There has been a massive transition in HR in the last few decades, moving from mere paper pushers to becoming strategic partners. Technology, analytics and robotics are fast gaining importance and certainly they have made processes easier and less people dependent. However, no technology can take over the emotions associated with people.

1. BUSINESS MANAGER MARCH 201816
Tell us about yourself and your professional
journey up to present position.
KB I belong to Tezpur, a small town in Assam known for its scenic beauty and a
heritage of the state's traditional art and culture. Early years at St. Joseph's
Convent were hectic but disciplined and structured and I am grateful to my
teachers for the experience. After graduating from school, I wanted to pursue
commerce much to the disappointment of my teachers who wanted me to
follow the then mainstream career options like Medical and Engineering.
However, staying true to my desire and with the support of my parents, I
decided to join the commerce stream and eventually completed my Bachelor of
Commerce from the Gauhati Commerce College. Subsequently, I completed my
Company Secretary-ship course from the Institute of Company Secretaries of
India and became the first woman from the N.E Region of the Country to do so.
During this period, I worked in several corporate houses in Kolkata like Bata,
Brooke Bond & Lipton, Assam Brookes, and IFB among others. After getting
married in 1993, I moved to Guwahati where I joined a Sunrise Biscuits (a fully
owned subsidy of Britannia) as their Company Secretary.
In addition to taking care of the corporate legal requirements and compliance,
I got closely associated with their 400-strong factory workforce, their
engagement, welfare, minimum wages, labour unions etc. and developed a
passion for workforce and HR management. I thereafter joined a large public
INTERVIEW
KANKANA BAURA
Chief People Officer,Tally Solutions Pvt.Ltd.,Bangalore
Technology
can aid
business but it
cannot replace
human touch
There has been a
massive transition
in HR in the last
few decades,
moving from mere
paper pushers to
becoming strategic
partners.
Technology,
analytics and
robotics are fast
gaining importance
and certainly they
have made
processes easier
and less people
dependent.
However, no
technology can take
over the emotions
associated with
people.

2. BUSINESS MANAGER MARCH 201817
INTERVIEW
sector undertaking which
was into Teaas their
Company Secretary and
HR/IR head and
simultaneously completed
my LLB, which had a large
workforce of 16000
permanent employees.
I finally decided to move out
of Assam to expand my
horizons and joined a
company in Chennai for a
short stint as their HR head
in one of their business
units. Post this, I joined the
Pharma Industry starting in
a senior managerial
position and moved up the
ladder as Senior Vice
President & Global Head of
HR by the time I left after 8
years of an enriched
experience. I then moved to
the IT space in 2013 with my
current Company, Tally
Solutions Pvt. Ltd. as their
Chief People Officer.
What is your HR vision and
your organization's HR
practices?
KB The people vision at Tally
aligns with the
organization's purpose, to
make any person who
touches Tally happier. This
not only holds true for our
partners, customers and
external stakeholders but
also our employees. The
focus is on a delightful
experience for all employees
and connecting with them
every step of the way. We
area people centric
organization, focused on
making things easier and
simpler for all our stakeholders. All our people practices are
formulated and executed keeping our core value, "Our Strength is
our People", in mind. Every employee of Tally is our responsibility,
including their safety, well - being, enrichment, and personal and
family health.
What is the present scene of HR function
in your industry sector?
KB Over the last few years, the IT industry has increased their focus
in managing the millennials. Age old HR practices may not work
and we require a fresh approach and thought process which needs
to be constantly aligned to this volatile and active group. It is
crucial to integrate their aspirations along with the organization's
so that both sides stand to benefit.
What kind of a leader you are and how would
you like to be remembered as one?
KB I like to lead from the front and desire to leave footprints of my
leadership. I believe in standing by my team, perpetually
supporting them and empathize with their needs and concerns.
Success of a leader depends on the ability to influence and engage
all stakeholders cross-functionally. I am a collaborative and
participative leader and I believe in enabling and empowering the
team with the right guidance. For me, decisions need fast closure
and delivered meaningfully without compromising on quality.
Are there any development goals set by
you for yourself and your organization?
KB We are living in a fast - paced world and learning, like change,
should be constant. If you are not up-to-date with the present
scenario, there is high chance you will be left far behind in a short
span of time. Tally has always patronized a culture of learning
and development, which enables every employee with tools and
platforms to enhance and develop themselves which can also help
fulfill their career aspirations. This is the primary focus for us for
the year 2018-19. My goal is to study and understand the minds of
millennials not just in this company but across the industry and
the country at large.
What are the opportunities and
threats emerging in your industry in terms of HR?
KB There are plenty of opportunities in the IT industry from an HR
standpoint. Innovative technologies and associated fast paced
industries provide many options to explore, design and develop
people practices which enable retention and growth of the best
I am a collaborative
and participative
leader and I believe
in enabling and
empowering the
team with the right
guidance. For me,
decisions need fast
closure and
delivered
meaningfully
without
compromising on
quality.

