In recent years, the industry has seen a significant increase in women taking on leadership roles. Women are making strides in driving change, increasing diversity and inclusion, and implementing strategies to support employee well-being. Shilpi Chhabra, the Chief People Officer at Khanal Foods, is a prime example of a successful woman leader who has a firm grounding in technology, specializing HR Tech, which is crucial in building world-class HR functions. Her flexibility, business understanding, dynamism, and result-focused approach make her a valuable member of the Khanal Foods team.

Shilpi is a seasoned HR leader with extensive experience in program and people management, including HR operations, HR business partnering, and employee relations. Shilpi has lived and worked in North America for several years and has successfully managed transnational clients and stakeholders.

Women Entrepreneur Magazine recently engaged in a one-on-one interaction with Shilpi Chhabra, let’s hear from her.

Can you describe your educational background and previous work experience, and what inspired you to pursue a career in HR?

In a pursuit of high quality education, I did my schooling from multiple schools in Faridabad, Haryana and pursued B.Tech in IT from National Institute of Technology, Durgapur. I completed the course with first-class honors

 (gold medallist) and joined CGI, a market leader in IT with more than 90,000 employees across 40 countries.

Through the 15 years in CGI, I gained expertise in program management, client and people management, and business operations across various domains such as finance, telecom, manufacturing, and retail. Additionally, I collaborated with Human Resources on multiple initiatives, including leading SPARSH, an employee engagement program, pioneering a PAN India CSR program called 'Sponsor A Child', and delivering ‘Values to Action’ workshops. Whenever I was involved in all these initiatives, I could always find a right connect with my personal values – passion, empathy and respect.

In 2017, when I got the opportunity to lead HR automation at CGI, it allowed me to work at the intersection of people and technology, fulfilling my passion and expertise. I later expanded my portfolio to work in HR Operations, Business Partnering, and DE&I, successfully leading projects and initiatives that created a positive employee experience resulting in high employee engagement and decreased attrition. All these experiences have motivated me to contribute to transforming people's practices, particularly in this ever-changing and agile world.

"Truth knows no fear, ethics knows no compromise. The key is to find the right balance between the heart & the mind by being true to yourself & having the right intent "

Can you provide an overview of Khanal Foods and discuss your role and responsibilities as the company's Chief People Officer?

Khanal Foods is a leading player in the Indian and global food industry that offers 100 percent natural food and pet care products through its brands, Himalayan Natives and Dogsee. The company has a presence in over 30 countries with 5000+ retail stores and a strong network of over 50 distributors. Khanal Foods has seen 4X growth in the last year and plans to grow by 350 percent in the next two years, with three factories added in 2022 and two more scheduled for 2023, taking production and processing capacity to 100 tons per day.

As Chief People Officer, I am responsible for 500+ employees in manufacturing, R&D, sales and corporate functions. My role involves overseeing the entire employee lifecycle, including designing people practices and policies, hiring talent, talent management, learning, and development, compensation and benefits, and others. As a strategic partner, I collaborate with the business to drive a human capital agenda that supports our goals, focusing on culture building, employer branding, HR technology, and DE&I.

What are your predictions for the future of the HR industry in India and which trends do you believe will have the most substantial impact on its development?

I foresee the Indian HR industry undergoing a significant transformation in the near future. We are witnessing a shift from transactional to transformational/strategic HR, and business leaders are recognizing the critical value that HR brings to the table. This has led to a growing demand for HR professionals across all sectors, including early-stage startups.

To keep pace with this evolving landscape, HR professionals must invest in their own learning and upskilling. Digital transformation is poised to be a game-changer in this space, enabling HR leaders to focus on people analytics and strategic planning, while eliminating wasteful processes and automating clerical work. HR technology will undoubtedly have the most significant impact on the industry going forward.

Additionally, in a BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, Incomprehensible) world, we are seeing a shift in employee expectations toward flexibility, hyper-personalization, and a stronger sense of purpose. To meet these changing needs, we must evolve our policies and practices to create an employee-centric organization focused on nurturing and growing our employees.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to become business leaders?

I am highly impressed with some of the young women professionals I come across in industry events. Drawing from my experience, the advice I would have for them is to ‘Stand for what you believe in’. We all face conflicts at various phases of our lives – demonstrate resilience, patience & humility during such times and maintain your self-respect and self-belief. It is important to follow your passion, enhance your skills and focus on the bigger goal. My mantra is 3As – Adapt, Assess and Act, when the time is right.

Shilpi Chhabra, Chief People Officer, Khanal Foods

Shilpi Chhabra is an accomplished HR leader and business strategist with 17 years of global experience in driving business transformation and growth through people and culture initiatives.She believes in adaptability, resilience, and owning one's choices. On the personal front, she is a proud mother of a mischievous little 4-yrs old, Mirayah having a supportive husband, Ojas and her biggest pillar of strength - her mother, Shakuntla. Shilpi is blessed to have a loving and supportive family who stands by her for every decision and encourages her to make her dreams a reality every day.