What happens when Gen Z doesn’t just join an organisation but starts shaping it within 18 months? In this conversation, Subnesh Sharma shares how VVDN is rethinking EVP as a lived and evolving experience rather than a static promise. From giving young engineers exposure to the CTO’s office to enabling them to mentor, interview and question traditional structures, the approach is intentionally skill-driven and purpose-led. He reflects on the shelf-life of skills, the demand for transparency and a future where employees might even choose their reporting managers. At its core, this is a conversation about ownership and what it truly means to let the next generation architect their own careers.
VVDN operates at the intersection of hardware, software, and product engineering, a space that is less glamorous than pure-play tech. How do you translate this complexity into an EVP that resonates with first-time job seekers?
Yes, coming from an electronics and hardware-savvy industry, it is definitely less glamorous than a pure software company — I’m 100% aligned with that.
For first-time job seekers, especially Gen Z, the hesitation starts at first glance. The moment they see it’s not purely software, that they’ll work with machines, hardware, and floor discipline, it feels difficult to digest. There’s structure, there’s rigour, and it doesn’t look like the typical tech campus story.
But once they understand our value proposition, the perception changes.
We tell them something very simple: whatever they want to see in their hands, they can actually create, innovate, and produce here — and eventually the world will hold it. That’s why our motto is clear: we create, we innovate, we produce – #WeMakeItHappen.
When they see how software talks to hardware, how hardware integrates with mechanical systems, and how all three bring a heartbeat to a product, it becomes mesmerising. They move from just coding to true creation. They’re not writing code in isolation but are contributing to something tangible.
The transformation happens the moment they step onto the floor. When they see how a server, laptop or surveillance camera is actually built, how layers integrate, how testing validates, how assembly brings it alive, it becomes real. Giving birth to a product is a different experience altogether.
Another strong element of our EVP is granularity. Freshers can get their hands dirty — from architecture to execution. We are known for incubation and innovation. A graduate who may only have studied silicon theory in college suddenly works on chips, mounting, application layers, and sees how that evolves into a finished product. That end-to-end exposure is rare.
When they see something they worked on moving down the production line and getting shipped to customers, it gives them a dopamine experience. It boosts morale because the impact is visible.
It also future-proofs their career. Even if they start small, once they understand the entire ecosystem, their career security increases significantly. It’s not just a job; it’s long-term capability building.
And because visualisation matters, we often use time-lapse videos to show the journey — from scratch to finished product. Once they see the full lifecycle, everything connects.
So yes, it may look less glamorous at first. But once Gen Z experiences how a product gets its heartbeat, and realises they are part of that journey, the engagement becomes very deep.
When Gen Z hires join VVDN, what parts of the culture or leadership style tend to stand out to them most — sometimes even more than what was communicated during hiring?
One of the most important things they experience, not because we tell them but because they see it on the shop floor, is that the heavy lifters work alongside them. Our architects, senior vice presidents, vice presidents, and even the founder are directly involved in solving hardware, software or mechanical challenges.
Imagine a 22 or 23-year-old walking onto the shop floor and realising that a senior vice president is sitting across the table, brainstorming the same issue. That changes everything. Their learning curve accelerates. Confidence builds. Trust develops naturally. It becomes a lifelong memory for them. Leadership is not just spoken about in forums. It is visible.
Access to technocrats is immediate. If there is a hiccup that must be fixed before time, leaders are available. We also operate with what is commonly known as a war room approach. This is quite common in the EMS industry, especially where software, hardware and mechanical teams work together. Until the problem is solved, nobody leaves.
What stands out for Gen Z is the level of collaboration. Everyone sits across the table and works on a single scenario or a single bug. It is very different from a pure software environment where an individual contributor writes code independently. Here, coders, hardware designers, mechanical engineers and even supply chain specialists collaborate. The supply chain team must ensure that materials meet required parameters. So every dimension is connected.
They see leaders involved directly. They see collaboration in action. Confidence goes up significantly. Trust is built through shared problem-solving.
Another principle they often hear from leadership is simple: fail fast, but fix it. That mindset is critical. When you write code, you can roll back to a previous version. When you are working on a PCB, there is no easy rollback. The stakes are different. That reality shapes both accountability and learning.
This lived leadership experience often leaves a stronger impression than anything communicated during hiring.
