Business Strategy

CEO Preeti Bajaj’s strategy for modernising Luminous: Open offices, bold movements

“Basic HR functions like compliance, payroll management and employee administration have now become a rule everywhere. The bigger opportunity

CEO Preeti Bajaj’s strategy for modernising Luminous: Open offices, bold movements

“Basic HR functions like compliance, payroll management and employee administration have now become a rule everywhere. The bigger opportunity lies beyond these basics. If given the opportunity to consider what aren’t even questions yet, HR leaders may just step into a more strategic role,” told ETHRWorld Luminous Power Technologies CEO.

When three years back Preeti Bajaj took over as the Chief Executive Officer of the Gurugram-headquartered Luminous Power Technologies, she felt astonished at seeing her office. According to Bajaj, it was large and utterly unnecessary for a CXO who is usually out for work-related assignments.

Yet, the marketing team lent enough reasons to convince Bajaj that the office should stay, provided it epitomized a transparent culture. The old brown drapes used to be drawn in front were dispensed with so that the employee on the other side could always see if the CEO was in the office working!

The second experiment Bajaj took was to redesign the office for the new generation. The Gen Z working in software, hardware, and firmware communicated their likes loud and clear: Traditional office setups appeared out of date. Instead, they needed an open floor plan with a retro jukebox.

“We made changes accordingly, keeping within the budget constraints of the company. The whole floor is devoted to R&D, housing mostly Gen Z young people, and the results have been fascinating. Even the ones who initially had to be in executive offices now appreciate the open space layout and are lobbying for it,” Bajaj told ‘CEO Chronicles’ while speaking to ETHRWorld.

Bajaj elaborated on a multitude of topics on how the CEO’s office is driving the people’s agenda through HR in preparing the energy brand for disruption ahead.


How did you feel working with small and big operations across Australia and now in India?

From my experience of running companies from startup to large operations, it is fundamentally the same from the people’s perspective around the world. Whether in Australia or in India, they will always be looking for encouragement, reassurance, and confidence for future prospects. This need crosses territorial boundaries.

However, another perspective here is the zeal to perform in India. While every country I have worked with has ambition and drive, the degree and pace of growth anticipated here simply can have no parallel. Underneath this is India’s youthful demographic, the world’s youngest. You are struck by how young and alive the trillions are when you land coming from richer economies.

One big difference that I have noticed since my early days in India is that the current youth have access to digital technology with rapidity, lower-cost airfare alternatives, and global educational provisions. What once was a luxury or venture is now commonplace. It is this access that drives the imagination; actually, they see themselves one considerable step beyond India and pose the question: Where do I fit into the global community? 

What are your expectations from the HR function? 

We have seen tools like eNPS, but they rarely give a complete representation. Although these metrics are useful, they do not always reflect the deeper connections that tie engagement to productivity and business outcomes.

A basic HR-functioning foundation encompasses processes like compliance, payroll, and employee management; most companies can perform these functions. But that is just the foundational work. It is a matter of HR leaders stepping away from being visibly concerned with the basics and being strategic about questions like:

  • Is there a causal link between profit, employee engagement scores, and productivity? 
  • If not, can HR’s knowledge help establish and strengthen that link toward more business success? 

How might HR create compelling narratives with data that touch on some sensitive angles, such as return on investment on training or recruitment or divesting non-performers? It is a very interesting and impactful conversation to have. Thank you for keeping it interesting, though; that’s the main thing. These require a delicate balance between, say, statistical analysis and emotional intelligence. This truly applies in this AI-led age when both data and all that is human-centric have an equal stake.

HR has an incredible opportunity to move beyond classic limitations and become a driving force in linking people strategies to measurable business success.

What would be your area of focus towards driving the agenda of people? 

In thought, people’s priorities must first be captured in what is being done by the business and understood in the context of what the company hopes to achieve in the market. A CEO looks at this from four important angles, culture, competence, capability, and compliance.

In the past three years, Luminous has morphed from what we feel proud to consider a power backup company- to an empirical firm. As part of its transformation, a mega 500-megawatt solar-panel-manufacturing plant was set up ground up. The shift has necessitated a change in the culture.

 
Over the past three years, Luminous has pivoted its journey from being solely a power backup company lace are immensely proud of- to becoming a full-fledged company. A key milestone in this transformation is the establishment of a 500-megawatt solar panel manufacturing plant, built from scratch. This transformation required a significant cultural shift.

We have evolved from managers to builders of businesses. Today, it is not merely about managing risks; rather, it is also about taking calculated risks in bringing business into a new category. The fabric of culture that further supports this journey includes an entrepreneurial spirit, openness to learning, reiteration, and agility. 

Undoubtedly, this journey has not been easy; at times, it has been almost tedious; yet, on the other hand, it is very exhilarating. This needs a dynamic culture that embraces experimentation, resilience, and foresight-culture of business builders committed to creating a future of energy solutions. 

In your opinion, has the CEO’s office got advantages when it comes to an understanding of employees’ issues? 

When it comes to seeing the whole organisation, there are probably less than three or four roles at the C-level with this kind of privileged view: CEO, CHRO, and sometimes the CFO. It is not going to be a pure industry tool involving metrics but will directly connect employees with the business. In short, this makes it possible for HR to act in various directions concerning the union of people and business needs, whereby these are inextricably linked. 

While some organisations experiment with unconventional titles such as “Chief Happiness Officer,” I think happiness and engagement stem from the lived environment a leader creates. Leaders must therefore take accountability for establishing a positive, high-performing culture. It is not about downloading layers of responsibility or roles but ensuring current contemporary roles continue to create alignment between people, operations, and business strategies. 


How do you perceive the fear of artificial intelligence taking over jobs?

AI is not going to replace CEOs any time soon. Managing an organization involves complex decision-making, leadership, and human judgment that machines cannot mimic. What this, however, is forcing us to think about is what is essentially the enhancement of productivity within the organization.

The primary question becomes not whether we should use AI but how and when to use it, keeping in mind the organizational context. Our journey as a manufacturing and product development company, not chiefly a software company, has taken on a wider and longer trajectory with AI.

Our approach to AI is fundamentally to focus on productivity instead of just cost-cutting. Wherever we are seeing the opportunities for productivity improvement, we are experimenting, measuring what gives us the most benefit, and then learning from it. This process allows us to gradually introduce AI in a way that can create real improvements. 


Rapid fire round with CEO
(A) As a CEO, what keeps you up at night? 

Constant uncertainty.

(B) What other position would you like to assume for a day?

A Functional Role with All Team Members.

(C) If you were a CHRO, what would you do?

I would leverage both CEO and CHRO roles in one day to appreciate the critical challenges HR faces. This day will also give me a complete view of the HR function, thus enabling me to connect the people aspect of business numbers to the overall objectives of the organization.

(D) Who do you turn to in an emergency?

More often than not, the people’s side, HR. Whatever the emergency, I’d always touch base with HR. 

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