Women in the corporate sector today have shown their power through outstanding strategy-making and leadership qualities. Bringing the views on how women today are placed in the corporate sector, here are the exclusive interviews of Shikha Bhatt, Vice President and Anupama Srivastava, Associate Vice President Newgen.

Interview1:

Shikha Bhatt, Associate VP, Newgen

Give us a brief overview of Newgen. What are the major features about the firm and its women-friendly work culture that you want to highlight through the article?

Newgen is a product-based company founded in 1992 with its existence in over 69 countries with large, mission-critical solutions deployed in Banks, Insurance firms, BPOs, healthcare organizations, government, and telecom companies. Its globally-recognized products are around Business Process Automation (BPM), Document Management System (ECM), Customer Communication Management (CCM). We have about 26% of women employees who are given a safe and harassment-free work environment with equal opportunity to learn and grow within the organization.

Management had established a Sexual Harassment Complaint Cell way back in 2008 thinking about women's health, wellness, and safety after the Vishakha guidelines came into being. The same has been amended as Prevention of Sexual Harassment in 2013 when the Act came into existence. Additionally, the Women's Forum has been specially designed to provide working women the platform to join hands, take a break with some educational and recreational activities and share their concerns to find solutions to their balancing act. We also provide flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities to provide work-life balance.

What is the general work environment at Newgen like? What are some of the most significant values and principles upon which the organization's work culture is built?

The work environment is extremely positive, collaborative, and participatory. HR policies are extremely employee-friendly though policies keep changing as per changing circumstances and employee feedback. Policies are framed keeping employee benefits in mind.

Newgen's values revolve around customers and business with the fact that `Newgen as a Caring Organization'. We respond to the needs and wants of our People. Even during the current pandemic times, we have quickly adapted to newer ways of working, without laying off our people even when the future remained uncertain, initially last year. The Admin & HR Team have always been on the lookout to connect and find newer means to assess and provide wellness opportunities, tying up with agencies for oxygen, vaccination, and medicinal supplies, etc.

Take us through an individual female employee's journey while working at Newgen. How did the individual grow and evolve while working with the firm?

A lady joined Newgen as a fresher in the Software Engineer position 21 years back. She could work on multiple projects across various geography and domains. She was given the responsibility to lead a team after she was trained by her managers with continuous learning and development, complex implementations, and challenging assignments. Today she is heading a department of approx. 200 plus employees and 50 customers. This had been possible because of our open work culture and providing with the opportunity and environment to grow and learn.

“Newgen's values revolve around innovation, customer, employees, and business with the fact that `Newgen as a caring organization'. We respond to the needs and wants of our people”

Interview 2:

Anupama Srivastava, Senior General Manager Learning & Development, Newgen

Tell us about the firm's core leadership team. What are their views on creating a welcoming and impartial working place for all, especially the female employees?

The core leadership team is passionate about Newgen's products focusing strongly on the aimed objectives. They endeavour to bring revolutionary and progressive changes to steer the organization through global dynamics and reach newer heights. They strongly believe in innovation, creativity, collaboration, accountability, honesty, speed in action, transparency, first-time-right, mutual trust, bonding, and respect. Newgen is a "caring" organization because it all begins at the top and percolate downwards and across. The family of employees is also part of Newgen's family.

What steps does Newgen take to ensure that its female workforce stays updated with the latest industry trends and technologies?

There is a platter of learning offerings for all employees across diverse roles. It is irrespective of gender. These are solely based on the respective roles and development needs of the employees to prepare them for newer knowledge and skills aligned with efficiency and productivity. There are courses, workshops, interventions, and initiatives for self-development, managerial excellence, leadership development, skills development, and compliances. The learning methodologies are Agile Learning, Practice-based Learning, Self-Paced eLearning, and Learning-in-the-Flow. Classroom training has been substituted with Instructor-led Virtual classes during the current pandemic. There are other opportunities to upgrade themselves by achieving relevant external certifications which are reimbursed. We also have an exclusive program organized by Women Forum where one gets insights into other important dimensions such as self-defence, health, yoga, meditation, etc.

What is the roadmap set for the company shortly? Are you looking to incorporate any new strategies to make it a better place for women to work in the days to come?

The roadmap set for the company is very aggressive. We have sustained well and is all because of people, products, continuous innovation in our product offerings, and benchmarking on global standards. It is not just the products and solutions but also innovative ways toward bringing in benefit to employees as well.

The immediate strategy for women is to strengthen our "Work from Home" policy even further.  Apart from this, we are working towards bringing in a culture of the blended workforce within the organization which may also offer many more opportunities for aspiring women to rekindle their careers.

Shikha Bhatt, Vice President

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