HRD Forum of Vidarbha Industries Association (VIA) recently organised a webinar on ‘How HR can foster empowerment in COVID-19?” recently on the zoom platform.

The guest speaker, Brenda Mendes, having more than 40 years of professional experience working with the stalwarts of Indian industry said, “Empowerment of employees is need of the hour. Empowerment is giving power and responsibility to employees to do more, be more and succeed more

at the workplace. The pandemic has changed the way we look at work and life.”

Elaborating on the role of Human Resource (HR), Mendes said, “The role of HR has undergone a pivotal change and has been aligned to business strategy. HR should constantly reinvent, redesign, reframe and reimagine. How HR handles employee experience will

determine company’s reputa-tion for years.”

She briefed about how HR can foster employee empowerment by adopting the ‘TEA Formula’.

She explained TEA Formula, which means 3-Ts indicate values for truth, transparency and teamwork. She said the 5-Es indicates empathise, enhance, enable, engage and eagerness to improve physical, mental and workplace well-being. The 7-As signifies upgrading skills and capability development, career progression and recruitment, drive culture, involve employees in decision making, entrust employees with new responsibilities, show appreciation and give individualised support, time and space for team bonding.

Earlier, Hemant Lodha, Chairman of VIA HRD Forum said, “Empowerment is only possible, when we can help employee to achieve their goals or target. It also means to help them to achieve their success and the present COVID-19 situation. We were not tuned to work from home or work from a distant location. Empowering the employees is required to achieve the business goal.”

Suresh Pandilwar, Co-Chairman of VIA HRD Forum informed about the forthcoming events of the forum. Neelam Bowade, Convenor of HRD Forum moderated the Q&A

session. Aditya Saraf, Vice President of VIA proposed the vote of thanks.

Prominently present were Prof Ashit Sinha, Mentor HRD Forum and Anita Rao, Joint Secretary, VIA. A large number of HR professionals and industrialists joined the session.