Trichi Chawla | Sr. HR Manager (Change Management Lead) | PepsiCo India

Seeking versatility of experiences, building strong relationships and pursuing excellence in everything that she does are the core themes that define Trichi Chawla. Prior to managing large, complex roles which helped her gain rich experiences in sales HR, IR and change management, she has also won sporting accolades at national level.

“An intense drive for excellence by giving my all to whatever I do, while passionately upholding the relationships and bonds with everyone who has been a part of my journey, is what describes me best. I actively seek diversity of experiences and value holistic development, personally and professionally,” Trichi Chawla, Sr. HR Manager (Change Management Lead), PepsiCo India

While in her formative years she excelled both academically and at sports, winning national and state honours in chess and swimming, during her 5-year career so far with PepsiCo, she has delivered in varied HR roles from sales to plant to critical large-scale transformation assignments. When away from work, she enjoys reading, watching sports and spending time with family and close friends.

HR professionals add value not only to business but also to individuals

Trichi believes that just like in sport, businesses succeed when the best players play as a winning team. It is the HR function that helps this team perform to the best of its ability – from hiring the best talent, developing them, building the right culture, motivating, rewarding and retaining the right talent. HR professionals add value not only to business but also to the individual themselves by bringing out the best in them. These beliefs when she chose to enter the field of HR five years back, have been strengthened with my experiences as an HR professional.

Result orientation, versatility with the ability to strike a balance and strong interpersonal skills are strengths that helped her consistently perform well. She works on the key pillars of setting the agenda, taking others with her and delivering results the right way. As a chess player, she has picked up the quality of integrated thinking which enables her to look at the big picture, understand interdependencies, assess possible scenarios and prioritize between alternatives.

Key talent priority: Bringing about a fundamental shift in culture and mindset to embrace change

In the face of shifting social, political, regulatory and technological paradigms, as well as changing demographics, consumer preferences and evolving business models, it is imperative for organizations as well as individuals to have high adaptability in order to stay relevant and be future-ready. Bringing about a fundamental shift in culture and mindset to embrace change, view it as an opportunity and enable talent and businesses to succeed through re-skilling and upskilling is her key priority for the future.

Let’s read what Trichi has in mind for the HR’s growth in the future.

The one thing I will change in HR

I believe there is a large opportunity to create a more data driven HR function by effectively using the vast amount of data being generated in real-time to get insights about business needs, convert these insights to practical solutions, and measure the impact of these decisions through business relevant metrics.

The one thing I will retain in HR

I would like to retain the human touch and the ability to strike a balance between the mind and the heart in every interaction and every decision. HR is also well-placed to know the pulse of the organization and leverage these inputs for better decision-making.

Vision for HR's future growth

I believe that the HR function would focus on three key elements:

• Adaptability to External environment and changes – aligning HR strategy in line with business strategy to manage the disruption as a result of the shifting social, political, regulatory and technological paradigms, as well as changing demographics, consumer preferences and evolving business models.
• Managing talent in the context of the changing landscape – availability, leadership capability, productivity, engagement, development and retention.
• Building a winning culture – that is purpose-driven, consumer-centric, collaborative, with a growth and winning mindset, and more diverse and inclusive.