New Delhi: SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) India, as the voice of all things work, workers and the workplace, the foremost expert, convener and thought leader on issues impacting today’s evolving workplaces today commenced #SHRMITalent21, one of the biggest HR conference in India which puts people first. The two Day Virtual Conference is focussed on four Conclaves and attended by 2500+ attendees, 100+ Speakers and Industry experts and unparalleled learning across 50+ In-depth Knowledge Sessions. The first day of the conference kick-started with the welcome address by Ms Achal Khanna, CEO, SHRM India & Business Head – APAC & MENA

 Inaugurating the conference, Ms. Khanna said, “We at SHRM believe that each individual worker has the potential to impact organisational success. It is no longer about doing the bare minimum but about caring for their mental and emotional health and giving them the right tool and technology to thrive at work. Not everyone is flourishing in the remote workplace and it is HR’s job to help employees successfully integrate their lives with work, be persistent in reaching out, checking in and innovating solutions to help them achieve their full potential.

We have gathered an assembly of globally renowned speakers to share their insights talent acquisition, development and management. This year, we have a dedicated wellbeing track in addition to three other tracks taking a deep dive into how pandemic will forever change acquisition, development and management of people. The next normal is right around the corner, are we going to continue with temporary solution or are we going to rethink from the ground up to create brand new strategies and implement them quickly because the post-pandemic world will see a global skill gap and an urgent need to reskill for new business realities” she added.

This was followed by an opening Keynote by Johnny C. Taylor Jr. SHRM-SCP, President & CEO, SHRM. Addressing the session, Johnny said, “I am glad that we could gather to celebrate and learn from successful leaders and businesses around the world. Its’ all about people first and we have come through an extra ordinary year as a global HR family amid a global pandemic, locked down to remote work, HR has been thrust into the spotlight like never before. SHRM’s research have found that 80 percent of HR professionals report that their work has been especially crucial to their organisation since the pandemic began last year. 68 percent of HR professionals report that leaders have relied more on HR for success since the pandemic began. This is HR’s moment and I am pleased to say that we stepped up and proved the value of HR. I think we have changed the trajectory of HR for generations to come”

In another inspiring keynote session, “Paradigm Shift in Technology: Enabling the Human Journey”, Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, ICRIER; Founder, Genpact Ltd; Chairman, Clix Capital explained how to best support employees and leaders & what’s needed to understand people.

Some of the globally renowned speakers who contributed at the event today were, Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, ICRIER, Founder, Genpact Ltd; Chairman, Clix Capital; Aditya Malik CEO, Talent Edge; Priti Singh, Senior VP, Mastercard; Vikram Bector, President & Group CHRO, Piramal Group; Anuradha Razdan, Executive Director HR, HUL; Yash Mahadik, President, Global HR & Co-Lead Business Transformation Office, Lupin Global; C Jayakumar, Vice President & Head Corporate HR, Larsen & Toubro Limited; Vikram Tandon, CHRO, Adani Group

In another inspirational session, “spring in the Air – Signs of renewal around the work worker and workplace”, Dr. Santrupt Misra, CEO, Birla Carbon; Director, Chemicals, Fertilisers & Insulators & Director; Group HR, Aditya Birla Group and Emily M Dickens, Corporate Secretary & Chief of Staff, SHRM discussed how the nature of the work environment continues to change and new trends have emerged at the individual, team, and organizational levels. The workforce is now more demographically diverse than ever. Increased technology and the growing complexity of tasks have given rise to more virtual and interdisciplinary teams. It was also his 25^th work anniversary which was celebrated at this SHRM Global Conference

The day ended with Closing Keynote Address’ “Innovation – The Journey from Idea to Impact”, by Sonam Wangchuk, Founder of Student’s Educational & Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), and Educationist & Environmentalist wherein he shared how he loves ideas and spends much of his time thinking about how they can lead to change in the world

Some of the other exciting sessions of the day were:

·         The Art of Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

·         Data-Driven Solutions: Integrating Diversity and Inclusion into Talent Acquisition

·         Extending the Reach of HR: Sourcing Remote Talent

·         Time to Reinvent Workways – What the Tech?  

·         The Big Picture: Key Shifts in Managing Talent

·         Age of Extreme Change: Riding the wave