CEO Insights India

One of the best things about life is that we never have to stop learning. There are always new skills to learn and techniques for us to adopt. Like Tim Johnson says in his book `Bosley Sees the World, "There is no end to learning, but there are many beginnings". Hence the best leaders in the world understand the fact that they have to continuously learn to be successful. Neetu Ohri is one such motivated leader in the Human Resource Management domain, who believes learning is an ongoing process throughout one's life. Following this vision, she has climbed the stairs of success without looking back and constantly searching for greater challenges.

She excels in various do-mains like HR strategy & operations, HR consulting, HR department set-up, leadership development, talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, industrial & employee relations, career development, and team building to name a few. Moreover, Neetu is an articulate communicator, problem-solver, and decision-maker with the ability to mentor and guide manpower resources. She aims to constantly identify and resolve grievances across all hierarchical levels within the organization. Below is an excerpt of CEO Insights' exclusive interview with her.

Walk us through your professional journey and the inspiration that prompted you to step into Human Resource Management. I have a long professional journey playing the role of Head HR in various

industries like IT, telecom, manufacturing, retail, education, prior to working with Sugee Group. I have touched every aspect of Human resources in diverse segments and yet I feel there are a lot of things yet to learn in this everyday changing industry. I am presently undergoing Ph.D. specializing in business consulting which allows me to understand industrial and organizational behavior. I always wanted to understand the work minds of the people and lead them to better situations. This idea led me to step into the Human Resource team and today, I feel proud that my vision has changed so many lives.

Talk about Sugee Group and its unique position in the market.
Sugee Group, established in 1986, is a success story traversing over thirty years and is one of the leading realty business groups in Mumbai. With a knack to identify and tackle crises, the group ensures reliable value creation for every stakeholder, even in the most stressed economic climate, and has earned a valuable reputation of being a trusted business player that delivers quality on and before time. We believe in a customer-centric approach, commitment to our projects, innovation in our productivity, efficiency in delivering our services, and upgrading the lifestyle of our customers. These are some unique qualities that keep us ahead in the market.

What is the vision that you follow and how do you apply it in Human Resource Management?
I have been in the HR Management segment for more than 20 years. I have built myself in HR Strategy & Operations, Talent Management, Capability Building and Business

Excellence in a Matrix structure. All through this professional journey, I moved with the vision to contribute to the development of the people in the company. I always aimed to keep the human side of the organization alive by understanding the psychological behavior of the workforce. I believe it's very easy to correct the automation of an organization but to work with its people and understand their behavior is very challenging and is also interesting at the same time.

Describe your role in tackling the challenges faced by the Sugee Group during the pandemic?
The pandemic has deeply altered social and working environments in several ways like social distancing policies, mandatory lockdowns, isolation periods, and anxiety of getting sick along with the suspension of productive activity, loss of income, and fear of the future, jointly influenced the mental health of the employees of not only Sugee Group but globally as well. Our HR team played a very vital role in understanding the psychological issues in the workplace. Hence, we ensured to keep virtual communications alive between the management and the employees, making sure they are keeping well during this crucial time.

As the Head HR, what would be your advice for the future leaders?
The future in Human Resource Management is evolving every day and coming up with new challenges and plenty of opportunities with it. My advice for future leaders would be to grab the opportunities coming their way and strive to prove themselves in the domain by evaluating the human side of any organization they work in. Aspire to bridge the gap between talent and career.

Neetu Ohri, Head HR, Sugee Group
A Masters Diploma holder with focus in HR & Financial Management from Symbiosis, Neetu has proven credentials in setting up the HR department, establishing HR strategies and improving work efficiency & productivity in the organization.