticism Feedback can be positive or negative, but the feedback which is on point, on time and clear can be a positive sign for good company culture. The feedback needs to be the kind to which employees respond to. Pointers on their work where they don’t get a chance to say or justify anything does more harm than good in almost every case.

Best companies are the ones that get their employees involved in the process of natural, constructive and real-time criticism and feedback. This leads to a better understanding of the goal, employees have an opportunity to better themselves without getting dismissed and leaders get to understand the employee better.

Attitude Towards Criticism Attitude towards criticism goes both ways- the way it is delivered and the way it is received. Everyone gets something wrong sometimes. To err is human, right? The difference between great and “meh” company cultures is the attitude towards the mistakes and pointing them out criticism when someone points out their mistakes.

There can be no innovation if no one makes mistakes and there can be no innovation if mistakes are pointed out to defame or make the other person feel small. It’s the same case the other person can’t take it as constructive criticism. Communication is the key where Hexaware thrives and makes sure that both ends of the spectrum are met with positivity.

Collaboration and Teamwork The feeling of “us” and “them'' adds a toxic competition environment that affects not only the employees but the whole company. Trust among coworkers is easily broken, power dynamics come into play and feelings of empathy and respect take a back seat. By being open and easily reachable leaders, Hexaware makes sure that there is a sense of accountability among co-workers.

With the millennial generation in the workforce is becoming more and more important for companies to maintain a healthy company culture. They do not want to be taken lightly, they want to be heard and they are making sure that the company culture stays healthy and paving the way for the company’s success. We at Hexaware treat every employee equally and constantly strive for healthy and productive company culture.

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Why is Communication Important at the Workplace?

One of the most important aspects for a company to run smoothly is good communication. Employees show an increase in productivity and have boosted confidence when they are able to freely communicate with their superiors as well as subordinates. Also, employees who can communicate freely and effectively are considered assets to the company.

How Does Hexaware do it?

We at Hexaware are open to communication because it leads us to be innovative, productive and peaceful because we know our employees’ individual and teamwork capabilities. Communication at the workplace is not only limited to the things mentioned above but it also helps in building relationships, minimizing errors and having a team to depend on.

Having a good communication strategy and following it is not always an easy task. Even managers struggle with it sometimes. The key is trying, with time it will always get easier. When employees are comfortable with giving and receiving feedback and constructive criticism, they can’t be comfortable with receiving and giving compliments for their achievements and this affects their willingness to put up good work.

Some ways in which we at Hexaware ensure there is good communication in the company are:

Ensuring everyone gets a chance to speak Speaking and listening - together make for good communication. Some would argue that listening is the most important end of communication. While in a meeting, it is just as important to listen to the person speaking as it is to speak yourself and put forth your ideas and doubts. Keep in mind not to interrupt people while they are speaking and managers will make sure you get your chance to speak.

For example, the Leadership Lantern Series where the focus of the series is to connect the leaders from the company to the employee. In this leadership connect program, leaders speak on various topics right from emerging trends to some essential initiatives by Hexaware, new offerings, etc.

Decide the appropriate means of communication There are some messages that require formal mail, some messages that require a note or just a ping. Some messages are so important that you must give it to them face to face. Deciding the correct means of communication enables us to feel the tone and the importance of the message conveyed.

Dragging out the message can also lose its importance because it feels boring to give it any attention. The message should be short, crisp and easy to understand. It is not safe to assume that the other person understands what you are saying. And it is advisable to ask questions if you do not understand something. Asking and encouraging employees to ask questions helps them gain a better understanding of the message. Hexaware makes sure that its employees get enough autonomy to voice their opinion.

Being Open-Minded Open-mindedness can go a long way in communication as it enables you to enter a discussion free of judgement and prejudice. It will give the people participating in the discussion confidence to put forth new ideas and improvements which will benefit the company. This especially helps the women employees at Hexaware and creates a safe workspace for them.

If you go in with a preconceived mind, you will be quick to shut down people and they will be less inclined to share new ideas and the conversation will be less honest which ultimately damages the company. If you keep an open mind and listen to the other person you may even find your opinion changed by the end of it!

