In Conversation With Farzana Adenwalla

Farzana, congratulations on winning the Future HR Leader award at the BW People HR Excellence Awards 2023.  Would you please take us down memory lane and tell our readers what motivated you to pursue a career in HR? 

Thank you and I am humbled to receive this prestigious recognition.

As I embarked on my career journey in the late 2000’s, it was a time when I was toiling between my desire to be a marketing professional and pursue a career in HR where I was rooted in my innate passion for human interaction and a genuine desire to contribute to individuals' growth and well-being within the workplace.

I recall how I had always been fascinated by the intricacies of human behaviour as a consumer or the potential for nurturing talent. And my natural inclination towards empathy and understanding human psychology made HR an ideal career path for me where I could make a meaningful difference in people's lives. 

During my formative years, I experienced first-hand the profound impact HR professionals could have on individuals and organizations. I even recall instances where during my internships, HR leaders played instrumental roles in driving positive change and creating a conducive work environment. These experiences served as a source of inspiration, and they reinforced my belief in the transformative power of HR that acts as a catalyst in shaping the employee experience, fostering organizational culture, and championing talent development, thereby able to drive organizational success.

What are some of the unique challenges of working in the HR vertical for a media company?

Over the past years, the M&E industry has undergone seismic shifts both from a consumer and an industry standpoint, resulting in an increased demand for diverse, consumer-centric digital forms of content consumption. The most prominent trends/challenges are changing audience preferences and the need to influence mindsets. 

The disruption allows us to deliver diversified, consumer-centric content. Therefore, to make progressive entertainment, we need a workplace enabling diverse people with different perspectives to join us and tell stories beyond the ordinary. And as employers, we need to support and champion our storytellers in their journeys.

So with an industry full of dynamic, creative, and fast-paced work environments where these employees play a critical role in representing and connecting with diverse audiences, it is crucial to adapt to the unique dynamics of these creative teams and understand the specific needs of employees engaged in content creation, production, sales or any other artistic pursuits. With flexibility being the key more than ever before in creative work, maintaining a balance of processes and structures also poses an enormous challenge. 

Also, media companies are currently at the forefront of technological advancements, which bring opportunities and challenges. As an HR professional, it is imperative to stay updated on emerging technologies, such as digital content creation tools, analytics platforms, and by virtue of the nature of the business, the available remote working solutions. Therefore, HR needs to be ready to set the stage for a future-ready organization that is fuelled by content and steered by technology.

To summarise, the media industry operates in an ever-changing landscape influenced by market trends, consumer preferences, and technological disruptions. It is subject to various regulations, including those related to broadcasting, advertising, copyrights, and talent contracts. To navigate the industry and its dynamics, HR must be well-equipped to effectively communicate, build strong, authentic relationships and, most importantly, connect employees' passion with the organization's purpose.  

What are the three top leadership lessons you have learned in your illustrious career spanning more than 15 years?

Throughout my career, I have had various life lessons which have taught me how to lead. Still, the most invaluable ones would be about how to be authentic and empathetic as a leader, be the one who is constantly on the quest to sharpen their saw, and lastly, be that leader who recognizes that their success is strongly tied to that of the teams. These have allowed me to lead authentically, embrace continuous learning, and build high-performing teams.

Can you provide examples of successful initiatives or programs you have implemented to leverage human capital and align it with organisational goals?

I have had the privilege of working with various reputable organizations throughout my career, gaining extensive experience in HR management. At SPN, I have held diverse roles across HR functions, including HR Business Partnering, Organization Development & Learning, and Employee Engagement. I currently lead the COE for Employer Branding & Communications and Leadership Engagement.

One of my significant contributions at SPN has been the Rewiring of Performance Management project, where we redefined our values and performance philosophy to make SPN an agile, high-performing, customer-centric organization. This involved in-depth research and the launch of a new Performance Management Framework called Connect.Plan.Mentor. The framework initiated regular check-ins between managers and employees, fostering a culture of continuous feedback and conversation. This project also empowered the business leaders to make their own decisions on rewards based on a decentralized Rewards framework.

Another notable project was Ad Sales Reimagined, a sales enablement intervention aimed at creating a sales ecosystem focused on innovative business solutions and providing true client value. This involved gathering insights from key clients and stakeholders, leadership assimilation, team dispersion, action projects, and sessions on new competencies and literacies. The results included significant growth, acquisitions of new-age businesses, and enhanced performance levels.

Additionally, I have led the Employer Branding and Communications portfolio, where strategies are devised to align the organization's vision of becoming a "digitally-led content powerhouse" and attract the right talent. Through an inside-out approach, we built a positive work environment, positioned ourselves as a Great Place to Work, and achieved impressive internal and external impacts.

In all these projects and roles, I have demonstrated effective and efficient decision-making by relying on data-driven insights, engaging with stakeholders, and ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic goals.

I am proud of the results achieved through these projects, including improved employee engagement, reduced turnover, enhanced business performance, and recognition through prestigious awards such as the ET Human Capital Awards 2022, TISS LeapVault CLO Awards 2022, and lately at the BW People Awards 2023.

What emerging trends or technologies in HR do you find most exciting and believe will have a significant impact on the field in the coming years?

Emerging trends and technologies in HR, such as artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, employee experience, and enhanced remote work tools, are poised to reshape the field in the coming years. AI and automation tools like Chatbots, Metaverse, and Virtual Assistants will streamline HR processes. At the same time, data analytics and predictive analytics will help in providing valuable insights for crucial decision-making for overall talent management. 

With the workforce infused with the millennials and Gen Z, the most trending is personalizing and improving the employee experience with the latest apps for employee self-service portals and digital learning platforms. The metaverse introduces new possibilities to reimagine the office and work environment, introducing adventure, spontaneity, and surprise elements. A virtual office doesn’t have to be a somber, uniform corporate environment: why not a location at the beach, a cruise, or even an extra-terrestrial world?

With technology advancing at the speed of light, HR professionals will need to embrace and leverage it in driving the organization's success and creating a dynamic work environment, while the challenge would then be for HR to keep the human aspect at the forefront of technology adoption.

What message would you like to give to HR and corporate professionals on embracing change upskilling and achieving success and in the current disruptive work environment?

The journey towards success in a disruptive world is ongoing, so my message to all professionals would be to stay curious, remain adaptable, and continue to evolve as a professional and a leader. This means embracing new technologies, adapting processes, encouraging a mindset of continuous improvement, and learning from failures will position yourself and your organization to thrive amidst disruption.