Page 35 - SightsIn Plus, Nov 20

By- Romesh Srivastava

Dr. Ritu Anand is a pioneer in the field of Human Resources with
a career spanning 25+ years. She is a Senior Vice President at Tata

Consultancy Services and spearheads TCS' Workplace Diversity
initiative and is a member of the Group Diversity Council and the

HR Steering Committee at the Tata Group.

Her various advisory roles include; Member of Worldwide ERC

Global Advisory Council and Advisory Board member of the
National HRD Network in Mumbai. She is the Governing Board

Member of WILL (Forum for Women in Leadership), that aims at
bringing together the collective aspirations, talents, and mentoring

of women across corporate India. She is on the Board of Directors
at two Tata Group companies and has a doctorate in Psychology.

Q. What are the HR challenges the OneTCS channel that connected and helping individuals overcome bias.
that you see in IT industry in
Our aim has always been to ensure that
the 450,000 associates across 40-
next couple of months? odd countries, it was a way of they have a balanced workforce, where
all people feel respected.
communication and engaging with each
A. The Pandemic should be seen of our associates and connecting them Some of the initiatives we have
as a new beginning, it’s has
virtually.
brought many learnings along with it, initiatives are:
for instance, it’s waned the hesitation Q. What initiatives has TCS
for the ‘work from anywhere’ culture taken to build a diverse and l Working with Pride’ Campaign:
and with that acceptance and shift inclusive workforce culture? Pride Month’s celebrated across
in mindset, it brought agility to TCS under the initiative “Working
the fore front. We should evaluate A. With our presence in more with Pride” engaging associates
these aspects, and use them to our than 144 nationalities across 46 through global webinars, awareness
advantage to become the best versions countries, we look at inclusivity from & sensitization sessions.
of ourselves not only as individuals but a behavioural lens hence implemented
also as organizations. several initiatives to create awareness l Allies of Diversity Conclave:
and shift of mindsets towards inclusion TCSers across the globe come
Having said that, the new ways of together encompassing diversity
working have induced many changes in segments like gender, generation,
the way we work changing the future culture, age, PWD, LGBTQ+, roles,
of work as we know it forever. The mindsets, and experiences, genders
one facet (I won’t call it a challenge), Our Health and generations at a unique
of virtual experience for employees Insurance is also event TCS Allies Of Diversity
could be the feeling of disconnect aimed at inculcating Conclave. The unique initiative
because we are so used to our and supporting brought together professionals, to
ambient environments some might our employees’ brainstorm, share experiences and
physically miss being in offices. How Sex/Gender create an actionable roadmap for
do we replicate that environment the future.
for them? This is where technology Reassignment
becomes an enabler, and with some Surgery and l iExcel: is a special programme
human intervention, it can do wonders. same-sex which grooms high potential
I say this from experience to replicate partners as women in middle and senior levels
that feeling of oneness we launched dependent. to become leaders

35 November 2020 www.sightsinplus.com