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In multi-functional organisations, learning opportunities are unevenly distributed. How do you prevent EVP from overpromising growth that depends heavily on role or manager context?
Across the globe, progression is usually linear. You spend two or three years in a role, move to the next level, and continue step by step. That is the standard model.
In our environment, where people sit across the table to solve real problems together, sustaining EVP in the traditional sense is not simple. However, the opportunities offered to Gen Z are equally available. What we experienced in our time, we are now offering to the next generation.
The first differentiator is visibility. From day one, they are part of a product team where everyone participates and contributes. Their work is visible immediately. They do not feel that their effort is partial or limited to one stage of a linear ladder. Instead, they experience the full ecosystem. It becomes a complete package rather than a phased progression.
Decision-making is also more inclusive. It is not about someone with seven or eight years of experience dismissing a younger voice. A 21 or 22-year-old can bring innovation to the table and be respected for it. That openness allows us to identify capability and fitment quickly.
Yes, learning may be unevenly distributed across functions, but when leaders are directly involved in forums and discussions, visibility increases. We can clearly see who is contributing and at what level. That transparency protects the employee value proposition.
Feedback is immediate. It does not wait for an annual appraisal cycle. Because teams are product-driven, conversations happen in real time. One thing Gen Z particularly values is understanding the ‘why’. Why am I doing this, and what does it mean for me? These questions are addressed openly.
There is also a natural safety net. When a senior vice president, a manager, and junior team members work together on the same problem, bias is reduced. Growth is not dependent solely on a reporting manager’s perception. Contribution is visible across the hierarchy. That shared visibility ensures fairness.
So while journeys may not always be linear, there is clarity, transparency, and collective accountability. That is how we ensure EVP remains real and accessible to everyone in the organisation.
Are there individuals whose journey reflects the opportunities your organisation creates?
Yes, I can share a couple.
One example is of a diploma engineer who joined us around 11 years ago as a soldering technician. In a typical structure, the progression for that role is straightforward. A soldering technician becomes a senior technician and then a specialist. The path is narrow.
However, the way we operate is different. We give people opportunities to grow both vertically and horizontally. That individual demonstrated strong potential and gradually took on more responsibility. Today, he heads our entire SMT function at a director level.
The company can offer opportunities, but individuals must choose to take them. He did exactly that. He is still with us, and this is one of the stories we share with Gen Z to illustrate that growth here is not limited by starting position.
Another example is of someone who joined us in 2008 as an intern. At that time, the organisation had around 50 or 60 employees. During his internship, he demonstrated strong technical knowledge in electronics. We gave him an on-the-spot offer. Although he had another opportunity elsewhere, he chose to stay.
Within eight years, he progressed to Vice President and was managing a business unit of over 400 people. When I joined the organisation in 2017, he had just been promoted from Director to Vice President.
These journeys reflect a simple principle. We provide the platform and the opportunity. Growth depends on how individuals leverage it.
As AI and automation touch every function differently, how should EVP address both opportunity and anxiety across the workforce?
There are many views around AI. Some believe it will take away jobs. Others believe it will create more. In reality, it depends on how we choose to adopt it.
We have seen this before. When cloud technology emerged, there was similar anxiety. People believed manual roles would disappear. What actually happened was not the disappearance of work, but the need for new skills. Those who upgraded themselves moved into better opportunities.
Technology is created to make us more efficient, more optimised and more aligned with industry trends. AI is no different.
From an EVP perspective, the impact will certainly be there, but it is not about replacement. It is about co-creation. Humans and AI will coexist. The question is how effectively we leverage AI in our daily work.
For example, when we run a war room to solve a complex issue, it was earlier dependent entirely on technocrats. Today, AI tools can help analyse problem statements and offer insights. Teams can integrate those insights into their own thinking and resolve issues faster. That collaborative approach strengthens capability rather than replacing it.
The key principle is augmentation. AI supports and enables systems to become more efficient. It does not remove the human element. Humans must remain in the loop.
AI can also accelerate learning and upskilling. It can help organisations identify skill gaps, recommend development paths and scale new capabilities faster. That strengthens the employee value proposition rather than diluting it.
Even in areas such as employee surveys, AI-driven tools can identify patterns in sentiment and highlight pockets where culture may need attention. That allows leaders to act quickly.
So we see AI as an opportunity to increase efficiency and enhance impact. If we treat it as a threat, adoption becomes difficult. If we treat it as an enabler, EVP becomes stronger and more future-ready.
