Preparing For The Future Of Work: Sundar Narayanan of Virtusa On The Top Five Trends To Watch In The Future Of Work

An Interview with Phil La Duke

Diversity for the right reasons. Building a diverse workforce to check a box is missing the point. As we build a more diverse workforce, we see a positive impact on the quality of work, productivity, and morale. We had an employee who decided to pause her career after having a child. At the time, her work obligations couldn’t be balanced with her priorities at home. Since the pandemic, she has come back to work while staying home with her family. The employee is happy and motivated, and we were able to bring back a top performer.

There have been major disruptions in recent years that promise to change the very nature of work. From the ongoing shifts caused by the COVID19 pandemic, the impacts caused by automation, and other possible disruptions to the status quo, many wonder what the future holds in terms of employment. For example, the McKinsey Global Institute report estimated that automation would eliminate 73 million jobs by 2030.

To address this open question, we reached out to successful leaders in business, government, and labor, as well as thought leaders, about the future of work to glean their insights and predictions on the future of work and the workplace.

As a part of this interview series called “Preparing For The Future Of Work,” we had the pleasure to interview Sundar Narayanan.

Sundararajan (Sundar) Narayanan is the chief people officer at Virtusa Corporation. In this role, he oversees talent acquisition, talent management, leadership development, and global immigration. Sundar has over 23 years of experience in human resources and related disciplines in the information technology industry. He has held senior leadership positions in international companies, including compensation & benefits, training, leadership development, employee relationship management, recruitment, and business HR facilitation.

Sundar holds a BE in Computer Science from the University of Madras and global certifications in HR.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers like to get an idea of who you are and where you came from. Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where do you come from? What are the life experiences that most shaped your current self?

Preparing and guiding employees for a career of change and challenge is a personal and professional pursuit. I have spent over two decades in training and leadership development in HR functions. My computer science background and international perspective blend well with discussions of the shifting value of human capital in today’s business.

My immersion in the technology industry has been especially valuable because I can speak to the role of diverse and merging skill sets. With organizations challenged to run faster, fairer, and smarter, the future of work is heavily dependent on technology — and having that background has played to my advantage.

I have an engineering background, and it would not be an exaggeration to say the HR profession chose me instead of the other way round. My desire to do something purposeful in my career drove me to explore many avenues. When the mind is focused, the universe aligns. That is what happened to me: with well-chosen organizations, informed decision making, and great mentors, I landed the most gratifying job at Virtusa, building careers and adding value and purpose to our company and employees.

Having an engineering mind and a heart in humanities proved to be a winning combination. I understand the industry from a technology aspect and utilize that to build HR and people strategies. That vision helps us stay relevant and ahead of the game.

What do you expect to be the major disruptions for employers in the next 10–15 years? How should employers pivot to adapt to these disruptions?

The most significant disruption facing us is the rapid shifts in employee expectations. While compensation will always be an essential factor, we’re seeing candidates looking for a strong employer brand, a company with purpose, and an organization they would be proud to work for. They also want to develop new skills, advance their careers, have a better work-life balance and flexibility. This, in turn, will present new and exciting challenges. Skilled workers will be presented with many choices.

I see new, emerging global salary models based on skill proficiency rather than geographic location. Operating margins will be wide enough in mature markets to positively impact hiring talent in emerging countries and open opportunities to a more diverse candidate pool.

The data indicate that the median time to hire has gone down by more than 50%, but we see a steep increase of approximately 200% in the cost-to-hire. Companies can hire faster, but it costs much more. Potential employees are becoming harder negotiators in selling their skills to the highest bidder. With learning and upskilling now digital and the gig force becoming the new-age workforce, employers must focus on what they have that is uniquely valuable to candidates — and how they can retain talent after they hire them.

I foresee a long-term trend toward a heavily disruptive marketplace triggered by the digitization of the business world and the “new-age way” of building an energized, healthy and motivated workforce.

Despite the doom and gloom predictions, there are, and likely still will be, jobs available. How do you see job seekers having to change their approaches to finding not only employment but employment that fits their talents and interests?

Job seekers are in the driver’s seat, which is a beautiful thing. It pushes corporations to think, and more importantly, act differently. The old approach was a job seeker selling him or herself to the employer. Moving forward, the candidate will be researching what it’s like to work for the company, what training and career growth looks like, benefits, and focus on wellness.

At the same time, job seekers want to work on projects that matter — to the company’s bottom-line, impact on the client, and benefits to society at large. They want to apply their skills, experience, and passion in life to the work they do each day. So, a simple “job description” isn’t what they’re looking for. They want to understand the employee experience, and that starts with the first time the job seeker starts learning about your brand.

I firmly believe that if you can understand and apply these principles, then success awaits you.

When you follow your dreams and passion, success and a sense of fulfillment are within your reach — although it takes time and dedication. It’s essential to become aware of your strengths, limitations, and personal (life) priorities. Work for a company that you believe in and one that believes in you. This is where culture, management, and leadership become so crucial in attracting and retaining top talent.

As a job seeker in today’s competitive environment, think about establishing your brand. Showcase your creative, insightful, and empathetic abilities with solid work ethics, and your brand will be a magnet for opportunities.

The statistics of artificial intelligence and automation eliminating millions of jobs appear frightening to some. For example, Walmart aims to eliminate cashiers and Dominos is instituting pizza delivery via driverless vehicles. How should people plan their careers such that they can hedge their bets against being replaced by automation or robots?

We live with machines in all aspects of our lives now, not just work. Even as technology improves, there will always be a need for human interaction. While more routine tasks are being automated, we see our employees and clients take on higher-value work.

