Tech’s Hidden Heroine: Stories from the HR Superwoman
In the inspiring journey of Priyanka Mahajan, the fusion of tech prowess and a genuine love for people crafts a truly unique path.
The rule of life is that it doesn’t always follow a linear path. There are moments when the journey takes sharp turns and deviates from the supposedly established route, yet it still leads to a fulfilling life.
It’s common to assume that anyone graduating with a computer science degree naturally pursues a career in a related field, such as software engineering. However, Priyanka Mahajan, Senior Human Resources Manager at DKatalis Pune Hub, has a different story.
Upon completing her Computer Science degree, Priyanka embarked on her professional journey in tech companies across India. However, her roles were never that of a software engineer or anything tech-related. Instead, she specializes in Human Resources, focusing on building and managing teams that unlock their respective companies’ fullest potential. Her unique blend of strong interpersonal skills and a solid technical background brings a different color to the teams she is in.
We sat down with Priyanka to chat about being on the HR team in a tech company, how she leverages her technical knowledge to enhance her work, and her experience as part of the DKatalis team.
You have a Computer Science degree but always take on HR roles. Is that your passion? And does having technical knowledge help?
Priyanka Mahajan (PM): I have always been passionate about HR. I love talking to people, learning about their experiences, interacting with and understanding their viewpoints, and hearing their expectations from the organization. And when it has been fulfilled, I love to see the happiness on their faces.
And having technical knowledge really helps a lot, especially in finding the right talent with the right technical skills. I can, at least, help the talents in their first initial stages to see whether they are the right fit for the technology capabilities we are looking at.
What’s the exciting thing about being HR in a tech company?
PM: In tech companies, the talents are intelligent and behave differently. They think differently, and attracting them is incredibly challenging. Moreover, at that time, the tech industry was booming, and various companies in the market offered lots of tempting benefits. So attracting talented individuals was really challenging work for us.
You had experience working in various companies before finally joining DKatalis in 2019. What motivated that decision?
PM: All the companies I joined were already well-established. At DKatalis, I started the company right from scratch. I got the chance to work more on the operation side, such as having discussions with various kinds of partners, ensuring the organization complies with the regulations, and having discussions with different government officials. Those were all great experiences that I had with DKatalis.
There must have been many uncertainties back in 2019. There were also periods in 2022 when you had to manage the Pune Hub on your own. Could you share how you navigated through all these challenges?
PM: In 2019, the biggest challenges were registering the organization while onboarding new engineers to help us build the product. I got a lot of mentoring from the Pune Hub Head and our external partner at that time.
In June 2022, the Pune Hub didn’t have a Head of Tech Hub, and all the responsibilities fell on my shoulders. I was pretty tense for the first two months as I couldn’t understand what was happening. But I received a lot of help from other leaders to settle everything down. Some even came down to visit us, which was a good booster for me. With that help, I was able to hold on. But then, for the next few months, everything went very well. Today, I’m proud of myself that I did a good job.
That was impressive! And how is the current situation in the Pune Hub? Any new challenges?
PM: I can say that people are currently very pleased with the management. They engage us well and bring up all the issues or problems they face. It’s an extremely well-connected hub. You could say that we have a lot of fun here. We always go on an outing during each quarter; there’s always something planned, and we have a lot of fun with people.
However, people are hesitant to go to work because the majority of them have returned to their hometown and work from there. Some can even travel quite far from our Pune office. And since they are frequently preoccupied with work, connecting with them remotely can be difficult. If I call an engineer, they tell me, “Wait, I’m working on something.” So, I must reserve their time slot even for a five-minute conversation.
Nonetheless, we are well-connected remotely through weekly or monthly meetings with all team members.
Then, there are difficulties in acquiring talent. Finding the right talent has become more difficult as we have raised our standards. However, we have different strategies in place to meet this challenge. Then there’s the team’s diversity. It’s great that I manage a team of 20 men, but I do think we should hire more female talents. So whenever we start screening profiles, I make sure we have at least two or three women included.
With nearly 5 years of experience at DKatalis and all the challenges, do you feel a sense of personal growth? Could you share your favorite aspects of being a part of the team?
PM: The best part is that we prioritize our work rather than simply working on deadlines. The organization is employee-centric rather than management-centric. DKatalis also offers excellent benefits and opportunities for individuals to enjoy their personal lives. That makes them very happy at work, and as a result, they do an excellent job. So that’s something I really appreciate about DKatalis. It’s an enjoyable place where I can enjoy my work and be free to do things my way while learning new things and growing personally.
I learned a lot during my 5 years. If I look back at where I was, I have exponentially grown up, even personally. I am more exposed globally and can connect with and discuss with people from all over Singapore and Jakarta. They’re extremely helpful, and every conversation expands my knowledge.
Share with us a day in your life as a Senior HR Manager at DKatalis Pune Hub!
PM: My days usually begin with follow-ups for pending payments or compliance matters. Then, I proceed with the HR team daily, connecting with my team at around 11, discussing where to go and what strategies to employ. Then, in the afternoon, I deal with recruitment and continue processing more financial matters. I close the day by, catching up with my team members and engineers in the office.
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