Chetan Mehrotra: Crafting HR Leadership Strategy By Aligning People And Business Goals
Chetan Mehrotra
CHRO
In a personal interview with us, Chetan gave insights on his inspirational HR journey and leadership goals.
Can you explain the significance of HR aligning with an organization's strategy?
In my opinion, HR and the organizational strategy need to be completely in sync and this is true for all aspects of HR, for example, are you hiring or working towards talent fulfilment? Hiring is an activity, but it's only one aspect of talent fulfilment. It’s important to ensure we have the necessary skills to achieve organizational objectives. I evaluate talent availability within the organization, and how the gap, if any, can be bridged, either through internal skill development or hiring. As an organization, it’s important to create a robust talent pipeline and succession planning. While this approach ensures talent availability as per organization needs, it also ensures employees’ career growth. This is one aspect of HR, and the same is true for other HR sub-functions.
As CHRO, what key trends
and methods should we adopt for employee training and growth?
In today’s fast-evolving technology landscape, continuous upskilling is not just important, it is essential. HR, in alignment with the business, must enable a culture that welcomes innovation and change, and an agile workforce is crucial to adapting to fast changes. This entails offering chances for ongoing education, assisting staff members with retraining, and promoting experimentation without fear of failure. For people to grow with the company, leaders must foster an environment that supports growth.
Could you share your leadership style and the strategies or principles you use to engage with your team?
Leadership, in my opinion, is situational, and the leadership approach and style should depend on the environment and the team's demands. My approach to leadership is inclusive with a shared vision and objectives. Setting clear goals is important, but I also encourage team members to be accountable and take ownership of their actions. Instead of micromanaging, I view leadership as a mentoring position. People want to succeed and as leaders, we have a responsibility to help them achieve it. Employees today want to feel involved and find meaning in their work. Trust is essential, as teams perform better if you have faith in them. I think team members should be guided, coached, and given the freedom to apply their own intelligence and problem-solving abilities. This strategy encourages development and involvement because people today are more responsible and career-focused than ever before.
How do you stay informed about the latest trends in the industry?
In the modern world, staying current equals staying relevant. Stay connected with your industry peers and more importantly, don’t lose connection with your team members. Today’s generation can give you perspectives, which, coupled with your experience,
In today’s fast-evolving technology landscape, continuous upskilling is not just important, it is essential. HR, in alignment with the business, must enable a culture that welcomes innovation and change, and an agile workforce is crucial to adapting to fast changes. This entails offering chances for ongoing education, assisting staff members with retraining, and promoting experimentation without fear of failure. For people to grow with the company, leaders must foster an environment that supports growth.
HR should create and implement plans that support business objectives and people development, and enable stakeholder value creation
Could you share your leadership style and the strategies or principles you use to engage with your team?
Leadership, in my opinion, is situational, and the leadership approach and style should depend on the environment and the team's demands. My approach to leadership is inclusive with a shared vision and objectives. Setting clear goals is important, but I also encourage team members to be accountable and take ownership of their actions. Instead of micromanaging, I view leadership as a mentoring position. People want to succeed and as leaders, we have a responsibility to help them achieve it. Employees today want to feel involved and find meaning in their work. Trust is essential, as teams perform better if you have faith in them. I think team members should be guided, coached, and given the freedom to apply their own intelligence and problem-solving abilities. This strategy encourages development and involvement because people today are more responsible and career-focused than ever before.
How do you stay informed about the latest trends in the industry?
In the modern world, staying current equals staying relevant. Stay connected with your industry peers and more importantly, don’t lose connection with your team members. Today’s generation can give you perspectives, which, coupled with your experience,
can give great results. Leverage that aspect and be receptive. Reverse mentoring is a great way of doing that. Read about new industry trends and developments and how they affect your function. Today, there is a wealth of knowledge available at the click of a button. Your networks can also yield insightful information. Under-standing international laws and geopolitical changes, as well as industry reports, are essential, as they may directly or indirectly impact and influence your approach and strategy.
What is your envisioned roadmap for the next five years?
As the CHRO and a co-founder at Mizzen Digital, the expansion and advancement of the firm are key components of my five to 10-year vision. As an organization, we want to democratize technology in the maritime sector and help businesses leverage technology for their benefit. We aim to become the preferred solutions provider for the shipping sector, promoting efficacy and efficiency. My goals as a cofounder and a CHRO are closely related, and I work to make both positions successful.
As an industry leader, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the field?
Aspiring HR leaders and professionals should have a thorough understanding of the company and how value is generated. Make sure that everyone on your team is aware of their responsibilities in accomplishing the company's objectives. Building a high-performing team through individual coaching and development is an investment that leaders should make for organizational success. People look for purpose and meaning in what they do. You can create a motivated and engaged workforce by assisting your team in their success and making sure they understand how important their contributions are.
Chetan Mehrotra, CHRO, Mizzen Digital
Chetan Mehrotra is the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) and a Co-Founder at Mizzen Digital, where he leads HR strategies that align with the company's business goals. With a deep understanding of business operations and human resource management, he focuses on creating and implementing policies and plans that drive company growth and employee success.
What is your envisioned roadmap for the next five years?
As the CHRO and a co-founder at Mizzen Digital, the expansion and advancement of the firm are key components of my five to 10-year vision. As an organization, we want to democratize technology in the maritime sector and help businesses leverage technology for their benefit. We aim to become the preferred solutions provider for the shipping sector, promoting efficacy and efficiency. My goals as a cofounder and a CHRO are closely related, and I work to make both positions successful.
As an industry leader, what advice would you give to aspiring leaders in the field?
Aspiring HR leaders and professionals should have a thorough understanding of the company and how value is generated. Make sure that everyone on your team is aware of their responsibilities in accomplishing the company's objectives. Building a high-performing team through individual coaching and development is an investment that leaders should make for organizational success. People look for purpose and meaning in what they do. You can create a motivated and engaged workforce by assisting your team in their success and making sure they understand how important their contributions are.
Chetan Mehrotra, CHRO, Mizzen Digital
Chetan Mehrotra is the Chief Human Resource Officer (CHRO) and a Co-Founder at Mizzen Digital, where he leads HR strategies that align with the company's business goals. With a deep understanding of business operations and human resource management, he focuses on creating and implementing policies and plans that drive company growth and employee success.