Nagpur. 23 September 2024 . National Academy of Defence Production (NADP) successfully hosted HR Nexus 2024, the largest HR event in Central India’s history. Organized under the aegis of the National HRD Network (NHRD) with IIM Indore as the knowledge partner and Yantra India Limited, Coal Indian Limited as the corporate sponsors, and IMT Nagpur, CIBMRD, RBU as Academic partners, the event brought together around 100 delegates, including HR professionals, thought leaders, industry experts, and students. Held at the Utsav Hall of NADP, the conclave featured 27 elite speakers from across India, focusing on themes such as aligning HR with business strategy, leveraging digital transformation, data-driven recruitment, managing Generation Z in the workplace, and navigating the challenges of implementing new labour codes.
Dr. J P Dash, CGM of NADP, welcomed the guests and emphasized the importance of converting India’s young workforce into formidable talent to shape the future of industry with competitiveness and innovation. Shri Rajeev Puri, Ex-CMD of YIL, Chief Guest of function, highlighted the significant changes in work, workplace, and workforce, stressing the need for adaptation. Dr. Bigyan Verma, Director of IMT Nagpur, underscored the event’s focus on the future of HR amidst digital transformation and the emergence of Generation Z. Prof. Nishit Kumar Sinha from IIM Indore, Key Note Speaker highlighted that the future of HR will hinge on creating environments that promote learning, motivation, empathy, and ethics. We must strive to align individual purposes with the organisation’s broader goals to foster engagement and success.
Rajeev Puri shared YIL’s transformation story through innovative incentive schemes that turned a loss-making unit into a profit-making one, emphasizing the importance of courageous decisions and strategic incentives in driving productivity. Prabhakar K Mishra discussed AI-driven engagement tools inspired by Microsoft’s “Viva,” which interact with employees, gather feedback, and provide real-time insights on satisfaction and engagement. Saptarshi Chatterjee presented KPMG’s five-stage framework for digital transformation: Vision, Validate, Construct, Deploy, and Monitor, highlighting the structured approach to implementing digital changes.
Manoj Sharma and Sahil Nayar emphasized the use of analytics-driven recruitment tools like Codility, HackerRank, and TestGorilla for fair and consistent evaluation. They stressed the importance of focusing on skill acquisition over degrees and the role of data in making informed recruitment decisions. Dr. Owais Talib, Dr. Shantanu Jog, and Dr. Suresh Pandilwar highlighted the need for compliance with new labour codes and the opportunity to promote fairness and equality in the workplace. They discussed the importance of creating transparent and equitable work environments.
Dr. Sangeeta Goel and other panelists discussed Gen Z’s priorities, such as work-life balance and job satisfaction. They shared innovative engagement strategies, including specialized training programs, certification for rural employees, and hobby clubs to help employees pursue their interests. The session highlighted the unique challenges and opportunities in managing a younger workforce.
The event concluded with a valedictory session where Dr. Amishi Arora summarized the proceedings, and Dr. B. Meitri, Director of IIM Nagpur, shared that India can lead the future of the world through its model and values rather than looking and borrowing from the West. The USA took two and half years to recover from Katrina’s shocks, mainly using business models and consultants. At the same time, Naveen Pattanaik repeatedly brought the State of Odisha within a week because we are more rooted in the value system. He said the future of HR is not just about managing people; it’s about building organisations that inspire, align Talent with strategy, and use data and innovation to drive business forward.
Dr Ashishrao R. Deshmukh, MD, Guest of Honour said we must move from reactive HR practices to proactive, strategic HR leadership, where every action contributes to the larger business vision across the canvas of the organisations. Dr A S Khan, GM, NADP, offered a Vote of thanks.
The conclave attracted participants and delegates from across India, representing a wide array of corporates, including Flipkart, HCL Technologies, Patanjali Foods India Pvt. Ltd., Haldiram Foods International Pvt. Ltd., Solar Industries, Sandeep Metalcraft Pvt. Ltd., DB Schenker, Infocetps Data & AI, Genisis RMS, MaxBalk, Primine Software Pvt. Ltd., BigPodium, Cornerstone International Group, Dinanath Overseas India Pvt. Ltd., Manojyoti Infotech, Bridgetree.com, Yamir Packaging Pvt. Ltd., Transrail Lighting Ltd., Wipro, Flipkart Internet Pvt. Ltd., ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund, Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd., HubEngage Inc., and many others.
HR Nexus 2024 was a resounding success, providing a platform for HR professionals to exchange knowledge, strategies, and innovations essential to the evolving field of human resources.
