Rajni Khurana, a founding member of DataTech NBFC, UGRO Capital, brings over 20 years of global HR and strategic advisory experience in financial services. She has been instrumental in scaling UGRO’s people function, fostering a values-driven culture, and shaping its growth. Rajni has previously worked with IndoSpace, CRISIL, Birla Sunlife Insurance, HDFC Bank, and WNS.
In an engaging interaction with Women Entrepreneurs Review Magazine, Rajni shares her insights on critical HR strategies for workforce resilience, evolving talent expectations in finance, and managing generational shifts in work approaches. She also talks about advancing women in leadership, addressing biases. Drawing from her experience at UGRO Capital, she shares the importance of balancing digital transformation with essential human skills.
Given the current volatility in the global financial markets, what specific HR strategies are critical for maintaining workforce resilience and engagement?
In times of global financial volatility, maintaining workforce resilience and engagement requires a focused HR strategy that prioritizes clear communication, constant engagement and employee well-being. First and foremost, transparent and consistent communication is key. Regular town halls, focus group discussions, and team meetings should be used to update employees on the organization's short-term and long-term goals. This helps provide a sense of direction and stability, making employees feel integral to the company's progress, rather than being overwhelmed by the broader market uncertainty. Equally important is ensuring employees have a clear understanding of their roles and expectations. In a dynamic environment, agility is crucial, and regularly reviewing goals and providing timely feedback ensures that employees are aware of how they are contributing value to the organization.
Additionally, recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions, both large and small, is essential to keep morale and motivation high during uncertain times. Ongoing appreciation helps employees feel valued and committed to their roles. Lastly, a strong focus on employee wellness programs is critical, as these provide the necessary support to combat the stress and mental health challenges that often accompany market volatility. This can be done with a buddy system in place, helping new joiners overcome the jitters of entering the fresh space.
By prioritizing consistent communication, recognition, and well-being, organizations that are invested in meaningful conversations can foster a resilient and engaged workforce, even in the face of uncertainty.
How are evolving expectations of today's workforce reshaping talent acquisition and retention strategies? Are there specific trends you've noticed in how younger talent approaches work in comparison to more seasoned professionals?
The idea of a ‘job’ has changed for the new generation. It is no longer about earning a living or money. There is no obligation of “having to turn up every single day”. The expectations of today’s workforce, especially in finance, have evolved beyond traditional notions of job security and salary. Younger talent now seeks fulfillment, purpose, and alignment with their personal values. For them, work isn’t just about earning a living, it’s also about enjoying what they do and finding emotional satisfaction. They want shades of flexibility from an organization, a balance between work and life, and the ability to manage all aspects of their lives, not just their careers. In other words, they want a work environment that does not ‘tell’ but rather ‘listens’, does not ‘weigh down’ but rather ‘breaks free’, and does not focus on ‘what has always been’ but rather ‘what should rationally be’.
This generation values work as a part of life, not the center of it, unlike more seasoned professionals who often prioritized stability and financial growth over everything else. As a result, companies need to shift their talent acquisition and retention strategies to offer more than just compensation. Providing flexible work arrangements, opportunities for learning, and a sense of purpose will be key to attracting and retaining younger professionals while still addressing the needs of older employees. In other words, the younger workforce now places greater emphasis on work being a ‘part’ of life and not life entirely.
What are some actionable strategies that can help create a pipeline for women to go up the leadership ladder? How can organizations address unconscious biases that continue to be roadblocks?
To address unconscious biases in leadership, organizations need to take deliberate actions rather than assuming change will occur naturally. This requires hard determination and a conscious effort to shift mindsets, especially in the financial services sector. In other words, for unconscious biases, you need to take conscious steps.
To build a pipeline for women in senior leadership, companies must set clear goals by allocating effort, money, and attention to closing the gender gap. Just as revenue and productivity targets are reviewed, gender diversity should be a core metric in performance evaluations of leaders.
Embedding these goals in the KRAs of senior leaders, with a focus on achieving 10-20 percent proportional representation, can drive meaningful change. When top management prioritizes gender diversity, the mindset shift trickles down throughout the organization, ensuring that leadership is not just about business targets but also about fostering an inclusive workplace.
In the financial sector, succession planning is critical for business continuity. What innovative practices can HR leaders adopt to ensure that succession planning reflects not only business needs but also a commitment to gender diversity and inclusivity?
Succession planning, in addition to addressing business needs, can be a highly effective tool to prioritize gender diversity and inclusivity. HR leaders can adopt innovative practices by ensuring succession slates are diverse and by nurturing potential leaders with the 4 Cs: Care for them, Challenge them, Coach them, and Cherish them. This fosters a symbiotic relationship, where employees find purpose and satisfaction, and organizations benefit from higher productivity.
Implementing cross-functional projects promotes holistic growth, while mentorship programs and shadow boards help prepare diverse talent for leadership roles. These initiatives create a pipeline of well-rounded, inclusive leaders, ensuring business continuity and alignment with diversity goals.
You need to ensure that succession planning is done with gender diversity as a key factor in mind. Succession slates and plans need to also have total commitment to nurturing and grooming them.
As AI and automation continue to reshape finance, how can HR leaders balance the need for digital transformation with the need for human skills such as empathy, leadership, and creativity?
At UGRO Capital, diversity in leadership is a strength, particularly as AI and automation reshape finance. To balance digital transformation with essential human skills like empathy and creativity, HR leaders must blend performance metrics with behavioral metrics. A team's success in digital transformation hinges on their sense of connection and happiness, making cultural alignment critical.
Women leaders can excel by leveraging technology while rooting people’s development tailored to their unique needs through individualized development plans (IDPs). Introducing EQ meters for leaders ensures that emotional intelligence is prioritized. Ultimately, a committed, high-EQ leader often brings more long-term value than a pure target-driven performer, as they foster a more engaged, resilient team culture, driving sustainable growth.
