Pooja Chauhan: Navigating HR Innovation For JK Cement's Sustainable Growth
Pooja Chauhan
Head-Talent Management
Tell us about your professional background and what inspires your daily routines.
I've had a rewarding professional journey, spanning nearly two decades, with experiences at esteemed organizations such as Eli Lilly, Cargill Foods, SRF, and JK Cement. Each day represents a fresh opportunity for learning and growth. What drives me daily is the prospect of improving each day and embracing new challenges.
In your role as Head of Talent Management what key elements do you prioritize in forming a successful HR team? What qualities do you seek in potential team members?
We emphasize factors like a deep understanding of the business, agility, innovation, and, most importantly, a blend of passion, positivity, and energy when building a successful HR team.
How do you actively cultivate training and development opportunities for employees, fostering contributions to both the company's overarching progress and individual professional growth?
At JK Cement, Learning and development stand as a cornerstone within our Human Capital Strategy, underscoring our commitment to continuous capability development and skill enrichment. Our comprehensive L&D framework employs a four-pillar approach.
Foundation Courses: This pillar encapsulates a diverse array of foundational courses and programs essential for employees at the outset of their careers at JK Cement. Our flagship induction program, ‘JUMPSTART', caters to the needs of new joiners, while 'AAROH – GET/MT program' is another flagship initiative aimed at nurturing fresh talent.
Techno-functional Programs: We employ a focused approach through blended training interventions, aiming to bolster the business, financial, and technical acumen of our workforce. Staying abreast of the latest technology trends and leveraging digitalization are imperative for ensuring efficient, optimized, and scalable business solutions.
Leadership Development: In the current talent landscape, JK Cement adopts a robust strategy to build an internal talent pipeline. This involves ring-fencing our internal high performers and high-potential individuals through curated intensive learning journeys aligned with their individual development plans. We've implemented tier-wise exclusive flagship interventions such as 'UDAY – First Time Manager Pipeline' and 'SAARTHI – Managerial Effectiveness Program,' complemented by exclusive MDPs and LDPs in collaboration with renowned institutes and universities.
Culture Building Programs: Geared toward forging an agile and future-ready organization, our HR strategy encompasses numerous organization design and culture initiatives. Notable among them is 'SHAKTI,' our flagship intervention to drive the Gender Diversity roadmap. We continually drive various training, development, engagement, and talent initiatives to cultivate a workplace that is not just productive but also fosters a strong employer brand to attract and retain top talent.
At JK Cement, our interwoven Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, and L&D strategy strive to create a holistic Employee Value Proposition, ensuring that everyone, irrespective of their level, can be a vital contributor to the organization and achieve their highest potential. This philosophy permeates all our processes, from recruitment to retirement.
As a Great Place to Work (GPTW) organization, we place a significant emphasis on promoting internal talent and providing early growth
In my various roles, I've implemented technology for smoother, standardized, & timely task processing, leading to improved efficiency
Techno-functional Programs: We employ a focused approach through blended training interventions, aiming to bolster the business, financial, and technical acumen of our workforce. Staying abreast of the latest technology trends and leveraging digitalization are imperative for ensuring efficient, optimized, and scalable business solutions.
Leadership Development: In the current talent landscape, JK Cement adopts a robust strategy to build an internal talent pipeline. This involves ring-fencing our internal high performers and high-potential individuals through curated intensive learning journeys aligned with their individual development plans. We've implemented tier-wise exclusive flagship interventions such as 'UDAY – First Time Manager Pipeline' and 'SAARTHI – Managerial Effectiveness Program,' complemented by exclusive MDPs and LDPs in collaboration with renowned institutes and universities.
Culture Building Programs: Geared toward forging an agile and future-ready organization, our HR strategy encompasses numerous organization design and culture initiatives. Notable among them is 'SHAKTI,' our flagship intervention to drive the Gender Diversity roadmap. We continually drive various training, development, engagement, and talent initiatives to cultivate a workplace that is not just productive but also fosters a strong employer brand to attract and retain top talent.
