Interaction with Nagina Singh People Lead Mondelēz India on Gen Z in Workplace
Nagina is the People Lead for Mondelēz India. She is a member of the AMEA HR Leadership Team and the India Country Leadership Team. In her current role at Mondelēz, Nagina is responsible for supporting the business’s strategic priorities and growth plans.
Prior to joining Mondelēz, Nagina was the Head of Human Resources of DBS Tech India (Tech division of DBS Bank) and has over two decades of experience across FMCG, BFSI, Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and start-up sectors. Her expertise lies across all verticals of the People function including, Employee Relations, Organizational effectiveness & Change management, Operating Model transformation and M&A.
During her stint with DBS Nagina was also the HR Business partner for DBS bank India and the erstwhile Lakshmi Vilas Bank before taking the technology center assignment. She spearheaded the amalgamation of Lakshmi Vilas bank with DBS Bank India and led an elaborate team of HR professionals including business partners as well as COEs.
Over the years, she has also worked as an HR lead for Hero Housing Finance, Bharti AXA Life & General Insurance, and Abbott India Limited.
Additionally, Nagina has also spent 11 years at PepsiCo across generalist and specialist HR roles in India and Australia.
Q1- According to studies, Gen Z is the most disengaged group in the workplace, with more overall stress, and work-related burnout than other cohorts, what is your experience?
The challenges faced by Gen Z employees are not unique to any organization. This generation, having evolved in a fast-paced, technology-driven world, has become accustomed to instant feedback and constant stimulation. Consequently, they may encounter difficulties in adapting to the slower pace and hierarchical structure of traditional workplaces.
Moreover, Gen Z places a high value on purpose and social responsibility in their work. If they perceive their work to be lacking meaning or misaligned with their values, they may quickly become disengaged. Additionally, having grown up with unprecedented access to information and technology, Gen Z prioritizes flexibility and autonomy in their work, often opting for non-traditional work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible schedules.
As HR leaders, it is important to recognize these unique characteristics of Gen Z and adapt our approach to engage and retain this generation in the workplace. This may include offering more flexibility in work arrangements, emphasizing the purpose and impact of our work, and providing opportunities for diverse experiences and continuous learning and development. By understanding and addressing these needs, we can create a more fulfilling work environment for Gen Z and all generations in our workforce.
Q2- Gen Z is truly a powerful group of youth and young adults, how they are shaping the future way of working?
We, at Mondelez India, truly believe that having a multi-gen workforce is the inescapable reality of the modern workplace. This powerful group of young workers has already had a significant impact on the way we work and one can no longer follow a one-size-fits-all approach with a generation that demands experiences that are unique and relevant for every individual’s growth trajectory in the ecosystem. Here are a few ways in which they are shaping the future of work:
- Emphasizing flexibility: They value flexibility and work-life balance more than previous generations. As a result, they are pushing for more flexible work arrangements, such as remote work, flexible hours, and job sharing.
- Embracing technology: It is the first generation to grow up in a world of smartphones and social media, and they are highly comfortable with technology. They are driving the adoption of new technologies at a much faster pace in the workplace such as collaboration tools, video conferencing, and cloud-based applications
- Prioritizing Purpose: Gen Z is highly focused on finding meaning and purpose in their work. They are more likely to seek out jobs that prioritize social impact and sustainability instead of just compensation
- Driving a sustainable mindset: This is a generation that cares deeply about making a positive impact on the world, and they are increasingly looking for employers who share those values.
- Valuing diversity and inclusion: Being the most diverse generation in history, they are pushing for more inclusive workplaces and are more likely to seek out employers who prioritize and promote a healthy DE&I agenda
As Gen Z insists on having these experiences in their workplace, we think these are great opportunities for the workplaces to shape their organizations to be more future ready by creating reverse mentoring opportunities through this generation.
While we’ve already been building on these factors overtime at Mondelez, however our efforts in this space are only multiplying and we are taking each day to be a day of learning in order for us to curate a more future ready organization.
Q3- How do you manage and engage Gen-Z employees at the workplace?
Managing and engaging Gen-Z employees with the right approach can be a rewarding experience.
At Mondelēz India, we recognize the unique characteristics of this group and have developed a comprehensive approach to support and action the same.
- By valuing agility over perfection, we encourage employees to fail fast and learn quickly. We provide them with opportunities for training and development to help them achieve their long-term career goals.
- Gen Z values flexibility in their work arrangements including where, when, and how they work. Keeping this in mind we have developed a hybrid working model and flexible working hours to optimize productivity and collaboration.
- We believe that the leaders today need to be well-versed with data and digital skills to better understand the needs and preferences of their workforce, especially the Gen Z population. Hence, we are strongly pivoting & making investments in establishing data as the basis for all decision making for these digital natives.
- We continuously innovate & keep pushing the envelope to maintain a best-in-class branding strategy for the younger workforce. For example – last year we went live with AR-VR headsets as a part of our onboarding journey to help new joiners experience the MDLZ offices remotely through virtual reality. Needless to say, our incoming Gen Z hires were enthralled by this unique & creative onboarding experience.
- In terms of career development, we encourage Gen Z employees to seek out critical and diverse experiences across teams and functions. The company supports and enables employees with aspirations to explore and experiment in their career trajectories through its Career Framework and Match & Grow internal marketplace.
It is imperative to recognize that our Gen Z colleagues closely resemble our Gen Z consumer pool, and as such, expect consumer-grade experiences that cater to their convenience.
In response, our business has committed to several investments in user-friendly applications designed to digitize experiences and streamline processes, providing seamless access to services at their fingertips.
The primary objective of these initiatives is to provide a highly satisfactory experience for our Gen Z colleagues while simultaneously optimizing the efficiency of our internal operations.
Overall, MDLZ’s engagement survey analysis, which includes a separate cut to hear the voice of Gen Z, demonstrates the company’s commitment to understanding and effectively managing this workforce.
Q4- Most Gen-Z aspire to work with cutting-edge technology, how do you see the evolving technology trends in HR Tech Space?
As an employer of choice, we believe that the evolving technology trends in the HR tech space have the potential to transform the way we manage our Gen Z workforce. With the rise of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics, HR Tech is becoming more sophisticated and intelligent, enabling HR teams to make more informed decisions based on real-time data.
For example, predictive analytics can help HR teams to identify and address potential workforce issues before they become problems. The use of chatbots and virtual assistants can also help to automate routine tasks, freeing up HR professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives. The use of digital platforms for employee engagement and communication can aid creation of a more connected and collaborative workforce.
However, it is important to note that while technology can be a powerful tool, it should never replace the human touch in HR. As leaders we should always strive to strike the right balance between technology and human interaction, leveraging the latter to enhance the employee experience rather than replacing it.
Q5- Any concluding remarks?
Speaking of the future ways of working, today, leaders need to be agile, empathetic and should be willing to change their leadership style to meet the unique needs of each cohort including the Gen Z workforce.
By providing frequent feedback, offering opportunities for growth, embracing technology, and encouraging collaboration, you can create a positive work environment that engages and motivates Gen-Z employees.
Thank You, Nagina!
