Driving Purposeful Workforce In The Energy Sector
"Attracting and retaining the right set of employees with the right attitude and skill is the need of the hour," states Kamaljeet Kaur, CHRO, Sterlite Power. Let's delve deep into her management philosophy to know how is she deciphering and driving the workforce in the energy sector.
1. How does Sterlite Power foster a culture that encourages employees to turn challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation?
Innovation is not just a buzzword at Sterlite Power; it is ingrained in the company's DNA. Sterlite Power is committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the energy sector and has a track record of pioneering the use of the latest innovations. Sterlite Power is one of the first companies in India to introduce helicranes for power transmission line construction. We have also pioneered the use of drone technology in the power transmission sector. These innovations have enabled Sterlite Power to complete projects faster and more efficiently while ensuring the safety of its employees.
Our recruitment and capability-building processes are designed to identify and nurture the key characteristics of creativity and innovation. These attributes are then embedded in development and succession planning to ensure that innovation continues to be a central focus for the company. We have simplified the attendance management at plants by automating the complete process through our collaboration with Kronos which is an attendance monitoring system. This implementation has enhanced and provided a Centralized Workforce Management solution, bringing synergies in overall compliances.
Leading with innovation has been a key differentiator for the company and is one of the 4 Sterlite Power EVP’s within the organisation - Powered by Innovation, Driven by core purpose, Embracing Diversity, Charged in a High growth environment, and Thriving in a vibrant workplace.
2. With the rise of new energy practices, there is a skills deficit in the industry. What does Sterlite Power see as the cause of this skills shortage, and what steps is the company taking to attract and retain talented employees?
The global energy transition, from fossil fuels to renewable energy, that is underway, has opened up a plenitude of job opportunities in the country. But a shortage of talent in this dynamic sector is a challenge. According to a global report titled Irena’s 2021 World Energy Transitions Outlook: 1.5° found that to effectively move towards clean energy and meet climate goals, renewable energy sector employment will need to grow from 2020's 12 million figure to 38 million by 2030.
As the industry moves towards new and emerging technologies, such as wind and solar power, there is a need for workers with specialized skills across areas like project management, engineering, power balancing, data security, etc.
Attracting and retaining the right set of employees with the right attitude and skill is the need of the hour. At Sterlite Power, we are focused on project development and therefore, we invest in capability-building programs to help our employees acquire the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the industry as well as this domain. As part of our Leadership Development philosophy to "Grow talent internally with the right mix of experience, exposure and education”, we launched the PM NEXT program. This program focuses on developing Ready-Now Project Managers in a set timeframe by developing the functional and leadership capabilities of the participants in the areas of Cost, Finance, Contract, SCM & D&E.
We also have a PD Next Leadership learning program which is built around 3 key elements, i.e., Business Understanding, Project Execution Excellence, and Leadership. It is a 6-month long program aimed at identifying 2-3 “Ready Now” Project Directors & supports them by developing their holistic functional & leadership capabilities which will prepare them to address current & future challenges.
Our leadership development program called ‘Lead 1.0’ focuses on building functional and leadership capabilities for people in managerial and senior roles. We are also extending these capability-building practices with our EPC Partner ecosystem through structured frameworks of assessment to ensure the right talent at the project sites thereby contributing to efficient project execution.
3. ESG performance is becoming increasingly important in executive compensation plans. How does Sterlite Power incorporate ESG criteria into its overall strategy and compensation plans?
At Sterlite Power, we have adopted goals and targets on different ESG aspects to ensure that we move forward in a meaningful way and create value for our business, stakeholders, and communities at large. We have defined goals and targets under ESG including renewable energy utilization, environmental & biodiversity assessment, reduction of water utilization, zero accident and zero fatality, promoting diversity (Industrial & Gender) across the organisation, creating social impact, Ensuring zero tolerance towards unethical behaviour/ practices, etc. These goals and targets will help us continuously strengthen the way we operate and achieve more sustainable growth for our business and stakeholders alike.
4. As the energy sector continues to evolve, what are some of the emerging trends or technologies that Sterlite Power is keeping an eye on, and how is the company preparing for them in terms of its workforce?
