Workforce 2.0: How GCCs in emerging cities like Pune are redefining leadership through inclusion
Does the key to unlocking your organisation’s next phase of growth lies not in technology or capital—but in a more inclusive, family-friendly workforce strategy? This is the question forward-thinking leaders are beginning to ask as Global Capability Centres (GCCs) expand into emerging hubs like Pune, Coimbatore, and Kochi. In these cities, a quiet revolution is taking place—reshaping how we define leadership, business resilience, and sustainable growth. These centres are no longer just back-end operations; they’re becoming blueprints for inclusive, human-centric innovation. At the core of this transformation is a powerful shift: women entering, staying and rising in the workforce like never before.
In a dynamic panel discussion titled ‘The Empowered Ascent: How GCCs in Emerging Hubs are Fueling Women’s Workforce Participation’, at People Matters SurgeHR conference’s first edition held recently at Pune, Nidhi Dhanju, Head HR, Michelin; Archana Srivastava, Head HR, India, TE Connectivity and Shruti Madhavan, Head - Revenue, KLAY came together to explore the intersection of gender equity, business growth, and human-centred innovation in GCCs located in emerging cities. Moderated by Pallavi Verma, Senior Editor at People Matters, the conversation unpacked how GCCs are not just employers but ecosystem builders—especially when it comes to enabling more women to enter, remain and thrive in the workforce.
Emerging hubs: The new frontier for inclusion
The conversation opened with a focus on why emerging cities offer a unique opportunity to reimagine inclusive workplaces. According to Nidhi Dhanju, Head of HR at Michelin, the company’s Pune centre represents a deliberate effort to avoid copy-pasting corporate strategies from headquarters. “We’re designing policies and systems that reflect local realities,” she said. “This includes safe and reliable transport, accessible childcare, flexible work sand infrastructure that respects the needs of both men and women.”
This localisation of policies is especially relevant in cities where commuting time, safety, and access to care work infrastructure (such as daycare and healthcare) can pose real barriers to women's employment. For Michelin, embedding these considerations early in the development of their Pune GCC has led to more inclusive hiring and higher retention.
Archana Srivastava, Head of HR, India at TE Connectivity, echoed this sentiment, noting that emerging hubs offer a ‘greenfield advantage’. “We’re not constrained by legacy processes or dated mindsets. In fact, we have the chance to build diversity and inclusion into the foundation of the workplace,” she said. This includes flexible work arrangements, inclusive recruitment practices, returnship programs for women coming back from career breaks, and setting up mechanisms for psychological safety.
What makes these emerging hubs stand out is their capacity to challenge and bypass historical biases that tend to be more entrenched in traditional corporate centres. In short, the absence of legacy becomes a catalyst for innovation.
Family-centric policies: Attracting and retaining talent
One of the most powerful themes of the session was the shift from viewing policies like maternity leave or childcare support as perks to recognising them as critical enablers of workforce continuity and business performance.
Shruti Madhavan, Head of Revenue at KLAY, offered a holistic view on the matter. “Women in India often shoulder disproportionate caregiving responsibilities—be it for children, parents, or in-laws. If employers don’t take that into account, they’re excluding a huge segment of capable, qualified professionals,” she explained.
KLAY, which partners with many GCCs to provide on-site and near-site childcare services, has seen firsthand how the presence of supportive childcare correlates with reduced attrition and improved focus at work. “It’s not just about physical proximity of daycare—it’s about peace of mind,” Shruti emphasised.
The panel also discussed how care responsibilities have become gender-neutral in many modern households, and how employers need to reflect that change in their policies. Programs like shared parental leave, caregiver support for elderly family members, and flexible hours not only support women but also promote a more equitable distribution of responsibilities at home.
Both TE Connectivity and Michelin have made conscious efforts to embed family-centric benefits into the employee experience, including extended maternity support, wellness services, remote work options, and childcare tie-ups. Nidhi described this as creating ‘sustainable participation’—not just enabling women to enter the workforce, but ensuring they can grow, evolve, and lead within it.
Also Read: Why skills are the new currency: LinkedIn’s Jyoti Dadlani breaks it down
Challenging bias, one manager at a time
Despite progressive policies, one of the most persistent barriers remains unconscious bias—especially during hiring, performance reviews, and promotions. The panellists spoke candidly about the challenges of implementation.
“Many organisations have beautiful D&I policies on paper,” Archana Srivastava noted, “but they fall short because the execution is left to individual managers—some of whom may carry inherent biases.”
To tackle this, TE Connectivity has instituted structured training for managers, consistent monitoring, and accountability frameworks to ensure fairness in decision-making. She also highlighted reverse mentoring as an effective practice, where younger, often more inclusive-minded employees mentor senior leaders to help them understand new realities.
Michelin, meanwhile, uses Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and storytelling platforms to normalise diverse narratives, including second careers, non-linear growth paths, and working mothers in leadership roles. “We find that the more we showcase real stories, the more our people connect with the idea of inclusion,” said Nidhi Dhanju.
Shruti Madhavan added that true inclusion goes beyond gender; it involves engaging men in the conversation as allies. “At KLAY, we run joint parenting workshops because the goal is to shift societal norms, not just workplace dynamics. The more we include fathers, the more we normalise care work as a shared responsibility.”
Women as growth catalysts in GCCs
A recurring insight was that women’s participation is not just a social responsibility—it’s a business strategy. “Diverse teams make better decisions. Period,” said Nidhi. “And when you’re building a new centre in an emerging hub, why would you settle for anything less than the best minds—regardless of gender?”
Indeed, GCCs that proactively integrate inclusion into their business models report stronger innovation metrics, better problem-solving, and deeper local impact. The panel highlighted how this approach leads to higher retention, greater loyalty, and a more resilient organisational culture.
Madhavan also touched upon the larger ecosystem impact.
“When a woman enters the workforce, the whole family dynamic changes. Children grow up with different aspirations, household incomes rise and communities evolve. The ripple effect is tremendous.”
The road ahead: Building inclusive ecosystems
As GCCs continue to expand into India’s emerging cities, they are not just creating jobs—they are crafting ecosystems of opportunity. By embedding inclusive leadership, family-centric policies, and community-rooted strategies into their core, these centres are setting a new gold standard for growth. The empowered ascent of women in these hubs isn’t a trend. It’s a transformation—and it’s one that every forward-thinking leader should be paying attention to.
The panel concluded with a powerful reflection: GCCs, especially in emerging hubs, have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset the norms of corporate India. They are not burdened by legacy; instead, they are driven by agility, purpose, and global exposure. This makes them uniquely positioned to lead the charge on gender equity and inclusive growth.
“Emerging hubs aren’t playing catch-up—they’re leapfrogging,” Archana summarised. “If we embed inclusion from Day 1, we’re not just building a better workplace—we’re building an ecosystem that works for everyone.”
The lesson for leadership is clear: when you invest in women, you don’t just diversify your workforce—you future-proof your business. By embedding inclusive leadership, family-centric policies, and community-rooted strategies into their core, these GCC’s are setting a new gold standard for growth.
Lastly, as the discussion wrapped up, one thing was clear: the empowered ascent of women in emerging GCCs is not an isolated HR initiative—it is a collective, strategic movement that has the potential to shape the future of work, society, and leadership in India.
Also Read: Welcome to the age of 10x: How talent, technology and mindset are powering India's next growth wave