3. BUSINESS MANAGER MARCH 201818
INTERVIEW
talent. However, there are two sides to every coin and if this pace
in development is not met with simultaneous development of
skills, it throws a big threat of a gap, putting the people working in
industry at risk of redundancy.
Tell us about your organization's work culture.
KB At Tally, the work culture is one of the best in the country. The
organization truly imbibes its values which reflect in our daily
operations, and we encourage every employee to work around the
value system. This practice has been followed from the last 30
years, since the company's inception. The culture of an open - door
policy encourages employees to voice their opinion and address
any issue they might be facing and no issue is ever trivialized.
Every concern is heard with empathy with the intent of providing
a decision or solution which is in the best interests of the
employee.
Any individual/professional who
has influenced your thought process?
KB My biggest learnings have been from two of my former managers
even though they were the most difficult people to deal with. To
have these strong and accomplished figures during the formative
years of my career, was a blessing in disguise. I was greatly
influenced by the way they thought and eventually learnt to
think and make decisions the same way. Late Abani Borgohain
taught me an important lesson which I abide by even today -
"Trust your team and delegate. Don't micro - manage". Mr.
Shridhar Mosur molded me into an individual who takes fast
decisions and can think quickly. His important lesson to me was
- "Learn from mistakes and move ahead". A common learning
from both was to never get
influenced by what other
people say when it comes to
taking decisions. Make a
judgment backed with data
without any element of
bias. My greatest life lesson
that I have learnt in the past
4 years is from Mr. Bharat
Goenka (Managing
Director, Tally Solutions)
which has helped me
through my biggest
difficulties in life - "Be
Positive". When you think
positive thoughts, 9 out of
10 times we will only see
great and positive
outcomes. When life gets
tough keep your focus and
faith on, rest everything
will fall in place with the
blessings of the Divine.
What irritates you most at
work place?
KB Work related surprises
irritate me, though they
rarely occur. Any problem
can be solved or a solution
offered when one is aware of
the problem from the
beginning.
One skill you would still like
to learn.
KB Brilliance in Math.
One natural ability you are
blessed with.
KB I believe I am a good
listener and can provide
comfort to people just by
listening to what they have
to say. I frequently hear this
about myself and it is
probably because I
genuinely give my
unwavering attention and
time to people. Empathy
and compassion seem to be
dying traits. A lot of times
you can solve problems just
by listening with care and
providing words of
comfort.
I believe I am a good listener and can provide comfort to people just by listening to
what they have to say. I frequently hear this about myself and it is probably because I
genuinely give my unwavering attention and time to people. Empathy and compassion
seem to be dying traits. A lot of times you can solve problems just by listening with
care and providing words of comfort.

4. BUSINESS MANAGER MARCH 201819
INTERVIEW
Are there any tough
decisions that you had to
make against your desire at
work place?
KB There are so many of them,
cases where I had to take a
decision because it was the
need of the business but
against my personal desire
and this is even more
difficult. I have had the
toughest arguments in such
situations but as a
professional have always
taken decisions which are in
the best interests of the
organization and the other
party.
Tell us about your first job
experience and learning
from that.
KB My first job was with Bata
where I joined as a Company
Secretary (management
trainee). When I look back
now, it was exciting and
enriching to see and learn
how factories are managed.
To be a part of a venture
which caters to the needs of
the entire country was a
challenging and
overwhelming experience.
The company in those times
was managed with a British
style of operations
characterized by meticulous
division of work. I still
remember the passion of the
factory manager in ensuring
that every stitch, fabric and
sole of the shoes are in
perfect condition. This was
my first learning - If you're
passionate about your job
and love what you do, work
becomes so much more
exciting and interesting
even if it is a task as simple
as sorting of shoe laces.
How can HR acquire center stage in business environment?
KB There has been a massive transition in HR in the last few decades,
moving from mere paper pushers to becoming strategic partners.
HR is the business guiding pillar, managing large workforces and
being core contributors to the financial decisions of the company.
Across industries, it is the people who make the difference and in
the IT sector people become all the more critical. The HR horizon
has changed considerably. Merely competent functional/technical
leaders will not make you successful unless you choose a track of
being experts. Individual contributors too need to shape their
people management skills for holistic development. Our
department is responsible to up-skill the workforce, get the best
talent and retain them without which organizations will not be in
a position to succeed.
Do you think HR is ready to take a leap in the present
business environment full of uncertainties and turbulence
where technology,analytics and robotics are taking over
people processes and systems?
KB Technology, analytics and robotics are fast gaining importance
and certainly they have made processes easier and less people
dependent. However, no technology can take over the emotions
associated with people which are inherently present. In fact it is
my fear that if every investment on human capital is linked with
ROI overlooking the EQ of this primary resource, the day is not far
when everything is managed by robots and we have a workforce
just to manage these entities without emotions. What we can do
instead is to take the help of analytics and big data to become
better HR managers. Technology can advise us on better decision
making and faster processes but it would be unjust to completely
right off the importance of people around processes and systems.
The question is what we visualize our world to be, a world full of
robots or a rightful mix of humans. I hope for a world where robots
do the mundane and routine tasks thereby enabling talented and
skilled people to bring about a revolution in the world of
technology, science, art and literature.
If every investment on human capital is linked with ROI overlooking the EQ of this
primary resource, the day is not far when everything is managed by robots and we
have a workforce just to manage these entities without emotions.
BM