As organisations scale, experiences can vary widely across teams. How do you maintain EVP consistency without enforcing uniformity?
As organisations grow, the real challenge is not standardisation but engagement. We focus on ensuring that Gen Z employees remain engaged, consistent in delivery, and proud to be associated with the organisation over the long term.
One of the structured interventions we have followed for the past four to five years is what we internally align around the CTO office. It is an opportunity extended to a selected group of high-potential individuals to work closely with senior technical leadership on advanced and innovative projects. This is not a tenure-based privilege. It is skill-driven.
Through this exposure, participants build technical depth at scale and learn how senior leaders think and solve problems. Gen Z has a natural inclination towards exploration. Providing this platform satisfies that need while strengthening capability and ensuring delivery.
Another important element is experiential onboarding. When Gen Z employees join, we take them through detailed floor walks across departments. In areas where physical access is restricted due to safety, such as certain mechanical or die-casting units, we use live-streaming to demonstrate how operations function. They see the CNC machines, die-casting processes and assembly lines in action. This converts EVP from a verbal promise into a lived experience. What they hear during hiring aligns with what they see on the ground.
Internal mobility is another pillar. Across our six engineering business units, we identify a group each year to participate in specialised growth journeys. Not everyone completes the programme, as it can be demanding, but those who do see significant progression. Growth is based on capability, not hierarchy.
We also believe consistency comes from participation. After 18 to 24 months, employees can begin mentoring others. They can become certified internal interviewers, trainers or knowledge contributors. With structured in-house certification programmes available after a minimum tenure, they start contributing beyond their core roles.
This creates a cycle. They first experience the culture, then they help shape it for others. Peer mentoring works well because individuals from the same generation understand each other’s context and expectations.
By removing rigid linear barriers and enabling visibility across the hierarchy, employees begin to architect their own careers. We have several examples of individuals growing rapidly within the organisation. That real-time visibility reinforces credibility.
Consistency, therefore, does not come from uniform experiences. It stems from shared access, transparency, skill-based growth, and visible opportunities.
If Gen Z were to design the EVP five years from now, what realities of today’s workplace do you think they would want organisations to be more honest about?
In many ways, we have already started moving in that direction. When employees begin mentoring, interviewing and shaping internal processes within 18 to 24 months, we are effectively giving them a voice in defining the future EVP. Over time, it will naturally be influenced more strongly by Gen Z thinking.
The first reality they would demand honesty about is purpose. They are deeply purpose-driven. If the “why” behind a role, a project, or a policy is unclear, they will question it. Future EVP narratives will need to articulate not just what the organisation does, but why it does it — and why an individual’s contribution matters.
The second shift will be around skills over stages. Traditional markers such as tenure or academic pedigree will matter less. Skills will be the real currency. Gen Z already understands that every skill has a shelf life. We moved from cloud to AI; tomorrow, there will be something beyond AI. They would expect organisations to be transparent about this reality — that certain capabilities may become redundant, and continuous upskilling is non-negotiable. Adaptability will remain central to EVP.
Another area where they may push boundaries is structural flexibility. If we say employees are the architects of their careers, they may ask: why can’t I choose my reporting manager? Why must that decision be fixed? Today, performance systems allow 360-degree feedback, but rarely the flexibility to select leaders. In the future, Gen Z may expect greater say in who they work with, based on learning alignment and style compatibility.
Finally, they will expect innovation freedom with accountability. They would want the flexibility to experiment, to mix their own ‘ingredients’, to approach problems differently. The expectation from leadership would not be rigid control, but clarity on outcomes — and an emphasis on failing fast and correcting quickly.
In essence, the EVP designed by Gen Z would likely be purpose-led, skill-driven, transparent about change, flexible in structure and supportive of experimentation. It would be less about hierarchy and more about ownership.
Subnesh is a seasoned HR leader with over 20 years of experience across Global Talent Acquisition, HR Business Partnering, HR Analytics and Talent Management. An LLB and alumnus of XLRI, Symbiosis and ISTD, he leads a team of 120+ professionals, overseeing HR operations for 12,000+ employees. He has built strong global partnerships and driven forecasting, competency development, compliance and analytics-led transformation. Passionate about innovation and employee relations, he is committed to nurturing future-ready HR leaders who enable business success.
