Inspiring Women Every Wednesday: Dr Saundarya Rajesh

Her journey towards creating inclusive and equitable workplaces is inspirational in helping organizations, communities and societies harness the true power of diversity!

In Conversation with Dr Saundarya Rajesh
– Preeti Juneja

Q. Though we are in the digital age, using apps and social media to broaden our knowledge, not many people know DEI. So, what should be the approach to address the issue of low career intentionality in women and broad base DEI agenda in the community so that more people understand and benefit from it?

You are right, DEI is not widely known among the public. Getting more people to understand what DEI is and why it is important requires a multi-pronged approach.

For starters, we must make use of different communication channels to expose people to DEI and career intentionality. For instance, walkathons, stand-up comedy shows, short films, reels/shorts on social media are some channels that people find appealing these days, so we need to leverage these platforms to raise awareness about critical topics, be it DEI, career intentionality, or even climate science. And we must go the extra mile to appeal to youth because they are the catalysts for driving change.
When it comes to career intentionality, research by Avtar shows that exposure to this concept must start early and be structured. Keeping this in mind, Project Puthri, an initiative by Avtar Human Capital Trust, works with underprivileged girls to create career intentionality in them. We also have a carefully curated Intentional Career Pathing program that has helped hundreds of women.
Another effective way to spread awareness about DEI is for social enterprises to work in collaboration with each other. Working in isolation is not as impactful.

Q. As you mentioned in one of your interviews, there is nothing called work-life balance. Instead, there is work-life integration. What is Work-Life Integration? How can one be successful in it? Is there a framework for it?

Yes, I do have reservations about the idea of work-life balance because a constant effort to strike a fair compromise between your work and personal lives can be physically and mentally tiring. So, instead of trying to keep your work and home as two non-related spheres and constantly trying to allot sufficient time for both separately, we must look for ways to blend the two, and that is what work-life integration is all about.

Three main factors that can facilitate work-life integration are flexible work arrangements such as remote working and flexible hours; optimum use of technology which can allow you to connect from home and attend meetings virtually; and a short commute to work, which allows you to seamlessly transition between home and office work.

Dr Saundarya Rajesh

Q. All programs, courses, and frameworks at Avtar are research-oriented and technology-enabled. How difficult was it for you to hire the right senior talent in Avtar’s foundation years? Reflecting, according to you, what clicked with your prospective clients – the research, the team, or the corporate’s DEI agenda?

I strongly believe that the right attitude is equally, if not more important than skills, for any job role. A significant chunk of Avtar’s employees including vertical heads are second-career women who completely understand the challenges that working moms face. So, most of us at Avtar are passionate about DEI and we don’t see our work as just a ‘job’. And this dedication to the cause made hiring across levels fairly easy right from the start. When it comes to attracting clients, I think what has worked in our favour is a combination of solid research work that Avtar pioneers, the passionate team that drives it, and our well-founded DEI agenda.

Q. What initiatives does Avtar have for persons with disabilities and senior citizens? What are the challenges in this area? Please elaborate.

At Avtar, we regularly sensitize people to the need for intergenerational diversity and inclusivity for people with diverse physical needs.

We organize mental health workshops, health and wellness programs, and bias trainings with the goal of making people from minority groups feel cherished. In 2016 and 2020, we installed an elevator and a ramp respectively, in our building to accommodate people with special needs. Facilities like wide doorways and accessible parking spots can also greatly help. Flexible work hours and remote work arrangements go a long way in making both senior citizens and people with disabilities contribute their fullest. We also strive for diverse leadership representation whenever possible, to ensure that no underrepresented group feels left out.

When it comes to inclusive practices for senior citizens and people with special needs, the main challenge that we often encounter while working with our clients is a lack of awareness about the needs and abilities of these groups of people. Unconscious biases also come in the way of inclusion. Tackling these challenges is a continuous and a gradual process, and Avtar has been actively involved in this exercise for the last two decades.