At JK Cement, our interwoven Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, and L&D strategy strive to create a holistic Employee Value Proposition, ensuring that everyone, irrespective of their level, can be a vital contributor to the organization and achieve their highest potential. This philosophy permeates all our processes, from recruitment to retirement.
As a Great Place to Work (GPTW) organization, we place a significant emphasis on promoting internal talent and providing early growth
opportunities for our employees. Notably, our key leadership positions, like BU Heads, Sales Heads and equivalent roles in enabling functions are often occupied by individuals nurtured within the organization, show casing our commitment to developing talent early in their career trajectories. These advancements are underpinned by robust development support from the organization, including recent strategic training programs conducted in collaboration with reputable universities worldwide.
Central to our organizational ethos is the principle of ELCG (Experience, Learn, Contribute, and Grow). Our actions consistently revolve around creating exceptional experiences for our employees, facilitating continuous learning and growth within the organization, and establishing a structured career progression framework. This overarching philosophy extends to empowering our employees to contribute not only to their personal growth but also to the wellbeing of the organization and society at large, ensuring holistic growth for all stake holders.
How do you integrate technology into your role, and what role do you think it plays in enhancing your operational efficiency?
Adapting to technological changes is crucial in today's dynamic environment. While it's challenging to delve deep into every technological concept due to time constraints, I prioritize understanding advancements that impact my role and overall career. In my various roles, I've implemented technology for smoother, standardized, and timely task processing, leading to improved efficiency. Examples include HRMS implementation and the recent introduction of a 'Continuous Feedback System' and Concur for employee Travel Reimbursement, significantly enhancing employee experiences.
Describe your leadership approach and the principles you follow as a leader. What are your future career aspirations and goals?
My leadership approach revolves around communication, open-mindedness, empathy, and inclusion. I believe in simplicity and delivering the right message to the right people at the right time. These principles guide my leadership style.
I aspire to take on more challenging roles and assignments, focusing more on the journey than a specific destination.
Pooja Chauhan, Head Talent Management, JK Cement.
Pooja Chauhan, a HR professional with nearly two decades in manufacturing, leads as Head of Talent Management. A certified People Coach and OPQ practitioner, she drives growth through innovative HR practices, shaping the company's organizational fabric and employee development.
Central to our organizational ethos is the principle of ELCG (Experience, Learn, Contribute, and Grow). Our actions consistently revolve around creating exceptional experiences for our employees, facilitating continuous learning and growth within the organization, and establishing a structured career progression framework. This overarching philosophy extends to empowering our employees to contribute not only to their personal growth but also to the wellbeing of the organization and society at large, ensuring holistic growth for all stake holders.
How do you integrate technology into your role, and what role do you think it plays in enhancing your operational efficiency?
Adapting to technological changes is crucial in today's dynamic environment. While it's challenging to delve deep into every technological concept due to time constraints, I prioritize understanding advancements that impact my role and overall career. In my various roles, I've implemented technology for smoother, standardized, and timely task processing, leading to improved efficiency. Examples include HRMS implementation and the recent introduction of a 'Continuous Feedback System' and Concur for employee Travel Reimbursement, significantly enhancing employee experiences.
Describe your leadership approach and the principles you follow as a leader. What are your future career aspirations and goals?
My leadership approach revolves around communication, open-mindedness, empathy, and inclusion. I believe in simplicity and delivering the right message to the right people at the right time. These principles guide my leadership style.
I aspire to take on more challenging roles and assignments, focusing more on the journey than a specific destination.
Pooja Chauhan, Head Talent Management, JK Cement.
Pooja Chauhan, a HR professional with nearly two decades in manufacturing, leads as Head of Talent Management. A certified People Coach and OPQ practitioner, she drives growth through innovative HR practices, shaping the company's organizational fabric and employee development.