Session: Diversity and Inclusion in the Modern day IT organization
Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) is among the most discussed topics in recent times with regards to people strategy. Today, D&I has become a key component of the company's value system and day-to-day activities such as goal setting exercises. Thus, it is no more being treated as a separate aspect that the company must do just to be considered as an organization having an inclusive and diverse work culture. The concept of D&I must be transmitted from the senior leadership to employees across all departments in the organization by making them understand its importance in the workplace. Also, the commitment of the leadership team plays a prominent role in promoting diversity within the organization, wherein D&I is a top-down approach with same line of communication. Additionally, the hiring practices should be solely based on skills of the candidates and not on their color, gender, age or ethnicity factors. Furthermore, companies must also implement necessary policies pertaining to aspects such as equitable pay, anti-discrimination, flexible working, parental leaves and many others. Overall, having people-first policies goes a long way in creating a positive and inclusive work environment within the organization.
Bio
With more than 30 years of experience in Organizational development and Operations, Sheetal believes in taking the ‘servant leadership’ approach with her teams. She has successfully handled key roles across diverse capacities in the Pharmaceutical, Edtech, Skincare and IT services space. A ‘Learner mindset’ enables her to take up new challenges and roles within a company.
As the Managing Director at DataArt, I lead the India R&D office and oversee the business development, marketing, sales, and operations of the global software engineering firm. With over 15 years of experience in the IT domain, I have a strong acumen for niche selling, product marketing, and digital and content marketing. I have successfully launched and scaled multiple products and services for clients across various industries, such as skincare, pharmaceutical, and education.
I am passionate about solving problems with innovative and human-centric solutions, and empowering my team to work together towards focused goals. I have a proven track record of increasing the revenue, retention, and reputation of DataArt and its clients, thanks to my strategic vision, collaborative approach, and servant leadership. I am also an avid blogger, a soft skills trainer, a painter, and a culinary hobbyist, and I enjoy sharing my insights and skills with others.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheetalskale/
There are the links of Sheetal Kale articles about diversity:
• https://www.womenentrepreneurindia.com/viewpoint/leaders-talk/diversity-inclusion-in-a-modern-day-organization-nwid-4594.html
• https://www.dataart.team/articles/the-india-way-7-cultural-insights-for-successful-collaboration-in-the-land-of-diversity