Culture-building sessions undergo change in the post-pandemic world

In the post-pandemic world, companies are seemingly eager to emphasise their ability to quickly adapt and reach out to employees in the time of need.

Culture-building exercises at India Inc are now getting a new flavour centred around messages of new ways of work, holistic wellbeing, inclusiveness and ‘people and profit’, among others.

Even the frequency of the sessions is now flexible, thanks to pandemic-induced disruption, ranging from weekly to monthly to yearly. However, one theme remains constant across companies including Goldman Sachs, Infosys, Vedanta Aluminium, etc: Digital intervention despite the back-to-office calls.

As many Goldman Sachs employees across its Bengaluru and Hyderabad offices have joined over the last few years, the multinational investment bank and financial services company has integrated initiatives across key employee milestones and in-person learning opportunities to strengthen a shared understanding of its history and culture.

This year, the company launched ‘Culture Connect Forums’ sessions led by senior leaders for employees to learn about the culture from each other, joining its already existing ‘Quarter Century Club’, a network of employees who have completed 25 years at the firm.

“For many of our learning programmes, we emphasise in-person networking, expert content and knowledge sharing from our senior leaders,” Deepika Banerjee, head of human capital management, Goldman Sachs Services India, told Moneycontrol.

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Since hybrid is the prevalent mode at the IT major Infosys, the importance of employees imbibing the cultural tenets with similar impact was of utmost importance. Infosys recently launched the 'Infosys Way of Life' (IWOL), an organisation-wide campaign to take forward its collective determination to nurture and sustain the essence of its culture for more than 3 lakh employees.

“Culture stands as a powerful differentiator and a driving force behind our collective achievements, and IWOL has assumed paramount importance in fostering a cohesive cultural identity. We have focused on exploring and adopting the various attributes that brings our employees closer to fully living the Infosys Way of Life,” said Shaji Mathew, Group Head, Human Resource Development at Infosys.

Pandemic affect

In the post-pandemic world, companies are seemingly eager to emphasise their ability to quickly adapt and reach out to employees in the time of need. From leadership sessions showcasing corporate business continuity plans to comprehensive health benefits, all are on the table during the culture-building sessions.

At Vedanta Aluminium, the culture-building initiatives vary from hours to months, depending on employee and organisation needs. Digital interventions have increased both in frequency and impact of sessions.

First, the company was able to closely review the business in real time due to a robust digital framework, transitioning from traditional in-person structures to a blend of both offline and online platforms. This has also helped streamline the decision-making process, making it more collaborative and reducing turnaround times from days to hours.

Secondly, the firm launched digital support avenues, such as through Vedanta Umang, an initiative that provides a comprehensive range of solutions enhancing both physical and mental wellbeing.

“We have experienced increased organisational performance in terms of business growth and stronger ownership of roles,” said Dilip Sinha, the chief human resources officer of Vedanta Aluminium.

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Professional services firm Grant Thornton Bharat’s ‘People and Profit, not People over Profits’ approach guides in preserving its culture in a hybrid workforce. Currently, the New Delhi-headquartered firm is developing Culture 2.0 to align with modern realities: hybrid work challenges and evolving content consumption habits. This includes monthly bite-sized learning, shorter sessions, self-learning opportunities and select immersive physical experiences.

The culture unfreezing workshops happen monthly in groups of 50-60 people, in-person for two full days.

“[So far], 90 percent of our leaders have gone through our culture sessions. Leaders deliver these sessions, showcasing their active involvement in taking the word to our staff. This is a clear win,” said Ankit Jhamb, chief learning officer, Grant Thornton Bharat.

Inclusive professional growth

JPMorgan’s culture-building effort happens at both the managerial and team level. Its eight-manager capabilities framework defines what it is to be a manager at a multinational financial firm and how the company wants managers to lead and build its culture inclusively, with purpose and integrity. Specific modules on culture assimilation are part of this.

For new managers, there are day-long programmes to build skills for managing hybrid teams, followed by leadership labs where participants get hands-on practice of behaviours they then need to inculcate, said Gaurav Ahluwalia, managing director and head of HR, India Corporate Centers, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The firm recently inaugurated new campuses in Mumbai and Bengaluru where sustainability is part of the larger culture. These offices are 100 percent powered by renewable energy and host features such as water conservation, waste management and energy-efficient lighting.
The digital intervention has allowed senior leaders to address their employees nationwide at the same time and with similar rigour.

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"Meet Our Leaders" sessions at Fincare Small Finance Bank provide an opportunity to delve into the lesser-known facts and personality traits of the management team. Through a thoughtfully crafted questionnaire, these leaders share insights into their leadership process, sources of inspiration and management style.

“We have introduced shorter, focused sessions that can be easily integrated into people’s workday without disrupting their workflow,” said Pankaj Gulati, chief people officer at Fincare SFB.