Use the proper tool for communication Be it a video conference, mail, message, phone call or face-to-face communication, each communication tool has its importance. Messaging can be the main source of communication among co-workers, video conferencing would be the main source when communicating with clients or superiors and subordinates for meetings. Mail can be effective if you want to relay a message that requires one-way communication. We have a solid communication chain, we ensure to use good communication tools like Yammer for conveying appropriate messages especially because we are working remotely.

In today’s world, communication is gaining more and more importance as the pillar of success of a company. At Hexaware, we ensure that our employees are listened to and given importance. These practices combined with effective communication strategies have proven to be very beneficial for Hexaware.

[hexawaretech]

How Hexaware is expanding the ability to work remotely. Know More

It’s safe to say remote work isn’t going anywhere. That’s why it’s important for corporate leaders to understand the benefits of remote work and why they need to invest in it. The COVID-19 pandemic has made organizations rethink their approach to fit the idea of the remote. The pandemic has forced employers to test remote work and results have shown no dip in productivity despite the stress and uncertainty associated with a global pandemic. Imagine the potential of remote work in better conditions. Hexaware was able to tap into this quite early on.

Some of the ways Hexaware is expanding the ability to work remotely are: 1. Communication is the key Open communication within the organization can increase total productivity and help create strong interpersonal relationships among the employees. It can also help to bridge the gap between the managers and senior-level employees to mid-level and freshers. Hexaware uses Yammer - an online platform - to help its employees network as well communicate within the organization easily and effectively.

2. Hexaware Leadership Lantern Series Providing a lamp in the darkness to its employees, the experts of their respective fields on the company regularly took sessions where they shared valuable lessons, tips, and insights that helped employees stay motivated, dispel anxiety and fear and stay aware and updated with all that is happening. Some of the topics discussed were Coping with anxiety and panic during Covid-19, the myths and beliefs of the Covid vaccination, the precautions/measures to counter the 2nd wave of Covid, understanding Covid better, the role of nutrition in health & Immunity, pranayam & yoga for your added protection against Covid 19. There was also an exclusive session to address employee queries on Covid 19, as well as a special session on Supporting our Hexaware kids during the pandemic- during Covid and beyond.

3. Fighting-it-Together (FIT Project) Hexaware’s project to enable everybody to have healthy mental and physiological health was a blessing for many who suffered the stress of working at home for such a long time.

4. Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Similar in nature to the FTI Project, EAP gives free confidential counseling to help employees deal with their problems on both, the personal and professional front.

The biggest challenge, especially for companies that are not tech-savvy is the lack of readiness to support the massive surge in employees being asked to telecommute. They don't have the technology at their disposal or budgets to ramp up remote working quickly. There is also the question of security and data backups, especially when employees are using their personal devices.

To bridge this gap and to prepare businesses for a new model of working, Hexaware is also helping other businesses ramp up their remote working facilities by providing desktop and application solutions that can be deployed or extended in less than 48 hours.

How will they help? 1. These virtual desktops and applications will provide flexibility and elasticity to businesses that are aiming to deploy remote working solutions. 2. Cloud-based delivery lowers cost and improves manageability. 3. Enterprise applications can be accessed securely anywhere and on any device.

Incorporating remote work policies into your business plan will help businesses scale up rather than scaling down. Hence, they need to make some conscious choices, following the example of Hexaware.

[hexawaretech]

Building a Culture of Learning at Hexaware

Hexaware provides a highly conducive atmosphere for nurturing a learning culture. Today, not many companies understand what Hexaware has understood quite early on, and hence what growth you have here you might not have at any other IT company. Whether you are a fresher or a professional with good experience in your hand, there are learning opportunities here for everyone. Here are some of these programs:

Mavericks Training Program Mavericks is a program run for the freshers but it starts even before you join and goes on till onboarding. The program helps freshers become job-ready even before they join. This program is easily one of the best training programs in the IT industry. There are two subcategories - the Regular Mavericks program and Premier Mavericks Program. In the Regular Mavericks program, you have a full-stack foundation course that lasts up to 11 weeks. While in the Premier Mavericks Programs, you have 3 weeks of soft skill training, followed by 6 weeks of foundation training, another 6 weeks of stream-specific training (product engineering/automation/analytics/digital/innovation), and lastly 2 weeks of internship.

