Adaptability Is A Must In The Business Sphere: Pinto

In an exclusive interview with Thirty To Net Zero Magazine, Arul Savio Pinto, Consultant, WellKom International stated, “The current VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment requires us to be mentally and physically ready to handle whatever life tosses at you each morning because, as the saying goes, ‘Change is inevitable in life.’

“Having a wide range of skills at our disposal will help us adjust to new circumstances. Those who are able to change with the times will do well in any field. It's possible that adaptability isn't a skill we're born with, and that learning to be flexible won't be simple for most of us. In order to better ride the waves of change, we need to readjust our standards.

“Nowadays, flexibility is a necessity in the corporate world. The capacity to change and adapt allows you to take in new information, think critically, and act independently of the norm. Being flexible leads to greater contentment and joy in life. The ability to adapt increases one's resilience, allowing them to better weather any type of disruption.

“It is more important than ever to find novel approaches to encouraging high levels of contribution and involvement in the modern workplace, where working remotely and collaborating online to achieve key goals is the order of the day.

“Without formal authority, "co-elevation" is a crucial foundational behavior that enables us to lead, connect, and elevate ourselves and others successfully.

“Coaching in the workplace is a form of expert assistance that places an emphasis on the client's desired outcomes. It's built on both sides doing what the other needs done. Coaching in the workplace helps the coachee reach his or her full potential. The guide acts as a catalyst for the client's future, self-directed growth and learning. When leaders receive coaching, it helps them face the uncertainty.”

Workplace environments are dynamic due to market factors and employee turnover. Through coaching, a leader can draw out the skills and expertise of their team. This allows managers to concentrate on the big picture, avoid getting bogged down in the details, and give their staff members a fair shot at demonstrating their abilities.

“Fostering and contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is easier with a flexible workforce that works in a co-elevated setting and receives the constant coaching and mentoring needed.

Covid-19 Has Redefined the New Work Culture

The speed and magnitude of the changes brought on by the Covid-19 epidemic in the workplace are unprecedented. People have realized they can get most of their work done without physically going to a workplace. However, leaders must decide which alterations to the culture they want to keep and which ones they need to counteract as they readjust to post-pandemic operations and get ready for the rebound. This rate of shift is problematic.

“At the outset of a new task or endeavor, leaders should provide more context and direction. They may need to check in more frequently to figure out how best to help their employees progress. Leaders, above all else, must earn followers' confidence.

“They need to trust their employees to make decisions and take charge of their work in ways that make the most sense to them. The moment for self-determination has come. Similarly, there may be costs to your company's culture and mindset that you don't realize when you switch to a remote work model.

“Many individuals have suffered the silent harm of isolation due to the lockdown. As a response, leaders can interact with their employees and use collaborative technologies to stay in touch with them. ‘Mental health awareness’ was a catchphrase before the pandemic. Currently, it's a requirement. Leaders also have a responsibility to emphasize the value of order and structure.

“Completely independent workers may put in more hours than they did at the workplace, but they produce less quality work overtime. They are unable to reorient themselves or return to the job at hand. The lines between job and free time blur. Leaders should demonstrate that there is a balance between work and leisure by taking time off themselves.

“Attempts to alter a culture's norms can be frustrating but ultimately worthwhile. It can feel sudden and overwhelming when it is forced upon you, as it has been upon all of us in recent months. But with time and thought, business executives can glean many benefits from the challenges we've faced in recent months,” said Pinto.

Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion

While diversity and inclusion are trending subjects, it is more of a business necessity than a Human Resources matrix.

Tokenism, the practice of hiring only one or two people from a particular minority group in order to appear diverse has become quite rampant. The culture shapers in many organizations try to avoid the harder work of actually creating a diverse and inclusive culture. However, it is essential to strive for diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace.

“Effective DEI efforts in the workplace require HR Leaders to take the lead. This can be done by, among other things, creating a standardized interview process, focusing on ‘culture add’ rather than ‘culture fit’, committing to developing high-potential diverse candidates, creating programs that provide access to development, identifying C-suite executive sponsors, reviewing all aspects of HR that impact diversity, encouraging input from all employees, securing leadership buy-in, and beginning to track results,” opined Pinto.

Inclusive And Adaptable Workplace Need of The Hour

Today's business leaders generally concur that fostering an environment where all employees are treated with respect and dignity is crucial to the success of the company as a whole. However, this objective is trickier to accomplish than it may seem at first.

Securing buy-in and support from across the organization is crucial to designing and delivering on the promise of an inclusive workplace. Organizational success requires active measures, such as internal communications reframe and management style adjustments, that foster an environment where all employees feel valued and respected.