The energy sector in India is undergoing a massive transformation. Energy transition to renewable energy sources like solar, and wind power is gaining momentum, driven by the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Energy storage technologies are becoming increasingly important to address the intermittent nature of renewables and ensure that electricity is available when it is needed. Further, the use of digital technologies like sensors, machine learning, and big data analytics are also going to play a pivotal role in helping optimize energy systems, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
At Sterlite Power, we lay a huge emphasis on the fungibility of resources for the workforce to be future-ready and to be able to respond to the changing dynamics. We have a flexible and adaptable organizational structure, as well as robust data and analytics capabilities to enable informed decision-making. Embracing fungibility has given us a competitive edge as it has allowed us to efficiently reallocate our resources.
A few examples of core processes that have undergone digital transformation include business acquisition – the bidding stage in which our transmission routes are generated through an in-house developed digital platform for route prediction. Further, our “CanvasR” application is used for pre-bid surveys to capture & share in-field observations in real time to finalise the most efficient route. Our “Right of Way” application aims to reduce the land acquisition turnaround time & support a documentation framework for land documents. Similarly, the “Quality Audit application” aims to track & monitor compliance of all CTQs during tower setup & ensure early identification & redressal of any non-compliance issues. Our core project execution is tracked on platforms to enable high-performance project delivery. Our sales processes are executed digitally on our Salesforce CRM platform, empowering the sales & commercial excellence teams to manage the sales pipeline & drive productivity with a digital channel available to them on both web & mobile app. We leverage SaaS-based applications to run processes that support our core business.
5. To ensure consistent management and leadership across different departments, what fundamental initiatives has Sterlite Power adopted, and how does the company ensure they are being implemented effectively?
We are a purpose-driven organisation. Our core purpose – empowering humanity by addressing the toughest challenges of energy delivery is the North Star that guides all of us at Sterlite Power. Our core values of innovation, respect, fun, and social impact also serve as guiding pillars and enable decision-making, behaviour, and interactions across all departments in the organisation. We run regular communication campaigns to drive these messages across our employee base in offices and project sites to ensure that these values are communicated effectively and reinforced regularly. From our week-long induction program to our rewards and recognition program, each milestone and process in the company embodies the company's values and purpose. We are a certified Great Place to Work, two years in a row.
Our employee policies are progressive and are based on the principles of trust and respect. For eg we follow a no-attendance policy and encourage a hybrid work model for all our employees. With a continued focus on building the right talent pipeline, we have a structured and dedicated process of talent review where we assess each talent on a 9-box matrix of
Performance and potential. Our Talent2Value (T2V) process identifies critical talent across functions that has the maximum impact on the business. We have focused interventions to develop talent in these critical Talent2Value roles.
6. Diversity and inclusion are important values for many companies. Could you share some of Sterlite Power's strategies for promoting these values, and what impact they have had on the organisation?
Diversity & Inclusion is critical to Sterlite Power. We believe in embracing the diversity of gender, thought, origin & opinion. These thoughts are inculcated right from the beginning of new employee induction and go down the entire employee life cycle.
As an organisation, we have ensured a significant increase in the number of women employees across all levels – be it at our Board, Executive Teams, or even frontline teams at our manufacturing plants. Currently, the diversity ratio at Sterlite Power is around 10%. That said, 40% of members of our Executive Committee are female - a welcome change in a domain that is largely male-oriented.
We encourage diversity at all levels. In our capability development programs like Talent Next, there is a conscious focus to ensure the participation of female employees.
We also have gender-neutral policies to create a work environment more inclusive. Our training topics have focused on D&I and educating on topics like unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, disabilities/accommodations, & compensation/pay equity, and having a diverse hiring panel during an interview for unbiased hiring decisions.
We have progressive policies in place on Parenting, Flexible working post-Maternity, Adoption leaves for all, daycare benefits, medical coverages & employee well-being plans extended to their families as well.
Apart from gender diversity, we have sectoral and global diversity of employees with representation from 35+ sectors and 50+ countries. Also, 33% of our employees are less than 35 years of age. Overall, diversity & inclusion has helped us in becoming a more competitive, innovative, and resilient organisation.