Leadership Lantern Series An initiative whose focus is to connect the leaders from the company to the employee. In this leadership connect program, leaders speak on various topics right from emerging trends to some essential initiatives by Hexaware, new offerings, etc.

Hexaware Future Leaders Program A leadership program that grooms the employees to become visionaries and future leaders. The candidates joining this program undergo a month of holistic training to get a 360-degree view of the business and the industry. To grow through this program your inherent skills, prior experience, and interest areas play a major role. Through a mini project, candidates are challenged to broaden their horizons and bring out their leadership skills. You will serve job roles on a rotation basis covering all business functions like Solutions and Pre-Sales, The Innovation Lab, Strategic Marketing, Strategic Sourcing, Corporate Functions, Global Bid Management, etc.

Rising W@H (Women @ Hexaware) In collaboration with the HR department, W@H has developed a leadership program called Rising W@H which mentors and supports women who have the potential and desire to become business leaders. The program comes with support from national and international business schools, projects, and development opportunities with women leaders inside and outside the organization.

Other programs/initiatives There are programs like Evolve, Jumpstart, and Catapult that are also designed for employees to help them achieve their professional aspirations. It also provides free access to UDEMY courses and runs Hexavarsity for learning and Development inside the organization.

Certified as a Great Place to Work, Hexaware has set a gold standard in the opportunities provided in the workplace culture for young IT professionals. This is a place where you are truly nurtured and taken care of like a family.

[hexawaretech]

Paving the road for women in Technology | Hexaware

It is the 21st century where the largest corporations are operated by powerful men as their henchmen. Do you see any problem with that sentence?

If you don't, then you probably do not realize the gravity of the situation. According to an EY research, companies with at least 30% women in leadership can achieve up to a 6% increase in their net margins. However, only five countries have up to 30% women in corporate leadership. It can be argued that a lot of big companies like IBM, GM, or Mondelēz International have/had female CEOs or that there is a significant increase in the number of women employees in the workforce, but then why are the numbers still so low?

The reality is still stark. Especially for women in leadership roles. The question is why are the numbers of women entrepreneurs or women leaders at such a low rate when the workforce gender gap is reducing?

We have to find the grassroots of this problem to really find its solution. In the tech industry, which is infamously known to be having the lowest female workforce, corporations need to find a solution and fast. An intervention is necessary.

By taking a leaf out of Hexaware's initiatives and policies to bridge the gender gap, we can try to understand what more the corporate world needs to do, to build an environment for future women leaders.

1. Hire talent, sans the gender. Hexaware's policy when hiring new employees is simple. They hire pure talent. There is no discrimination regarding where people come from, which gender they belong to or what language they speak. The company's commitment to building a diverse cross-cultural team is the reason why currently, 30% of Hexaware's workforce is female, and this number is growing.

2. Give them a solid space to rejoin the workforce. A lot of female employees take a break as they are culturally seen as the caretaker of their growing families. The corporate world is not easy to enter once you take a break. This needs to change. Hexaware is currently focusing on policies that help women who have taken a break to rejoin the workforce and eventually reach higher-level positions.

3. Helping create a work-life balance. Many companies have now brought the change by giving maternity leaves, menstrual leaves, work-from-home policies, etc. so that the work-life doesn't take over their personal life. We have to respect biological differences while making steady progress to bridge the gender gap. Hexaware’s sabbatical policy called Mother’s Shift allows for great flexibility in terms of work schedule, as well as the crèche at the organization’s offices in Chennai helps them take care of their kids while they work.

4. Encouraging female representation and investing in their higher education. At Hexaware, there is a separate body called Women@Hexaware which encourages as well as represents the female voices within the company. Together with the HR department, W@H has initiated an educational program where high-potential women get higher education from a premier Business School complete with learning projects and assessments; an assigned mentor to help bridge any skill gaps and the opportunity to take on a live project of strategic importance.

Corporate organizations have to be the flag bearers in creating the change and commit to equal representation of women in the workforce and the boardroom. Keeping this in mind, Hexaware is leading by example.