These "daunting tasks" become a chance for growth and engagement when the benefits of an inclusive workplace become tangible. Leaders should routinely solicit input from team members and disseminate the findings in order to provide an environment where everyone can feel comfortable. When executives show a genuine willingness to hear both positive and constructive criticism, they pave the way for the business to make significant advancements.

In order to make their teams feel valued, leaders should inquire as to what is required of them. A key factor in making people feel heard and valued is taking the initiative to recognize how they are feeling and then taking action to fix identified issues. In a healthy workplace, questions are encouraged from all workers at all levels. So that employees feel safe expressing their unique points of view, businesses can provide education and training on encouraging and welcoming constructive disagreement.

Building genuine relationships in the workplace is crucial for fostering a welcoming environment for all workers. A powerful predictor of productivity and longevity is an employee's feeling of belonging, which can be boosted by encouraging the development of meaningful relationships at work. Leaders need to demonstrate a genuine interest in this work by launching organizations, funding existing ones, and participating in them themselves.

Leadership must always lead by example if it wants followers. Organizational diversity and inclusion can be greatly aided by the establishment of employee resource groups (ERGs). Commenting further on the role of ERGs, Pinto stated, “For the purpose of networking and advocacy for both the company and the industry as a whole, ERGs bring together employees who share common backgrounds and experiences.

Finally, acknowledgement has been shown to have a significant impact on creating an open workplace. “Employees who are acknowledged on a weekly basis are more than twice as likely to report a high level of social acceptance. According to Gallup, meaningful praise is sincere, genuine, and tailored to the recipient. In today's competitive business environment, it is essential to take deliberate action to mobilize the appropriate assets in order to establish an inclusive mindset.

“Employees are looking for workplaces that treat everyone with respect and dignity. Therefore, businesses can guarantee the success of all their employees by fostering an open work environment,” he said.

Women Are Turning the Tables

The trend towards women in leadership roles appears to be on the rise, with CEO positions being filled by women at prominent companies like IBM, General Motors, and Mondelz International.

There are currently more women serving as CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than at any time in the list's 63-year existence. There are benefits unique to having women in the workforce. Diversity in the workplace, including but not limited to gender, culture, age, and ethnicity, has been shown to encourage original thinking. There will always be differences in how men and women handle business due to their unique life experiences and perspectives. Creativity and innovative ideas are fostered through challenge and collaboration between individuals with different perspectives.

Women naturally possess the "soft skills" required for successful company leadership. CEOs often say that "soft skills" are more important than technical expertise when it comes to hiring new employees and new data from McKinsey shows that companies with a diverse workforce are 15% more likely to achieve financial results that are significantly better than the industry average.

Most C-suite members believe that the best candidate, regardless of gender, should be hired, but anecdotes about women who were hired more often after changing their names to something less gendered show that unconscious prejudice is still a problem.

Commenting further on the situation, Pinto added, “Women who are in or aspire to be in leadership positions report feeling under intense scrutiny. Women, in contrast to males, are socialized to avoid being "bossy" from a young age.

“Because of ingrained bias, the same traits—such as initiative, passion, and leadership—may be given distinct meanings by men and women in the workplace. When compared to males, women fare worse when bargaining for pay raises. Many people believe that women contribute to the wage gap by being unwilling to negotiate for higher compensation for themselves.

“It's widely believed that males have more confidence than women when it comes to negotiating for higher salaries and leadership positions. The "imposter syndrome" causes even the most accomplished women to doubt their own value and competence. The first step towards eliminating the gender pay gap is for women to recognize their worth and negotiate for a salary that represents it. Increasing pay transparency is another effective strategy for achieving this goal.”

Regional Roadblocks

The Middle East benefits greatly from a deep cultural legacy. The region is lucky to benefit from the richness of perspectives and backgrounds represented among our team members. More and more businesses, both multinational and domestic, are instituting policies that promote female parity in the workplace.

As more and more businesses realize the benefits of a more diverse workforce, this trend is likely to persist. Creating opportunities for women to advance and assume leadership roles is a problem that exists not just in our area, but across the world. Despite a sizable pool of qualified women waiting to be discovered, the number of women in leadership roles continues to decline sharply.

Company-led efforts and government requirements for the Middle East to truly achieve diversity have helped improve gender diversity over the years, but more needs to be done. 

Technology is something that Arul Savio Pinto is very interested in, and he makes it a point to stay current on developments especially the area of Human Resources. Moreover, he enjoys visiting different countries and trying their local delicacies.