Given the rise of automation and AI, there will be demand for people who know AI and automation. Machine learning, big data, and artificial intelligence jobs are already in high demand and will be for the foreseeable future. Beyond AI, we’ll still need city planners, civil engineers, architects, and more with human sensibilities.

Even with the more traditional IT roles, we see a promising future and career path ahead. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that there will be a 9% increase in the number of computer systems analysts by 2028, a rate higher than for most occupations.

The best hedge against obsolescence, whether by another person, a machine, or just time itself, is continuous learning and adapting.

Technological advances and pandemic restrictions hastened the move to working from home. Do you see this trend continuing? Why or why not?

I do see this trend continuing as an opportunity — access to global talent without borders.

With location no longer being a constraint, the talent pool grows. By offering a work-life balance and flexibility, organizations will attract and retain more diverse and productive employees. The COVID-19 pandemic and the continued disruption it is causing our economies and marketplaces has forced enterprises to think outside the box to survive and sustain. This mentality has led to more agile and adaptive operations and teams, and I expect this momentum to continue as the hybrid work models evolve and adapt over time.

What societal changes do you foresee as necessary to support the fundamental changes to work?

The past 18+ months have changed our priorities, life goals, and relationships with work. Empathy rises to the top regarding how businesses need to approach employees, clients, and partners. Diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t just a buzz phrase; it needs to be at the heart of what we do, how we act, and who we are as an organization.

What changes do you think will be the most difficult for employers to accept?

The need to be fully transparent is difficult for some employers to embrace. It doesn’t come naturally for many, as these are things we didn’t talk about publicly in the past. With the rise of social media and the blurring lines between business and societal issues, enterprises need to be transparent with employees, clients, partners, shareholders, and the public.

What changes do you think will be the most difficult for employees to accept?

Uncertainty is always the hardest thing to accept, but it’s a new reality in today’s markets. Of course, how uncertainty is dealt with depends upon the person, but usually, employees are comfortable with a degree of stability. We will not all become gig workers in the new economy, but we will have to be flexible about career choices and be willing to adapt and change.

The COVID-19 pandemic helped highlight the inadequate social safety net that many workers at all pay levels have. Is this something that you think should be addressed? In your opinion, how should this be addressed?

The pandemic highlighted the positive role a business entity or corporation can play in the employee’s life, family, environment, support staff, and others close to them. It showed that if a corporation was willing, it could positively impact lives during times of great crisis. At Virtusa, we initiated several initiatives to provide employees with as much support as possible during a crisis — including a 24/7 CRISIS helpline and more flexible work options.

In a crisis like the pandemic, we all need to pull together and help. So we encourage every employee to invest in the health and well-being of themselves, their families, and their colleagues.

Despite all that we have said earlier, what is your most significant source of optimism about the future of work?

I’m very optimistic about the opportunity to influence the future of work to better employees and employers. While things are changing faster than anyone ever expected, we have a chance to improve the way we work and how we feel about our careers. Rather than looking back on the past 18 months, we need to use it to our advantage and embrace change.

Historically, significant disruptions to the status quo in employment, particularly disruptions that result in fewer jobs, are temporary, with new jobs replacing the jobs lost. Unfortunately, there has often been a gap between job losses and the growth of new jobs. What do you think we can do to reduce the length of this gap?

It depends on where you look and the demand for new skills. A recent report predicts the number of workers with digital skills in India needs to increase 9X by 2025. To address the gap, we need to develop technical skills and provide opportunities to put those skills to good use. We will continue to invest heavily in the human capital of our employees so that each person can seize opportunities as they emerge.

Okay, wonderful. Here is the central question of our interview. What are your “Top 5 Trends To Watch In the Future of Work?” (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. We are who we work for. The company we work for means as much as the type of work we do. We’re starting to see job seekers probing at who we are, what we stand for, and what it’s like to work here. They want to see and hear first-hand from current employees.
2. Technology is our friend, not our enemy. AI/ML is still in an early stage, and many improvements are on the way. Rather than worrying about computers replacing humans, we need to focus on how employees can use these technologies better at their job. For example, with AI being used to test drugs, this information can be used to inform strategic decisions and new medical insights better.
3. Change the way we (remote) work. There are many benefits of a remote workforce. But it also presents some new challenges — including cybersecurity exposures and the need for collaboration. Working at home does not need to equate to working alone. Businesses need to encourage the use of new tools and a strong culture of collaboration and team.
4. Learning is growing. The employees you want to retain are hungry for learning and development. This can be informal; using a project to learn a new version of code. Or, more formally, the employee can work toward more certifications or degrees. This is no longer optional; employees demand it.
5. Diversity for the right reasons. Building a diverse workforce to check a box is missing the point. As we build a more diverse workforce, we see a positive impact on the quality of work, productivity, and morale. We had an employee who decided to pause her career after having a child. At the time, her work obligations couldn’t be balanced with her priorities at home. Since the pandemic, she has come back to work while staying home with her family. The employee is happy and motivated, and we were able to bring back a top performer.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how this quote has shaped your perspective?

“Stay resilient and believe in yourself.” There may be unexpected twists and turns in your career path, but you continue to carry your experience, knowledge, and perspectives from one opportunity to the next. You are as relevant and vital as you believe yourself to be. Create value and follow your passion relentlessly. Success is bound to follow. Practice mindfulness and think carefully about your future course of action to enable your plans and bring them to life.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world or the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might see this if we tag them.

I am an avid reader, and a recent book that inspired me was “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama. His humility and approach to life, work, and the world are so authentic and genuine. The scope of the content is overwhelming.

Our readers often like to follow our interview subjects’ careers. How can they further follow your work online?

That’s great! Please follow me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sundararajan-narayanan-a614939/ .

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success and good health.