Redefining HR Leadership Through Resilience and Innovation
DEEPAK NANDY
Vice President - H.R. (People & Process),
Viridian Group
Deepak Nandy, the Vice President, HR (People and Process) at Viridian Group, has been instrumental in steering the organisation towards unparalleled excellence. With a career marked by significant accomplishments, Deepak’s journey with Viridian has been both exciting and transformative, underscored by his commitment to achieving professional and personal milestones. From the outset, Deepak’s focus was on streamlining processes within the startup environment of Viridian Group. His initiatives ranged from managing routine transactional activities to implementing comprehensive transformational strategies, resulting in zero attrition for the first ten years—a testament to his ability to create a supportive and engaging workplace culture. One of Deepak’s most notable achievements was hisadept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. With 75% of Viridian’s workforce affected, Deepak led a robust response that included hospitalisation, medication, virtual awareness programs, and vaccination camps. These efforts not only safeguarded employee health but also maintained high morale and productivity despite the remote working conditions. His actions fostered a strong sense of trust and belonging among employees, highlighting his strategic and compassionate approach to HR management. Deepak’s extensive experience in HR Business Partner roles has equipped him with expertise in manpower planning, recruitment, performance management, and employee engagement. He has successfully implemented advanced HR practices such as 360-degree feedback, KRA, KPI, and balanced scorecards. His proficiency in HR data analytics and transformational HRpractices has driven significant organisational development and performance improvements. Leading HR functions for over 500 employees, Deepak has been pivotal in implementing innovative strategies that align with the latest trends in HR. His ability to set up HR startups and handle all HR practices independently underscores his leadership and vision. Deepak discussed more about his role and work in an exclusive interview with TradeFlock.
What’s a major challenge you faced in managing people, and how did you overcome it?
Being a start-up, we aimed to achieve organisational goals by accelerating business operations. Despite our flat structure, generational diversity led to conflicts and self-conceit among teams, impacting productivityand organisational values. Managing this was a significant challenge. We implemented a five-way approach: respecting colleagues, establishing a proper banding structure through scientific job evaluation, job rotation, crossfunctional interactions, and team-building exercises to incorporate organisational values. Confrontation mechanisms helped reduce communication gaps, while DE&I initiatives addressed workplace biases and disparities. By ensuring all employees felt valued and respected, we boosted morale and creativity, ultimately contributing to the company’s overall success.
How has your approach to people's leadership evolved over the years?
My approach to people leadership has evolved from focussing on transactional initiatives to a more transformational style. Initially, I aimed to boost employee satisfaction by addressing immediate concerns. Over time, I shifted to inspiring and transforming the organisational value system, aligning personal interests with company goals. I emphasise transparency, empathy, and the delegation of responsibilities to foster involvement and participation. Recognising the importance of emotional intelligence and adaptability, I encourage accountability and open communication. This democratic and participative approach has fostered a sense of ownership and long-term engagement among employees, addressing the dearth of leadership trust and connecting them more deeply to the organisation’s mission, ultimately driving sustained success.
What are your future aspirations, both professionally and personally?
My future aspirations are deeply intertwined with both professional and personal goals. I believe that achieving balance in these areas is key to success. Personally, I aim to address social issues through CSR activities, create job opportunities, and raise awareness about the quality of life. Professionally, I aspire to drive growth, enhance skills, and lead innovative projects as a strategic business partner. I am committed to staying current with the latest trends and technologies in HR to foster impactful and transformative practices in my career.
What HR initiatives have you implemented at Viridian Group to improve people management and workplace culture?​
At Viridian Group, we enhanced HR and people management functions through strategic initiatives, fostering a safer and more diverse work culture. We defined processes and SOPs to reduce role duplication and established equitable pay bands via scientific job evaluation. We set proper KRAs for revenue-generating functions, adopted a hybrid working model during and post-COVID-19, and ensured transparent communication. Comprehensive competency mapping, HR digitalisation, and analytics were prioritised alongside extensive training programs and structured HR policies. We promoted personal and mental well-being, conducted POSH training, HR satisfaction surveys, and leadership training. Teambuilding exercises and a focus on high-potential employees with robust recognition and reward mechanisms were also key, aligning our efforts with the company’s mission and vision.
Which HR trends do you believe will shape the industry's future?
The future of HR will be shaped by the integration of artificial intelligence, which will revolutionise talent acquisition, retention, and career advancement. AI will transform the labour market, enhance productivity, and prevent negative outcomes. It will promote high-performance systems through reskilling, upskilling, and redeployment, integrating information, strategic thinking, and problem-solving. This approach will improve efficiency, optimise costs, boost motivation, and reduce attrition, ultimately driving organisational success.
I emphasise transparency, empathy, and the delegation of responsibilities to foster involvement and participation. Recognising the importance of emotional intelligence and adaptability, I encourage accountability and open communication
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