Q. Increasing the presence of mothers and women with caregiving responsibilities in the Indian workplace requires more thought leaders like you. How do you intellectualize and institutionalize the budding Avtar team on this front?

Trainings and workshops on various topics under the broad DEI umbrella are an integral part of our employees’ work routine. We strive to make sure that Avtar’s staff across levels have a sound understanding of DEI subjects such as unconscious bias, cultural sensitivity, microaggression, and more. Avtar’s mid and senior level employees regularly represent our organization at various forums. This exposure has created a solid pool of DEI thought leaders at Avtar, who are charting their own course in the DEI space.

Q. To champion the cause of DEI, communicating effectively through media publicity, digital, and building connections in places lacking awareness, which media does Avtar use for their promotions? Would going viral with an ad campaign on DEI be a good idea?

At Avtar, we try to leverage various platforms for promotions, right from press releases, blogs, and virtual events to social media and email campaigns. This combined approach is critical for any brand/social cause. And yes, a viral ad campaign may be a good idea, but a standalone viral campaign is not sufficient. Raising awareness about DEI needs to be an ongoing process.

Q. Young mothers usually opt for part-time or freelancing jobs post-maternity break. They are generally not confident to return full-time to corporate life or take up jobs requiring travel. Even if a job is waiting for them, they are hesitant to join. Do you relate to this scenario? What would you advise a young mother in a dilemma of making a choice?

Of course. I have been in this situation. Getting back to full-time work is not easy for moms. But I would like to encourage moms to consider full-time work if a suitable role comes their way.

With a solid support system and an empathetic employer who provides enablers such as remote working and flexible work hours, it is possible for moms to pursue full-time work.

Often, moms give up on their professional dreams because they believe that there are insurmountable challenges such as childcare responsibilities and gender bias in the workplace. But let me assure every woman out there that these problems can be tackled if you openly communicate and seek help from your support structures at home and at work. That said, every mom’s situation is unique. So, if you are convinced that full-time work is going to cause undue stress for you – after analysing your situation thoroughly and exploring all avenues of support – go ahead and work part-time in the short term, till you are ready to take on full-time work.

Rapid-Fire:

A social entrepreneur is someone who: is a visionary and an innovator, who drives positive change and empowers marginalized communities through his/her organization
Travel around the world or the whole of India? Whole of India and a few selected places across the globe
Been there, done that. What’s next? Avtar has worked extensively in the space of DEI in the last 22 years. Now, we are expanding our focus to ESG, and hope to create meaningful environmental impact to help tackle the crisis of the hour – climate change.
Being a housewife is a full-time job. In your opinion? Absolutely. Housewives feel guilty and ashamed about asking for help from anyone to manage their home since they do not earn. So, they try to single-handedly run their house, which can be utterly exhausting.

One-Liners:

Raising your children to be: Empathetic, humble, and confident individuals
Online shopping is: A life-saver
I want to transform: Women’s mindsets regarding their own capabilities
To stay up to date, I invest in: Books and conversations

DREAMWEB INDIA IS GRATEFUL TO NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN FOR SPARING HER VALUABLE TIME WITH US FOR THIS INCREDIBLE INTERVIEW. WE WISH HER MANY OPPORTUNITIES AND POWER TO CARRY THEM OUT WITH SUCCESS.

About Author

Dr Saundarya Rajesh

Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Founder – President, Avtar Group is among India’s most prominent leaders in the space of women’s workforce participation. Avtar, the social enterprise founded by Dr. Saundarya, is India’s only organization that provides both strategy and implementation solutions in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Her work in creating careers for women in the Indian workplace, is unparalleled, for which she is referred to as “The Career Doctor”. Not only is she among the earliest and most impactful voices to speak, write and teach about gender inclusion, she has also helped hundreds of companies hire thousands of women professionals through Avtar’s work.

A powerful speaker, author, and a very sought-after DEI strategist, Dr Saundarya’s vision is to see young girls from underprivileged families create empowering white-collar careers for themselves. This she influences through Project Puthri.