It was a chilly morning on the 3rd Sunday of November 2017 in Mumbai. About twenty of us were huddled up in our classroom at TISS for a Pre-Placement Talk by Samsung Research. The talk was brief. The place seemed interesting but it was in Bangalore. I began to pack my bags and go home. I figured Bangalore may not be suitable for me and I knew nothing about tech. But my friend Strella prodded me to stay back and sit through the interviews. The two rounds of interview were intense. And the results were declared in the evening. Two candidates made through. Strella and I. My tryst with Samsung had begun.
A few months later, I lost my father. It was a big shock for us. College was coming to an end. I submitted the last of assignments, finished the government paperwork that follows death and got my affairs in order in preparation to relocate. With a promise to return soon, I boarded the flight to Bangalore in May 2018. Finding a house near Outer Ring Road was not that difficult back then and I soon began my new routine. I walked to work. I ate decent food. But most of all I immersed myself in the life and times of Samsung Research Institute, India, Bangalore (SRIB) – which was going to be my actual home for the next five years.
In my first year, I was entrusted with the responsibility of employee engagement and events. By design or by default, I don’t know; but the boundary conditions were undefined. And this is where we found an opportunity to expand our portfolio. With a clear direction and guidance from management and my boss, we made the entire landscape of employee experience our playground.
We organised fun events – Family Day, Annual Day, festivals (yes, including Diwali with Rangoli competition – on popular demand from employees), Sports events, and commemorative celebrations. But we didn’t stop there. We got the annual engagement survey under our purview and I got a taste of what employee listening really was all about.
We saw how systematically analysed feedback can translate into meaningful, impactful actions. We overhauled quarterly rewards and saw more clearly the link between rewards and performance. We organzied leadership meets and galvanised employee resource groups. The take away was simple – you are bound by the boundaries you create.
Working on events gave me a good overview of the organisation, its different departments and the people who led them. I established good working relationships with these groups. This helped me to come up with more complex projects and execute them with the trust and support of these key members.
I was then moved to the coveted HRBP role for two teams which worked on very advanced tech in camera and AI. Over the next four years, I worked closely with some of the smartest minds in the country. I started reading more about technology and latest trends. It was fascinating to support the cutting edge work being done here. Tech talent, as these folks are called in the HR world, is a different breed. Their motivation is not limited to financial rewards. Thirst for solving the big problems is what keeps the best of them going. This passion for excellence fuelled my energy levels and I became more deeply involved with the teams.
The beautiful thing about SRIB was that you could work across levels without any hesitation. The visibility with senior management was unparalleled. Which is why many senior folks outside of Samsung as well peers found it hard to believe that my projects had direct visibility to the CEO. The day-to-day interaction with leadership introduced me to strategic thinking and data driven decision making. Taking the right bets with limited data and signals is an art that many good leaders knew well. I experienced this first hand.
Apart from internships in college, I had never worked with an HR team. I have previously shared my learnings (here & here) of working in HR. But until now I have not spoken about working along with other HR folks. At SRIB, I was fortunate to have met and worked with some very passionate HR folks. Right from the leadership team – all seasoned professionals to my youthful teammates with boundless energy – I found a good mix of colleagues.
While there were many disagreements, we worked them out with the sole intention of raising the bar of employee experience. It was here that I also discovered the ways of finding a middle path, especially when conflicting motivations threatened to disrupt harmony. It was tricky to establish common ground but with a shared purpose it became possible.
Moreover, I had the freedom to explore and experiment. This made my time at SRIB more memorable. In the true spirit of an R&D institute that it is, I was encouraged to try out new things, fail, and try again. I learnt to fail fast and then pivot. This satiated my need for doing new things which also helped to refresh my routine every few months.
The leadership team even supported me during my attempts at UPSC exam. Having failed prelims four times while preparing for the exam exclusively, it was a personal achievement for me to crack the prelims twice with a job. Along with this, I was involved in campus recruitment for MBA hires, especially from my own Alma Mater. This was the highlight for me as it involved me going back to campus for recruitment. It was a pleasure to build an almost unbroken chain of TISSians from every batch since 2019.
But ultimately what mattered for me was the smell of the place. And this was defined by the friendships I made here. Relationships which were built on common wins and shared adversity. These friendships which spanned across SRIB made working here a treat. No matter how tough life became, I could fall back on them and be assured that we would get through it together. The endless banter and laughter on the floor made even gloomy days seem sunny and bright.
Life, I have always believed, is a journey. SRIB was a great pitstop, a bustling caravanserai. This is where I met many great co-travellers and we did memorable things together. It was here where I healed from personal loss and found solace in the company of work and my friends at work. But now with a heavy heart I must bid goodbye.
As I move onto an another adventure. I am very grateful to each one who has played a role in my time at SRIB. I will always cherish my memories here and treasure the love I received here. I learnt a great deal about technology, consumer behaviour, workplace dynamics, leadership, data analytics, and of course – All Things People. I will carry these learnings with me for a long time.
Until next time!
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Some pictures over the years
