Prem Singh, Global President (HR) at pharma giant Wockhardt on the importance of passion, depth, creativity and willingness to go the distance in coming up with better and more efficient ways of doing one’s job
Times may have changed, so have the challenges of business. Even so, a few values retain their timelessness. Hence, Prem Singh, Global President (HR) for Wockhardt would recommend a few mantras for success for young management hopefuls. “Be passionate about your work, go into the depth and the nitty-gritty of the ground realities, dirty your hands if need be and understand your business completely. For instance, I may be an HR professional, but I can speak in a logical and informed manner about the associated areas of work, even if they are not directly related to my work,” he says.
Simply put, excellence is a matter of choice. “We tend to take the easiest possible route, which may not necessarily be the path of excellence. The path of excellence is not easy, but it is doable... if you think you can, you can. If you think you can’t—well, either ways you are right. “A keen athlete himself, he cites a few sporting analogies to illustrate his point. “Take the pole-vaulter for instance. Before taking that jump, he first gears himself mentally for it... he envisages victory and reiterates his faith in his own abilities. Similarly, when you are running the latter half of a marathon, it is not your body, but mind that keeps you going, even though you are exhausted,” he says. In short, everything starts with the mind.
A VUCA (volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous) environment is a reality of our time. This is reflected in the changing strategies of companies. There was a time when five-year plans were possible; today people only look at a horizon of one or two years ahead. It won’t be long before quarterly plans become a reality, he points out. To win in such a scenario, you have to think out of the box, and innovate. At the same time, it is wise to communicate.
“In our company recently, I successfully managed to implement a paperless system of increments. Instead of sending out letters to employees through their respective line managers and higher-ups, an elaborate course that would take about four to six weeks, we managed to do the same in a matter of minutes via email,” he says. “Despite apprehensions from colleagues as to how the idea would be perceived, given that the procedure no longer required line managers to give out letters to their juniors, things worked out well.”
But for that transition to happen smoothly, he spent weeks in preparation. “I spoke to lots of colleagues and convinced them of the importance of doing things differently. “Unlike the manufacturing industry, pharma is still a little conservative in its approach—and I had to factor that in. In short, to work smart, you first need to work hard.”
Not very long from now, India is going to witness a major shift in the work demography. As per projections, 60 percent of the workforce will be straight out of college, and thus very young. To keep this youth engaged and interested, the line managers will have to learn ways to deal with them. These youngsters are tech-savvy, think differently and have high ambitions. “Those companies who foresee this scenario and prepare for it will do well, others are in for a surprise. Similarly, there’s no wishing away technology and its influence on the youth. We have to learn how to leverage it to our advantage, and ensure its responsible use,” he notes.
“I would say I am averagely happy with the quality of candidates we pick up from campus recruitments,” he says.
However, he adds, it would be a good idea for management colleges to dedicate 30 to 40 percent of its attention on the industry interface, so that when these kids are finally ready for their first job, they do at an advantage in the sense of knowing what to expect.
There is still a huge population that does not have access to medicine—and affordable medicine at that. Naturally, the effort is to reach out to as many as possible. “Besides this, R&D is a major area of focus given that there has been no blockbuster molecule aka major medicinal discovery over the last 15-20 years,” he says.
The perception that women are not suitable for certain jobs is fast-changing, as women are increasingly proving themselves in different aspects of industry, be it HR, R&D, intellectual property, or even marketing. In my own company, there is a deliberate policy that focuses on diversity and inclusion.
I love music and sports, and that helps me destress. I play badminton on weekends apart from practising my singing.
By Kalyani Sardesai
