Prioritising employee well-being and leveraging digital adaptability, Mitun Chakraborty, Director of HR (Talent Management, L&D and DEI) at Carelon Global Solutions discusses new approaches to workforce dynamics, positioning themselves at the forefront of the evolving GCC landscape in this interview.
In the dynamic realm of health tech, Carelon Global Solutions emerges as a beacon of transformative change. With its roots tracing back to the US, the India-based centre of Carelon has grown exponentially, reflecting the nation’s potential in global healthcare transformations. Guiding this vision is Mitun Chakraborty, Director of HR (Talent Management, L&D and DEI), Carelon Global Solutions.
In conversation with All Things Talent, she touches on Carelon Global Solution’s unique HR ethos, its adaptability during the pandemic, and its foresight in the evolving landscape of GCCs. Read on to understand the synergy between global aspirations and local talents.
Could you share insights on Carelon Global Solutions’ journey and presence in India? How does the India team size compare with the global workforce?
As one of India’s rapidly expanding health tech global capability centres, Carelon Global Solutions has played a pivotal role in revolutionising insurance operations and tech services. Originating from the U.S.-based Carelon organisation, our India-based centre was established in 2017, to leverage the specialised talent from the region and drive global healthcare transformations. Within five years, our presence has amplified across cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Gurugram, and we now boast a robust team of over 18,000 associates. On the global front, we mark our presence in four other nations, bringing the total talent pool to 25,000 – of which a staggering 72% are based in India.
Could you highlight the primary facets of your HR policy in India?
People are central to our strategy at Carelon Global Solutions. We’ve fostered a culture that promotes inclusivity, engagement, and creativity. Our HR policies prioritise individual moments that make a difference throughout an employee’s journey at Carelon.
Advanced tech-enabled platforms guide their career paths, and our DEI programme, ‘Belong’, places emphasis on diversity, inclusiveness and equity. We have specific groups championing the rights and representation of PWD and LGBTQ+ individuals. Dedicated teams within our HR domain focus on diversity recruitment, collaborating with entities adept in this arena.
Our HR instruments are inclusive, allowing associates to indicate their gender, disability, sexual orientation, and more. Numerous engagement groups exist to showcase talents beyond professional capacities. Given our hybrid working model, we’ve introduced a virtual platform, actively engaged by over 10,000 associates, to foster camaraderie among peers. This space hosts various virtual activities, ensuring continuous interaction despite the hybrid work approach.
We firmly believe that diversity fosters innovation. Our commitment to equal opportunity hiring nurtures this diverse talent pool. All our workspaces are designed with inclusivity in mind, and our universally accessible resources echo this ethos.
The well-being of our associates is paramount. Our inclusive insurance policies address both the physical and mental needs of all, including the PWD and LGBTQAI+ groups.
In essence, our policies are designed to offer our associates a sense of purpose, growth, well-being, and belonging.
Also read: Breaking Barriers, Building Brands: How LGBTQ+ Inclusion Drives Employer Branding Success
The influx of global investments has spurred unprecedented growth and development for local talent. This growth trajectory is fueled by attracting industry-leading talent, upskilling, leadership development, and fostering innovation. Collaborations with global entities offer fresh graduates invaluable exposure to strategic projects, accelerating their career paths.
How do you attract and retain top talent in a competitive market?
A pivotal strategy is our investment in employee experiences, which has enhanced trust among our associates, directly benefiting areas like attrition and talent retention. We’ve cultivated a learning-focused environment at Carelon Global Solutions, empowering associates to leverage growth opportunities. Our Learning Academy offers tailored content for diverse learners and tech specialists. Collaborations with top academic institutions enable innovation and leadership growth, with internships spanning various departments. Our “Campus to Carelon” initiative equips graduates with a seamless transition into their roles. This commitment to development has led to improved survey scores and halved our attrition rates.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the operations and workforce dynamics at your company in India?
The pandemic-induced challenges ushered in a surge of digital transformations in the health insurance sector. This demanded an expansion in our hiring and skilling endeavours, readying for a post-pandemic age. By the end of 2021, our associate count reached 10,000, as we poured efforts into digital learning and skilling. Our workplace strategy also underwent evolution, leaning towards a holistic hybrid working model.
How does Carelon Global Solutions contribute to enhancing local talent and skills in India?
Tailoring our people initiatives to our Indian associates’ needs is crucial. We provide platforms like discussions tailored for Indian women and learning programmes for university graduates. We also place emphasis on soft skills and on fostering collaboration with global teams. Strategic councils, excellence centres, and practice communities further facilitate specialised talent development. Our CSR initiatives also align with NGOs to impart soft skills to young women.
Could you discuss the evolution of the GCC landscape in India and its driving factors?
The current GCC scenario in India is undergoing a significant transformation. Over recent years, Indian GCCs have transitioned from mere outposts to transformative hubs. India’s demographics, vast tech knowledge, and collaborative nature present an ideal environment for this evolution. Our burgeoning startup ecosystem aptly showcases the Indian mindset’s prowess, offering more than just cost advantages to global entities.
What are the sought-after skill sets and expertise within India’s GCCs?
India, rich in specialised talent across engineering, IT, and business process management, is also witnessing a burgeoning demand for cutting-edge technologies such as AI, RPA, and Blockchain, driving R&D initiatives from within its boundaries.
Given GCCs’ presence in India, how has the local employment landscape transformed?
The influx of global investments has spurred unprecedented growth and development for local talent. This growth trajectory is fueled by attracting industry-leading talent, upskilling, leadership development, and fostering innovation. Collaborations with global entities offer fresh graduates invaluable exposure to strategic projects, accelerating their career paths.
What future trends do you foresee for GCCs in India, and what strategies are Carelon Global Solutions employing to align with these?
The future of GCCs hinges on optimising human-machine collaborations. Moving up the value chain, GCCs will amplify their expertise in innovation, product development, and process optimisation. Carelon Global Solutions is fostering innovation and nurturing a culture of infinite possibilities, making it a hub for innovators, thinkers, and researchers.
About the expert: Mitun Chakraborty, Director of Human Resources specialising in L&D and DEI at Carelon Global Solutions, boasts over two decades of expertise in talent management, organisational development, learning and development, and DEI.
Registered name of the company & location: Carelon Global Solutions – Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Gurugram
Year of Incorporation: 2017 in Bengaluru, India
Number of employees: 18000+
Name of the key execs:
- Rajat Puri – Chief Operating Officer, Carelon and President, Carelon Global Solutions
- Mosur Saisekar, Chief Country Head, Carelon Global Solutions India
Business line: Carelon Global Solutions is a global services organization providing technology, processes, and operational solutions for healthcare’s most complex challenges.
CAGR of workforce growth: We have achieved a workforce growth CAGR of 319.7% in the last 5 years.
Key HR differentiating factor:
- 40% of our associates are women. We have a holistic diversity program called ‘Belong’ to oversee our diversity practices and improve the representation of diverse talent: Talent with disabilities, talent from LGBTQAI+ community, Veterans, economically weaker segments and others.
- We personalize learning for associates through AI-enabled platforms.
- Our office in Bengaluru is 90% run by renewable resources and we are working on implementing this across all our offices in India.