7. Employee engagement is crucial for maintaining a motivated and productive workforce. What are some of the ways Sterlite Power measures and improves employee engagement, and what impact have these efforts had on the company's success?
Employee engagement is crucial for the success of any organization as it is directly linked to employee performance, productivity, and job satisfaction. According to a study by Gallup, engaged employees are 21% more productive than their disengaged counterparts.
At Sterlite Power, we have been using Gallup surveys for the last 5 years to measure our employee engagement levels. The survey results have helped us with valuable and actionable insights into employee perceptions of their work, workplace, and the company's culture. We have fed these insights into our planning, year after year, and today we can proudly say that we are a Great Place to Work certified, two years in a row.
Fun at the workplace is ‘work that integrates with passion leading to excitement’. Office becomes like spending an evening with friends – enjoying what we do & love the process, making people look forward to coming to the office every day. A fun working environment for us is motivating & challenging. We are encouraged to bring our best selves to work each day. Colleagues are friends & work is a passion. Fun is one of the core values at Sterlite Power and plays a significant in the creation of a highly energetic collaborative workspace. We feel energized by our core purpose & that is what makes coming to work fun every day. Hence, while the rest of the world waits for Friday to arrive, we Sterlitians eagerly wait for Monday!
We re-lived our core value of FUN by celebrating the “Bring Your Kids To Work” Day. Our vibrant workplace looked extra vibrant with sketch pens scattered all over the boardroom, whiteboards filled with superhero doodles, & the office corridors buzzing with joyful giggles of kids. The day was lined up with fun activities – games with parents, a talent show, & movie time, followed by scrumptious snacks. Amidst all this fun & giggles, the kids taught us how to be inquisitive, & fearless, make new friends, clap joyfully for our friends, & most importantly – live every moment & be happy.
Our Rewards & Recognition policy ensures that we recognize & appreciate individuals & teams for above & beyond performance, extraordinary business results, or exemplary demonstration of core values. Our R&R policy is strongly linked to our Strategy & business goals. The R&R policy has a key role to play in demonstrating our organization’s values, commitment to employees & the value it places on performance.
Our engagement score is 4.27, which is a y-o-y increase in scores. We are at the 65th percentile overall, meaning; 82% of employees' response reflects a positive experience.
8. As the energy industry becomes more competitive and demanding, what Rewards and Recognition practices does the company have in place to recognize and retain its workforce?
Sterlite Power has a robust recognition and rewards program that incentivizes employees to perform at their best and contribute to the company's success. From badges and monthly awards to high-level CEO and Chairman Awards, the company recognizes and rewards employees at all levels of the organization.
We offer badges to recognize employees for achieving milestones, completing training programs, or demonstrating expertise in a particular area. These badges can be displayed on an employee's social media profiles, resume, or email signature, providing a visible recognition of their accomplishments.
We also have SPOT awards which are given out on the spot to employees who have demonstrated exceptional performance or made a significant contribution to the company's success. These awards are typically monetary and range from anywhere between 10k to 20k.
In order to recognize employees who have shown exemplary performance at the end of a month, we present them with monthly awards that include monetary compensation, gifts, or other forms of recognition. We also have a programme called Game Changer Awards which recognizes employees who have come up with innovative ideas or solutions that have had a significant impact on the company's success.
Moreover, we have a quarterly CEO Award and bi-annual MD Award, which recognizes employees who have demonstrated outstanding performance and made significant contributions to the company's success. Along with this, The Chairman Award is the highest recognition given by Sterlite Power and is awarded to employees who have demonstrated excellence in their work and are designed to promote a culture of performance, innovation, and eminence.
We also have introduced Long-Tenure Awards that recognize employees who have been with the company for a long time and have contributed to its success over the years.
In addition to that, we have implemented a peer-to-peer recognition program to improve workplace culture and promote a positive, collaborative environment where employees feel valued and supported.
Finally, a simple yet effective way to recognize and appreciate the hard work and accomplishments of team members is done by celebratory calls where we acknowledge the specific achievements of a team member/s and recognize their hard work and dedication.