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Celebrating Diversity & Fostering inclusion the Hexaware way

Creating a diverse workplace is something that is so important but often overlooked for most organizations. The leaders of Hexaware wanted to create a modern workplace that continues to embrace advanced technology, innovative office, and staffing situations, and new methods of generating profit and revenue. In addition to this, creating and embracing a diverse workplace. Gradually, through its many conscious initiatives, Hexaware has become an organization that is committed to a diverse workforce, therefore, is one that aims to harness a pool of individuals with unique qualities, seeing this combination of differences as a potential for growth rather than opportunities for conflict. Attached to this commitment is also an intention to nurture and develop the potential of each individual.

 With its exemplary alignment of employee engagement and employee experience to the business goals and objectives, Hexaware has stood up and shown the industry a way of taking care of its employees and working together to make a company great. Some of the ingenious initiatives to bring in diversity and harmony in the company include:

 1. Yammer: An online platform that is provided to the employees for internal communication and networking. This has been extremely helpful during the pandemic when the virtual was the only source of all communication.

 2. Leadership Lantern Series: These are a series of Leadership sessions that reflect the involvement of the leaders and their clear focus toward employee wellbeing. It's a creative initiative where leaders share their thoughts, visions, and actionable goals with the employees and include them in these strategic and practical discussions. This is critical in bridging the gap between the leaders and the employees as well.

 3. Women at Hexaware (W@H): It is a women-driven committee and one of the leading voices in the company. They work towards the welfare and engagement of women in the organization and open opportunities for career growth and inculcating a feeling of oneness. In collaboration with the HR department, W@H has developed a leadership programme called Rising W@H which mentors and support women who have the potential and desire to become business leaders. The programme comes with support from national and international business schools, projects, and development opportunities with women leaders inside and outside the organization.

 4. We Different: It is an initiative to help generate a feeling of inclusiveness, camaraderie, and shared vision. Hexaware, in all its global offices, works on different themes each year to celebrate each and every individual.

  Workplace diversity encourages creativity and innovation because every team member, from leadership to frontline employees and mobile workers, brings their own unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the table. Understanding proper procedures to respect diversity among workers can reap benefits for employees themselves and companies, all while reducing workplace inequalities. In modern times, Heaware's policies have made it an ideal workplace and one that is going in the right direction.

[pranayvatsal123]

Hexaware : Setting an example of happy work culture

Your workplace is your second home because you easily spend most of your waking time there. There is a reason that when you look for a job you also look at the organization’s culture, its people, and what values it has. If it has an unhealthy work environment, a monotonous routine, and where you have no personal or professional growth, you will feel trapped. Your workplace, just like your home, needs to be a place where you feel empowered and feel a sense of belongingness. It is not easy to find, but when you do- enjoy and relish it. For me, Hexaware has just been that, the perfect place to grow and nurture myself in an environment that fosters the very same values. Hexaware is one of the few IT companies that has cracked the code of success. They understand that what makes a company successful is its employees. Employee growth is directly proportional to the company's growth. Some of the things that Hexaware does that makes it extremely employee-friendly are: 

1. Encourage a healthy Work-Life balance: Some of the people crib about this. Long working hours do not leave any scope for anything else in your life and increase the frustration level resulting in you hating your job. Hexaware is different. They truly believe that there is a life beyond work, and for an employee to be their best productive self, they need flexible working hours. 

2. Appreciation in the form of Rewards & Recognitions: We all work hard and like to be appreciated for the same. As humans, the mere acknowledgment of our efforts gives us the motivation to do more. Hexaware deeply appreciates and rewards its employees for the same. 3. Work Hard, Play Hard Culture: It is not just all work and no play at Hexaware. They believe in striking the right balance between work and play. Whether it is the fun-filled fests like YUVA or weekend meet-ups; plank challenges, or the cricket face-offs, the company believes that these small fun-filled days are important for the overall well-being of the employees and giving them days to bond as a team. 

4. Growth opportunities for every employee: Hexaware encourages every employee to reinvent themselves according to the dynamic industry that we are all part of. So you can get access to free Udemy courses or different programs that help you upskill. In Hexaware, you will always keep growing.

Today, not many companies understand what Hexaware has understood quite early on, and hence what growth you have here you might not have at any other IT company. You are truly nurtured and taken care of like a family here. That's why I truly consider Hexaware as my second home