Arundhuti Ghosh, Sr Director HR, Prozo speaks to India Employer Forum about AI in logistics, infant attrition, women’s safety at the workplace, finding skilled talent and more.
Q. Is your organisation facing challenges in finding qualified talent to meet its needs, and what strategies are being implemented to attract skilled talent in a competitive market?
Our organisation recognizes the competitive nature of the talent market and the importance of attracting skilled professionals to meet our needs. To ensure we continue to attract top talent, we are focusing on several strategies, including enhancing our employer brand, offering competitive compensation packages, and expanding our recruitment channels. Additionally, we are leveraging programs like the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and investing in employee development to build and retain a highly skilled workforce. These efforts are designed to help us remain competitive and meet our talent requirements effectively.
Q. Considering the male-dominated nature of logistics and warehousing companies, what targeted recruitment practices can be used to attract more women, and how can these efforts be enhanced to support their long-term career growth and development into leadership roles?
It is true that logistics and warehousing have historically been a male-dominated industry, however, recent trends have certainly shown more women entering the workforce. However, there is still a long way to be traversed, and a few of these challenges can be solved by making concerted efforts towards making the workplace safe and inclusive. Women’s safety at the workplace is of utmost importance and therefore implementation of strong safety measures to ensure a secure work environment should take precedence over any other intervention. Furthermore, since the industry has historically been male-dominant, certain unconscious biases tend to percolate across roles and individuals while hiring female staff for certain roles. Regular training sessions can help bridge this gap. Additionally, dedicated mentorship programs with senior leaders can help in guiding their career progression.
Q. During the festive months in India, consumer spending increases, leading to a heightened demand for workforce, particularly for temporary staffing. How does your organisation address the surge in temporary workforce during the peak season?
At Prozo, we forecast staffing needs based on previous trends and forward-looking projections from the clients to ensure timely preparation. Based on these, we collaborate with trusted staffing agencies to efficiently source and onboard temporary workers, maintaining quality and speed. We also offer incentives to retain skilled temporary workers throughout the season, ensuring consistency and operational efficiency.
Q. Infant attrition, where employees leave within a short period, typically within the first six months of joining, can pose significant challenges across industries. Is this an issue within your organisation, and what steps are being taken to ensure that new hires are effectively integrated and retained during these crucial early months?
At Prozo, we have managed to curb this with targeted programs such as a very comprehensive onboarding process, buddy support, regular check-ins and feedback along with employee engagement initiatives.
Q. AI in logistics is rapidly evolving and holds great potential to transform the way logistics and supply chain operations are managed and executed. What impact is this expected to have on the future workforce?
AI in logistics is poised to transform the workforce by automating routine tasks and optimising operations. In fact, at Prozo, our teams extensively leverage AI to enhance productivity and efficiency by 50-60%. Our advanced AI chatbot, ProPilot, exemplifies this transformation by providing precise insights, optimising operations, and supporting data-driven decision-making. The future workforce will increasingly collaborate with AI, using its insights to drive innovation and improve operations. Overall, AI will result in a more technologically skilled and strategically oriented workforce in logistics.
About Arundhuti Ghosh
Arundhuti Ghosh is working at Prozo as Senior Director of HR. An SHRM – SCP certified HR professional with a go-getter attitude having over 14 years of experience spanning the entire Employee Life Cycle, including Talent Acquisition, Pre-onboarding, Onboarding, Employee Relations and Grievances, Employee Engagement, Performance Management, Exit Management and HR transformation projects. Her past experiences include All India Federation, GuestHouser, RIVIGO and Citibank India.
